A few months ago
Atlas Controlled City, State of Florida, USA
"Are you sure he is currently in there?" Michael asked, his face serious as he wore Atlas combat gear with an experimental exoskeleton that provided enhanced capabilities.
"Yes, sir," the operative replied with equal seriousness.
"The CIA and FBI confirmed it, and our field agents have been in contact with your family for a year, working under the server management team," another operative commented. Inside the black, unmarked van were seven armed soldiers, part of a unit under the Administrator's command known as the Phantom Wardens. They were from the Specter Alpha unit, comprised of the best special operations personnel across the world, known for their unified structure and various squad-level troops globally, their identities buried deep.
"Okay, let's start this operation," Michael commented, pulling out a suppressed M4 carbine with poisoned rounds for a quick kill. He exited the van, followed by the others.
"What about law enforcement? Are they going to respond?" Michael asked, looking at the house in front of him, moving forward slowly as it was 12 midnight.
"They have been rerouted, sir, and a 10km radius was closed off, preventing vehicles from entering," the operative replied.
"Well, let the show begin," Michael said. Soon, they arrived at the door with a few operatives, while another team positioned itself at the backyard door.
Inspecting the door, they found it rigged with motion sensors and multiple alarms. One of the operatives brought out an EMP grenade. After activating his modified target setting, a small shockwave emanated, and they breached the door. The team flooded in, searching for any possible evidence or information, while Michael quickly headed towards the bedroom.
He found it empty but soon heard movement to his left. He saw a man holding a Benelli M4 shotgun.
"Who are you?" the man asked, his tone displeased.
Bang!
"AAAARRGGHH!!" The man collapsed after Michael fired his pistol as the man was about to begin his monologue. Michael grabbed him by the hair and dragged him to the living room.
"Sir, we have checked everything. It seems like he was also trying to send our confidential military hardware along with the identities of the entire overseer council," one of the operatives reported. Michael turned to him, removing his balaclava.
"You traitorous bastard! After all Atlas has given you, all the opportunities you had, you dared to betray us for a family that barely gives you anything to grow! Atlas gave you the opportunity, but you spat it back at us!" Michael was furious. He loathed any Atlas worker who turned against the corporation due to greed and selfishness, especially greed.
"I never swore my oath to this hive of a corporation!" the man shouted back. Studying Michael's face, his complexion began to pale, and fear bloomed in his heart.
"Young master, is that you?" he asked.
"I could say yes, but as of now, I'm no longer Michael Young but the 'Manager' of Atlas. So, per protocols, I have to eliminate you," Michael said, turning to one of the operatives who nodded. A minute later, the operative brought a large pen containing a crocodile with fresh human blood on its jaws.
"Wait, please!" he pleaded, but he was dragged to a room where the crocodile was released. As he was pushed inside, loud shouts of pain and pleas for mercy were heard until his voice became hoarse and then silence.
"Have you figured out the location of his handler?" Michael asked, turning to another operative, who nodded in response.
"Good, what's the location?"
"Currently, he's staying at the Grand Moria Hotel, 10km from our position, just sitting in the lobby," the operative replied.
"Send a team to pick him up and bring him to the black site. Let's have a chat with him," Michael said, exiting the house and returning to the van.
A few hours later
3 AM
Unknown location, Atlas black site
A man originating from China woke up. He last remembered being arrested and knocked out by the stock of a rifle. Feeling the tight ropes binding his legs and hands, he tried to bluff his way out.
"Whoever you are, time will only tell as my leader will not abandon me," he said out loud. The light above his head prevented him from seeing more, but he knew two people were watching him closely.
"So, the handler of my family's spy network," Michael said, his eyes cold and calculating. He sat on a chair placed in front of the man. The light gleamed on his face, and the man instantly recognized Michael.
"Young master, you're alive!" he exclaimed in shock. The first time he saw him was also the last, tasked with watching over Michael as Michael underwent the tradition.
"Yes, I'm alive and well. And if you're thinking of convincing me to go back, no. I have no interest in a position where I just listen to reports and watch money come and go. Plus, I have a new job that gives me a good hobby and 24/7 bodyguards," he said. He no longer cared for his family. Yes, he loved them before, but he had to abandon those feelings when he swore the oath to Atlas.
Knowing the betrayal he felt, he severed those ties and never intended to return unless fate offered him a chance to formally renounce the heir position.
"Young master, the family will fall into anarchy if you don't come back," the man said, trying his last chance to convince him.
"Then choose another heir. Don't pick me. I have no intention of taking the position or even going back," he said and was about to walk away.
"Young master, please, they are very worried, including your parents and sister. They have sent investigators to look for you."
"But not the family agents who could have found me for the past fucking years before joining Atlas, yet none came. And I know they sent investigators and I neutralized them," Michael dropped the bomb, making the man connect the dots.
"You… killed them?" The man was shocked for many reasons, but he now understood why they had gone silent after a few months.
