Chapter 94

DRUG DEALERS

Two months later.

The Queen of Hearts arrived precisely on time.

Augustus opened the terrace doors as the Doorman’s door slid into existence, reality folding to reveal the woman who’d become their unlikely ally. She stepped through with her usual grace, wine-colored dress catching the Mediterranean sun, and surveyed the island with obvious approval.

“Lovely,” she said. “Much better than hiding underground. And you’ve really cleaned the place up.”

“Thank you,” Augustus replied, gesturing her inside. “The others are waiting.”

The team had gathered in the living room. Alexander stood near the windows, arms crossed. Talia occupied the kitchen island, tablet beside her. Annie sprawled on the couch, attempting to look casual and failing. Through the terrace doors, several of the aliens watched from a distance, curious but wary.

The Queen settled into an armchair like she owned it. “Have you heard the news?”

“The UEG announcement?” Talia asked. “Yes.”

“Thoughts?”

Alexander moved away from the window. “Diplomatic success with the Galactic Council. Travel restrictions lifted. The System classified as ‘manageable, not an existential threat.’ And a very polite suggestion that powered individuals return to human-controlled space.”

“Very polite,” the Queen agreed, amusement in her voice. “Almost voluntary.”

“Almost,” Augustus said dryly.

The Queen crossed her legs, considering them. “The timing is interesting, don’t you think? The Galactic Council spent years treating superhumans like an infection. Then the tournament broadcasts across the galaxy, and suddenly they’re tolerant. Cooperative, even.”

“They see value in it now,” Talia said.

“They see opportunity.” The Queen’s smile sharpened. “I’d wager half of the Galactic Council is already trying to figure out how to obtain powers themselves. Can’t let humanity have all the advantages.”

The Queen waved a hand. “But I’m pleased regardless. Trade routes reopened. Communication restored. It’s very good for business.”

“I’m sure,” Alexander said.

The Queen’s expression shifted. “Speaking of business. Santiago Systems withdrew their continental bounty. Three days after the UEG announcement.”

The room went still.

“Publicly,” she continued. “The official statement mentioned ‘recovered diplomats’ and ‘focusing on future growth.’ Very diplomatic. Very corporate.”

“But?” Augustus prompted.

“But Gabriel Santiago is not a forgiving man. He withdrew the public bounty because the UEG investigation left him no choice. Too much scrutiny. Too many questions about alien experimentation. He needed to appear cooperative.”

“And privately?” Alexander asked, though he already knew.

“Privately, he’s dipped into his personal fortune. Hired professionals. Expensive ones.” She paused. “I’ve already eliminated three contracts targeting you. Top-tier mercenaries, the kind with impeccable records.”

Talia’s fingers tightened around her tablet. “You eliminated them?”

The Queen smiled. “Made them disappear, yes. Consider it an investment in our future working relationship. The good news is that professional hunters can be tracked. Anticipated. Sometimes redirected, if one has the right connections.”

“You’ll keep us informed,” Alexander said.

“As much as I can. Though eventually they’ll realize that Astra Omnia is no longer a safe place to recruit for this particular contract. Which brings me to another matter. The footage from your raid. The evidence.”

Alexander met her eyes. “We have it.”

“But you haven’t released it.”

“No.”

“Smart.” The Queen nodded with approval. “Given the current galactic tensions, releasing that footage would create complications. Especially for them.” She gestured toward the aliens watching from outside.

“That’s why we’re holding onto it,” Talia said. “Primarily to protect them. Cutting the footage makes us look guilty of hiding something. The full footage endangers the aliens and risks galactic backlash against humanity. And we can’t trust anyone else with it.”

Alexander’s expression didn’t change. “The right moment will come.”

“Strategic patience. I respect that. Evidence is most valuable when used at the right moment, not squandered on emotional impulse.”

The Queen shifted topics smoothly. “Now, shall we get to why I’m actually here? I’d like to meet your guests properly. Hear their stories, if they’re willing.”

Augustus stood. “We discussed it with them. Most declined. Three agreed.”

“That’s all I ask. We should never force someone to relive trauma.” The Queen rose. “Lead the way.”

***

They moved to the terrace. Three aliens waited near the railing, nervous but determined. Gilly’s gills fluttered rapidly. The alien with iridescent scales shifted its weight repeatedly. And Felix, in golden retriever form, sat quietly patient.

The Queen approached slowly. “Thank you for agreeing to speak with me. I know this isn’t easy.”

Gilly spoke first, words still halting but improving. “Queen helps Grimnir. Grimnir helps us. So... we help Queen. Is fair.”

“More than fair. I’m grateful.” The Queen settled onto a terrace chair. “Take your time. Tell me what you’re comfortable sharing.”

Gilly’s story came in fragments. He described an abduction from his water homeworld, confused and terrified. The facility. The cold. The experiments that hurt but never killed. Being studied like a specimen, not a person. Months of imprisonment. Then the rescue.

