Astrid was the kind of person known not to get nervous over certain situations, but this one tensed her. She had trained Kaz herself in the art of spying and she had been trained by Valerius to be a spy but not the kind you would think. Astrid had been taught to read people since before she could learn grammar. She was also a great detective.

Kaz was doing his part and so she had to do hers.

Myles was an interesting specimen of criminal–he killed villains instead of heroes–which made him more hero than criminal one could say, but if you would have told him that he would deny it.

Astrid snuck along the edges of her base. Myles killed villains for a living to be a villain so why would the Ninth Circle hire him.

“It does not make sense,” said Drew. “Why would a villain kill other villains?”

She had met Drew when she stayed in Ireland for some time doing research on the sentinels and what she needed to accomplish. He didn’t mind helping her.

“Competition,” said Astrid. “I could think of a million reasons, but you were never much of detective, were you?”

“I did fine,” said Drew, as he prickled at the thought. “What other theories did you have?”

“Could have fallen in love with a hero,” said Astrid softly. “It happens and it’s not uncommon these days.”

“Are you sure we are at the right place?” asked Drew.

“Definitely,” said Astrid. “Luckily, Myles never amps up his security system.”

Astrid shot a zipline arrow and zipped across to the top of the building.

“Why did we land on the roof?” asked Drew.

“There are security measures and traps if you went from the ground,” said Astrid, as she entered the flash drive into the port above the building. “I remember it from the first time I came here.”

“I got a question,” said Drew.

“Shoot,” said Astrid.

“Why can’t you go back in time and stop the virus from being spread?” asked Drew.

“Because traveling through time is very dangerous and interfering with events can have serious consequences,” said Astrid. “What’s done is done, Drew. As much I would love to go back and save those people, we can’t.”

“We have another problem,” said Drew.

Not the authorities again. How many times do we have to tell them we are the good guys?

This investigation is not exactly on the books, Player. The authorities don’t even know that much about Nox or The Circle or Galaxy X.

“Officer, what a pleasure to see you,” said Astrid out loud. She crossed her hands. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

More like displeasure.

“Stop, criminal,” said .

“Okay. First, I am not a criminal,” said Astrid. “And secondly, I am chasing actual criminals and terrorists. These guys have killed people to control society and do anything for power.”

“No such organization exists,” said Devereux.

“They do because they managed to kill an entire village of people,” said Astrid.

Finished.

He pointed a gun, and she tilted her head.

“I was trained by Valerius; do you think Interpol can beat me?” said Astrid digging into her pocket and smashing smoke pearls on the floor.

That was a close one.

No kidding, but that’s not the worst part I am having coffee with Valerius.

“You’re having coffee with your mentor?” asked Drew.

“Seems odd,” said Astrid. “But he only wants to help and maybe he can help ease the tension I have about Kaz.”

You don’t know anything about Valerius.

He runs a web of spies that stretches across the globe… and very rarely takes on an apprentice of his own.

Is it possible for him to be using you?

“He’s not like that. He knew my dad,” said Astrid. “He only wants to help. Though, his ghosts who seem to keep an eye on me seem to be annoying.”

Astrid approached the café and sat down. “You usually don’t come out of the shadows often, so what are you doing here in Ketterdam?”

“I wanted to keep an eye on you, you were known to stay in one place for a long time as a spy,” said Valerius.

“I have my suspicions that Galaxy X is another branch of the Ninth Circle,” said Astrid. “I have sent Kaz to investigate while I checked out other fronts like Myles.”

Astrid slid over the file. “All I could find on Myles’ involvement I think he’s a member of the board of the Ninth Circle.”

“And you sent your friend in there?” asked Valerius looking over the file. “I want to work with you on this.”

Astrid's eyes widened at the statement. It was a rare jewel for Valerius to take on an apprentice and even more rare for him to join her on a mission. “Not that I don’t want you to, I could use all the help I can but where is this coming from?”

“I was your father’s friend and I promised him I would keep you safe,” said Valerius. “You could die trying to bring the Ninth Circle down.”

Astrid sat in silence for a while considering it. “Would I have the entire force of King of Secrets entire network of spies at my behest?”

“I know that look, what are you planning?” asked Valerius.

“Nothing yet,” said Astrid. “I’m seriously understaffed though compared to their network. I could use your network of spies.”

Valerius was not his real name; it was more like a codename. His real name was Joseph Solomon. He had almost become a father to her.

“You didn’t answer the question would I have your network of spies on my side?” asked Astrid.

“They would work for you as they work for me,” said Valerius.

“Deal,” said Astrid. “We work together but this is my mission, so you do as I say.”

“Agreed,” said Valerius.

After the meeting, Oliver had gotten wind that Kaz had returned. She decided to go and meet him in an alley.

“Interesting meeting place,” said Kaz.

“Just wait,” said Astrid placing her hand on the symbol teleporting them to a mountain.

“That’s better,” said Kaz. “Right so upon your request, I have been monitoring the activity of Inferno Corp, which is run by none other than Cayden Dale. I looked into Dale’s financial dealing and found his channeling money to an unknown source.”

“So, he’s just the bookkeeper for the Circle?” asked Astrid as she sat down. “I guess I was wrong.”

“You aren’t completely wrong…” said Kaz. “He is also one of their newest members of their organization. He seems to supervise where the man-made materials for whatever they are building go. He also mentioned something about a list.”

“Why would… oh…” said Astrid. “That makes sense.”

“Exactly,” said Kaz.

“So, I need to find it,” said Astrid. “That list could lead us to find who they will be targeting.”

“Maybe you could ask your mentor if his spies know anything,” said Kaz.

No he does not know anything about the list of targets. Can you check the hard drives I gave you.

Sure, no problem.

“Isn’t your mom dating him?” asked Kaz.

“You got a point,” said Astrid. “I also got his number; I’ll call him when I am free. Maybe, he does have something.”

“You don’t want to call him, do you?” asked Kaz.

“It’s awkward,” said Astrid. “I mean as a Phantom trainee he had to be harsh on me and it’s how I best learned and now I am supposed to call him Dad?”

You have had one, but he died when you were young, and you are scared to let someone in.

“I don’t know…” said Astrid.

She did not tell her mother what she did during the summer with Salomon because her mother would not understand the need. Oliver was walking outside her cabin in the woods trying to think. If her dad had left any clues of this list anywhere.

Maybe it is time you tell them because in the end you are going to want your family by your side.

I already sort of told my sister through a video message, well I told her the truth because I wanted to.

“I’ll tell him and my mom,” said Astrid. “Some time in the future, but I can’t do it now.”