Chapter 13: The Blackout Protocol
286 Words
At 0200 hours, the city’s power grid near the West Gate flickered and died. It wasn't an accident. Julian had used his knowledge of the university’s infrastructure to trigger a surge that knocked out the main transformers. Amir, the Bastion's tech specialist, had once taught Julian that the fraternity relied on high-tech surveillance and encrypted comms; without power, their "Eye" went blind.
As the Ravens launched a series of loud, messy strikes on the Bastion’s perimeter warehouses, the "Sentinels" were pulled away from their hunt for Ivy. Julian watched from a rooftop, his binoculars focused on the black SUVs speeding away from the police precinct. They were lulled by the bait Elias had set—a distraction of gunfire and Molotov cocktails.
Julian moved toward the Bastion’s main house—the stone fortress on the hill. He wasn't going there to fight a war; he was going to perform a surgery. He entered through the laundry chute, a vulnerability he had noted months ago when he was tasked with cleaning the seniors' uniforms. He felt the cold iron of the chute against his back, a sensation that mirrored the coldness in his chest.
The hallways were eerie. The photos of past graduates—men who were now senators and CEOs—stared down at him with judgmental eyes. He realized then that the Bastion didn't just recruit students; they recruited futures. They found the most promising young men and trapped them in a web of secrets before they even had their first job. He reached Miller’s office, the heavy oak door standing slightly ajar. Miller wanted him here. This wasn't a breach; it was an invitation to the final chapter of his initiation. Or his execution.
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