Sophia came in to see Agda making herself at home in their kitchen.

“Granddaughter, where do you keep your coffee?” Agda asked, rummaging through their cupboards.

“No idea. The drones usually make it.” Sophia responded, the old Sentire wrinkling her nose at the mention of the dog sized arachnid workers.

“If you think I’ll be that easily swayed then you’re very... VERY wrong!” Aleks declared, his torso bare as he struggled to put on a shirt while wheeling himself forward in his... Sophia paused.

“Why are you in a wheelchair?!” Sophia exclaimed, her voice filled with concern.

“Screw that, why is your grandmother making herself at home?!” Aleks responded from atop the stairs looking down at them through the bars on the railing, as he couldn’t comfortably look over.

“I’ll be staying here to make sure my granddaughter and her child are safe and taken care of.” Agda replied haughtily.

Aleks stared at her incredulously before something changed in his eyes, as if they’d gone blank for a moment, then his face took on a wicked expression.

“Well, I’m glad we can get support from family in these trying times. It is good to have you here, Agda.” Aleks said in a sickly sweet tone that sent shivers up Sophia’s spine.

“As you can see, I’m not quite able to move around properly. Could I convince you to retrieve my bag outside? It’s near the cave entrance.” Aleks said sinisterly.

“I am not here to be your helper.” Agda responded arrogantly.

“Oh I know, it’s for Sophia... To help with the energy she needs for the child to be healthy.” Aleks lied.

But Agda was already moving, the shrewd Matriarch immediately replaced with an overbearing Sentire at the mention of an Heir.

“Grandmother stop.” Sophia warned.

“What is it, granddaughter?” Agda asked, confused.

“It’s a trap.” Sophia said, narrowing her eyes disapprovingly at the one peering down at them from above, his wide smile all teeth as he gripped the vertical wooden bars of the railing like a prisoner in a cell.

“Better go get it before it spoils, wouldn’t want her to go without.” Aleks goaded, looking down at them like a cat spying on mice.

“Wow, you get kinda dark when you can’t move around on your own, huh?” Natasha said, walking up to him.

“I don’t understand. How could it be a trap?” Agda asked, confused.

“Same reason I told you to stay inside. The drones are out there. They’d never make trouble in the house... But it’s a different story outside it.” Sophia explained.

“Bah, those little bugs are of no concern to me.” Agda said, walking at a lightning pace to the front door before anyone could react.

Sophia sighed. Deciding to let events run their course, she turned to the top of the stairs again.

“Are you going to be okay?” Sophia asked, still unhappy, but worry winning out in her mind.

“I will be.” Aleks replied, his face returning to a kinder expression.

“Why are you in a wheelchair?” Sophia asked again.

“Because I can’t walk.” Aleks responded playfully.

“Yeah, I got that part, but-” Sophia was interrupted by a crash and the sounds of a sea of skittering creatures.

“Should I be concerned about that?” Sophia asked, looking towards the front door.

“Nah, they told me something about her being mean to them. I told them not to do anything excessive.” Aleks explained.

“So, you’re fine with her staying here?” Sophia asked, surprised.

“Hell no. But it’s up to you. I’m not gonna stop you from having family close, if that’s what you need. Now could you get up here? Talking like this is a bit silly. I would come down to you, but I doubt it’d end well.” Aleks said with a chuckle.

Sophia climbed the stairs in three steps, her movements like she was suspended from a wire, pulling her up and making her float through the air.

She landed a couple of steps from the top, bringing her eye to eye with Aleks before she leaned in, embracing him.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” She said softly, pulling away and lifting his chin with her hand to place a kiss on his lips as he had done the night at the Gala.

Natasha couldn’t help but smile, as there was finally a semblance of peace in their house.

Although the rumblings outside did worry her some.

***

“They approached me in Berlin.” Leyla said with a troubled expression.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Before or after Mavis’ attempt at kidnapping Sasha?” Katya asked, her face blank and unreadable.

“I believe it was moments after the situation had been resolved. Although it is hard to tell how much they knew. They seemed unaware of the specifics,” Leyla replied.

Leyla had spent the better part of three weeks traveling through old Europe on a diplomatic mission, to gather intelligence on the council and their movements.

Katya had wanted to dangle a hook in the waters and see what might bite. She had never imagined the Council would come to her with terms. Their modus operandi was one of indirect action, sending people like Mavis to test out the limits of their opponents.

“As far as I could feel out, they believe it’s too late to bring action against us, especially with the public nature of Mavis’ attempt. That, combined with what is happening around the world, seems to have convinced them it is more important to focus on weathering the coming storm.” Leyla theorized.

“The quarantine zones.” Katya said, knowing it had played a large part in their decision.

“Yes, if the existence of such supernatural things is revealed and widely accepted, then it won’t be long until it threatens the accords. They want to save up their strength and resources for that, instead of being caught up in an open war of uncertainties.” Leyla said, referring to Mr. Titanos.

The link between the situation at the party and the wide swarth of destruction found where their heir had been retrieved left little doubt as to who the culprit was.

“Ma’am, Michael Devos is here to see you.” Katya’s temporary assistant informed her.

She had discreetly sent Silas away for his own good. His history of bad blood with the Devos court meant it was for the best.

“Send him in.” Katya replied.

Michael Devos walked in like he owned the place, all the usual swagger of a criminal.

