Chapter 15 Attack

Bob Matthews paced like a caged animal in the dimly lit warehouse. Dust motes danced in the single shaft of light filtering through a grimy window. He clutched his phone, the news report playing on a loop: a grainy video of the crime scene at the therapist's office, the reporter's voice droning on about the "brutal murder" of two women."This is a disaster," Bob muttered, slamming his fist against a crate. "She's smarter, faster than any of us anticipated."A collective sigh escaped the three other figures huddled together in the shadows. Roy, his face pale and drawn, looked like a ghost of his former self. Sleep deprivation had etched dark circles under his eyes, and his hands trembled ever so slightly. "Every time I close my damn eyes," he rasped, "I see her face… those cold, lifeless eyes staring back at me."Burns, on the other hand, exuded a cold fury. Unlike Roy, he hadn't left the safehouse in days, preferring the sterile security of a CIA-provided panic room to the outside world. His frustration simmered just beneath the surface."We need a new plan," Burns growled, his voice tight with barely suppressed anger. "This hide-and-seek routine isn't going to cut it. She's hunting us down, one by one."Tim, their tech expert, was the only one missing. He preferred the anonymity of cheap motels and burner phones, constantly on the move, a digital nomad with a heavy price on his head.The silence in the warehouse stretched, thick with tension and the weight of their predicament. They were a fractured group, their carefully constructed web of lies and deceit unraveling at the seams. The woman they'd wronged, the woman they'd thought broken, was a force of nature, a storm of vengeance unleashed.Emerlda slammed her phone shut, the finality of the click echoing in the small airplane cabin. The engines roared to life, a mechanical growl that mirrored the turmoil churning within her.Daniel, a silent observer, watched her with a mixture of concern and apprehension. He knew this mission was a gamble, a desperate lunge into the darkness. Before their departure, he'd bid a somber farewell to Michel, the scientist who'd reluctantly become an accomplice in Emerlda's quest.Their new identities sat uncomfortably on them – generic names, fabricated lives meant to provide a fleeting shroud of anonymity. They flew economy class, a stark contrast to the life Emerlda once knew. Yet, a twisted sense of pleasure flickered in her eyes as she imagined Burns meticulously checking passenger manifests, his paranoia a delicious irony.They arrived in the dead of night, the city lights a glittering mirage against the inky blackness. Checking into a nondescript hotel, Emerlda sank onto the bed, the robotic arm feeling like a foreign appendage grafted onto her flesh.A sigh escaped her lips, a heavy sound laced with weariness and a profound sense of loss. Gone was the warmth of her human body, replaced by the cold efficiency of metal and circuits.Her gaze drifted down to the gleaming daggers nestled in a hidden compartment within her arm. They were weapons, yes, but also constant reminders of the path she'd chosen."Have you located them yet?" she asked, her voice hoarse. "I was Bob Matthews' first. It figures Burns would be the most cautious."Daniel, hunched over his laptop with a furrowed brow, shook his head. "They've gone dark," he muttered. "Burns seems to be holed up in his office, but the others… they've vanished from my digital grid."Emerlda detached the daggers, the metallic clink a harsh counterpoint to the silence in the room. "Find them, Daniel," she commanded, her voice devoid of emotion but laced with a steely resolve.She retreated into the bathroom, the sterile white tiles offering a cold comfort. The water thundered in the bathtub, but it couldn't drown out the echoes of her past life, the ghosts that haunted her every step.With a trembling hand, she reached for a bottle of liquor stashed in her bag – a small indulgence in this world of violence and vengeance. As she took a swig, the burn in her throat mirrored the fire consuming her from the inside.The night stretched into a blurry canvas of code and algorithms for Daniel. His fingers flew across the keyboard, a symphony of clicks and taps as he delved into the Jackals' digital shadows. Years of experience honed his skills, and one by one, he cracked their carefully constructed shells. Every layer peeled back revealed a chilling truth about the organization, their ruthlessness exceeding even Emerlda's worst imaginings.Across the room, Emerlda thrashed in her sleep, tormented by nightmares. The inferno that stole her life and Sam's replayed in her mind, the flames licking at her skin, the screams echoing in her ears. She woke with a gasp, drenched in sweat, the lingering scent of smoke clinging to her phantom limbs.A soft knock at the door startled her. Daniel entered, a tray laden with breakfast balanced precariously in his hand. The aroma of coffee and pastries filled the air, a jarring contrast to the darkness that clung to Emerlda."What did you find?" she rasped, her voice thick with sleep and the remnants of nightmares.Daniel set the tray down on the table, his face etched with a grim determination