The echoes in the static.

Chapter 16: The Aftermath

Blue and red emergency lights flashed against the fog-drenched stone of the Blackwood Point Lighthouse.

Elias slipped past the responding officers in the confusion outside, keeping his hood pulled low. He moved along the rocky coastline, leaving the shouting, sirens, and flashing lights behind him.

The city was slowly coming back online. Backup generators kicked in across Oakhaven, restoring power to streetlights and traffic signals one block at a time. But the dark frequency was gone—wiped entirely from the server arrays.

Elias made his way back toward the harbor district, his legs heavy with exhaustion. His primary concern now was Riley. The last time he had seen her, syndicate operatives were breaking into her warehouse.

When he reached *Quinn’s Surplus & Salvage*, the front gate was standing open, hanging off one hinge. Caution pulled at his gut, but he pushed past the broken entrance anyway.

"Riley?" he called out softly into the quiet workshop.

A clatter sounded near the back room, and Riley stepped out from behind a stack of radio chassis. Her hair was messy and her jacket was smudged with soot, but she was holding a heavy wrench with a triumphant grin.

"You took your sweet time, Vance," she said, lowering the wrench. "I heard the blackout hit the docks. Did you pull it off?"

"The network is gone," Elias said, letting out a long breath he felt like he’d been holding for days. "And the data logs went straight to the federal authorities. It’s over."

Riley leaned against her workbench, shaking her head in disbelief. "I managed to lock the operatives in my storage locker until the police arrived. They were taken into custody twenty minutes ago."

Elias pulled the worn USB drive from his coat and set it on the bench between them. The matte black casing was cool now, its dark purpose finished.

"We did it," Elias said softly.

Riley looked at him, her expression turning serious. "The syndicate's local hub is dead, Elias. But a network that big didn't start in Oakhaven—and it doesn't end here either."