Flash continued, pacing slowly around the room:
"You took his money. You publicly admitted in front of him that it was an accident.
You're no longer a symbol of resistance,you're his completed goal."
Bruno let out a slow, whistling exhale.
"And that means no one expects you to pull a knife.
Or a flash drive," Gideon added quietly, his voice thick with suppressed excitement.
The room fell completely silent, only the breathing of the people and the distant drip of water.
Ethan looked down at Maria's pass in his hand. The plastic was warm from his palm, almost alive.
Then he lifted his gaze to Flash.
"You want it live on air."
"Yes," Flash answered shortly.
"In front of the entire press?" Ethan asked.
"Yes," Flash said.
"And leak everything," Bruno added.
Flash nodded.
"The archives. Everything we've gathered."
Gideon chimed in:
"I can patch into the broadcast.
If you can get close to the central terminal.
That's my chance to hack their network from the inside."
Bruno gave a grim but fiery grin.
"So we're not storming the mansion?
We're going to completely derail the election?"
Flash looked at him.
"Their reputation is their armor. We show all the material, people see the truth, and the clan won't be able to hold onto power."
Ethan was silent for a long time, picturing the hall, bright lights, cameras, Gérard on the podium, Corvin in the shadows, Roy.
The crowd that knows nothing.
"What if they search me?"
Gideon answered calmly, as if reading from a report.
"They won't.
You're officially off the list of active threats."
Bruno snorted, almost amused.
"Congratulations.
You've officially been recognized as an ordinary citizen."
Ethan gave a faint smirk at the corner of his mouth.
"Wonderful."
Flash stepped closer, shoulder to shoulder.
"It's a risk."
"I know," Ethan said.
"If they figure it out too early…"
"Then I die," Ethan said calmly, his voice steady.
Bruno studied him carefully.
"And if it works?"
Gideon, quietly:
"Then the city sees the truth.
And Gérard, along with Corvin, lose their reputation."
Ethan exhaled.
"Don't forget about this Anna either, she's no pushover."
Then some rather unpleasant words slipped from his lips.
"I need to talk to Roy."
Flash nodded.
"You'll tell him you saw yourself on TV and don't remember any of it.
You want to close everything once and for all, publicly apologize.
Endorse the reform in public, and the new mayor, Corvin, too."
Bruno now grinned for real.
"You'll play the grateful idiot."
Ethan lifted his gaze to him; a shadow of a smile flickered in his eyes.
"I can handle it."
Flash looked straight into his eyes.
"You sure?"
"No," Ethan said honestly.
"But we don't have another chance."
Somewhere deep in the catacombs, water dripped again, a single, rhythmic sound, like the metronome of fate.
Gideon said quietly:
"Then we start preparations."
Flash nodded.
"We're heading back to base.
I'll work out the entry plan.
Gideon as always, the broadcast channel.
Bruno, backup outside."
He looked at Ethan again.
"And you…"
Ethan raised his head; his gaze hardened.
"I'll become what they think I am again.
Their brainwashed idiot."
Ethan stood leaning on his palms against the edge, staring not at the plan but through it.
Flash spoke calmly.
"Let's start with the simple part: Roy."
The name landed dully.
Ethan raised his eyes.
"He might check you personally," Flash continued.
"Informally. He won't even use security."
Something inside clenched unpleasantly.
Ethan remembered that situation as if it had happened today.
"He loves demonstrating control," Gideon added from the speaker.
"Especially over people he's broken."
Ethan gave a dry chuckle.
"I'm his trophy."
"Yes," Gideon confirmed without emotion.
Bruno exhaled heavily.
"And if he decides to check again — to see if you're still under hypnosis?"
Silence.
Will I hold up? Ethan thought to himself.
He clenched his teeth.
"Then I need to look like I don't care," he said aloud.
"I'll try to act like I'm on his side."
Flash nodded.
"Next problem: blood."
Gideon switched the display.
A diagram of a scanning arch appeared on the screen.
"As soon as a person passes through this arch in the main assembly building, it starts beeping immediately.
Quick blood composition scan.
The moment the scanner detects poor blood quality — we're all done."
Bruno snorted.
"After the catacombs, we've all got shit blood."
"That's why only Ethan goes inside. We'll be cover," Flash cut in sharply.
Ethan absently ran his finger along his wrist. His pulse throbbed beneath the skin.
"What if they see I'm nervous and decide to read me?" he asked.
"Then they'll take you for additional screening," Gideon answered calmly.
"And people rarely come back from there."
The room felt smaller.
Flash continued:
"Don't forget to control your emotions.
There will be sensors in the hall, and guards monitoring anyone suspicious."
Bruno looked at Ethan with faint mockery.
"In short, you need to be either a saint or a corpse."
Ethan smirked, but inside his mouth felt dry.
"I can keep a straight face," he said quietly.
"A face — yes," Gideon replied.
And then Bruno pulled out a small vial.
The glass glinted in the dim light.
"Wisteria."
Flash frowned.
"You've already tried that…"