I rolled my unlit cigar between my fingers, watching the room settle. It was late, but no one was leaving.

  AG had dismissed Johnson and his son, but the rest of us? We still had work to do.

  Frank leaned back in his chair, watching me like he was waiting for the punchline to a joke he hadn’t heard yet. Mai, arms crossed, was tapping a slow rhythm against the table.

  “So,” Frank said, casual, “what’s next? Or do we just sit here and contemplate how terrifyingly smart that kid is?”

  "Or how degenerate he is..." Mai replied with a smirk, "Boys and their toys." she said shaking her head with a sigh.

  “Now, we move,” I said. “And we move fast.”

  TAI, perched elegantly beside me, inclined her head slightly. “Marlow’s network won’t sit idle. When word of Timmy's cooperation getting back to her, she’ll move to cover her tracks.”

  “So we hit her warehouses,” Frank said. “Standard raids. We already have those locations from our initial investigation.”

  I nodded. “We're setting up teams to lock them down. Frank I want you on site handling command and logistics on this. Her shipments, her finances, every little piece of dirt we can dig up, I want it discovered and locked down. Especially her funds.”

  "Will do boss, except her US bank accounts. They surely won't help us here."

  I closed my eyes already annoyed at the bullshit politics surrounding my recent work sphere.

  "As much as possible Frank. Other nations will cooperate with us, so lean on them."

  "Understood" Frank said as he walked out of the room.

  Mai flicked a glance at AG. “And the auction?”

  AG took a slow sip of his drink. “You tell me.”

  I exhaled, shifting in my chair. “We need access. And that means we need a keycard.”

  Mai whistled low. “Where the hell do we get one of those? Maybe from the raids?”

  I smirked. “That’s the question, isn’t it?”

  Mai wasn’t fully listening anymore.

  Her eyes flicked toward the side tablet, fingers hovering near her earpiece.

  AG caught it. So did I.

  "Mission briefing update from Sir Mellon. He’s requesting her expertise,” TAI whispered to the two of us.

  Besides being my partner Mai was also co-opted to help with field intelligence operations at times when her experience would help.

  Our intelligence folk out in the field were the newbies in the world with barely a hundred in total throughout the world. Our heavy reliance on cyber based infiltration made it so our physical infiltrations were a weak spot for us. As such we were adjusting where possible.

  She clicked something, then turned slightly away from us, like she was listening in on something more important.

  I raised an eyebrow. “Multi-tasking, doll?”

  Mai barely glanced up. “Field intel.”

  I knew better than to press.

  She adjusted the earpiece, eyes narrowing. “Infiltrating that U.S. intel team. One of our newest teams.”

  I leaned back. “Oh, that US intel team?”

  She smirked. “Getting some payback for your little kidnap incident, huh?”

  AG’s voice cut through. Calm, absolute. “Intelligence, Mai. Not vengeance.”

  She pressed her lips together but didn’t respond.

  At that moment something in her demeanor shifted. Her expression changed. A flicker of fear, hope, or was it fear-to hope showed itself.

  "TAI, on speaker please." I asked her out of curiosity.

  A hesitation. Then, the team chatter crackled to life over the table speakers.

  MAI paused in the way her fingers hovered over the screen.

  The conversation in the room focused on Mai who was somewhere else now.

  Her grip on the tablet tightened.

  Then, through the feed—clear, unmistakable—a voice. Deep. Familiar.

  “Data retrieved. Provost out.”

  Mai froze.

  Her eyes snapped up.

  She looked at AG. Then at me.

  Her voice was barely a whisper.

  “Provost?”

  The room stilled.

  I blinked at her. “He… he’s dead, Mai. You said he was dead.”

  Silence.

  She turned to AG.

  His face was unreadable. Then, slowly, he shook his head.

  “Maybe that rumor of his demise was exaggerated.”

  His tone gave nothing away.

  Then, smooth as always, he stood. Adjusted his cuffs.

  Looked at her.

  “Mai. With me.”

  ___

  What was I doing here?

  I’m a literal king, and yet I still get too involved with my subjects. TAI called me the ‘Grandfather King’ today—said I babied the newcomers.

