Nina's response came almost immediately after Aria received the cryptic message.
"I'm on it. I'll need a few hours to track it down. Stay safe."
Aria felt a chill run down her spine. Someone was watching her, but who? And why had Damon threatened her so directly? She had never been more certain that this was no longer just about exposing corruption—it was about survival.
She turned her attention back to the file. The mention of Alpha Facility was no coincidence. She had to know what it was. It couldn't just be another offshore account or shell company. It was something more, something deeply tied to Victor Hale's empire.
---
The hours dragged on, and Aria couldn't shake the feeling of impending danger. Every creak of the floorboards, every car passing outside her apartment, sent her heart racing. She barely slept that night, her laptop open in front of her as she reviewed the documents again and again.
Finally, just before dawn, Nina's message came through.
"Alpha Facility isn't just a location. It's a secure data center, located off the coast of the Azores. It's a private compound owned by Hale Global Trust, used exclusively for housing sensitive data—stuff that can't be accessed by anyone outside the inner circle."
Aria's breath caught in her throat. The Azores. It was a remote archipelago, practically a hidden world. And Hale had set up a private facility there to store something beyond public reach.
"The facility houses personal data on thousands of influential people—politicians, celebrities, businessmen—anyone Hale wants to control. I've also found evidence that it contains files related to Project Haven, including the funds and transactions that were scrubbed."
That was it. The key to destroying Hale and Damon once and for all.
---
Aria didn't waste another moment. She packed a small bag, grabbed her passport, and shut off her phone. She couldn't afford to be tracked now—not with what she knew.
The next few hours were a blur. Aria booked a flight to Lisbon, then another to the Azores. She told no one of her plans, not even Nina, not knowing who she could trust anymore.
---
In Lisbon, Aria boarded the small plane that would take her to the Azores. As the aircraft lifted into the sky, she looked out the window at the sprawling ocean below, feeling more isolated than ever. If Hale's people were looking for her—and she was sure they were—it would take more than a few miles to outrun them. But she had come too far to turn back.
After several hours of travel, the plane touched down on a small island. The Azores were as remote as Nina had described, their rugged terrain a perfect hiding place for Hale's operations. A small boat waited at the dock, ready to take Aria to the facility.
---
As Aria made her way across the choppy waters toward Alpha Facility, her thoughts raced. The file had shown everything she needed to know—Hale had been manipulating global finances for years. But the question remained: what exactly was his endgame? What could he possibly want with so much data on so many influential figures?
Power. The word echoed in her mind.
Hale wasn't just controlling money. He was controlling people.
And if she was going to take him down, she needed to understand exactly what he was doing with all that power.
---
The boat finally reached the facility. The compound was a fortress—walled, isolated, and seemingly impenetrable. Armed guards patrolled the perimeter, and a series of cameras monitored every inch of the area.
Aria knew she couldn't walk in through the front door. She'd need a way inside, unnoticed.
She studied the facility, looking for an entry point. After scanning the exterior, she spotted a small maintenance door on the side of the building. It wasn't much—just a metal door, hidden behind a cluster of large storage tanks. But it was enough.
Aria waited for the right moment, watching the guards. When the last one turned his back, she sprinted toward the door, her heart pounding in her chest. She reached it just as the guard's footsteps faded into the distance.
Her fingers trembled as she picked the lock. With a quiet click, the door opened. She slipped inside, breathing a sigh of relief.
---
Inside, the facility was eerily quiet. The hum of servers filled the air, and the cold, metallic walls seemed to close in on her. Aria crept through the narrow corridors, avoiding the occasional patrolling guard. She had no idea how much time she had before Hale's men realized she was there, but she couldn't afford to waste any of it.
She finally reached the central data room, its heavy steel door reinforced with biometric security. Aria couldn't just break through it. She needed a way in—something, anything that would give her access.
She glanced around the hallway, her eyes landing on a nearby janitor's closet. The keycard reader beside it buzzed intermittently.
Perfect.
Inside the closet was an old maintenance worker, sitting at a desk with a coffee mug in hand. Aria watched him for a moment, waiting for the right moment. When he stood to grab another cup of coffee, she slipped past him and into the supply room.
There, she found a keycard hanging on a peg. She grabbed it, then retraced her steps toward the data room.
The keycard slid into the reader smoothly, and the door clicked open. Aria slipped inside, her breath catching in her throat. The room was filled with rows of servers, each one humming with data.
---
It didn't take long to find what she was looking for. Among the files on the server were documents related to Project Haven. This wasn't just about money—it was about control. Hale had files on every major player in global politics, finance, and media. Each document contained sensitive information, personal details, leverage Hale could use to manipulate or destroy anyone who got in his way.
Aria's fingers hovered over the keyboard as she copied the data onto her USB drive. She had to get this back to Nina, to the world. She couldn't afford to fail now.
But just as the files finished transferring, the door to the data room slammed open.
"Freeze!"
Aria's heart skipped a beat as she turned to face a group of guards, guns raised. Her escape plan was about to fall apart.