The sterile, cold light of the chamber seemed to amplify the frustration radiating from Apex Negativa. Thorne stood rigidly before the massive, obsidian-like throne, attempting to project an aura of calm he certainly did not feel. The air crackled faintly, a localized static discharge that always accompanied AN's displeasure.
"Sir, the attack team has succeeded in dissuading Shane Albright from opening that high profile main office. They have abandoned the building," Thorne reported, keeping his tone measured.
AN did not stir immediately, the sheer mass of shadow that comprised his form seeming to coalesce before speaking, the voice a low, grinding sound. "And couldn't cause a single injury beyond a bruise or scratch. Even the accident was barely enough to disable the vehicle. If they had of decided to continue and that paperwork arrived then we would have had to escalate in a larger scale than I wanted to." A tremor ran through the throne. "What is it with these people who cant complete a task? All that borrowed power and barely scared them. Are they that incompetent or is Shane Albright just lucky?"
Thorne swallowed, the question hanging unanswered in the oppressive silence. Luck was a variable AN despised, an unpredictable element that complicated his otherwise perfect calculations.
"We must secure the perimeter of his influence," AN continued, the grumbling tones taking on a sharper edge. "He can continue in construction, fine. Manage the blue collar sentiment, keep those fools busy earning an honest living, which keeps them away from the agitation we rely on. But that is the absolute limit. If he gains popularity and goes into politics or starts directing large swathes of public opinion, he could cause serious damage to the structure we've built over centuries."
Thorne mentally filed the directive: *Containment in Construction*. "Sir, that brings up another issue, one that demands immediate attention. Apparently, Albright was at the MMA contest—the one where ElToro lost to Olaf—and is now actively seeking to sponsor Olaf."
The reaction was immediate and violent. The air itself seemed to recoil as AN threw a fit, an outburst of pure, condensed negation. "Thorne! That is one thing we cannot have happen! A direct connection between the architect of grassroots stability and the only observable anomaly in that fighting circuit!" AN paused, regaining a semblance of control, though the energy in the room remained hostile. He leaned forward, his shadowy face inches from Thorne's. "Have you infiltrated Olaf's team? We need eyes and influence on the ground, controlling the narrative around that fighter."
"Yes, Sir," Thorne replied quickly. "We have the operative in place, but there is a complication. The operative we utilized does not possess any celestial power derived from you, Sir. Every time we tried to place someone broadcasting Apex Negativa's energy signature, Olaf sends them away. The person we have there now is a low-level operative acting purely as a trainer, relying only on mundane skill and placement."
AN pulsed with suspicion. "How is Olaf able to detect the celestial energy signature associated with me? That level of awareness should belong to an entity of significant, known power." He paused, running complex calculations across hidden dimensions. "He is not a celestial that I can tell. His tie with the Raven God is minimal. If it was the Raven God himself, even trapped in the reincarnation cycle, I should be able to tell. I have been close enough when we first found him that the celestial energy signature should have been far more powerful."
The implication was unsettling: Olaf was either a pawn protecting something vital, or the system was more fractured than AN believed.
"Thorne, do not screw this up!" AN commanded, emphasizing the last word with a surge of power. "Albright cannot meet with Olaf unattended or without our operatives having significant sway over the narrative."
***
Miles away, in a location far less oppressive, Veritas Alpha was on the phone. The signal was clear, the connection clean—a small advantage provided by the systems Shane was beginning to build around himself.
"—and now they tried to run Amanda off the road after the initial incident at the office," Shane's voice relayed, tight with residual stress. "I'm telling you, VA, these attacks are escalating. They know we're up to something."
"Calm yourself, Shane. The clarity you possess is your shield against their crude methods," Veritas Alpha responded smoothly, his voice carrying the gentle cadence of a lifetime spent cultivating growth. He moved restlessly around the small, secluded office he was using near the reservation border—a temporary base of operations. "The attacks are a reaction to your success, not a sign of their certainty."
