October 2070. Valorus Security Group HQ. McLean, Virginia. United Nations of America.
Amal sat at his heavy wooden desk in the dimly lit confines of his office, contemplating the details of a new contract he was considering bidding on. It was more wetwork in Central America, and he wasn’t sure if he needed to take it since the company’s prestige had risen from the Yucca mission.
He found himself at a crossroads. Recruitment was up. Several experienced operators had grown tired of getting crap pay for bloody, dangerous work. Amal knew from experience that the conflicts started to blend together after a while. It became a series of “Go to this place, kill these bad guys, and seize this objective.” Rinse and repeat forever until a contractor made enough blood money to retire.
Which brought him back to the contract. He could take it. He knew what he needed to bid to secure the deal and had the personnel to fulfill it. Only, he wasn’t sure he should. He wanted to craft Valorus into the 911 force that the Party called on for the most secretive jobs. He wanted to leave the less important stuff to other contractors.
It was the only way to ensure his upward mobility in the nation's political hierarchy. He was so close to joining the highest echelons that he could taste it. Connections like Dr. Ellis and Chairman Yousef had already intimated that he would soon play an entirely different game.
Amal was distracted from his thoughts as he received a call to his office phone from an unknown number. In his line of business, that wasn’t unusual and likely stemmed from one of his teams that were assigned to contracts all over the globe.
He picked up the line. “This is Amal,” he said curtly.
“Amal, it’s Dr. Ellis,” the voice on the other end said quickly, panic lacing his voice. Someone has attacked the facility. Our systems are slagged, our internal network has been fried, and every door in the complex has been sealed tight. The only systems still functioning are life support and communications. Everything else is gone, completely destroyed.”
Amal took a moment to process the information. “Ellis, are you telling me the entire complex has been effectively neutralized?” He asked, his voice tense with apprehension.
Ellis nodded grimly on the other end of the line. “It’s terrible. Whatever hit us ripped through our protections like a storm. It tore through everything, and the cascading faults rippled across the systems, severely corrupting everything in their wake. I have data scientists looking into it, but they can barely get access to our network. They’re looking at the hardware, and even that’s been melted.
Amal tugged on his beard, absorbing the magnitude of the situation. Yucca Mountain Complex housed the most sensitive research material on the planet. Unfortunately, he didn’t know the full details of what it had been built to protect because he didn’t need to know.
However, he did know the timing was incredibly suspicious. It had occurred exactly one day after his company had taken over full responsibility for the facility. Redwater personnel had left the prior evening without incident. The attack cast suspicion on both mercenary groups.
He immediately searched for motives and how the UNA government might consider their complicity. The attack could have been retaliation for losing the contract, Valorus could have been infiltrated by a foreign adversary, or this could have been a frame job. It was hard to say with so little information.
Amal was supremely confident his organization hadn’t been infiltrated, but he had to examine every possibility. He had sent only his most trusted employees on this mission, knowing its importance to the company's future success. He briefly considered his old friend, Liam, but immediately rejected the possibility.
The other man had gotten into a minor dust-up with a researcher but didn’t possess the technical chops to pull off such an attack. Liam was loyal to a fault—this wasn’t his type of attack. He’d rather punch someone in the face than stab them in the back. No, it wouldn’t be Liam.
That only left Redwater in his mind as a potential suspect. Perhaps they had grown complacent and allowed a foreign agent in their midst. While they were on the contract, the spy could’ve been leaking information, and then once the contract was canceled, they could’ve decided the data was too valuable for the UNA to solely possess. The motivation made sense to the experienced operator.
“Amal?” Ellis interrupted his train of thought.
“Sorry, Dr. Ellis. I was considering who may be behind the attack. I can only think of one party with the appropriate motivations, but we’ll need to investigate more. In the meantime, I’ll assemble a team to bust you out immediately.”
Amal checked the clock before speaking again. “I think I can get them there in less than six hours. I have another contract in California I can pull personnel from.”
“Good,” Ellis said with a note of relief in his voice. “Get them here as soon as possible, and make sure they’re bringing cutting torches. They’ll have to get in through the ground entrance. Even cutting the concealed hangar doors would be a difficult task.”
“What about our primary objective?” Amal asked. He knew there was something vitally important the facility was concealing, but he didn’t know what, so he was forced to speak in vague terms.
“The primary objective is secure as far as I know,” Ellis hesitated, attempting to think through ways to talk about it without indirectly revealing its identity. “There were a few researchers nearby when everything shut down.”
“That’s positive news,” Amal tried to look at the bright side before he realized he might be missing the forest for the trees. “Director, is our contract still intact?”
“It is,” The director assured him. “We’ll have to start over from scratch but still maintain a presence in the facility. The primary objective is problematic to move, and this is our most secure site. The UNA will want to investigate the incident before we’re allowed to resume normal operations.”
“Alright, Director, let me make some calls and get some help headed your way. Give me a ring if more information becomes available.”
