Ethan woke up to a soft chime from his system. The sun was just rising, casting a pale glow through the reinforced shutters of the safehouse. He rubbed his eyes and glanced at the notification.
[Task Reminder: Eliminate Marcus Kane.]
[Subtask Unlocked: Gather Intel on Marcus Kane's Location.]
Lila was already awake, seated at the table with a fresh pot of coffee and a stack of the files they had taken from the warehouse.
"Morning," she said, not looking up. "You're going to want to see this."
Ethan joined her, taking a cup of coffee as he leaned over the files. Lila tapped on a satellite image marked with coordinates.
"Kane is here," she said. "It's a private compound in the northern hills. High-tech defenses, armed guards, and surveillance drones."
Ethan studied the image, his system already providing overlays and tactical insights. "So he's dug in. Any idea why?"
"From the chatter we intercepted, Gray's putting him in charge of some critical Cerberus operations. If we take Kane out, it'll slow Gray's entire plan."
Ethan nodded. "We'll need more intel before we can make a move."
Gathering Intel
The first step was finding out more about Kane's compound. Ethan and Lila split up, each taking a different approach.
Ethan tapped into Gray's encrypted network using the reward from their earlier mission, pulling schematics of the compound and logs of recent activity. His system flagged several areas of interest: a central command room, a weapons depot, and a drone control hub.
Meanwhile, Lila tracked down a local informant who had previously worked security at the compound. After some persuasion, he provided details about the guard rotations, weak points in the defenses, and the schedule for incoming supply convoys.
When they reconvened at the safehouse, they had a full picture of the compound's layout and operations.
System Notification:
[Subtask Completed: Gather Intel on Marcus Kane's Location. Reward: Blueprint of Kane's Compound.]
Ethan spread the blueprint on the table. "We hit the command room first to disable their communications. Then we target the drone control hub to take out their surveillance capabilities. Once the defenses are down, we go for Kane."
Lila nodded. "Let's move fast. The longer he's alive, the harder Gray's network will be to dismantle."
Infiltrating the Compound
The northern hills were quiet as Ethan and Lila approached the compound under cover of darkness. The area was heavily patrolled, but Ethan's system guided them through the gaps in the guards' movements.
Reaching the perimeter, they used a maintenance hatch to slip inside unnoticed. The interior of the compound was a maze of corridors and stairwells, but the system's blueprint kept them on track.
They reached the command room first. Ethan disabled the lock using his system, and they entered silently. A lone technician was seated at a console, monitoring the compound's security feeds.
Lila acted quickly, knocking the technician unconscious and tying him up. Ethan planted a jammer on the communications console, cutting off all outgoing signals.
System Notification:
[Command Room Disabled. Subtask Progress: 1/3.]
The Drone Control Hub
The drone control hub was heavily guarded, with two operatives stationed outside the door. Ethan and Lila waited for the guards to pass during their patrol, then moved in swiftly.
Inside, rows of monitors displayed live drone feeds, and a central console controlled their movements. Ethan uploaded a virus into the system, causing the drones to malfunction and crash one by one.
System Notification:
[Drone Control Hub Disabled. Subtask Progress: 2/3.]
Confronting Kane
With the defenses down, Ethan and Lila made their way to Kane's quarters. The door was reinforced, but Lila used a small explosive charge to blow it open.
Inside, Marcus Kane was waiting, seated at a desk with a pistol in his hand. He was a large man, his presence imposing even in the dim light.
"I've been expecting you," Kane said, standing slowly. "You think you're clever, taking out my defenses. But you're just another pawn in a game you can't win."
Ethan leveled his weapon at Kane. "Surrender, and maybe I won't kill you."
Kane laughed, a deep, guttural sound. "You don't have what it takes to stop me. Gray will crush you both."
Kane lunged forward, faster than Ethan expected. The two grappled, the fight brutal and chaotic. Lila tried to intervene, but Kane threw her aside with surprising strength.
Ethan's system chimed mid-fight:
[Emergency Boost: Tactical Reflexes Activated.]
The enhancement gave Ethan the edge he needed. He dodged Kane's next strike and delivered a precise blow to his temple, knocking him to the ground.
Lila recovered quickly, aiming her weapon at Kane. "It's over."
Kane glared at them, blood trickling down his face. "You'll regret this. Gray's already won."
Ethan didn't respond. He pulled out a tranquilizer and injected Kane, ensuring he wouldn't cause any more trouble.
System Notification:
[Task Completed: Eliminate Marcus Kane. Reward: Key to Gray's Inner Circle Unlocked.]
As they left the compound, the night was eerily silent. They had taken out one of Gray's most dangerous operatives, but the fight was far from over.
Back at the safehouse, Ethan stared at the countdown in his system: 10 days until Cerberus Activation.
"We're running out of time," he said softly.
Lila nodded, her expression grim. "Then we hit Gray where it hurts. No more waiting."