Ismael had the technology to swim from a remote place to the cargo, then stood right above the water dry off on the ladder to leave no trace once on it.
"There are guards. I know you can take them one by one, but just for this time, you'll have to show restrain and be merciful. I can't help you on the exact location of Genova but she's defenitely here."
"You've helped me more than enough, Raven. If you see or know anything about the situation, tell me. I'll be fine."
It is three in the morning, there is no light, just pitch black from the sea. The ship itself isn't quite lit, dim lights here and there as to not attract any coast guard or possible enemy. Five minutes, second by second five minutes, Ismael drips no more water and waits for the perfect time to enter the area. Not a soul at first, then hears two voices talking and getting closer. He hides behind a large box, there are containers everywhere.
"Not be seen, no kill, just pure ghost. That sucks", Ismael thought.
He roamed around to the left, escaping the gaze of the two men.
"Care to see what's inside, Raven?"
"You're playing a dangerous game, Isma. Let it flow."
"It'll take a second."
He uses his knife to delicately cut a hole in the wooden box and smells the powder.
"Pure cocaine."
"We're not investigators, Ismael. We're on a different mission, right now. Take some if you think it might help and find Genova."
"I'm not touching it. I was just curious."
Ismael goes to the left side of the deck, the salt water spraying on his face at every movement of the ship. Tries different doors and the third one opens, he hides behind it and as the man lights up a smoke, he slowly pulls the door to the right and goes inside, closing the door at the exact angle it was. He was inside, looking for clues.
"Anything?"
"I'm not a vampire. It's dark and cold."
"I gave you night vision equipment, use it."
"A bunch of boxes. No sight of her."
"It's a complex situation. And a first. I don't know where to start. I'd tell you to find those little rooms she could be in, but I don't think it's an obligation that she's there. She likes to be comfortable, especially now that she's lost her mind, she'll look for the warmest spot and with some blankets, just sleep in there."
"You sound like I'm on a timer."
"You are. I can target the cargo with an icbm, but I have four and I have this horrible feeling that I'm going to need five after this. Also if you take too long or fail, I'll have to erase the ship from existence."
"Warn me before sending me to my wife."
"I will. You have two hours starting now."
"She's not here. She got shot, I was expecting her to give up, but her resilience is astonishing. And I'd like to ask her what her nightmare was all about."
"Woman to woman, she won't tell you."
"She wasn't here. I'm out."
Ismael tries next door and remains unseen.
"Raven, there are some blueprints of a module of terror."
"I'm sorry, a what?"
"Blueprints of a "technology that could help see the shadows and creatures of this world"."
"You did mention this when you saw Genova in the desert. Any details on that, by the way? It was kinda creepy."
"Gloria had told me what she had found at Mateni's lair. Poison. Some gas. "Making humans subhumans" or something. I can't tell for sure."
"Ismael, this is creeping me the fuck out. I really don't have a good feeling about this. I think we just touched uncharted territory. Find Genova. Put a bullet in her head and then you can kill guards if need be and leave. Someone out there is far worse than all of us combined. The cargo you're on is heading straight to Shill Na Ter. We've never been on this continent, but this is where Basil Morgan left to. All news articles from past Cressenie mentionned a president kidnapped by a boy. None of this is human. I can't bypass the texts, it's hiding something."
"There are pictures, Raven. Of men and women in chains, screaming. They were tortured and used. I don't know by who or what. Can you see what I'm seeing?"
"No, you're on your own visually, but I hear you loud and clear."
"Good. You don't want to see that. It's full of horrible shit. I can't even begin to explain what I'm seeing here. And if all of this sensible intel is out in the open like that, it means the cargo itself belongs to him. And if Genova had easy access to it, she's got ties with that person."
"So she's not just a weapon trafficker but also a degenerate?"
"Sometimes you use the worst person in your field of view to hold the world in a different shape. She's using his many assets."
"What do you mean?"
