The silence in the defile was dense, heavy with the smoke of destroyed vehicles and the stench of death. Koko Hekmatyar's offer hung in the air, not as a proposal, but as a declaration of ownership. Valmet and Lehm watched me, ready to execute their boss's will. The surviving Kilo members looked at me with confusion, not understanding the power dynamic unfolding before them.
In my mind, the fusion of Alex and Kenji worked at a feverish pace. The Kenji who had been humiliated and treated as a possession by his own family silently screamed. The idea of trading one master for another, no matter how charismatic or powerful, was poison. The Alex who had spent countless hours playing strategy and management games knew the value of autonomy. Being a high-level pawn on Koko's chessboard was a tempting offer, full of resources and access. But being the player who moved his own pieces... that was true power.
And just at that moment, as if responding to the crossroads of my soul, the System presented me with a third option.
A new series of menus flooded my inner vision, so complex and detailed they made my combat perks seem like a simple tutorial. Tabs for RECRUITMENT, OPERATIONS BASE, LOGISTICS, R&D, and FINANCE. It was a private army management interface, straight out of a strategy video game.
An almost imperceptible smile touched my face. The choice was made.
I looked up, and my eyes met Koko's. Her confident smile awaited my submission. With the utmost respect I could muster, I tilted my head slightly.
"Ms. Hekmatyar," I began, my voice calm but firm, drawing everyone's attention. "Your offer is more generous than I deserve, and I am honored by your confidence in my abilities."
Koko tilted her head, amused. "But... I can hear a 'but' in your tone, Kage-san."
"But I must respectfully decline," I said. Valmet tensed instantly, her hand moving to the pistol on her hip. Lehm didn't move, but his gaze sharpened.
"Decline?" Koko repeated, and for the first time, her smile vanished, replaced by an icy curiosity. "No one declines my offers."
"I am not a tool to be bought, nor an asset to be acquired," I continued, choosing my words with the care of a bomb defuser. "I am a contractor. And as such, I value my independence. I prefer to build my own enterprise than to be a cog in another's, no matter how magnificent the machine."
The silence that followed was deafening. Thorne looked at me as if I had gone mad. Marcus and Javier seemed terrified on my behalf.
Koko studied me for a long moment. The air crackled with a tension that could have ignited the spilled fuel around us. Then, to everyone's surprise, she leaned her head back and let out a peal of laughter. It wasn't joyful laughter, but one filled with astonishment and dangerous delight.
"Wonderful!" she exclaimed, clapping slowly. "Simply wonderful! You've got guts! More than all the generals and politicians I dine with!"
She walked closer to me, stopping inches away again. "Very well, Kage-san. Let's play it your way, for now. Build your enterprise. Let's see if you can survive in the sandbox with the big boys." She gestured to one of her assistants, who handed her a tablet. "However, your performance today deserves compensation." She transferred a sum to my Horizon account. "A performance bonus. Consider it an initial investment in your little startup."
I gasped internally. Two million dollars. It was an absurd sum for a single job. It was her way of saying, "Now you have the money, let's see what you do with it." It was a test.
"Our paths will cross again, Kage," she said, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "And the next time we meet, I expect your 'enterprise' to be impressive enough to negotiate with me as an equal, and not as a mere contractor who refuses my generosity." She turned. "Lehm, Valmet, let's go. We have to call our own taxi service."
The return flight in Koko's evacuation helicopter was tense and silent. We landed at FOB Triton, and without a word, the HCLI trio disappeared into the compound, leaving behind an aura of power and the promise of future complications.
I wasted no time. I went directly to Pierce's office. The British commander looked at me with his cold eyes as I entered.
"Report, Kilo," he said curtly.
"The mission was a failure, sir. The convoy was ambushed by professional mercenaries, not local insurgents. We lost four men and two vehicles. The client, Ms. Hekmatyar, was unharmed thanks to the combined efforts of her security team and mine."
Pierce nodded slowly, processing the information. "And the client?"
"She canceled the meeting. She withdrew from the area of operations."
"I see," he said. "Anything else?"
"Yes, sir," I replied, holding my posture firm. "I'm submitting my resignation from Horizon Security, effective immediately."
Pierce raised an eyebrow. "Is this a joke, Kage?"
"No, sir. I wish to buy out my contract. Ms. Hekmatyar has provided me with a performance bonus that should more than cover any penalties."
