Aldric inhaled slowly.
The house had become almost completely silent.
Only the faint hum of the building remained—the wind pressing against the windows, the distant noise of the district, and the controlled breathing of two men standing several feet apart.
Keno Reeves tightened his grip around the dagger in his left hand.
Aldric held his own blade in his right. Neither man moved.
For a moment, they simply watched each other. Keno's eyes narrowed. Aldric's expression remained calm. Then they moved. Keno stepped forward first, swinging the dagger toward Aldric.
Aldric immediately raised his left hand and caught Keno's wrist before the blade could reach him. Using Keno's own momentum against him, Aldric shifted his weight, turned his body, and threw him over.
Keno went airborne but the former Marine reacted quickly. He twisted in midair and brought his left foot down before immediately driving his right foot toward Aldric's head.
Aldric released Keno's leg and leaned backward just enough for the kick to pass in front of him. Keno landed. There was barely a pause. He dashed forward again.
The dagger flashed repeatedly as Keno attacked from different angles. Aldric avoided the first strike. Then the second. Then the third. He shifted backward, turned his shoulder, and narrowly avoided another slash.
But Keno was fast. One strike caught Aldric across the right arm. Aldric immediately retreated a step. His eyes hardened.
Keno saw the opening and attempted to close the distance, trying to use his superior body weight to force Aldric into a grapple.
Aldric didn't allow it. He knew exactly what Keno wanted.
The moment Keno stepped inside his range, Aldric slid sideways. Keno's momentum carried him forward. Aldric struck his foot. Keno lost his balance and dropped to one knee. But the former Marine reacted almost instantly.
He twisted around and launched himself toward Aldric.
Aldric jumped. He flipped over Keno and landed behind him.
Before Keno could turn completely, Aldric stepped onto his feet and used the sudden loss of balance to bring him down onto his knees.
The dagger was removed from Keno's reach. Within moments, Aldric secured his hands and restrained his legs. Keno breathed heavily.
Aldric stood directly in front of him.
"Finally," Aldric said calmly. "You're caught."
Keno laughed. It wasn't the laugh of a defeated man. It was the laugh of someone who believed Aldric had just opened a door he could never close.
"You don't know what you're getting into, Aldric Benedict."
Aldric looked directly into his eyes.
"They know who you are."
Aldric Replied by saying:
"I know."
Keno's smile faded slightly.
Aldric continued, "In fact, shortly after this, if you're important enough to them, they'll respond. They'll either send other operatives from Cerberus to retrieve you—or they'll send someone to make sure you can't talk."
Keno stared at him. Aldric's expression didn't change.
"Loose ends are dangerous."
Keno gave a faint smile.
"That won't be needed."
His jaw shifted. Aldric immediately noticed. Something was wrong. Keno opened his mouth.
Aldric reacted before he could do anything else.
He secured Keno's jaw and stopped him from closing his mouth completely. There was a tiny concealed object among Keno's belongings that made the intention clear.
Aldric removed it carefully and placed it into a sealed evidence bag.
"You see," Aldric said, "I made sure to prepare for this."
Keno's eyes widened slightly.
Aldric reached toward his equipment and produced a prepared medical sedative.
"I don't need you conscious while we move you."
The sedative took effect quickly. Keno's resistance faded.
His head lowered. Within moments, he was unconscious. Aldric caught him before he could fall. He lifted Keno and carried him toward the exit. Outside, the darkness seemed almost alive.
The SLCO operatives emerged from their concealed positions one after another. They had remained hidden around the three buildings exactly as planned. A few minutes later, President Sky arrived.
Her eyes immediately settled on the unconscious man.
"So this is Keno Reeves."
"Yeah," Aldric replied. "His physical strength is no joke."
Brian Richards gave a small shake of his head.
"Taking him down was even more impressive, sir."
Aldric simply shrugged.
"It's nothing."
The remaining operatives gathered around.
Luke Graham stood near Brian, while Varron checked communications. Mason Vale maintained the perimeter. Darius Cole remained close to Keno. Elena Cross watched the surrounding streets. Marcus Veyne checked the recovered equipment. Jonas Creed studied the area for possible pursuit. Rhea Marlowe observed everything silently. Silas Trent remained near the entrance route. Kael Mercer watched the team's rear. Nolan Pierce prepared the extraction route.
