Handler XX: Stock Maestro

"Trent?" Wanda called out, seeing the surprise on his face.

"Y–Yeah?" Trent responded quickly, pulling himself together

"You look like you've seen a ghost..." She raised her brow.

"A ghost?" He scoffed, turning his face to Yvaine.

Hmmm...

Wanda scanned him, silently for a while.

Did Anton tell him anything?

He gulped as she walked closer.

A ghost? Yeah. That's definitely what you'd call this situation.

How is she still alive?

Did she defect from the Handlers Program to serve her country?

Was Anton in on this?

"There comes a time in life..." She spoke, walking closer slowly.

"When you have to let go of some things"

Was she testing me?

"Even if they are very important and dear to you" she reached him, stretching her hand.

"For the greater good"

"Yeah" he forced a smile, shaking her hand.

Wait.

He grabbed his head with the other hand.

What was this sharp painful feeling?

"Is everything alright?" Yvaine walked forward looking at him,

"Y–Yes..." He drew his hand away from Wanda's.

What was that?

Why did she seem so familiar?

Wanda cleared her throat, scanning him— face, expression, height...

Look how big he's gotten...

He's become a fine young man.

Her stomach twisted into a knot.

What if I'd---

"W–Who are you?" Trent asked, snapping her back to reality.

"Oh" Yvaine gasped, turning to Wanda.

"This is Lady Wanda— proxy to Lord Seraphim"

"Wanda who?" Trent's eyes narrowed.

If they were going to become members, they shouldn't be hiding things, should they?

"You don't have to hide your identity from a seat do you? That just---"

"Wanda Kravenberch" Wanda cut in, sharply.

Yvaine exhaled, glancing at Trent.

What made him have that expression on his face when he saw Lady Wanda?

"A Kravenberch?" He mused, acting surprised.

"We are a global organization. It's not weird that I'm part of it with the family's influence, is it?"

"Certainly not" he huffed,

"I know the bias you might have against Kraven since you're a Handler---"

"It's okay..." He chuckled, bowing down slightly.

"I'm sorry about the rudeness I've shown. I am Trent Ackerman. It's nice to finally meet you"

"You don't have to---" Yvaine gasped as he bowed.

"It's okay. Lord Stella or whatever, she's an elder and a proxy of the Leader, no less"

Such a fine Man.

Wanda cleared her throat, stretching forward a USB drive.

His eyes trailed the drive up to her face.

"What's this?"

"Information you'll need to know about the organization. You should use a new laptop"

"Why?"

"The USB will destroy and also destroy the laptop. Security measures have been made to make sure it can't be hacked into or rewatched"

Why not just tell me about the organization then?

She laughed softly, seeing the look of confusion on his face.

"It's too long to be said with word of mouth. And only the leader is authorized to tell anybody"

Hmmm...

This smells like a chance to meet the leader doesn't it?

Plus he'd gotten a lot of information from Seren.

"I'll pass on this..." He stretched the USB back.

"What?" She blinked, looking at his face

Does he want to meet the Leader?

"The leader is a busy---"

"I can wait" he replied with a grin.

"I'll be ready whenever he calls"

Somebody that can move a Princess from the direct line of Kravenberch and has the Duke's respect.

It's definitely the Emperor

"When do I get to see the other high seats?"

She looked at him for a while and exhaled,

"In due time"

"I could take you to my Father if you want..." Yvaine said with a smile.

"I'll take that offer soon" he replied, smiling back.

"About the obligation for benefits of high seat members..."

"Yeah. +100% of the members funds per year" she replied, turning to Wanda.

+100%?

Child's play...

Well, they're probably worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

Being able to potentially multiply their money by 5 times yearly must've been a really great deal.

"Why do you ask?" Wanda asked, tucking the USB away.

"Zara Technologies. According to my analysis, it's stocks are going to fall tomorrow"

"What?" Yvaine gasped.

Trent turned to her, surprised.

"Do you know the company?"

She fell silent for a while to think and exhaled,

"It's a company with Kraven's backing"

Huh?

"It's secretly run by the Imperial family" Wanda added with a sigh.

Oh.