  Maybe she’s right.

  I shut the door behind us. My haven. Few ever enter, and when they do, it’s for good, jovial, news. Not today.

  My haven in this world.

  Twice now—twice in as many hours—I’ve had to retreat here to deal with the serious.

  Mai stood in the center of the room, arms crossed, tension radiating off her.

  I moved past her, heading for the brandy bar. Poured myself a glass. Didn’t offer one. Not yet.

  Then, without looking back—

  “Sit down, Mai.”

  A silent beat passed. Her lost in her thoughts, me running possibilities in my head.

  She was trying to hold it together. But she finally found decorum and sat on a rather comfortable one armed sofa. Custom-made. Modeled after an Italian vintage style from the 1940's.

  “Would you like some tea, Mai? Or maybe something harder?” I lifted my glass slightly.

  “Tea… tea is fine, thank you.”

  Her voice was quieter than I expected when she finally spoke, a hint of a crack in it's undertone, but otherwise controlled.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “Was that real?” She whispered the question into the air.

  I served her cup of tea. She held it in shaky hands. I sat across from her and took a sip of my brandy and let the question sit while she drank her tea.

  "You tell me."

  Mai set her cup down on the table in front of her, and exhaled sharply. Fingers pressing into the fabric of the sofa. Another deep breath, holding back any amount of despair, fear, or hope that wanted to break through.

  "That... that was his voice. That was him."

  This time I simply nodded, daring not to draw it out.

  "Yes Mai. He is alive."

  “He’s alive.” A pause. Then, softer, “I saw him fall.”

  Another heavy pregnant silence fell upon us.

  How to tell this lovely girl that her love was barely alive when we found him by pure chance. Would that make her feel better or worse. To understand the trials and tribulations that he had gone through. Was that a sound decision at the moment?

  "It's been weeks Alistair. Weeks, no months now, that I've been here." She said her voice getting stronger with an underlining rage that was starting to build.

  Another long breath, and her temperature calmed itself, her breath stuttering. Her knuckles whitened.

  "You let me think he was dead? How long have you known?" She said asked in a low whisper.

  I swirled the brandy in my glass. Took another sip.

  "No. We didn't tell you we found him, but we also only found him a few weeks ago." I said "I would assume you're smart enough that we needed time to triage this situation and determine the best way to bring it up.

  "This is not the way I would have preferred to find out Alistair" Mai said taking a sip of her tea.

  "And for that I must apologize. It seems that TAI missed that detail of this team."

  "TAI doesn't make mistakes Alistair, neither do you." Mai said.

  I stayed silent. Nodding my head in careful consideration.

  I turned, finally looking at her. Measured. Calm.

  “I needed to know how you’d react.”

  And like every woman I cared for in my seven plus decades of life, that did it. There is a reason I have no queen.

  Mai didn’t stand—she went rigid. A subtle but sharp inhale. Shoulders squared, spine locked.

  “React?”

  The word wasn’t shouted. It was controlled.

  “React.” She exhaled through her nose, measured, as if repeating it forced it into logic. A pause. A shift. Her voice sharpened.

  “You let me grieve for weeks longer than I needed to.”

  She blinked once—deliberate, precise—as though recalibrating herself, forcing back the heat of anger.

  “You let me think he was…”

  Her voice hitching was the only tell. But it was enough.

  Her fingers twitched—a restrained movement, a sign of an impulse she wouldn’t allow herself to act on.

  Then, finally, she lowered herself back to the sofa, controlled, deliberate. But her hands clenched into fists against her knees.

  Her hand came up, covering her face.

  Her shoulders shook.

  Not loud. Not dramatic. Just silent, shaking.

  A slow, ragged inhale. A just-as-unsteady exhale.

  I said nothing. I always had a way of bringing women to this moment.

  I did nothing.

  Let it happen.

  She needed this, I thought to myself. And maybe—I needed to hear it too.

  "I apologize. This is hard, but it's better than what I thought" she said as she forced a smile to her face.

  "When can I see him? Does he know I'm here? Is he ok?" she followed up quickly.

  I took her hands in mine and looked in to her eyes.

