The murky morning sunlight barely filtered through the drapes in Sana’s study, casting faint shadows across the room. Seven sat at the desk, his laptop open, the screen alive with strings of code. His fingers flew across the keys, finalizing the last touches on the system, including the hidden layer that would route transaction footprints directly to the FCPD. The weight of what he was about to do pressed down on him; there was no turning back. Today was the day.

  Right then, his phone buzzed with a text from Katherine:

  [I’m right outside. Whenever you’re ready.]

  The notification jolted him out of his focus. He closed his laptop and slipped it into his backpack, slinging the strap over his shoulder. He exhaled and headed to the bedroom; Sana was still asleep. He brushed a kiss to her forehead, lingering for a heartbeat before leaving.

  Katherine’s Camry sat right by the curb. She leaned against the hood, arms crossed, her sharp gaze fixed on the main entrance.

  “You ready for this?” she asked as he climbed into the passenger seat.

  “Yeah,” he breathed, his voice dry but edged with tension.

  Katherine eased away from the estate, a wry half-smile curving at her lips. “The things you do for love...”

  ……

  The FCPD headquarters was a hive of activity. Katherine led her brother to a back room where Max, the tech lead, and a small team of specialists were waiting. The space brimmed with equipment—monitors, wires, and cutting-edge surveillance tools.

  “You’re sure about this?” Max asked, his tone solemn. “Once you’re in there, there’s no backup.”

  Seven gave a curt nod. “I’ve got this. Your team will get the data once the hidden layer begins transmitting.”

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Katherine stepped forward, holding out an intricately designed tie clip. “Wear this. It streams live video; it’s virtually undetectable. They won’t suspect a thing.”

  He clipped it to his tie and adjusted the angle. He shot Katherine a glance. “You sure this will work?”

  She arched a brow. “You doubting us now?”

  “Just confirming,” he teased, the corner of his mouth lifting faintly.

  Her expression softened. “Be careful, Sev. Cloche isn’t someone you should underestimate.”

  “Neither am I,” he said evenly.

  ……

  C-Tech’s headquarters loomed like a fortress, its glass facade reflecting the gray midday clouds. Seven stepped inside, backpack slung over his shoulder. He wasn’t surprised to see Blazer and Moros waiting at the reception.

  “Right on time,” Blazer murmured, his tone flat. “Boss is waiting.”

  Seven followed them through a maze of corridors, his senses tuned to every detail. The air was taut; every step felt like a move in a high-stakes game. At last, they entered a secure room crammed with servers and glowing monitors. Talon stood at the center, arms folded, his expression unreadable.

  “Let’s get started,” he barked with authority.

  Seven set down his backpack and drew out his laptop. He connected it to the main server, his keystrokes lightning quick as he began porting over the programs. The only sounds were the low drone of servers and the clicking of keys.

  Blazer and Moros hovered nearby, their attention locked on the screens. Seven felt the weight of their scrutiny, but he remained deadpan, absorbed in the task at hand.

  “What’s this?” Moros broke in, pointing at a line of code.

  Seven squinted. “That’s the redundancy protocol. It scrambles the data if someone tries to decrypt it.”

  Moros narrowed his eyes but said nothing more. Seven resumed working, his movements deliberate. He knew they were looking for any sign of deception, but he had spent weeks perfecting this. The hidden layer was buried so deep that even their most advanced diagnostics wouldn’t detect it.

  After what felt like an eternity, he leaned back. “It’s done. The platform is ready.”

  Talon stepped forward, his gaze piercing. “And you’re sure it’s untraceable?”

  Seven didn’t blink. “As long as no one tampers with it, it’s flawless.”

  Talon studied him for a moment, then turned to Blazer and Moros. “Guys, do your thing.”

  The two moved in, hammering on the keyboards as they ran diagnostics. Seven watched in silence, his heart hammering...

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