"Anyways... That should count as my quota fulfilled if it works, no?"

They fell silent for a while.

"What if it doesn't?" Yvaine asked,

"I'll personally give them double their money" he chuckled.

IF it doesn't.

"Does Scarlet know about this?" He turned to Wanda,

"She doesn't. She just follows orders"

He looked at her and Yvaine.

That's about all for questions.

For now.

"Can I go now? I need to find a place to sleep"

"Oh. There's a reservation at the Presidential suite for you" Yvaine pulled out a key card and stretched it.

"Thank you" he smiled, collecting it.

He looked at the key card for a while and then at Wanda

"How does being a member affect my Handler job?"

Does it need him to stop being a Handler at some point?

That'll be cool and all but it'd feel like betrayal to Anton and Marie

"You can just continue" she chuckled, looking at his expression

"Lumina only cares about Balance. You just have to put that in mind"

He nodded, watching Yvaine walk off.

"Can I know what group you work for? Or was Scarlet meeting me part of the plan to recruit me?"

"What do you think?" She laughed softly, with a grin.

The Agents on Morlov, which he'd thought of as just Kraven's intelligence doing turned out to be something more.

What about the Westeron NIA agents?

This means there's someone of equal power to the Madam in Westeron that is part of Lumina.

Makes sense.

They've got global reach.

What's stopping them from being everywhere.

Now, that's scary.

"We should get to know each other sometime soon" she added, walking off.

This just keeps getting interesting.

"That'll be lovely" he chuckled, looking at the dagger in his hand.

What does this even do?

And what was that talk about updating his profile?

_____

He looked at the key card as he stepped into the elevator. The 20th floor.

That was faster than I'd expected though.

He looked at the room as the elevator's door shut close.

They just do basic introduction and leave after taking the money?

I feel like I've been scammed.

Thinking about it, anyone with the right people paid could pull off what she did at the opera, no?

No.

They wouldn't show him their power— the Duke, The leader who's most probably the Emperor and Wanda.

What the hell was up with Wanda though?

What was that familiar feeling?

Did she fake her death to leave the program and did Anton know about it?

There's no need racking your brain about it too much, Trent.

I've got to find a plan B about this group and their weaknesses too.

Fuck.

It's a lot of work.

He looked at his phone as it buzzed.

Shit... 10 missed calls?

Oh.

2 from Marie and the others from random numbers.

"I need to change this number" he groaned, dialing Marie.

"Hello..."

She stayed silent for a while and sighed,

"I take it you've not seen the news?"

The news?

"What's going on?"

"There's serious attack online against all your companies, and even talks about Tax evasion"

There's something like that?

Was it the Salt Laboratories attack?

But, tax evasion?

"I pay taxes for every withdrawal— it's charged and paid. And Xander cleared all the debts and taxes owed for the firms"

"It's a festival for your enemies online" she exhaled.

"This is definitely a coordinated attack on me. Is Angela still around?"

"...Yes. She's been busy so I haven't seen her"

Hmmm...

Was she trying to get Seren to talk again?

He looked at his phone as it buzzed— unknown number.

A message with a picture.

Congressman Felix Umber?

The message had detailed information on Felix Umber— his political agenda, behavior, companies sponsored.

Wait.

Salt Laboratories?

It belonged to one of his cousins and he's been receiving political funds from there.

"Are you still there?" Marie asked,

"Yeah... I just got information on who's targeting me"

"Really? Who's the person?"

"Felix Umber" he growled, looking at the elevator door as it dinged.

"That bastard? How did you find out just now, though?"

He looked at the message.

This was definitely the work of Lumina.

Even Felix Umber's dirty secrets and weaknesses were so detailed.

"A friend sent it in"

She fell silent for a second.

A friend?

That was awfully fast, no?

"A good friend..." She scoffed.

"What are you going to do about him? Should I tell Anton and have this sort---"

"No" he interrupted sharply.

"That'll be too stressful and take too much time. I know a faster way"

"Faster?"

He searched for Xander's number and forwarded the message to him with a small message under.

FINISH HIM.

This will be a good test to see how far Xander can go. He chuckled, stepping out of the elevator.

"It's going to be a fun game, Umber"