Chapter 87
The storm didn't come as a cyberattack.
It didn't arrive as a manifesto.
It came wearing legitimacy.
Kiera first heard the name during a routine coalition briefing.
"The Axiom Initiative," Marcus read aloud from the intelligence summary. "New global consortium. Publicly positioned as a digital sovereignty movement."
Kade looked up from his tablet. "Who's funding it?"
"Layered shell philanthropy," Marcus replied. "Transparent on the surface. Opaque underneath."
Kiera leaned back in her chair, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Leadership?"
Marcus tapped the screen. A face appeared on the central display.
Adrian Volkov.
Mid-forties. Former systems architect turned public policy advocate. Charismatic. Measured. Clean record.
Too clean.
"He's good," Kade murmured.
