26. Griffin
GRIFFIN
T he afternoon air is frigid as I approach OMbrA’s fortress.
The decommissioned glacier observatory looks like something ripped straight out of a villain’s Pinterest board.
All sleek metal and glass perched impossibly on the jagged edge of the Monte Rosa Massif, right on the border of Switzerland and Italy.
“McGregor, status check.” Wilde’s voice comes through my earpiece.
“Freezing my butt off, thanks for asking.”
I didn’t sleep last night. Instead, I spent hours in a tactical briefing, learning entry points, exit strategies, and contingency plans.
The instructions were clear. Use my connection with Nero to approach the fortress openly.
Don’t attempt entry. Wait for MI6 to engage, then ski down to the extraction point.
Early this morning, just as expected, Elodie…Nero…(still getting used to that) sent me an encrypted text message, almost as if she’d known I’d try to rescue Anika. I was told to come alone. The whole thing smells like a trap.
“Remember your instructions,” Bruderlin cuts in. “No heroics.”
“Got it. Get in, get out, no stopping for gift shop souvenirs.”
A red light blinks on at the observatory’s entrance.
“Movement at the main door,” I whisper.
“Maintain position,” Wilde orders.
“Copy,” I mutter, checking my watch.
The gadgets they’ve given me seem woefully inadequate.
But at least the watch is a fancy Swiss timepiece, courtesy of FIS.
It supposedly contains a tracking device, electromagnetic pulse generator, and can shoot a tiny grappling hook.
I practiced with it for approximately eight minutes before we deployed, so naturally, I’m an expert now.
A pair of OMbrA guards patrol the snowy perimeter below, assault rifles slung across their chests. They glance up occasionally, scanning the cliffs.
“Guards circling,” I whisper. “Window closing.”
“Stand firm. Wait for my signal.”
Another minute ticks by. The guards move closer to my position. If they catch me lurking around instead of acting like an invited guest, they’ll shoot now and ask questions later.
“Target approaching checkpoint alpha,” a voice murmurs. “Stand by, McGregor.”
“They’re going to spot me,” I hiss.
“Hold position!”
One guard stops, shielding his eyes to peer up at the ridge where I’m hiding. He nudges his partner, pointing in my direction.
“I’m compromised,” I mutter.
“Do not move!” Wilde orders.
The guards raise their rifles.
“Sorry, can’t hear you,” I say, dislodging the earpiece. “Must be the altitude.”
I make a split-second decision, launching myself toward the fortress entrance.
I slide through the entrance, expecting gunfire or alarms. Instead, I’m greeted by silence so complete it feels manufactured. No bullets in my back…yet.
The heavy metal door slides shut behind me with an ominous click, and the hallway stretches before me with dim blue lights running along the baseboards.
I press forward, ducking into alcoves when I hear distant footsteps.
I’m channeling every spy movie I’ve ever seen, which means I’m basically an expert at infiltration now.
I pause at an intersection, listening. Left or right? Both corridors look identical.
“When in doubt, go left,” I mutter, not entirely sure where I got that from. Let’s be honest. Probably a 007 movie.
Two more lefts and a right later, I realize I’m hopelessly lost. The observatory’s interior is a labyrinth of identical hallways and unmarked doors. I duck into another alcove as footsteps approach, then fade away.
In my head, I’m absolutely crushing this spy thing.
I slip into what looks like a control room. Computer screens line the walls, displaying schematics and data streams I don’t understand. Backing out of the room, I continue down the corridor, which widens into a large circular chamber.
I take three steps in when a soft whirring sound makes me freeze. The lights are powering up one by one around the perimeter of the room. I throw up a hand to shield my eyes, blinking rapidly against the glare.
“I hope you’re enjoying your self-guided tour.”
As my eyes adjust, I make out Nero standing on a raised platform across the room wearing an immaculate white pantsuit. Her dark hair cascades over one shoulder, and her smile is both welcoming and dangerous. Four armed guards flank her, weapons at the ready.
“Hello, Elodie,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “Or should I call you Nero?”
“You can call me whatever you like. I’ve gone by many names.” She says with a thin laugh, approaching with the casual confidence of someone who knows they hold all the cards. “Though I must say, I’m rather fond of how you say ‘Elodie.’”
“Where’s Anika?” I demand, cutting to the chase.
Nero circles me slowly, like a shark. “All in good time, Griffin. We have so much to catch up on first. I’ve been waiting for your arrival.”
“Let me guess. You’re about to offer me a drink while petting a white cat?”
Her laugh is genuine this time. “You’ve watched too many movies. Though I do appreciate a man who understands the classics.”
She gestures expansively. “Please, walk with me. I so rarely get visitors who appreciate fine architecture.”
I stand my ground. “I didn’t come for a tour.”
