Jack could feel Mickey’s web tightening around him. He was not only the target, but also the key to unlocking the bigger game unfolding before his eyes. Every step in this battle could be decisive, and Jack knew that one mistake could lead to disaster.
Mickey sat at his massive oak desk in his office. In front of him were reports from his men, documents, photos—everything related to Jack Carter. On one of the screens, Dexter displayed a map of Jack’s movements over the past few days.
“He’s cautious,” Dexter said, zooming in on the monitor. “But he has patterns. He keeps returning to the restaurant and this country house.”
“That’s his weakness,” Mickey replied, rubbing his chin. “We’ll strike where he least expects it.”
“What do you suggest?” Dexter asked, looking up from the screen.
“Create a false data route,” Mickey said, his voice full of confidence. “Let him think he’s found something valuable. Then we’ll lure him into a trap.”
Meanwhile, Jack, along with Carl, continued their investigation. They discovered that one of the companies connected to Mickey was using encrypted channels to transmit information.
“We can hack into their network,” Carl suggested. “This would give us the upper hand.”
“It’s too risky,” Jack replied. “If they find out we’re interfering, they might move all operations.”
Carl paused for a moment before nodding.
“Then I’ll handle it. You focus on Lea. She might be our best chance.”
Lea was waiting in her restaurant. She knew Jack would come soon. Her note was a risky move, but she knew she could no longer remain on the sidelines.
When Jack walked in, she gestured for him to sit at a table in the corner. Her gaze was tense, but there was determination in her eyes.
“Do you have something to tell me?” Jack began, sitting across from her.
— Mickey is building something bigger than you think, — Lea replied, her voice trembling. — He’s using Dyla not only for control but for destruction.
Jack frowned.
— Destruction of what?
— The system. Anyone who poses a threat to him. If he gets his hands on the program, he’ll be able to take control, even from the military.
Lea handed him a small USB drive.
— This has information on his plans. But be careful. If he finds out I helped you, I’m done.
Jack nodded, taking the drive.
— You made the right choice.
After receiving the data from Lea, Jack decided to check it immediately. On the flash drive, there was a file with coordinates for a supposed meeting between Mickey and one of his men.
Carl tried to talk him out of it.
— This could be a trap, Jack. You need to be sure.
— If we don’t do anything, he’ll get Dyla, — Jack replied. — We can’t let that happen.
At the appointed hour, Jack arrived at the abandoned docks. It was quiet, with only the faint sound of water lapping at the pier. He noticed a few cars parked at a distance.
Hiding in the shadows, he moved closer. But as soon as he got near, the headlights blinded him. Mickey’s men emerged from behind the cars, surrounding him.
— You thought you could outsmart me? — Mickey’s voice echoed.
Jack froze, his mind racing. He couldn’t afford to panic.
— You’re too overconfident, Mickey, — he said, trying to buy some time. — If I’m here, it means I knew this was a trap.
— You’re here because you had no choice, — Mickey replied, approaching. — But now, your options are gone.
At that moment, a loud noise came from the darkness. Mickey’s men started scrambling, confused by what was happening. It was Carl’s team, watching the situation from their hiding spot.
Jack seized the opportunity and broke free from the circle. He managed to hide behind a container, where Carl reached out to him.
— Let’s go! — Carl shouted, and they ran to the car.
As they drove away from the docks, Jack glanced back and saw Mickey standing in the shadows, watching them leave.
— This isn’t over yet, Carter, — he whispered.
Jack analyzed the data he had received from Lea. It contained not only Mickey’s plans but also a mention that Dexter had found its location. At the same time, Mickey was preparing for a new attack, determined to eliminate Jack at any cost.
When Jack and Carl’s car broke free from the docks, the first light of dawn was already beginning to glimmer on the horizon. Jack held the flash drive in his hand, his fingers nervously gripping it. It was their only lead, but he knew that now he had become Mickey’s number one target.
— That was too close, — Carl said, steering the car onto the highway. — You risked everything.
— We had no choice, — Jack replied, his voice tense. — If we ignored this, Mickey would have taken the next step.
Carl nodded, but his face remained grim. He knew that the game was becoming even more dangerous.
— Now he knows we’re not afraid to go all in, — Carl said. — But that also means his next move will be much harder.
When Jack plugged the flash drive into the secure system at the restaurant, he realized that it wasn’t just a source of information. Strange symbols and messages began appearing on the screen.
— It’s a trap, — he said, pulling back from the screen.
The system began overheating, and the alarm signal pierced the silence. Carl ran into the room, his face turning serious.
— What’s happening?
— They’re trying to hack us, — Jack replied, trying to disconnect the device. — This was their plan. They want to destroy our network.
Carl pulled the flash drive out, but it was too late. Some of the data in the system was corrupted, and they had lost access to several important files.
