"Wow…" Lola whispered under her breath as Elinor led them into the grandiose dining hall, her eyes wide with awe.
Janice, catching her reaction, smiled in amusement finding her cute, while Sonia sneered at her. Tch. Since she couldn't take her frustration out on her physically, she settled for silently ridiculing Lola. It wasn't long ago that she believed herself to be the strongest among her peers. Now? She was the weakest. Even a wimp like Lola outclassed her. That realization stung—badly.
As Elinor led them toward a private room, Janice abruptly stopped her. "Eli, we'll take the table by the glass window over there," She pointed toward an open spot with a gorgeous view of the city skyline. The atmosphere in the main hall was lively, a stark contrast to the suffocating awkwardness she knew would settle over them in a private room.
Especially, considering her company was mostly teenagers and old folks. Delores could accompany her but with recent increased attempts on her life she would rather not and Elinor was on the clock.
Elinor glanced at Ace for his opinion. Seeing him nod, she wordlessly changed course, guiding them toward the chosen table—not too close to the band, but not too far either. With just the right acoustics.
As they reached the table, Ace suddenly halted mid-stride. His gaze locked onto a group of well-dressed individuals seated two tables away, enjoying their meals.
"You guys go ahead and order. I'll be right back," he said, his voice casual but firm.
Without waiting for a response, Ace peeled away from the group and strode toward the table in question.
His arrival immediately drew the attention of the three men seated there. His attire was noticeably underwhelming for the venue, making him stand out like a sore thumb. One of the men, a distinguished-looking older gentleman with a kind face, spoke up first.
"Young man, come back later. We're in the middle of—" He paused, choosing his words carefully, trying to be polite. After all, not just anyone could set foot in this building, let alone this exclusive floor.
Ace, completely unfazed, pulled out a chair and seated himself without invitation.
The three men narrowed their eyes, displeasure flickering across their faces. Yet, none of them immediately acted—his confidence and demeanor made them hesitate.
Leaning back in his chair, Ace let his gaze sweep over them before greeting, "Congressman, Mayor, Police Commissioner. I was planning to meet you guys soon. But I'm lucky to catch you all three here." His voice was smooth, almost lazy, as he reached for the $4,000 bottle of wine sitting at the center of the table. He poured himself a glass without so much as a glance in their direction, leaving the bottle uncorked as he swirled the deep red liquid in his glass.
The tension at the table spiked instantly. Taking offense at his blatant disrespect, the trio set down their cutlery in unison, their expressions turning stern. The Mayor—the kind-looking old man from earlier—was the first to speak, his tone laced with restrained irritation, "And you are?"
Ace waved a dismissive hand, saying, "Enough about me." He took a leisurely sip of wine, his sharp gaze flicking between the three of them before he casually asked, "So, what are you conspiring about today? It's not every day the three kings of the 9Ks gather in one place."
At his words, their expressions darkened as if he had uttered something forbidden.
Ignoring their discomfort, Ace reached for an untouched slice of cranberry pie, took a generous bite, and continued—mouth still half-full. "Must be something big going down. If you don't mind sharing, maybe I can help. Of course…" He smirked, swallowing. "I'd expect compensation for my time."
The only response he got was three pairs of narrowed eyes staring daggers at him.
With a slight frown, he wiped his fingers on a napkin and elaborated, "I hope you're catching my drift here. I'm just a little cash-strapped." He tapped his fingers against the table in mock thoughtfulness. "Don't worry—my fees are very reasonable."
Still, nothing but death stares.
[Dame Wasp: Mission complete. Master, recall me.]
Ace got up with a loud sigh, pushing his chair back with an intentional scrape. "Fine. If you change your minds, you know where to find me." He plucked another piece of pie from the plate and walked off, casually biting into it as he made his way back toward his table.
Before he could get there, though, he spotted Elinor rushing toward him.
As they took their seats, Janice kept a watchful eye on Ace, trying to gauge what he was up to. When she spotted him casually making himself comfortable at the congressman's table, her frown deepened.
Turning to Delores, she asked, "Who are the other two with the congressman? And how the hell did three mortals even get into this building, let alone this floor?"
Delores barely spared a glance before answering, "That's the city mayor and the police commissioner. If I remember correctly, they were working with Sir Beyton on a mission ages ago." She arched a brow, overhearing snippets of their conversation with her enhanced hearing. "It's surprising they're still holding their positions. Looks like working for Sir Beyton did wonders for their careers."
Her frown deepened as she tuned in further. But before she could dwell on it, her gaze shifted to her niece, who was completely engrossed in her cursed phone going through the online menu, oblivious to everything around her—including her duty.
Sighing, Delores snapped, "Young lady, put down your phone and go check on your target. Unless you want another earful from Matthews."
Elinor flinched at her aunt's sharp tone and immediately turned toward the congressman's table. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of the three men glaring at him, she felt their displeasure from where she sat. Without hesitation, she shoved her cursed phone into her pocket and shot up from her seat, rushing toward him.
Janice, watching Elinor's frantic movements, exhaled in exasperation. "She used to be so ambitious. What happened to her?"
"Life," Delores murmured, a hint of sympathy in her voice.
Not that she was surprised. The past few days had been brutal on Elinor—between the C.I.B.'s rigid, illogical protocols, the crushing disappointment in the very system she once believed in, and the sting of betrayal from her so-called best friend. Frankly, it was a miracle she hadn't walked away from the C.I.B. entirely.
But Delores knew her niece too well. Elinor was up to something again. All she could do now was hope it wouldn't land her in trouble.
"Senior, is something the problem?" Elinor said eyeing the three mortals at the table that Ace just left.
"Senior?" Ace was a bit taken aback by being called senior by someone almost a decade older than him again, but still answered, "Nothing, let us get back to our table and eat our fill."
After Ace left their table, the Congressman immediately reached for his phone and called their master, Sir Beyton.