"There are multiple records of a company called Egoterra which buys a lot of most world leaders' companies' shares from Cressenie's continent. And it buys and sells absolutely perfectly. It doesn't even register any of the possible inhuman outcome, just an infinite money generator. A bit of profit, no danger. Playing the game low. And it seems the company's been using human flesh as condiment. It's got mentions...of a system. That tracks down every signal. Raven, cut all communications. I'll find a way back."
"Got it. Stay safe."
"This is worse than I thought. I expected a quick fight and possibly a win. But you can't stop making enemies in this world. Let's see. Egoterra, using the system to...engineer a future with a possible connection to artificial intellgence. To make ai not just artificial but mixed with an advanced human brain capable of extreme cognitive capabilities. This is scary. What game is Basil Morgan playing? The long game, that's for sure. Raven was right, I'm on a timer. And since long-distance communications is insanely dangerous at the moment, I have to count the remaining time in my head. Killing Genova in that short window frame is going to be impossible, but I revel in that category."
Ismael took the intel in his bag and made it out. As careful as he was, he could not be seen but faced another issue. Genova was out, coming out of the next door. As she stretches, he gets closer, and as she goes to the left to lean on the fence to take some salt water on the face and rest, he crouches to the right and keeps on approaching.
"Do I shoot her? She's got no weapons. Nothing. Not a knife, not a thing. Why is that? How can Genova, out of all people, go such a long way to avoid weapons? Is she going to hell? What is this place anyway?"
Ismael, lost in his thoughts, had already his aim on the back of her head.
"Shoot me now if you must, Ismael. End it", she says, turning around.
"What the hell is going on."
"Yeah, I was wondering too. I'd gladly plunge and die, eaten by some sea animal, but I'm being held back."
"By who? Who controls Shill Na Ter? And Egoterra?"
"You found out. It was a matter of time I suppose. He's smart, Ismael. Way too smart and confident. I'm not qualified to go against him. Take the shot, it's not like I can dodge. Honestly you'd free me right now."
"I'm not doing any of that before you tell me what is happening and why he was taking all these people."
"Experiments. Not his fault, though. Long story."
"Shorten it."
"You're going against a maniac. Basil wanted to be part of his dream world, he shared the vision and wanted to be used as an experiment again."
"So this lunatic did this to Basil Morgan? Why is he still alive?"
"He's out of our league. Ismael, you will find out that we were born on the wrong planet."
"You're just making new questions. Not answering any."
"You're gonne wish you had pulled the trigger beforehand. Go ahead, take him down."
Ismael throws his bag away at the sea and his brains blow out from a bullet shot from the dark. The absolute distance, shot could not be possible, and no guard was alerted. Genova takes the body on her right shoulder and goes back inside her apartment in the cargo. There is an old coffin, an antique. She lays Ismael's body inside and closes it. She finds a way to attach it to her back.
Time passes as she walks around in circles, wondering about the next step.
"He will never leave me be. He'll find a way to make my life a living hell. We'll arrive soon enough. I honestly don't know what to do. What he will expect of me. He did ask me to meet him as soon as possible, but I'm lightheaded right now, I don't want to see him."
Genova stepped foot on land and knew there was no coming back. As usual, she is escorted blindfolded in the enclosed area and the doors of metal open and close as she's being taken to an isolated but gigantic place. A man strapped to a chair, unable to get out. A servant on the left, and a young boy with black curly hair on the white floor, squatting down, arms sticking out. Doesn't move, like he's frozen, stuck in place.
"Genova, your work is amazing. Ismael is dead, Mateni is dead, Gloria is dead, Basil Morgan is on my side and you're working for me. Truly an amazing work."
"Thank you sir. What do you wish to do, now?"
"I want you to keep Ismael in this coffin for now. You will carry him until I say so."
"Right."
"Also Cressenie is in ruins, most central armies are gone, nice spectacle by the way, and all of the weapon traffickers except Raven are down. I'd take a break if I could."
"I'm sorry you can't sleep, sir."
"Well. What can I say? I'm not your average human being."