Third-person POV
In the Alnus Base in the Special Region, the MPC agents were doubling over from what they heard from their own intelligence agencies: the NBI revealed Juan's photos of the dinner at the Kantei, Spain's CNI sent messages regarding how Santiago had readjusted his shades at the Chinese and American envoys at Tokyo Haneda, and a few others. Itami walked in and saw their laughter. "Huh? What's so funny, guys?"
James showed his phone to him. "Look, Itami-san, the NBI had sent photos of the dinner with our leaders with your country's prime minister in the Kantei this 7 p.m. at Tokyo at the other side of the gate. Our MPC leaders and their parliamentary attendants, yes, from their own national assemblies, had their own food diplomacy what we did at Ichigaya and at Princess Piña's court."
Seeing that, Itami chuckled and shook his head. "You guys are really something else…between the things you did against the Triad Powers agents a few days ago and your humanitarian aid at the nearby hamlet, that act was top-tier with zero protocol."
"We wanted to be practical, amigo," Margaret chirped. "Protocols aren't always useful or necessary."
The Indonesian BIN captain Ismail Zekariah nodded. "Yes, time for rigid protocols is a luxury for us."
"Also, in Brazil," Esther Pinto said, "we had this saying called "Mexeu com um, mexeu com todos", which means if you mess with one, you mess with everyone."
"Oh, no," Itami replied, "that really made sense with what the Big Three was trying to do in Japan over the gate in Ginza."
"They messed with us, and they ended up messing with you guys!" another JSDF soldier named Jun Kurihama remarked.
A quick hearty laughter in the room broke out.
"I think I will take that Portuguese phrase with a grain of salt," Mari said, which prompted Esther to write down the Portuguese saying on a piece of Japanese-made paper and give it to her.
Nearby, the Turkish MİT agent Mavi Yapıcı and his cousin Barış Yapıcı were already making plans to introduce Shawarma and Simit in another hamlet 20 kilometers east of the base by tomorrow morning. Rahman and Buana also added satay as a unique way for the villagers to roast their meat.
Across the gate to Ichigaya, Kazufumi Ryuzaki was astonished that the leaders of the MPC nations had arrived starting with Leo and Paul two days ago in the afternoon, and plus, all seven MPC leaders had brought along their parliamentary members as their attendants. The Tokyo summit will begin tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. sharp.
The next morning in Tokyo, the MPC leaders and their parliamentary attendants are preparing mentally for the 10 a.m. summit. Since they are Muslims, Aydan, Oguz, Paul, and Hafid, as well as Ismail who crossed the Gate from the Special Region, did their obligatory prayers for this morning in their hotel rooms. Ismail had the liberty to close the door of the common room to do his prayer facing the direction towards Mecca. Paraskevas, Aias, and the EYP agent Anastasios Gataki attended an Eastern Orthodox church in the city for its sunrise service. For Paulo, Cisco, Leopoldo, Giovanni, and Santiago, as well as the Brazilian ABIN captain Estevao Da Costa, a local Roman Catholic parish was their spiritual sanctuary regardless of their native languages. Leo was an oddball because he, in addition to being the second-youngest president of the Philippines (Emilio Aguinaldo was 29 when he became the first Philippine president), he was also a non-Catholic who was an Evangelical Baptist and was a member of America's EFCA (Evangelical Free Church of America). So, he attended a local EFCA church somewhere in Chiyoda as a civilian. Boaz also delivered a short message as a guest speaker to the congregation.
Juan attended a local Aglipayan church in the city.
The only exception is María José who was an atheist yet accompanied Juan to that Aglipayan church and sat down and watched the Filipino liturgy coming to life.
Those MPC leaders and their parliamentary attendants who left the hotel had been sporting casual clothes and burner phones to keep their anonymity before the big event.
By 10 a.m., at the summit hall, Motoi entered, but the MPC leaders and their parliamentary attendants, in their formal attire, and attending intelligence agency operators escorted him. Boaz had his suit and tie for this summit that was below his green vestment and necklace cross. He is like a Lutheran yet a Baptist by theology. The media, from the big ones from the Triad Powers nations to the small MPC ones like ABS-CBN, gasped at the presence of the coalition. Just behind, Itami, Kuribayashi, an insistent-to-attend Rory, Kazufumi Ryuzaki, and JSDF general Hazama.
"Buenos días, amigos!" Santiago said while his shades from yesterday were on and did the cool gesture with both hands. "Hola, everyone!"
When one American reporter wanted a comment from him, the Spanish prime minister declined. "Sin comentarios (No comment)."
María José made a gesture to the reporter to back off.
One ABS-CBN reporter wanted a comment from Leo. "Mr. Presidente, ano ang nangyayari dito? Why are you here?" she asked.
But Leo declined it. "Hindi muna. Later lang po."
Ferdinand gestured to the Filipino reporter to make way.
Another Filipino reporter from GMA-7 approached Juan. "Senator Juan! Narinig namin na nag-volunteer ka dito na sumama sa summit na ito. Sabi ng ibang tao sa Senado natin na gusto ni Tolentino West na sumama pero may trabaho. Is that true?"
"Mamaya lang po, sir," said Juan as an NBI agent gestured to the reporter to get out of the way. "Sorry, ha."
The envoys from the Big Three were utterly shocked by the presence of the 7 MPC leaders with Motoi.
Leo sported his Barong Tagalog while Paul sported his feci hat.
The summit begins now.