Juliet hesitated, then nodded.“You’re right. I just… I hate feeling powerless.”Pearl gave a small smile.“So do I. But power comes from keeping your cool, even when everything’s falling apart.”The next morning, a plain brown package arrived at Louis’s office.It was unmarked, save for a handwritten note that simply read: For your eyes only.Louis opened it carefully, his heart sinking as he pulled out a photograph.It was an old, faded image of his mother, standing next to a tall man whose face was obscured by the shadow of a wide-brimmed hat.The caption beneath the photo sent a chill down his spine: She knew.Louis stared at the image, his mind racing.What did she know? And why is The Broker showing me this now?Pearl and Terminator X entered the office, their conversation stopping as they saw Louis’s expression.“What is it?” Pearl asked.Wordlessly, Louis handed her the photo.She studied it, her eyes narrowing.“That’s your mother?”Louis nodded. “And that’s him. The Broker.”

Before Louis could respond, a soft chime echoed through the club.Elias stood abruptly, smoothing his suit.“Looks like our time is up,” Elias said.“Be careful, Louis. The Broker is always three steps ahead.”As Elias disappeared into the crowd, Louis turned to Juliet, his jaw tight.“We need to leave. Now.”Juliet nodded, but her eyes betrayed her concern.“What now?”“Now,” Louis said, his voice filled with resolve, “we find out everything my mother was hiding.”Outside, Pearl’s voice came through the earpiece.“You’ve got company—two operatives heading your way.”Louis paced the length of the dimly lit safehouse, his mind spinning with the revelations Elias had dropped at The Obsidian Circle.Pearl and Juliet sat on opposite ends of the room, their expressions a mix of concern and frustration as they watched him.“I still can’t believe it,” Louis muttered, the photograph of his mother clutched in his hand.“She was working with The Broker. How could I not know?”Juliet, her arms c

The tension in the AAA Group’s war room was palpable.Louis stood at the center, staring at the holographic map of Apple City, marked with points of attack and suspected locations tied to The Broker’s operations.Juliet and Pearl were seated at opposite ends of the table, their stiff postures reflecting the widening rift between them.“This isn’t working,” Juliet said sharply, breaking the silence.“We can’t keep tiptoeing around The Broker. We need to bring this into the open, expose him for what he’s doing.”Pearl, her tone measured but pointed, countered, “And risk tipping him off to everything we know? That’s exactly what he wants—to bait us into making impulsive decisions.”Juliet’s eyes flashed.“This isn’t impulsive. It’s strategy. People need to know what’s happening. The more we wait, the more he gains the upper hand.”“And if we go public without solid evidence?” Pearl asked.“He’ll twist the narrative, paint us as the aggressors, and we’ll lose any leverage we have.”Louis

The air in the safehouse was heavy with tension.Louis stood at the center of the room, his arms crossed, while Juliet and Pearl sat at opposite ends of the table, avoiding each other’s gaze.Terminator X monitored a bank of screens in the corner, his fingers flying across the keyboard.Louis broke the silence, his tone resolute.“We can’t keep fighting each other. That’s exactly what The Broker wants.”Juliet crossed her arms, her tone sharp.“I’m not the one playing politics instead of focusing on the fight.”Pearl raised an eyebrow, her voice calm but pointed.“And I’m not the one rushing into situations without thinking.”Louis slammed his hand on the table, startling them both.“Enough. You’re both right—and you’re both wrong. We can’t win this if we’re divided.”He took a deep breath, his voice softening.“I’ve been thinking a lot about my mother. About what she sacrificed to protect this city. And what she gave up to try and stop The Eternals.”Juliet and Pearl exchanged a glan

The warehouse was a chaotic storm of flashing lights, deafening explosions, and the echoing sounds of combat.The Broker’s operatives moved with precision, their movements coordinated as they closed in on Louis and his team.Despite the overwhelming odds, Louis kept his focus, his eyes darting between his team’s positions.“We’re surrounded,” Terminator X said through the comms.“They’ve got reinforcements cutting off every exit.”“We need to create an opening,” Juliet responded, her voice taut as she fired at an approaching operative. “If we stay pinned here, we’re done.”“Pearl, what’s your position?” Louis asked.Pearl’s calm voice came through.“North corner, near the backup generator. I can see their comms relay. If I can disable it, it’ll disrupt their coordination.”“Do it,” Louis said.“Juliet, cover her.”There was a pause before Juliet replied.“Got it. Let’s move.”Juliet sprinted across the warehouse floor, dodging debris and enemy fire.Pearl followed closely behind, her