Location; Manaus, Brazil – Edge of the Amazon Rainforest
Sweat trickled down Damien's back as he ducked beneath tangled vines, his boots sinking slightly in the damp soil. Nora followed closely behind, her eyes scanning the dense underbrush for signs of movement. The air was thick—not just with humidity, but with tension. Somewhere in this jungle, Rafael's kidnapped son was being held. And possibly, so much more.
They arrived at the remains of an abandoned compound—a forgotten base from the Cold Network's South American division. Damien stepped forward, pressing a gloved hand to the rusted gate. "The tracker ends here."
Nora pulled out her modified scanner and activated it. "There's a hidden sublevel. Sealed off—electromagnetic interference is strong. Someone doesn't want us finding what's below."
Suddenly, a whirring sound broke the silence. Dozens of drones emerged from the trees, followed by masked men with rifles. They were surrounded.
A familiar voice echoed from behind them. "You came faster than I expected."
Nora's eyes narrowed. "Fey? You're supposed to be in Geneva."
Fey Santiago—one of their trusted allies from the United Nations Counter-Espionage Circle—stepped forward, arms raised in mock surrender.
"I was," she said, lowering her hood. "Until I found out my brother—your pilot—was the leak."
Damien stiffened. "You brought us into a trap?"
"No," Fey replied, "I brought you to the truth."
She waved her hand, and the armed men stood down.
Location; Underground Holding Cell, Below the Compound
The boy—barely fourteen, wiry and pale—looked up as Nora and Damien entered. His face lit up in recognition. "You're Damien Blackwood… and you're Aunt Nora!"
Damien's eyes widened. "You know us?"
The boy nodded rapidly. "They said I would forget. That the injections would take away everything. But I remember you. I remember Tavara… and Papa Rafael."
Nora knelt beside him. "You're safe now. We're here to take you home."
He shook his head violently. "No! You can't. She's coming."
"Who?"
He whispered the name with trembling lips. "Esmeralda. She said if I leave, she'll wake the one sleeping below."
Damien's blood ran cold. "Sleeping below?"
Before the boy could speak again, the ground shook with a low rumble.
Location; Lagos, Nigeria – Sacred Grove of Olumo
Alina stood before the vision-walker, a woman dressed in flowing robes covered in symbols from ancient Ifá traditions. They were deep in sacred lands protected by both the spiritual and political elite.
"This child has seen things no one should," the vision-walker said, leading Alina toward a small hut. "But his mind is tearing apart from what he knows."
Inside, a young boy sat in a trance, charcoal drawings surrounding him. Each image detailed global events with eerie accuracy—wars, assassinations, even the future movements of world leaders.
Alina gently approached. "I'm Alina. I'm here to help."
The boy looked up with silver-flecked eyes. "You're late. The Ice Queen has awoken… and her scream will shatter continents."
Lucia's voice whispered in her ear from the earpiece, "He's seeing Elira."
Alina's heart sank. "Then we need to reach her before they do."
Location; Aboard Esmeralda's Mobile Command Airship
Esmeralda watched a 3D simulation of the compound in Brazil. The boy was no longer important—his usefulness had expired. Her real interest was now directed elsewhere.
"To awaken the Cryo-Queen," she said softly, "we'll need the Ninth Line's blood."
Her aide turned to her. "Should I prepare the extraction team?"
"No," Esmeralda smirked. "Send a message to Damien and Nora. Tell them we'll trade the boy… for Alina."