Elias is driven by grief and a strong sense of justice after the death of one of their own in a plane crash, which official explanations fail to clarify. His personal loss motivates him to uncover the truth behind the tragedy and government corruption.

The Kollective uses a combination of hackers, data-miners, and local stringers to analyze wreckage reports, leaked manifests, airline maintenance logs, bank transfers, and incriminating emails. They operate through encrypted chat rooms and a hidden newsroom to connect evidence and verify leads.

Tensions emerge between members like Mara, who is risk-averse and concerned about publishing unverified data that could harm innocent people, and Kaï, a field reporter willing to break laws to expose the truth, creating friction over the methods and risks involved.

The team encounters surveillance vans, disappearance of hard drives, smear campaigns branding them as 'digital terrorists,' and a secret police raid that forces them to scatter and operate covertly across continents.

After releasing the 'Congo Papers' exposing falsified safety certificates and bribery, one member is arrested, another goes into permanent hiding, and Elias must decide whether to continue fighting or protect the remaining team members.