The files Ruby and Tessa had decrypted painted a damning picture of Project Cerberus: surveillance grids, targeted blackmail, and a hit list of activists and whistleblowers set for elimination. At the heart of the operation was Eleanor Dane, the icy, calculating second-in-command of the Paragon Order. Dane wasn’t just Halstead’s lieutenant—she was the executor of his darkest schemes.
Ruby tightened her gloves, her mind racing as she prepared for her next mission. If they could take down Dane, they’d cripple Project Cerberus.
At Hawthorne University
Ruby’s day began with a lecture on chemical reactions, her voice steady even as her mind buzzed with plans. Tessa lingered at the back of the hall, sketchpad in hand.
After class, Tessa followed Ruby to her office. “We need to talk.”
Ruby nodded, closing the door behind them. “What’s on your mind?”
Tessa held up her sketchpad. The latest drawing showed Eleanor Dane—a poised, ruthless figure surrounded by cold, geometric shapes, her eyes glaring out from the page.
“I’ve been looking into her,” Tessa said. “She’s hosting a private auction tonight. High-profile clients, high-profile security.”
Ruby frowned. “What’s the auction for?”
Tessa shrugged. “Officially, rare artifacts. Unofficially, the files suggest she’s selling intel—names and locations of people the Order wants silenced.”
Ruby’s stomach churned. “Then we don’t have a choice. We’re going in.”
That Evening
The auction was held at the Ashbourne Estate, an opulent mansion surrounded by manicured gardens and armed guards. Ruby and Tessa arrived separately—Ruby as the Scarlet Harlot, blending into the shadows, while Tessa infiltrated the event disguised as a journalist covering the auction.
Tessa’s role was critical: she needed to distract Dane while Ruby accessed her private server to extract evidence and disrupt the sale.
Inside, Tessa played her part flawlessly, charming guests and pretending to jot down notes. When she approached Dane, the older woman’s sharp gaze fixed on her immediately.
“And you are?” Dane asked, her tone clipped but polite.
“Tessa Crofton,” Tessa said with a practiced smile. “I’m covering the event for Art and Artifact Weekly. Fascinating pieces you’ve collected here.”
Dane smirked. “Fascinating indeed. But I suspect you’re more interested in me than the artifacts.”
Tessa’s pulse quickened. “Well, your reputation precedes you.”
Meanwhile, Ruby navigated the estate’s lower levels, evading guards and bypassing security systems. She located Dane’s private server room, a stark, sterile space lit by the glow of monitors. Plugging in her device, Ruby began extracting files while simultaneously uploading a virus designed to erase the sensitive intel Dane intended to sell.
Her comm crackled. “You’re in?” Tessa whispered.
“Almost done,” Ruby replied. “Keep her busy.”
Upstairs, Dane’s interest in Tessa deepened. “You’re quite bold, approaching me like this. Most people wouldn’t dare.”
Tessa laughed nervously. “I guess I have a knack for getting where I don’t belong.”
Dane’s smile thinned. “Indeed.”
Suddenly, a subtle motion from one of Dane’s bodyguards caught Tessa’s attention. The man whispered something into Dane’s ear, and her expression darkened.
Tessa swallowed hard. “Is something wrong?”
Dane’s gaze bore into her. “You’re not a journalist, are you?”
Ruby’s voice came through Tessa’s earpiece. “Tessa, get out of there. Now.”
Tessa tried to retreat, but Dane’s guards blocked her path. Dane stepped closer, her voice like ice. “Who are you really? And why are you here?”
Before Tessa could respond, the lights in the mansion flickered and went out. Ruby’s virus had activated, plunging the estate into chaos.
In the confusion, Ruby burst into the room, her crimson armor glowing faintly in the dark. “Step away from her, Dane.”
Dane’s lips curled into a smirk. “So, the Scarlet Harlot finally graces us with her presence.”
The ensuing fight was chaos. Ruby deployed smoke bombs to disorient the guards while Tessa used the cover to escape. Dane, however, proved more formidable than expected, wielding a small, custom-built taser that sent a bolt of electricity crackling toward Ruby.
“You think you can stop us?” Dane hissed. “You’re just one woman against an empire.”
Ruby dodged the attack, countering with a blast of her Specter Fog. “Maybe. But empires crumble.”
As the smoke thickened, Ruby grabbed Tessa’s arm, pulling her toward the exit.
Back at the Workshop
Ruby and Tessa reviewed the files she’d stolen from Dane’s server. The intel included detailed plans for Project Cerberus, as well as communication logs implicating high-profile politicians and corporate leaders.
“This is enough to bring the Order to its knees,” Tessa said, her voice shaking with excitement.
Ruby wasn’t convinced. “It’s a start. But Dane won’t stop. She’ll regroup, and she’ll come after us.”
Tessa hesitated. “What if… we bring her down publicly? Make it impossible for her to recover?”
Ruby’s mind raced. “If we can leak this without exposing ourselves, it might work. But we’ll need to draw her out first.”
Cliffhanger:
At the Paragon Order’s headquarters, Dane stood in front of Halstead, her expression furious.
“She’s getting bolder,” Dane said.
Halstead’s calm, steely voice cut through the tension. “Then we give her something to fear.”
Dane hesitated. “You’re calling for… that?”
Halstead nodded. “Activate The Warden. No more games.”
To Be Continued…
Gemma Ortwerth 
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