"And now Olaf," Shane continued, shifting gears rapidly. "Sue managed to secure a meeting with Olaf's team regarding sponsorship. Tomorrow."
Veritas Alpha stopped pacing, a sudden surge of excitement tempered by necessary caution. "That meeting is critical, Shane. I want to be present. I will adapt a new persona to be involved—an appendage to your operation, invisible to direct scrutiny but present nonetheless."
He looked out the window, his gaze sweeping over the distant, wooded hills. The directive from the other entities regarding Shane's expansion had been clear: *Stability builds resilience*.
"Shane, about the main office," VA continued, shifting the topic slightly but intentionally linking it to opportunity. "Since the high-profile downtown location failed—due to AN's interference, as we presumed—you need a new national anchor. I suggest you look outward, Shane. Find a rural location, preferably one bordering or close too a reservation."
Shane paused on the other end, system diagnostics currently running background calculations on the energy spike from the previous day, but attentive nonetheless. "A reservation?"
"Precisely. Albright Roofing is already using its inner-city expansion to provide meaningful training—job skills, budgeting, investment—to people who have become reliant on the temporary solutions provided by AN's structure. That groundwork is showing positive results. The rewards for meeting those conditions near the reservations, where AN's direct demographic control is weaker, will be exponentially higher. It directly counters his model of learned dependence." Veritas Alpha made sure the underlying motive was subtly conveyed. "This strategy, Shane, not only sets excellent conditions for your company's structure, but it's our best bet for eventually locating the Raven God. More importantly, it gives that abandoned segment of society the skills to pull themselves up, free from AN's smothering influence."
Shane was already pulling up the satellite overlays, his mind processing risk versus reward with Calvin's early guidance and the new system integration. "I see locations… low population density, good access to trade routes for material transport…"
"Start mobilizing," VA urged. "Use the momentum."
Shane made the executive decision, the clarity granted by his system allowing him to streamline the bureaucracy overnight. "Gary, Ben, and Amanda are ready to move. They can secure a site and begin the preliminary setup near the southwestern reservation boundary. They need to be cautious, though."
He sighed, feeling the weight of responsibility for these budding leaders. "And since Amanda is there on the ground floor, leading that initial setup, I'm giving her the seventh system upgrade."
Veritas Alpha permitted a small, internal smile. That would reassure Gary, solidifying his commitment and stability during this critical expansion phase. "Wise choice, Shane."
"Tomorrow, VA, I meet Olaf. You'll be there as the accountant," Shane confirmed.
"Bjorn the accountant. Yes. A suitably bland, trustworthy persona. I have secured documentation suggesting a strong Norse heritage for the documentation," VA confirmed, already shifting mental templates for the new identity. The Norse connection was deliberate; it aligned with the overlapping symbolic frameworks and provided a plausible cover story for sudden, specialized knowledge.
The meeting was set. Shane Albright was actively creating strongholds of localized stability, forcing AN's hand while simultaneously providing the optimal conditions for Veritas Alpha to search.
The following morning, the atmosphere around the new expansion site near the reservation was tense but organized. Shane had tasked Gary, Ben, and Amanda with setting up the administrative and operational nucleus. Amanda, newly possessing the guidance of the seventh system, was operating with surprising focus, projecting an unwavering competence that eased the transition. Gary was steady, his sobriety reinforced by the responsibility and the quiet knowledge that Amanda was nearby, succeeding alongside him.
Shane gave a final briefing to Gary before they headed for the city where the meeting with Olaf was scheduled. "Gary, you and Ben are the expansion backbone here. Amanda has the system, but you guys are the muscle and the moral compass for this location. Keep it clean. No interference from AN's local filth if you can help it. If anything feels wrong, you retreat and call me, or VA once he's free."
"We got it, boss," Gary confirmed, his demeanor solid. He felt anchored, a feeling he hadn't fully trusted until now, but the clarity he gained from his system—and the sheer visible good Shane was doing—kept the old temptations at bay.