Chapter 03: A Bitter Truth
City: Geneva, Switzerland
Time: 8:00 AM
Setting: A high-rise office building overlooking Lake Geneva.
The cold glass of the high-rise office was a stark contrast to the warmth of Hawke’s thoughts. From this vantage point, the city looked peaceful—a sharp contrast to the storm that churned in his mind. Geneva was known for its neutral stance, its international treaties and diplomatic dialogues, but today it felt like a powder keg waiting to explode.
Hawke had only one objective: find Dr. Kline and retrieve the critical military secrets before the world was thrown into chaos. The stakes couldn’t have been higher, and yet, a gnawing feeling at the back of his mind told him there was more to the story than anyone had let on. Voss’s words echoed in his mind: You’re on the wrong side of the line.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that he had stepped into a trap. Voss, the man who had once been his partner, was no longer just a rogue operative—he was a key piece in a much larger game. Hawke had worked with him long enough to know when something didn’t add up. And nothing about this mission did.
The elevator doors opened, and a tall, suited figure stepped out. Hawke didn’t need to look twice to recognize the man. Victor Delgado, a senior analyst with the Swiss Intelligence Agency, had been an ally in the past—a useful resource when dealing with high-profile international matters. He was also one of the few people who could provide information without asking too many questions.
“Morning, Hawke,” Delgado said, his voice smooth but with a hint of unease. “I’ve got the latest intel on Dr. Kline. It’s not good.”
“Tell me what you’ve got,” Hawke replied, his eyes narrowing. He had already received a few reports about the scientist’s disappearance, but they hadn’t painted the full picture. Delgado had been the one to track down Kline’s last known location, a small laboratory just outside the city, but it had been abandoned by the time Hawke had arrived.
“We’ve traced Kline’s movements back to the old University Research Facility near Lausanne. But here’s the catch: He wasn’t just working on military projects. He was also researching an experimental neural network, something far more advanced than what we’ve seen so far.”
Hawke absorbed the information. A neural network could be revolutionary, but in the wrong hands, it could be a weapon. The idea of using such a system to manipulate world events—control economies, nations, people—was terrifying.
“Have you found the neural network? Where’s Kline?” Hawke asked, his voice laced with urgency.
Delgado hesitated for a moment before continuing. “That’s the problem. We’ve had eyes on the university, but Kline’s gone to ground. We lost contact with him three days ago. The last trace we found was a connection to an encrypted server, but the trail went cold after that.”
Hawke clenched his jaw. “So he’s vanished. Just like that.”
Delgado nodded. “Exactly. And there’s more. The encrypted server… it’s not linked to any government agency or university network. It’s private—private enough that we think someone else might be pulling the strings.”
Hawke’s mind raced as he processed the information. A rogue scientist with access to cutting-edge technology, working with unknown entities… this wasn’t just a missing scientist anymore. This was a global security threat.
“Do you have the coordinates for the last known location?” Hawke asked, his voice flat.
“Yes,” Delgado replied. He handed over a small data chip. “It’s all there, including the last few messages Kline sent. They’ll lead you to the next step.”
Hawke took the chip and inserted it into his tablet. The screen flickered to life, displaying a series of coordinates, followed by a brief message from Kline himself. It read:
“If you’re reading this, then they’ve found me. Do not trust anyone. It’s already too late.”
The words hit Hawke like a punch. There was no doubt now—Kline knew he was being hunted. But who had been after him, and why?
Hawke stood in front of the window, staring out at the tranquil view of Lake Geneva, trying to make sense of it all. There were too many unknowns, too many questions, and not nearly enough answers. The last thing Kline had written—“It’s already too late”—replayed in his mind like a warning bell.
Delgado broke the silence, his voice tense. “Hawke… you have to be careful. If Kline was working on something this big, you’re not the only one looking for him. The stakes have been raised.”
Hawke turned, meeting Delgado’s gaze. “And that’s exactly why I have to find him first.”
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and headed for the door. Delgado’s voice followed him, but Hawke didn’t stop.
“You’ll need backup,” Delgado said, his tone serious.
Hawke paused, his hand on the door. “I don’t need backup,” he replied. “I work alone.”
As he stepped out of the building into the brisk morning air, the weight of the mission pressed down on him. It was no longer just about finding Kline. It was about stopping a conspiracy that could plunge the world into chaos.
He had no choice but to follow the trail, even if it led him into the unknown.
The Red Horizon was getting closer.
