Part Sixteen: Operation Black Signal

Objective: Intercept an Eidolon courier carrying a quantum-encrypted drive. Intel suggests the drive contains access credentials to a hidden server farm—one of Eidolon’s primary data nexuses—buried beneath Berlin’s abandoned U-Bahn tunnels.

Location: Berlin, Germany
Time: 03:17 CET
Cover: Night market near Alexanderplatz, with overlapping CCTV blind spots and heavy foot traffic—ideal for a handoff.

🛰️ Mission Briefing

Intel Source:
REEF intercepted a burst transmission routed through a compromised satellite relay. The message was fragmented, but two key phrases stood out:

“Courier en route—Black Signal active.”
“Server farm location embedded. No digital trace.”

Courier Profile:

  • Alias: “Kite”
  • Known for using analog methods—no phones, no trackers.
  • Last seen in Warsaw, now confirmed to be in Berlin under a false identity.
  • Travels with a decoy team to confuse tails.

🎯 The Plan

Phase 1 – Identification (SABLE & NYSSA):

  • Sable will blend into the crowd using facial prosthetics to mimic a known Eidolon contact.
  • Nyssa will monitor behavioral cues from nearby suspects to isolate the real courier from decoys.
  • Objective: Tag the courier with a nano-tracker for remote monitoring.

Phase 2 – Intercept (EMMA & CALDER):

  • Once the courier is isolated, Emma and Calder will intercept in a controlled blind zone between two market stalls.
  • Calder will neutralize any tailing security.
  • Emma will extract the drive and plant a false duplicate to delay suspicion.

Phase 3 – Extraction & Trace (JAKE & REEF):

  • Jake will decrypt the drive on-site using a portable quantum key emulator.
  • REEF will trace the embedded coordinates to the server farm’s location.
  • If the server farm is active, Ghost Veil will move immediately to Phase 4: breach and burn.

🕶️ On the Ground

The market buzzed with late-night energy—food stalls, neon lights, and the hum of a city that never truly slept. Sable moved like smoke through the crowd, her face that of a woman who didn’t exist. Nyssa watched from a rooftop café, eyes scanning for microexpressions, tension, and tells.

“There,” she whispered. “Blue scarf. Left hand twitch. He’s nervous, but not afraid. That’s our courier.”

Sable moved in, brushing past him. A subtle bump. The tracker was planted.

“Tag’s live,” Jake confirmed. “He’s heading toward the U-Bahn entrance.”

Emma and Calder were already in position. As the courier descended the stairs, Calder stepped behind him—silent, precise. Emma intercepted at the platform.

“Lost?” she asked, flashing a fake badge. “You’re coming with me.”

The courier reached for something—but Calder was faster. One nerve strike, and he was down.

Drive secured.

Jake plugged it in. “Decrypting now…”

REEF’s voice crackled through comms. “Coordinates received. Server farm’s under the old Gesundbrunnen tunnel. And Emma—”

“What?”

“It’s active. And it’s broadcasting.”

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Welcome to In the heart of London – Surveillance at a glance…

I often find myself chatting with people outside the industry who think covert operations are all about excitement and adventure. While they might have that “cool factor,” the truth is that they aren’t really fun or glamorous. They’re more about strategy and achieving specific goals, and they can be costly, risky, and a bit of a hassle. That said, anyone in this field ends up with some pretty interesting—and sometimes hilarious—stories over the years. Let me share just a little taste of those experiences!

In the heart of London – Surveillance at a glance… including Operation Byzantium, refers to monitoring conducted in a way that ensures the subject remains unaware they are being observed. It is categorised into two types: directed surveillance and intrusive surveillance.

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