Agent X gripped the steering wheel tighter, his mind racing.
Echelon wasn't just trying to kill him. They were erasing him.
That meant whatever had happened with Jonathan Reynolds wasn't just a simple mission failure—it was something bigger.
And now, Whisper had answers.
X pulled into an underground parking garage, scanning the area for threats. He needed a place to lay low, even if only for a few hours.
He answered the call.
"Talk."
Whisper let out a slow breath. "I dug deep. Real deep. And let's just say… Reynolds was never your real target."
X frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Echelon used you, X." Whisper's voice was firm. "Reynolds was bait. The whole op was a setup. Someone higher up wanted you in the crosshairs."
X's blood ran cold.
He had been marked for death before the mission even started.
Whisper continued, "Reynolds was dirty, sure. But the real target? The real threat? It's someone inside Echelon."
Silence.
Then, Whisper spoke the name.
"Director Kane."
X's grip tightened.
Kane.
The man who had recruited him. Trained him. Molded him into the perfect assassin.
The man who had now ordered him erased.
X exhaled. "Why would Kane want me dead?"
"That's the million-dollar question," Whisper said. "But whatever it is, it's bad. I hacked into some encrypted Echelon logs. There's something called 'Project Revenant.' And your name is all over it."
X's pulse quickened. "Project Revenant?"
"I don't know what it is yet, but I can tell you this—Kane's been moving in the shadows for years, hiding something big. And when he realized you were getting too close, he decided to burn you."
X leaned back in his seat, mind racing.
This wasn't just about survival anymore.
This was a war.
He wasn't just going to run.
He was going to burn Echelon to the ground.
"Where's Kane now?" X asked.
Whisper hesitated. "Still at Echelon's HQ in Geneva. But listen, X, you can't just waltz in there. He'll be expecting you."
X smirked. "Good."
A pause. Then, a chuckle from Whisper. "Damn, you're really gonna do this, huh?"
"I don't have a choice."
Another pause. Then, Whisper sighed.
"Alright. If you're serious about this, I'll help. But you need resources, weapons, contacts."
X nodded. "I'll start with an old friend. Someone who hates Echelon as much as I do."
Whisper exhaled. "Be careful, X. You're not just a rogue agent now. You're a dead man walking."
X ended the call and stepped out of the car, disappearing into the night.
The hunt was on.