Chapter 491 – Pressure PointsSantorini The private jet roared low over the Mediterranean, slicing through the Santorini sky like a steel hawk. Inside, James Carter sat rigid in his seat, jaw locked, eyes locked on the incoming island through the cabin window. His phone buzzed again—Gregor’s last message had been curt:“Drone neutralized. Ellen not answering. Miles is down.”By the time the jet touched down on a hidden landing strip near the caldera, the sun was sliding behind the cliffs. The air smelled of salt and stone, the light brittle and orange.James descended the steps fast, his boots crunching on the gravel runway.“Car,” he barked.A waiting black SUV screeched around from behind a hangar. Gregor wasn’t at the wheel—too risky—but the local driver gave a quick nod as James climbed in.“Straight to the villa,” James ordered, pulling his pistol from a duffel. He checked the chamber. Full. He holstered

Chapter 493 – Ticking SilenceSantorini – Time didn’t slow—it vanished.James knelt beside the fireproof case they’d sealed the drone bomb inside, sweat beading along his hairline despite the cool Mediterranean night. The villa behind him flickered in the distance, its shutters closed tight. He could feel Ellen ’s gaze through the second-floor window, and he knew one thing without question:Failure was not an option.Gregor hovered beside him, kneeling with the field toolkit, fingers twitching.“The timer was at 1:11,” Gregor muttered. “We’ve got seconds. Maybe less.”James didn’t answer. He opened the case with careful, practiced movements. Inside, the drone sat sizzling slightly, blackened by the crash and the initial containment. The timer blinked a dull red:00:38… 00:37…He grabbed the thermal knife and carefully sliced through the upper shell, exposing the core. His eyes scanned the detonation wires—f

Chapter 495 – echoes in the café santorini – The café was tucked beneath a sloping alley in oia, its façade wrapped in bright bougainvillea, half-hidden from the casual tourist. Inside, it was nearly silent—no soft jazz, no chatter, just the ticking of a vintage clock and the distant echo of waves crashing below the cliffside. Lana stepped inside. her bracelets clinked softly with each measured movement, betraying the nervous thrum beneath her calm expression. The air was thick with roasted espresso and tension. She spotted Williams seated in the far corner—alone, back to the wall, a single cappuccino untouched before him. he didn’t rise as she approached. He simply watched her with that same practiced smirk that had unnerved countless boardroom adversaries. “you’re early,” he said, voice smooth like polished glass. Lana didn’t sit. “Why am I here, Williams?” he g

Chapter 497– Shadows in the FrameAlisha’s heels struck the polished marble like gunshots—sharp, decisive, relentless. The glass walls of Carter Comb’s innovation wing shimmered under the sterile lights, but she was anything but comforted. The hum of servers beneath the floor gave the air a buzz, a heartbeat of its own—too calculated, too controlled.She found Liam Cross at the far end of the lab, standing before a wall of monitors displaying flickering graphs and satellite feeds. He was alone, sleeves rolled to his elbows, his signature grin painted on like a mask.“You’re testing EMC protocols in active zones now?” she asked without preamble, voice cold as the chrome railing beside her.Liam didn’t flinch. “Progress waits for no one, Alisha. Least of all ghosts.”“And civilians?” she pressed, stepping closer. “You’re bouncing electromagnetic chaos through live cities. This isn't progress. It’s reckless.”His grin faltered, like ice cracking under weight.“You’re not cleared for this

Chapter 499 – Ghost Codes and Shadow StepsSterling’s Office – EMCThe office smelled of leather, paper, and the faint, lingering burn of Scotch.Mr. Charles Sterling sat in his high-backed chair like a monarch surveying his dominion. A glass of whiskey glinted in his hand, his knuckles paler than usual. His eyes were fixed on the window, where the skyline shimmered under early dusk. Not peaceful. Restless.Williams stood across from him, shoulders rigid, coat still damp from the rain."Crash their servers," Sterling said, voice smooth, cold. “EMC’s entire data spine. Not just a breach—I want flames.”Williams didn’t flinch. “Won’t that draw federal eyes?”Sterling took a slow sip, savoring the silence that followed. “Let them look. By the time they understand what happened, we’ll be two moves ahead.”Williams gave a single nod.Then his phone buzzed in his pocket.He checked it quickly, shielding the screen.Sasha:Movement confirmed. Kai’s operative near Santorini safehouse. Awaitin