Chapter 3: The Briefing

After Pompeo left him and he was informed that he will be going to the United States and it was finally the D-Day he was moved from the inspection site to a US military camp in Warsaw where he was being boarded onto an aircraft which landed in Virginia.The air was cold and uneasy as Nikolai Kane came down from the unmarked plane which brought him from Poland to the United States, his hands cuffed and two armed CIA agents flanking him to make sure he stays put.

The CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, loomed ahead of the convoy which was sent to pick him, it was a fortress of glass and steel, brimming with secrets and special tatical intelligence which kept the government in place.

Nikolai was inside a black SUV which moved into the CIA's building, the vehicle moved through different check point before arriving at its main building immeniently. The guards who were there at that time removed the hand cuffs which were put on him. Every corner of the building had an aura which was associated with power, surveillance cameras where everywhere and the entire place was carefully well built and properly secured.

Finally the went inside the main building and the elevator doors were opened to Nikolai and he was told to go inside. He walked down to a glass door which reveal a massive conference room, which was used for vital and important meetings.

Inside, a group of high-ranking officials all waited for Nikolai to come in. At the head of the table among them sat Director Jonathan Mitchell, the head of the CIA, a man known for his cold, calculating demeanor and his reputation for making agents disappear without a trace. Mr Mitchell was feared and resonated by everyone because he was also a General in the US army before he joined the CIA.

Pompeo who was head of CIA operations in Europe sat beside him in the conference room, along with a set of military generals in crisp uniforms adorned with stars and medals. The atmosphere was thick with tension and all eyes gazed on Nikolai as he walked into the room.

Nikolai's eyes scanned the room thoroughly assessing threats, exits, and weaknesses, an instinct which he had developed over many years in the shadows and as an assassin.

"Welcome, Mr. Kane," Director Mitchell's spoke, his voice was calm but commanding with a serious tone. "Take a seat."

Nikolai then walked to the chair in the center, the weight of a dozen eyes pressing down on him as everybody in the conference room was looking at him,he didn't sit.

"I prefer to stand," Nikolai replied coldly to director Mitchell.

Mitchell's lips curled into a faint smile. "Suit yourself then."

Pompeo took a step forward to address everybody in the conference room at that time. "You're here because you know things. Things that the intelligence agencies of most countries do not know from your years as an assassin which makes you suitable for this mission. You know things about the Sphinx Protocol, as you have been paid by many international criminals to kill for them just because of this Protocol."

Nikolai crossed his arms with a sarcastic look on his face and said. "You could've asked nicely instead of dragging me across the Atlantic."

A general slammed his hand on the table, showing his anger towards Nikolai"Watch your tone, Kane. You're not in control here."

Nikolai's gaze didn't waver, he was not afraid or disturbed but still maintained his composure. "I wasn't in control when your agents shot at me in Vienna either. Yet, here I am."

Mitchell finally raised a hand to silence the room, as he was tired of the unnecessary statement which were flying around. "Enough. Nikolai, what do you know about the Sphinx Protocol?"

Nikolai leaned against the wall, his eyes narrowing he said to the director "I know it's more than just a weapon. It's a failsafe. Whoever controls it controls the balance of power."

Mitchell nodded in agreement to what Nikolai had said. "Precisely. The Sphinx Protocol isn't just a device—it's an AI-driven system capable of neutralizing global military threats in seconds. It's a weapon of mass control."

Pompeo continued speaking after Mitchell had stopped speaking, "We believe Sujiomoto was close to uncovering its location with the Russian arms dealer Volkov before you killed him."

Nikolai's jaw tightened affirming and defending his interest at that point. "I was following orders. The orders I recieved from my client didn't mention anything about the Sphinx , it was direct and precise just to eliminate Sujiomoto"

Mitchell interjected after Nikolai had spoken to the Generals, "We need you to pick up where Sujiomoto left off in finding the Sphinx protocol. Before you shot down Sujiomoto in Vienna he was handed vital information by Volkov which gave us a step forward in the chase. Sujiomoto dropped a voice message to us with his phone which suggests he was tracking a Chinese arms dealer—Jin Yuan. You know him."