The Queen kept her expression carefully neutral. Only her hands betrayed her, interlocked fingers tightening.

The scaled one went next, its story similar. Abducted from a trade station. The serum that burned but produced no power. Miller declaring them a failure and moving on. The darkness of the cell. Feedings growing rarer. Hunger and thirst settling in with the slow certainty of death. Until rescue.

By the time they finished, the Queen’s neutrality had cracked. Anger showed through, cold and controlled.

“What was done to you was monstrous,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry you endured it. But I’m happy you survived.”

The scaled alien dipped their head in acknowledgment.

Felix shared last.

“I will tell you my story,” they said, the rough-edged English strange coming from a dog’s muzzle. “But it is... difficult.”

“Only what you’re willing to share,” the Queen said gently.

Felix spoke of a woman, their friend. The security guard who’d tried to stop the abduction. Who’d been hurt badly for interfering. The anguish at not knowing if they’d survived. The long journey with only their own song for company. Meeting Doctor Miller. The fear.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

The Queen listened patiently.

Felix continued. Described how the enhanced serum burned. The power that awakened. How the real experiments had only begun after that. No mention of the power-copying was made.

The Queen was silent for a moment after Felix finished. “I’m sorry. Nobody should have to go through such horrors.” Her tone carried genuine weight. “And that you still don’t know about your friend.”

Felix’s tail drooped slightly.

“But you awakened successfully.” The Queen’s expression shifted, something analytical replacing the sympathy. “From this enhanced serum. One that works on non-human biology.”

“Yes.”

The Queen’s gaze moved to Grimnir. The calculating look was unmistakable now.

But she turned back to Felix first. “Thank you for sharing this. I know it cost you to speak of it.”

Felix inclined their head. “Grimnir gave me freedom and time to heal. Gave me life again. Speaking of the past is a small price for the future.”

The Queen stood, moving to where Alexander, Talia, Augustus, and Annie waited. Her expression had shifted entirely, the careful diplomat replaced by something sharper.

“An enhanced serum,” she said quietly. “That works on non-human species.”

The team said nothing.

Annie’s eyes flicked toward Alexander for just a heartbeat.

The Queen caught it. Her breath stopped.

“You have it,” she said. Not a question. “The formula.”

Alexander gave Annie an amused look, then turned back to the Queen. “Yes. We cracked the encryption on Miller’s tablet.”

The Queen glanced between them, then moved to one of the terrace chairs and sat. The calculated diplomat was fully present now.

“What makes it different?” she wondered aloud, likely not expecting an answer.

Talia answered anyway. “It’s a highly modified G-quadruplex DNA sequence compared to the original serum, according to Miller’s notes. It will probably work on a lot of carbon and crystalline-based entities, which accounts for approximately seventy to eighty percent of catalogued galactic life, but will require further testing to be sure.”

The Queen sat straighter.

“I want it,” she said. Her voice carried absolute determination. “What will it take?”

Everyone looked to Alexander.

He was quiet for a moment as he considered. Then he met the Queen’s eyes.

“We’ll take the island for starters. Ownership, not just use. The paperwork stays unchanged for anonymity, but in reality it’s ours forever. Black cards for every member of Grimnir and permanent access to Astra Omnia.”

The Queen nodded once. “Acceptable. What else?”

“Five percent.”

“One percent of the profits.”

“Three percent.” Alexander paused deliberately. “Of revenue.”

The Queen’s expression sharpened. She studied him, something like approval flickering across her features.

“You’re learning,” she said. “Manufacturing will be a significant undertaking. I’ll need to establish facilities outside of Sol, given that UEG restrictions make local production and sale impractical. Build proper infrastructure, acquire specialized equipment. Extensive testing with volunteers. Advertising. Shipping. Not to mention all the bribes it’s going to take to stop the Galactic Council taking it by force.”

“All of which you’ll pass on to the clients,” Alexander said. “Along with a substantial markup for exclusive access, at least until a competitor rises.”

“True.” The Queen thought for a few more moments, then stood, extending her hand. “Three percent of the revenue and the rest.”

Alexander took her hand. She moved to pull away, but his grip tightened. “Volunteers only. Well-paid ones.”

She met his gaze. “Darling, if I were going to cross lines that would make us enemies, I would have simply taken what I wanted today instead of establishing a partnership. I know that Grimnir and The Royals are going to be the best of friends, simply because we know there are lines that should never be crossed.”

The Queen squeezed his hand once, then released it. “Besides, the Ace of Spades would never forgive me if I ruined his carefully laid plans.”

“The Ace of Spades?” Augustus asked.

“Not my story to tell, dear.” She moved toward where the doorway would appear. “Please deliver the research directly when you’re ready. I’ll continue intercepting contracts when I can, but be vigilant, even on my station.”

“We will,” Alexander said.

“Doorman.”

The door appeared, then opened.

The Queen turned to Augustus. “Your father sends his love. And he insisted that I ask you to join us for dinner sometime. He misses you.”

