''Legacy of Shadows: The Rise of Neil Angelo''

🧾 RECAP:

Neil and his team pulled off a daring move by injecting a virus into Horizon's prototype commander, Rayn Cortez, which caused the entire Horizon AI network to crash. But they didn't have long to celebrate; Voss quickly sent a warning that London was about to become the next battlefield. The global war against Horizon is no longer a secret—it's about to explode into the open.

📖 CHAPTER 12: London Inferno

London, UK – Two Days Later

A thick fog rolled through the narrow streets of East London, shrouding everything in a quiet pre-dawn stillness. A convoy of unmarked black SUVs glided past the iconic Tower Bridge, their headlights slicing through the mist.

Inside one of the vehicles, Neil sat next to Tatiana, both clad in tactical gear beneath heavy coats.

Raj's voice crackled through the comms. "Interpol has reported a spike in activity near the Docklands. Voss has taken control of a Horizon data center under the alias 'Dr. Alderon.' The local police are staying out of it, and MI6 seems either compromised or too scared to act."

Neil clenched his jaw. "Then we need to make some noise."

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**Base of Operations – Underground Pub, Camden**

In the basement of a closed pub, Leela was hard at work with local hacker contacts, piecing together Horizon's network in London. On the screen, a digital map of the Thames glowed with faint red dots—each representing a surveillance beacon, drone hub, or signal amplifier linked to Horizon's AI.

Tatiana studied the layout. "This is a trap. Voss wants us to come here."

Leela didn't disagree. "He's expecting an attack—but not the kind we're planning."

She handed Neil a detonator and a compact EMP pulse device. "This will take out every neural amplifier within a mile."

Neil nodded, determination in his eyes. "We'll turn London's heart into a blackout zone."

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**Infiltrating the Docklands Facility**

"We took out another piece of Horizon," Tatiana remarked.

"But not the head," Neil replied quietly.

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**Across the City**

In a candlelit cathedral turned war bunker, Elias Voss sat back with a glass of wine.

A young operative stepped in. "Sir, the London node is gone."

Voss remained unfazed, taking another sip of his wine.

"Let them win a few small battles," he remarked. "They won't stand a chance against the real firestorm."

He glanced at a screen filled with red markers scattered across the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the East Coast of the U.S.

"Let's kick off Phase II."

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**Back at Base**

Neil gazed at the fiery horizon.

"London was just the beginning," Leela warned. "Voss is moving to full-scale deployment. They're aiming for global control under the guise of synthetic peace."

Neil tightened his gear. "Then it's time to rally the world to our cause."

Tatiana peered at the screen.

"Where are we headed next?"

Neil took a deep breath.

"Washington."

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🔫 *To Be Continued in Chapter 13: "Capitol Siege"*