  "He's fine... now. He had an injury and we fixed it. He's fine now Mai. But, he's not ready to see you."

  I felt the tension in her fingers as she absorbed my words.

  Mai swallowed hard, her forced smile slipping just slightly. “Not ready?” Her voice was controlled, but the crack at the edges hadn’t faded.

  I nodded. “Not yet.”

  Her hands twitched in mine, barely restrained energy beneath her skin. “You’re keeping him from me.”

  “I’m keeping him from everyone,” I corrected. “Because we don’t know yet.”

  She froze, and I watched the weight of that statement settle in.

  “Know yet?” she asked carefully.

  I released her hands, leaning back. “Whoever got to him before we did.”

  She blinked once, then twice. “You think they turned him. Yet you still use him in operations.”

  “We're testing him. We don’t take risks when we don’t have to. TAI monitors his every move. Jane is there to ensure he doesn’t make a mistake.” I took a measured sip of my brandy, letting that statement breathe before continuing. “And I think if you see him too soon, you won’t think like an operative. You’ll think like a grieving woman.”

  Her jaw tensed. “I’m not compromised.”

  "We know that Mai. Now. This is no different then the way we tested you."

  I let that sit in the air, waiting.

  Mai exhaled sharply, gripping the sofa arm. “I need to see him, Alistair.”

  “And you will.” My tone left no room for negotiation. “When I say it’s time.”

  Her fingers curled tighter around the fabric, but she didn’t argue. Not yet.

  I studied her, watching the gears turn. She wasn’t thinking about just herself anymore.

  “You’re worried they'll use him to bring me back” she said finally.

  I nodded. “And if they did, they’ll in turn use you next.”

  That hit. She blinked, processing.

  I leaned forward slightly, voice steady. “You’re important, Mai. To us. To me. Too important to let emotions get in the way. If Provost is compromised, if there’s even a chance, we need control over this situation before it controls us.”

  She exhaled through her nose, visibly slowing her breathing. “And if he’s fine?”

  “Then he’ll see you when he’s ready.”

  Another pause. Then she nodded, just once.

  “I want to be involved,” she said, the words more composed now, more purposeful.

  I smirked. “That’s the right attitude, Mai.”

  Mai straightened, her posture shifting—not relaxed, but refocused.

  I tapped the comm on my desk. “TAI, bring her up to speed. I want her briefed on the next phase of his team before nightfall.”

  “Of course, Your Majesty,” TAI’s voice chimed in smoothly.

  I smiled slightly, watching Mai’s expression shift.

  “Jane. Thats the android.” She asked

  I nodded.

  "New infiltration android -- you just watched her in action."

  Mai rolled her shoulders, shaking off the last remnants of emotion. “Yes. Impressive. Scary even.”

  I took another sip of brandy and nodded.

  “Indeed.”

  ___

  The five of us sat in AG’s office, reviewing tablets and holo-displays, drinks in hand. The only sound was the faint hum of hidden projectors woven into the decor.

  AG sat in front of his desk, drinking his brandy. His third of the night by my count. It had definitely been a long day for the man.

  I sat at the table while AG stretched out on his chaise lounge, the very picture of studied relaxation. The piece fit him—refined, indulgent, a quiet nod to the romantic in him. Maybe that was why only a select few were allowed in here.

  Sir Mellon sat near me and flicked through physical documents, old habits refusing to die, his frown deepening by the second.

  Mai perched on the edge of AG’s large, imposing desk.

  TAI, composed as ever, sat at the tail end of the lounge, briefing us.

  "The intel from the last mission is incomplete. The U.S. handler fought hard to keep it, but we still recovered critical data. Her files primarily focus on known intelligence networks rather than independent players."

  "Cross-referencing with other acquired data, we have a partial attendee list, primarily covering Five Eyes nations. The U.S. data indicates they’re looking for fully functioning Island androids, fresh chipsets, and neural network samples. High-grade Mana reclamation tech and Tulanto dark energy samples are also flagged as key assets."

  I exhaled sharply. “Meaning everything we already guessed is on the list, but the info detailing the people behind the network aren’t.”

