Wisps of steam rose from a white porcelain cup. The liquid filling it was a clear golden brown, and the sweet aroma wafting from it tingled the nose. Jordan Evans stared at the cup for a good five seconds before looking up. Seeing the fuzzy visage of his secretary, he finally realized how bad his current state was.
"Thank you, Isabelle." He said while massaging his eyes at the same time. "You may leave now."
"Sir, why don’t you take a short break?"
The young woman was tall for her gender, with a slender, athletic body and pale blond hair tied into a neat bun above her head. She was dressed in the colors of the NVPD and chose a miniskirt that accentuated her long legs. As gorgeous as she was, her impassive expression and cold blue eyes lacked the slightest bit of warmth, contrasting with the words she just spoke.
"Don’t worry, I will be done soon." Said the Commissioner. "You can go ahead and leave for the day."
"Sir..." the secretary fixed him with a sharp glare. "It’s already 07:00. You have been at your desk for twenty hours."
"You have an important meeting in three hours, sir. If you don’t rest until then, you won’t be in any shape to participate."
"Then you should have brought me a cup of coffee, not this..."
"Honey Rose tea. Great for relieving stress and insomnia."
"Thank you, but..." The Commissioner shook his head. "Sleeping now would only make things worse."
Right away, he went back to staring at empty air, his hands moving around and grasping at nothing. Though it appeared as if he was putting on a mime show, from his perspective, he was typing on a laptop and flipping through some papers.
With how limited the mental commands one can give to their NIM, hand gestures were still an essential part of operating the implant. A lot of people prefer simple floating screens that can be operated like tablets, but in Jordan’s case, he had customized his OAM to overlay a normal office on his desk, allowing him to work as if he were still in the world from fifty years ago.
Waiting by the side for a few seconds, Isabelle took the tea cup and left the room. Soon after, she returned with a mug of freshly brewed coffee and placed it beside the Commissioner, saying nothing as she watched him work.
"The day is fast approaching." He said after a while. "How is everyone faring?"
Leaning back in his chair, he picked up the mug and brought it to his mouth, taking a sip from the pitch black liquid.
"The tension has been rising by the day, sir," Isabelle replied. "They can tell that something big is about to happen."
"I see." Taking another sip, Jordan went back to work, typing on the laptop projected on his desk. "It’s only natural. Rumors must have spread by now. With seven days remaining, they need the time to prepare."
"We won’t be making an official announcement until the day before, right, sir?"
"Indeed. Though it’s unlikely that the Stahlwölfes are still oblivious to what’s about to happen, we have to keep the matter under wraps until the last minute."
Large operations such as Wolf Slayer aren’t meant to be telegraphed in advance. Until the designated day, only the high-ranking officers of the police force and the BEO would be privy to the details, with a few vague rumors purposefully spread between the lower ranks to serve as mental preparations.
"The Romanos have been on the news recently." Said Isabelle. "Their princess seems to have arrived at the Blue Ember on schedule."
"That’s... to be expected. A lot is resting on this alliance. They can’t afford to pull back now."
"I still do not understand." Isabelle furrowed her elegant brows, finally showing a hint of emotion. "Why would the Romanos choose to bind themselves to a mundane family such as the Stahlwölfes? One would think it’s for the vast wealth of the Steel Wolf conglomerate, but an ancient Sorcerer family like themselves shouldn’t be lacking in such matters."
Once upon a time, Sorcerer families had a monopoly on the Enhanced Individuals. They used those powers to cement their place in the world, and though many have declined and faded into the fog of history, those that remain still exert great influence on the world.
With the power and control they have, wealth and resources have never been a problem. For that reason, many find it confusing that the Romanos chose to ally themselves with the Stahlwölfes, a wealthy but mundane family.
Looking up from his projected laptop, the Commissioner smiled at his secretary.
"Did you consider that it might be true love?"
Isabelle’s face regained its impassiveness right away.
"That is simply impossible. Even on the off chance that Klaus Stahlwölfes manages to woo the Romanos princess, it’s far from a good reason for the two families to proceed with the marriage."
"Haha, that is indeed correct." Raising his cup, the Commissioner stared at it for a while. "It’s true that Sorcerer families have no need for the wealth or resources, but for how long do you think that would be the case?"
Tilting her head a little, Isabelle gave him a questioning look. Seeing that she had no intention of playing the guessing game, the Commissioner smiled and started wiggling his fingers in the air, tapping on an invisible keyboard.
"Sorcerers might have ruled our world once, but things have changed in recent times." He said. "The proliferation of Genomes is becoming a threat to their very existence. You could say they no longer have the luxury of keeping the bloodline pure."
"Yes." Nodding, the commissioner took a big swig from his cup, downing most of what remained in one go. "They are attempting to spread their Arts to mundane people. Unfortunately, the way they are going about it is far too slow. Though it might appear as if they are opening up, in truth, they’re still clinging on to their pride."
"And that is what gives us the opening to interfere, correct?" Isabelle asked.
Picking up his cup, the Commissioner was about to drink the last of his coffee but suddenly came to a stop. Remaining static for a few seconds, he heaved a sigh then downed the remaining drops before going back to his work. Isabelle remained in her spot, watching him in silence. When the cup was placed back on the desk, she moved to take it away, but the Commissioner spoke just then.
"Say, Isabelle, did I ever tell you about my surgery?"