2026-05-05 06:26:28
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THE EMPTY CHAIR
The assistant leaned toward the window. “Perhaps only the top floor was reserved.”Roland's expression hardened. “That is not what the invitation suggested.”The vehicle stopped beneath the entrance lights, but Roland did not immediately step out.“Call Xavier Group and confirm the arrangement,” he ordered.His assistant checked the invitation on his tablet. “There is no return number, sir. Only the encrypted confirmation channel.”Roland looked back toward the Tribunal soldiers. “That is unusual.”“But Grand Master Ethan's soldiers are here,” the assistant reminded him. “They would not surround this place without a reason.”Roland remained silent for another moment.He considered ordering the driver to leave. Arnold was missing, Marcus had been cut off while speaking, and now the supposedly private restaurant was filled with customers.Too many things felt wrong.Roland looked once more at the restaurant entrance. “First Marcus disappears, then Arnold refuses to answer, and now this.
AN INVITATION TO TROUBLE
Ten minutes later, Roland still had no answer from either Arnold Wagner or Marcus Doyle. The luxury vehicle moved steadily toward The Imperial Sapphire, but his mind remained trapped inside the unfinished phone call.He called Arnold again. The phone rang until the line disconnected.Roland stared at the screen, then tried Marcus for the seventh time. The same message appeared.DEVICE UNAVAILABLE.His assistant finally turned around from the front seat. “Sir, is the problem that serious?”Roland locked the phone and slipped it into his palm. “It is being handled.”The assistant hesitated. “You have called the same two numbers several times since we left the junction. If there is something that could affect tonight's meeting, perhaps I should know.”Roland looked at him coldly. “Then you should understand that I do not want questions.”The assistant immediately lowered his head. “Yes, sir.”For a few seconds, the vehicle fell quiet again. Roland could feel his assistant watching him th
THE BREACH
The line remained connected, but the insider did not finish his sentence. Roland heard hurried movement, followed by strained breathing.“Speak to me,” Roland ordered. “Who received the evidence?”There was another impact, louder this time.Then the man released a broken sound.“Argh…”Roland rose partly from his seat. “What happened? Answer me!”Nothing followed except faint movement on the other end. The silence lasted five seconds, but it felt far longer.“Can you hear me?” Roland demanded. “Say something!”The call ended.Roland stared at the screen before immediately calling the number back. The first attempt failed before it even began.He tried again.The call reached a dead line.On the third attempt, a message appeared across the screen.DEVICE UNAVAILABLE.Roland stared at the message in disbelief. That encrypted device had never failed before.“This isn't a network problem,” he muttered.The driver glanced into the mirror again. “Sir?”“Nothing,” Roland replied sharply. “Ju
BEFORE THE TRUTH WAS SPOKEN
Roland’s grip tightened around the phone as the vehicle continued through the evening traffic. The excitement he had felt moments earlier disappeared, and it was replaced by a cold pressure inside his chest.“What about Dr. Arnold Wagner?” he asked. “Speak clearly.”The insider lowered his voice. “Sir, there has been a serious breach in our secret operations. Several areas that were never supposed to connect have been accessed through the hospital system.”Roland sat forward. “What areas?”“We are still checking,” the man replied. “But Arnold’s access records were altered. Someone used his credentials to enter restricted files, and several documents appear to have been copied.”Roland glanced at Ethan’s invitation still glowing on his other phone. “Which documents?”“I cannot confirm everything yet,” the insider said. “We found activity around insurance billing, supplier agreements, internal approval records, and files linked to outside accounts.”Roland’s fingers tightened around the
A TABLE FOR TWO
His assistant checked the attached instructions. “Grand Master Ethan is known for avoiding public political displays. He may not want reporters turning the dinner into a campaign event before both of you reach an understanding.”One investor leaned against the table. “Powerful men do not meet publicly when discussing the future. They speak privately first, decide what they want, and allow the cameras to see only the final result.”Roland nodded slowly. “Then he intends to speak honestly.”For a brief moment, Felix Vale entered his thoughts. Felix had lost his job and licence after an unknown visitor caused trouble inside the hospital. Hilton had acted with unusual speed, and the timing of it all still troubled Roland.He looked at his assistant. “Did Xavier Group explain why Ethan chose me?”“No, sir,” the assistant answered. “They only said the discussion concerns Verdanis, healthcare, and the future.”The answer pushed Felix out of Roland’s mind. Healthcare and the future were the e
A PRIVATE AUDIENCE?
Roland read the invitation three times before he allowed himself to believe it was real. The Xavier Group seal, encrypted verification code, and executive signature were all present. No campaign office in Verdanis could have forged something this secure.Roland checked the digital signature again and compared it with previous documents issued by Xavier Group. Every security marker matched. Even the private access code had been generated through the same encrypted system used for Khagan Council communications.For the first time, he stopped searching for signs of fraud and began considering what the invitation could give him.He looked at his assistant. “Did Xavier Group contact you directly?”The assistant nodded quickly. “Their executive office verified the request twice, sir. They confirmed your name, your position, and the time of the meeting.”Roland returned his attention to the screen. “And Grand Master Ethan requested this personally?”“That is what they said,” the assistant r
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