Ch 72: A Step Too Far

Kael sat in his workshop, staring at the screen. The encrypted signal from outside Gron hadn't been random—it had been deliberate.

Someone knew about his investigation.

And worse, they were watching.

He tapped a few commands into his terminal, isolating the flagged signal. The encryption was tight—whoever sent it had used an advanced cypher beyond standard city security. But Kael wasn't trying to break it. He just needed to see the routing pattern.

The message had bounced through multiple nodes before reaching Gron. That was expected. What wasn't expected was that one of those nodes had been a Consortium relay station.

Kael frowned.

That's not good.

If the Consortium was involved, that meant he was either stepping into something far bigger than he thought—or he had just caught the attention of the wrong people.

Either way, he needed to move fast.

Final Preparations

Kael pushed back from his desk and grabbed his bag. His EMP tracker and scanner had worked well in his first test, but now he needed a way to verify what was actually being powered at these hidden substations.

For that, he needed something more refined.

He opened a locked drawer under his workbench, pulling out a compact spectral analyzer—a device originally meant for detecting material compositions in industrial applications. He had modified it, tuning it to detect unique power signatures.

If the hidden facilities were drawing power for something specific—manufacturing, research, weapons—this device would give him clues.

He also packed a low-power field disruptor—a small handheld device designed to interfere with local surveillance grids for a few minutes at a time. It wasn't perfect, but it would buy him time if someone tried tracking him through the city's security network.

Satisfied, he slung his bag over his shoulder and pulled on his reinforced jacket.

Tonight, he was going deeper.

Kael moved quickly, sticking to lesser-used pathways to avoid drawing attention. His first stop: Substation 9.

It was the second-largest energy siphon on his list, and unlike the others, its power draw had been inconsistent—meaning something was being powered up and then shut down at intervals.

He reached the perimeter and crouched low behind a storage container. The substation was built into the lower levels of an old industrial complex, its exterior reinforced with aging security panels.

From here, he could already see a problem—this place had active guards.

Two figures stood near the entrance, both wearing unmarked uniforms. They weren't city workers, and they weren't standard security.

This wasn't just a hidden power drain.

This was protected.

Kael exhaled slowly. So, the question is… what's so important that they need to keep people out?

He needed a way inside.

Rather than trying to sneak past the guards directly, Kael circled the perimeter, scanning for alternative access points. His patience paid off when he found a service hatch on the far side of the complex.

The lock was old, but still functional. He pulled out a multipick—a compact electromechanical tool that could brute-force its way through most analog locks.

A minute later, the hatch clicked open.

Kael slid inside, closing it behind him. The tunnel beyond was dark, lined with maintenance piping and outdated electrical systems.

He pulled out his scanner and checked the readings.

The energy flow was concentrated below.

Whatever was happening here, it wasn't on the surface level—it was underground.

Kael followed the power lines deeper, his footsteps careful against the metal flooring. The tunnel eventually opened into a massive underground chamber, dimly illuminated by flickering industrial lights.

And what he saw made his breath catch.

Rows of modular power cells, stacked and connected like a makeshift energy farm. The technology wasn't standard Consortium issue—it was old, pre-war era tech, modified and repurposed.

Someone was running a private energy grid right beneath Gron.

But for what?

Kael activated his spectral analyzer and ran a scan. The results came back almost immediately.

Signature detected: High-density electromagnetic containment field.

His eyes narrowed. That wasn't standard power storage. That was containment technology—the kind used to stabilize unstable energy sources.

And that meant one thing.

They're hiding something dangerous.

An Unwelcome Surprise

Before Kael could analyze further, he heard the sound of footsteps echoing from the far side of the chamber.

Someone was coming.

He quickly shut off his scanner and moved behind a stack of power cells, keeping low.

A group of three figures entered, their voices low but urgent.

"I told you, the power draw's spiking again. If we keep running at this rate, someone's going to notice."

"They already have. The supervisor flagged an unauthorized scan near Substation 4 earlier."

Kael tensed. That was me.

The third figure sighed. "Then we need to accelerate the timetable. Tell the others—we move everything in the next 48 hours."

Kael frowned.

Move what?

The first man hesitated. "And if someone finds us before then?"

A pause. Then, a cold response.

"Then we eliminate the problem."

Kael's pulse remained steady, but his mind was already planning his escape.

He had learned two things tonight:

Someone was running an illegal containment operation beneath Gron. They were about to move it.

Which meant he was running out of time.

Kael waited until the group left before slipping back the way he came. He moved fast but careful, retracing his path through the tunnels until he emerged outside once more.

The night air was cold against his skin, but he barely noticed. His mind was still processing what he had seen.

This was bigger than a simple power siphon.

This was about containment.

And whatever they were trying to contain—it was important enough to kill for.

Kael exhaled slowly.

I need more information.

But more importantly—

I need to be ready for when they try to make their move.

And if he had to force their hand, so be it.