The safehouse felt quieter than usual as Ethan and Lila reviewed the spoils from their victory over Marcus Kane. Among the most important items was a small encrypted drive they had taken from Kane's quarters. Ethan connected it to his system, which immediately began decoding its contents.
"Whatever's on here must be important," Ethan muttered, his eyes focused on the glowing lines of code.
Lila leaned against the table, arms crossed. "Let's hope it's not just another dead end. We're running out of time."
After a tense few moments, the system chimed:
[Key to Gray's Inner Circle Unlocked.]
The screen displayed a detailed organizational chart of Gray's operations. At the top was Gray himself, but beneath him were several key players managing various aspects of his empire. Kane had been one of them, responsible for security and enforcement.
Ethan's gaze locked onto a name near the top of the list: Dr. Anika Moreau – Cerberus Project Lead.
"She's the one running Cerberus," Ethan said, scrolling through her profile. It listed her as a bioengineer with a history of groundbreaking but controversial research.
Lila frowned. "If we take her out, it could delay the project. Maybe even stop it."
"Not just take her out," Ethan said, a plan forming in his mind. "We need her knowledge. If we can turn her or extract her research, we might have a chance to shut Cerberus down for good."
The system chimed again, assigning a new task:
[New Task: Capture Dr. Anika Moreau.]
[Subtasks Unlocked:]
Locate Dr. Moreau's Safehouse.
Create a Diversion to Lure Her Out.
Extract and Interrogate Dr. Moreau.
Locating Dr. Moreau
Ethan and Lila began scouring the files from Kane's compound for any clues about Dr. Moreau's location. One document mentioned a remote research facility in the southern marshlands, heavily guarded and isolated from the rest of Gray's network.
"This has to be it," Ethan said, pointing to a satellite image of the facility. It was surrounded by dense forests and accessible only by a single road.
Lila raised an eyebrow. "Getting in will be hard. Getting her out will be even harder."
"Then we make her come to us," Ethan said, his system already generating potential diversion strategies.
The Diversion
The plan was simple but risky. Ethan and Lila would create chaos at a nearby supply depot connected to the research facility, forcing Dr. Moreau to leave her secure location to assess the damage.
That night, they infiltrated the supply depot. Using a combination of explosives and hacking, they disabled key infrastructure and caused a massive power outage that spread to the surrounding area.
As expected, the facility responded quickly. Intercepted communications confirmed that Dr. Moreau was on her way to the site to oversee repairs.
System Notification:
[Subtask 2 Completed: Create a Diversion to Lure Dr. Moreau Out. Reward: Advanced Restraint System Unlocked.]
Ethan grinned as he studied the system's new tool—a compact but powerful device designed to immobilize a target without causing lasting harm. "This will come in handy."
The Extraction
Dr. Moreau arrived at the depot early the next morning, escorted by a small security team. She was a slender woman with sharp features and piercing eyes, her demeanor cold and calculating.
Ethan and Lila observed her from a distance, waiting for the right moment to strike. When she stepped away from her team to inspect a damaged server rack, they moved in.
Lila disabled the guards with swift, silent takedowns, while Ethan approached Dr. Moreau from behind. Before she could react, he activated the restraint system, binding her arms and legs with energy bands.
"What is this?!" Moreau hissed, struggling against the restraints.
"Your ticket out of here," Ethan said, pulling her toward their extraction point.
Interrogating Dr. Moreau
Back at their temporary hideout, Dr. Moreau sat bound to a chair, her expression a mix of anger and defiance.
"You think you can stop Gray?" she sneered. "You have no idea what you're up against."
Ethan crouched in front of her, his voice calm but firm. "We're not here to stop Gray. We're here to stop Cerberus. Tell us what we need to know, and this doesn't have to get ugly."
Moreau laughed bitterly. "You're too late. Cerberus is already in its final stages. Nothing you do can stop it now."
Ethan's system chimed, offering him a choice: [Use Persuasion or Intimidation.]
He chose persuasion. "You're a scientist, not a soldier. Do you really believe in what Gray is doing? How many lives will Cerberus destroy?"
For a moment, doubt flickered in Moreau's eyes. She looked away, her shoulders slumping slightly.
"It wasn't supposed to be like this," she muttered. "Cerberus was meant to protect humanity, not... this."
Lila leaned forward. "Then help us. Tell us how to shut it down."
Dr. Moreau hesitated, then finally nodded. "I'll tell you what I know. But you'll need more than just my knowledge to stop it. Gray's got contingencies."
System Notification:
[Task Completed: Capture Dr. Anika Moreau. Reward: Cerberus Deactivation Protocol Unlocked.]
As the night deepened, Ethan and Lila listened intently as Dr. Moreau began detailing Cerberus's inner workings. It was their first real breakthrough, but they both knew the hardest part was still ahead.
The countdown in Ethan's system ticked down ominously: 9 days until Cerberus Activation.