“Thanks, Amal. My friends and I will remember your assistance,” Ellis answered before terminating the call.
Amal immediately booted on his computer and searched the company director for teams assigned closer to Yucca Mountain. After finding a suitable group, he called the team leader. While on the call, he started issuing orders to members of his logistics department. They would get transportation figured out for the men.
“Lapalme, I need your help,” Amal said immediately when the line connected.
“What’s up, boss?” The Quebecois was a Canadian Special Operations Regiment member before it had been absorbed into the UNA.
“I need you to peel off a squad from your current contract and assist in extracting key personnel in the Yucca Mountain Complex. I’m sending an info packet to your company computer, and the HQ Quartermaster is arranging transport. You must be ready to move within the hour and touch down in the facility within the next six.”
“We’ll be ready,” Lapalme assured him. “Anything I need to know right away, or should I get moving?”
“Get moving, and good luck,” Amal said before cutting the line.
He leaned back in his desk, frowning at the computer screen. Sometimes, it was frustrating to be in charge. He wanted to be in the middle of the action like he had been in the old days. However, he was far past his prime, and the younger warriors better executed these missions. He sat forward and began typing furiously on the keyboard. He contacted his friends in the Nationalist Party and the UNA government.
Unlike his friend Liam, Amal was a Party member, and as the head of Valorus, he held a position of power and influence in Party politics. He was the person that was sought when problems needed to quietly disappear. His support for the nationalist, authoritarian party was a complex tapestry woven from personal experiences, beliefs, and ambitions.
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Firstly, Amal grew up in the United States, plagued by political instability and ideological challenges. He had witnessed the struggles of his family and community firsthand, and these experiences left a lasting impact on him. The desire for stability and a strong leadership that could address the issues left in the wake of the MERS-44 pandemic resonated deeply within him.
Secondly, as a business owner, he believed in the importance of efficiency and order. He saw the potential of a disciplined and centralized government to implement policies swiftly and tackle pressing issues head-on. He was drawn to the promises of a nationalist party that pledged to prioritize national interests and impose decisive measures for economic stability and security. Meddling in international affairs drew them into conflict with Iran in the first place.
Finally, Amal was motivated by a sense of patriotism. As a veteran and warrior, he sacrificed endlessly for his nation and wanted to see the UNA thrive globally. The nationalist ideology of the Party appealed to his love for his country, and he saw it as an opportunity to contribute to its greatness.
Unfortunately, the Party wasn’t without its drawbacks. Politicking, backstabbing, and elaborate conspiracies were the lifeblood of the elite. It was a game he was experienced in, so he felt right at home. Within hours, he was confident the Party hadn’t set up this disaster to reduce his influence.
Taking that as a good sign, he spread around his opinion that someone in Redwater had gotten sloppy. He was assured by his contacts that Redwater would get the full brunt of the Party’s attention, and Amal personally promised that Valorus would make themselves available for any potential problems that cropped up during the investigation.
Satisfied that he had done all he could to ensure the company’s future, Amal called Liam to check-in. He wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t at least make a cursory examination of his former employee despite their long history together.
It took approximately half a minute, but eventually, Liam picked up the phone.
“Hey Amal, I’m surprised at the call. How are you doing?” Liam greeted.
“Actually, I’m in a crisis, brother,” Amal said sadly. “Do you mind if I ask you a few questions to cover my bases?”
“Sure,” Liam replied, sounding a bit distracted. “What’s going on?”
“Well, the facility from your last contract has been attacked by some adversary,” Amal informed, attempting to be as vague as possible over an insecure line.
“What was the nature of the attack?”
“Electronic. The entire facility has been neutralized.”
“Yikes.” Liam dryly commented. “The director and I didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye, but I bet he’s shitting bricks right about now.”
Amal chuckled despite the situation. “I imagine they’re the size of asteroids at this point, but I wanted to ask if you noticed anything suspicious before you left.”
Liam laughed. “Since when did you become a politician, Amal? Saying I left is a nice way of talking about being fired.”
Amal shrugged even though the other man couldn’t see him. “Just trying to be considerate, my brother.”
“I appreciate it. However, there were a few signs that this could happen,” Liam replied calmly.
“How so?” Amal asked, adrenaline spiking.
“Well, the former Head of Security, Marcus Flint, told me that there was a ghost in the facility,” Liam warned without a trace of humor. “He said there were computers that seemed as if they had been remotely accessed despite the closed nature of their network. He told me that voices were coming from the installation speakers and multiple reports of computers and systems becoming corrupted. Often, right as someone was on the verge of making a breakthrough.”
Amal frowned—he hadn’t heard anything like this from Ellis or his representative at the complex, Greene. “That sounds like foreign infiltration,” he said questioningly.
“I said as much to Flint,” Liam assured him. “I expected he would’ve warned Greene of the same issues.”
“Did you do anything to mitigate the threat?”
