21. Voss -The Gathering Storm

The moment the bay doors slid shut, taking Leah and Ross with them, Voss turned sharply.

His silver eyes burned cold and absolute as he strode toward the holotable, where James was already waiting.

The programmer leaned back against the console, arms crossed, gaze flicking between the data streams and Voss himself—calculating, watching.

"Tell me we're finally doing something reckless."

Voss didn't break stride.

"Open the emergency channels."

James's eyebrows lifted slightly, but he didn't hesitate.

He turned toward the console, fingers moving fast, precise, effortless, bypassing layers of security locks like they were nothing.

"Full encryption?"

"No."

That made James pause, just briefly. He flicked Voss a side glance, intrigued.

"You want it traceable?"

"I want it heard."

James huffed out a breath, shaking his head. "Alright, then. Give me the code."

Voss's voice was smooth, unshaken, absolute:

"Bring milk."

James froze.

Then—slowly—he exhaled through his nose, a low sound of understanding.

"That's gonna wake up a lot of ghosts, Voss."

"I know."

"And you're giving them twenty-four hours?"

"Less." Voss's jaw tightened. "No access baggage. No loose ends. If they can't leave everything behind, they don't come."

James didn't argue. Didn't question it.

Because he already understood.

This wasn't a rally.

This was a final call.

And Voss?

He wasn't just calling back his soldiers.

He was claiming them.

James exhaled sharply, refocusing as the system flashed green—the lines opening, the coded message already rippling through the underground networks like a shockwave.

Then, without looking up—his voice was even, unreadable:

"You're acting like you already won the Ark bid."

Voss's silver eyes didn't flicker.

"I will."

A beat.

Then James huffed a quiet laugh, shaking his head.

"Arrogant bastard."

"Efficient."

James flicked through the incoming data feeds, his expression shifting into something sharper, more focused.

"Alright, then. You want a full manifest for Ark 0?"

"Start with my people."

"Alphas first?"

"First seats go to the ones who can hold the line."

James let out a low whistle, cracking his knuckles before diving back into the console.

"Copy that, General. Let's load your army."

The holo-table flickered, bathing the room in cold blue light as data feeds shifted and recalibrated.

Voss stood at its edge, silver eyes scanning the streams of security protocols, access logs, and updated dock movements.

"Status on security?"

Before James could reply, the comms cracked.

Then—Ava's voice, sharp, urgent, and without her usual amusement.

"Boss—"

Voss's spine straightened immediately.

"Talk."

"We've got a leak."

James froze mid-gesture, his head snapping toward the comms feed.

Voss's silver eyes burned.

"Where?"

Ava's voice flattened, all business.

"Government channels. Classified military movements just hit the underground boards. Big ones."

James let out a slow, sharp breath, muttering a curse.

Voss's jaw locked, his tone lethal.

"How much got out?"

Ava's fingers clicked over her console, scanning feeds at rapid speed.

"Enough to make people panic. Strategic fleet positions. Mobilization plans. Looks like someone with high clearance dumped it—and fast."

James cursed again, pushing off the console.

"If the wrong people get their hands on that—"

"They already have." Ava's voice was grim. "I'm tracking at least four different black-market channels pushing the data now. It's spreading."

Voss's silver eyes flashed dangerously.

"Find the source."

Ava's voice, sharp and certain:

"Already on it."

The holo-table pulsed, data streams shifting in real-time as Ava worked through the feeds.

James stood stiff beside Voss, his fingers tapping idly against his wrist, his mind clearly running ahead to worst-case scenarios.

Voss?

Voss was already there.

"Who benefits from this leak?" His silver eyes burned into the scrolling data.

Ava's voice came through tight, controlled. "Anyone with a grudge and enough firepower to make a move."

James let out a low breath, muttering, "That narrows it down to half the system."

"No," Ava corrected, "because only a handful of people had access to this kind of intel."

A flicker—new data spiking onto the screen.

"I traced the first drop." Ava's voice sharpened. "It didn't come from a corporate leak or a hacked channel. It came from inside."

Voss's jaw tightened.

"Inside where?"

Ava hesitated.

Then—her voice, flat and edged:

"The Military Board."

Silence.

James exhaled sharply, dragging a hand down his face.

"That's not good."

Voss didn't blink.

Didn't react.

Just said, smooth and absolute:

"It was intentional."

Ava hummed in agreement.

"It wasn't a mistake. Someone wanted this information out there."

Voss's silver eyes flickered—calculating, moving through the angles.

"And now the entire system is watching."

James exhaled sharply. "If Ark 0 wasn't a warzone before, it sure as hell is now."

The holo-table pulsed, flickering between military reports, fleet positions, and encrypted chatter.

Voss's silver eyes burned, sharp and calculating as he scanned the data. A problem this big didn't just vanish.

Then—Ava's voice, smooth but edged with something tight, controlled.

"It's handled."

Voss's jaw ticked. "How handled?"

"Military put the fire out. Shut down every major thread, pulled feeds, locked channels. It was close, but they kept it contained—barely."

James let out a low exhale, shaking his head. "Hell of a gamble."

Voss didn't move. Didn't blink.

Because Ava wasn't finished.

"The problem is out there, Boss."

Her voice flattened, her usual amusement gone.

"People will talk. You can't kill a story this big—you can only control how it spreads."

Voss's fingers curled slightly against the table.

"And where's it spreading?"

Ava's voice hummed through the comms. "Corporate sectors are playing dumb. Colonies are pretending they didn't hear. But the underground?" She exhaled. "They're listening."

A flicker—new data. Movement spikes across black-market channels.

People were watching.

Waiting.

Timing their next move.

Ava's voice dropped lower.

"You might want to make changes."

Voss's silver eyes didn't flicker.

Didn't hesitate.

Instead—his voice came low, absolute, final:

"Countdown to Ark 0 launch is seven days."

A pause.

Then James, still tapping idly at the console, finally spoke.

"You're really locking it in."

Voss's gaze flicked to him. Unyielding. Cold. Certain.

"I was never waiting for permission."

Ava's breath came through the channel—sharp, quiet amusement.

"Well, shit."

James huffed a laugh. "Guess we better move faster."

The holotable flickered, new routes, new calculations shifting into place.

Because everything had changed.

And now—

They had seven days left to win.