On the other side... at the exact same time.
The meeting in the Lodge was still underway.
Annie Barrett sat with arms crossed and posture upright on her prestigious seat. It had been more than forty minutes since the Grand Masters began deliberating the discovery of the second Elementalist of the 21st century, and what actions should follow so each could update their respective national centers.
It was inevitable that most of the Grand Masters here already knew what Jody Johansson had done in the past. After all, there were Americans present in the room.
And they were surprised too.
The lights in the Lodge had now been turned on fully.
A circular table rose up from the floor—a high-tech mechanism, yet deeply rooted in tradition. This was the Round Table, reserved only for the most significant matters within the organization. When something of true weight was being discussed, this table would be used.
The Grand Masters descended from their seats and moved to gather around it.
Because there was yet another issue just as critical to discuss...
The matter of the power-randomizing drug.
This sleek, white round table was far from an ordinary table. The moment the Grand Masters stepped into their designated spots, glowing lines and data appeared on the surface. Yes—it was a giant touchscreen display, divided into personalized sections for each Grand Master.
Annie Barrett was one of the last to rise from her seat. She let the others take their places first to avoid any unnecessary crowding. Unsurprisingly, someone of Annie Barrett's status drew greetings from many. Those who knew her name—or had been her students—approached respectfully.
As most had gathered at the table, and the rest were trickling in, Annie finally stood. At that moment, a group of three slightly younger individuals—aged around 40 to 50—approached her.
Two men and one woman.
One man, African-American with sharp white facial hair, wore a fine suit. The second was a Korean man with a faint black mustache. The woman had deep brown skin, a proud nose, and a small tattoo under her eye—she was Egyptian.
"Hello, Teacher."
All three greeted her politely. Even though they spoke English, they pressed their palms together in a respectful wai.
Annie instantly recognized their voices. She turned toward them.
Jimmy—Grand Master, and now Secretary of Defense of the United States. Father to two daughters.
Min Tae-jun—Grand Master, stationed at the Korean border, working in diplomacy between the North and South.
Samia—Grand Master, and now the founder of a major Egyptian startup, recently listed on the global stock exchange.
These were some of the many pupils Annie had once trained for entry into the organization. And they all held her in deep respect.
"Oh, come now! You didn't even come say hi earlier."
Annie smiled, grabbing each of their arms and patting their shoulders warmly.
"The moment I heard we'd discovered a new Elementalist, I rushed right over," said Min Tae-jun with a chuckle. "Good thing Korea's close—I got here early. Took me ages to find you, though. Not even joking."
"You always find an excuse for everything. Didn't Kim launch missiles at the base while you were gone?"
They all burst into laughter at her joke.
"I told Kim my teacher summoned me—he let it slide," Min laughed.
"And you, Jimmy? How are your girls?" Annie turned to the Secretary.
"My eldest just graduated middle school," he said proudly, then added with a sigh, "The younger one is a handful. My wife and I are barely surviving."
"I understand completely."
Hearing that her former students were well brought a subtle smile to Annie's face. She then turned to Samia.
"And what about you, Samia? Just last week, didn't your company go public?"
"Oh—Teacher, you knew?" Samia placed a hand over her heart.
"I thought I kept it quiet."
"There's nothing I don't know."
Annie grinned, just as Jimmy cut in.
"But seriously... that girl, Jody—she's something."
"Truly," Min nodded. "She handles pressure extraordinarily well."
"She's a sharp negotiator too," Samia added. "Knows how to use what she has to her advantage... her instincts are top-notch."
The general consensus among the Grand Masters was clear: Jody Johansson was someone to watch.
"But I think there's an even bigger point," said Jimmy. "That girl wasn't shy at all about her terms—she only wants to work with Syd."
"Clear intent," he continued. "If a guy told me he'd only work somewhere if my daughter was there, I'd never allow it."
"You're exaggerating again," Samia said, nudging him. "Times have changed. Kids today have to be bold and expressive without fear of judgment. That's a good thing."
"Of course they have," Min chimed in. "She's already survived one cancel mob, hasn't she?"
"I think she's really into Syd," Jimmy added. "I mean... I totally get why you grilled her so hard. If I'd been in that room, I'd have tensed up too. I bet she's breathing a huge sigh of relief backstage right now."
Annie chuckled softly.
"But you've mellowed out so much, Teacher," Min said.
"Exactly! Min's right," Samia agreed. "You've gotten kinder too. If this were the old days when you taught us, Jody would've been executed on stage."
Both nodded, neither objecting.
