Chapter 1: Operation

The zero-sum game, a concept in game theory, implies that in any situation involving two or more players, one player's gain is exactly balanced by the losses of the other player(s). Thus, the total sum of gains and losses among participants is always "zero," eliminating any possibility of cooperation.

The streets were lined with trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground as the brilliant sunshine peeked through the leaves.

A black Lincoln was parked by the curb, with the occasional pedestrian strolling by on the sidewalk. It seemed like an ordinary day, except for the two bodyguards in dark suits standing conspicuously in front of the Lincoln.

From a distance, a little boy, bouncing joyfully with a basketball not much bigger than a tennis ball, made his way towards the car, followed by a woman who kept reminding him loudly, "Slow down, watch where you're going! Be careful not to fall! Hold onto the ball tightly, don’t lose it!"

While the passersby could hear her warnings, the boy continued to dash down the sidewalk, oblivious to her words.

As he approached the Lincoln, the ball slipped from his grasp and rolled under the car.

He hurried to retrieve it, only to be stopped by the two bodyguards.

Looking up at the towering figures, he turned back to the woman for help, "Mom, my ball!"

The woman approached, casting a reproachful glance at the boy, "Didn’t I tell you to hold it properly?" Then, she turned to the bodyguards with a polite request, "Excuse me, gentlemen, could you please let me get the ball back?"

The bodyguards remained unyieldingly stern, "No one is allowed near the vehicle." One of them even barked, "Move along!"

Clearly, they were not to be trifled with.

Not wanting to cause trouble, the woman knelt down, gently persuading, "Let's leave the ball, we'll buy you a new one, okay?" The boy stubbornly refused, "No, no, I want that one, it's mine."

"Be good, we'll buy another one soon." She tried to pull him away with a bit more force.

The boy, focused solely on getting his ball back, resisted fiercely until he started crying loudly, drawing the attention of everyone nearby.

Left with no choice, the woman pleaded with the bodyguards again, "He's just a child, unaware of his actions. We just want to retrieve his toy. Could you please help us get it without us getting too close?"

After a moment's hesitation, one of the bodyguards bent down to retrieve the ball while the other kept a watchful eye on them.

For a brief moment, their attention was diverted from the car.

An excellent opportunity.

In the next minute or two, a stylishly dressed young man cycled swiftly past the other side of the Lincoln, attaching a nearly invisible tracker to the rear of the vehicle in the blink of an eye.

Turning into an alley, the man stopped, removed his baseball cap while balancing on the bike, and placed an invisible earpiece in his ear.

"Tracker placed successfully."

His surroundings were empty, but through the earpiece, his message reached the woman standing by the Lincoln.

Without showing any sign, the woman waited for the bodyguard to hand back the toy ball, thanked them profusely, and then, with the ball secured in the sobbing boy's arms, they slowly walked away.

The rustling of leaves in the wind was the only sound as peace returned to the street.

On the opposite building, another young man was observing the Lincoln and its surroundings through binoculars.

Hours later, a man in a dark coat emerged from the building on the side of the Lincoln. A bodyguard opened the rear door for him, and after he got in, one bodyguard took the passenger seat while the other joined in the back.

The man with the binoculars slightly curled his lips, "Target is on the move."

"Copy that."

"Copy that."

Two voices responded through the earpiece.

The Lincoln slowly pulled away, and as it passed a small intersection five hundred meters ahead, a nondescript silver Toyota peeked from around the corner, following.

The Toyota cautiously maintained a safe distance, blending in with the traffic as it trailed the Lincoln through the city.

Eventually, the Lincoln reached the outskirts, heading towards the less traveled mountain roads - a point beyond which following would be too risky.

"All clear, Ethan, it's on you now."

The Toyota turned onto another road.

At a fork in the mountain road, a heavy truck was parked, with the driver intently watching a moving red dot on his screen: "Copy."

Like a predator lying in wait, he was ready to strike at the perfect moment.

The red dot moved closer, still far but under his watchful eye. He ignited the engine, preparing.

As the dot approached the fork where he was stationed, Ethan accelerated, timing his move precisely.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Boom—

The colossal impact sent birds flying from the trees as the truck hit the Lincoln squarely, pushing it against the guardrail on the other side of the road, teetering on the edge of the cliff. The Lincoln was struck into a precarious balance, half-hanging off the cliff.

The truck came to a halt, and Ethan, unharmed, stepped out, drawing his pistol as he approached the severely damaged Lincoln.

Silence inside the Lincoln. The side hit in the collision had its windows shattered. Ethan checked the front - the bodyguard on the passenger side bore the brunt of the impact, barely recognizable. The driver slumped over the wheel, bleeding out. Ethan confirmed their deaths with a shot to each head.

Moving to the rear seats, Ethan saw only one unconscious figure, bloodied and slumped - the bodyguard.

Frowning, he holstered his pistol, kicked the car in frustration, and with a dark expression, pushed the Lincoln off the cliff with a forceful shove.

The ground shook, the continuous crashes echoing until a final explosive noise signified the end of the chaos, and silence returned to the wilderness.

Turning away, Ethan spoke into his earpiece with a grave tone, "Alexander Reed wasn't in the car."