Nikolai's fists clenched involuntarily. He knew Jin Yuan all too well. They had history with each other and the had crossed paths years ago in Macau, and it ended in bloodshed and agony for both of them.

"He's more than an arms dealer," Nikolai said. "He's a ghost. Impossible to track unless he wants to be found."

Pompeo smirked and looked at Nikolai. "Good thing we have something he'll want. You."

The room fell and everybody was silent. Nikolai's eyes flicked between Pompeo and Mitchell brewing tensions between three of them

"You want me to bait him out," Nikolai said, his voice a low growl, with sarcasm written all over him.

Mitchell leaned forward and started speaking to him "Correct. Your mission is simple: Find Jin Yuan. Extract information about the Sphinx Protocol. And eliminate him, you have to be tatical and clean just like with your clients" with a smirk on Mitchell's face.

A general added to what Mitchell said, "You'll have everything you need—firearms, explosives, surveillance gear. And we'll be tracking you via the chip we implanted."

Nikolai's lip curled in disdain. "Of course. Can't trust the assassin without a leash."

Pompeo handed him a dossier which will determine the future of his journey "You leave for Bangkok in an hour. Don't get too comfortable. This mission will be your redemption or your death."

Nikolai glanced at the dossier, then back at Pompeo smiled and said to him "I've survived worse."

Mitchell's eyes gleamed. "Then prove it."

Nikolai replied and said "watch me".

The private jet hummed and moved softly as it soared through the night sky on its way to Bangkok for Nikolai to get to Yuan. Nikolai sat alone in the cabin thinking and calculating what he is to do, the dossier Pompeo gave him in Virginia spread out on the table in front of him. Photos of Jin Yuan, schematics of safehouses, and encrypted messages filled the pages, which will aid him in getting to Yuan faster.

At that point in the jet cabin his mind drifted back to Macau, to the unexpected ambush, the betrayal which hit him hard , the bodies left in his wake. Jin Yuan had been there, orchestrating it all, a friend who became an enemy.

"This time," Nikolai muttered to himself with sheered determine "it's personal."

A voice came over the intercom in the jet to him. "Mr. Kane, we'll be landing in Bangkok in thirty minutes. Prepare for arrival."

Nikolai finally closed the dossier after assessing all of its content and leaned back, his eyes cold and calculating each and every single step. The game was just beginning and he was ready to play it.

The plane had just touched down at a private airstrip on the outskirts of Bangkok. The night air pressed against Nikolai as he stepped off the jet he had rested well enough and was well fed in the jet,his senses on high alert for any scrutiny. Two local CIA operatives were waiting near a black SUV, their faces cold and unreadable like they were hiding a conspiracy.

"Welcome to Bangkok, Mr. Kane," one of them said to him immediately he had came down from the jet to the tarmac, motioning to the vehicle. "We'll take you to your safehouse now sir."

Nikolai hesitated evaluating everything the CIA has sent for him in a fraction of a second. His instincts, sharpened over years of surviving betrayals, he knew too well not to trust anybody not even the CIA.

He stepped into the SUV and the finally left the airport, his eyes scanning every shadow, every reflection with perfection and precision,. The city of Bangkok blurred past them with it's bustling life, Bangkok had neon lights, crowded streets, and the ever-present hum of danger which made it stand out from others.

"ETA to the safehouse is fifteen minutes," the driver said.

Nikolai nodded, calculating his next move.

The SUV drobe through the city and finally pulled into a narrow alley, stopping in front of an unnoticed building. Nikolai stepped out of the car,is hand holding the concealed rifle at his side, with his dossier.

Finally he was inside the safehouse was sparse a single room with a cot, a table, and a laptop. The operatives handed him a burner phone which he will use to communicate with the CIA. and a keycard which will give him access to the safe house.

