The Meridian Protocol

In a world precariously balanced on interconnected systems, a chilling shadow emerges: "The Meridian Protocol." When an unprecedented global outage sweeps across continents, critical infrastructure collapses, plunging societies into chaos. This isn't an accident; it's a meticulously orchestrated attack linked to the mysterious protocol, threatening to unravel elections, shatter economies, and dismantle civil order worldwide.

At the heart of the impending collapse is a diverse, unconventional crisis-response team, each member uniquely equipped to confront the unseen enemy. Leading them is Nova, a former NSA analyst and cybersecurity investigator now running her own boutique firm in San Francisco. Haunted by a past cyber-attack she failed to prevent, Nova operates on the fringes, driven by an intuitive ability to identify attack vectors as psychological warfare rather than mere code. Her lone-wolf nature and sharp intellect make her indispensable, yet her past unresolved trauma fuels her relentless pursuit of atonement.

In Lagos, Kofi, a pragmatic telecom troubleshooter for a major internet service provider, finds himself thrust into the global fray. A dedicated family man, his primary motivation is to protect his community's access to a reliable digital world. His methodical approach to physical connections and logical systems offers a vital counterpoint to Nova's abstract insights, but his faith in the established order is about to be severely tested.

From Buenos Aires, Elena, a tenacious Argentinian investigative journalist renowned for her data-driven exposés of corporate and political corruption, seeks the human truth hidden within the numbers. Her weapon is information, and her relentless pursuit of justice often places her in the crosshairs of powerful, shadowy figures.

Overseeing the vast, interconnected web of information from Singapore is Omar, a reclusive data broker. Less a hero and more a neutral, mercenary observer, Omar commands a vast network of dark web connections. His brilliance lies in identifying patterns no one else sees, and his loyalty extends only to his own survival, making him a dangerous, yet crucial, asset for anyone who can offer compelling leverage or the right price.

As the team traces the exploit across continents-from the dark heart of Paris to the bustling streets of Lagos, the political corridors of Brussels, and the hidden networks of Singapore-they uncover a conspiracy far grander and more terrifying than they could have imagined. Their mission: to expose the architects of the Meridian Protocol and prevent humanity's future from being rewritten by chaos.