Niko gasped heavily as he sprinted away from Lopez’s home, the distant sounds of gunfire echoing through the dense forest. The USB drive Lopez had given him felt like a lifeline clutched tightly in his hand. He knew the enforcers were close behind, but he relied on his survival instincts to navigate through the underbrush, ducking under low-hanging branches and leaping over fallen logs, stumbling and falling several times.
The forest was a maze of shadows and tangled vegetation. Every rustle and crackle made Niko’s pulse quicken. He moved quickly but carefully, pausing every few moments to listen for signs of pursuit. The enforcers’ voices grew faint as he put more distance between himself and Lopez’s cabin. However, he knew they wouldn’t give up.
His path was erratic, deliberately so, to throw off anyone trying to track him. He crossed streams to mask his scent, climbed steep inclines to obscure his trail, and doubled back several times. Hours passed in this tense game of cat and mouse. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting the forest into an eerie twilight.
Niko’s muscles ached, and his clothes were torn from the rough terrain, but he pressed on. He couldn’t afford to be caught.
Finally, he stumbled upon a small fishing village on the edge of the island where a small beach lay hidden. The scene was calm, only the sound of waves interrupting the silence. He scanned the shoreline, spotting a cluster of boats—a single motorboat and several rowing boats. An idea sparked in his mind.
He climbed into the motorboat, quickly starting the engine. After securing the throttle to ensure it would continue moving forward, he pointed it toward the open sea. With the boat roaring to life, Niko swiftly climbed into one of the rowing boats, watching as the motorboat loudly sped off into the distance.
Niko grabbed the oars and began rowing south, the constellations his only guide as he aimed for the Thai mainland. The physical exertion was intense, but he pushed through.
Shortly thereafter, he heard a commotion on the coast, several gunshots, and the village slowly waking up to the noise, with voices growing louder. Then he saw a helicopter flying from the island toward the open sea. They had bought the bait and followed the empty motorboat. He was safe for now.
Hours later, as dawn began to break, Niko reached the Thai mainland. The sky was a tapestry of purple and pink, the first light of day casting a gentle glow over the landscape. The humid air was thick with the smell of salt and seaweed, the rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the shore a constant, soothing, yet persistent backdrop. In the distance, the silhouette of the town of Don Sak began to emerge, its structures still cloaked in the early morning shadows. Fishing boats bobbed gently in the harbor, their colorful hulls reflecting in the calm waters.
Niko could see the outlines of small houses and market stalls lining the waterfront, the town slowly coming to life as the first few residents stirred. Farther inland, the dense greenery of palm trees and tropical foliage covered the mountainous terrain.
Niko’s clothes were soaked with seawater, clinging uncomfortably to his skin, as he shivered despite the warm air. He took a deep breath, inhaling the briny scent, the serene sight giving him motivation to move.
Exhausted, he dragged the boat onto the shore, his muscles burning from the effort. In a secluded spot among the mangroves, he paused to catch his breath.
Once he felt somewhat recovered, Niko headed into the small coastal town. He found a rundown internet café on the main road where he could search for news on Lopez. It was situated in a modest, one-story building with a faded “Cyber Zone” sign and cracked, paint-peeling walls. Inside, the air was stale with the smell of sweat and cigarette smoke. Dim, flickering fluorescent lights barely illuminated the room, revealing a floor of cracked tiles and bare concrete patches.
The café housed about a dozen outdated computers in makeshift plywood cubicles. Bulky monitors with smudged screens, worn keyboards, and sticky mice were the norm. At the back, an old man with a weary expression manned a cluttered counter, surrounded by posters of online games and outdated software.
Niko paid upfront then sat down in the farthest corner of the room under the curious glances of Thai teenagers. After surfing the web for more than half an hour, he found no updates from Thai websites about Lopez or any events from Ko Nok Taphao, leaving him to fear the worst for his friend.
As desperation started to gnaw at him, he pulled out his phone and tried to contact Priya, but there was no response.
Anxiety tightened his chest as he thought about his options. There weren’t many. He reached out to his phone and looked for the “friend,” but Niko only remembered him as the scary bulldog who had warned him of the things to come.
Niko dialed the number, his hands shaking slightly. After too many rings, the friend answered, his voice as harsh and rude as Niko remembered.
“What do you want?” the friend snapped.
“I need help,” Niko said, trying to keep his voice steady. “I’m in Thailand. Can you meet me?”
There was a long pause. “What’s in it for me?”
Niko swallowed his pride. “I have information. Valuable information that can take down NAPPA. Isn’t that what you want, as well? But I need your help to stay alive.”
The friend sighed, a sound of impatience. “First, tell me, what is this information you claim to have?”
Niko clutched the bag in his hands. “Lopez, NAPPA’s former CIO, gave me a UBS drive. I assume it has codes, data … his knowledge about NAPPA.”
“All right, that sounds reasonable. I will help you. Where exactly are you?”