"We'll be in touch," one of them said to him with a firm and commanding look before leaving. The door locked behind them with a heavy thud and everywhere was quiet.

Nikolai waited. He checked everywhere from the windows, the door, the vents standard procedures. Then he turned his attention to the laptop which was in front of him booting it up. It contained encrypted files on Jin Yuan, surveillance feeds, and a secure line to CIA headquarters.

And then Nikolai took his bathe and rested for the next day.

The next day Nikolai hit the streets of Bangkok, Bangkok's street were alive with energy, neon lights flickered in the humid night air with a lot of people buying things on it's busy road, street vendors hawked their wares, and motorbikes buzzed through the crowded alleys everywhere in the city was just busy. Nikolai Kane blended seamlessly into the crowd, moving fast and calculating his stepswith the precision of a man on a mission.

Nikolai target was Jin Yuan, a notorious Chinese arms and weapons dealer and international hitman with ties to the elusive Sphinx Protocol has he had been paid by some government to inquire about it. Yuan had been operating out of Bangkok for months for one of his clients exclusively, slipping through the cracks of international surveillance, until now, his location was made known to the CIA through Sujiomoto who Nikolai had shot down.

Nikolai's assignment and the task he had to complete from the CIA was crystal clear and it was capture Yuan and extract any intelligence about the Sphinx Protocol which he can give, a device capable of tipping the balance of global power and giving world dominance to whoever controls it.

Nikolai moved from his safehouse into the city and moved about 1 hour in the city main town before he entered the bustling underground club where Yuan was known to spend his night frequently, inside the club was a labyrinth of flashing lights, pounding music, and shadows thick with danger. His shot gun was holstered beneath his jacket, and a knife rested at his ankle, he was very prepared for anything that is to come and he was very alert because he knew how good Yuan was.

When he finally got into the underground club, Nikolai's sharp eyes locked onto a private booth in the far corner of the club. There, surrounded by bodyguards, sat Jin Yuan, sipping a glass of whiskey as if he had no enemies in the world.

Nikolai moved calmly through the crowd, He slipped past two guards at the entrance of the VIP section, using a forged access card, to avoid being caught.

The moment he stepped into the booth, the air grew tense. Yuan's eyes met Nikolai's, a flicker of recognition passing between them. And uneasy feeling was growing between them and many years of betrayal gloomed through Nikolai's face.

"Nikolai Kane," Yuan called out to him with a sly smile. "It's been a long time."

"Not long enough," Nikolai replied, his voice cold and controlled. He took a seat across from Yuan, his hand resting casually near his concealed weapon in case they was any compromise at their meeting point.

Yuan leaned back, still taking the whiskey in his glass with a smirk on his face. "The CIA sends their best, I see. What do they want this time?"

"The Sphinx Protocol," Nikolai said bluntly. "You've been tracking it. I want to know where it is. I want to know what you know".

Yuan's smile widened and he looked at him. "Straight to the point. I always admired that about you." He set his glass of whiskey down after speaking and leaned forward. "But the Sphinx Protocol isn't just a device. It's a key—a key to unlocking power that even your precious CIA can't comprehend."

Nikolai's eyes narrowed. "Where is it, Yuan, spare me the crap".

Yuan chuckled softly and continued"It's not that simple. The last known location of where the sphinx protocol could be was in Vienna where Russian business man Volkov met with a now dead Sujiomoto thanks to you to discuss on how they can find it and sell it off to the black market for the highest bidder, But word on the street has it that the tides have already moved. The next stop? Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. There's a vault beneath the city, guarded by General Ibrahim Al-Fahad. He's the one you're looking for, in his vault they are information of who has the sphinx protocol and how you can locate it".

Nikolai's jaw tightened. "You're going to give me more than that." with his facial expression becoming more serious.

Yuan continued "There's a shipment leaving Bangkok tomorrow. Arms, explosives, and... a piece of the puzzle. If you intercept it, you'll find coordinates to the vault in Riyadh."