She counters with a smile. “Come. I insist.”
Two guards step forward, making it clear this isn’t actually a request. I follow her through another doorway, my mind racing to formulate an actual plan.
“This is our primary operations center,” Nero explains as we enter a massive room filled with people working at computer stations. Giant screens cover the walls, displaying global maps with pulsing red dots scattered across them. “From here, we monitor every OMbrA operation worldwide.”
“Impressive setup for a criminal organization,” I say, scanning the room for possible exits.
“Criminal?” She laughs. “Such a limited perspective. OMbrA…it’s more of a revolution.”
“Right. Revolution. Got it.” I nod, casually reaching up to adjust my earpiece, turning it back on.
“Don’t bother,” Nero says, noticing my movement. “The entire facility is encased in a Faraday cage and surrounded by six feet of reinforced concrete. No signals in or out without my authorization.”
“Where is she?” I demand, my patience wearing thin.
“Still so focused on the bartender,” Nero sighs. “I thought hockey players had better attention spans.”
“I’m not playing games, Nero.”
“But you are, Griffin. You’ve been playing since the moment you set foot in Switzerland.” She moves behind her desk and activates a holographic display. “Let me show you something interesting.”
She presses a button on the wall, and a hidden door slides open.
My heart pounds as I expect to see Anika, maybe bound or injured. Instead, it’s just another corridor.
She leads me into another room with a long glass table displaying 3D holograms of financial markets. People in minimalist black clothing analyze data streams flowing around them.
“For centuries, the elite have hoarded wealth through manipulation and exploitation,” Nero explains, waving her hand through the hologram, which ripples at her touch. “OMbrA is simply rebalancing the scales.”
“By stealing billions?” I ask.
“By reclaiming what was stolen first,” she corrects. “The funds from your little poker game are already working against corporate greed.”
I raise an eyebrow. “So you’re Robin Hood now?”
“More ambitious than that.” She smiles. “Robin Hood maintained the system while offering temporary relief. We’re dismantling it entirely.”
“So you’re the good guys? That’s why you kidnapped Anika?”
She smiles enigmatically. “A necessary step to bring you here. You should be flattered. Few outsiders ever see this facility.”
The tour continues. She shows me everything with the pride of a CEO giving a board presentation. It’s becoming clear she’s either recruiting me or planning to ensure I never leave to tell anyone about this place.
“You’ve been busy,” I say as we enter what appears to be her massive private office. Floor-to-ceiling windows reveal a breathtaking view of the Alps. “But you still haven’t told me where Anika is.”
Nero sits behind her desk, gesturing for me to take the chair opposite her. The guards remain at the door.
“Anika is safe,” she says.
“I want to see her,” I demand.
“And you will.” Nero leans forward. “But first, let’s discuss why you’re really here, Griffin.”
“I came for Anika.”
“Did you?” She tilts her head. “Or did you come because you recognized something in me? Something familiar?” She smiles. “We’re not so different, you and I.”
I almost laugh. “Pretty sure we’re completely different. I play hockey. You build secret lairs in mountains.”
“We both saw a broken system and chose to operate outside it,” she counters. “You left the NHL because the owners were corrupt. I operate outside of conventional finance for the same reason.”
“I didn’t leave the NHL,” I point out.
“Is that so?” She stands, walking to a cabinet where she pours two glasses of amber liquid. “You were willing to break rules, cheat at cards, all for what you believed was justice.”
She offers me a glass. I don’t take it.
“You’ll forgive me if I don’t drink anything you offer.”
“As you wish.” She takes a sip from one glass. “Though poisoning you would be terribly unimaginative, don’t you think?”
“I wouldn’t put it past you with that cliché villain act.”
“OMbrA isn’t just an organization, Griffin,” she explains, reclining back. Now I really do expect her to swivel in her chair petting a cat.
“It’s the future. While governments squabble over borders and resources, we’re building something that transcends those outdated concepts. The FIS manipulated you, just as the NHL manipulated its players,” she continues. “But OMbrA offers something different. True autonomy.”
“What is this? A job interview?”
“Perhaps.” Her eyes glitter with amusement.
“Thanks, but I’m not interested in joining your supervillain club.”
Nero laughs. “Supervillain? You truly are adorable. Yes, the word Ombra means ‘shadow,’ but we’re not lurking in dark corners. OMbrA is what the light can’t touch.”
“Very poetic,” I mutter. “Now where’s Anika?”
“So single minded, Griffin. It’s not very becoming.”
“I want to see Anika,” I repeat. “Now.”
Nero studies me for a long moment, then taps her bracelet. “Bring Miss Gisler to my office,” she says. Turning back to me, she smiles, and I see a flicker in her eyes before I feel a large presence behind me followed by a sharp pain in my skull. Then everything goes dark.