Chapter 393: Brainwashed???
The war room fell silent.
The only movement came from the operators behind Miles, fingers still moving across keyboards, screens filled with surveillance feeds, encrypted channels, and live maps.
Miles looked toward the secure video window carrying Ren’s signal.
"Ren."
The man immediately straightened.
"Leader."
Miles leaned slightly forward.
"She should still be inside, right?"
"Yes."
Ren nodded.
"At this hour she is almost certainly inside her private quarters in the headquarters."
Miles waited.
Ren continued.
"I placed a burner phone inside her living room."
He hesitated.
"And there is a hidden camera too."
Miles slowly turned his head.
"The camera was unnecessary."
Ren looked slightly embarrassed.
"Sorry, Leader."
"I had very little time to make decisions."
He shook his head.
"I did whatever I could before leaving."
Miles’ expression softened immediately.
"Don’t worry about it."
He looked toward the screen.
"You came out without getting hurt."
"That matters more."
Ren nodded.
"Thank you, Leader."
Charles touched a few controls.
One of the larger screens changed.
A living room appeared.
Completely dark.
No lights.
No movement.
A couch sat in the center.
A small table.
Bookshelves lined one wall.
A closed bedroom door stood at the back.
Wilfred leaned forward.
Miles studied the feed for several seconds.
Then spoke.
"Ring it."
Ren answered immediately.
"Yes."
A moment later...
The sound of a phone ringing echoed through the living room.
Every person in the meeting became silent.
One ring.
Two.
Three.
Nothing.
Then...
The bedroom door opened.
Nobody came out.
At least not immediately.
For several seconds the doorway remained empty.
Then Thea appeared.
A handgun was already pointed forward.
Wilfred raised an eyebrow.
"Looks like she’s very cautious."
Miles gave him a sideways look.
"Of course she is."
He pointed toward the screen.
"A phone she doesn’t own suddenly started ringing inside her locked living room."
Wilfred nodded.
"Fair enough."
Thea stepped carefully into the room.
Barefoot.
Quiet.
Her eyes moved toward every corner.
She checked the main door first.
Still locked from inside.
Then the windows.
Closed.
She looked toward the curtains.
Toward the kitchen.
Toward the couch.
The phone stopped ringing.
Thea remained completely still.
Her gun stayed raised.
For several seconds she listened.
Nothing.
She slowly moved around the couch and checked behind it.
Nothing.
Miles sighed.
"Ring again."
Ren activated the call once more.
The phone began ringing.
Thea immediately spun around.
Her gun followed the sound.
Her eyes narrowed.
This time she located it.
The ringing came from the bookshelf.
She slowly approached.
One step.
Another.
Her eyes never left the shelf.
Then she noticed something.
A book was slightly out of position.
Thea moved it aside.
Behind it sat a small burner phone.
She stared at it.
Confusion appeared across her face.
She picked it up carefully.
Turned it around.
Examined the back.
Then the sides.
There was no identification.
No message.
Nothing.
The ringing continued.
Finally she placed the gun beside her on the shelf.
Then accepted the call.
"Hello?"
Miles looked toward Charles.
"Unmute me."
Charles gave him a thumbs up.
The secure microphone activated.
Thea spoke again.
"Hello?"
Miles leaned toward the microphone.
His voice was calm.
"After all of this is finished, I want to be free."
Thea froze.
Miles continued.
"I want to settle in Star Harbor."
"I want to live normally."
He paused.
"That’s what you told me during the Conclave."
Her expression changed immediately.
Everyone in the war room watched silently.
Thea slowly lowered the phone.
Then raised it back toward her ear.
She took a deep breath.
"This makes sense now."
Her voice became colder.
"One of my men is missing."
She looked around the room again.
"It was you?"
Miles remained silent.
Thea continued.
"Were you here?"
"Did you see me?"
Then she muttered quietly.
"I hope you didn’t."
Miles ignored the question.
"What happened to the freedom you wanted for all those years?"
Silence.
Thea closed her eyes.
Then laughed faintly.
Not happily.
"Freedom?"
Her voice changed.
"Where is it?"
Miles frowned.
Thea walked slowly toward the center of the room.
