Eclipse Protocol

Location: Tavara – Deep Archives, Restricted Level Theta

Ashford stood frozen as the screen bathed his face in pale blue light. Lines of encrypted data decrypted one by one, unveiling a series of operations tied to Project Eclipse—an experimental alliance of the world's most ruthless corporate monarchs, military defectors, and disavowed intelligence directors.

Each file led to another web of power, all marked under the cryptic insignia of a defunct unit: Unit Thirteen. A unit Damien once thought destroyed in the Siege of Vardek.

"Eclipse Protocol: Phase One—Infiltrate, destabilize, absorb."

Ashford whispered, "This isn't about Tavara. It never was. They're targeting the global order."

He immediately activated the encrypted satellite uplink.

To: Damien Kane

Subject: URGENT - THEY'RE AHEAD OF US

"Sir, you need to see this. Unit Thirteen survived—and they're running Eclipse. We've been blind. They're not just behind the Western competitors. They're inside our borders. I've flagged six possible mole locations, including Parliament."

---

Location: Tavara – Kane Estate War Room

Damien's knuckles whitened as he scanned the files Ashford sent. Images flashed by: military research facilities disguised as humanitarian camps, strategic mergers executed under shell corporations, and—most chilling—a map with blinking red dots across Tavara, London, Seoul, and Geneva.

"They've already begun extraction operations," Logan muttered, leaning over his shoulder. "This… Eclipse is a play for world reset."

"And Tavara was their spark point," Damien said grimly.

Nora stepped in, still dressed in a midnight-blue tactical suit, her hair tied back and eyes alert. "We need to go dark."

Damien looked at her. "You mean full Ghost Protocol?"

"Yes. Shut down comms. Mobilize the underground units. We don't let them predict our next move. We become the shadow."

Damien nodded. "Then it starts now. We take back control. Not just of Tavara… but of the whole damn game."

---

Location: Unknown – Eclipse Central Nucleus

The man known only as Director Vale watched the feeds from every corner of the globe. Tavara's Kane Estate was now labeled "Active Threat Tier-1."

He turned to a hologram of his lieutenants, all masked.

"Send in the Monarchs. If Damien Kane wants war in the shadows… we'll give him hell in the dark."