Six Months Later
Niko’s boat ride from Malaysia through the dark, choppy waters of the Gulf of Thailand was an excruciating journey. The small fishing boat, barely holding together, creaked and groaned as it cut through the waves. The fishermen who operated it were stoic and silent, their faces aged and battered by years of toil at sea. They cast occasional curious glances at Niko but respected his need for silence and anonymity.
The tang of fish mingled with the sound of seagulls and the distant hum of the boat’s engine. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the island of Ko Nok Taphao emerged from the mist, a rugged and isolated outcrop off the shore of Thailand, known for its pristine beaches and dense, untamed forests. It was home to a small, close-knit community of fishermen and farmers. The islanders led simple, self-sufficient lives, their daily routines dictated by the rhythms of the sea and the land.
Far removed from the chaos of the mainland, Ko Nok Taphao offered a serene, almost forgotten sanctuary, an ideal hiding place for someone who wanted to disappear from the world. As Niko approached the island, he couldn’t help but feel a momentary sense of peace and isolation, a stark contrast to the turmoil that had consumed his life in recent months.
The months that had led up to this point had been a harrowing ordeal. Niko had been hopping from island to island, from country to country, always on the move to stay one step ahead of the authorities. Thanks to Priya’s help, he had managed to evade capture. He had no idea how she had managed to pull it off, but he knew she was currently the only person in the world he trusted. There was no chance that he would risk the life of his family, as the local regime was surely monitoring their every communication. So, he stuck to fleeing.
Each new location brought its own set of challenges and dangers, but Niko had learned to adapt quickly. In the Philippines, he had narrowly escaped a police raid by slipping out a back window and blending into a crowded market. In Indonesia, he had taken refuge in a remote village, relying on the kindness of strangers who had no idea who he really was. In Malaysia, he had spent weeks living in a cramped attic, emerging only at night to avoid detection.
Throughout these trials, Priya had been his constant support, providing him with the resources and information he needed to stay ahead of his pursuers. She had risked her own safety to help him, and Niko knew he owed her more than he could ever repay.
Niko reflected on the journey that had brought him here. He was no longer the clean-cut scientist who had once dreamed of changing the world with his innovations. He was a fugitive, driven by a relentless need to uncover the truth and clear his name.
Physically, Niko had changed dramatically. He had always been sharp and clean-shaven, with a neat haircut that conveyed a sense of professionalism and reliability, even though he didn’t care much about appearances. Now, his once sharp physique had been replaced by a rugged, unkempt look. His hair had grown long and tangled, and a thick beard covered his face, making him almost unrecognizable. Dark circles underscored his eyes, a testament to the sleepless nights and the constant stress he had endured.
One evening, while reading through one of Priya’s encrypted private messages in a dimly lit room, Niko stumbled upon a potential lead. Priya had found information on Alessandro Lopez, who had unexpectedly quit NAPPA. Lopez was hiding on a remote island, his whereabouts had previously been unknown until now.
Niko knew that Lopez’s expertise could prove crucial. If anyone could help him hack into NAPPA’s systems and uncover the truth, it was him. This was in part due to his genius, but partly because he had simply built most of their infrastructure. In order to contact him, Niko managed to secure passage on a small fishing boat, his seemingly preferred means of transportation these days.
Upon reaching the island, Niko followed the GPS location he had received and slowly made his way through the dense forests to a secluded cabin where, according to Priya’s information, Lopez was hiding.
After three hours of walking, he saw it. The cabin was a rundown structure, barely holding together, with boarded-up windows and a creaky door that groaned in protest as Niko snuck upon it and pushed it open. That was when he felt the cold barrel of a gun press against the back of his head.
He froze, his breath catching in his throat.
“Don’t move,” a voice commanded.
Niko immediately recognized the voice. Lopez, having heard Niko’s approach, had managed to sneak behind him from the side, silent like a cat.
Slowly, Lopez lowered the gun as recognition dawned on his face.
Lopez was a shadow of the man Niko once knew. Noticeably skinnier, his clothes hung loosely on his gaunt frame, and his eyes carried a haunted look. The good-spirited and obese man had been replaced by someone who had clearly been living in fear.
“Niko … well, fuck me, I didn’t expect to see you here. How the hell did you find me?” Lopez asked, his voice tinged with a mix of surprise and reluctance. “You’re a wanted man. I saw the headlines.”
“We need to talk, Lopez. I need your help bringing NAPPA down.” Niko wasted no time with pleasantries.
“Fuck, if you were able to find me, they might, as well.”
“Who is they? Hey, Lopez, I need your help, man.”
Lopez came back to himself and looked at Niko. His eyes narrowed. “You have no idea what you’re asking, Niko. I left NAPPA for a reason. I don’t want to get involved in this mess.”
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Niko took a deep breath, trying to keep his desperation in check. “Listen, I know you’re scared—we all are. But NAPPA is using our technology for something sinister. They must be. Why else would they try to oust me in this way?”
Lopez shook his head, his expression conflicted. “I’ve managed to stay off their radar by staying hidden. If I help you, they’ll come after me, too.”
“Lopez, if you know something you shouldn’t, they’re already looking for you. If I could find you so easily, imagine what they can do. Help me, and I’ll help you find another hideout. We can join forces. If we don’t act now, they’ll get away with it. We have a chance to expose them. Please, think about it.”
Lopez remained silent, weighing his options. Finally, he sighed. “All right, Niko. I’ll help. But we need to be extremely careful. One wrong move, and we’re both dead. And you owe me, big time.”
Niko nodded, relief washing over him. “Thank you, Lopez. I promise you, we’ll make sure they pay for what they’ve done.”
As Lopez began to set up his computer equipment, Niko pressed him for answers, “Why did you really quit, Lopez? What happened?”