"Answer me something, Miles."
She looked toward the dark window.
"Are you really free?"
Nobody in the meeting moved.
Thea continued.
"You have money."
"Power."
"Influence."
"You can travel wherever you want."
"You can buy almost anything you want."
"And yet..."
Her voice sharpened.
"There is red tape."
"Regulations."
"Compliance."
"Rules."
"Permissions."
"Restrictions."
She laughed.
"I can’t believe the man who hunted thousands of criminals across the world..."
"...is still bound by rules at the end of the day."
Miles watched her carefully.
Thea’s eyes became colder.
"How does that feel, Ghost?"
Lucian slowly raised his head.
Thea continued.
"You can commit something that is called a crime in the rulebook..."
"...and still be righteous."
She tightened her fingers around the phone.
"So why can’t I?"
Wilfred frowned.
Thea’s voice grew stronger.
"Did you ever think about the people you killed?"
"Most of them committed crimes."
Miles said nothing.
"But isn’t killing a crime too?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"So why were you allowed to kill them?"
"Because their crimes were measured against some systematic rulebook?"
"A rulebook none of us were born with the right to write?"
She slowly shook her head.
"Someone else decided what was legal."
"Someone else decided what was illegal."
"Someone else decided what punishment was acceptable."
"Someone else decided what freedom meant."
Her voice grew emotional.
"And we simply live inside those decisions."
She sat on the edge of the couch.
"So tell me..."
"Where is freedom?"
The room became silent.
Thea stared at the floor.
"Is dying alone on the street from hunger freedom?"
Her grip tightened.
"Is watching the person you love get killed in front of you freedom?"
Lucian closed his eyes.
Thea’s voice trembled slightly.
"Is growing up without food freedom?"
"Is being powerless while people above you make every decision about your life freedom?"
She laughed bitterly.
"What exactly are we defending, Miles?"
Miles slowly exhaled.
"Thea."
She became quiet.
"We can’t control everything."
Thea looked toward the phone.
Miles continued.
"We were never meant to."
His voice softened.
"Just come back."
For a moment Thea’s expression changed.
Miles could see it.
A tiny crack.
"You don’t have to carry this burden anymore."
Thea lowered her eyes.
"Come back."
"Your family is waiting for you."
Lucian slowly looked toward the screen.
Miles continued.
"You don’t need to be trapped there."
"You don’t need to keep fighting."
"You wanted freedom."
"I can give you that."
Thea smiled.
It was a sad smile.
"For years..."
She spoke slowly.
"I believed I was doing the right thing."
Lucian watched without blinking.
"I believed everything I suffered..."
"...everything I sacrificed..."
"...was for one purpose."
She looked down.
"But now..."
"I finally understand there is something bigger."
Miles narrowed his eyes.
Thea looked up again.
"A greater cause."
Miles became silent.
"Think about it."
Thea’s voice became strangely calm.
"Don’t you want to live somewhere where nobody is sad?"
Nobody answered.
"Nobody is hungry."
"Nobody abandoned me."
"Nobody is powerless."
"Everyone is free."
Her eyes became slightly wet.
"Don’t you want your family to live in a world like that?"
Miles’ expression tightened.
"Your wife."
"Your little brother."
"Your little sister."
"Your future children."
Her voice became softer.
"Don’t you want them to live in a world where they never have to experience anything harsh?"
Lucian lowered his head.
His eyes closed.
Miles stared at Thea for several moments.
Then he spoke.
"Is that what they promised you?"
Thea didn’t answer.
Miles continued.
"And how exactly are they going to create this world?"
Silence.
"By making everyone rich?"
Thea’s expression changed slightly.
Miles leaned back.
"Isn’t that just a childhood fantasy?"
Thea narrowed her eyes.
Miles continued.
"Do you know one of the most painful jobs in the world?"
She remained silent.
"Manual labor."
Miles’ voice became calm.
"People carry weight for decades."
"They destroy their backs."
"Their knees."
"Their shoulders."
"They suffer pain for years."
He paused.
"Aren’t they unhappy too?"
Thea listened.
"So tell me."
"What happens if every laborer in the world suddenly becomes so wealthy that none of them needs to work?"
