The bar itself was spacious, but navigating the crowd took effort. Alex weaved his way through groups of chatting wizards, all the while scanning for any sign of the Sphinx. Despite combing the floor thoroughly, he couldn't spot him anywhere.
Just when he was beginning to lose patience, something else caught his attention, something unexpected. 'Martin Grenville? What's he doing here?' Alex narrowed his eyes as he spotted the man tucked into a dim corner.
Thunderbird had claimed Martin had broken ties with the Saints' Church, but Alex wasn't entirely convinced. In his eyes, Martin remained a dangerous wildcard, someone who couldn't be trusted. That was why Alex had been deliberately avoiding him ever since their return to the hotel. He didn't want to alert the man to his movements.
Now, Martin sat alone at a corner table, a drink in hand. He looked casual enough on the surface, but Alex could tell he was on alert, his eyes subtly scanning the room as if watching for something, or someone.
A few minutes later, Martin stood up and made his way toward the staircase at the back of the bar. Alex followed him with his gaze. The stairs clearly led to the second floor, but there were guards posted on either side. It wasn't the kind of place one could just stroll into.
Still, Alex had his suspicions. If the Sphinx wasn't on the ground floor, there was a good chance he was upstairs. With that in mind, Alex sent one of his monitoring spiders to cling to the wall near the stairwell. The tiny device slowly climbed upward, inching toward the second floor without drawing attention.
From his vantage point, Alex watched as Martin approached the guards and flashed them something, likely a pass or token of some sort. They stepped aside and let him through without question. That only made Alex more curious. Whether Martin was meeting the Sphinx or involved in something else entirely, it was worth finding out.
He directed the spider to quietly follow Martin up the stairs. The second floor turned out to be quite different from the bar below, less open, more private.
The space was divided into multiple enclosed rooms, almost like private boxes at a karaoke bar. Thick carpets lined the floor, their ornate patterns providing perfect cover for the spider as it crept forward unnoticed.
Martin walked down the corridor and stopped in front of one of the rooms. He knocked.
"Who is it?" came a cautious voice from within.
"It's me," Martin replied flatly.
The door opened a moment later, revealing the very person Alex had been tracking, Sebastian, the Sphinx.
Once it was clear Martin had come alone, Sebastian allowed him to step inside. Alex didn't miss the opportunity. He sent the monitoring spider through the small gap just as the door was closing. The plush carpets and dim lighting gave the device plenty of places to hide, allowing Alex to continue observing without raising alarm.
Inside the room, Martin's expression tightened.
"Why did you suddenly contact me?" he asked, his voice laced with irritation. "Didn't you say Thunderbird was still in Egypt? Meeting now is reckless."
Alex, who had been quietly listening through the monitoring spider, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in interest.
'Well, now this is getting interesting. So Martin does know Thunderbird.' That meant he had at least some insight into the current operations of the Silver Wand. Whatever connection he had to Sebastian, it clearly wasn't just a passing acquaintance from the past, it ran deeper than that. Possibly even a shared history rooted in something more dangerous.
Inside the room, Sebastian, still dressed in his assistant researcher disguise, appeared at ease as he answered, "Thunderbird's business here should be wrapped up. I'm guessing he's already left Egypt. Knowing him, he wouldn't waste time chatting with me anyway. That man always did look down on everyone."
Martin gave a cold scoff. "Is that so? Then why didn't he ignore me when he tried to kill me?"
Sebastian offered a small, almost indulgent smile. "But he didn't in the end, did he? I wouldn't have let him go through with it."
Martin snorted, clearly unconvinced. "Have you forgotten who you're dealing with? That lunatic could snap any moment. You should be more careful, his kind doesn't care who they hurt. His ideology's nothing like yours anymore."
He leaned back, eyes narrowing. "So tell me, why did Thunderbird show up in Egypt out of the blue? I thought he was running things in Britain."
"He's here on personal business," Sebastian said simply, his gaze sharpening. "His target is a British wizard named Alex. Apparently, he's been staying at your tavern. Ring any bells?"
Martin paused, then gave a short nod. "Alex? Oh, you mean the young bloke with the dog. Haven't seen him around the last couple of days."
"I doubt you'll be seeing him again," Sebastian said with a sigh. "Thunderbird's holding a serious grudge. From what I gather, he absolutely loathes the kid.
I suspect it has something to do with what happened in Britain, whatever it was, it went bad. The club's entire British operation took a huge blow, and Thunderbird's been tight-lipped ever since."
Martin gave a low whistle. "That's surprising. The boy seemed polite, refined, even. Didn't expect him to be the sort to end up on Thunderbird's hit list. Looks like the madman's worse than ever."
Sebastian gave a weary nod. "Exactly. I've been trying to tell you, the Silver Wand isn't what it used to be. The group's drifting into something... rotten.
It's not just the ideals that've changed. The people, too. The old camaraderie's gone. It's all suspicion now. Everyone's colder."
He hesitated for a moment, then looked Martin in the eye. "Are you really still unwilling to reconsider? We could use your strength. 'Horned Basilisk' is growing bolder. Power-hungry. It's not just about immortality with him anymore, he wants control."
Martin's jaw tightened. "No. I'm not turning into some half-dead creature just to serve someone else's twisted dream. I'll stick to running my tavern, thanks. I'm fine living out the rest of my life in peace."
He paused, then added with quiet conviction, "If your heart's no longer in the club either, then why not walk away yourself?"
"It's not that easy," Sebastian said, his voice low and bitter. "The Horned Basilisk knows everyone's true identity. Trying to escape would be suicide. Believe it or not, the moment I try to run, Thunderbird will show up right in front of me."
He sighed, shaking his head helplessly. "Only those who've taken the elixir and regained their youth can change their appearance and hide in the shadows. But once you've taken it, you're completely under the Horned Basilisk's control. Life and death, he decides both."