chapter 4 "The Mission"

After the Conference – Zenta Villa

Ron entered his lab without removing his cloak.

He sat before his data interface and issued a voice command:

— "Delete my footage from all cameras, and retrieve a picture of Lian from three years ago. I want a comparison."

Her face appeared. Younger. Softer. Her eyes didn't carry the same look.

He said to the computer:

— "What is the name of this expression?"

— "Visual analysis: a mix of nostalgia and caution. Emotion level: 82%."

Ron smiled, then turned off the screen.

But on the wall behind him, there was a much larger schematic. A web of interwoven lines, with a name written in red ink at the center:

"Lian Osiris – The Greatest Threat."

Ron closed the lab and went up to his room. He changed into a black suit with gold lines, a white inner shirt, and black trousers with golden stripes.

— "Is the car ready?"

The AI assistant replied,

— "Waiting at the gate."

He headed down to the gate and got into the car. He set the destination to a place he wished he never had to visit—but he couldn't defy his family. Not openly, at least.

The car moved. Half an hour later, Ron stepped out in front of the main family estate.

Zenta Tower.

A place full of memories—most of them unpleasant.

Ron placed his hand on the screen beside the gate.

— "Scan complete. Welcome back, young master."

Then the doors opened. Behind them stood the butler, Albert. He bowed slightly and said:

— "Welcome back, sir. The master and mistress await you in the dining hall."

Ron nodded without expression and walked straight toward the dining hall.

Ron entered the dining hall with steady steps, his eyes not wandering over the luxurious surroundings, as if everything was etched into his memory with disturbing precision.

The hall was still as he remembered: a long table with a black marble surface, crystal chandeliers hanging from a high ceiling, and walls adorned with portraits of generations of the Zenta family—frozen faces staring silently.

At the head of the table sat Mr. Zenta, a man with sharp features, taut skin, and steel-grey eyes. To his right was Mrs. Zenta, as elegant as ever, wearing an emerald green gown, her cold smile concealing a mind full of calculated moves.

— "Ron, you're late." Mr. Zenta said without raising his voice, but his words cut through the air like a blade.

— "I had to finish some procedures in the lab, father." Ron replied as he pulled his chair and sat, maintaining a neutral tone.

Mrs. Zenta said with feigned sweetness:

— "We heard you were at the conference. Anything worth noting?"

Ron replied without looking at her:

— "Same discussions, familiar faces, and a few new masks."

Mr. Zenta chuckled sarcastically:

— "New masks? Do you mean Lian Osiris?"

Ron paused for a moment. He didn't show surprise but realized his father had been watching more than he let on.

— "Lian is now part of the High Technology Council. It's only natural she was there."

Mrs. Zenta intervened, her voice calm but her words sharp as needles:

— "We only hope history doesn't cloud your judgment, Ron. You are the heir to this family. We are not here to play emotional games."

Ron lowered his gaze briefly, then raised it with resolve:

— "Nothing will affect my loyalty to the family… as long as the family doesn't put me in conflict with what I believe in."

A heavy silence followed. The two elders exchanged quick glances.

Then Mr. Zenta said slowly:

— "Good. Because we need you for a task that will prove that loyalty. A task that involves… Lian."

Ron's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained neutral.

— "What's the task?"

Mr. Zenta paused, then spoke in a measured tone:

— "We want accurate information about the new project Lian is working on. There are rumors of a secret operation funded by parties outside the council. If true, it could disrupt the balance of power."

Ron raised an eyebrow with interest but didn't show surprise.

— "And what do you need from me?"

Mrs. Zenta replied:

— "Get close to her. Monitor her movements. We want the project details, funding sources, and whether she's hiding motives that threaten the alliance."

Ron nodded without protest, then said:

— "I'll need expanded clearance to access the council's side systems, and diplomatic cover to enter and exit the central archive."

Mr. Zenta replied firmly:

— "You'll have it. We trust your capability."

On his way back in the car, Ron sat in the back seat and gave a low voice command:

— "Iris, analysis."

A soft blue glow appeared before him, and a three-dimensional interface of his personal AI assistant materialized—an entity he had developed in complete secrecy over the past two years.

Iris responded in a calm female voice:

— "Analysis request: Mission risk level 63%. Parental manipulation likelihood: high. Undeclared motives detected in Mr. Zenta's tone."

Ron smiled slightly.

(Internal monologue)

So they suspect Lian… or they're trying to drag me into something bigger.

The secret operation could be real—or just bait to test my loyalty.

Either way, I have to find out everything… in my own way.

He said aloud to Iris:

— "Start retrieving council session logs from the past three months. I want everything related to shadow budgets and unidentified funding."

— "In progress. Multi-layer encryption breach initiated. Estimated time: fifteen minutes."

Ron closed his eyes briefly and leaned back in the seat.

(Internal monologue)

My family plays the same old game: control, subjugation, surveillance.

But they don't know I've started my own game long ago.

If Lian really is working on something dangerous… I should be the first to know.

And if she's not… I'll find out why my father chose her specifically.

He opened his eyes and said:

— "Iris, initiate Project Mirror. I need an interactive simulation of Lian's digital activity, based on her past data and predicted behavior."

— "Project Mirror activated. Data collection in progress."

Then he murmured softly:

— "Lian… what are you hiding this time? Am I your enemy… or your savior?"