— We lost this round, — Carl said, his voice full of disappointment.
— This isn’t the end, — Jack said, his eyes burning with determination. — We can still find a way.
The next day, Jack returned to Lea’s restaurant. She was already waiting for him, her hands nervously gripping a cup of coffee.
— Did you know there was a trap on the flash drive? — he asked sharply, sitting down across from her.
Her eyes widened.
— No! I swear, I didn’t know. It was Mickey. He forced me to give it to you.
— Do you realize that this put us at risk? — His voice was cold.
— I was trying to help, — her voice trembled. — If I hadn’t given you the flash drive, he would’ve killed me.
Jack could tell she was telling the truth. But he also understood that Lea was in the middle of a game she couldn’t control.
— Then help me for real, — he said, his tone softening. — Tell me everything you know.
Meanwhile, Dexter continued analyzing the data from the network. He found another lead related to “Dyla”. It was an old activation protocol that could give him access to the program.
— If I can activate it, — he said to himself, — it will be my triumph.
But he knew it was a dangerous step. If Mickey found out about his plans, he wouldn’t spare him.
In the evening, Jack returned to Derek’s cabin. Tired and defeated, he was glad to be in a place where he could feel at least a little bit safe.
Derek was waiting for him on the porch, looking at the sunset.
— Tough day? — he asked, handing Jack a cup of tea.
— You could say that, — Jack replied, sitting next to him.
For a moment, they sat in silence, listening to the birds. Jack felt the tension start to ease, but he knew it was only temporary.
— I don’t want you to suffer because of me, — Jack said, looking at Derek.
— You can’t control everything, Jack, — Derek softly replied. — But you can decide what really matters to you.
Those words made Jack stop and think. He knew he had to keep fighting, but now he had a reason to survive and win.
Meanwhile, Mickey received a report from his men about the failure at the docks. His face was impassive, but his eyes burned with a dangerous fire.
— He’s playing better than I expected, — he said to Dexter. — But this is just the beginning.
— We have other ways, — Dexter replied. — If we connect Dyla, he won’t be able to stop us.
Mickey smirked.
— Then let’s begin.
Lea sat across from Jack, her hands still nervously clutching the cup. After his words, tears appeared in her eyes.
— You think I chose this? — she whispered, looking down at the table. — You think I like being a pawn in Mickey’s game?
Jack froze. He rarely saw anyone show their emotions so openly. Lea continued, her voice trembling:
— My mother… She started all this. She sold me to Mickey to save her brothel. Since then, he’s kept me in his hands, like a puppet. Any resistance, and I lose everything.
Jack wanted to say something reassuring, but she interrupted him:
— Do you think you can beat him? You have no idea what he’s capable of. He will destroy you, Jack. And me, if he finds out I’m helping you.
Jack covered her hand with his. He wasn’t sure if he could convince her, but he decided to try.
— You’re already helping, — he said softly. — And if we do this together, we have a chance to break free from this cycle.
Her gaze softened, but the fear didn’t disappear.
— Then you need to be faster. Because he already knows I’ve crossed the line.
Late in the evening, Jack returned to Derek’s place, his heart heavy. He knew he was putting not only himself but also Derek in danger.
When he entered, Derek was standing by the window, his face reflecting a mix of excitement and concern. He turned around when he saw Jack.
— You look like you’ve seen a ghost, — Derek said, trying to hide his worry.
Jack sighed heavily and sat down on the couch.
— Sometimes I feel like I’m becoming that ghost, — he said. — Everything I do feels insufficient. Mickey is always one step ahead.
Derek sat down next to him, his gaze full of understanding.
— You’re fighting a man who’s spent his whole life setting traps for others. But that doesn’t mean you’re going to lose.
Jack looked at him, feeling warmth rising within him.
— You’re the only reason I’m still holding on, — he confessed. — If it weren’t for you, I would have given up a long time ago.
Derek smiled softly, his hand brushing Jack’s cheek.
— You’re stronger than you think. And I’m here to remind you of that.
Their eyes met, and the world around them disappeared. It was a moment that didn’t need words. Their kiss was gentle but filled with passion, as if it were the last time.
The next morning, Jack woke up to the sound of a notification on his phone. The message was from Carl:
“Mickey activated the first stage. We have little time.”
He sat up in bed, feeling the adrenaline flood his body. Derek was already up, preparing breakfast.
— Are you leaving? — Derek asked, seeing the expression on Jack’s face.
— Carl sent a message. Mickey’s starting to act. I need to go back, — Jack replied, pulling on his jacket.
Derek stopped him for a moment, taking his hand.
— Just remember: you’re not alone. You don’t have to deal with this by yourself.
Jack nodded, grateful for his words, but didn’t say anything. Time was running out.
Meanwhile, Dexter finished preparing the system. On his monitor, lines of code appeared, indicating that Dyla had been successfully activated.
