Chapter 166

Sunset over Manhattan

Alexander relaxed on the lounge deck of the yacht, watching the sun sink behind the New York City skyline. The light was fading fast, orange and gold bleeding between the buildings.

“Is it to your liking, Mr. Rooke?”

He turned. The salesperson waited a respectful distance away, hands clasped behind his back.

A notification flashed across Alexander’s vision. Incoming call from Talia.

He held up a finger. “Excuse me. I need to take this.”

“Of course, sir.”

Alexander accepted the call. “Hey, Talia.”

“Alexander, I’m so sorry it took this long.” Talia’s voice sounded hurried. “I kept expanding the scope as I learned more about potential defenses and vulnerabilities. It just kept growing and I couldn’t stop myself from accounting for every possibility and—”

“I assumed it was something like that,” Alexander said.

He understood the pull. Talia’s need for perfection in anything that challenged her. The drive to make something flawless, to account for every variable. Much like the ambitious itch he was feeling now. The need to prove himself. Not to anyone in particular, just to himself. That he could do it.

He shook his head and refocused.

“—and then I realized that, because our target is likely an expert himself, he was probably working off a modified OS because that’s what I’d do in his place.”

He chuckled. “It’s fine. I’ve still got another…” He glanced at the sunset. “Six or seven hours. Do I need to upload it myself?”

“I didn’t have time to check. I can—”

“No, it’s fine. I’m just wrapping up here, so I can head back to the office and take care of it now.”

“Wrapping up where? Doing what?”

“Oh, just a little window shopping. Thinking of picking up a few things before heading home.”

He could almost hear Talia’s mind working overtime.

“The bike?”

“Bikes,” Alexander corrected. “And some luxury vehicles for the family.” He glanced over at Jonathan, who had taken a few steps away and was studying the Manhattan skyline with exaggerated interest. “Found an incredible yacht, too. Only a single previous owner and still in perfect condition.”

“Huh? Yacht?”

Alexander turned back toward the salesperson. “Jonathan, what did you say the specifications were again?”

Jonathan blinked and looked back, as if he hadn’t been listening at all. “Oh, uh. One hundred and seventy feet in length, with a thirty-two-foot beam. Twin hybrid engines with a six-thousand nautical mile range. Hovertech balancing system for any maritime emergencies. Accommodations for twelve guests, crew quarters for eight. And a full flybridge with a complete navigation suite.”

“Thank you.”

Returning his attention to the call, he continued. “Did you hear that? I think it’s exactly what we need. Plenty of rooms, a full galley, entertainment systems throughout, even a pool. Perfect for the team when we need to get out for a bit.”

“Do we need a yacht?” Talia asked slowly. “For future plans or something?”

He laughed. “No, we don’t need it. But it will be fun to have.”

Talia was silent for several heartbeats. “I thought you were on your best behavior.”

“I am. Not closing any deals until I’m ready to return.”

“I’m sending you the file,” she said wearily. “How big of a ‘deal’ are we talking about?”

Alexander hesitated, considering how to phrase it. “Let’s just say that I’m trying to decide between delivery in three hours or delivery in eight hours.”

“So you have a quick plan, which I assume is safer, or a spectacle?”

“Exactly,” Alexander said. “The latter might even rank as the second-largest deal closed this year.”

“Are we talking about rescuing Felix and the others? Or are you saying this will rank second only behind Skybreaker’s prison break? Because if you’re doing something that big in New York, there are only a few places I can think of.” Talia paused. “And I know you’re not going after the AEGIS regional headquarters because you promised me.”

He glanced at Jonathan and smiled, raising both of his eyebrows briefly. “I’m getting in trouble,” he mouthed silently.

The man hid a grin, turning back to gaze intently at the city.

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“You’re not going after Goliath’s Princeton superhuman prison—”

“Wait,” Alexander interrupted. “There’s a superhuman prison out this way?”

Talia ignored him. “—which leaves… what? Goliath probably has a few labs in New York, but their primary research facility is in Nevada.”

“I can just tell you if you—”

Talia shushed him. “Wall Street has three guild headquarters within shouting distance…”

It was usually fun watching her blitz through a problem and solve it, but Alexander didn’t blame her for being slower than usual. She’d just spent eight hours grinding to provide him with the file now sitting in his mailbox.

And with her enhanced cognition, eight hours was probably more like three days of non-stop work for the average person.

“NYPMEX,” he subvocalized privately, cutting her off.

Talia hesitated for only a heartbeat. “Why? You’ve got the ore harvesters and an entire plan already.”

“Yeah, but it’s going to be a lot of work between now and when they’re producing. Plus, everything else needs to be built or bought, too.”

She paused. “They would have a lot of what you need, but couldn’t we also just buy most of it?”

“Of course. This will be a lot more fun though, and…” Alexander frowned, struggling to word it. Then he shook his head. “Honestly, most of it is because I wanted to challenge myself. But we also need to keep building. Reputation. Fame. Resources. The Royals are well established. The Throne of Scales and these other guilds are making deals with the UEG. We are so far behind where we need to be when everything goes down, and I don’t see another way. We’ve run out of Santiago targets, except their headquarters, which isn’t worth the risk, or the smaller facilities, which aren’t worth the time.”