Nikolai's mind worked quickly assessing the information Yuan told him piecing together the information. He knew Yuan wasn't giving him everything, but it was a start, he had to get to work quickly.

"I'll need the details," Nikolai said. "Where, when, and how many men."

Yuan slid a small encrypted flash drive across the table. "Everything you need is on there. But remember, Kane—this isn't just about the Sphinx Protocol. It's about control. And the people chasing it will stop at nothing to get it." Kane then said to him "Let me worry about that".

Nikolai took the drive and stood. "Thanks for the warning. Stay out of my way, or you won't see me coming next time."

Yuan smirked. "Oh, I'll be watching, Nikolai. Always watching."

He took a sip of whiskey and he left the club into the streets and got to his safehouse.

The next night Nikolai left his safehouse, Nikolai stood on the rooftop of an abandoned warehouse overlooking the docks in Bangkok. Below, the shipment Yuan mentioned was being loaded onto a freighter bound for Saudi Arabia.

Through his scope and the observation he had made, Nikolai counted ten armed guards patrolling the perimeter,each one heavily armed and alert. A black SUV pulled up, and a man in a military uniform stepped out—one of General Al-Fahad's operatives who came to inspect the shipment before it will leave the docks in Bangkok.

Nikolai's comm crackled in his ear. "Kane, this is Langley. The CIA were having direct contact with him, Do you have eyes on the target?"

"Affirmative," Nikolai replied. "I'm moving in to intercept".

He came down from the rooftop, moving silently through the shadows. His short gun was drawn, silencer attached. The first guard never saw him coming—a single shot to the head, and he was down, Nikolai was swift and very good with the killing game.

Nikolai moved with precision and accuracy as he kept eliminating the guards one by one. Each step brought him closer to the shipment.

Near the freighter, he planted a small explosive on a fuel barrel insurance in case things went south, he was very alert and quick.

Finally, he reached the cargo container. Inside, crates of weapons were stacked high. Nikolai opened one and found a sealed envelope marked with the symbol of Al-Fahad's private militia, immediately after seeing the envelope he knew that it was the info Yuan was talking about.

He opened it and pulled out a map coordinates leading to Riyadh, and detailed schematics of the underground vault, which could lead to him getting the Sphynx protocol and leave this CIA's nightmare he had

"Bingo" Nikolai said.

But just as he secured the intel, a guard spotted him near the shipment

"Hey!" the guard shouted at him, raising his rifle.

Nikolai didn't hesitate. He fired, the suppressed shot dropping the guard instantly. But the noise had alerted the others which spelt trouble for him.

Within seconds, the docks erupted in chaos. Guards swarmed toward the cargo area, their weapons blazing.

Nikolai sprinted toward the exit, returning fire with lethal accuracy as he had gunned down four more guards.He reached the fuel barrel and detonated the explosive, the resulting fireball lighting up the night sky and sending the remaining guards scrambling for cover, that gave him a perfect escape from the dockyard.

He escaped into the night, the coordinates to Riyadh clutched tightly in his hand, for him the night was a good one

After he left the safe house he got back at his safehouse, Nikolai transmitted the intel to Langley. His handler, Agent Mitchell who was the Head of the CIA, appeared on the screen.

"Good work, Kane," Mitchell said. "Riyadh is the next target. General Al-Fahad is a dangerous man. We need you on the ground there ASAP, and remember stick to the plan".

Nikolai nodded. "I'll make the arrangements. And Mitchell..."

"Yes?"

"Yuan mentioned something. The Sphinx Protocol isn't just a weapon. It's about control. If Al-Fahad gets his hands on it..."

Mitchell's expression darkened. "We can't let that happen. You know what to do, be tactical and make sure you make it neat"

Nikolai's eyes were cold and determined. "I'll handle it."

He closed the laptop and packed his gear. The next day he was to leave Bangkok to go to Saudi Arabia and his flight to Riyadh awaited, and with it, the next deadly chapter in the hunt for the Sphinx Protocol.