The pier meeting was the starting point of a new chapter, and I vividly recall the events that blew by in a flash immediately thereafter. With every tick of the clock, Layla felt the consequences of some difficult decisions bearing down on her. With the recent development of Pascal offering to help her, at least in part, there was a glimmer of hope, but she understood full well that a single strand of hope would not be nearly enough to demolish Kamal's empire. Her decision to trust Pascal had no doubt paid off, but the stakes were far greater than they once were. This was a turning point for her.
Kamal's empire did not fall apart which facilitated seeing her own family's empire in shambles as an overwhelming sign of how isolated she had been throughout the painstaking fight. She had been limited in scope and the longer she stayed in this world of corporate games and power play, the darker her impression of it all grew. It became blinding white over time, one of the most powerful corporate conglomerates in the world headquartering around you. She realized that capitalism, scrunchies, and cheap take out served their real purpose of broadband joy when coupled with open.They had reached an agreement, and in this case a plan. Pascal had promised to use his contacts, intel, and other available resources to assist her with the Raven Project. And he was right, as time was indeed of the essence. Kamal most certainly suspected that Layla was closing in, and given the nature of his expansive network of spies, informants, and loyalists, it was only a matter of time before she lost any semblance of freedom to move around.
Layla sat in her apartment sifting through the pieces of information that had already been gathered. The file pertaining to The Raven Project was both large and dense, filled with complicated words and ciphers that were meant to be decode. It was as if every single document possessed a shroud of obfuscation because Kamal tried to think ahead of everyone who might try and dig into his business. Yet and still, Layla was profoundly unphased. Having spent her lifew battling in the corporate trenches, she knew more than enough to be able to dismantle this puzzle.
Pascal was the one calling, and the buzz from the phone served as the reminder.
"Kamals's sickos will be watching. You better be ready. This is going to be messy."
"I've secured an insider who can get us access to the core systems. You need to prepare for something like this..."
"...And the raven project is seemingly closer than you think."
This was the most vicious attempt she had ever gone through, one that required mental grit. But for the core purposes of gathering intel to take down Kamal, this was the best chance she could get. During this entire process, if she acted calmly and cooly, then she could take him down in the end.
Both Pascal and Layla decided to rendezvous back at where it all started. At midnight after dusk, where the warehouse at the old docks lay.
The clock struck midnight. Layla was standing by an old warehouse, its frayed edges and torn sections greeting her with the chilled breeze. As she stood at the precipice of the building, absorbing the cold wind that penetrated into her jacket, she felt like that structure was a time capsule, pulling her back to the days when shrouds of darkness loomed over her head, a sense of dread nostalgically engulfing her. It felt appropriate. She was resolutely certain refusing the final pieces of the puzzle would not even be an option down here, regardless of if she was prepared or not.
With each step she took, the sound of her boots against the concrete floor was magnified. There was brine in the air and stubborn rust clung to every surface in the room too. Furthermore, an incandescent blub sparked illumination on its far corner which reinforced her previous hunch, Pascal was already here.
As framed as always, vaguely identifiable emotions twinkled in his eyes. Furthermore, when her gaze met his, he quickly glanced towards the file she was holding before roughly looking back at her again.
"We're close," he said softly. "But we need to act fast. Kamal's people will be here any minute."
Her head is mentally sorted, and adrenaline was coursing her veins. He had laid focus on the access to the target, and Kamal had no other option except to strke.
"Do you have the insider?" her voice carried a steadiness that was overshadowed by the tension of her chest.
In response, Pascal stepped aside and revealed a woman that was sitting at the table right at the corner. She was in her mid-thirties dressed in dark, practical clothing. Directing her gaze toward Layla, the sharp contours of her face suggested rigidness, and her eyes were precisely studious. That gaze held something glacial. A detachment that made Layla's stomach twist. It wasn't vague why she registered as an insider. She had directly dealt with Kamal's close associates.
"Zara, who has been with Kamal's operations for years, was introduced by Pascal. 'She knows how to access the core systems of the Raven Project,including its most vital components."
As slowly as she had gotten up, Zara had commenced turning towards the door. With a nod, commending the informal greeting, she did not extend her palm.
"I presume you understand what you might lose," Zara remarked, her tone even and calm. "I'm not running a charity here. There is a cost associated, but should you want access, I'm the sole gateway`. "
A silent exchange with Pascal brought forth 'The Look', communicating volumes without the need for words. The burden of the choice settled across her like a thick shroud. Layla was acutely aware that time was not on her side. Set against the relentless march of the clock, she could not afford to wait. But that didn't make Zara any less dangerous. Knowing full well the fierce determination with which Zara had built her plans, neutral or not, had a hidden agenda."I don't want to waste my time on anything that doesn't matter," Layla hissed. "Can we cut to the chase?"
Zara's lips lifted slightly at the corners, but this brought no humor to her expression. "I need someone to guarantee my safety. Kamal's people are already hunting me down. I'll help you take him down, but I need assurance that I won't be abandoned once the job is done. I want out of this life, and I want a promise."
Layla narrowed her eyes. "You want us to provide you with guarantee of protection after the job is done?"
"Correct," Zara replied. "I have details that could cripple Kamal, but in return, I need to be protected. He'll never just let me walk away. You'll have to keep me safe."
"That's not a problem," Pascal interjected before Layla could reply. "We'll make sure you're taken care of. But everything you provide us has to be complete, with no secrets or half-truths."
With resolute resolve, Zara studied them for a long moment before she nodded as though a decision had been made deep in her thoughts. "Fine. You do have your access but once this is all over, I'm gone. You won't see me again."
A flicker of unease ignited within Layla, but she forcefully set it aside. There was no room for second-guessing. This was it.
An opportunity to finally bring Kamal to his knees.
"You'll get what you need," Layla replied. "Now let's get to work."
Over time, everything began to fall into place. Zara supplied them with a Raven Project's code. The assignment was intricate and fraught with danger. Kamal's network was enormous; one false move could bring everything crashing down. But with Zara's cooperation, Layla felt that slowly but surely, the pieces were coming together.
She could even feel the weight of the water they were treading. The significance of the moment felt monumental. There was no longer any possibility of turning back. With every keystroke and keystroke, uncovering pieces of information, the doing the heavy lifting to getting closer to the truth was tangible. Kamal's empire was on the verge of collapse and it had to be done…by Layla.
However, as she turned to look at Zara, the woman whom only seconds ago had appeared cold, and ruthless, the weight of everything seemed all too real. There was no dou
bt; at the end of the day takedown might actually be too steep.