“Katya!” Michael exclaimed in a bombastic and overly friendly greeting. “It seems we’re seeing more and more of each other with each passing day ever since your clan’s relocation. I’m starting to wish you’d done so decades ago. Our working relationship might have grown closer then.” He continued with a slick smile.

Leyla excused herself, Michael sneaking a glance at her leaving before taking a seat unprompted.

“We want him, Katya... We want him bad and it would only be a matter of time. Why not share the good fortune of the Asian Clans losing their monopoly? It would certainly buy you a lot of goodwill, something you’re severely lacking on this coast, I might add.” Michael suggested, no sooner than he’d sat down.

“You seemed quite friendly with Oda Tokugawa. Why not ask him for help instead?” Katya snidely remarked.

“Clan Tokugawa aren’t mainlanders. It would seem it has been a while since you’ve visited our eastern cousins. Things have heated there as they have here, talks of unification by force if need be, conglomerates flaunting the accords at will, the council no longer has any say in that part of the world.” Michael explained, leaning back, relishing the feeling of being in the know.

“You’re just dying to know how I managed to wrangle those traditionalists into even remotely accepting someone of my kind, aren’t you?” Michael grinned arrogantly as he reached into his breast-pocket and pulled out a cigar, as if the man couldn’t become anymore of a cliché.

Katya tapped her finger twice on her desk, gaining the attention of the two shadowy bird-like figures hidden nearby.

Then discreetly flicked her finger at the cigar in Michael’s mouth.

Barely a moment later, a bolt of crimson lightning arced across the room, cutting it in half, Michael nearly falling backwards out of his seat, his expression shocked and panicked.

“No smoking. Think of the heirs.” Katya said sweetly, like a principal.

Michael tried to regain his composure, but Katya still caught his occasional glances to the origin of the lightning.

“I don’t much care why they’ve chosen to overlook your natures, but if I had to guess, it would be that they see the writing on the wall as clearly as the rest of us should. The mainland clans are looking to solidify their region of the world. They’ve already chosen their preliminary targets. It won’t be long before Tokugawa is forced to either submit or flee.” Katya replied. It was a theory already discussed at an elder meeting, along with their response should the Tokugawa’s seek refuge or try to pressure them out.

“Impressive as always.” Michael complimented. “But you’re missing a piece of the puzzle.” He added, leaning forward conspiratorially.

“Every coven affiliated Mystic, Witch or shaman from the Arabian sea to the Bering strait has all but evaporated. The few that are left being in high demand, to the point of clans and courts clashing over them.” Michael said, regaining his confident demeanor.

“So?” Katya asked.

“So the demand for their inferior talismans has skyrocketed and people are looking for alternatives. The ones made by your Titan being the only ones worth a damn.” Michael replied.

Katya sighed. It was always the same with him.

“You are an incorrigible gossip, Michael.” She stated.

“Tell me the world isn’t going to shit Katya, and then tell me you couldn’t use a few more friends, regardless of their appetites.” Michael pushed a glint to his eye that she might have found charming three centuries ago.

“I’ll see what I can do, but no promises.” Katya finally relented.

***

“The containment parameters have been completed.” A soldier informed Naomi.

“Good, return to your post.” Naomi ordered, before turning back to a familiar person sitting across from her desk.

“I think I’ll need you to repeat that last bit for me, Thomas.” Naomi said, her voice dropping to a dangerous level.

“Thought we weren’t supposed to use first names anymore, Nami.” Thomas taunted.

Naomi had through some manic breakdown actually dated this asshole once upon a time, his arrogant and self-important attitude having likely scratched some childhood trauma of hers.

And now she had to deal with the idiot who still refused to accept she now technically outranked him.

“It’s Ma’am or Ms. Winters now.” Naomi rebuked sternly.

“Uhuh, well Ma’am. The director of Kinetic operations wants you to open a path for us through the barricades and patrols.” Thomas said, making sure to name drop a superior.

“Why? The whole point of this base it to keep those things in and everything else out. Why would they send you in there?” Naomi questioned skeptically.

“That’s classified.” Thomas replied condescendingly, enjoying the moment.

“Guess I’ll have to refuse then, seeing as you’ve got no official orders, and I’ve received no word about any operations taking place in the containment zone.” Naomi replied through gritted teeth, Thomas somehow always managing to get under her skin by presence alone.

“Listen, Naomi, this isn’t a request. It’s an order. You will open a path for our team and that’s it. You don’t need to know the what’s or why’s of this stuff.” Thomas snapped at her, reminding her exactly why she’d broken things off.

He wasn’t fond of the word no and had a habit of using anyone higher ranked as justification for getting his way.

“Unless I get a written order on my desk, you aren’t going in there. That is an actual order in case you were confused. Now Agent Mauss, you are dismissed, please leave the premises as they are restricted to personnel and approved visitors only.” Naomi said with iron in her voice as she started going over the papers on her desk.

“You’ll regret this.” He hissed before storming out of the tent.

“I’m sure I will.” Naomi sighed.

***

Thomas marched up to his team, the rain making the ground muddy, each stomp splashing dirt up his combat boots.

“Well now, there comes Casanova himself. How’d it go with the old fling? Got us the Infil?” His team leader Miller jeered.

“No, sir. Seems we’ll have to do this the hard way.” Thomas growled.

“No worries son, a little wetwork never hurt anyone, well no one on this team, anyway.” The aging soldier laughed.

“We’ll move once dark falls. Gear up.” Miller barked at his team as they sprang into motion.