(Chapter 134) The Day Has Come

"Preparations are complete, the personal guards are the ones in these pictures." Winoa laid out 6 pictures of people in suits or dresses on the table for Astrid to see.

Astrid hummed and glanced over their faces. "Good, how is my suit?" Astrid asked as she took out a cigarette.

Lewis inwardly sighed, he had his finger in a lot of the design of the hall. But he still couldn't make Astrid wear a dress for him... But then again, he did understand the reason of her choosing a suit instead.

"It will be arriving 3 hours before the banquet." Winoa reported with a straight face, she had a lot to say about the suit. So much that her eyes glanced at the two potential problems, but it was unnoticed by the brooding Astrid.

"... Good, I assume Leone and Francesca are ready as well?" Astrid mumbled, she was wondering how things were going between them...

Winoa blinked and then took out her phone, dialing Francesca. She ended up going to the voicemail.

'Strange, Francesca is normally up early.' Winoa had memorized important schedules in case of emergencies, Francesca would normally be awake at 6am to train. She followed in Mrs. Tuhs healthy and hard-working approach to be as fit as possible.

Winoa then decided to phone Leone instead. Just as the final ring was about to go to voicemail, she got an answer.

"Hello?" Leone's hoarse voice was the first thing that Winoa heard. And she tried to stop herself from face-palming.

"Leone, the banquet is today. Make sure to get yourself and Francesca up and ready soon. Otherwise there will be consequences you can't bear to take." Winoa threatened before hanging up. Leaving Leone to be very much awake on the other side...

"Hey... Hey." Leone shook Francesca in the bed next to him. Only to hear a disgruntled noise.

"Hmm?" Francesca was clearly tired. But Leone couldn't afford to be tired anymore.

"We need to get up, if we don't... God, Astrid might kill us." Leone thought of the threat... And knew that Astrid wouldn't hold back in punishments, and also his cousin would side with her...

Francesca yawned and dragged herself out of bed. "It's your fault... What a ruffian." Francesca grumbled, as she walked herself to the bathroom.

Leone scratched his head, not knowing how to respond to that remark...

.......

"Puhh! How dare the lieutenant decide to give orders like that!? Who does he think he is? He is nothing... Like the Cap'n." Within the bars of St.Petersburg, disgruntled sailors drank away.

"I know 'ight? Is'nt... the Lieutenant that big boss' lapdog or somma?" The partner of the sailor asked while drowning another gulp of Vodka.

In the corner of the bar. A distinguished English businessman seemed to be drinking with a patience unlike most patreons. He grabbed the attention of the working females, and even some jealous men...

But this 'businessman' was doing nothing but listening on some important information being leaked by his enemy.

Brad slowly tapped the table in thought. A few days of information gathering had been leading to similar results. That the crew was split in half. One-sided with the captain and leader of the ship, while the other half sided with the Lieutenant, the second in command.

"My, how stereotypical," Brad muttered, even his own squad had a semblance of this happening. But at least they all shared common goals and ambitions. While the sailors all had their own opinions on how things she be run, while some didn't care as long as they stayed in the navy.

Brad checked the time on his watch and paid his tab for the night. Leaving the bar, he thought back to the night he got information from the woman.

Apparently some of the sailors she had serviced seemed stressed and somewhat tired. She complained to him about their lack and stamina and drunkenness. But Brad didn't see this as nagging. But instead vital information.

'Jukovic will be heading to St. Petersburg soon. Most likely to boost the morale of the sailors, and show them the leader they are under... We must strike now.' Brad concluded as he moved into an ally, and moved his watch to his mouth.

"Calling all members of infiltration squad. I request all members to recall back to base. I repeat, all members retreat to base." Brad spoke softly, but knew the watch could pick up his voice no problem.

The watch had a microphone installed inside the inner workings, it also worked as an easy way to get important pieces of information and confessions, but it also could be directly connected to other member's communication devices but making the small hand stop ticking...

.......

"Sir, the banquet guest list." Inside a hotel in Italy, two older Englishmen were residing. With one sitting drinking tea, and the other standing giving some papers.

"Mm, thank you." Mr. Bagan took the papers from his assistant. A man who had been with him since he had his position in his company.

Mr. Bagna took the official guest list that was sent out to all attendees to the banquet Astrid was holding, of course, since they had close ties. He already knew some of the guests attending, and Astrid wasn't stupid to work openly with one of his competitors.

"I must say though sir, Miss Astrid is incredibly smart to hold this banquet in this way. And... If I may be presumptuous, she seems to have a lot of power." The assistant spoke up, of course, he knew the guests that would be coming as well. Since he was the right-hand man in the company.

Mr. Bagna hummed in agreement. Although he didn't know why this banquet was being held exactly, the fact she could hold a banquet in such a way, without giving a guest list until the very day. But personally flying every guest into the country, showed many things.

Mr. Bagna put down the paper and closed his eyes. "Yes, this is extremely smart. But also the amount of money and influence required to personally fly in every single one of these guests... There were even a few Asian tycoons on this list. Europe and America are similar in business, but Asia is a totally different ballgame. And the fact she can fly them halfway across the world with no questions asked is a show of power." The calm, but aged voice spoke some wisdom to no one in particular.

"Power... Sir, it truly was both insight and luck that lead us to this ally." The assistant spoke truthfully, something he had experience doing for many years now.

Mr. Bagna lightly chuckled. "Luck... Very much lucky... But also, she couldn't have been much older then 20 before right? And no matter how, Brad couldn't get any substantial information on her as well. It was likely our luck that she decided to be our ally, and not our enemy." Mr. Bagna could still remember the deal he struck with Astrid. He had never seen such boldness from any businessmen before. Even though he had no qualms about working with a female, normally their brains were programmed to be less businesslike then men. It only would take years of training to become comfortable with business.

But Astrid still was young, and at the time, still had a look of youth on her face. Just what sort of monster had the world given birth to?

"Sir, shall we follow the agreed arrangements?" Mr. Bagna's assistant asked as a formality.

"Of course, we shouldn't even give her the thought that we don't see eye to eye... If possible, if only she would see more benefits in marrying my son." Mr. Bagna was quite disappointed that Astrid said that marrying his son wasn't the most beneficial option for her. But with her personality, he knew that either the person with most benefits wasn't in contact with her yet. Or something big would be announced...

Mr. Bagna then stilled. 'This banquet... Is it something to do with marriage? But then... Aren't the family invited? No... She wouldn't set up a banquet just for that... It wouldn't benefit her in any way... So there is something else?' Mr. Bagna couldn't keep up anymore and already gave up on trying to figure out the enigma that was Astrid. Instead, deciding to calmly sip his tea instead.