Ethan watched the last of the investigating forces withdraw with expressions that mixed frustration and grudging respect. Their search of the "abandoned" facilities had yielded exactly what he intended—enough evidence to confirm the Light Guardian's impressive capabilities while revealing nothing about the organization's true nature or scope.
Clone Twenty-Four had already dissolved back into spiritual essence, its consciousness and combat experience flowing back into Ethan's awareness like streams merging with a deeper river. The clone's memories painted the confrontation in vivid detail—every technique demonstrated, every reaction observed, every tactical lesson learned through direct combat against continental-level opposition.
But it was the knowledge that they had succeeded in their misdirection that brought the deepest satisfaction.
