After reviewing the last of the documentation, Mr. X closed the final binder with a quiet thud. He and Alexei had completed their investigation. The vampire coven had achieved self-sufficiency. They no longer depended on human blood. They possessed substantial assets and legitimate, sprawling business operations.
More importantly, they had supporters woven throughout British society, from the street level to the highest echelons. Their bloodline remained active, occasionally managing problems discreetly.
Mr. X stood, his chair scraping quietly on the stone floor. "Very good. The vampire coven hasn't engaged in any problematic activities in recent years."
Of course, that was only recent years. The historical ledger wasn't quite so clean.
Victor smiled, a smooth, diplomatic expression. "Thank you for making the journey."
Mr. X's next question came without any change in his businesslike tone. "The first person to collect a Dragon Ball was Miss Selene, correct?"
A sudden, heavy stillness fell over the two vampires. Selene's hand, which had been resting on the table, tightened slightly. Victor's smile remained, but his eyes were sharp, his mind racing through options. He briefly considered keeping them in the castle by force. He glanced at Alexei, remembering the man's fifty-point combat reading. He knew that would fail. It would only complicate future Dragon Ball collection efforts.
Selene's expression went rigid. Finally, she answered slowly, her voice very controlled. "It was me."
Mr. X reached into his coat pocket and produced a single, heavy gold coin. He slid it across the polished table. The Dragon Ball logo, a sphere with stars, was engraved on its surface. "Congratulations on obtaining a Dragon Ball. This is your ticket to the Dragon Ball battle."
"We're giving tickets to everyone who holds a Dragon Ball. Ultimately, through fair and just combat, winners will claim Dragon Balls from their opponents."
He folded his hands. "The leader will personally assess each holder's wish. Those who pass will become the one who can get their wish granted and summon the dragon."
Selene picked up the coin. It was heavy and cool. She studied it, not quite understanding the Fraternity's role in all this. Why did Smith Doyle get to examine the wishers' intentions?
"What if the wish doesn't pass the assessment?"
Alexei, who had been silent, spoke, his tone flat. "You don't want to know the answer to that."
Mr. X spoke a single, cold word. "Death."
Victor interjected quickly, his diplomatic voice smoothing over the sudden chill. "We currently possess two Dragon Balls. Can we obtain two tickets?"
Victor didn't fully understand how the Dragon Ball situation had evolved this way, but he immediately recognized the optimal strategic choice.
Mr. X smiled slightly. "It seems the unfortunate gentleman lost his Dragon Ball before receiving his ticket. By the way, you didn't kill him, did you?"
Selene looked at Mr. X sharply. "Do you know him?"
"We know the identity of every Dragon Ball holder."
Selene's composure cracked. A flicker of genuine fear showed in her eyes. What kind of organization was the Fraternity? She felt like a small boat in the ocean, vulnerable to being capsized at their whim.
She shook her head quickly, her voice a little too fast. "I didn't harm him. I paid ten million dollars for the second Dragon Ball. But he was captured by werewolves. I don't know if he's still alive."
She paused, then asked, "It's not a violation to obtain a Dragon Ball before the other party receives their battle qualification, is it?"
Mr. X's expression remained neutral. "You're a smart woman. If you can collect all the Dragon Balls before others qualify for battle, the leader will take you directly to the assessment."
Selene let out a small, quiet breath of relief. "Thank you."
Mr. X turned his gaze back to Victor. "You have only one battle ticket. Even if you defeat other Dragon Ball holders and claim their spheres, your ticket count won't increase."
He stood up, signaling the meeting was over. "Now then, we must leave."
Victor made no attempt to convince them to stay. He waved, and the two vampires by the entrance moved to open the doors again. Bright, warm sunlight streamed in as the Fraternity representatives departed.
Selene called after them as they walked into the light. "What does this battle actually entail?"
Mr. X didn't turn around. His voice echoed slightly in the grand hall. "When you meet someone else with a ticket, you'll understand."
The heavy doors boomed shut, plunging the hall back into dim, electric light.
The instant the doors closed, the polite host vanished. Victor's face went dark, his expression cold and hard. "It seems the Dragon Ball situation is far more complicated than we anticipated."
Selene turned to him, the gold coin heavy in her palm. "Father, the black market buyer arrives tonight. Do we still..."
Victor's expression was grim. "Proceed as planned. If they have a ticket, we'll at least learn what this battle involves. If they don't have a ticket, show no mercy."
His voice was like ice. "After dealing with the buyer, we move against the werewolves. Determine if they possess any Dragon Balls."
Selene nodded, her own face hardening. "Yes, Father."
Mr. X and Alexei left the castle and climbed into their nondescript vehicle. The engine started with a quiet hum. As Alexei drove away from the imposing structure, heading toward the Fraternity safehouse, he asked, "Are Dragon Balls really as magical as you say? Can they truly grant any wish?"
Mr. X watched the castle disappear in the side mirror. "This time, you'll witness the dragon's power yourself."
Alexei shook his head, his hands gripping the steering wheel. "How can we just release such a treasure? It should be locked in headquarters under maximum security."
"This is the leader's will," Mr. X said calmly. "The Dragon Balls are sacred objects of the Fraternity. Without this opportunity, someone of your clearance level would never access such things."
Alexei didn't argue. Having carried out operations in the Soviet Union before joining the Fraternity, he understood perfectly. People who joined partway through, like himself, would never touch truly powerful artifacts without the leader's explicit permission.
"I suppose I should feel honored then."
Mr. X turned his head to study Alexei thoughtfully. "If you have ideas about the Dragon Balls, there may be an opportunity to compete next time."
Alexei's interest sharpened. "The leader would allow us to participate?"
"If you can present a wish that impresses the leader, you can participate next time. The leader asked all of us before this operation began. None of us had wishes that required Dragon Balls to fulfill."
Alexei nodded slowly, considering that as he navigated the London traffic.
Honestly, with his current life and his family around him, he didn't have any special wishes that needed fulfilling. The Fraternity provided excellent benefits. Life was good. His strength increased steadily through training with the leader. The occasional missions involved fighting evil and protecting the innocent.
It was a beautiful, hopeful existence.
He hoped the Dragon Balls wouldn't disrupt his current life. The past six months had brought him a kind of peace he'd never experienced before.
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