Chapter 14: Sparks and Shadows
In a high-rise tower in Sector 22, Valora Tren stood by a panoramic window, her arms crossed tightly as the wind tugged at the edge of her coat. Her dark suit blended into the shadows, while behind her, flickering monitors displayed a grid map of Neo-Lagos. One zone glowed brighter than the rest—Sector 18.
"Power grids, smart shelters, food drops," said Wolfe, her lead analyst. "He’s building faster than projections. His civilian approval rating jumped by 12% in just two weeks."
Valora’s lips curled into a cold smile. "Then we slow him down. Make the people question his success. Pressure cracks everything eventually."
Wolfe nodded. "Drone strike?"
"No. Too direct," Valora said. "Sabotage. A fire. Make it look like an internal fault. People fear failure more than force."
She turned to the room’s far wall. A massive, broken NovaCore crest hung crooked—her former employer. Her exile didn’t dim her desire for control. It sharpened it.
"Send a remote unit to target his food depot. Keep it clean. Minimal signature."
Back in Sector 18, the sun had barely risen when alarms blared through the Command Center.
ALERT: Depot Fire – Food Supply C
Cause: Unknown
Damage: 63%
Thick black smoke curled into the sky above the southern sector. Emergency drones zipped toward it as water cannons fired. Jaden sat frozen, reading the report on a floating screen.