Chapter 975: Your Terms Are Acceptable

In the heart of the mountain was the recently looted reality core depository. The individual containment vessels were themselves miniature vaults, and some the most sophisticated magitech ever produced on Earth. As the farming program had been embarked upon cautiously, only seven cores had thus far been acquired. This corresponded to the seven containers left open and empty.

Three people were in the vault, surveying their loss. One was Geneva Network branch director, Geneva Andros. With her was Albert Clynes who, despite being Director of Enforcement Operations, was a mousy administrator. The last person in the vault was Fiona Calloway. She was Director of Intelligence Operations for the Geneva branch and had been for longer than the other two had been alive. Despite her silver rank, she looked closer to a well-preserved fifty than the twentysomething appearance of most essence users.

Geneva glared at the empty containers as if pure spite could refill them.

“How did they carry out an armful of orbs while fighting off the guards?” she demanded.

“We believe they used a dimensional storage device, Director,” Clynes said.

“How did Finnegan get a hold of a dimensional bag that wouldn’t rupture with seven reality cores inside?”

“There are a few floating around the black market,” Fiona said. “It was likely the vampire who obtained it.”

“We’re sure that it was Elizabeth?” Geneva asked. “It seems like a risk to come herself.”

“Yes, Director,” Clynes said. “We’re sure.”

“One can never be certain, in a world of magic,” Fiona said. Anger flared in Clynes’ eyes at being contradicted, but he swiftly smothered it.

“We have security footage of her face and her powers, both of which are congruous with our knowledge of her,” Clynes said. “We’re as confident as we can be.”

“Then why was she here in person?” Geneva asked.

“Her position amongst the vampires has been increasingly tenuous since the Asano Clan reclaimed their territory,” Fiona explained. “She has been making increasingly desperate moves.”

“Weren’t the vampire lords most opposed to her collectively slaughtered in those cities?” Geneva asked.

“The ones most overtly opposed,” Fiona qualified. “Those that remain are more cautious and cunning. Also, it was not Elizabeth who eliminated her rivals but Jason Asano. That failure, along with her known aversion to confronting Asano, undermines her position. Her influence has diminished, and she must now be careful of what was once under her unquestionable sway.”

“Then why did we make a deal with her?” Geneva asked. “It seems that her rivals would have been the more reliable choice.”

“Because her rivals still believe there is a fight to be won,” Fiona said. “That there is a scenario where they hold Europe as a permanent vampire kingdom. Elizabeth is one of the few vampire lords who, even in private, recognise that is not a tenable position. Her lack of illusions make her more controllable.”

Geneva gestured at the open containers.

“Is this what controllable looks like to you, Fiona?”

“Obviously, miscalculations were made,” Fiona said. “But using Elizabeth was still the smart choice. Our involvement with the vampires will come out, sooner or later. Exploiting them in the final days of their power is one thing. Being traitors to humanity who helped them retain that power is another.”

“Why did I only hear about this program when it started falling apart?” Geneva asked. “If I’d been briefed before the Zurich branch director went rogue, perhaps I could have done more to secure a facility I didn’t know existed.”

“The leadership council decided that it was best to keep things contained. Marie Finnegan was adamant about keeping the circle as small as possible, and she had to be mollified. Her contacts with Elizabeth and Simon McKean were critical to making this work.”

“And now she’s betrayed us, it’s blown up in their faces and I’m expected to clean up the council’s mess.”

“Yes. You are being watched closely, Director. This situation is very dangerous for you, should it go wrong, but if you comport yourself well here, it becomes an opportunity the leadership council will…”

Fiona trailed off as one of her subordinates rushed in through the huge vault door.

“Ma’am, we have a problem. Someone used the satellite mask to hide what we’re doing here.”

The intelligence director scowled.

“I left specific instructions that it was not to be used again. If they can see us acting here, that doesn’t matter. We have deniability enough that there’s no justification for them to come poking around.”

“Ma’am, there is no indication that the satellite masking has been—”

“I know the world’s intelligence communities have spent the last two decades playing catch-up,” Geneva interrupted. “One of the more breathtaking mistakes that has led to is the magical community underestimating these organisations. Do you have any idea who and what you are dealing with? The CIA has a level of expertise in gathering information that seems magical to those of us who use actual magic. If we don’t respect their capabilities, the cost will be dire. We have to assume that not only have they discovered how we’re hiding the satellite data but tracking us in case we use it again.”

Fiona gave Geneva an approving look, then turned back to her subordinate.

“The director is exactly right,” she said. “The first question must be whether this was a potentially costly mistake or active sabotage. I want everyone even peripherally involved to be secured immediately. Clynes, can you task one of your enforcement teams to secure and hold them?”

“I can,” Clynes said. “I’ll call in one of—”

A silver-ranker in tactical gear entered the vault to approach Clynes.

“Sir, we’ve got something approaching through the air.”

“Monsters?”

“No, sir, uh…”

“Out with it, man,” Geneva snapped.

“Sorry, Director,” the man said, bobbing his head in her direction. “It’s black, kind of a diamond shape. Like a pyramid, with an upside-down pyramid attached to the bottom.”

“Like a D8,” Clynes said.

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“A what?” Geneva asked.

“Not worth explaining,” Fiona said, then looked back to her subordinate. “Continue.”

“It has these swirling things on the sides. They look like the Helix Nebula.”

“The Helix Nebula?” Clynes asked.

“It’s a distant space object,” Fiona said.

“I know what a nebula is,” Clynes said.

“This particular one,” Fiona said, “is known as the Eye of God. It has also become a symbol for Jason Asano, who we can assume is paying us a visit. It would seem, Geneva, that the opportunity I mentioned has come more swiftly than anticipated. This is your chance to prove yourself to the leadership committee. Do tell me how it goes.”

With a slight popping sound, Fiona teleported away.

***

Inside his cloud ship, Jason gathered with his familiars. Compared to the battle configuration of the vessel’s exterior, the atrium they were in was filled with light, plants and water, with streams spilling off the mezzanine levels to make little waterfalls. While the hull of the airship looked black and impenetrable to those outside, it let sunlight shine through to fill the space.

Gordon and Shade floated in the air. Colin was in his blood clone state and wore Jason’s face, along with the dark red robes he conjured for them both. His eyes were different, being red orbs instead of swirling nebulae. He also lacked the void cloak that made Jason seem to be draped in a portal.

“Are we sure that having the ship in a battle configuration is the way to go?” Colin asked. “What if they get intimidated and run away before we can eat anyone? I mean, talk them down peacefully.”

“Ulterior motives notwithstanding,” Shade said, “Colin’s suggestion is not without merit. Ameliorating the aggression of your approach might better serve your ongoing diplomatic efforts.”

“The focus of my diplomatic efforts has been to show the Earth that what they want from me cannot be taken. That the carrot must be earned. Today they learn that the stick can be earned as well.”

“Very well, Mr Asano, but allow me to remind you that a stick is blunt.”

“I’m not looking to kill anyone, Shade. But healing magic is strong, and some lessons are only learned the hard way.”

***

“I don’t care what you have going on,” Geneva snarled into the phone. “Either you get them here now, or I’m sending them after you.”