Kayla and Ayeka were in their grandmaster’s office. They all sat around and talked about what just happened moments ago.

“The way Chloe structured the new formation of teams was agreed upon all of us,” Dolph confirmed. “I do believe in my heart that Natalia is not entirely ready to either lead a team or be out in the field by herself. You, Ayeka, have a lot of leadership experience with your past affiliations with the Apex Predators. Even teaming up with them for a brief period when Simone was missing in action.”

“Yes, sire,” Ayeka agreed.

“Give it some time. Natalia just returned so abruptly. Given her, such a role would be too overwhelming for someone like her coming back for so long. Plus, she had to overcome a lot of grief, dealing with a lot of personal issues with all of you. Including me. And him…”

Dolph clenched his fist tightly in rage. He didn’t want to think and talk about it, but he couldn’t. That man was responsible for destroying their lives.

Dolph took a deep breath, and he finished, “We don’t know where her actual state of mind lies right now. So, her being in the group and getting her feet wet is the right way of transitioning her back to the way things were.”

“I understand…” Ayeka agreed as Kayla rolled her eyes.

“However, she is not the reason why I have called you both here today,” Dolph clarified. “As you all know, there has been a new monarch making quite the presence of himself. When I wanted to have a private audience with him, I was met with sheer insolence and sarcasm by her advisor. And just now, I’ve been given the straight-to-voicemail treatment. I guess you probably haven’t heard about this person. But she goes by the name of Noel Moon.”

The mission the Nether Elite had with Noel Moon days ago was between them and Adrian.

“Noel Moon…” Kayla played it off. “I’ve heard her name come up once or twice. I never gave it that much thought. A lot of people drop names of others who are proclaimed to be important.”

“Important to many. But the correct word I would say about Noel is ‘connected.’ Well-connected,” Dolph emphasized.

“Connected to what or who?” Kayla questioned.

“According to our new Shadow Support Unit, she was a former pupil of a daemonic cleric named Navarasa.”

“A daemon whose religious? Now I’ve heard everything,” Kayla heckled as this vexes her grandmaster.

“No one said she was, Kayla. Navarasa also held some sovereignty. All I know is Navarasa has been a bit of a ghost. Navarasa and Noel Moon are connected.”

“Does it have anything to do with his Majesty crashing the University’s grand opening?” Kayla questioned.

“Of course, it does. This supposed monarch crashed the party, and I didn’t even recognize him. I couldn’t even recognize her aura. It bothered me. I knew he was there, but I couldn’t identify who he was… until he made himself known…” Dolph explained. “That is why I want to give the two of you your special instructions: I want to find out the identity of I.N.D. and his family. Navarasa and Noel Moon are the only ones who know exactly who I.N.D. is. I hope I haven’t guessed correctly about Navarasa. And if that is the case, Natalia is in grave danger. And if she is in danger, we are all in grave danger. Find I.N.D. and bring Noel Moon to me immediately.”

“Yes, Grandmaster,” Kayla agreed.

“What are you planning to do with him or say to him if we do?” Ayeka questioned.

“You just leave that up to me, Ayeka. Right now, we must play nice with Serpentine. I still haven’t forgotten what Siath has done to all of us. Say what you will, but I do not solely blame anyone for the fall of our Oleander Syndicate. We were all to blame, including me.”

“To some extent…” Kayla goaded.

“To some extent, yes,” Dolph agreed as he sat back in his chair, reflecting on what happened. “Siath did more than just tear us apart, but he had us tear each other apart without making himself known or without even lifting a finger. The lines were redrawn with our own blood, and no one knew who to trust back then. In the end, she took the best of us and broke Natalia and now she is back. I will not be surprised if Saith and the Emperor show their faces again. Which brings me back to them. What are they going to do? Why is I.N.D. talking to every monarch we have ever dealt with? I heard most of them have already sworn allegiance to I.N.D. recently.”

“He is that charismatic?” Kayla questioned.

“That claims to be the reason, Kayla,” Dolph said as he looked over to his left to see a picture of four children. Two of whom were the Zayne brothers, along with their friends Andrea and Chloe. All of whom were younger, happy, and smiling while taking the picture. Dolph rose from his chair and walked over to the image. He picked it up, and he scrutinized over it.

He let out a depressing sigh, “I can never forget that day… These four kids… Not only they cheated death, but they defied the odds to protect what is sacred to him. Family, friendship, freedom. Adrian always resented Revan because of that. Me, not so much. I don’t know what I.N.D. is trying to pull, nor I have no idea what Saith is going to do to us. Is not a matter of if, but when and when that time comes...?”

Dolph couldn’t bring himself to finish his final statement.

However, Kayla understood him completely, “consider it done, grandmaster.”

“For the time being, let’s find Nec De Imperatrice first,” Kayla urged. “What are her motivations? What are her thoughts and feelings about us?”

Ayeka was a bit nervous by Kayla’s bullish tactics, “If we make an enemy out of her for no apparent reason only out of fear--”

“It's not fear, Ayeka,” Kayla defended.

“Ayeka is right, Kayla,” Dolph admitted. “Maybe there is a little bit of fear in me. I don’t know what I.N.D. is capable of. But when the time comes, you take her out. No questions asked. If these four kids getting our way, you take them out as well. I let this little victory lap go on long enough. It’s about time we did some redesigning and rebuilding and reclaiming for ourselves.”

“Yes, sir,” Ayeka and Kayla said in unison. Kayla was ecstatic, but Ayeka couldn’t help but feel some dread and uncertainty.

Suddenly, Dolph’s smartphone started to ring, and he answered the call, “yes. As a matter of fact, both of whom were here right now… Yes, I will tell them… Take care.” Dolph ended the call and addressed both Ayeka and Kayla. “Just now was Serpentine. It appears you ladies have your first mission. You’ll all be briefed by her immediately. Should be waiting for all you at Interpol.”

“Why not here? This place is as good as any?” Kayla contradicted Dolph smirked while facing her.

“Just remember who actually runs the show here. It wasn’t for Serpentine; you wouldn’t have your old job back. We wouldn’t even have this University and rebuilt the castle. So, for once, let us all play along.”

Those words resonated with both veterans. As Ayeka and Kayla left the room, Dolph paid his attention to the picture again. Feeling disgusted by the picture, he set the frame face down. It’s not like he hated them, he respected them. He grew to like the four of them. But, he just didn’t want Andrea’s cheesy smile. To him, it was a bit creepy and off-putting.