Chapter 2
He'd met Victoria Monet three weeks ago at a fundraising gala for the United European Federation's Defense Department. She was a low-level administrative assistant who had seemed eager to share information about her superiors' questionable activities. Kazuo had given her his secure contact details, not expecting much. But two days ago, she'd reached out, claiming to have concrete evidence of Minister Lefebvre's corruption.
Kazuo ordered a glass of Bordeaux, more to blend in than to calm his nerves. He was used to clandestine meetings, but something about this one felt different. The stakes were higher, the potential fallout more severe. If Victoria's information was accurate, it could shake the foundations of the UEF's defense structure.
At precisely 20:00, a woman in her late thirties with short brown hair and glasses entered the restaurant. She scanned the room, her eyes locking onto Kazuo. She approached his table and sat down without a word.
"Ms. Monet," Kazuo said, keeping his voice low. "Thank you for meeting me."
Victoria nodded, her fingers drumming nervously on the table. "Before we begin, Mr. Tanaka, I need assurances. What you're asking me to do... it's not just my job on the line. It's my life."
Kazuo leaned forward. "I understand the risks. I can guarantee your anonymity in any published material. The Parisian Truth has a sterling record of protecting our sources."
"That's not enough," she hissed. "I need immunity. Full legal protection. If this gets out, Lefebvre and his cronies will come after me with everything they've got."
Kazuo paused. Promising immunity was a big step, one that would require coordination with law enforcement. But if her information was as valuable as she claimed, it might be worth it.
"Okay," he said. "I can't promise anything immediately, but I have contacts in the Gendarmerie. If your information pans out, I'll make sure you get full immunity and witness protection if necessary. But I need to know what you have first."
Victoria took a deep breath, then nodded. "Fine. Here's what I know. Minister Lefebvre isn't just taking bribes. He's selling state secrets to the highest bidder. Military tech specs, troop movements, defense strategies - all going to foreign powers."
"That's a serious accusation. Who's buying?"
"The Pan-Asian Alliance, for one. But there are others. The American Continental Union, even some non-state actors. Terrorist groups."
"Fuck," Kazuo muttered. "Do you have proof?"
"Encrypted files on a secure server. Financial transactions, communication logs, even video recordings of meetings. I can't access them directly, but I know where they're stored."
"Where?"
"There's a data center in La Défense. It's supposedly for backup storage of non-classified Defense Department files. But there's a hidden server farm three levels below the main facility. That's where Lefebvre keeps the sensitive stuff."
This was bigger than he'd imagined. "Who else is involved?"
"High-level people. Jean-Claude Renard, the Deputy Minister. General Marie Durand from Military Intelligence. And..." Victoria hesitated.
"And?" Kazuo pressed.
"Antoine Dubois."
Kazuo felt like he'd been punched in the gut. His own editor-in-chief was involved? "Are you sure?"
Victoria nodded. "He's been helping cover up the operation. Suppressing stories, planting false leads. He's deep in Lefebvre's pocket."
Kazuo sat back, processing this information. His entire investigation had just become infinitely more complicated. "Is there anyone else I should know about?"
"Those are the main players. But there are others - mid-level bureaucrats, military officers. The network is extensive."
"Alright," he nodded. "This is... a lot. I'll need time to verify and plan our next steps. Can you meet again in a few days?"
Victoria shook her head. "No. This is it. I've already taken too big a risk coming here. From now on, all communication goes through the secure channel I gave you." She stood up abruptly. "Good luck, Mr. Tanaka. You're going to need it."
Without another word, Victoria walked out of the restaurant, leaving Kazuo alone with the weight of her revelations. He signaled for another glass of wine.
The scope of the corruption was staggering, reaching the highest levels of government and even into his own newsroom. Antoine Dubois, his mentor and friend, was complicit in this conspiracy. The betrayal stung, but he pushed his personal feelings aside. He had a job to do.
The encrypted files Victoria mentioned were the key. Without them, it was just hearsay. He needed to get into that hidden server farm in La Défense. But how? Security would be tight, and he couldn't risk tipping off Lefebvre or his co-conspirators.
Kazuo pulled out his holodevice, scrolling through his contacts. He needed someone with the technical skills to bypass advanced security systems and the discretion to keep quiet about it. His finger hovered over a name: Yuki Sato.
Yuki was a former colleague from his days in Tokyo, now working as a freelance cybersecurity consultant in Paris. She was brilliant, unorthodox, and most importantly, trustworthy. If anyone could help him access those files, it was her.
He composed a secure message: "Yuki, need to meet. Urgent. Our usual spot, tomorrow, 14:00. It's big."
Kazuo sent the message, then turned his attention back to the immediate problem. He couldn't go back to the office, not with Antoine involved. He'd need to work from home or find a secure location to continue his investigation. And he'd have to be careful about who he contacted. Anyone could be compromised.
He began mentally cataloging his resources. He had some savings he could use if he needed to go off-grid. His apartment was secure, with state-of-the-art privacy measures. He had a few trusted contacts in law enforcement who might be able to help with Victoria's immunity request.
Kazuo took another sip of wine. He was so lost in thought that he almost didn't notice when someone slid into the seat across from him.
He looked up, startled to see a young woman with short white hair and blue eyes staring at him.
