Location: Dominion Black Site – Atlas Sector, Unknown Coordinates
The scent of steel, sterilized chemicals, and secrets hung in the air.
Dominion's hidden fortress—codenamed Atlas—had stood untouched for years. But tonight, the facility flickered with life as its hidden residents moved with silent purpose.
In the center chamber, a massive screen pulsed with red glyphs. A tall figure, draped in a gray overcoat with Dominion's sigil stitched into the collar, stood motionless as the glyphs finished their rotation.
Then a synthesized voice spoke.
"Asset Alpha–013... Terminated. Purge incomplete."
The man sighed. "Incomplete… again."
A subordinate approached, carefully avoiding direct eye contact. "Sir, the Protocol has been traced. They triggered the awakening."
"Of course they did." He turned, revealing a half-metallic face—the result of a failed escape decades ago. "They don't know they've just signed their own death warrants."
"What of Victor Kane?" the subordinate asked.
A cold smirk formed. "Victor plays chess with ghosts. Let him think he's in control. But double the surveillance. If he tries to override Atlas, I want it to melt his eyes out."
"Yes, Commander."
The man—codenamed Stratos—turned back to the map. A flashing beacon near Tavara had begun to pulse with alarming intensity.
"Nora Wycliffe… Damien Black… I should've ended both of you when you were still pawns. Now you're queens on a broken board."
He tapped the console. A launch timer appeared.
00:72:45:00 – NEXUS Protocol: Countdown Engaged
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Location: Tavara – Safehouse, Eastern Province
Nora stared at the screen. Echo's projection displayed the entire global threat grid. Red zones were expanding.
"They're activating Nexus," Echo said, eyes wide. "It's worse than we feared."
"What's Nexus?" Logan asked.
Damien answered, grim. "It's Dominion's final layer. If the Forgotten Protocol fails… Nexus resets the board."
Nora turned sharply. "Resets how?"
"Genetic targeting. Bio-signal suppression. Entire bloodlines erased. Cities locked down with kill switches embedded in their infrastructure." Damien exhaled. "It's extinction of resistance—surgical and permanent."
Zina grabbed her rifle. "Then we shut it down before it starts."
"We need Atlas," Nora said. "It's the control hub. We get in… we stop this."
Echo looked at her tablet. "Coordinates are cloaked, but there's a backdoor trace on Victor Kane's last encrypted burst. He's been there."
Logan smirked. "Time to pay Victor a visit."
---
Location: Coastal Tavara – Kane Shipping Complex, Underground Level
Victor Kane stood in silence, staring at a photograph in his hand.
A woman's smile.
A child's laugh.
He folded it gently and placed it back into his coat as Damien and Nora entered through the security chamber, weapons lowered but eyes sharp.
"You tracked me," Victor said without surprise.
"No," Damien replied. "You wanted us to find you."
Victor turned. "Atlas is real. And Nexus is already counting down. But storming the fortress won't stop it. The only way in… is through the key."
He placed a chip on the table. It glowed faint blue.
"This key requires two biometric sequences—mine… and Nora's."
She blinked. "Why mine?"
Victor looked at her—his gaze strange, soft. "Because you were never just the heir to your family. You were their insurance."
Damien stepped forward. "What the hell does that mean?"
Victor handed Nora a sealed envelope. "You'll know. But not now."
Behind them, sirens suddenly shrieked from Echo's comms.
"They know we're here," she said. "Dominion's on their way."
Victor slipped on his gloves. "Then let's not keep them waiting."
Outside, black drones swarmed through the night like a storm with no wind.
The real war had begun.