Something flickered across Augustus's face. Interest, maybe, before his expression went carefully blank.

The Queen stepped through the doorway with the grace of a true villain.

Silence settled over the terrace.

“Did the Queen of Hearts just ask Augustus to dinner?” Annie asked.

“Yep,” Alexander replied.

“And did we just sell alien awakening serum to the Queen of Hearts?” Annie continued.

“We sold it for royalties,” Talia corrected, unashamed of the pun.

“Same thing.” Annie grinned. “We’re drug dealers now.”

***

Alexander finished soldering the last connection on the final holodrone. He set down the tools and activated it with a thought. The small machine rose from the workbench to hover at eye level.

What had started as a simple project had spiraled. Holographic camouflage for the island, because Annie had insisted it wasn’t a real supervillain lair if neighbors could look over the fence. That then required a charging station on the roof. Which required upgrading the power station on the island. Which meant rewiring parts of the building.

Each solution created a new problem.

The new setup worked, just not perfectly. Something was drawing power he couldn’t track down even with his powers. Two days of investigation turned up nothing dangerous. No faults. Just an unexplained drain from the source.

He’d had no choice but to give up.

Alexander glanced at the dragon prototype on the far workbench. Complete now. Sleek metal, articulated wings, scaled armor plating, roughly the size of a dog. He’d considered using Ensoulment on it, but the slots were too valuable. He only had two left.

Instead, he’d programmed it. Patrol the island and report anomalies. Play fetch. It worked well enough. The important thing was that the proof of concept was a success. Work on the real thing would have to wait though. Getting their hands on more of the knight’s enchanted, lightweight steel would be costly, given the only source was from the invasions.

Which had continued monthly, though thankfully Grimnir had not been drawn into a second yet.

The holodrone beeped an acknowledgement and joined the network. Alexander watched it fly toward the roof access, joining the others in their constant rotation around the island.

***

Augustus and Talia stood at the island’s eastern point, placing the final wardstone. The carved stone was the size of a cat and had two runes etched deep into its surface.

“That’s the last one,” Talia said, stepping back.

“Your wardstone idea was inspired,” Augustus said, admiring the placement. “The island will be invisible to anyone searching for us with powers.”

Talia knelt beside the stone, hands glowing faintly gold as she worked her enchantment into it. Obfuscation. Hiding them from seers and diviners across the galaxy.

“I’m glad the runes could help,” Augustus said. He’d inscribed two on each stone. Permanence, to maintain the enchantment indefinitely. Gather, to draw power for sustaining itself. “I’m still figuring out what most can do.”

“Where does the energy come from?” Talia asked, studying the Gather rune.

Augustus shrugged. “Ambient mana, probably. That’s what a wizard would say. I don’t care, as long as it works.”

The enchantment settled into the stone with a faint shimmer. Talia stood, brushing dirt from her hands.

“That should do it,” she said.

They headed back toward the house, satisfied with their work.

***

Annie stood deep in the island’s wooded area, far from the house. Far enough that no one would hear.

She shifted into dino form. Metal scales rippled across her hide, claws extended from her fingers, teeth filled her elongated jaw. The hybrid form felt powerful. It also felt increasingly angry.

She roared, frustration pouring out. A nearby tree splintered under her clawed strike.

The form kept fighting her. Not the transformation itself, that came easily now. But the instincts. The predator urges that came with it. She wanted to hunt. To kill.

She forced herself back to human, breathing hard, and slumped against a tree trunk.

Ash weighed on her mind, too. Talia’s intel broker had finally reported back. She was in a juvenile detention facility. Safe, technically. But trapped.

Annie thought about breaking her out. But she knew that would put Ash at risk. Make her a target like Grimnir. She knew it was better to wait until she turned eighteen. Then they could offer her a choice. Offer her a power, maybe.

Everyone would become Dreamers eventually anyway, once the System had its way. But people died from the serum sometimes. Would awakening without it carry the same risk?

Perhaps they could find her a place to live where there were no Dreamers…

Her thoughts kept circling. There were no good answers.

And her dino form’s instincts kept fighting her.

She couldn’t tell the others. Not yet. Not unless it became a problem. She just had to keep training. Keep practicing. Master it before anyone noticed.

Annie pushed herself upright, preparing to try again.

She didn’t notice Droney hovering silently in the trees, watching.

***

Felix bounded through the grass in golden retriever form, tongue lolling, tail wagging. The afternoon sun warmed their fur. The ocean breeze carried salt and freedom.

They stopped to sniff flowers growing wild near the path. Chased a butterfly for a few delighted moments. Rolled in the soft grass simply because it felt good.

Months ago they’d been strapped to a table. Tortured. Forced into a painful mixture of creatures.

Now they were free. Safe.

Felix sat on a low hill overlooking the Mediterranean, watching the sun paint the water gold. Their tail swept back and forth in contentment.

Life was good.