(Chapter 85) A Tip-Off

"You intercepted a package from Ukraine to Russia? I didn't think you had any power in that region." Inside the offices of a secret underground organization, sat a blonde man with glasses typing on the computer.

"I don't, I only followed the lead I had. Luckily they weren't very smart this time." The voice on the phone was slightly distorted, similar to the sound from a radio. But this distortion made the male voice sound crackly and evidently sound mysterious.

The blonde man passed over a piece of paper over the table to his colleague, indicating to look into the matter. "We appreciate the tip-off once again Wu. We'll look into the matter." The blonde man hung up the phone and sighed.

"What's the problem?" His colleague wearing a white shirt asked as he started to type on his computer.

"We cooperate with hackers to solve crimes. Isn't it just ironic?" The blonde man replied, drinking coffee.

"Haha, I guess so. But having the support of most of the hackers of the web is always helpful. They can act out of the jurisdiction which we are forced into." The man in the shirt replied, their jobs were hidden from the public. As members of super-secret government operations it was obvious they lived in the grey of the world. But they still couldn't act freely.

The blonde man rubbed his chin. His colleague had misunderstood him, it always felt to him that the hackers somehow knew too much... While they knew next to nothing about the people they cooperate with, it was a bad feeling in his throat.

.......

Astrid finally stopped smoking and finished all of her calls. She wasn't in control of numerous companies and doing nothing after all. She also needed to delegate other tasks.

After she came inside she woke up Anya and started to spend some time with her. She would start going to school in a few months. She had to completely ensure her safety, as she had taken over the security protocol from her father as her men were highly trained members of the underworld. But they all knew their places, the woman they worked for was deadly.

With Francesca working out, Lewis was now spending his time with Anya and Astrid. He watched on with a smile and contributed as the child sleepily turned to him.

.......

The guests finally left the home. Francesca left first since she was just using the extensive gym they had. She was quite busy herself and couldn't spend much time around.

While Lewis stayed longer he knew he couldn't intrude much longer. Although he spent some good time with Anya and finally got her to secretly address him as 'brother-in-law' he knew when it was time to leave.

Winoa had also returned from what Astrid assigned her and started to serve her. Seeing Astrid sit outside smoking numerous cigarettes, she proceeded to report to her.

"Increase the pressure on the police. Send in more evidence to incriminate his family." Astrid spoke coldly as she stubbed out her cigarette.

"Yes Miss, Inui specified the banquet he will be attending, he wanted to confirm how to set up." Winoa knew the answer, but she still needed to ask.

"Dummy me, I don't have the time to fly to Japan. Make sure to cause some problems during the banquet for the Katafawa clan though. Inui will need some support." Astrid didn't hesitate in her response. No matter her plans before, with the constant change in her plans, she didn't have time to fly to Japan and back.

Winoa nodded. "From the investigations, I found the best schools for the Youngest Miss. The reports for the schools and teachers are in Madam's hands." Winoa reported solemnly.

Astrid then lit another cigarette. She was in constant thought, a lot of stress was placed on her brain in the last few weeks. And what happened last night and this morning just amplified it greatly.

"Good..." Astrid stayed quiet as she conjured up another plan.

"... Corporate with Lewis to operate in France. The plan is in your emails along with the agreement. Be loud this time, we need a reaction from the press." Astrid closed her eyes, indicating to Winoa that she was finished.

"Understood." Winoa solemnly replied, she understood that Astrid wouldn't talk about what happened. She would never open up on her own.

.......

"I heard some interesting things happened today. Care to share my daughter?" Mr. Tuhs finished eating and looked over to his daughter who was making Anya eat more of her food.

Astrid raised her eyebrow at her mother, who just smiled back. "I got drunk and he took me to his home." Astrid spoke in a calm tone, revealing none of her emotions.

Mrs. Tuhs eyes her daughter. "Nothing happened?" She asked almost teasingly, she was quite an open parent. She knew Lewis would care for Astrid if anything did happen.

"You want something to happen?" Astrid retorted back coldly. She couldn't understand her parent's thoughts sometimes.

Mrs. Tuhs just sighed at her daughter. "It's not that we want something to happen. Do you understand Astrid?" Mr. Tuhs replied, he didn't know how to spell it out to his daughter anymore than they have.

Astrid didn't respond and just looked at her father. Her eyes completely free of any emotion that could allow him to discern anything.

Mr. Tuhs said nothing. It was his fault for the way Astrid would act, both he and his wife had placed too much pressure on her after she had recovered. She now resembled stone when talking about relationships. Sometimes he felt that his daughter didn't treat his friends as 'friends' but as pawns. She was too intelligent, too dangerous, but he still viewed her as his daughter that was sickly growing up.

His thoughts were understandable, Astrid was no 'normal' person. In school she aced her tests because her parents told her to 'do her best', so she did. It didn't match the idea of her staying out of the limelight from the enemies swarming her family. Now she was destroying company after company, family after family. All for her own goals, she killed who would benefit her the most. Hence she had earned a deadly reputation from those who were under her. They were subordinates, pawns, she did think good of her friends. But would never show them the depth of the darkness within her.

Such was the fact of her life. In her previous life she killed on order from her parents, she would do anything they say. Now she did that, but the bloodlust she had accumulated couldn't dissipate, hence there would always be a disconnect from her parents now and her. She just couldn't resonate with human feelings well.

Of course, these were her personal thoughts locked away in her mind, she could resonate with Anya well, she subconsciously protected her to incredible amounts. Similar to royalty, not a fly would ever get an opportunity to enter the building she would be in and have an opportunity to do something. Her human emotion was strong. She wasn't planning on letting anything happen to her family or close ones any time soon.

"Ah, the schools you found were all quite good. I do think the last one would be the best though, it's the closest to the house." Mrs. Tuhs changed the subject, she had seen her daughter lower her head subtly, she had learned a lot more about her daughter. lately, and knew about her darker thoughts than before.

Astrid just nodded. She had no opinion on the matter.

And thus the dinner ended with Anya falling asleep and Astrid carrying her to her bed.