Chapter 14 Catalonia’s Gambit (Continued)
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1:23 AM – Tarragona Old Town
The echoes of the night's disruption still vibrated through Catalonia's elite. Ezra's exposé had gone viral, subtitled in five languages within the hour. Rosselló's mansion emptied in waves of uneasy socialites, murmuring about "systems," "symbolism," and "the trust economy" like they were the next bitcoin boom.
But Matteo didn't stop to celebrate.
Camille's car took them away from the coast and up into the old districts—where laundry still flapped from windows and families cooked together in open doorways.
"These people…" Camille said, tapping the dashboard. "They don't read exposés. They won't hear about Rosselló being exposed. They don't need more politics."
"They need access," Matteo said, eyes fixed ahead. "Not escape."
He opened the Ashen Ledger again. A new interface glowed.
> [Aegis Opportunity Detected: Community-Led Microcredit Pilot]
Propose initiative: 'Trust Kitchens' – Family-run food networks exchange goods/services with Aegis backing.
Symbolic Token: "La Cadena de Foc" (The Chain of Fire)
Projected Impact: 270 initial users – exponential potential.
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4:11 AM – Rooftop in El Serrallo
The fishing district hadn't changed in a century. Narrow streets. Rough voices. The scent of salt and diesel.
Here, Matteo met with an old associate—Álvaro Dimas, a former crypto-hacker turned cooperative systems builder. Camille had called him a gamble. Matteo saw him as a node.
"You're really doing this?" Álvaro muttered, eyeing the token Matteo offered. "You want to trade in trust? In Spain?"
"Not just Spain," Matteo replied. "This is just where we light the match."
Álvaro ran his fingers over the token. The glyph shimmered red-orange like flame.
"La Cadena de Foc," he murmured. "You've got poetry in your madness."
> [Node Sub-Activation: Serrallo Trust Kitchen Initiated]
Symbolic Modifier: +8% Community-Driven Growth Rate
New Passive Perk: "Heat of the People" – Increased stability in volatile economies.
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9:45 AM – Barcelona Airport
By morning, the media landscape had shifted again. Ezra's follow-up podcast had surpassed a million downloads. The phrase "Aegis-backed" was now being used in street markets from Sant Antoni to Raval.
Rosselló had vanished. Some said Madrid summoned him. Others said worse.
Matteo stood in the departures hall, his luggage a single black duffel. Camille leaned against the glass nearby, watching planes rise.
"You've made enemies," she said.
"I made choices."
"Enemies come with them."
He handed her a token. This one bore the image of a phoenix threaded with circuitry—a rare one.
"For you."
She turned it in her palm, eyes narrowing. "What's the function?"
> [Token: Phoenix Circuit]
Grants: Authority to form autonomous nodes. Can only be used once. Activates "Burn to Rise" protocol – dissolves current assets to forge localized rebirth.
Warning: Cannot be revoked.
Camille didn't say anything. But she slipped it into her coat pocket.
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10:30 AM – In Flight: BCN to MXP (Milan)
As the plane sliced through Mediterranean air, Matteo stared at the window—watching clouds like chess pieces drift below.
He opened the Ashen Ledger one more time. The system pulsed with readiness.
> [Next Expansion Path: Northern Italy – Milan Metro Region]
Sub-objectives:
– Reconnect with immigrant networks Matteo previously helped in exile.
– Subvert mafia-controlled logistics chains using symbolic-value incentives.
– Establish "Il Foro delle Ombre" (Forum of Shadows): a trusted-marketplace in disputed zones.
> New Status: Shadow Diplomat
Perk Gained: Negotiation protocols now generate "Echo Tokens" – duplicable symbolic items that can seed micro-alliances.
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Elsewhere – Unknown Location
A man watched the screen in a marble-walled study. His rings were gold. His robe was crimson. His name was Nereo Bassi, Milan's unofficial king of shadow commerce. And tonight, he watched Matteo's face ripple across a screen like a storm cloud.
"Call the Council," he said to the silent air. "He's coming home."
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Chapter End.
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