The news swept across all of Nostramo in an instant, with the force of a thunderclap.
The "Ghost" who had robbed every noble of sleep and exposed every last one of their sins had been captured!
Yet when the "Ghost's" true identity was revealed, it took everyone by surprise. He was no agile, superbly equipped super-assassin, nor a disgruntled Gang boss seeking to overthrow the regime, much less an undercover xenos spy.
He was only a mortal. An old, blind mortal who had spent decades collecting corpses at the very bottom of the Underhive.
After a brief moment of stunned disbelief, the nobles erupted into wild, jubilant laughter. Whatever this blind old man had done to achieve it, killing him would put a permanent end to this absurd farce and fasten the shackles of fear around those lowborn wretches' necks once more!
The Ruling Council immediately announced that the execution would take place at once!
The execution site would be Central Square, the symbol of supreme power on Nostramo. Through the city network, the execution would be broadcast live, without delay, to every corner of the planet, with mandatory viewing. They wanted everyone to see for themselves what happened to anyone who dared challenge the nobles' authority.
Enormous holographic screens lit up in every square and every district of the city.
The screens showed an overhead view of Central Square. A dark mass of people surged toward its center like sheep being herded. Beneath a gallows that towered into the clouds, a symbol of absolute authority, two hulking, fully armed guards pinned a frail, stooped figure in ragged cloth garments against the cold paving stones.
BOOM!!!
Inside that hidden underground conduit, Konrad had finally torn through the half-meter-thick steel door with his bare hands. He stared fixedly at a