A woman rushed around a kitchen preparing a dish on a silver plate. A man entered; they spoke in Turkish their tones urgent but only slightly heated. The woman placed an ornate silver lid over the steaming meal.
The man takes the dish and dashes out of the door into the restaurant, empty but for the woman sitting back straight, her posture as regal as the clothes she wore. Her hair that was light brown with hints of orange fell at her shoulders stylishly framing her pale face.
The man carries the plate to her table where she is waiting expectantly. He sets it down in front of her and lifts the lid before stepping back his hands clasped together in front of him, nervous tension palpable.
The woman looks up at him calmly and speaks [in Turkish] "Thank you, Kadir." She tastes the dish and smiles placidly [in English.] "Excellent. Please tell your wife she makes it even better than they did in Constantinople."
The man shifts and flashes a polite but bemused smile "I think you mean Istanbul, ma'am. Constantinople, this is its ancient name."
The woman looks at him with well-practiced sincerity with only a shadow of amusement flickering across her face "Of course."
A black car pulled onto the curb and a man got out. He was dressed in a white suit and hat, in contrast to his dark skin. The door opened with a ding when the man stepped in, taking off his hat and holding it close to his chest.
The man bypassed Kadir and sat opposite the woman without invitation or prelude.
The man looked at the woman, a question in his eyes "it has been some time since more than one of us has gathered in one place, I must confess I'm curious."
Alexandra swallowed the mouthful of food she had been chewing "we have it." She eyed the restaurant "the asset, I wanted to tell you in person; I will need my most faithful general by my side for this momentous occasion"
Sowande sat back in his chair.
Madam Gao regarded the boy. He didn't look like much, but she knew from experience how deceptive appearances could be.
Her people had wrapped him in the traditional robes of the ceremony, they were of a deep crimson and soft to the touch.
The room was unremarkable; drab and unfurnished. It resembled a large car park with its tall ceiling and grey concrete walls and grey concrete floors and bulky pillars which disappeared into the darkness. The room was shrouded in darkness, the small electrical lamps which hung from the ceiling, feebly emitting a low buzzing and a sickly yellow light that was doing nothing to chase away the shadows. two twin pillars proudly stood sentry to a stone sarcophagus surrounded by sprawling clusters of wax candles. it seemed almost ethereal, bathed in light and surrounded by dark.
The heavy stone lid lay on the floor next to the casket with the kanji symbols 蘇生 embossed in large font on the front.
The acolytes all wore black robes with red belts in contrast to Madam Gao whom wore white; this was a time of rebirth after all.
Bakuto joined her, his eyes fixed on the ceremony. Madam Gao thought with amusement 'he is here no doubt to gain a foothold, to influence the weapon. Just as I am'. Bakuto had had garnered almost as much respect from her as Alexandra had; he was cunning, ruthless, and extremely manipulative. But like all people he had his weaknesses 'He grows too fond of his disciples' she thought haughtily. In her eyes people were to be used or disposed of.
Bakuto spoke first "Madam Gao, it has been many years since I saw you last" a smirk crept its way onto his face "I could almost say it is good to see you"
"And I you" replied Gao acidly
Bakuto continued to stare ahed "we have an opportunity here, once reborn, the weapon will be malleable, it's allegiances will be… fluid. Changeable. And it would be prudent to capitalise, I know you and I have never quite seen eye to eye. but this could be to put side our differences and try to shift the power dynamic that has always been maintained."
Gao hummed "perhaps. Although we should be careful not to spend too long fighting each other and become weakened. Our petty politics must be put aside to ensure our survival. Especially after… last time"
The tell-tale click clack of loafers announced Sowande's arrival. He had come with Alexandra, 'no surprise there'. Sowande appraised the two and simply nodded to them.
Alexandra strode in front of them already commanding the attention of the group "Madam Gao, Bakuto. how nice to see you both well, it has been an age."
Gao almost rolled her eyes as Bakuto and Alexandra prepared to trade, no doubt, insulant and childish quips but were interrupted by the creak of the elevator. Murakami stepped into the room, dressed in slacks and a charcoal blazer over a plain white Henley. His trademark swagger was amplified the point that even his stance expressed smugness, Gao eyed the group, they found it endearing. Gao gave them a honeyed smile; they were weak.
Alexandra rounded on the group and made a show of appraising each of them "so many of us gathering in one place is rare to say the least, but I believe the situation does call for it. Now, I am sure that everyone remembers what went wrong last time" her tone turned stern "we spent so long devolving into scrambles for power the black sky was not adequately trained to be loyal and ,as such, effective. "I do not need to remind you how fragile our continued existence is and how each of us play vital roles to the hand. I want you to consider what would actually happen if one of us was eliminated." She looked at Gao "we would have limited finances " her gaze flickered to Bakuto "no inside agents, no assassins" then to Sowande "no foot soldiers or clean-up operation" then to Murakami "a reduced ability to obtain special …acquisitions and locations" then finally she addressed them all "and without me we would be unable to stay in the shadows, to hide from governments and the world at large. In summary, we are not children, we need to start acting like it"
Sowande and Murakami seemed impassive whereas Gao and Bakuto were left suitably chastised.
Alexandra paused for effect and then continued, her tone less accusatory "I propose the black sky is trained by all of us in our respective areas of expertise, Bakuto, Gao I assume at least one of you is hatching plans already but in light of what I have just said I hope you will work together on this; you will be invaluable in controlling the weapon"
Gao and Bakuto looked at each other uncertainly.
Cassandra didn't give them a chance before moving on the body and waving them off. the other leaders left the room. The body was loaded into the coffin and filled with blood and a grey powder. Cassandra left the room and waited. And waited.