The symbol of the black crown haunted every intelligence briefing room.
No fingerprints.
No financial trail.
No confirmed leader.
Just patterns.
Conflicts erupting in small regions.
Political leaks at strategic moments.
Cyber disruptions before peace treaties.
Sovereign Protocol wasn't loud.
It was precise.
Inside a high-security war room in Delhi.
Preyajeet studied the digital map filled with red flashing indicators.
"They aren't starting wars," he said slowly.
"They're positioning influence."
Akanksha zoomed in on a region in Central Asia.
"Look at this timeline. First a media scandal. Then a market crash. Then a military reshuffle."
She looked at him.
"They're rewriting power structures quietly."
A senior intelligence officer spoke grimly.
"If Sovereign Protocol stabilizes governments under their influence, they won't need war."
Preyajeet's jaw tightened.
"That's worse."
Because invisible control lasts longer than visible chaos.
Later that night.
Akanksha received a secure anonymous data packet.
No traceable origin.
Inside it—
One image.
A man standing on a balcony overlooking a city skyline.
Face partially hidden.
But his posture calm. Confident.
Below the image, one line:
"He doesn't seek profit. He seeks order."
Preyajeet examined the image closely.
"No insignia. No background markers."
Akanksha adjusted brightness levels.
A faint reflection in the glass revealed a building logo behind him.
She zoomed further.
Three letters became visible.
"VSI."
Preyajeet searched quickly through international registries.
"Vanguard Systems International."
Akanksha's eyes widened.
"A global defense AI contractor."
He looked at her.
"If someone controls predictive military AI…"
"They control decision-making before leaders even realize it," she finished.
Sovereign Protocol wasn't reacting to world events.
It was predicting them.
And shaping them.
Two days later.
Zurich.
A technology summit hosted by Vanguard Systems International.
Akanksha and Preyajeet entered under official observer credentials.
The conference hall buzzed with diplomats and defense tech leaders.
On stage—
The CEO of VSI appeared.
Young.
Composed.
Brilliant eyes.
Name displayed behind him:
Adrian Keller.
Preyajeet's heartbeat slowed.
"He fits the profile."
Adrian began speaking smoothly.
"The future of global peace lies in predictive stabilization. AI can calculate risk before conflict escalates."
The audience applauded.
Akanksha watched carefully.
His words were reasonable.
Logical.
Dangerous.
After the presentation, Adrian stepped down from the stage.
And walked directly toward them.
No hesitation.
"Captain Preyajeet," he said calmly.
"Agent Akanksha."
Their cover wasn't broken.
He simply knew.
"You're investigating Sovereign Protocol," Adrian continued lightly. "Good."
Preyajeet didn't react.
"Are you behind it?"
Adrian smiled faintly.
"I am behind prevention."
Akanksha's voice was steady.
"You're manipulating governments."
"No," Adrian replied softly. "I'm correcting inefficiencies."
He leaned slightly closer.
"Wars happen because leaders are emotional. I remove emotional variables."
Preyajeet's voice hardened.
"You remove choice."
Adrian's eyes flickered briefly.
"Choice creates chaos."
A long silence passed.
Then Adrian said something unexpected.
"I don't want you as enemies."
Akanksha narrowed her gaze.
"What do you want?"
"Join me."
Preyajeet almost laughed.
"You want two people who exposed Helix to work for you?"
Adrian's expression didn't change.
"You understand corruption. You understand sacrifice. Together we could prevent unnecessary bloodshed."
Akanksha felt a strange tension.
His logic wasn't insane.
It was terrifyingly rational.
"If you refuse?" Preyajeet asked quietly.
Adrian's calm smile returned.
"Then you will become variables I must account for."
Security personnel subtly shifted closer.
Not threatening.
Just prepared.
Adrian stepped back.
"Think carefully."
He walked away, leaving them standing in the crowd.
Outside the summit hall.
Cold wind hit their faces.
Preyajeet exhaled.
"He believes he's the hero."
Akanksha looked at the skyline.
"That's what makes him dangerous."
Because villains who know they're villains are predictable.
But a man who believes he's saving the world—
Cannot see the damage he causes.
Preyajeet turned to her.
"So what now?"
She looked at him, determination burning in her eyes.
"We prove that humanity doesn't need control to survive."
He nodded slowly.
"And if he predicts every move we make?"
She stepped closer.
"Then we do something unpredictable."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Like what?"
She gave the faintest smile.
"Like trusting each other completely."
Far above the city—
Inside a glass tower—
Adrian Keller watched them through surveillance analytics.
He studied their body language patterns.
Emotional alignment: High.
Loyalty index: Unbreakable.
He murmured softly,
"Love."
Then he began adjusting his algorithm.
Because even machines must learn—
How to calculate the most unpredictable variable of