that mirrored her own. He flipped his laptop towards her, the screen displaying a complex web of names, locations, and encrypted messages."Their network," he said simply. "Everything I could dig up. Burns is holed up in a safehouse on the outskirts of the city, heavily guarded. Tim's off the grid, but I managed to trace a recent burner phone purchase to a small town north of here. Roy…" he paused, his eyes flickering with sadness, "He's dark. No digital footprint, no trace."Emerlda absorbed the information in a cold silence. The simmering rage that had fueled her for days threatened to boil over. "What happens now?" Daniel asked, his voice barely a whisper.A slow, predatory smile spread across Emerlda's face. It didn't reach her eyes, which remained cold and calculating. "Now," she said, her voice devoid of emotion but laced with a steely glint, "I seize control."She rose from the table, her movements fluid and precise. From her black gym bag, she retrieved a custom-made jumpsuit, a stark contrast to the hotel bathrobe. The material, dark and flexible, allowed for unrestricted movement, its sleek design incorporating cooling patches to dissipate the heat generated by her robotic arm. As she donned the suit, she shed the last vestiges of her civilian life, embracing the weapon she'd become.Emerlda zipped up the combat suit, the familiar tightness a second skin. Grabbing her bag, she turned to face Daniel, who watched her with a mixture of concern and a flicker of something akin to awe."This is suicide," he finally blurted out, his voice tight. "The C.I.A. headquarters? They'll have you vaporized before you even reach the entrance."Emerlda knelt before him, fixing her shoelaces with a calmness that belied the storm brewing within. "We've been through a lot together, Daniel," she said, her voice low and steady. "Haven't you figured out how far gone I am?"A wry smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "It's time Burns gets a good look at the monster he created."She stood up, her gaze unwavering. "Get dressed and get to work. Back up, intel, anything you can pull. This isn't just about revenge anymore. It's about bringing down a house of cards."Daniel watched her leave, the echo of her footsteps a hollow counterpoint to the pounding of his own heart. He knew arguing was futile. Emerlda was a force of nature, unstoppable in her pursuit of justice – twisted or not.He scrambled to obey, throwing on clothes and booting up his systems in a flurry of activity.Later, outside the imposing walls of the C.I.A. building, Emerlda stood astride a sleek black motorcycle, its chrome gleaming in the city lights. Daniel, parked discreetly across the street in a nondescript van, watched through a hidden monitor."You look… different tonight, Boss Lady," he said over the comms, a hint of amusement in his voice. "The suit… definitely does things for you."Emerlda tilted her head, a ghost of a smile playing on her lips. "Thank you, Daniel," she replied, her voice devoid of its usual coldness. "It's a shame you turned out gay."A chuckle escaped from the van's speakers. "Always the charmer," Daniel teased. "Building is clear. Security protocols online. You have a ten-minute window before the reinforcements arrive."Emerlda's smile vanished. "Let's make it count," she said, her voice hardening with resolve.The final guard lunged, a desperate attempt to stop the roaring motorcycle. But Emerlda, fueled by a cold fury, slammed on the brakes, sending the bike skidding across the polished floor. It slammed into the glass doors of the lobby, shattering them in a shower of glittering shards.Emerlda leaped off the bike, a whirlwind of black leather and chrome. Her gloved hand darted into her bag, emerging with a small, deceptively innocuous device. Holding it aloft, she addressed the bewildered guards who now surrounded her, their guns trained on her shimmering figure."Let me see Burns," she demanded, her voice a chilling counterpoint to the ringing in the air. "And believe me, I won't hesitate to make a mess if you try to stop me."A tense silence stretched. Emerlda stood defiant, her helmet obscuring her face but the glint in her eyes spoke volumes."Daniel," a guard barked into their comms, "what the hell is this?"A strained voice crackled back. "Negotiate, for God's sake! She's…volatile."From inside the van, Daniel watched the scene unfold with a mixture of dread and morbid fascination. "Don't tell me this was your plan!" he muttered, his voice laced with a hint of amusement despite the danger.The situation escalated quickly. One of the bolder guards stepped forward, his voice taut. "Five seconds to drop the weapon and get on the ground, or we open fire!"Emerlda's lips curved into a cold smile. Her hand squeezed the device, activating it with a barely perceptible click. "Then fire," she challenged, her voice devoid of fear.The guards exchanged panicked glances. Their fingers tightened on their triggers, but none dared to fire the first shot.Suddenly, a wave of nausea washed over them. Dizziness blurred their vision, the sterile white walls of the lobby shimmering like a mirage. One by one, they stumbled back, clutching their heads, their faces contorted in confusion and