— It’s working, — he said, turning to Mickey.
Mickey smiled, his gaze full of triumph.
— Now Carter’s finished. And with him, anyone who tries to stop me.
— But Dyla is still unstable, — Dexter warned. — If it goes out of control, it could turn against us.
Mickey shook his head.
— That doesn’t matter. The key is to strike first. The rest we’ll fix.
Jack and Carl met in a secret location to discuss the next operation. Carl handed him a file containing data on Mickey’s latest movements.
— He’s heading to the city center, — Carl said. — Most likely to demonstrate Dyla’s capabilities. We need to stop him before that happens.
— We can’t afford to make any mistakes, — Jack replied. — If we fail, the consequences will be catastrophic.
Carl nodded.
— Then let’s do it right.
After receiving the file from Carl, Jack decided to take a risky step — infiltrate one of Mickey’s secret meetings. This would be their first face-to-face contact during the entire investigation, and Jack knew that if anything went wrong, it could be his last day.
The building where the meeting was held was on the outskirts of the city. Jack, disguised as a waiter, entered through the service entrance. The atmosphere inside was tense: several of Mickey’s bodyguards lined the walls, carefully watching every movement. In the center of the room, at a long table, sat Mickey, surrounded by his close associates.
As Jack approached to serve drinks, Mickey, without looking up from the documents, said:
— I hope you understand that I notice everything that happens around me.
Jack froze, trying not to give himself away.
— You could have just come up and said hello, Carter, — Mickey added, lifting his gaze. — But you preferred to play hide and seek.
The room went silent. The bodyguards tensed, ready to grab Jack at any moment. But Mickey raised his hand, stopping them.
— Sit down, — he said, nodding at an empty chair across from him. — We can finally talk.
Jack sat down, trying to keep his composure.
— Are you surprised? — Mickey asked, watching him. — You think I didn’t know you were watching me?
— You’re too confident, — Jack replied. — That’s what’s going to be your downfall.
Mickey smirked.
— And you’re too straightforward to win this game. But I appreciate your style. Courage is a rare trait.
Jack decided to go all in.
— Why do you need Dyla? You already control everything around you. What else do you want to prove?
At this, Mickey laughed, but there was something ominous in his eyes.
— Dyla is not about control. It’s about freedom. You know what it’s like to live in a world where every step you take is tracked? I want to change that. And maybe destroy a few systems along the way.
Jack felt a chill run down his spine. Mickey wasn’t just after power; he wanted to rewrite the rules of the world.
— And what happens if you lose control? — Jack asked. — This isn’t just a program. It’s a weapon that could destroy everything, including you.
Mickey leaned forward, his eyes flashing.
— That’s exactly why I never lose.
After the conversation, Mickey stood up and walked to the large window overlooking the city.
— You know, Carter, — he began, not turning around. — I’ve been watching you. You remind me of myself when I was younger: stubborn, determined. But you have one weakness.
— What’s that? — Jack asked, trying not to show his unease.
Mickey turned around, his face serious.
— You care too much about people. It makes you predictable. And predictability is a weakness that can be used.
Jack felt his nerves stretch to the limit. He knew Mickey was talking about Derek, but he tried not to let it show.
— You’re wrong, — he said coldly. — I only care about stopping you.
Mickey smiled as he returned to his seat.
— Let’s see who’s right.
After the meeting, Jack realized that his presence could no longer be hidden. As soon as he left the room, one of Mickey’s bodyguards rushed after him.
— Carter! — he shouted, pulling out a weapon.
Jack ran for the exit, his heart pounding. He knew that if they caught him, it would be the end. At the last moment, he managed to blend into the crowd on the street, leaving his pursuers behind.
Later that night, he returned to Carl.
— That was too close, — Carl said when Jack entered. — You could have died.
— But I’ve learned what I needed to, — Jack replied, sitting down on the chair. — Dyla isn’t just a program. It’s a tool that can destroy everything we know.
Meanwhile, Mickey sat at his desk, holding the photograph of Jack and Derek that he had taken from the cabin. His gaze was cold, but a sinister smile played at the corners of his lips.
— If Carter thinks he can stop me, — he whispered, — he doesn’t yet know what it means to lose everything.
He placed the photo on the table and pressed a button on his phone.
— Find his weakness, — he said to his man. — And make sure he can never get up again.
After Jack returned to Carl and shared the details of his meeting with Mickey, their conversation was interrupted by a sharp, alarming sound. The screen of one of the monitors lit up in red, and Carl quickly jumped to the computer.
— What is it? — Jack asked, tensing up.
— We’re under attack, — Carl replied, his fingers quickly moving over the keys. — They’ve found our backup server.
Jack froze. This meant that their network, their data, and all their contacts were at risk.
