Chapter 72: The Calm Before the Storm

The Zenith headquarters was a fortress of glass and steel, its sleek, modern design a testament to the empire Ethan Carter had built. But tonight, the building felt less like a fortress and more like a pressure cooker. The war room, usually a place of calculated precision, was alive with tension. The air was thick with the hum of machinery and the low murmur of voices as the team prepared for their next move. At the center of it all stood Ethan, his sharp features illuminated by the cold blue light of the holographic map projected above the table. The blinking red dot on the map marked the location of Aurora Dynamics' latest shipment—a cargo of advanced processors destined for their secret facility. If the shipment reached its destination, Echelon's development would leap forward, and Ethan's hard-fought gains would be undone.