fear.Emerlda, unaffected, dropped the device onto the floor. It rolled harmlessly among the scattered glass, emitting a faint hum. From beneath her helmet, a triumphant laugh escaped her lips. She had outsmarted them, used their fear against them.A single guard, more resilient than the others, managed to stay upright. He lunged for the device, his eyes wide with terror. But Emerlda was faster. Her robotic arm whipped out, a blur of silver, and snatched the device back just as his hand reached for it."Nice try," she said, her voice dripping with malice. "Now, where's Burns?"Emerlda straightened, brushing glass shards off her suit with a practiced flick of her hand. The guards lay incapacitated on the floor, groaning and disoriented. She retrieved her bag, a triumphant smirk playing on her lips."Easier than anticipated," she said, her voice echoing eerily in the shattered lobby.Daniel, watching from the van, felt a cold dread crawl down his spine. He saw the flashing lights of police cars converging on the building, sirens wailing a chaotic symphony."They're surrounding the building," he announced through the comms, his voice tight. "Security on every floor is on high alert. You're walking into a trap."Emerlda stepped into the waiting elevator, a steely glint in her eyes. "Lock it down, Daniel," she commanded. "Top floor."The elevator doors hissed shut, plunging her into darkness. As the elevator climbed, the tension inside the van became almost unbearable. Daniel watched the security feeds, each floor revealing heavily armed guards waiting for Emerlda's arrival."Boss lady," he finally said, his voice laced with a dark humor, "if I were you, I wouldn't set foot out of that elevator."The elevator lurched to a stop. The doors slid open, revealing a scene straight out of a nightmare. Burns' office door stood ajar, and a hail of bullets rained from within, shattering the elevator's control panel."Stop! It's empty!" a lone guard screamed, his voice swallowed by the cacophony.But Emerlda was nowhere to be seen.A tense silence followed, broken only by the ragged breaths of the remaining guards. Then, a mechanical whirring sound filled the air. The floor of the elevator compartment retracted, revealing a dark abyss below.From the shadows, a figure emerged. Emerlda, her robotic arm glowing faintly, had used the elevator's emergency access hatch to climb on top of the elevator car. She dropped down into the office like a vengeful wraith, her bag slung over her shoulder.Burns, his face pale with terror, stood behind his desk, a pistol clutched in his trembling hand. Emerlda ripped off her helmet, revealing a mask that covered half her face, the red glow of her enhanced vision emanating from beneath."Burns," she rasped, her voice a distorted echo. "Time to pay for your sins."Emerlda settled into a chair across from Burns, her masked face an emotionless canvas. The air crackled with unspoken threats."I had to come to you, Burns," she said, her voice a low growl. "You've become a recluse, a paranoid ghost in your own fortress."Burns' jaw clenched, his eyes burning with a mix of fear and defiance. "Do you honestly think you can waltz in here and walk out alive?" he spat, his voice laced with desperation.Emerlda sighed, a sound devoid of genuine emotion. She turned her gaze towards the window, the cityscape sprawling beneath them a million twinkling lights. "You're already a dead man, Burns," she said, her voice flat. "A walking corpse rotting from the inside out.""Twenty-four hours," she continued, her voice turning sharper. "That's all I gave you to return what's rightfully mine. But you, in your infinite arrogance, decided to shove my kindness back down my throat."A flicker of pain crossed her eyes, a fleeting glimpse of the person she once was. But it was quickly extinguished, replaced by a cold, steely glint."All those lives you took," she pressed, her voice hardening. "Innocent people you snuffed out like bugs. And you walk free, basking in the sun like some twisted king."Burns slammed his fist on the desk, the sound echoing in the tense silence. "You had no right to operate in my territory!" he roared, his voice raw with a mixture of fear and fury. "Didn't your old man teach you any manners, little girl?"Emerlda threw her head back and laughed, a harsh, chilling sound that sent shivers down Burns' spine. "Little girl?" she echoed, the amusement in her voice laced with a dangerous edge."Do you even consider for a single moment if those people deserved to die?" she challenged, her voice rising. "Your justifications for murder are as hollow as your soul."A tense silence stretched between them, broken only by Emerlda's ragged breaths."Think about your family, Burns," she continued, her voice dropping to a low hiss. "Tucked away in that cozy little bunker in the woods. A business transaction gone wrong, Burns. That's all this is. You made a bad choice, and now your debt has escalated."Burns' eyes widened in a mixture of terror and confusion. He reached into his drawer, a glint of metal catching the light. A gun."I won't hesitate to kill you," he snarled, his voice trembling despite his bravado.Emerlda's lips curved into a cold smile. "Think about it, Burns," she