Moris Sinclair had gone up against criminals, corporate sharks, and men like Julian Roth who thrived on power and fear.
But this?
This was something entirely different.
Ronan Vale was a phantom. A man who had supposedly died years ago, yet his fingerprints were all over Sinclair Enterprises' financial system.
Moris wasn't sure what was worse—the fact that someone as dangerous as Ronan was still alive…
Or the fact that he had chosen to reveal himself.
The Shadow in the Code
Leo barely slept that night. His fingers moved tirelessly across the keyboard, digging, tracing, searching for any crack in Ronan's presence.
But every time he got close, Ronan would vanish.
"It's like chasing smoke," Leo muttered. "One second, I think I have him, and the next… he's gone."
Sarah leaned over his shoulder. "So we're not dealing with just any hacker. We're dealing with the hacker."
Moris, standing by the window, exhaled slowly. "If he's been inside our system for this long, that means he has access to everything. Financial records. Contracts. Business dealings. Even private conversations."
Sarah's jaw tightened. "That also means he knows our weaknesses."
Moris turned to Leo. "Is there anyone in the world who could track him?"
Leo hesitated. "Maybe. There's a woman in Prague. Elara Voss. She used to be one of Ronan's biggest rivals before he disappeared."
Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't we start with her?"
Leo sighed. "Because she hates me."
Moris smirked. "Then we'll make sure she hates me more."
A Deal with the Devil
Elara Voss was brilliant, paranoid, and as unpredictable as a storm.
Moris had barely stepped foot in Prague when he received a warning message on his phone.
Unknown Number:Turn around. I don't deal with the dead.
Moris smirked and typed back.
Moris Sinclair:Then let's talk about ghosts.
There was a long pause. Then, a single reply.
Unknown Number:Midnight. No bodyguards. If I see an ambush, you won't leave alive.
Leo groaned. "I told you she's dramatic."
Sarah cracked her knuckles. "So what's the plan?"
Moris checked his watch. Midnight was three hours away.
"The plan," he said, stepping forward, "is to walk into the lion's den and make sure she understands something."
Sarah narrowed her eyes. "Which is?"
Moris smiled coldly.
"That I don't take 'no' for an answer."
The Prague Meeting
The abandoned warehouse smelled of rust and dust, a forgotten place in the middle of the city.
Elara Voss sat on a stack of crates, dressed in black, a gun resting lazily on her thigh.
She was younger than Moris expected—maybe mid-thirties—with sharp blue eyes that never stayed still.
"You're late," she said.
Moris shrugged. "Traffic."
Elara smirked. "I assume you're here about Ronan."
Moris nodded. "I need to know how to find him."
Elara's smirk faded. "You don't find Ronan Vale. You pray he doesn't find you first."
Sarah crossed her arms. "Not good enough."
Elara sighed, rolling her eyes. "You don't get it. If Ronan is alive, that means he wants something. He never reappears without a reason."
Moris studied her. "And you know what that reason is."
Elara was silent for a long moment. Then, she exhaled.
"There was a theory back when he disappeared. That he didn't actually die, but went underground. Not because he was running… but because he was building something."
Leo frowned. "Building what?"
Elara leaned forward. "A network. A system so powerful, so untouchable, that he could control entire economies with a single keystroke."
Moris's chest tightened. "And now he's using it against me."
Elara nodded. "Looks like you just became his next test subject."
The Impossible Choice
Back in the hotel, Moris stared at the city lights, his mind racing.
If Ronan had really built something that powerful, then this wasn't just about money or revenge.
This was about control.
A man like Julian Roth fought wars with bullets and blackmail.
But Ronan Vale?
He fought wars without ever leaving his chair.
Leo's phone beeped. He checked it, and his face went pale.
Sarah stepped closer. "What is it?"
Leo turned the screen toward them.
A live feed was playing. A security camera… from inside Sinclair Enterprises.
Moris's personal office.
And sitting in his chair… was a man they had never seen before.
A man with piercing green eyes and a calm, knowing smile.
Leo whispered, "Holy sh*t."
Sarah clenched her fists. "Is that…?"
Moris's pulse pounded in his ears.
It was him.
Ronan Vale.
And then, as if he could see them watching, Ronan looked straight into the camera.
He raised a hand… and waved.
The screen went black.