Nobody spoke.
Miles continued.
"No construction workers."
"No sanitation workers."
"No farmers willing to work long hours."
"No factory workers."
"No miners."
"No one repairing roads."
"No one carrying goods."
"No one doing the jobs people consider painful."
He looked directly toward the screen.
"Then what?"
Thea’s expression slowly tightened.
"Everyone becomes happy?"
"No."
Miles shook his head.
"Someone still has to do those things."
"We survive because people depend on each other."
He paused.
"If there is no sadness..."
"If there is no pain..."
"If every human being only chooses what gives them pleasure..."
"Eventually everyone begins thinking only about themselves."
His eyes became serious.
"Grow your own food."
"Build your own house."
"Make your own medicine."
"Clean your own streets."
"Protect yourself."
"Teach yourself."
"Treat your own injuries."
Miles shook his head.
"Is that freedom?"
Thea said nothing.
"Or is that selfishness?"
Something passed through Miles’ mind.
Miles continued quietly.
"Someone told me recently..."
"Selfish people eventually become lonely."
Thea’s eyes trembled.
Miles leaned closer to the microphone.
"Believe me."
"If you remove every rule..."
"If you remove every responsibility..."
"If you remove every consequence..."
"There will be more hungry people on the streets than before."
"There will be violence."
"Riots."
"People taking from weaker people simply because nobody can stop them."
His expression became colder.
"Humans can be the most toxic creatures on this planet, Thea."
"Rules aren’t perfect."
"Governments aren’t perfect."
"Systems aren’t perfect."
"But removing everything doesn’t automatically create paradise."
He paused.
"It can create hell."
Thea’s eyes lowered.
Miles continued.
"Is that really your greater cause?"
No answer.
Miles’ voice softened.
"You know what your greater cause should be?"
Thea slowly raised her eyes.
"Finding your freedom."
"Coming home."
"And meeting your little sister."
Thea’s breathing changed.
"She has been waiting for you for years."
A tear slowly formed in the corner of her eye.
Lucian looked away.
Thea tried to smile.
"I am thankful."
Her voice trembled.
"To the person taking care of her."
Lucian’s hand slowly tightened.
"But..."
Thea wiped the corner of her eye.
"The system brainwashed you too, Ghost."
Miles frowned.
"They made you believe your dreams should have limits."
Her voice became stronger again.
"They teach everyone to accept suffering."
"Accept inequality."
"Accept hunger."
"Accept injustice."
"Because that’s how the world works."
She shook her head.
"I don’t want Ivy growing up in that world."
"Thea."
"Sorry, Miles."
Her voice broke slightly.
"But I’m not stepping back."
"Not anymore."
Lucian’s expression collapsed.
Thea looked toward the phone.
"If I die in this war against the system..."
Miles’ jaw tightened.
"...take care of my sister."
Lucian closed his eyes tightly.
Thea continued.
"And tell Grandmaster..."
Her voice became softer.
"Thank you."
"For taking care of her."
Lucian whispered something no one could hear.
Miles stared at the screen.
"Are you sure?"
Thea remained silent.
"You can still step back."
Miles’ voice carried no anger.
No threat.
Only one final attempt.
"I promise you."
"You’ll have freedom in my city."
A faint smile appeared on Thea’s face.
"There will be no sadness?"
Miles smiled faintly.
"At least I’ll try."
Thea laughed through the tears.
"Your offer sounds irresistible."
For a moment...
She almost sounded like the woman Miles remembered from the Conclave.
Then her expression changed again.
"But I’m not fighting only for myself."
She stood.
"I’m fighting for millions like us."
Miles closed his eyes.
Thea continued.
"You have your duties too."
A faint smile appeared.
"Maybe one day we’ll meet again."
Her voice became quiet.
"But next time..."
"...we may be enemies."
Miles remained silent for several seconds.
Then he slowly opened his eyes.
"If that’s your final decision..."
He exhaled.
"Then let it be."
Nobody in the war room spoke.
Miles looked toward the screen.
"Take care of yourself, Thea."
Her lips trembled.
"And don’t worry about your sister."
"Ivy will be safe."
His voice became firm.
"I promise."