"Hello, Mr. Tanaka," she said. "Pleasure to meet you."
Kazuo took a quick look around before leaning in closer. "Do I know you?"
"No, we've never met," she replied, her gaze still fixed on him.
"Then why are you sitting at my table?"
"Can't a woman sit at a man's table without reason?" she replied with a sly smile.
"Not really," he countered. "It's considered rude unless there's a purpose."
"Well, in that case," she leaned in and tilted her head to the side. "Do you see that guy over there, the one in the pinstripe suit and grey fedora? He's been watching you for quite some time now. I'd say he has more than a casual interest in your whereabouts."
Kazuo leaned back. "I call bullshit."
"You don't believe me?" she leaned back.
"Why would I? I've only met you. Besides, even if what you're saying is true, what would that person want with me? I'm not anyone important."
"Oh, you have no idea how important you are, Mr. Tanaka."
He flinched. "Wait? What? I never told you my name. How did you know it? Did you hack my identity from the government servers?"
"Please," she waved her hand. "I don't need to hack any servers. I'm not good in computers. The only thing I know about computers are the games I play on them."
"So how did you know my name?"
"I have good hearing."
Kazuo narrowed his gaze, thinking what she said was pretty much sarcasm. "Are you're some kind of spy? What do you want from me?"
"I want to save your life."
"My life?" he pointed at himself. "Why would you care about saving my life?"
"Because it's inextricably tied to something much larger than either of us."
"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"
The woman's words hung in the air, leaving Kazuo unsettled. Before he could press her further, movement caught his eye. The man in the pinstripe suit and grey fedora stood up from his table and walked towards the exit.
Kazuo turned back to the woman, a smug smile on his face. "See? You're wrong. He's leaving. Goodbye." He stood up, tossing some credits on the table to cover his drinks.
The woman remained seated, her eyes following Kazuo as he left the bistro. She made no move to stop him, her expression unreadable.
Once outside, he shook off the strange encounter and refocused on his priorities—securing that server information. As he navigated the crowded sidewalks, he scrolled through his messages to see if Yuki responded. Still nothing. He had no choice but to call her.
Kazuo dialed her number, raising the phone to his ear as he turned down a narrow alley to avoid the main street's foot traffic. The line connected, and he opened his mouth to speak.
Suddenly, a powerful force slammed into him from behind, causing his phone to clatter to the ground as he was shoved against the alley wall. A vise-like grip closed around his throat, cutting off his air supply.
There, Kazuo found himself face-to-face with the man in the fedora. Up close, he could see the coldness in the man's blue eyes. Kazuo lashed out, throwing punches and kicks, but it was like hitting a brick wall. The man's strength was inhuman, like he had a strength of a gorilla.
Black spots danced at the edges of Kazuo's vision as he struggled for air. His lungs burned, and his attempts to break free grew weaker. Just as he felt consciousness slipping away, a loud bang rang through the alley.
BANG!
The bullet struck the fedora man's temple with a sickening thud, causing his grip to falter and his body to crumple to the ground. Kazuo lay there, gasping for breath as he struggled to comprehend what had just happened. His eyes rose to meet the sight of his attacker's shattered skull, bits of brain and bone scattered on the ground around them.
"Get up," a familiar voice commanded. Kazuo turned to see the white-haired woman from the bistro standing at the mouth of the alley, pistol at hand. "We need to move. Now."
He scrambled to his feet, still wheezing. "Who the fuck are you?" he managed to croak out.
"Someone trying to keep you alive," she replied, her eyes never leaving the fedora man, who was already recovering from the shot. "We don't have time for introductions. Run."
Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Kazuo's arm and pulled him out of the alley. They sprinted down the street, weaving through startled pedestrians.
"My phone," he gasped.
"Forget it," the woman snapped. "It's compromised anyway. Here." She pressed a small device into his hand. "Use this if you need to make calls. It's secure."
They ducked into a crowded metro station, the woman guiding them through the throng of commuters. As they reached the platform, Kazuo heard shouts behind them. He glanced back to see the fedora man pushing his way through the crowd.
"Shit," the woman muttered.
She pulled Kazuo towards an arriving train, the doors sliding open with a hiss. They barely made it inside before the doors closed, leaving their pursuer on the platform.
As the train lurched into motion, Kazuo slumped against a pole, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The woman stood next to him, scanning the other passengers.
"Okay," Kazuo said when he could speak normally. "I think I deserve some answers now. Who are you? Who was that guy? And how the hell did you know I was in danger?"
The woman sighed, her shoulders relaxing slightly as the train picked up speed. "My name is Morrigan. That man works for the people you do not want to know. As for how I knew..." She paused, seeming to choose her words carefully. "Let's just say I have sources of my own."
Kazuo stared at her. "You're not just some random woman, are you? Who do you work for?"
"That's complicated. For now, let's just say I'm an interested party who wants to see you alive as much as possible."
"And why should I trust you?"
"Because I just saved your life," she replied. "And because right now, I'm the only ally you've got. Your editor is compromised, remember? You can't go back to your office or your apartment. They'll be watching both."
Kazuo felt a chill run down his spine. She was right. He was alone in this, cut off from his usual resources and contacts. "So what now?" he asked.
"Now," Morrigan said, "we go somewhere safe. I have a place where we can regroup and plan our next move."