Summary In part 2 of Wicked Panda, the Dark Ops team discovers that the APT's cyber-espionage operation involves international actors and hidden agendas. They uncover a complex web of connections between the APT group and a hostile nation state. The team follows a trail of digital breadcrumbs, unraveling the group's motives and those of the nation state behind the operation. The team confronts the group in a high-stakes showdown using their hacking skills, behavioral analysis, and strategic planning to outsmart the APT group and recover the stolen plans. The operation is fraught with danger, and the team faces unexpected obstacles and adversaries including the continued breakdown of the relationship between Sadie and her brother on the team while balancing their responsibilities to the FBI and mission. However, they realize that the case is just the beginning of a much larger threat, and ends on a cliffhanger, setting the stage for future arcs in the Dark Ops story and the ongoing battle against cyber-crime in the global ransomware economy.

• Crime