  "Correct,” TAI confirmed. “Additionally, this auction isn’t limited to Tulanto AI assets. Classified technology from multiple nations is also on the table.

  Sir Mellon set down his file. “That complicates things.”

  AG nodded. “We need a way in. Let’s find it.”

  I leaned back, arms crossed. “We have nothing solid. So let’s break it down.”

  I swiped a hand across the holo-table, cycling through the limited options we had.

  “We have three plays—buy access, steal access, or forge access.” I glanced at TAI. “Thoughts?”

  TAI responded without hesitation. “Timmy could contact Kelsey to request an access card for a ‘new buyer,’ but she’d see through that fast. He’s not exactly a customer-facing asset.”

  “More like a prisoner,” Mai muttered.

  I continued. “We could intercept a courier—if we had a delivery to hit. We don’t.”

  “Can’t we make one?” Mai asked. “You have all this tech. How hard is it to fake a pass?”

  “If we knew the format and venue, yes,” TAI answered.

  “So brute force it?” Mai challenged. “Just have Kay hack the door?”

  Mellon Sr. shook his head. “And 20 seconds later, you’d be swarmed by an unknown number of reaction teams from who-knows-how-many nations and groups. We need to blend in, not storm the place.”

  “It’s not just one place,” I muttered, the thought clicking into place.

  That… might be the key.

  To… the… key?

  I hate how that actually makes sense.

  I exhaled, dragging a hand down my face before tapping my fingers against the table. “How about a zero-day hack... wait, zero-day hijack? We hijack a verified guest’s access card the hour of the auction and take their place.” thinking it aloud, watching their reactions.

  The room was silent.

  I leaned forward. “The auction is blind. Attendees don’t see each other, and everyone is in isolated booths—likely scattered across the city. Should work.”

  I knew we were in trouble when I saw Mai smirk, and AG nod.

  “Well, shit. I walked into that one.”

  “One problem, Kay,” Mellon Sr. said, glancing over at me. “We don’t have an infiltration team in Germany that can arrive in time.”

  I leaned forward slightly. “Clarify something for me. Do you have any teams in play, or a designated unit for extraction?”

  “We have teams in Germany, but they’re all observational. What we need is a wet work team—just in case. And we’re stretched thin as it is, let alone in Germany.”

  TAI’s voice cut in, crisp as ever. “Our closest qualified team is on the Island. They’d have to deploy immediately to be in position in time. Any flights from here will be closely monitored—as you’ve already experienced, Kay.”

  I wasn’t looking at Mai, but I felt it when she tensed.

  Her posture was too stiff, her arms crossed too tight. She already knew the answer but didn’t want to say it.

  She inhaled slowly. “We could use the Provost team. They’re in Italy.”

  That got my full attention.

  I turned my head slightly, eyes locking on her. “Provost?”

  AG’s gaze barely shifted. “You trust him for this?”

  Mai held still. No fidgeting. No tells. “I trust his skillset. The rest… we still control.”

  Mellon Sr. raised a brow. “They’re still under probation and observation. Jane—the actual field operator—is still in training. Not the most stable team for this.”

  Mai’s jaw tensed. “Provost is training Jane, correct? Provost specialized in high-level corporate and political removals. He planned them. Executed them.”

  Still no hesitation.

  AG tilted his head slightly, watching her. “Explain your thoughts, Mai.”

  She didn’t hesitate this time. “If they move from Venice now, they could be in Munich in a few hours. I’ll oversee from here, playing overwatch. TAI acts as the middleman. Provost won’t know I’m watching, and I’ll be able to spot any… irregularities.”

  Mellon Sr. exhaled, considering. “That could work. TAI, run the logistics. Let us know.”

  “Logistically viable,” TAI confirmed.

  AG stretched, letting out a yawn. “Grand. Mai, make sure he succeeds.”

  He waved a hand dismissively. “Everyone out. I’m taking a nap.”

  He glanced at me. “Kay, good luck on your trip—leave now if you want to make it. TAI will handle the rest.”

  Provost’s team is moving into position, and Kay and his crew are flying through the night toward Germany. But the bigger picture is shifting, and not everything is as it seems.