— How long can we hold them off? — he asked, already knowing the answer.
— Ten minutes, if we’re lucky, — Carl answered, his voice tense.
— That’s not enough, — Jack said, grabbing a tablet. — We need to switch to the backup channel. Do we have a second server?
— We do, but it needs to be manually activated, — Carl said, looking at Jack. — It’s in the restaurant’s basement.
— Then I’m going, — Jack grabbed his jacket and ran toward the exit. — Get connected as soon as I start it.
On the way to the restaurant, Jack felt like he was being followed. He glanced over his shoulder and saw a car that had been tailing him for several blocks.
— Damn, — he muttered, speeding up.
The car behind him accelerated. Jack turned onto a narrow street, hoping to hide in the maze of alleys in Rochford. But his pursuers weren’t falling behind.
At one point, Jack suddenly slammed on the brakes and jumped out of the car, leaving it in the middle of the road. His pursuers followed, but Jack had already disappeared into the darkness.
Jack made his way to the restaurant through the service entrance. He entered the basement, lighting his path with a small flashlight. The air was damp, and the old pipes hummed softly. Being down here, he felt the silence become ominous.
Reaching the panel, Jack began entering the code to activate the backup server. His fingers trembled, and the tension grew with each passing second.
“Come on, come on,” he muttered, entering the final commands.
At that moment, he heard footsteps. Someone had entered the basement. Jack quickly turned off the flashlight and hid behind a column. The footsteps drew closer. He could feel his heart pounding in his throat.
A figure appeared in the dim light. It was one of Mickey’s men, armed with a pistol. Jack knew he had only one chance.
When the man came closer, Jack suddenly jumped out from his hiding place and knocked the weapon from his hands. A fight broke out. The man was strong, but Jack used his agility to his advantage. He elbowed his opponent in the face, then grabbed him by the neck and immobilized him.
“Who sent you?” he hissed, pinning the man against the wall.
“You know who,” the man smirked. “And he’s already one step ahead.”
Jack knocked him out and tied him up. Then he returned to the panel and completed the activation. The server powered up, and the connection with Carl was restored.
“We’re back in the game,” Jack said, looking at the screen. “But we’re running out of time.”
Carl received the data from the backup server. He discovered that Mickey was preparing for a major operation in the city center.
“We have the coordinates,” Carl said on the phone. “But it’s risky. If we go there, it could be a trap.”
“Everything could be a trap,” Jack replied, wiping the sweat from his face. “But if we don’t do this, he’ll gain full control.”
Carl gave instructions to the team of agents, and Jack headed to the meeting point. He felt that this would be their most dangerous move yet, but there was no other way.
Mickey sat in his office, watching the events unfold on the monitor. His eyes were filled with triumph.
— Carter thinks he’s won, — Mickey said to Dexter, who was standing beside him.
— But he activated the backup server, — Dexter replied. — We now have access to his network.
— That’s exactly what I wanted, — Mickey smirked. — Now, he’ll lead us right to him.
After Jack and Carl evacuated from the tunnel, Carl insisted on returning to the base for further data analysis. However, Jack knew that every move Mickey made was part of their game, and his next move could be even more dangerous.
Meanwhile, Mickey, harboring a grudge over Leya’s betrayal and Dexter’s failure, was developing a new plan. His men were ordered to start chaotic attacks at key points to distract the intelligence from his next operation.
— If they want to play, — Mickey said to his associates, — we’ll show them what real cat and mouse is.
Carl discovered that one of the files contained coded routes. These routes matched areas of increased criminal network activity. It was a hint at Mickey’s next moves.
— It’s a diversion, — Carl said. — He’s using the chaos to cover up his real plan.
— We need to split up, — Jack replied. — You handle the route analysis, and I’ll go to the next meeting with his people.
Following one of the routes, Jack infiltrated a hideout where another meeting was taking place. He encountered a high-ranking member of the organization who offered a deal: information about Mickey’s plans in exchange for safety.
— Mickey’s not someone to trust, — the man said. — He’s willing to destroy even his own people to achieve his goals.
— Then why are you here? — Jack asked, clenching his fists.
— Because I don’t want to be the next one, — the man replied. — But I have conditions.
Before the deal could be struck, Mickey’s men surrounded the building. A fierce gunfight ensued. Jack used all his skills to disable the opponents and escape with the files he had obtained.
Returning to the base, Jack shared his findings with Carl. But the data showed that Mickey was preparing for his final strike — activating Dyla on a full scale.
— This is not just blackmail, — Carl said, looking at the screens. — If he does this, the entire system will collapse.
— Then we have to stop him, — Jack said firmly. — No matter the cost.
The chapter ends with a scene of Jack alone, contemplating his next move. He pulls out a photograph of Derek and Leya, pondering how much more he can lose before putting an end to this game.
