"Striking the First Blow"

Alyssa had always believed that information was the greatest weapon. Now, as she stood before her assembled team, she realized just how much power they held—if they used it wisely.

Lena, the hacker, had spent the past few days breaking into encrypted files and securing evidence. Ethan had been reaching out to contacts, ensuring that once they made their move, the world would be watching. Mark had been gathering intelligence on the organization's weak points. The pieces were falling into place, but there was one thing left to decide.

"How do we strike first?" Alyssa asked, looking around the dimly lit warehouse.

Lena smirked. "We hit them where they least expect it. Publicly."

Mark frowned. "That's risky. If we expose them too soon, they might shut everything down before we have enough evidence."

Ethan shook his head. "No, she's right. We need to control the narrative. We show the world a glimpse of the truth—just enough to shake their foundation—and then we deliver the final blow when they're scrambling to cover it up."

Alyssa tapped her fingers against the table. "Do we have a target in mind?"

Lena turned her laptop around, showing a screen filled with files. "There's a gala tomorrow night. High-profile guests, including some of the organization's key players. If we leak something big right before it starts, they'll be forced to react in public."

Mark's expression remained serious. "That's dangerous. We'll be painting a target on our backs."

Alyssa met his gaze. "We already have targets on our backs. The difference is, now we get to choose the battlefield."

The following evening, Alyssa found herself standing outside the grand venue, her pulse steady but her mind racing. The plan was in motion. Lena had sent an encrypted message to major media outlets, releasing a portion of the damning evidence they had gathered. Ethan had tipped off journalists who would be in attendance. Mark had ensured they had an escape plan.

Now, they waited.

Inside, the elite mingled under golden chandeliers, sipping champagne, oblivious to the storm about to hit. Alyssa watched from a distance as the news alerts began to spread. Phones buzzed. Conversations halted. Expressions turned from amusement to concern.

Then, the real chaos began.

A well-known media figure, one of Ethan's contacts, stood up in the middle of the event and held up their phone. "Would you care to comment on these allegations?" their voice rang through the room.

Alyssa saw the organization's members freeze. Some tried to dismiss the claims immediately, but others—the ones who knew the truth—looked panicked. It was working.

Within minutes, security teams rushed to escort key figures out of the room, but the damage had already been done. The guests, the reporters, even the staff—everyone had seen the cracks forming in the façade of power.

Alyssa's earpiece buzzed. "Time to go," Lena's voice came through. "They'll be looking for someone to blame."

Alyssa took one last glance at the unraveling scene before slipping into the shadows.

This was just the beginning.