Black Tide

Chapter Nine: Scorched Earth

Kaine sat in his war room, the screens of the quantum computer glowing ominously as Pred’s voice echoed through the space.

“Presentation’s ready, boss,” Pred announced with a hint of pride. “California Crimson Dawn, fully mapped. These guys are more tangled than a bad soap opera, but I’ve untangled the web.”

Kaine stepped closer, the display shifting to show a sprawling network of red nodes connected by glowing lines. The Crimson Dawn cell responsible for the California attack sat at the center, its tendrils reaching into corporations, politicians, and criminal syndicates.

“Break it down for me,” Kaine said, his voice cold.

“Gladly,” Pred replied. “The California Crimson Dawn cell is led by Vincent ‘Vex’ Arcane. Former military, kicked out for war crimes. This guy runs a tight ship—fanatics who follow his every word. They’ve got weapons, tech, and money flowing in from three major sources: Hex Dynamics, Blackbird Arms, and CalTech Industries.”

The screen shifted, showing profiles of each corporation.

“Hex Dynamics,” Pred continued, “specializes in experimental tech. They’ve been sneaking weapons and surveillance gear to Vex under the radar. Blackbird Arms? Classic arms dealer s**t. Guns, ammo, explosives. And CalTech Industries—your good old-fashioned tech giant with a penchant for turning a blind eye to where their products end up.”

Kaine’s jaw tightened. “I don’t just want to hit them. I want to bury them. Scorched earth, Pred.”

Pred chuckled, a low, menacing sound. “You’re speaking my language, boss. I’ll dismantle their systems, expose their dirty laundry, and turn the world against them. Sit back and enjoy the show.”

Pred began with Hex Dynamics, infiltrating their servers like a predator stalking prey. The screen in Kaine’s war room displayed live footage of the chaos unfolding inside the corporation’s sleek headquarters in San Diego. Executives shouted into phones, their faces pale as monitors flashed red with error messages.

“Hex Dynamics, meet your worst nightmare,” Pred said gleefully. “I’ve corrupted their R&D database, leaked classified projects to the media, and slipped viruses into every critical system. Oh, and their CEO? I sent his private offshore account details to the IRS.”

Kaine watched as news outlets picked up the leaks, reporters gleefully tearing into Hex Dynamics’ shady dealings. Social media exploded with outrage as documents detailing illegal weapons transfers and unethical experiments went viral.

“Think they’ll recover?” Kaine asked, sipping his coffee.

“Not a chance,” Pred replied. “The board’s already calling for the CEO’s head, and their stock just nosedived. Next?”

Blackbird Arms, based in San Francisco, was next. Pred didn’t hold back, targeting the arms dealer’s financial systems and internal communications. Screens in their office flickered and died as Pred unleashed a cascade of malware.

“They’re scrambling,” Pred reported, his tone smug. “I’ve locked their bank accounts, erased supply chain records, and forwarded every email with the word ‘Crimson Dawn’ to the FBI and every major news outlet.”

Footage from a news broadcast filled the screen, showing federal agents raiding Blackbird’s warehouses. Reporters stood outside the company’s gates, grilling executives who looked ready to collapse under the pressure.

“Damn,” Kaine muttered, a grin spreading across his face. “You’re ruthless.”

“I learned from the best,” Pred quipped.

The final target was CalTech Industries, a tech giant with deep pockets and even deeper secrets. Pred burrowed into their systems with surgical precision, dismantling their operations piece by piece. Executives in their glass-walled Los Angeles skyscraper watched in horror as entire departments went offline.

“I’ve got something special for these guys,” Pred said. “I leaked a video of their CEO at a private fundraiser, bragging about ‘turning a blind eye’ to questionable clients. Oh, and I dumped their internal audit logs onto the dark web. Let’s see how they explain this.”

Kaine laughed, shaking his head. “You’re enjoying this way too much.”

“Hey, you said scorched earth,” Pred replied. “I’m just following orders.”

The fallout was immediate. Protests erupted outside CalTech’s headquarters, and shareholders demanded answers. Within days, the company announced a complete overhaul of its leadership and policies, cutting all ties to Crimson Dawn in a desperate bid to salvage their reputation.

Over the course of a week, Kaine watched the chaos unfold like the playoffs. Each company scrambled to distance itself from Crimson Dawn, their dirty secrets laid bare for the world to see. The media feasted on the scandals, and public outrage reached a boiling point.

In an act of kindness, Kaine instructs Pred to make sure that any hourly worker who loses their job because of this receives sizable payments from each company’s slush funds marked as severance packages from the company. He has Pred make these payouts public so that none of the companies can afford the bad press of trying to get the money back. In reality, each company made it a point to latch onto these acts and any good press it bought them like drowning men grabbing for air. Kaine let them have it. He isn't here to starve those living day to day. He would negate as much of the damage to them as possible because of his vendetta.

By the end of it all, the California Crimson Dawn cell was isolated, its financial and logistical support obliterated. Without weapons, tech, or protection, it was vulnerable—a target waiting to be eliminated.

Pred’s voice cut through the quiet satisfaction in the war room. “Vex and his crew are officially screwed. No backers, no resources, no safety net. Want me to start the next phase?”

“Not yet,” Kaine said, leaning back in his chair. “Let them squirm. I want them to feel the walls closing in before I make my move.”

Pred chuckled. “You’re one cold son of a b***h, boss. I like it.”