The Secret Meeting

The room was shrouded in shadows, illuminated only by a dim light that cast long shadows on the walls. It was a place designed to be forgotten: no windows, no names in official records, no trace that it had ever existed. In the center, a round table made of dark mahogany surrounded the representatives of the world's major powers. Their faces reflected conflicting emotions: some were angry, others nervous, and a few maintained an unsettling calm, as if they already knew how to handle the situation.

The low murmur of voices filled the room until the moderator, an older man with scars on his face and eyes as cold as steel, slammed his gloved fist on the table.

"Silence," he ordered, his voice echoing like a gunshot.

Everyone fell silent. The moderator, known only as "The Custodian," did not belong to any nation. His role was clear: to serve as a communication bridge between the five most influential secret corporations in the world in case of emergencies. Although everyone knew there were many more corporations hidden in the shadows, these five were the only ones officially recognized by governments. No one knew who had placed him there, but everyone obeyed when he spoke.

"We are here for one reason," he continued, pointing to a floating hologram in the center of the table. It showed images of Silver Ridge: destroyed houses, mutilated bodies, twisted creatures emerging from the fog.

"This should never have come to light. But it did. And now we must decide what to do before the entire world panics."

An American representative, a robust man with a furrowed brow, slammed the table in frustration.

"How the hell did we let this happen? We've been controlling these things for decades! What went wrong in Silver Ridge?"

The Custodian stared at him, unfazed.

"That is precisely what we are trying to determine. But first, let us remember how we got here."

He activated another hologram. This time, it displayed a world map with a dotted line marking the perimeter of the fog. Several areas near that line were marked with red crosses.

"The fog first appeared during World War II, almost seventy years ago. But the creatures began to emerge thirty years ago, attacking small towns near its border. They left no survivors... at least, not at first."

A Chinese representative, a thin man with metallic-framed glasses, interjected calmly.

"But that was quickly contained. The secret corporations acted before anyone else could find out. They bought us time to prepare."

"Exactly," said The Custodian, adjusting his previous stance. "Those corporations didn't act out of altruism. They cleaned up the disasters, yes, but they also collected something in return. While the creatures killed everything in their path, there was always one or two survivors. The corporations took them as 'payment' for their services."

A murmur ran through the room. The representatives exchanged uncomfortable glances. Everyone knew the corporations had been playing a dangerous game from the start.

The Russian representative, a burly man with a thick beard, raised his hand to speak.

"At first, we had no power to stop them. But when Indonesia and the Philippines began developing their armies, we stopped allowing them to take those survivors. However, that didn't stop the corporations. They simply started trafficking them in secret, corrupting some of our own soldiers."

The Custodian nodded slowly.

"What we saw in Silver Ridge was the result of that smuggling. Someone made a mistake. Someone let things get out of control."

It was then that two tall, imposing men, seated next to each other, stood up. One wore a military uniform with Indonesian insignias, the other dressed in the colors of the Philippines. Both radiated an imposing presence, as if they were more than mere diplomats.

"We have something to say," declared the representative from the Philippines, his deep and firm voice cutting through the tension.

The Custodian inclined his head slightly, inviting them to speak.

The Indonesian representative spoke first.

"When the fog appeared during World War II, our lands were devastated. Millions had to abandon their homes. Some settled in Hawaii, others traveled further, to Greenland. There, they founded new nations: New Philippines and New Indonesia."

The Filipino representative continued:

"Over time, those survivors and their descendants began to change. They became stronger, smarter. Not as much as those who stayed in Hawaii, but enough to stand out. With the support of the United Nations, we built armies. Our soldiers are considered the pinnacle of human perfection. For years, they have led missions to confront those creatures."

The American representative snorted.

"And what does that have to do with Silver Ridge?"

The Filipino shot him a sharp glare.

"Because this time, something changed. Those creatures didn't act alone. They were following orders."

A sepulchral silence enveloped the room.

The Custodian frowned.

"Explain yourself."

The Indonesian crossed his arms over his chest.

"Our reports indicate that the creatures that attacked Silver Ridge weren't just looking to kill. They were searching for something."

The Filipino pointed to the hologram of the Silver Ridge footage.

"Look at the recordings. The creatures ignored several civilians at first. They only attacked when they found whatever they were looking for."

The Custodian stiffened.

"What was it?"

The Indonesian responded firmly:

"We don't know. But whatever it is, it seems to have some kind of connection to the fog."

The Chinese representative leaned forward, intrigued.

"And what do you suggest we do?"

The Filipino answered firmly:

"Send our soldiers to guard the entire border of the fog. Until now, we only sent troops when an incident occurred, to avoid raising suspicions. But if we continue like this, things will spiral even further out of control. We need a constant presence at the border."

The American representative slammed the table again.

"And what are you suggesting? Send more soldiers? We already saw what happened in Silver Ridge! Besides, why should we trust your troops?"

The Indonesian looked at him coldly.

"Because our soldiers are the best trained for this. But we're not saying you haven't done anything. We know some powers have been conducting secret experiments with their own soldiers. Some responded positively and became as strong as ours. But others... lost their minds."