taunted, her voice laced with a dangerous calm. "Every penny you stole, every life you ruined, every associate you dragged down with you… you'll pay it all back. With interest."Emerlda fumbled with the zipper on her bag, her hands trembling ever so slightly. Burns watched her, his gun still trained on her but the desperation in his eyes was a stark contrast to his earlier bravado."There's a timer on that bomb," she rasped, her voice tight. "Five minutes."Burns' shoulders slumped, the gun lowering a fraction. He hadn't considered children. He'd dealt with criminals, yes, but innocents? The thought sent a wave of nausea through him."You… you wouldn't kill children," he stammered, his voice barely a whisper.A humorless smile twisted Emerlda's lips. "Wouldn't I, Burns?"Her gaze held his, and for a fleeting moment, Burns saw the ghost of the woman she once was – a woman capable of love, capable of loss. But then the flicker was gone, replaced by a cold, steely glint."Fifty children were in that villa, Burns," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "My son was in that villa."The bombshell dropped like a lead weight. Burns' face contorted in a mixture of horror and understanding."You…" he croaked, his voice thick with a strangled sob. "You think I…""Don't play innocent," she snarled, cutting him off. "You signed off on the operation. You knew the risks."A flicker of defiance sparked in Burns' eyes. He straightened, lifting his chin a fraction."Family is off-limits," he growled. "Take everything else. My wealth, my life… but leave them out of this."Emerlda's smile widened, a terrifying display of cold fury. "Fine," she conceded. "Gather your men, Burns. Meet me at the abandoned warehouse by midnight. We settle this then."She glanced out the window, the sun setting in a blaze of orange and red. The city lights were twinkling on, oblivious to the storm brewing above them. The sheer height of the building made her stomach churn, but it was a necessary risk."Just a heads-up, Burns," she said, turning back to him. "I'm not a patient woman."A smirk played on Burns' lips, a chilling counterpoint to the tremor in his hands. "They have a shoot-to-kill order, Emerlda," he said, his voice surprisingly steady. "Only your corpse will leave this building."Emerlda's eyes, cold and devoid of fear, met his. "Then so be it, Burns," she replied. "I am already dead."Emerlda didn't hesitate. With a guttural scream, she launched herself through the open window. Burns, frozen in shock, could only watch as she plummeted towards the unforgiving ground, a dark blur against the cityscape.Thirty stories. It should have been a suicide jump.But Emerlda wasn't ordinary. As she fell, a metallic whirring filled the air. Her cybernetic arm, repurposed for more than just combat, sprouted miniature thrusters that slowed her descent. Not to a complete stop, but enough to break the fall.Hitting the ground with a bone-jarring thud, she rolled, her enhanced body absorbing the impact. She ripped off her bag, retrieving her daggers with a practiced flick. Below, a crowd had gathered, their faces a mix of fear and morbid curiosity as they filmed the spectacle on their phones.A wry smile played beneath her mask as she activated a holographic cloaking device hidden within. The crowd gasped as Emerlda shimmered, her form momentarily obscured. It wouldn't last long, but it was enough to create a distraction.Across the street, a nondescript van idled discreetly. Daniel, ever the tech wiz, had deployed a non-lethal hallucinogenic pulse that discreetly incapacitated the surrounding police officers. They lay sprawled on the ground, groaning and disoriented, unaware of the chaos unfolding above them.Burns, recovering from his initial shock, rushed back to his office. A quick glance at the abandoned bag confirmed his worst fears. A timer blinked ominously - thirty seconds.Throwing the bag was out of the question, the innocent crowd below a living shield. He gritted his teeth, a desperate plan forming. Holding his breath, he sprinted towards the elevator shaft, the bomb ticking like a death knell.Just in time. He shoved the bag into the empty elevator car, slammed the doors shut, and raced back to his office.A deafening explosion rocked the building. Flames erupted from the elevator shaft, engulfing the metal capsule in a fiery inferno. Luckily, thanks to Burns' quick thinking, the blast was contained. The building trembled, but remained structurally sound.Sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder as emergency vehicles converged on the scene. Reporters swarmed the area, broadcasting live footage of the smoking building and the bewildered crowd below."We are standing before the C.I.A. headquarters," a breathless reporter announced. "One of the most secure buildings in the United States has been infiltrated by a masked assailant. The situation is still developing, but reports are coming in of a contained explosion within the building. Thankfully, there appear to be no fatalities… yet. The identity of the attacker remains unknown, but footage has already circulated across social media platforms. The motive behind this brazen assault is anyone's guess. Stay tuned for further updates.