The Power of Aether

The battlefield was strewn with bodies, the acrid stench of gunpowder thick in the air. Fires burned in scattered spots where grenades had detonated, casting flickering shadows against the farmhouse's ruined walls. Surya stood amidst the chaos, his stance unwavering, his grip firm on the Aether weapon, now pulsing with latent energy.

Around him, only Carter's final eight mercenaries remained, their faces slick with sweat and desperation. Trent, breathing heavily, positioned himself carefully, his eyes darting between Surya and the smoldering remains of his fallen comrades.

**"You forced me,"** Surya's voice cut through the tension like a blade. Without hesitation, he unleashed the full power of the Aether weapon.

A brilliant arc of violet energy erupted from the weapon, slicing through the air with unnatural precision. In an instant, the eight mercenaries were vaporized, their bodies disintegrating into nothingness, leaving behind only glowing wisps of residual energy. The battlefield fell eerily silent, save for the crackling embers and the faint hum of the dissipating energy.

Only Carter and Trent remained standing, their breaths the only sound against the night's stillness. Surrounding them, the Wagner squad had already taken their positions, their weapons locked onto them. High above, a sniper's scope zeroed in on Carter's head, the red dot unwavering against his temple.

Carter exhaled, his composure barely holding. **"What the hell kind of weapon is that?"**

Surya smirked, stepping forward. **"One you should have never made me use."**

Carter, now unarmed with his hands raised, gritted his teeth. **"You think this ends with me?"**

Surya's gaze remained cold. **"No. But it begins here."**

Trent's mind raced. He had always thought himself a step ahead, yet here he stood, completely outmaneuvered. The pieces of the puzzle had shifted, and now Surya held all the power.

**"Tell me about Project Eclipse."** Surya's voice was calm, yet laced with lethal intent.

Carter hesitated, but the unwavering sights of the Wagner squad made his choice clear.

**"You have no idea what you're getting into,"** Carter muttered.

Surya tilted his head. **"Then enlighten me."**

Interrogation

With a flick of his wrist, Surya activated brain manipulation, sending Carter and Trent into unconsciousness before they could react. Their bodies slumped to the ground as the Wagner squad swiftly moved in, securing them for transport.

"Move them to the safehouse," Surya commanded, his voice calm but firm. The squad members nodded, lifting the unconscious men onto a secure vehicle waiting in the shadows.

The safehouse was a reinforced underground bunker, hidden beneath an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of London. The system had chosen it for its complete lack of digital footprint—no cameras, no records, no chance of outside interference. It was the perfect place for what was about to come.

As the squad secured Carter and Trent in separate interrogation rooms, Surya tapped into the system. "Prepare for enhanced interrogation. Monitor vital signs and initiate truth-extraction protocols."

"Affirmative," the system responded. The room lights dimmed, replaced by the soft glow of biometric scanners and neural monitors that synced with Surya's interface.

Carter was the first to regain consciousness, groaning as he found himself strapped to a reinforced chair. His eyes darted around the dimly lit room, then locked onto Surya, who stood calmly in front of him.

"What the hell is this?" Carter growled, his voice hoarse.

Surya smirked. "A conversation. One where you have no choice but to talk."

At the same time, Trent began stirring in the adjacent room, his restraints holding firm as he blinked in confusion. The system's biometric feed displayed rising adrenaline levels—he was already on edge.

"Trent, Carter," Surya said, his voice echoing in both rooms through hidden speakers. "You both have information I need. You will talk. The question is, how much pain are you willing to endure before you do?"

Carter clenched his jaw. "You think threats scare me?"

Surya leaned in, his eyes cold. "No. But your family's suffering will."

A screen flickered to life in front of Carter, displaying live footage of his family, unaware they were being watched. His breath hitched, his bravado faltering for the first time.

In the other room, Trent's monitor spiked—fear had set in. He knew what was coming.

Carter's breath was ragged, his body drenched in sweat as he stared at Surya with defiance. His bound hands trembled, but he forced himself to maintain his composure. Trent, in the adjacent room, was silent, listening through the hidden speakers.

"Tell me about Project Eclipse," Surya demanded, his voice dangerously calm.

Carter scoffed. "It's just an intelligence-sharing initiative between allies. Nothing more."

Surya already knew better. The system had analyzed Carter's biometric readings—elevated heart rate, irregular breathing patterns, micro-expressions of deceit. More importantly, it had extracted glimpses of the truth buried in Carter's memories.

Without hesitation, Surya grabbed a tactical knife from the table beside him and pressed it against Carter's trembling hand. "Lying has consequences."

Carter's eyes widened as Surya swiftly sliced through his index finger. A scream tore through the interrogation room, his body convulsing in agony.

"Let's try again," Surya said, his tone unshaken. "What is Project Eclipse?"

Carter panted, his face contorted in pain. "I told you—"

Another finger fell to the cold floor.

"I don't have time for this." Surya's voice was razor-sharp, his patience nonexistent. "One more chance."

Tears mixed with sweat on Carter's face as he gasped for breath. His shattered bravado crumbled. "It's... it's the brainchild of an ex-CIA director," he stammered. "A project meant to control intelligence networks worldwide... to make sure no country, no agency, no operative moves without oversight."

Surya's eyes darkened. He had expected something sinister, but this was far worse than anticipated.

"Who is this director?" Surya pressed, stepping closer.

Carter swallowed hard, his bloodied hand trembling. "I don't know his real name... we only call him 'The Architect.'"

The system immediately flagged the codename, cross-referencing it with classified records. A few scattered references appeared—buried deep in black-site logs and redacted CIA documents. The Architect was a ghost, someone who operated in the shadows even within intelligence circles.

But he could get a complete picture.

Surya exhaled slowly. "We're not done yet."