The echoes in the static.

Chapter 11: Shadow on the Pier

Elias pushed through the narrow maintenance hatch, crawling into a damp, barnacle-encrusted crawlspace beneath the wooden pier.

Above him, the heavy thud of boots shook the floorboards as syndicate operatives burst into Riley’s warehouse. Shout echoed through the fog, followed by the clatter of overturned shelves. Riley was intentionally creating noise on the upper floor, drawing their attention away from the back hatch.

Elias squeezed his eyes shut for a brief second, silent gratitude washing over him. He couldn't let her sacrifice be in vain.

Clutching the newly loaded data drive tightly in his coat, Elias crouched low and navigated the slippery wooden support beams running beneath the dock. Below him, frigid ocean water slapped against the pilings with a rhythmic, churning splash.

Fifty yards out into the mist, the silhouette of Blackwood Point Lighthouse stood like a jagged spire against the gray morning sky.

The old structure had been decommissioned decades ago, its beacon dark and abandoned. But as Elias peered through the heavy fog, he saw the faint, pulsating glow of high-voltage industrial cables running from a nearby harbor substation straight into the base of the lighthouse tower.

Riley was right. The command hub was hiding in plain sight.

He reached the end of the pier and dropped quietly onto the rocky shoreline. Staying close to the giant sea wall to remain out of sight from the lighthouse windows, he moved silently toward the heavy iron entrance at the base of the stone tower.

The main entrance was sealed with a heavy digital keypad lock, its LED status light glowing a steady red.

Elias pulled out his multi-tool and the specialized interface cable Riley had slipped into his pocket before locking the cage door. He popped off the keypad's plastic housing, exposing the internal wires, and bridged the connection with the drive.

The red light flickered twice, turned a solid green, and the heavy iron door unlatched with a loud pneumatic hiss.

Elias took a deep breath, pulled the door open, and stepped into the dark interior of the tower.