He glanced once more at Harris, who stood rigid against the wall, his eyes darting between Andrew and Cipher. Harris was slippery, no doubt about that, but Andrew knew keeping him alive, for now, would serve a purpose. He wasn't going to trust him—Harris was still the same man who had led the ops that cost Andrew his father—but there was something more pressing at play. A larger game. One Andrew needed Harris to help him navigate.
"You know more than you're letting on," Andrew said, his voice sharp and low. He stepped closer, the space between them closing until Harris had nowhere to go. "You want to stay alive? Start talking. Who's running this? And why kill my father?"
Harris swallowed hard, trying to maintain his composure. But Andrew saw the cracks—the fear behind the tough exterior. "I'm not your enemy," Harris said, glancing between Andrew and Cipher, the desperation leaking into his tone. "There's a bigger enemy out there, Andrew. The army you're so focused on? They're just pawns. There's an entire network pulling the strings, and they're the ones who ordered your father's death."
Andrew's fists clenched at the mention of his father. He wanted nothing more than to pull the trigger right now, to make Harris pay. But he held back. Barely. Harris might still be lying, might still be trying to save his skin, but Andrew needed to know more before making any decisions.
"You'll help us expose them," Andrew said coldly. "Or we'll make sure you disappear for good."
Harris's defiance wavered, replaced by a grim acceptance. "Fine," he muttered. "But if we do this, you'll need me. You can't take them down without my help."
Andrew exchanged a glance with Cipher, who raised an eyebrow but stayed silent. They both knew Harris was useful—for now. But neither of them trusted him. Harris was dangerous, and as much as they needed him for intel, Andrew wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet in him the moment he became a liability.
"You're coming with us," Andrew said, stepping back and holstering his gun. "But don't forget, you're alive because I allow it."
Harris gave a short nod, his cocky demeanor dulled by the reality of his situation. He was no longer in control.
They left the alley, moving quickly through the city streets. Cipher took the lead, keeping an eye on their surroundings, while Andrew walked just behind Harris, ensuring the man didn't try to pull anything. The night was dark, the glow from streetlights casting long shadows over the empty sidewalks. The city felt eerie, but Andrew's senses were on high alert. There was always the chance they'd run into patrols or enemies sent to track them.
As they reached their safe house on the outskirts of the city, Andrew couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was coming. His instincts were sharper than ever after tonight's ops. His speed had increased, and his reaction time was more precise. Every mission made him stronger and more attuned to his surroundings. And it wasn't just him—Cipher had experienced the same growth. The more they fought, the more their abilities seemed to upgrade, unlocking new skills and heightened awareness.
Once inside, Cipher locked the door behind them, and Andrew shoved Harris into a chair. "Stay here," Andrew ordered. "We've got work to do."
Harris glared but remained seated. He knew there was no point in resisting—he was outmatched. Andrew and Cipher moved to the back of the room, discussing their next move in hushed tones.
"You think he'll stay put?" Cipher asked, glancing at Harris.
Andrew nodded. "He knows better than to try anything now. But we'll keep a close watch. We need him for a little longer."
Cipher sighed, clearly not thrilled about the arrangement. "This is risky. He could double-cross us."
"I know," Andrew said, his voice grim. "But we don't have a choice. He's our only lead to the people behind all of this."
They had learned from Harris that there was a larger organization—an underground network with far more power than the army or the local factions. Harris had been working for them, and it was clear they had ordered the hit on Andrew's father. But why? And who were these people? That's what Andrew needed to find out.
After checking their equipment and ensuring their next mission was mapped out, Andrew returned to where Harris sat. "We're leaving in an hour," he said. "Stay put. If you try to run, I'll hunt you down myself."
Harris gave a slow nod, but there was something in his eyes—something calculating. Andrew didn't trust it. Harris might be playing along for now, but Andrew knew better than to believe it would last. He had seen men like Harris before—survivors, manipulators. They did whatever it took to stay alive, even if it meant turning on their allies at the first chance.
As the night wore on, Andrew reflected on how much had changed. His father's death had set him on this path, but it was the constant battle that had made him stronger. With each mission, he felt himself leveling up—his aim more precise, his reaction time faster, his tactical thinking sharper. And he could feel more upgrades on the horizon. He had unlocked abilities he never thought possible—like the way he could dodge bullets now, his body moving almost reflexively before his mind registered the danger.