Aldric looked over them.
"Alright. Let's move to a different location."
President Sky immediately nodded.
"Take Keno to the bus."
Several operatives moved to carry him.
Aldric stopped Sky.
"President Sky."
Sky:
"Hmm?"
Aldric:
"Can you clean up the scene and secure the evidence on Keno?"
Sky hesitated.
"That would put me in a bad position."
She glanced toward the house.
Then back at Aldric.
"But I'm fighting injustice and corruption too."
Aldric smiled faintly.
"Thank you."
He headed toward the bus.
Sky turned toward several operatives.
"With me."
They entered the house. The objective was simple: leave nothing behind that could compromise the SLCO.
The operatives gathered the spent ammunition, secured the weapons, and collected the knives. Sky searched Keno's belongings. She found multiple tactical vests and additional firearms.
Then she found something unexpected. A photograph. Keno stood beside a woman. A little girl stood between them. Sky stared at it for several seconds.
Her expression softened.
"So that's what you were protecting…"
She placed the photograph carefully with the other evidence. Nearby, she found Keno's damaged communications device. It was beyond normal use. Sky continued searching.
Then she looked beneath the bed. An envelope rested there. It had a red seal. Sky's eyes narrowed. She picked it up. She didn't open it. Not yet. She simply secured it.
"Take everything," she ordered.
The operatives finished securing the scene. Within minutes, the house looked almost untouched. Sky looked around one final time. Then they left.
The SLCO regrouped around the black shuttle bus.
Aldric sat toward the back. Keno remained unconscious and securely restrained nearby aldric stared at him. His mind was already moving.
Will they react publicly?..It was possible. The network controlled influence over the media. They could easily manufacture a story. They could claim Aldric had kidnapped Keno.
They could turn an operative presumed dead into a victim or perhaps they would simply send another team. Cerberus. Black Faction. Whatever name they used didn't matter. The structure was what mattered.
A knock sounded against the rear door.
Aldric opened it. President Sky climbed inside.
The other operatives remained outside, positioned around the vehicle in the darkness where nearby cameras would struggle to capture them.
Sky sat across from Aldric.
"So," she asked quietly, "what's the plan now that we have Keno?"
Aldric looked toward the unconscious man.
"He's a pawn."
Sky waited.
"That much we know."
Aldric's expression became more serious.
"He was prepared to eliminate himself rather than become a source of information. I stopped him before he could do that."
Sky frowned.
"And that changes everything."
Aldric:
"Exactly."
Aldric leaned back.
"We can't take him to the SLCO."
Sky nodded.
"Agreed.
"Nor can we take him to the Skynet Intelligence Association," Aldric said.
Sky studied him.
"Then where?"
Aldric smiled faintly.
"Somewhere they don't know exists."
Sky's eyes narrowed.
"Where?"
Aldric leaned toward her.
He lowered his voice until only she could hear.
"My newly constructed home in the mountains."
Sky stared at him.
Aldric continued, "I'll take him there and keep him secured. Only you and I will have access. You can visit whenever you need to interrogate him." Sky considered it.
Then she nodded.
"Okay. That will do."
For a moment, neither spoke. The tension inside the vehicle eased slightly. But then Sky looked at Aldric differently. There was something in her expression he hadn't seen before.
Sadness and almost Loneliness even…Aldric noticed. Sky looked away.
"If only I was your age…"
Aldric said nothing. He simply watched her.
Sky recovered herself and straightened.
"Alright."
She knocked against the side of the bus three times.
The operatives immediately moved. One after another, they climbed inside. Brian took his position. Luke followed. Varron checked communications.
The others secured the equipment and perimeter.
Sky sat down. Aldric looked through the rear window. The streets of District Seven disappeared into darkness. The black shuttle bus began moving.
It took a route deliberately chosen to avoid the commercial building cameras. No obvious trail. No predictable pattern. No unnecessary exposure.
As the city lights gradually faded behind them, Aldric looked toward Keno. The man who had entered his district as a spy was now unconscious in the back of the vehicle. But Aldric knew better than to mistake victory for safety.
Keno was only one piece. A pawn. And somewhere above him stood the players who had placed him on the board. Aldric's eyes narrowed. Now we find out who moved him. The bus disappeared into the night.