Chapter 1- Frozen Hell On The American Side
CIA Headquarters, Alaska — 10:30 AM
John Wilaby sat across from his boss, Director Tamsin Holt.
The room was dimly lit, its heavy curtains drawn tight against the Alaskan morning sun. A map of Russia, dotted with various intelligence points, hung on the wall behind Holt.
Holt, a sharp-minded woman in her late forties with a no-nonsense attitude, looked at Wilaby with a mixture of curiosity and concern.
She flicked a pen between her fingers, her brow furrowing as Wilaby recapped a conversation he had overheard between two Russians.
A conversation about a weapons corporation that should have been gone.
“I’m not sure what I was hearing,” Wilaby said, leaning forward, “but it’s too specific to be nothing. The guy was hammered, but he wasn’t hallucinating. He mentioned Russian weapons, something with a reactor, and an old name—Lepleev Corp. I know it’s a long shot, but it’s worth looking into.”
“Lepleev Corp?” Holt asked skeptically. “That name hasn’t come up in years. I thought they were done after the bankruptcy scandal. You think there’s something still active?”
“I do. It’s all too tied together—the reactor, the radiation, the fact that some soldiers still have their daggers. I think it’s bigger than just military tech. Whatever they were working on, they didn’t just stop. They moved it underground.”
Holt stared at him for a moment before slowly nodding.
“You know what this means, Wilaby. If you’re right, Lepleev could be the thread that unravels a lot more than we bargained for. You’ll be going in deep.”
She leaned back in her chair and tapped a button on her desk, bringing up a secure file on the screen.
“I’ve already arranged transport for you. A quiet trip to Moscow, and from there, you’ll need to figure out how to get to Lepleev’s headquarters. I’ve got you a cover—technical consultant. You’ll blend in, gather intel, and report back. The usual.”
Wilaby nodded, taking the folder she slid toward him.
Inside was a set of forged documents, a new identity as a consultant for an energy company, and a detailed dossier on Lepleev’s known locations and operations.
Wilaby gave a half-smirk.
“Looks like I’m going back to Russia. Again. Maybe this time I’ll actually get some good intel.”
Holt smirked.
“Keep your head down, Wilaby. Lepleev’s not just some broken company. If they’re still operating, this is going to be much bigger than a few tech secrets. And you’re not the only one sniffing around. We’ve got other assets in Moscow. But you’re the best at getting inside.”
Wilaby nodded.
“I’ll handle it. Just make sure the plane’s clear, Director.”