Niko hesitated, still wary. “I can’t say”
“Well then, goodbye.”
“No, stop!” Niko grew desperate. “I’m in the South of Thailand.”
“Thailand’s a big place, genius. Be more specific,” the friend barked.
Niko took a deep breath. “I’m in Don Sak. Can you meet me here?”
“That would be too difficult for us at this moment. Can you manage to get to Bangkok unseen?”
“I can try.”
“All right. Meet me at the Chakuma bar at old market on Charoen Krung Road in three days, at noon. I will also share some information on your friend, Priya Najjar, with you. Don’t be late!” With that, he hung up abruptly.
Niko arrived in Bangkok one day before the scheduled meeting, having traveled via a series of car stops and local trains, exhausted and on edge. He found a cheap hotel room in a rundown neighborhood, the kind of place that accepted cryptocurrency and where no one asked questions. The room was small, with peeling wallpaper and a lumpy bed, but it was a refuge from the chaos of his life. He collapsed onto the bed, allowing himself some rest.
Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
The next day, Niko made his way to the Chakuma bar. He kept a low profile, avoiding crowded areas and sticking to back alleys and side streets. The humidity clung to his clothes, making him sweaty and tired. The establishment was dimly lit, with a haze of cigarette smoke hanging in the air. The clientele was a mix of locals and weary travelers, each lost in their own world. Niko scanned the room, his eyes landing on the friend, who was sitting in a corner booth with a woman Niko didn’t recognize.
Niko approached cautiously, his heart pounding when the friend looked up.
“You look like shit,” he said by way of greeting, his expression as unreadable as ever.
“Thanks for noticing,” Niko replied dryly.
“Well, anyway, you made it.” He motioned for Niko to sit. “This is Klara,” he added, nodding toward the woman beside him.
Klara had a sharp, intelligent look about her, her eyes constantly flicking around the room, assessing threats.
“Nice to meet you,” Niko said, taking a seat. He then turned to the friend, his voice tense. “What’s going on? You said you had information about Priya.”
The friend leaned back, his gaze steady. “Priya has been captured by NAPPA. They’re most likely interrogating her to find out about you. However, as far as I know Priya, they’re not going to get anything out of her that way.”
“Wait—you know Priya?”
“Of course I do. You haven’t figured this out yet? And I thought you were smart. I used to work with Priya in the CIA, but I quit long time ago—it was too stressful,” the friend explained. “How do you think Priya managed to keep you safe for so long? Who do you think tipped you off about the police coming to your apartment? Did you think Priya managed to get your fake documents from her NAPPA company computer in a couple of hours? You’re funny …”
For Niko, this was a lot to take in. He absorbed the information, feeling a mix of anger and gratitude.
“Wait, wait … So, you helped me all this time through her? Even after you got me fired? Why would you do that?”
“Well, if it was only up to me, I wouldn’t have,” he barked. “But Priya, and also Klara here, convinced me that you could be useful to us, which I still don’t believe. And, before you ask this question, Priya obviously didn’t know what I was going to do at that press conference. She is not part of our organization. Trust me; I got an earful from her afterward.”
“Organization? What organization?”
“I told you already, the first time we met. I can’t give you details, but let’s just say we are trying to erase NAPPA’s footprint from this planet.”
“You told me back then that you want to train soldiers. That you wanted me to work for you. How does that add up?”
“Professor Tesic, in my role, I have to do things which I don’t necessarily approve of, like in that case. The organization is willing to take NAPPA down, no matter the cost. So, if I get an offer to recruit you for our purposes, I will do it, especially if my interests align. But let’s leave the past in the past, shall we? Our plan didn’t work, anyway, as NAPPA recovered quickly from that scandal.”
“Can we get back to Priya, gentlemen?” Klara said in a calm and steady voice, interrupting the quarrel.
“Yes, please, tell me: where is she now?” Niko asked.
“To our knowledge, she is currently still held in the NAPPA headquarters, she was captured three days ago. But NAPPA’s leadership is growing impatient. We believe that if she doesn’t talk within the next few days, they will inject her with a NanoChip to extract her memories. We need to act fast if we’re going to save her.”
Niko’s stomach twisted with anxiety. “How do you know this?”
“We have our contacts. You can trust me when I say that this information is correct.”
“So, what’s the plan?”
The friend exchanged a glance with Klara, who nodded and pulled out a laptop.
“First, we need to access the files on the USB drive Lopez gave you,” she said. “It might have important information we can use.”
Niko hesitated, but handed over the USB drive, and Klara got to work.
As she typed, his thoughts drifted to Priya, trapped and alone. He couldn’t let her suffer because of him.
Minutes later, Klara was still typing furiously at her computer. “Dammit, I still can’t get in. This Lopez was good.”
“Was good, most likely,” Niko said, his tone tinged with sadness. “But yeah, he was great.”