"Yes, I had to. I was very bored and needed the skills to study. So, after the Administrator's offer, it felt like a ticket to enjoy traveling around, fighting in different wars, high-stakes operations. And so, I killed each one who was able to follow my tracks. Some of them were bought by me, letting the family think my trail had gone missing and I had died. But that only lasted until your informant sent about my whereabouts and my status, so I'm telling you this," he paused, stood up, and his face came close to the man's, his eyes devoid of emotion.
"I'm never coming… Not in a million years. I'm not in the mood to deal with this BS. And by any chance you are released, tell them not to contact me or find me, since all they will receive in response is a knock on the door. And most importantly, send one more man, and the corporation will have no choice but to intervene, and the Administrator's right-hand man will personally eliminate the family and all those who are connected," Michael said, turning around and walking towards the exit, giving a quick nod of confirmation to an operative near the door.
"Please, young master, your sister is more worried!" the man pleaded as two operatives dragged him away.
"Tell them that if they interfere with my affairs or Atlas's affairs again, they will face the storm," Michael said, walking to a different room where a man with short brown hair and blue eyes, wearing executive corporate attire and of average build, waited. This was the CEO of Atlas, known as the Administrator's left hand and codenamed 05-1.
"Is it confirmed?" 05-1 asked.
"Yes, and the information will be sent to you. Their fates will be in your hands," Michael said, knowing that while both managed the corporation, 05-1 dealt with public matters, while he handled the darker aspects. The corporation had powerful enemies that required both of them to manage.
"Of course, tomorrow big news will arrive in the headlines," 05-1 said, turning to leave as his assigned bodyguards followed, offering nods to everyone inside.
"Tch, posh boy," Michael said with a smirk and exited the room.
Back to the present
Rafael entered the classroom to find the entire room buzzing. He overheard one of the students talking to friends.
"Hey, I heard my father just got promoted!" one of the students said with a smile, clearly elated.
"Why?" one of his friends asked.
"From what I heard, his work credits were being stolen by his boss, but after the latest purge, he was promoted to a manager. And now, with a large gap in the administration, the board has given promotions to employees who earned it, and some were given paid vacations to compensate for the losses," he said, a happy expression on his face.
"I can't believe we're losing and gaining something at the same time," Rafe muttered, walking to his seat and sitting down silently. He was in the second row, not far from the air conditioning, and Michael sat next to him.
"Tell me about it. After that debacle, my family's hired investigators stopped coming after me," Michael said, leaning back. Rafael frowned.
"Then your family won't just quit easily. And plus, I have multiple fiancées coming here," Rafael said, looking at the time. It was already 7:40.
"No way, how many are there?" Michael asked. He owned a large investigation firm and thus received some information on well-known, powerful, dangerous, and hidden families. These families had requested his agency find Rafael in a way to assist the Villanueva family. Michael had allowed it but ordered his agents to provide empty leads, as his agency was known for not guaranteeing 100% success in completing commissions. However, he took the commission and did a background check.
Most were past clients whom Michael, Rafael, and their team had worked for on mercenary contracts before Atlas. Michael ensured that his leader's information was not exposed or leaked, as Rafael had formed one of the largest corporations encompassing the entire world, except for a few nations, in the past decade. With its military strength, the corps was on the level of a superpower, and they had friends and allies across the world, like the man controlling the Philippines, also known as the King of Southeast Asia.
Gabriel 'Gab' Rosario, the head of the Rosario family, held the government in the shadows in a way that even the Villanueva family didn't know or have information about. This gave Rafael the power to create several Atlas-controlled cities, shaping their influence in Southeast Asia. Currently, there were eight ranked metropolis Atlas cities, with three in the Philippines: New Clark City, Notre De Leyte, and Tacloban, all heavily populated and nearing a million residents each.
Rafael also changed the hierarchy and challenged the underworld organizations. Two were under his control: Glory, which controlled the entire Asian continent and South America, and the High Table, which controlled Europe and North America, while they jointly controlled Africa. This alone was enough to challenge them, and no one knew who owned these organizations.
But Rafael wasn't ambitious enough to simply give an order for Atlas to control the world. Right now, they were just building their power properly, due to Rafael's passive attitude.
"Then tell me how many families tried to ask your agency, since I'm not blind to the happenings inside your agency," Rafael said as he did some last-minute homework, the deadline for which was supposed to be today.
"I don't know, but from what I counted, over 8-12 families. And there are more, but that number was only what I could count since the identities are tightly guarded. You might have to question the 'Dean' for answers, and if he doesn't give them, then text me. I will pay a personal visit," Michael said with a serious face, knowing that having fiancées arrive might disrupt Rafael from performing his duties, and Atlas might have to intervene since this kind of thing could blow up in their faces.
"Sure, I will go to the 'pub' tonight," Rafael said, knowing it held more than just a secluded bar.
"Sure, I will bring this up to the council so they can begin some digging around," Michael said as the bell rang, and the first subject started.
To be continued…