That night, just after the call with Ling, Leo dashed back to the living room, hoping to find his sister there. Unfortunately, it was empty. The TV was off, and the dishes had been cleared.
"She's definitely in the kitchen," he said, picking up speed.
He slid to a halt in front of the sink—no one.
"Where could she be?" he muttered. "Sophie!?"
"Sophieee?"
"Yesss!" came the reply from her room.
"Gotcha," he said under his breath, charging down the hallway.
Leo yanked the door open, startling his sister. She was behind her PC, headphones on, streaming YouTube reels. She spun her chair around to face him, pulling her headphones off.
"What's wrong with you?" Sophie asked, clearly annoyed.
Leo didn't answer immediately. His chest heaved as he huffed and puffed like a steam engine on the verge of exploding. His face glistened with sweat. For a few seconds, he just stood there, staring at her like he'd seen an alien.
"Hellooo?" Sophie waved a hand in front of him.
"How do I even say this... okay, got it. You know what? I've just discovered Dr. Wong is my girlfriend's daughter."
Sophie blinked. "Wait—what?"
"I mean—damn it—I meant my girlfriend is Dr. Wong's daughter!"
He flailed his hands in frustration.
"And she just invited me to her birthday party. And her dad's big day too. And I'm so—"
"Overwhelmed?!" came a deep voice from the doorway.
They both turned.
Their dad stood there, arms folded across his chest.
Leo froze. Silence rooted itself in the room like an awkward third wheel.
Sophie exhaled and turned back to her computer. She typed a few keys. Instantly, information about Dr. Wong appeared onscreen—complete with a photo of him standing beside Ling Zhao.
The spouse field? Deceased.
She hit return. A new photo popped up—Leo and his girlfriend, smiling.
Sophie tilted her head. "Pretty much alike. I think it's her," she said, turning to the guys.
"So, it's true?" their dad asked.
Leo scratched his head. "Yeah, it is, Dad. What do I do?"
"I think you're mature enough to decide what to do with your life," their dad said, stepping into the room. He walked over to Sophie's newspaper rack and picked up the comic Billy had left behind.
"Meanwhile, I'll sit back and enjoy this comic about your long-lost friend. Maybe I'll bring him back so he advises you against Tech-Man's daughter," Mr. Gavin Pierce added, strolling out with a sly smile.
Leo turned to his sister, confused to see her smiling.
"What?" he asked, almost defensive.
"Go tidy up your suit. We're leaving tomorrow for your girlfriend's birthday," Sophie said, standing up.
Leo blinked, then softened. A smile broke across his face as he stepped forward and pulled her into a tight hug.
"Thanks, Siz."
Sophie rolled her eyes but hugged him back.
He stepped back, his grin intact. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to prepare damn myself."
He vanished down the hallway.
"Weird. Long-distance relationships," Sophie muttered, shaking her head as she returned to her PC.
No sooner had she put her headphones back on than Leo banged the door open again.
"Hey—what about the political-daddy part of the party?"
Sophie gave it a quick thought before replying, "No worries. We'll figure it out. Like we always do."
"Thanks again, Siz!"
She could only facepalm.
Sophie slid her headphones on and disappeared back into her digital world.
******************************
At the INT. FIVE-STAR HOTEL – PRESIDENTIAL LOUNGE – SAME NIGHT
The velvet hush of the executive lounge wrapped around the three men like a secret. Behind tall glass windows, the city lights of New Washington blinked lazily beneath the night sky.
President Marshall Grant sipped his black coffee, eyes calmly scanning the skyline.
Across from him, General Holtz stirred his espresso with precise, military rhythm. Sir Walker, always the quiet one, sat between them with a cappuccino, foam untouched.
After a moment of silence, the President finally spoke.
"Holtz, is the AI weapons testing program all set for tomorrow's event?"
The general nodded without hesitation. "Nick and span, Mr. President. Troops briefed, zones secured, backup protocols in place. We're ready to showcase."
The President nodded, pleased.
He turned to Sir Walker. "And the suitcase? Did you hand Dr. Wong's AI weapons coding and control case to the tech division?"
Sir Walker gave a rare smile. "Yes, sir. The government's computer wizards have it. And it's the real deal. And..."
"Go on."
"The suitcase contains a military-grade, indestructible tablet phone," Walker said, voice low. "From that single device, we've pinpointed entire squads of Super-Mechs, AI Army formations, Heavy Drone launchers, and other… interesting toys."
President Grant chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair. "So it's working. All of it."
"It is, sir," Holtz confirmed. "Better than we expected."
The President lifted his cup slightly. "Gentlemen, congratulations. Your work has put us ten years ahead of the world."
But then Holtz lowered his voice, leaning in.
"Hold on, Mr. President. Don't you see anything... suspicious about this man?"
Silence fell like a cold draft.
President Grant didn't answer right away.
He set his cup down with a soft clink.
"If there is," he said finally, "we'll figure out how to shut it down—just as we always do."
He leaned back and allowed a tight smile. "But for now... let's enjoy the meal. We've got a long day tomorrow."
Just then, the waiters arrived—wheeling in polished carts stacked with silver domes hiding mouth-watering delicacies.
The scent of truffle oil and spiced lamb filled the room.
The men sat back as the dishes were uncovered.
To Be Continued....
<