“Sorry to hear that,” Klara replied flatly, her eyes never leaving the screen. “The encryption on this is serious. Do you know any of his preferences? Anything he liked? It might help me crack the seed phrase. Even the biggest hacks often use some sort of personal information.” She inspected the outside of the USB closely. “Wait—something is engraved on this. There are tiny letters—‘IS.’ Any idea what that could stand for?”
“Hmm, doesn’t ring a bell. Lopez didn’t talk much. He liked money, for sure,” Niko said with a crooked smile.
“That’s not helpful. Try to think of something else, and I’ll keep working.”
“Are you sure it’s ‘IS’ and not the number 15, Klara? Check again. You”—the friend turned to Niko—“what else did Lopez work on?”
“Last time I saw him, he found out NAPPA is collaborating with the US and Chinese militaries. They’re trying to install—”
“We assumed that already,” the friend interrupted. “Those bastards would sell their own mothers for extra profit. But we need sufficient proof to expose them.”
“Wait—there’s something else. NAPPA took over a laboratory from Edmundsson. Turns out he was secretly working on these military applications from very early on, most likely with the Chinese military. We thought it might have something to do with why he died. Or was killed, more likely.”
“That is interesting. I’m pretty sure the Americans wouldn’t let that happen, now would they? Weren’t they the initial backers of your project until you went private? There you have it—a motive for a murder and recipe for scandal.” The friend’s eyes lit up. “Maybe you are useful, after all.”
“Maybe I am.” Niko stared back at him.
“Well, it would make sense now that Ryan is playing ball. NAPPA’s CEOs keep disappearing, but the company is still growing like a virus. You killed the first CEO, we got rid of you, maybe the third time’s the charm.” The friend smirked.
“You know damn well I didn’t kill anybody, you arsehole!” Niko shot back, his annoyance rising.
“Hey, keep it down, you two,” Klara shouted. “I’m working here. Can you please act civilized for a couple of minutes?”
Niko suddenly remembered. “Civilized. Civilization! That’s it! Lopez did mentioned Iosif Shklovsky, the Russian Astronomer—”
“—with his theory about the five threats to civilization,” Klara added. “Yeah, yeah, I know him. Let me try that.”
Shortly after, she let out a triumphant noise. “I’m in,” she said, a grin spreading across her face. “It was a seed phrase based on his famous quote about the future of humanity, with all the words scrambled, obviously. Easy-peasy.”
“Amazing!” Niko exclaimed, sitting down next to her at the computer.
The screen filled with files, and they began to sift through them. Niko’s heart raced as they uncovered more and more data.
“These are several access codes to the SPA facilities in Puerto Rico and the NAPPA headquarters in Singapore,” Klara said some minutes later, her eyes widening.
“Hmm,” the friend looked from behind the two. “That is actually something. It’s interesting that NAPPA still keeps their research facilities in Arecibo. But not quite sure what to do with this information at this time point,” he said more to himself than anyone else.
“Look at this. There is a folder on something called ‘the ‘Egg’,’” she said a couple of seconds later.
The friend leaned forward, intrigued. “What is that?”
Niko’s breath caught. If someone unveiled the true nature of the NanoChip, it could cause mass panic. Plus, he didn’t trust these people.
“It’s nothing,” he said quickly, jumping between Klara and the computer, deleting the file. “It’s my research on the utilization of nanobots in fertilized eggs, gametes, zygotes, and so on. You know, genetic profiling and other cases.”
“Hey, you bastard, don’t delete anything!” The friend grabbed his collar and turned him around. “What are you hiding?”
“Nothing, you idiot. I told you, it’s irrelevant research from way back. Let’s focus on what’s important, okay? Focus on the access codes.”
“It’s too late now, anyway, isn’t it?” The friend let him go, exchanging glances with Klara.
“All right, so we’ve got the access codes to SPA and NAPPA. And here in this file, I see proof of Edmundsson’s secret military lab with hints of NAPPA taking over those operations after his death. There are emails, phone calls—everything. But there’s no mention of its location.” She looked further. “Wow, here are also emails between NAPPA and US and Chinese military officials.”
Niko nodded, feeling a glimmer of hope. “Lopez must’ve copied these on the drive just before we got attacked. We didn’t have enough time to go through all of these. You wanted proof? There you have it. This is enough to start. Now we need to find Priya and get her out of there.”
“Free her? Are you out of your mind?”
“You said it yourself, she is your former colleague, and my educated guess is that you owe her one, which is why you helped me. Also, she might have further information to bring NAPPA down. Or am I mistaken?”
Klara looked at the friend. ”We owe it to her, Sayeed. You know it.”
Niko looked at Sayeed, the friend, as well, his eyes pleading. “Please, help me save her.”
Sayeed sighed, a rare moment of vulnerability crossing his face. “You two are nut jobs. Complete nut jobs. But okay, we can try it. But a) we need to be prepared, and b) you do this at your own risk, Tesic.”
Niko nodded, determination hardening in his chest. “I’m ready. Let’s do this.”