Castle, who had JARVIS discreetly hack into several satellites over Eastern Europe, never anticipated that the first real combat test of his "Ex-Wife" missile would be staged by none other than Dominic's crew.
Much like the original setup, the ambitious warlord arranged a formidable convoy for the transport of Heydrich, his prized hostage. A heavily armored bus took the lead, flanked by Mercedes G-Wagons, which were supposed to provide ample security for Heydrich, whom he still hadn't managed to force into giving up his highly coveted program.
Heydrich, a steadfast hacker, had adopted a strict stance of non-cooperation, refusing to hand over his software after understanding the reason for his kidnapping. This forced the warlord to move him to a secure location, planning to deliver Heydrich to his base in Azerbaijan. This setup allowed the CIA to pounce on the opportunity to intercept him before he reached the warlord's headquarters, where extracting his secrets would likely be impossible. The remote, relatively isolated highland region of Azerbaijan was an ideal spot for Dominic's team to strike, with lessened security than would have been in a fortified base.
So both the CIA, monitoring closely, and Castle, spying through his borrowed satellite view, watched the entire operation unfold. Deckard Shaw, true to form, even appeared as in the original story, taking a sniper shot at Dominic's car. Unfortunately for Shaw, this vehicle had undergone thorough armor plating by the CIA, preventing his shot from causing any damage.
Before the sniper attempt, Shaw had already witnessed Dominic's team use the astonishing new micro-missiles, provided courtesy of the CIA's deep pockets, to blast through the warlord's armored bus convoy and rescue Heydrich, the hacker who had developed a software program of unprecedented capabilities.
Realizing he'd lost the opportunity and faced with the threat of further missile strikes, Shaw wisely retreated from his sniper position, escaping the scene swiftly.
Riding high on the thrill of a successful mission, Dominic's crew could hardly believe their luck. Used to being chased down by powerful enemies, they were now reveling in their newfound "badass" status. Without the usual formalities, they tossed the disoriented Heydrich, still dizzy from the armored bus crash, into a car and sped toward the extraction point set by "Anonymous." Heydrich, now realizing he was dealing with American agents after his software, found himself reluctantly joining them as they sped to the nearest U.S. military base.
Back in Italy, Castle and his hacker friend exchanged mischievous smiles as they watched the events unfold via JARVIS's satellite feed. Castle couldn't help but wonder about "Anonymous's" reaction when he finally uploaded Heydrich's prized software into the CIA system, only for it to self-destruct. The software had been designed to collapse upon installation and leave an open door for JARVIS to infiltrate the CIA's network. What would their faces look like when they realized this?
But things didn't go exactly as Castle planned. Once the CIA acquired Heydrich, "Anonymous" managed to persuade him, using every manipulative tactic available, to hand over his incomplete program. Just as expected, when the software was uploaded to the CIA network, it immediately self-destructed, even with Heydrich present and unable to salvage it.
However, the CIA wasn't so easily outwitted. Although Castle often belittled the agency, it remained one of the world's most powerful intelligence organizations. When the software failed, and Heydrich admitted he couldn't recreate it, "Anonymous" and the CIA's suspicions turned elsewhere—specifically, toward a certain someone they noticed around Heydrich's residence: the hacker known as Harry Mitnick.
Due to the sudden nature of the mission, the hacker friend and Ramsey had traveled to Frankfurt, Germany, to surprise Heydrich, bringing four Russian bodyguards along without attempting to hide their presence. Despite JARVIS erasing some of the digital traces, the CIA's influence in Germany was extensive. The agency had long-established intelligence networks across the region since the Cold War, so it wasn't surprising that the strange appearance of these two at Heydrich's home had raised eyebrows.
Upon realizing Heydrich couldn't reproduce the program, CIA agents immediately began questioning him. "Do you know Harry Mitnick? Why was he at your house during the kidnapping? And why did his bodyguards engage in a firefight with the kidnappers?"
Heydrich, having no idea what they were talking about, looked thoroughly baffled. His online relationship with his hacker friend was strictly virtual, with no real-life details ever shared. So, the mention of "Harry Mitnick" left him genuinely confused, yielding no useful answers to the CIA agents' interrogation.
However, in the room next door, Dominic's crew had an unexpected reaction. They knew exactly who "Harry Mitnick" was—the hacker who'd helped them take down Hernan Reyes in Rio. Tej, especially, had a history with him.
"Anonymous," noticing the subtle shift in their expressions, pressed, "Do you know this Harry Mitnick? He was the computer expert who supported you during that Rio job, right?"
The seasoned CIA agent picked up on their reactions immediately. From this alone, "Anonymous" deduced that Harry Mitnick, the elusive hacker they'd been interested in but never managed to track down, was the same person who had mysteriously appeared at Heydrich's residence with his Russian bodyguards and had chased off the kidnappers.
The CIA's interest in Harry Mitnick soared. It seemed almost too convenient. Here was their elusive hacker, now tied to a critical mission involving a highly sought-after program, and with visible ties to Dominic's team.
"Harry Mitnick, let's see where you're hiding now…"
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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