******
Aylin was glued to her laptop screen, her fingers hanging over the keys. The server buzzed softly in the stillness of her Malaysian apartnt, a reminder of her past life as Lunel. Hazard King’s ssage felt like a wrapped threat, safety in return for her skills. But she wasn’t about to give up control, not to him, not after everything that had gone down.
She typed quickly, "I’ll co by myself. I’ve got my own resources. You just need to make sure no one catches , not Alpha Dark or Maksim Karza. And keep my arrival under wraps."
The reply ca in almost imdiately, "Got it. I can send a private jet, too. That’ll make it easier for you."
She bit her lip, weighing the pros and cons. A private jet ant fast and safe travel, but it also ant stepping into his trap sooner. Still, ti was running out, and Alpha’s shadows were getting closer. "Alright. Send the jet. But don’t forget my terms."
"Deal. Coordinates coming your way. Be ready."
She snapped the laptop shut, her heart racing. Two years of living as Aria Solis, blending into the ordinary life of a café worker, were unraveling. She couldn’t ignore the call; the U.S. had unfinished business, and Hazard King’s empire might be her best bet.
But first, she needed to chat with Reyes. He was her rock in this ss, the one who helped her disappear after escaping from the forest. She grabbed her phone and dialed Nora, her roommate and accidental link to Reyes’ network.
"Nora? It’s Aria. I need to talk to Reyes ASAP. When are you getting ho?"
Nora’s voice sounded warm but curious. "Sure, I’ll be back in an hour. Everything okay?"
"Yeah, just...umm family stuff." It was kind of a lie, but it would work.
She hung up and waited. When Nora got ho, Aylin pulled her aside and asked her to call Reyes. Nora looked confused and narrowed her eyes at her.
"What’s going on? Are you feeling alright?" she asked.
Aylin replied, "Yeah, I took a nap. I’m fine. Just call Reyes, please."
Nora hesitated and then asked, "Are you planning to leave?"
Aylin looked down and said, "Um, kind of."
Nora shot her a look before dialing Reyes’ number. After a mont, when he picked up, she said, "Hey, what’s going on? Your friend wants to speak with you."
He replied before hanging up. Aylin raised an eyebrow as Nora said, "He’ll call you back in ten minutes."
Ten minutes later, the phone rang. Aylin slipped into her room and locked the door before answering. Reyes’ deep, gravelly voice ca through. "Aria? Or are we going with Zeynep now? What’s up?"
She swallowed hard, the na "Zeynep" bringing back mories of the woods and a guy with blue eyes who had saved her. "Reyes, I’m off to the U.S. Hazard King got in touch. He wants Lunel to guard his empire against Alpha and Karza."
There was a pause, thick with unspoken worry. "Alright, you will. I’m not gonna argue about it. But rember, Zey, if you ever need a hand, you know where to find . One thing, let HK know I’ll be waiting for you, too. I want to be there when you get there on his jet. Gotta make sure you’re alright."
Her chest felt tight. Reyes had always been like this, protective, like an older brother. She figured it was just him looking out for her, soone to keep safe from the world. What she didn’t realize was that his concern ran deeper; he had feelings for her hidden under layers of duty and distance. "Got it, I’ll tell him. Thanks, Reyes."
"Stay sharp, Zey."
She shot a ssage to HK, "My friend Reyes wants to be there when the jet lands. He’ll hang out at the airstrip."
"Got it. No worries," ca his quick reply.
The next couple of days flew by in a blur of getting ready. Aylin packed light, a laptop, fake IDs, and clothes that scread low-profile. anwhile, in Italy, Zayden Cole Virelly, known in the underground as Hazard King, was getting on his private jet bound for the U.S. His empire was hanging by a thread, with Alpha Dark creeping closer and Karza’s political puppets multiplying. Lunel was the wild card he needed, the hacker ghost who had disappeared two years ago. He thought Lunel was dead, and Lunel is a male, so shadowy operator. The reality was about to hit him hard.
As his jet touched down in New York, Zayden’s phone buzzed with updates from his team. "Prep’s all set," he texted back, his blue eyes cold behind his mask. He sent another jet to Malaysia, loaded with five trusted guards, tough guys who would do anything for him.
He shot Aylin a ssage, "Go to this location. My guys will pick you up there." He sent her location after the ssage.
She reached the location in under an hour, her heart pounding under her long coat, turtleneck, jeans, and long boots. With her mask on, she checked out the dimly lit parking lot next to a private airstrip. Two guys in casual wear, jeans and jackets, nothing flashy, were pacing back and forth, their eyes scanning the area. They were waiting for a grizzled hacker legend, a dude. Not her.
She waved a little to catch their eye. They looked at each other, confused.
"You’re Lunel?" one of them growled, squinting at her. He was tall, scarred, and had a buzz cut, definitely the boss of the pair.
She nodded. "Code word: Shadow Veil."
The other guy, stocky with a tattoo peeking out from his collar, stepped forward. "Proof. Now."
"I can’t show anything here. Too risky."
They exchanged a glance, then nodded. "SUV. Let’s move."
Inside the blacked-out vehicle, she pulled out her laptop and logged into the secure server. HK’s ssages lit up the screen, hard evidence.
The leader’s eyes went wide. "Boss, it’s Lunel. But... she’s not a man. She’s a woman."
On the speaker, Zayden’s voice crackled from the other end, with Leo hanging out in his NYC penthouse office. "What?"
"Yeah, boss. Confird. She has the server logs."
Zayden froze, his blue eyes flashing. A woman? Lunel, the elusive hacker who had slipped away from powerhouses, was female? Leo chuckled, leaning back. "Wow. This is amazing, Z."
Zayden narrowed his eyes, a sly smile creeping across his face. "Alright, bring her. Keep her safe. No screw-ups."
The guard hung up, and the engine roared to life as they sped off toward the jet. Aylin boarded quietly, with the guards shadowing her closely. Sixteen hours of tense flying followed, and her mind raced with thoughts.
They landed at a private airstrip just outside NYC, the night air crisp and electric. Guards got out first, scanning for any potential threats. "Out," one barked. She complied, still masked, her golden-brown eyes hidden but alert.
The ghost had landed, and the king was about to realize he’d been hunting the wrong legend.
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