Lopez paused, his expression darkening. “It started one night when I was working late in the office. I overheard Edmundsson on a phone call. He was promising the delivery of nanobots to someone. He was being incredibly secretive about it.”
Niko leaned forward, intrigued. “What exactly did he say?”
“He mentioned something about an ‘undetectable delivery,’ which didn’t make sense to me at the time. It sounded suspicious, so I decided to dig deeper.”
“And what did you find?” Niko asked, his curiosity growing.
“I found encrypted logs in the system, detailing money transactions. These weren’t ordinary transactions. They were tied to the delivery of nanobots to a sham company, for alleged distribution services. After further investigation, I discovered that the company had ties to the military,” Lopez revealed, his voice tinged with anger and fear. “That’s when I knew I had to get out. I knew this guy would fuck us over.”
Niko absorbed the information, his mind racing. “So that’s why you disappeared—you feared the consequences.”
Lopez nodded, his expression grim. “Hell yeah, I feared the consequences. If this got out, it wouldn’t just be my career on the line. Any military having access to our nanobots could mean espionage, sabotage, or worse. And once I found out, I knew that Edmundsson would do anything to keep it quiet. And I value my life above all things, next to money, of course. Now, let’s get to work.”
Soon thereafter they began their attack on NAPPA’s heavily fortified servers. Hours turned into days as Lopez worked tirelessly.
“Got it,” Lopez said, eyes glued to his screen. “Edmundsson was working with the Chinese military in a secret lab. There are transactions, communications—everything. It also seems that NAPPA has taken over that operation ever since Edmundsson died.”
Niko felt a mix of anger and betrayal. “And what about NAPPA’s current operations?”
Lopez’s fingers danced over the keyboard. “According to the last call logs of Lee and Meyer, based on this technology, they’re preparing to install NanoChips into soldiers. They are making deals with both the US and Chinese military. It seems that Ryan is spearheading the project.”
“How can they even do that? Wouldn’t the governments know about it?” Niko hated that the technology they had developed to heal and save lives was being weaponized.
“Maybe they do; maybe they don’t. In the end, I guess they won’t care. Probably Ryan is telling both sides they got the better end of the deal. And the investors won’t give a shit, even if they knew, as they get to earn more money”
“So, you think that Edmundsson was killed as he was collaborating with the Chinese?” Niko asked.
“Who knows? But I would say it’s pretty damn possible. And think about it: who profited most from these changes?”
Niko’s heart sank. “You mean Ryan is behind all this? I mean, ever since I was accused, I have been thinking the same, but he was my best friend, goddammit. I’ve known him for almost twenty years now. I trusted him.”
“You never know, Niko, people change. I mean, you’ve seen it, right? Ryan changed a lot from the first time I met him. And not to forget, some people are just loco en la cabeza.”
“Fuck.” Niko sighed.
“Indeed.”
Lopez had brought home some local fish stew. To Niko, it was the most delicious thing he had ever eaten. Although looking at Lopez devouring it was certainly not pretty.
“Since we are being completely honest here, Niko,” Lopez said between huge gulps. “I may or may not have helped a certain someone in the past to hack into the NanoChip.”
“Excuse me? What the hell are you talking about?”
“I had a very good offer. It was an easy job. Well, easy for me at least. I don’t think that anybody else—”
“Get to the fucking point, Lopez!” Niko shouted.
“A certain individual, who interrupted your press conference in Singapore, remember? Well, of course you do,” he added after seeing Niko’s face expression. “That certain individual approached me for a hack job. Good money, I tell you.”
“Who was it? You’re not talking about bulldog face, are you?”
“Yes, I think I am, although he never told me that was his name.” Lopez laughed.
“What the fuck, Lopez? Shortly after this guy makes a fool out of me on international television, you make a deal with him?”
“Well …”
“And wait a minute, did you just say that you hacked into the NanoChip? How is that even possible? I thought the user has the final control of it.”
“They do, but with certain tricks, only known to me, you can bypass certain security settings. It can allow you, for example, to access NanoChip data, rearrange the NanoChip, or even see or hear what that person is seeing. You know, it’s pretty dangerous in the wrong hands, but he only needed to bypass the security for a couple of minutes, so I thought …”
“Wait, wait, wait. Shut up for a second. Did you just say that you can see what the other person is seeing?”
“Yeah. Why?” he asked, still slurping his noodles.
“Fuck me. That is how bulldog face managed to see inside the meeting.” He thought further. “Lopez, you idiot, why didn’t you tell me this before? If we can hack into Ryan’s NanoChip …”
“Whoa, whoa, slow down there, cowboy. That’s not how it works. Back then, I had just quit NAPPA and still had access to their system. After Edmundsson’s death, nobody was really careful about those things for a while. And besides, it only worked on a limited scale, in a single person, for a couple of minutes. You would need a much stronger signal to—What was that?” Lopez asked, looking into his pocket.
“What do you mean? I didn’t hear anything,”’ Niko answered.
“I set up an alarm around the house as a perimeter! It’s beeping. Fuck, I think they found us.” Lopez ran to a box on his computer table, opened it, and pulled a pistol out. “I don’t have a second one for you. You will have to get the fuck out of here,” Lopez urged.
“What? Where?”
“Go out the back, and just go straight through the bush. There’s a small pathway that they can’t possibly know about. And take this.” Lopez presented him a small USB drive. “This has all my knowledge inside of it. The password is—”
Bang! The glass next to him broke, and a bullet flew by his head.
“Go, take this!” Lopez shouted, thrusting the USB drive into Niko’s hand.
Niko sprinted into the dense forest, the sound of gunfire and shouting fading behind him. He knew Lopez was buying him time, and he felt a pang of guilt as he ran.
Moments later, he heard Lopez’s pained cry, and then — nothing.