“I didn’t have the time to do anything significant,” Liam commented helplessly.
“I’m sorry, brother,” Amal amended his tone. “You’re right. There was nothing you could’ve done. Did you have any suspicions about who could be behind the attack?”
“None,” Liam said. “The incidents occurred mostly around civilian personnel, but I saw a few examples. It was my original intent to foster goodwill between my men and the research staff in the hopes I could learn more information using honey rather than vinegar.”
“Thanks, Liam. Now that business is over, how’s the civilian life treating you?”
“Surprisingly well, old friend,” Liam’s voice was cheerful and optimistic. Emotions that Amal hadn’t heard from the man in over a decade. “I’ve accepted the position of CEO at my sister’s company, Apex Industries. We’re doing what I’ve always wanted but never felt I had the power to accomplish.”
“What kind of things?” Amal wondered.
“Well, my sister has developed an advanced synthetic intelligence named Apex,” Liam explained. “It’s incredibly advanced and has been helping the government with new ways to boost crop yields. Soon, we’ll have the technology to practically eliminate hunger within the UNA, and next, we’ll export that tech to the world. We already have some related production lines coming down the pike.”
Amal chuckled at his friend’s enthusiasm. “You gave up the sword to pick up the plow, my friend. It’s been a warrior’s dream for millennia, and I’m happy you finally found a place where you feel like you’re making a difference.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Liam laughed with his friend. “I haven’t forgotten the reality that the farmers can’t plow without the warriors that protect them. You keep doing your job so that I can do mine.”
“You don’t have to worry about that,” Amal assured him. “If you need someone to help you with your security, I hope you’ll keep Valorus in mind.”
“You’ll be the first person I call,” Liam assured him. “We’re doing a little bit of organization restructuring over here. I fully intend to make security a higher priority of the company.”
“Then I hope to hear from you soon,” Amal sincerely wished. “Take care of yourself, Liam.”
“You too, Amal,” Liam replied before ending the call.
When the line was dead, Amal frowned at a nagging thought. He couldn’t help but find it strange that his friend went from one of the most secretive facilities in the world, containing the most advanced technology on the planet, to becoming the CEO of a tech company. It was quite the transition for someone who hadn’t any technical skills to speak of.
Not only that, but Liam’s comments about security sparked another suspicion. Valorus’ services didn’t come cheap. The only way he could afford that kind of contract was if he had enough resources to rival that of a small government, and that surely couldn’t be the case.
Amal knew that he couldn’t leave HQ during a crisis. He’d need to make himself available should one of his teams need him to grease the wheels somewhere. That meant the leader had plenty of time to look into his suspicions. Hopefully, he wouldn’t find anything untoward.
He had friends in high places, connections he had cultivated over the years within the Nationalist party–a web of alliances that held power and influence. With a deep breath, he decided it was time to call upon those relationships and set the wheels of inquiry into motion.
His fingers danced across the keys of his keyboard as he accessed secure messaging applications. He quickly contacted his connection in the Central Intelligence Agency and forwarded over his suspicions. He didn’t make any firm declarations, only pointed out some inconsistencies and requested someone look into them.
He was quickly assured that the matter would receive the utmost urgency, and within hours, a dossier had been delivered that detailed the inner workings of Apex Industries, its financial dealings, and the steps taken to monitor their progress. The revelations were troubling to Amal.
While the company held a significant share of assets, investments primarily funded by the UNA government, there hadn’t been a substantial return on investment until now. The Party was essentially making a long bet on the company that it could develop something useful. They didn’t care about agriculture improvements per se. They were interested in artificial intelligence for battlefield use–applications that Amal approved of.
Regardless, there wasn’t direct proof of misconduct by Liam, but the signs pointed to more going on than what met the eye. Amal decided to keep tabs on his friend and inform the Party should Liam cross the unforgivable line into treason.
Said plainly, if Liam had somehow gotten his hands on advanced technology from Yucca Mountain, used an electronic attack to cover his tracks, and then funneled ill-gotten gains through his own company, then Amal would be the one to take him down. His honor demanded nothing less since he was directly responsible for putting the other man in a position to commit the crime.
He saved the dossier to his computer and added notes to the document where he felt appropriate. Once done, he closed the file and leaned back in his chair, troubled at the thought of his old friend falling so far.
With a flash of insight, he hurriedly pulled up Apex Industries' public website and browsed their open positions. Sure enough, he found an available job as a security guard at the facility. Liam was likely already making moves to ensure a secure base of power. Copying the link, he sent the address to one of his men, whom he was sure had never met Liam, along with instructions for him to apply for the position.
The initial step taken, Amal purged any record of the employee's tenure at Valorus. He also sent a message to his contact in the CIA to do the same with any government records. If they were lucky, Valorus could slip in a mole alongside the ones likely already there from the UNA government. The seasoned professional didn’t think it was probable the government wouldn’t have people in place to protect their investment.
“Your move, Liam,” he pronounced to the darkness.