Thea closed her eyes for a moment.
"Thank you."
Miles looked toward Charles.
He made a small gesture.
Charles immediately ended the call.
The connection disappeared.
But the surveillance feed remained.
Thea stood alone in the living room.
She stared at the burner phone.
For several seconds...
She didn’t move.
Then she slowly opened the back.
Removed the battery.
Placed both parts exactly where she found them.
She returned the book to its original position.
Then she walked toward the couch.
Sat down.
Picked up a cushion.
And buried her face into it.
Her shoulders began trembling.
Thea was crying.
Nobody inside the war room spoke.
Even Wilfred looked away.
Lucian stared at the screen.
His eyes were filled with pain.
Miles watched for another second.
Then spoke quietly.
"Kill the feed."
Charles signaled one of the operators.
The screen instantly went black.
Silence.
A long...
Heavy silence.
Wilfred finally spoke.
"She’s clearly been brainwashed."
His expression hardened.
"We’ll have to proceed without her."
Lucian remained silent.
His eyes stayed lowered.
Then finally...
"I failed again."
Everyone looked toward him.
Lucian’s voice sounded broken.
"I couldn’t even protect her."
Ray frowned.
"What do we do now?"
Miles leaned back.
Something bothered him.
The conversation.
The words.
The behavior.
Everything.
He slowly shook his head.
"Something is wrong."
Lucian immediately raised his eyes.
Miles stared at the dark screen.
"Thea isn’t someone who can be brainwashed easily."
Lucian’s expression changed.
Then he nodded slowly.
"You’re right."
His voice became more serious.
"This isn’t her."
He straightened.
"She isn’t some teenager who can be manipulated with a few promises."
Wilfred frowned.
"Then what are you suggesting?"
Miles didn’t answer immediately.
Wilfred looked toward the surveillance feeds.
"Something else is wrong in New York."
His expression darkened.
"There’s no way nobody inside the agencies knows about Horizon Biotech."
Ray nodded.
"Exactly."
Wilfred continued.
"Look at what they’re doing."
"Armed personnel."
"Secret prisoners."
"Restricted movement."
"An explosion near the UN."
"A missing Secretary-General."
His fist tightened.
"And nobody is taking action?"
Ray frowned.
"Could every senior official involved really belong to the WEB?"
Miles shook his head.
"No."
Everyone looked at him.
"That’s not how agencies work."
Miles leaned forward.
"Not every team of agents work on the same investigation."
"Most of them don’t even know what cases other divisions are handling."
His fingers tapped against the table.
"I’m certain the specific people assigned to Horizon Biotech are compromised."
Wilfred slowly nodded.
Miles continued.
"There’s simply no other explanation."
"You can’t hide something this large under the nose of an entire intelligence structure unless the people responsible for watching it are deliberately hiding it."
Charles agreed.
"They would need extreme precision."
Miles nodded.
"Exactly."
"No unnecessary communication."
"No mistakes."
"No leaks."
"Everything compartmentalized."
He looked toward the screen.
"That’s why they have survived this long."
Wilfred folded his arms.
"Then what do we do?"
Miles became silent.
A faint smile slowly appeared on his face.
"If the real agency can’t take action..."
Everyone watched him.
"...then a fake one will."
Several expressions changed at once.
Lucian raised an eyebrow.
"You mean?"
Miles turned toward another screen.
"Ray."
Commander Ray smiled.
"Yes?"
Miles leaned back.
"How many Graveyard operatives do we currently have inside the United States?"
Ray’s smile slowly widened.
"If you need an army..."
He paused.
"Tell me."
Miles looked toward Charles.
Then Lucian.
Then Wilfred.
Finally...
He smiled.
"Prepare an army, then."
The atmosphere inside the war room changed instantly.
Miles reached for his coffee.
It had already gone cold.
He still took a sip.
Then he looked toward the live image of Horizon Biotech’s New York Headquarters.
"Horizon Biotech is starting to irritate me."
Charles almost smiled.
Miles placed the cup down.
"If nobody in the world is willing to talk about them..."
His eyes sharpened.
"...then we’ll make sure every camera in the world..."
He paused.
"...turns toward them."