The Presidential Art Acquisition and a Cryptic Visitor

The "Bark-tering Agreement" had further cemented Ellie's indispensable, if absurd, role in the White House. President Sterling continued to find reasons to involve her in his daily life, treating her as more than an employee, almost a trusted confidante who understood the particular brand of chaos that surrounded him. The conversations about Xanadu and the "sting operation" remained subtle, almost telepathic nods exchanged between her, the President, and Agent Miller. The microfilm's contents were still being discreetly analyzed, a ticking clock hidden beneath the surface of official routines.

One crisp autumn morning, the White House was abuzz with a new acquisition: a rare, priceless antique map of the world, rumored to have belonged to a famous explorer. It was an enormous piece, intricately detailed, and was to be unveiled in the Grand Foyer.

Ellie's task was to give the display case a final, meticulous polish. As she worked, she admired the map's artistry, tracing the ancient, winding coastlines with her finger. She had always loved maps, even the simple ones from Xanadu, which seemed to promise distant adventures.

"Magnificent, isn't it, Miss Chen?"

President Sterling's voice startled her. He stood beside her, admiring the map with a genuine enthusiasm.

"It is, Mr. President! It makes you want to pack a small bag and just... wander off!" Ellie mused, forgetting herself for a moment.

He chuckled. "A tempting thought sometimes, I admit. To trade diplomacy for discovery." He then pointed to a particularly obscure, uncharted region near the edge of the map, a place marked only with a stylized, almost fantastical drawing of swirling clouds and mythical beasts. "Imagine the secrets hidden in those unmapped territories. The unknown lands, waiting to be charted." His gaze held hers, a subtle, deliberate emphasis on "secrets" and "uncharted."

Ellie immediately understood. He wasn't just talking about the map. He was talking about the Xanadu caves, the "uncharted territory" of her father's past. He was signaling that the investigation into the microfilm and the maps was progressing, that the "secrets" were still central.

"Indeed, Mr. President," Ellie replied, her voice low. "Sometimes, the most interesting discoveries are found where you least expect them. And sometimes, the mythical beasts are surprisingly real."

He smiled, a knowing glint in his eye. "Precisely, Miss Chen. Precisely. Always keep your eyes open for those 'mythical beasts.'"

Just then, a small group of foreign dignitaries entered the Foyer, their attention immediately drawn to the new map. Among them, Ellie noticed a tall, slender woman with sharp, intelligent eyes, dressed in an elegant, traditional Xanadu silk dress. She was not Ambassador Li Mei. This woman had a colder, more reserved demeanor, her gaze sweeping the room with an almost clinical intensity.

The woman lingered by the map, her eyes seeming to focus particularly on the same "uncharted territory" that President Sterling had just pointed out. Ellie felt a prickle of unease. There was something familiar about her, a coldness that reminded Ellie of whispers from her youth, whispers about her father's more ruthless business associates.

The woman then turned, and her gaze, as if drawn by an invisible thread, landed directly on Ellie. Her eyes, dark and piercing, held Ellie's for a long, unsettling moment. There was no recognition, but a profound, almost analytical scrutiny. It was the look of someone assessing a potential threat, or perhaps, a potential asset.

Before Ellie could react, President Sterling stepped smoothly between them, blocking the woman's direct line of sight. He offered the woman a polite, diplomatic smile. "Ambassador Liu, a pleasure to see you again. Are you enjoying our new acquisition?"

Ambassador Liu. Ellie remembered her from distant rumors, a rising star in Xanadu's foreign ministry, known for her sharp intellect and equally sharp ambition. She was rumored to be a protégé of Minister Chen.

Ambassador Liu returned the President's smile, but her eyes, as they briefly darted past him towards Ellie, held a chilling intensity. "A magnificent piece, Mr. President. Indeed, some maps reveal more than they show. And some territories are best left unmapped." Her voice was smooth, but her words carried a veiled warning.

President Sterling chuckled, seemingly unfazed. "Indeed, Ambassador. Indeed. But sometimes, the most dangerous secrets are also the most compelling to explore, wouldn't you agree?" His eyes held hers, a silent challenge.

Ambassador Liu's smile tightened almost imperceptibly. "Perhaps. Good day, Miss... cleaner." She dismissed Ellie with a glance that felt like ice, then turned back to the map, her gaze lingering on the uncharted region, then sliding subtly towards Ellie's position before moving on.

Ellie stood, clutching her polishing cloth, a cold dread washing over her. The "mythical beast" from the uncharted territories of her past had just walked into the White House. Ambassador Liu was here. And she seemed to know exactly where to look for secrets. The lull was definitively over.