HIDDEN ALPHA

The air in Raven's office was heavy with anticipation. Her decision to take on the case against Lycos International had been made, and she knew there was no turning back. As she sat at her desk, the files Daniel had handed over spread out before her, the greatness of the task ahead became clear. Each piece of evidence gave a suggestion of corruption, secrecy, and something far darker than corporate greed.

Her assistant, Clara, peeped her head through the door. "Raven, you have a visitor. Said his name is Detective Carter."

Raven frowned. "Let him in."

Detective Carter entered, his presence commanding but humble. His gray hair and discolored face suggested years of experience on the force. "Ms. Blake," he said, extending a hand. "I've heard you're digging into Lycos International. Thought I'd stop by with a warning."

"A warning?" Raven asked, shaking his hand but narrowing her eyes. "From you or them?"

Carter smiled. "Consider it friendly advice. Lycos isn't just another corporation. They have power, connections, and a habit of making problems disappear. I've seen people dig too deep and end up regretting it."

Raven's jaw tightened. " thank you very much detective for the concern, but people who know me well know I don't run from a fight. If there's something you know, something that could help me, I'd appreciate your cooperation."

Carter hesitated, then dropped a card across the desk. "Call me if things get out of hand. Just don't say I didn't warn you."

As Carter left, Raven looked at the card for a moment before hiding it in her desk drawer. The detective's warning only strengthened her determination. She picked up her phone and dialed Daniel.

By the time Raven arrived at the coffee shop to meet Daniel, the sun had dropped below the skyline, putting Silvergate into a golden glow. She spotted him at a corner table, nervously shaking with his cup.

"Daniel," she said as she hid in the seat across from him. "I've decided to take the case. But I'll need your help."

At the end of Raven's talking, Daniel gave a sigh of relief immediately. "I was hoping you'd say that. I've been digging into Lycos for years. They've buried a lot of skeletons, but I have contacts who can provide more information."

"Good. Start gathering everything you can. I'll need hard evidence if we're going to take them down."

Daniel nodded. "Just be careful. They're already watching me, and now they'll be watching you too."

Raven discarded his speech and waved off his concern. "Let them. I've faced worse."

The following day, Raven went into her investigation with full force. She began by contacting former employees of Lycos, many of whom didn't want to speak. The few who were ready to talk did confirm her suspicions: Lycos was more than just a tech conglomerate. Whispers of illegal experiments, missing employees, and secret projects painted a disturbing picture.

As she compiled her findings, Raven's phone buzzed. She looked at the screen. The message was from an unknown number:

"Stop digging, or you'll regret it."

A chill ran down her spine, but she quickly shook it off. Threats wouldn't scare her away. She forwarded the message to Clara with instructions to trace the number and then returned to her work.

Later that evening, as she left her office, she noticed a black car parked and not doing anything across the street. The windows were tinted, and the license plate was covered. Raven's instincts just made her act fast. She casually walked past, pretending not to notice, but she could feel the driver's eyes on her.

Meanwhile, in the smooth headquarters of Lycos International, Killian Thorne checked a report on Raven Blake. His right-hand man, Elias, stood close to him, awaiting orders.

"She's persistent," Elias remarked. "Should we increase our actions on her?"

Killian's eyes stayed on a photograph of Raven. There was something about her that interested him. "Not yet. Let her dig. The more she uncovers, the more we'll learn about her. But keep the pressure on. She needs to know she's looking at dangerous ground."

Elias nodded. "Understood boss."

Raven's apartment felt unusually quiet that night.

she rushed to her run and immediately locked her door behind her then she dropped her bag on the table. As she moved to switch on her table light, then she noticed a brown envelope was lying on her table beside the light. seeing that really took its toll on her pulse as they increased due to her fear of happenings and not knowing what could be in the envelope. She hadn't left it there, or some had entered her room to drop it? she asked herself.

Carefully, she opened the envelope. Inside was a single photograph of her father, standing in a laboratory she didn't recognize. written across the bottom were the words:

"Some secrets are worth dying for."

Raven's hands shook as she held the photo. Her father's gentle eyes looked back at her, but she knew the message behind the photo was not for her to see her father's face but more like a threat to her. She knew someone was trying to scare her off, but they had underestimated her.

Taking a deep breath, Raven picked up her phone and called Daniel. "We're going to need more help. I think I'm in too much with this case."

As the line connected, she didn't notice the figures in the shadow watching her from the building across the street, a phone in their hand and a hard smile on their face. The game had begun, and Raven was right in the middle of it.