MELOS (OSA, Administrative Unit, Meeting Room)
"Why isn't Josh here ?" E-lise asked.
"Because he had no desire to look at your demon face," Leonas replied with sarcasm.
E-lise shot him a withering look before turning to Hassan.
"Seriously."
"You rarely are, which is surprising. He has important matters occupying him at the moment," Hassan replied, fixing his mismatched gaze on E-lise.
"More important than this meeting ? I doubt it," she scoffed.
"That is none of your concern, CALYPSO," Leonas said.
"You !"
Once again, a dangerous aura filled the room and silence fell over everyone.
"Leonas, try to moderate your sarcasm. And you, CALYPSO, keep your self-control. The clan currently in the spotlight for this meeting happens to be yours," Hassan declared, exhaling a slow drag of the cigar.
"Really ? Such an honor. And what exactly am I being accused of ?"
"A lack of transparency regarding the activities of your clan's members. And I believe the tragedy three months ago is a perfect example of that," Miliana said.
"I thought I made myself clear on that matter at the funeral," she replied, visibly irritated.
"Not sufficiently," Hassan answered.
He continued in a cold, measured voice.
"As you must know all too well, your clan harbors a significant portion of the most influential sects and criminal organizations in existence. They disguise all their illegal activities behind false commercial and industrial fronts. And naturally, these sects have their leader's backing whenever a problem arises involving other clans."
"I see no harm in protecting one's interests and those of one's clan. Every single person in this room does the same on a daily basis. The difference is that I do not betray mine and they return the favor. We keep our lives far from the eyes of society, whereas you expose yours to the entire world. I can guarantee one undeniable fact: the Black Lodge has never been involved in this murder case. The non-aggression pact is irrefutable proof of that."
"Always so well-informed, I see," Hassan said, fixing her with an intense stare.
"These are nothing but unjustified words. Leading a clan has never meant having total control over each of its members. By saying what you just said, you could easily be considered an accomplice one who conceals acts punishable by death," Leonas thundered.
"Death, you would deserve it far more than I would, and you know it better than anyone," E-lise fired back, straightening in her seat.
He clicked his tongue, his gaze cutting through her.
"Hassan, I can guarantee on my honor that your sister's murder has no connection to any member of my clan. However renowned it may be for its mysteries, it cannot violate the laws of blood pacts. I am aware of the recent information the inspectors shared with you. All of this is part of a conspiracy, one designed in part to incriminate my clan. If you're looking for a culprit, turn your gaze toward the people who make up your daily life. You'll be surprised by what they're hiding."
"So you're claiming to know more about this affair," he said, his gaze darkening.
"Perhaps. But I am not the right person to tell you more."
"E-lise."
He plunged his blood-red gaze into hers, making the young woman flinch. But she held her head high and responded with a firm, unyielding voice.
"You'll get nothing from me, Hassan."
Their two auras clashed in a struggle for dominance that neither leader was willing to concede. The room began to tremble under the pressure they exerted, while the other leaders remained impassive in the face of the confrontation.
"Calm yourselves instead of bringing the building down !" Elijah intervened, his voice heavy with exhaustion.
"There's no point in going at each other's throats, you're both stubborn enough as it is. E-lise, since you seem to know a great deal about this affair, why not reveal everything now ? It would prove your good faith and show that you're not as selfish as I believe you to be," Leonas remarked.
"Selfish, says the one hiding quite a few secrets of his own. It seems no one here has noticed the shift in your energy. It is greatly affecting your usual temperament, and your patience appears to have dropped to zero. Perhaps a side effect of the ARAPAGON ?" E-lise said, rising to her feet.
"The ARAPAGON," Miliana repeated, snapping her gaze toward Leonas.
"She's talking nonsense, there's nothing to it," Leonas growled, shoving back his chair.
"Leonas, calm down. E-lise, stop this pointless provocation. Do not cross the forbidden line," Miliana said sharply.
"You're no better than she is, I'll have you know. From the very start you've been watching Leonas and his advisors' every move. That's also a forbidden line, wouldn't you say ?" Elijah declared.
"I see, everyone has something to answer for except you," Miliana said, her gaze darkening with irony.
"Yes. You've understood perfectly."
"Elijah, you ..."
Suddenly, the entire room was violently shaken by a deep tremor. The glass ceiling shattered, sending thousands of shards raining down. Miliana intervened at precisely the right moment, suspending them in midair with a barrier of wind. Elijah drove a powerful shockwave into the floor with his fist, striking the center of the room and halting the trembling. Leonas replaced the shattered ceiling with a vault of water while E-lise moved swiftly to reinforce it with a strengthening barrier.
They all turned at the same moment toward Hassan, who exhaled a long drag of the cigar with a perfectly placid expression.
"You make far too much noise with your childish squabbles. You speak carelessly and lose your composure as leaders. Don't forget the lines that must not be crossed during this exchange."
"You're the one talking about keeping composure? Did you really need to do all of that just to make a point? You're identical to that unhinged brother of yours," Miliana said, stepping toward Elijah to tend to his bruised knuckles.
"She's right, Hassan," E-lise said, lighting a new cigar.
"Perhaps. But the real problem is that the intruder who was spying on this entire meeting has now fled, without any of us noticing their presence," he declared, his gaze fixed on the gaping crater left by Elijah's punch.
"Damn it," Leonas spat with fury.