"Hey... are you saying I've gone soft with age? Should I make you run laps around base until I get tired?"
"Eek!"
Samia instantly broke into a cold sweat. Her instinctive fear was practically etched into her DNA. Even though she hadn't been a student in years—and Annie had no authority to make her do that anymore—the memories stuck.
Annie gazed at her fondly.
Jimmy alone seemed to fully understand—he was the only one of the three with a wife and children at home.
"I get it now," he said. "It wasn't until I had kids that I understood. We really do become calmer. I still remember what you told me when my daughter was only one year old... and it turned out to be true. When we raise kids, it's not just them who grow up. We grow up with them."
"Wow... you still remember that?"
"Every word you ever told me."
"Alright then, let's get back to the meeting. Once we're done, how about we take the Secretary out for a drink?"
Annie joked, and the students dispersed to their assigned spots at the round table.
"Next time, Teacher. I've got to head straight back. With America about to change presidents, I have to keep an eye on the White House."
"Ah, yes... I've been following the news too. Things are heating up over there."
"Everything's upside down."
"Good luck, Mr. Secretary," Samia said, giving his arm a pat.
Roxxy had been quietly watching her mother chatting warmly with the three dignitaries... then turned her head as she noticed Jade returning and stepping beside her.
"What about the two?"
"I let them go."
"Is that so..."
"Something wrong?"
"No."
Roxxy turned back. Now, all four of them stood beside the round table, with Jade at the center, leading the discussion.
Annie Barrett stepped between Syd and Roxxy, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. But her son quickly pulled away—still bothered by how his mother had treated Jody, and not yet ready to talk.
Annie took her seat last.
And the meeting began.
A large, full-circle holographic display projected onto the round table. Jade was the one reporting.
Since every Grand Master here had already reviewed the briefing, she skipped the introductions and got right to the point.
"From the recent incident, our only remaining lead is Priya... who is still in a coma."
In other words, they were approaching a dead end.
"But the search for new clues surrounding these power-randomizing drugs... they must be tied to Enlighten or something of the sort. I'd like all of you to keep an eye out. These drugs are still out there. Betty couldn't possibly have been the only distributor—there must be more."
Annie Barrett seemed deep in thought. She'd been dwelling on one particular detail from the reports, and she had a feeling some of the Grand Masters here—especially those from her era—were wondering the same.
She stood to speak.
"What bothers me is this: the fact that this drug creates radium... but it doesn't emit radiation."
Some GMs nodded in agreement.
But Annie was likely the most disturbed by this.
It reminded her of a time long ago... when she was just an Agent during the Cold War.
"What do we know about it so far?" one of the male GMs asked.
"Not much," Jade replied. "The formula behind it is extremely complex. Whoever made it—this 'Dr. Diamond'—they must be incredibly skilled."
"I'll take charge of the investigation," said one GM. "I've got people in the underground who might be able to trace the source. Rumors about the drug have been spreading wider lately... though still not to the level of government ears."
"I'll keep an eye out too."
"Count me in."
"Me too."
"But... this report says there was a confrontation with CIA agents?" asked a female GM politely.
"I'll look into that," said Jimmy. "I'm connected to the inner circle, and I haven't heard any official mention of the drug yet. Of course... it's possible they're keeping it classified."
Just then, Syd Barrett tapped the table lightly—tok tok—asking to speak.
"I think they were approaching this from a different direction entirely."
That got the attention of everyone, including his mother.
"What do you mean, Agent Syd?"
"At the London airport incident... I didn't include this in the report, but the CIA agent we encountered—he was a senior from my academy."
That revelation stirred the room.
"I think their angle was through the human trafficking route. They're probably stuck too. At this point, we've only got two paths left: either Priya wakes up... or we find something through our informants."
"Gift, you're speaking to elders—watch your tone."
"Mocking tone—Watch your tone, lo—OW!?"
Syd was cut off by his mother pinching and pulling his cheek like taffy, embarrassing him in front of everyone.
"You've gotten cheeky, haven't you?"
A soft round of affectionate laughter echoed through the room—exactly the kind of laughter Syd hated most.
The meeting continued for another hour. They reached consensus on the investigation—on the drugs, on Fred's death, and all related parties.
The table screen powered down, and Jade closed the final file.
Then she looked up.
"Now then, everyone... it's time we discuss the other matter—one even more important than this."
And just like that, the atmosphere in the room shifted—more serious, more solemn.
Even Annie and the four Agents braced themselves.
The camera slowly zoomed in on Syd Barrett's face... staring out at all of them.