The Russian representative interjected, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"And do you think your troops are perfect? That they never fail?"

The Filipino responded calmly, but his voice carried a dangerous edge.

"We're not saying we're perfect. But our losses are minimal compared to yours. Besides, we know how to handle the creatures. You don't."

The Custodian raised a hand to calm the tension.

"Enough. This gets us nowhere. What we need is a practical solution. If sending troops to the border is the best option, then let's do it. But make sure to coordinate your efforts. We cannot afford more mistakes like the one in Silver Ridge."

The American representative snorted but said nothing more.

The Custodian closed his eyes for a moment, as if processing the information. Then he spoke, his tone darker than ever.

"This complicates things. If the creatures are evolving, if they have a purpose... then our current strategy won't work. We need answers. And fast."

The representatives began to disperse, but several high-ranking officials remained in the room. Among them were the American representative, the Chinese delegate, the representatives from the Philippines and Indonesia, as well as other key leaders: a British woman with gray hair and a piercing gaze, a German in an impeccable military uniform, and a Japanese man whose face was a mask of forced serenity. They all knew the meeting wasn't over yet.

As the last representatives left the room, The Custodian activated another hologram on the round table. This time, it displayed recent news headlines: "Massacre at Silver Ridge: What Really Happened?" , "Witnesses Speak of Creatures Emerging from the Fog" , "Government Remains Silent After Attack."

The Custodian turned to those who still remained in the room, his voice cold and calculating.

"This cannot come to light. Not completely. Journalists are already snooping around, conspiracy theories are spreading on social media, and witnesses want to talk. If we don't control this now, panic will spread faster than we can contain it."

The British woman, whose voice carried a sharp and authoritative tone, spoke first.

"We can't just ignore this. Social media is already flooded with videos and testimonies. People have seen too much."

The Custodian nodded slowly.

"I know. That's why we must act quickly. We'll bribe television networks to downplay the story. We'll say it was an industrial accident, a toxic spill that caused mass hallucinations. Local authorities have already been instructed to back up that version."

The German, with his rigid posture and hands clasped behind his back, frowned.

"And what about independent media? Not everyone can be bought. Some journalists will keep investigating, especially if they think there's a bigger story behind this."

The Custodian smiled without humor.

"For those cases, we'll use other tactics. Subtle threats, for example. An anonymous call to an editor, a warning to an ambitious reporter. Sometimes, just knowing they're being watched is enough to discourage them."

The Japanese man, whose calm demeanor contrasted with the tension in the room, spoke for the first time. His voice was soft but firm.

"And if that doesn't work? If someone insists on uncovering the truth?"

The Custodian looked directly at him, his face impassive.

"Then we'll take more... permanent measures. No one can afford to expose this to the world. Not while the fog keeps expanding."

The Indonesian, who had remained silent until now, interjected with a concerned tone.

"That's dangerous. Every time we eliminate someone, we create more questions. More suspicions. Sooner or later, someone will connect the dots."

The Custodian shrugged, as if it didn't matter to him.

"It's a risk we have to take. But so far, we've managed to keep this in the shadows. The corporations have the resources to handle these kinds of situations. And if it ever becomes necessary, we can always blame others. Terrorism, organized crime... there are plenty of excuses we can use."

The American representative snorted, visibly uncomfortable.

"This is madness. We're talking about censoring information on a global scale. Do you really think we can control something like this?"

The Custodian stared at him, his voice low but full of authority.

"We have no other choice. If the public discovers the truth about the fog, about the creatures, about what's really happening... the chaos will be uncontrollable. Governments will fall, cities will be abandoned, economies will collapse. We've already seen what happened in Silver Ridge. Imagine that multiplied by hundreds, by thousands of cities."

The British woman nodded slowly, though her expression remained stern.

"He's right. We can't afford to be weak in this. Global security depends on maintaining control. But we must be careful. One misstep could unleash hell."

The Custodian deactivated the hologram and headed toward the exit. Before leaving the room, he stopped and glanced over his shoulder.

"Remember: ignorance is our best weapon. As long as the world believes the fog is just a natural phenomenon, as long as they think the creatures are mere legends... we'll be safe. But if anyone tries to reveal the truth... don't hesitate to act. There's no room for compassion in this."

With those final words, The Custodian left the room, leaving the other high-ranking officials in silence. They knew that what they had just discussed wasn't just a strategy; it was a sentence. A sentence for anyone who tried to unravel the secrets of the fog.

The Filipino murmured one last time, almost to himself:

"This isn't going to end well."

The Chinese representative heard him and responded coldly:

"Nothing related to the fog ends well."

The British woman sighed deeply, breaking the momentary silence.

"Then let's make sure no one else finds out."

The German nodded, his expression grim.

"We'll do whatever is necessary."

The Japanese man was the last to speak, his tone calm but laced with warning.

"Let's just hope our actions don't lead us to the same fate we're trying to avoid."

With that, the high-ranking officials began to disperse, each returning to their respective countries to implement the agreed-upon plan. But deep down, they all knew they were walking a very thin line. A line that, if crossed, could push the entire world to the brink of the abyss.