Cipher had mentioned similar experiences. After each op, they weren't just surviving—they were evolving, becoming more efficient, deadlier. They had noticed it after the first few encounters, how their skills seemed to progress naturally, almost like they were unlocking hidden potential.
Andrew looked over at Harris, wondering if the man noticed it too. Whether he had seen the changes in them and was planning to exploit it somehow. For now, Harris was staying in line, but Andrew knew that wouldn't last. Eventually, Harris would try to make his move.
And when that happened, Andrew would be ready.
Andrew glanced once more at Harris, who remained slumped in the chair, his eyes narrowed, scheming. There was no doubt in Andrew's mind that Harris was plotting his next move, but for now, the man was subdued. Andrew's grip tightened around the pistol holstered at his side—he would make sure Harris stayed that way.
The hour passed in tense silence. Cipher remained stationed near the door, his eyes flicking to the windows every few moments, alert for any sign of a tail. Andrew stood by the table, running through the details of their next mission. The encrypted files they'd stolen from the shadow organization's hub were still far from cracked, but the initial data had already given them enough to act. They had a name: Veridian. That was the code name for whoever was pulling the strings.
Harris had only given them crumbs about the organization. According to him, Veridian was some kind of mastermind, a ghost who operated far above the army's pay grade. They were the ones who had ordered Andrew's father's death and imprisoned him as part of a much bigger agenda. The more Andrew learned, the deeper the conspiracy seemed to go. But no matter how big this game was, Andrew would find a way to win it.
"Time to go," Andrew said, breaking the silence. He glanced at Cipher, who nodded and made his way to the back to gather their gear. Andrew stepped over to Harris, pulling the man to his feet.
"Let's go," he said coldly. "You've got one shot at this. Don't screw it up."
Harris smirked, but the fear in his eyes betrayed him. He wasn't going to try anything yet. Not while Andrew and Cipher still held all the cards.
The group left the safe house, moving swiftly through the city streets. Their destination was a high-tech corporate building downtown, a front for one of Veridian's operations. Andrew and Cipher had done their homework, and Harris had reluctantly confirmed that this was where they'd find more leads to Veridian's whereabouts.
They arrived at the building an hour later. It loomed over them, a sleek, glass-covered monolith against the night sky. Cipher surveyed the area, his keen eyes picking out the building's defenses. Cameras lined the perimeter, and armed guards patrolled the entrance. This wasn't going to be easy.
Andrew's mind raced through the options, his tactical skills calculating the best approach. Their hacker skills had been upgraded significantly after their last mission, and Andrew felt more confident in his ability to disable the security systems without triggering any alarms. But they'd need to be quick—once inside, there would be little room for error.
"Get ready," Andrew whispered to Cipher as they crouched behind a parked car, just out of sight of the guards. Harris stayed back, nervously glancing around.
"Let me decrypt this for now," Andrew said.
"Alright," Cipher replied.
Andrew pulled up his HUD, tapping into the building's network through a nearby node. The firewalls were tough, but with
-----------------------
'Hacker Skill Level 2',
-----------------------
Andrew tore through the defenses faster than expected. His fingers flew across his tablet, disabling the external cameras and rerouting the guard patrols.
---------------------------
"Hacker Skill Level 3 Unlocked:
----------------------------
Advanced Infiltration Enabled,"
the HUD displayed. He grinned slightly at the notification. Every mission sharpened his edge.
The guards paused, checking their comms as the security feeds went dark.
"Move," Andrew whispered.
Cipher darted forward, his movements fluid and silent. Andrew followed, signaling for Harris to keep low. They slipped into the shadows, bypassing the patrols and reaching the building's side entrance without being seen.
Once inside, the group moved quickly through the sterile, dimly lit hallways. Andrew could feel the tension in the air. This was enemy territory, and they couldn't afford to make any mistakes. His
---------
Shadow Mastery Level 2
---------
kicked in as they weaved through the corridors, blending into the darkness whenever a security guard passed by.
They made their way to the server room—a high-security vault of information that would give them access to Veridian's communications. Harris worked on bypassing the encryption while Andrew and Cipher kept watch.
"Almost there," Harris muttered as he frantically tapped into the console. His nerves were fraying, but Andrew kept his gaze locked on the hallway, gun in hand.
Just as Harris finished cracking the system, an alarm blared.
"Damn it," Harris cursed, his hands shaking. "They've got backup systems! We've been made!"
Andrew's heart pounded in his chest. They had seconds before the guards would storm their location. He activated
--------------------------------
' Shootdodging Level 3',
----------------------------------
ready for a fight.