Pierce's face darkened. He realized Koko had poached me. "Son, you don't know what you're getting into. Working for that woman..."
"I'm not going to work for her," I interrupted respectfully. "I'm going to work for myself."
Pierce studied me for a long moment, probably weighing the pros and cons of forcibly retaining me. But in the end, Koko's money and influence were a stronger argument. "Fine. Let the lawyers handle it. Pack your things. You have 24 hours to leave this FOB. Your access is revoked."
Half an hour later, I met Marcus and Javier in our barracks. I told them everything, except the System part. I told them about my resignation and my intention to create my own PMC.
"You're crazy, man," Marcus said, running a hand through his hair. "Starting your own company? Here? In the middle of nowhere?"
"I saw what you did out there, Kage," Javier said quietly, his normally nervous eyes now filled with a quiet conviction. "It wasn't normal. It was... next level. Where you go, I go."
Marcus looked at Javier, then at me. He sighed. "Damn. I guess I'd rather be with the guy who summons mortars out of thin air than against him. Count me in too."
An hour later, all three of us were officially civilians in a war zone. I headed to an isolated corner of the base, an abandoned storage yard, to explore my new toy.
I opened the FACTION MANAGEMENT menu. It was beautiful in its complexity.
First, the name. I scrolled to the FACTION IDENTITY tab. The words came to mind instantly, an echo of my old days as Alex. A name that represented efficiency, power, and operations in the gray area of morality. A name I would take and redeem, making it my own.
A cold, sharp sense of pride surged through me. This was real.
Next, OPERATIONS BASE. I couldn't afford a full FOB. But there were other options. I searched the list: Safe House, Secure Warehouse, Hidden Outpost. I found what I needed.
It was perfect. Remote, defensible, forgotten. I clicked purchase. My bank account took a hit, but the investment was necessary.
Now, the most important part: PERSONNEL. An empty base is useless.
LEVEL 1: SHADOW OPERATOR - $50,000Description: Professional soldier with standard weapons training, squad tactics, and security. Loyal to the Commander. Comes with full combat gear.LEVEL 2: SHADOW SPECIALIST - $100,000Description: Operators with specialized skills (Medic, Engineer, Pilot, Demolitions Expert).
I needed a security team for the base and a pilot to get us out of here. PURCHASE: 10 x SHADOW OPERATOR (-$500,000) PURCHASE: 1 x SHADOW SPECIALIST (PILOT) (-$100,000)
My funds were reduced to $250,000. I was operating on a tight budget. But I had a base and a team.
Finally, LOGISTICS.
With my last major expenditure, I was left with barely $100,000. It was enough for initial operational expenses. I confirmed all purchases.
The system notified me:
I called Marcus and Javier. "Time to go."
We walked out of FOB Triton without looking back. A kilometer away, in a dusty clearing, it awaited us. A Mi-17, painted matte black with no insignia, its rotors slowly turning. Beside it, a man in a flight suit and sunglasses waved to us. His face was generic, but his movements were efficient and professional. He was my summoned pilot.
"Commander," he said in a neutral voice. "Shadow 0-1, ready for transport."
We boarded. The interior was clean and impersonal. As the helicopter lifted off, leaving Horizon's FOB behind, I felt an intoxicating sense of freedom.
"Kage, where are we going?" Marcus shouted over the rotor noise.
"Home," I replied.
I opened the FACTION MANAGEMENT menu one last time. I created a sub-tab in the PERSONNEL section. An elite unit. The tip of the spear. My team.
I looked at my two new soldiers. They were the first members of my company. The first of my Ghosts.
As we flew towards the imposing Tora Bora mountains, towards our new secret base, I felt the weight of command on my shoulders. I was no longer a son, nor a gamer, nor a simple soldier. I was a CEO. A General. The founder of Shadow Company.
My burner phone, which I had bought on base, vibrated. A message from an unknown, encrypted number. I opened it. The sender was simply 'K'.
"The game has begun, Commander. I give you six months before reality crushes your little fantasy enterprise. I hope you prove me wrong. It will be much more fun. Good luck."
I closed the message, a cold smile on my face. Koko Hekmatyar could have her doubts. The world could be against me. But I had a system. I had funds. And for the first time in both my lives, I had a purpose that was truly my own.
Let the game begin. Shadow Company was officially in business.