Ghost Protocol: Atlas Code, #3

By Adam Simeer

Morocco - Meknes – The Weight of the Unknown

The sun dipped below the minarets of Meknes, casting long shadows over the ancient city's winding streets. The scent of jasmine and mint tea lingered in the air, but the lab was silent, the weight of what had been done—and what was still to come—hanging over them like a storm.

Simo stood at the window, his hands gripping the sill, his gaze fixed on the horizon. The monitors behind him flickered with data, but his mind was elsewhere. Omar leaned against the table, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Mira sat beside Kai, her fingers tracing the scars on his arms, her voice low and steady as she whispered reassurances. Elena stood at the terminal, her eyes locked on the screen, her fingers hovering over the keyboard.

"It's done," Elena said, breaking the silence. "Kai's neural code is stable. For now."

Kai exhaled, rubbing his temples. "I can feel it—Echo's gone. But something else is there. Something… waiting."

Mira's grip tightened on his arm. "Lang?"

Kai nodded. "Or whoever's pulling his strings."

Simo turned from the window, his voice firm. "Then we find them."

Omar pushed off the table. "And if we can't?"

"We don't have a choice," Simo replied. "Lang's still out there. The Architect is still out there. And Kai is still a target."

Elena pulled up a new file, her fingers moving quickly. "I found something. A transmission—encrypted, but it's not from Lang."

The screen flashed, and a distorted voice echoed through the room, smooth and mocking:

"You've played your part, Simo. But the game isn't over."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Adam Simeer
• Release date: Oct 24, 2025
• ISBN: 9798232762414

Book preview

Dedicated to my family and my TWO amazing boys, now grown men whom I love without limit.

Chapters :

Chapter 1: The Ghost Signal

Chapter 2: The Mountain’s Shadow

Chapter 3: The Digital Storm

Chapter 4: The Offer

Chapter 5: The Fractured Circle

Chapter 6: The Berlin Gambit

Chapter 7: The Dragon’s Lair

Chapter 8: The Memory Thief

Chapter 9: The Broken Code

Chapter 10: The Echo Chamber

Chapter 11: The Echo Protocol

Chapter 12: The Sleeper Cell

Chapter 13: The Berlin Gambit

Chapter 14: The Fractured Team

Chapter 15: The Reset Protocol

Chapter 16: The Global Strike

Chapter 17: The Awakening

Chapter 18: The Final Pulse

Chapter 19: The Lingering Shadow

Chapter 20: The Architect’s Gambit

Chapter 21: The Fragile Peace

Epilogue : The Architect sends his regards.

Chapter 1: The Ghost Signal

The sun hung high over Meknes, casting a golden glow over the ancient city’s winding streets and towering minarets. The air was filled with the scent of spices—cinnamon, cumin, and saffron—drifting from the bustling souks, where merchants in traditional djellabas haggled with customers over handwoven carpets and copper lanterns. The city was a blend of old and new: modern cafés with Wi-Fi sat beside centuries-old mosques, and students in jeans walked past men in flowing robes, debating philosophy in Arabic and French.

But beneath the city’s vibrant surface, hidden in the labyrinth of the old medina, lay the rebuilt lab—the HQ of the resistance. The building had once been a palace, its walls adorned with intricate Islamic tilework and carved cedarwood. Now, it housed servers, monitors, and maps of global networks, a beacon of hope in a world still reeling from the aftermath of Orpheus.

Scene 1: The Weight of Leadership

Simo El-Amin stood on the rooftop terrace, leaning against the stone railing as he gazed over the city. The call to prayer echoed from the nearby mosque, mingling with the distant hum of traffic and the laughter of children playing in the courtyard below. He closed his eyes, letting the sounds wash over him. It had been months since the uprising, since they’d shut down Orpheus and broken the hold of AtlasCMS.

But the victory had come at a cost—one that weighed on him every day.

You look like you’re carrying the world, a voice said from behind him.

Simo turned to see Mira Lin stepping onto the terrace, a cup of mint tea in her hand. She wore a light linen shirt and jeans, her dark hair pulled back in a loose braid. The sunlight caught the scars on her arms—reminders of the battles they’d fought.

