"Don't worry, my intermediary is fully in control of his abilities," Corvin said firmly.
Gérard tilted his head slightly to the side.
"Broken people sometimes go mad. It's a pity he remembers absolutely nothing…"
Richard set his glass down.
"If he shows even the slightest sign that he hasn't forgotten anything, it will be extremely strange, and we'll have to eliminate your intermediary, Corvin."
Corvin swallowed and lowered his head. He stood beside Gérard like his right hand.
Michael smiled at the corner of his mouth.
"Without making a sound."
Gérard looked out the window again.
The city lights reflected in his pupils like thousands of tiny bonfires.
"The election will go smoothly," he said quietly. "Because this time it's not just this city — the entire world will become ours."
He turned back to the table.
"Prime-Blood will be presented as salvation.
People will voluntarily accept dependency."
Elizabeth nodded.
"The first batch has already been distributed to clinics."
Richard added:
"And to the lists of 'priority groups.'"
Michael slowly smiled:
"In a year they'll be thanking us."
Corvin straightened.
"Tomorrow we cement our power."
Gérard looked at each of them in turn.
"Tomorrow we don't cement power," he corrected gently.
"Tomorrow we make it inevitable. And you, my dear, will become their mayor after me."
The room fell silent.
Outside the windows, the city hummed.
None of those seated around the round table doubted their righteousness. They had no idea that in another part of the city a rebellion was already being prepared — one capable of shattering everything they had built over decades.
Region
Control
Degree of Influence
Who Controls
Comment
Eastern United States
Vampires
Full
Gérard De Millier and the clan
Politics, police, medicine, food supply under control
Southeast United States
Vampires
High
Corvin (operational management)
Prime-Blood being tested in clinics
Northeast United States
Vampires/Humans
Incomplete
Elite clan council
Finance and media
Midwest United States
Mixed
Medium
Human governors under pressure
Active infiltration
West Coast United States
Humans
Partial
Human alliances
Suspect the clan's existence
Eastern Canada
Vampires
Shadow
Allied clans
Secret medical programs
Western Canada
Humans
High
Federal structures
Closed borders
Northern South America
Vampires
Economic
Control through corporations
Donor farms
Southern South America
Humans
Full
Military regimes
Anti-vampire movements
Western Europe
Vampires
Political
Old European clans
Historical alliances
Eastern Europe
Mixed
Unstable
Underground clans
Many hunters
Russia
Humans
Harsh
Closed military structures
Vampires officially banned
Middle East
Vampires
Shadow
Energy alliances
Control through resources
Northern Africa
Vampires
Partial
Trade cartels
Donor supply lines
Central/Southern Africa
Humans
High
Tribal alliances
Independent zones
East Asia
Mixed
Balance of power
Secret agreements
Containment
Southeast Asia
Vampires
Economic
Corporate networks
Biolabs
Australia
Humans
Full
Isolated zone
Closed ports
Antarctica
Unknown
—
—
Rumors of old laboratories
Something changed near the warehouse.
Gideon suddenly went silent in the earpiece.
"Quiet," he whispered.
Flash instantly raised his hand.
Everyone froze.
"Movement at the north wall," Gideon continued.
"One person, no escort."
Bruno slowly flicked off the safety; the sound was barely audible, but in the silence it rang like a gunshot.
Ethan moved to the window and cautiously peeked out, just with the edge of his vision, staying mostly hidden.
Nothing.
"Thermal signature confirmed," Gideon said.
"He's not in a hurry."
A minute later, down below at the side entrance, a shadow flickered.
A man in a dark jacket. Hood pulled low.
He stopped and scanned the area.
His movements were too precise for an ordinary passerby.
"Mercenary," Flash said quietly.
The man below crouched.
He pressed his palm to the wall. Inspected the ventilation grate.
Bruno whispered:
"He's trying to pinpoint us."
"Quiet," Flash hissed through clenched teeth.
The mercenary pulled out a small device, flat, black, with a dim green screen. He slowly ran it along the brick, almost caressing the wall.
Ethan felt everything inside him tighten.
A minute passed. Then another.
The mercenary straightened. Looked directly toward the window.
Ethan barely managed to pull back; his heart hammered in his throat.
The shadow lingered another second.
Then the man slowly pocketed the device, turned, and walked away, unhurried, without haste, as though he had simply gone for a stroll.
Silence settled over the room.
"Did he find anything?" Bruno asked.
"He found enough to know someone has been here," Gideon replied.
"But he didn't come inside."
Flash clenched his jaw so hard the muscles stood out.
"He'll pass the information on."
"Or already has," Gideon added.
Ethan stared unblinking at the door.
"He left everything as it was."
"Because he's certain we'll come back," Flash said quietly.
Bruno cursed under his breath.
Gideon spoke evenly, without emotion:
"We're almost out of time."
No one argued.
Ethan slowly sank into a chair, as though his legs had suddenly stopped holding him.
The silence after Gideon's words didn't dissipate, it thickened instead, becoming viscous and heavy, as though the air in the room had turned into dense liquid where every movement required effort and every breath sounded too loud.
"So they've spotted us," Bruno finally said, deliberately breaking the pause with forced calm, though his fingers still gripped the weapon as if he expected the door to burst open any second.
"I don't think so, but that was definitely one of their mercenaries. He just didn't want to blow everything right away."