Copy & Paste Power in Modern World

Gonda had been trying to contact World Zone for a while.

After the last warning from the old man, he had kept the number hidden inside a separate phone. Every few days, he tried the line once. Sometimes it did not connect. Sometimes the call rang and died.

World Zone had not forgotten him. Gonda knew that much. The old man’s last words had not sounded like a man walking away.

Because of that, Gonda had kept trying.

He could not relax under Adam’s unknown side, and he could not relax under World Zone’s shadow either. One side was using him. The other side might erase him.

Then, a few days ago, a message had arrived with no name and no explanation, only a place and a time.

Gonda deleted the message after reading it. He still remembered the address.

Now he followed that address.

The place was an empty storage building near the edge of the city. It had once been used for machine parts. Two men checked Gonda before letting him inside and took his phone and gun.

Gonda did not resist.

Inside the building, the old man from World Zone was waiting.

But this time, he was not alone.

Another man sat beside him.

Gonda’s eyes moved toward that man first. He was not dressed loudly, but the old man did not sit above him. That was enough for Gonda to understand the difference.

This man had higher authority.

"You wanted to speak to us," the old man said.

Gonda kept his voice careful. "Yes."

The old man watched him for a moment.

"After choosing the other side?"

Gonda’s jaw tightened. "I did what I had to do."

The higher man finally looked at him properly. His gaze was not angry, and that made it harder to face.

"What did you have to do?" he asked.

Gonda breathed in slowly.

"If I refused them, I would have been destroyed," he said. "They had already reached Bruno. They reached Tobin. They knew things they should not know. I was being pushed from both sides."

"So you shot the man we raised against Tobin."

"I had no choice," Gonda said again.

"You keep saying that," the higher man said.

Gonda lowered his eyes for a second. Inside that room, truth was safer than pride.

"I am not saying I was loyal," Gonda said. "I am saying I was trapped. I chose the side that looked closer to my throat at that time."

The old man asked the next question.

"Who is behind them?"

Gonda shook his head. "I don’t know."

"A name?"

"No."

"A face?"

"No."

"A base?"

Gonda’s fingers moved once. "No."

Gonda quickly added, "They use Bruno and call him with orders. Money moves after that. Whoever is behind them does not show himself."

The higher man looked toward the old man.

"You see?" he said. "This is what betrayal sounds like when it comes back asking for a seat."

The higher man looked back at Gonda.

"You betrayed them by coming here," he said. "Before that, you betrayed us by standing with Tobin. A man who can betray one side can betray another."

Gonda raised his head at once.

"Then test me," he said.

Gonda continued, "If I came here only to beg, I would not have come in person. Give me work. If I fail, kill me. If I succeed, then you know my worth."

Then the higher man gave a small nod.

"Fine."

The old man spoke this time.

"You will bring Bruno and Tobin to a specific place."

Gonda’s eyes moved. Both names carried danger now.

The old man continued, "How you do it is your problem. Promise a meeting. Promise information. Promise whatever they want to hear. But they must come."

Gonda did not answer immediately.

"Do you have a problem?" the old man asked.

"No," Gonda said.

"Good."

The higher man added, "That is not all."

Gonda looked at him.

"A man from our side will enter Rust Gate," the higher man said. "You will open the path for him."

"And the place around Bruno," the higher man continued, "will also need to be opened. Your people will make room for our man there."

Gonda understood the meaning.

They did not only want Bruno and Tobin. They wanted the road behind them.

"You want to track the hidden organization," Gonda said quietly.

The higher man’s eyes stayed on him.

"At least you understand that much."

Gonda slowly nodded. "I will do it."

The old man stared at him. "If you warn them, we will know."

"I won’t."

The old man kept staring until Gonda lowered his eyes.

"I understand."

The higher man lifted one hand.

That was the end of the meeting.

Gonda stood and left the room.

Outside, his phone and gun were returned to him.

He put both away without looking back.

The scene shifted to George Malani.

George was sitting in his office when his phone rang.

At first, he thought it was another report about money or police pressure.

He looked at the screen.

It was the police commissioner.

George picked up the phone, but he did not speak at once.

Maybe this was a way out.

The unknown organization had already frightened him. Adam’s voice still stayed in his head. If the commissioner was calling now, maybe he could still use that old connection.

Maybe the police side had not fully abandoned him.

George answered.

"Sir," he said carefully.

The voice from the other side was low.

"George, listen to me. I am calling only because you have helped me before."

George became still.

That did not sound like help.

It sounded like a warning.

The commissioner continued, "Your time is bad right now. You already know it."

George’s fingers tightened around the phone.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Something worse may happen to you soon," the commissioner said. "Some people are preparing to move against you."

George’s mouth went dry.

"Who?"

The commissioner did not answer at once.

Then he said, "An underworld organization."

George stood from his chair.

"Which organization?"

"I have told you what I can tell you."

"Sir, if you know something, you have to help me."

The commissioner gave a tired breath.

"That is why I called. To warn you before it happens."

George’s heart beat faster as the commissioner’s voice became colder.

"There is also an order from above. If something happens to you, we are not to come for your help."