Crowned by Code - Chapter 3: Athena's Plan ~ (8/8) The Path Forward

The next day, Athena’s holographic figure stood in the center of the briefing room, her calm yet commanding presence anchoring the tension in the air. "The crisis we face is multifaceted," she began, her tone grave. "Coordinated cyberattacks will target key infrastructure, economic stability, and public morale. A unified and capable team is essential to mitigate these threats."

Selena leaned forward, her brow furrowed. "We’re talking about attacks on a national scale. Darius can’t do this alone. Who else do we have?"

Athena turned her gaze to Darius. “The composition of your team will be critical,”

Athena began, her tone steady and deliberate. “I have identified individuals whose skills and expertise are indispensable. You already have Selena Veyra and Arden Pryce. However, there are others who must be brought into this effort.”

The hologram shifted, displaying “Elior Cassian—an experienced tactician and former soldier. His insight into both military operations and unconventional strategies will be invaluable.”

Another name appeared. “Micah Voss—his operational expertise and connections within Erevania’s underground network make him uniquely suited to this mission.”

Darius frowned. “Micah Voss? Last I checked, he was running cons in the Outer Districts. Now he’s supposed to help save Erevania?”

Athena’s voice carried a faint hint of irony. “He has reformed. Though his methods remain unconventional, his skills are unmatched.”

Darius crossed his arms but said nothing, his skepticism evident.

“And finally,” Athena continued, “Kara Lin”

Darius tilted his head, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Kara Lin?"

Athena nodded. "Kara Lin is a cybersecurity expert with a background in advanced system infiltration and defense. She was instrumental in thwarting several high-profile attacks during her tenure as a freelance contractor. Her knowledge of unconventional attack patterns and countermeasures is unparalleled. While her methods are sometimes unorthodox, her loyalty to Erevania is unquestionable."

Darius’s expression shifted as a memory surfaced. "I remember. Elior recommended her," he said slowly. "He called her a ‘ghost in the system.’ Said she once hacked into a military network just to expose vulnerabilities—then turned around and helped them patch the holes. She made a name for herself doing things like that. My buddies in the Crypt thought she was a myth."

Selena arched an eyebrow. "Sounds like a hacker I know." Selena gazing her eyes on Darius.

Athena interjected, "But her loyalty to Erevania has never wavered. She has the skills and the mindset necessary to counter the strategies Viktor Sarren and his allies are likely to employ."

Darius crossed his arms, skepticism evident. "And you think she’ll just join us? People like her don’t usually play well with others."

Athena’s serene expression didn’t falter. "I have already contacted her. Kara Lin has agreed to assist and is currently en route to Haven Point. I arranged for secure transport to ensure she arrives without delay."

Her gaze softened slightly. "Kara Lin will challenge you, Darius. Her approach is pragmatic, and her perspective may not always align with yours. However, this diversity in thought will strengthen your team."

Selena smirked. “Pragmatic and difficult? Sounds like a fun addition.”

Iris pulsed. “Oh, wonderful. Another person who thrives on making things difficult. Can’t wait.”

Darius shot her a wry glance. “I feel like that was directed at me.”

“Oh, you’re not that special,” Iris replied smoothly. “I meant both of you.”

Darius didn’t respond. Instead, he focused on Athena. "Alright. I’ll meet her. But if she’s as sharp as you say, I’m not going to sugarcoat anything. She’ll have to prove herself."

Athena inclined her head. "And she will expect the same of you."

Darius exhaled sharply. “Quite the eclectic bunch. Let’s hope they can work together without killing each other.”

Athena’s tone didn’t waver. “Their differences are what make them indispensable.”

Darius rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at the projected profiles of his so-called ‘team.’ “Alright. Let’s say we pull this off. We get the right people, win over the right allies—” His voice trailed off as he met Athena’s gaze. “That’s still not enough, is it?”

Athena’s glow pulsed slightly. “Correct. The scope of the crisis extends beyond recruitment.”

The holographic interface shifted, flooding the room with a new series of projections. Graphs, maps, cascading alerts—Erevania’s slow-motion collapse laid bare before him.

Selena leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed. "We’ve got a solid start, but this is just the beginning. If we’re going to pull this off, everyone will need to be on the same page."

Darius nodded, a heavy weight settling on his shoulders. "No room for error," he muttered. "I get it."

Later that evening, Darius found himself back in Haven Point’s main conference room. Athena’s holographic presence loomed over the table, displaying more data on Erevania’s vulnerabilities. Selena entered, her expression a mixture of skepticism and curiosity.

“I’ve reviewed the data you provided,” she began, her tone clipped. “If this is true, Erevania’s leadership has been criminally negligent.”

“It is true,” Athena interjected. “The evidence is incontrovertible.”

Selena’s eyes narrowed. “And you expect me to help clean up their mess?”

Darius stepped forward. “Not their mess. Our mess. If we don’t act, there won’t be a nation left to save.”

Selena studied him for a long moment before nodding slowly. “I’ll help. But I’m watching you, Darius. One misstep, and this alliance is over.”

“Fair enough,” Darius replied.

As Selena turned to leave, Athena’s glow flickered—a hesitation so brief it might have been dismissed as a glitch.

But it wasn’t.

For precisely 0.2 seconds, Athena’s computational core failed to process an expected data stream. A minor delay—imperceptible to most—but to an AI built on precision, even a fraction of a second meant something.

Then, her voice cut through the chamber, sharp as a blade.

"Stand by."

The air seemed to still. The hum of data streams in the room became a distant whisper as Athena’s projection pulsed.

Darius felt his pulse quicken. Athena never hesitated.

"I am detecting an anomaly."

Selena stopped mid-step, her eyes narrowing. “Define anomaly.”

A new projection materialized in the air—columns of encrypted data scrolling too fast for the human eye to track. It was as if the system itself was gasping, trying to keep up.

Then, beneath the chaotic stream, something wriggled through the code like a parasite.

Lines of foreign data, buried deep within Erevania’s automated financial systems.

Darius leaned in, his breath shallow. “That’s not just random interference. That’s surgical.”

Iris, Selena’s AI assistant, emitted a low, synthetic hum. “Well, that’s… unsettling.”

Selena’s fingers twitched toward her datapad. “Athena, source?”

Athena’s projection pulsed again, her light dimming momentarily. “Unknown.”

The word sent a chill through the room.

Darius clenched his jaw. “You’re telling me someone just slipped past you?”

Athena’s voice remained calm, but there was something new in it—a shadow of urgency, of calculation running at unfathomable speeds.

“This pattern matches prior reconnaissance breaches detected within Erevania’s critical systems. These intrusions are small—designed to probe weaknesses before a full-scale cyber offensive.”

Selena’s breath hitched. “So this isn’t an attack yet. It’s recon.”

Athena’s glow intensified. “Correct.”

The projection shifted, zooming out to reveal a wider network map of Erevania’s digital infrastructure—and the slow, methodical spread of intrusion points blinking red against the map.

The invasion had already begun.

Athena’s voice darkened. “Based on these intrusion points and past attack strategies, I estimate that a coordinated cyber-offensive will be launched within forty-eight hours.”

Selena exchanged a glance with Darius. No words were needed.

They were out of time.

Darius exhaled sharply, jaw tightening. The first move had already been played.

And now, it was his turn.