“Infamy,” Talia corrected distractedly, though she didn’t argue his point. Instead, she sighed. “Fine, but take Augustus at least. Whatever you’re doing, I’m sure his portals can make it safer.”

He considered that. And whether it was pride or ambition that had him planning to do it alone.

“Alright,” he said out loud, concluding it was both. “I’ll loop Auggy in when I’m done with everything else. Let him know I’ll need him to come out in about… fifty-five hours.”

“Thank you, Alex.” Talia was silent for a few moments. “I don’t disagree, you know. And I understand. The need to please that aspect of who we are. I just don’t think it’s worth risking it alone right now.”

Alexander shook his head. “No, I was already feeling indecisive. I’m glad we talked about it. Besides, this can be the practice run for the real thing. Doesn’t Beijing have the Tianfu Strategic Reserve?”

“I’m going to bed, Alex,” Talia said, voice flat. “Goodnight.”

He chuckled. “Goodnight, thanks for the help.”

The call cut.

He turned to the man waiting patiently nearby. “Well, I didn’t get into too much trouble, at least.”

Jonathan gave him a knowing look. “Better half, sir?”

Alexander laughed. “Oh, no. If my better half knew what I was up to, trust me, we’d both be hearing about it. No, that was my business partner.” He stood. “Thank you for showing me around, Jon. You don’t mind if I call you Jon, do you?”

“Of course not, Mr. Rooke. Do you wish to see any more?”

He looked around the deck one more time. “No. I think this is the one.”

“You are a decisive man, Mr. Rooke. Most clients take weeks to decide. Shall we return to the office to handle the paperwork?”

He headed for the ramp. “Not today, Jon. I promised I wouldn’t close any deals until I’m done with business. Don’t you worry though. You’ll know when I’ve returned to pick it up.”

“Of course, sir. May I offer you my card?”

Alexander turned back. “Sure.” He reached out and took it, glanced at the number, then looked back up. “Do you have a pen?”

Jonathan patted his jacket and produced one from an inner pocket.

“Thank you.” He took it and wrote his email on the back of the card. He handed both the card and pen back.

Jonathan accepted them. “Sir?”

“I memorized your number,” Alexander said. “That’s my email. In case anything happens.”

“I… don’t understand, Mr. Rooke. In case what happens?”

“I’m aware you stayed late to cater to my last-minute demands to see the best yachts for sale.” Reaching out, he patted the man’s shoulder with the cybernetic hand. “I appreciate that. See ya ‘round, Jon.”

He turned and walked down the ramp, tucking his hands into his pockets. As he stepped onto the dock, the last vestiges of the sunset disappeared behind the buildings in the distance.

The taxi waited where he’d left it, still parked near the club entrance. He made his way across the lot. The driver had been with him for nearly nine hours now, shuttling him across Manhattan from one stop to another. He’d offered to pay out the tab when they’d arrived at the yacht club, but the man had been more than happy to wait.

Alexander climbed into the cab.

“Where to next, boss?” the driver asked, glancing back at him.

He gave him the address. “Last stop of the day.”

“Yessir.”

The driver took them back into Manhattan proper. The city flowed past the windows. Streets still busy, people still in a hurry, but the energy had shifted. Families heading to dinner. Couples dressed for nights out. Workers trudging home with tired eyes. A costumed hero posed on a street corner, cape billowing in manufactured wind while fans crowded around with cameras raised.

“Hell of a day, boss,” the driver said after a while. “This a regular thing for you?”

Alexander smiled. “No. First time in New York, actually. It’s been interesting seeing the city, but I much prefer the quiet. Waves lapping against the shore. My workshop.”

“Yeah? What do you do for a living?”

He considered that. Really considered it.

“I guess…” He paused. “I try to change the world, just a little. Make it a bit better here or there.” He met the man’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “Though, to be fair, I suppose I make it a bit worse here and there, too.”

The driver nodded slowly, processing that.

Alexander watched the city pass. Lost track of time in the rhythm of traffic and shifting lights.

The cab slowed, then stopped.

He looked up and found the familiar sign of the Chinese restaurant glowing in the evening darkness. He could see the tiny old lady with her ladle, rushing back and forth between tables and the kitchen.

“I think that’s about the same as most folks, boss,” the driver said suddenly, pulling Alexander’s attention away from the window.

“Hm?”

“We’s all just doing our best, I mean.” The driver turned to look over his shoulder. “As long as the good you put out is better than the bad, maybe that’s enough.”

“I sure hope so. Anyway, this is it.” Alexander transferred the fare and added another generous tip. “Thanks for everything today.”

The driver grinned. “Anytime, boss. You ever need a ride in New York again, you call me.” He handed over a card.

Alexander took it, though internally he was wondering what it was with New Yorkers and business cards. “I’ll do that.”

He stepped out onto the sidewalk and watched the cab pull away.

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