Just thinking, Simo replied, taking the tea she offered.

Mira leaned against the railing, gazing out over the city. About what?

About what comes next, Simo said, sipping the tea. The warm, sweet flavor grounded him, reminding him of the small moments of peace they’d fought so hard to protect.

Mira nodded. We won, Simo. But winning doesn’t feel like it should.

Because it isn’t over, Simo said, his gaze drifting to the horizon. It’s never over.

Mira sighed. You sound like Omar.

Simo chuckled. Maybe he’s right.

Scene 2: The Encrypted Device

The lab buzzed with activity as they stepped back inside. Monitors glowed with streams of data, and the air hummed with the sound of keyboards clacking and voices murmuring in Arabic, French, and English. Kai sat at a terminal, cleaning his rifle with methodical precision, while Omar stood over a large table, studying a map of global networks.

You two look like you’ve seen a ghost, Kai said, not looking up from his work.

Worse, Mira replied, grabbing a chair and pulling it up to the table. We found something.

Omar glanced up, his sharp eyes flicking between them. What?

Mira pulled the encrypted device from her pocket and placed it on the table. The small, sleek black device pulsed with a faint blue light, casting eerie shadows on the surrounding papers.

It’s still transmitting, she said, plugging it into her terminal. The screen flashed, lines of code scrolling rapidly before resolving into a map. A single red dot pulsed in the heart of China, deep in the mountains.

Well, Kai said, leaning in to look at the screen. That’s new.

It’s a facility, Omar said, his voice low. No records, no satellite footprint. Just a ghost.

Simo felt a chill run down his spine. You think it’s MAX?

Omar’s expression darkened. I know it is.

Scene 3: The Decision

The room fell silent, the weight of the discovery hanging in the air. Simo stared at the map, the red dot pulsing like a heartbeat. We need to go, he said, his voice firm.

Mira nodded. We can’t ignore this.

Kai stood, sliding the magazine into his rifle. Then let’s move.

Omar placed a hand on Simo’s shoulder. We go in quiet, assess the situation, and decide our next move.

Simo nodded, feeling the familiar weight of responsibility settle over him. We leave in an hour, he said.

As the team scattered to prepare, Simo picked up the encrypted device, studying it one last time. The blue light pulsed faster, as if sensing his gaze. He pocketed it, feeling the cold metal against his fingers.

Simo.

He turned to see Mira standing in the doorway, her expression serious. There’s something else, she said, holding up her tablet. The screen displayed a new message, decrypted from the device:

You’re already too late.

Simo’s heart pounded. What does that mean?

Mira shrugged, but her eyes were wide. I don’t know. But we need to find out.

Simo nodded, feeling the urgency settle in his chest. Then let’s go.

Chapter 2: The Mountain’s Shadow

The Descent into the Unknown

The helicopter’s rotors roared like a dying beast as it hovered above the Himalayan peaks, kicking up swirls of snow that glittered in the fading light. Simo stepped out, his boots sinking into the knee-deep powder, the cold biting through his thermal gear like needles. The air was thin, each breath a struggle, but the silence was worse—no wind, no wildlife, just the oppressive weight of the mountains watching them.

Omar landed beside him, his breath misty in the freezing air, his eyes sharp behind his goggles. We’re not alone, he muttered, scanning the ridge above them.

Simo followed his gaze. Footprints. Fresh. Too deliberate to be accidental. They know we’re here.

Omar nodded, his hand resting on his pistol. And they want us to follow.

A chill that had nothing to do with the cold slithered down Simo’s spine. Then let’s not disappoint them.

They began the trek, the snow crunching under their boots, the silence broken only by the distant hum of the helicopter fading into the white expanse. The facility was out there, hidden in the heart of the mountains, and with it, the answers they needed. But the mountains themselves felt alive, watching, waiting.

Scene 1: The First Sign of Danger

They had been climbing for hours when Omar suddenly froze, his hand shooting up to signal Simo to stop. You hear that?

Simo strained his ears. Faint, almost imperceptible, but there—a low, rhythmic thrum, like