Liam's concept of "going dark" was a radical departure from Evelyn's established life. It meant severing all digital ties—a terrifying proposition for a modern journalist whose life existed on the internet.
They were now in Liam's sterile, anonymous safe house—a high-rise apartment furnished with sparse, functional military-grade equipment. It felt less like a home and more like a tactical hub.
"Rule one: The phones stay off," Liam said, placing Evelyn's burner phone and laptop into a large, metallic box—a Faraday cage designed to block all electromagnetic signals. "Thorne's surveillance is predictive. They don't just listen; they analyze your digital behavior to anticipate your next target. We are now ghosts."
"How do I communicate with Marcus or the Chronicle?" Evelyn asked, already feeling the isolation.
"We use one-time drop points and secure voice scramblers. Anything mission-critical goes through me. Marcus understands. He'll maintain a cover of routine contact with the SEC to mask our absence." Liam handed her a stack of pre-paid visa gift cards, each loaded with a small, disposable amount. "These are cash substitutes. Use a different one every time you buy anything. We leave no financial trail."
The goal was to track down Dr. Elias Vance, the unhappy founder of Cerebrum Labs, who Aris Thorne believed was close to breaking his own silence. Liam's preliminary research revealed Vance was living in a sprawling, highly secluded compound in the Arizona desert, ostensibly dedicated to "private astrobiology research."
"The Arizona compound is fortress-level security," Liam explained, projecting a satellite image onto the wall. "Double perimeter fences, thermal sensors, and a permanent private security detail. Thorne isn't just watching him; he's keeping him captive."
"If he's unhappy, why hasn't he left?" Evelyn pondered.
"The money, Evelyn. The money still speaks. Vance's financial assets are not liquid. They're tied up in the compound's massive operating costs and highly illiquid investments designed to keep him anchored. He's rich on paper, but financially immobilized." Liam pointed to a discreet access road miles from the main gate. "We can't walk in. We need to go in like a stealth insertion."
Liam began outlining the complicated plan. They would fly into Phoenix under false identities, drive a rental car registered to a shell company Marcus provided, and approach the compound through the vast, federally protected desert wilderness.
"This is not a journalistic stakeout, Evelyn," Liam warned, his voice serious. "We will be trespassing on private land monitored by armed guards. If they catch us, they won't call the police. They will detain us, and Thorne will make it look like we were corporate spies trying to steal Vance's 'private' research. You need to follow every instruction precisely."
"I understand the risks," Evelyn said, her heart hammering with a combination of fear and exhilaration. She was trading the sterile danger of the courtroom for the visceral danger of the field.
Liam walked up to her, his gaze penetrating. He reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair back from her face—a small gesture that surprised them both.
"I need more than understanding, Evelyn," he said, his voice dropping to a low, intimate register. "I need your trust. Out there, there are no judges or subpoenas. There's only immediate consequence. If I tell you to freeze, you freeze. If I tell you to run, you run. If you hesitate because you think you can get a better quote, we both die, and Aris Thorne's sacrifice is wasted."
Evelyn swallowed, the professional barrier between them momentarily dissolving under the weight of the impending danger. "I trust you, Liam."
"Good," he replied, stepping back. The moment was over, replaced by his professional demeanor. "Get packed. Minimal gear. Two changes of clothes, and nothing that makes noise. We leave in four hours."
As Evelyn gathered her few belongings, she realized that going dark wasn't just about hiding from Thorne. It was about forging an absolute, life-or-death reliance on the man who was now her protector and her reluctant partner. The soft threats of the legal world were over. The shadow war had begun.