The conference room at Shadowtask HQ hummed with tension. The blue glow of holoscreens lit the space, casting faint reflections off the metal table and the faces of everyone gathered around it. Locke sat at the far end, leaning back with his arms crossed, his eyes narrowing as I recounted the events of the previous night. Clova was beside Data, her tablet in hand, though she wasn’t scrolling through it as much as holding it like a shield. Caine leaned forward, his elbows on the table, unusually quiet as he listened.
And at the head of the table, a shifting silhouette of light and shadow—Enigma.
Her holographic form stood motionless yet alive, swirling patterns of matter flickering as if powered by something deeper than machinery. She hadn’t appeared in person for weeks, and her presence now carried undeniable weight. When Enigma showed up, it was important.
“Okay,” she said, her voice calm but resonating with purpose. “Let’s begin.”
I stood, my helmet resting on the table before me, its scratched visor catching the glow of the holoscreens. “I went to The Blue Crow,” I began. “It’s a bar downtown. The room fell into stunned silence as I mentioned his name. “I met with Hagan Price,” I said, the words feeling heavier now that I’d spoken them aloud.
Every pair of eyes at the table turned to me, wide with disbelief. Enigma’s swirling holographic form was still, of course, she was the one who tipped me off in the first place.
“Hagan Price?” Clova repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. “You actually spoke to him?”
“That bastard doesn’t talk to anyone,” Caine said, leaning forward. “How the hell did you manage that?”
I reached into my pocket, pulling out the crumpled piece of paper—the fake invitation I’d scribbled to look like a note from Hagan to Leon Clarke. “This,” I said simply, setting it on the table. “I told his guards it was an invitation for Leon Clarke to meet him. They bought it.”
Locke shot to his feet, his chair screeching against the floor. His expression was a mix of anger and disbelief. “You’re telling me that a piece of paper—a lie—got you into a room with the man who’s untouchable in this city?”
I nodded, meeting his gaze. “It worked.”
Locke’s fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tightening. “And what the hell did you ask him? Did you ask him about my parents?” His voice was sharp, the edge of years of suppressed pain cutting through.
“I asked him about Leon Clarke,” I said evenly, though I could feel the heat of his frustration. “And about Rico.”
“Leon Clarke,” Locke muttered bitterly, shaking his head. “You had Hagan Price in front of you, and you didn’t ask him why his damn company killed my family?”
“Locke—” Clova began, but he cut her off with a sharp wave of his hand.
“No. I’ve waited years for answers,” he growled. “And this guy walks in, flashes some scrap of paper, and gets a meeting with Price like it’s nothing? I’m supposed to just sit here while he asks questions about people I’ve never even met?”
I felt for Locke, I saw the pain in his face during his outburst. “It’s all connected,” I said firmly, rising to meet him. “Leon. Rico. Arketeq. If we’re going to bring them down, we need to pull every thread.” Locke glared at me, his fists tightening before he finally exhaled, turning away. “I want him,” he muttered. “I want to look him in the eyes and ask him why they took everything from me.”
Enigma’s voice cut through the tension, calm yet commanding. “And you will, Locke. But not yet. Right now, Hagan Price is a thread we follow carefully. Rushing this will get us nowhere.” Locke didn’t respond, but his posture stayed tense, his anger simmering just below the surface.
I explained what had happened, the moment I mentioned Leon Clarke’s name, the shift in Hagan’s demeanour. I described his anger, his dismissal, and the way he seemed to be holding something back.
“He didn’t deny knowing Leon,” I continued, glancing briefly at Enigma. “But he didn’t confirm much either. All I know is that Leon Clarke meant something to him. Enough to make him react.”
Clova leaned forward slightly, her brow furrowed. “And Rico? Did you ask about him?”
I nodded. “I did. When I said his name, Hagan didn’t act afraid, but he definitely didn’t like it. He was stand-offish, dismissive, like he didn’t want to be associated with Rico. But the way he reacted—it wasn’t indifference. He knows him.”
“And what did he say?” Locke asked, his voice low.
“He told me not to affiliate with people like Rico,” I said. “He made it sound like Rico was beneath him. But there’s something there—he didn’t want to talk about it. Didn’t want to acknowledge the connection.”
Locke scoffed. “Typical Arketeq scum. Act like they’re above it all while pulling the strings.”
“Maybe,” I replied. “But Hagan wanted me out of there as soon as Rico came up. He knows more than he’s letting on.”
Enigma’s shifting form flickered slightly as she processed the information, her patterns momentarily stilling before rippling outward again. “So,” she said, her tone steady, “Hagan Price knows Leon Clarke, and he knows Rico. But he doesn’t want those connections tied to him. That tells us two things.”
She held up a swirling hand. “First, Rico isn’t just a name to him. There’s a history there, and it’s enough to make him uncomfortable. Second, Leon Clarke’s involvement with Arketeq goes deeper than we thought. If Hagan’s reaction was that visceral, then Leon wasn’t just a friend. He was something more.”
“And yet we’re still no closer to understanding why Pylot has Leon’s memories,” Clova added, frustration edging her tone.
“Not yet,” Enigma replied, her voice calm but resolute. “But every step gets us closer.”
Enigma turned slightly toward me, the rippling patterns of her hologram moving like waves. “You’ve done well,” she said. “You’re finding pieces of the puzzle we didn’t even know existed. And while we don’t have all the answers yet, what you’ve uncovered is invaluable. It’s clear that Leon Clarke is a thread we need to pull. If he’s the one that's developed the equipment you use, then he's tied to advanced knowledge of Arketeq’s systems. Unlocking your memories is no longer just about you, Pylot. It’s about the mission. As mentioned previously, once you unlock your memories, you'll possess the knowledge we need to finish Arketeq for good.”
Her voice softened, almost imperceptibly. “I’m proud of the progress you’ve made. You’ve gone from a wandering anomaly to someone with purpose. And that purpose is aligning with ours.”
The room was silent for a moment, the weight of her words settling over us. Then her tone shifted, gaining an edge of steel. “But we’re not done. Not even close. There’s one piece we haven’t accounted for.”
Her form rippled, the light patterns quickening slightly. “Rico.”
Locke shifted in his seat, his arms tightening across his chest. “You think he’s the key?”
“I think he’s a liability,” Enigma said. “If he’s tied to Arketeq, and if he has any connection to Leon Clarke, then he knows something. He needs to be lured out, dealt with, and interrogated.”
“And if he doesn’t talk?” Locke asked, his tone hard.
“He will,” Enigma replied. “One way or another.”
I felt something close to alignment with Shadowtask’s goals. Taking down Rico wasn’t just their mission—it was mine too. If uncovering his connection to Hagan and Arketeq could lead to answers about Leon, then I needed this as much as they did.
“I’m in,” I said simply, meeting Enigma’s gaze—or what I imagined was her gaze.
Her form flickered slightly, the faintest ripple suggesting approval. “I had a feeling you’d say that,” she said. “It’s time you became a full member of Shadowtask. No more sitting on the side-lines. No more holding back.”
The room was silent again, but this time, there was a sense of unspoken agreement. Data broke it first, his tone matter-of-fact as always. “If he’s joining us on missions, his gear needs upgrades.”
Clova nodded. “I'll see what we can do. Any aesthetic modifications?”
“No” I said firmly. “Gelert and my helmet are fine the way they are. Just make sure they can handle what’s coming.”
Enigma’s form pulsed faintly as she addressed the team. “Prepare yourselves. The next few weeks will be critical. Rico must be found, and Arketeq’s operations must be disrupted. Pylot, your role in this is no longer optional. You’re part of this team now, and we’re counting on you.”
