“But not exactly the same.” Levi retrieved a piece of paper and set it between them.

“I guess the main difference is that I’m more conservative on environmental impact issues.”

“Like?”

Cassie motioned toward the balcony and the water beyond. “The Mediterr­anean has been overfished for years. I’m in favor of restricting the fishing within our territorial waters, and I’ve lobbied with several other nations to do the same.”

“What else?”

“I’ve been pushing for my father to expand our airport and allow more airlines to come into our country to increase our tourism income.”

“Neither of those would be reason for Americans to get involved. They don’t fish this region, and lower prices in the tourism industry is in their favor.” Levi tapped his pen on the blank paper in front of him. “You said you’re the chairperson for the energy commission. Have you made any changes since taking over?”

“A few. Nothing major.”

“Tell me about them.”

She waved a hand in the air. “My main focus has been on developing our own energy sources so we aren’t reliant on other countries.”

“From what I understand, Sereno has been increasing its usage of solar power and has explored developing a wind farm off the coast,” Levi said. “And I know you are reviewing bids for drilling rights in your territorial waters.”

“You’re well informed.”

“It’s my job to be informed.”

Cassie debated a moment about whether to step onto the bridge of trust. “Have you heard of the Leviathan field?”

“Isn’t that the natural gas field that Israel and Lebanon keep fighting over?”

“Yes. It’s an enormous natural resource for the area.”

“What does that have to do with Sereno?” Levi asked. “The Leviathan field is in the eastern Mediterranean. Your country is in the western Mediterranean.”

“I commissioned a study last year to consider the possible location of a wind farm off our coast. Wind energy is greatly underutilized in the region, and if my calculations are correct, Sereno could become nearly self-sufficient within ten years.”

“Makes sense,” Levi said. “Avoid dependence on other countries, and your economy strengthens.”

“Yes.” Relieved that Levi understood the basic nuances of international relations, she forced herself to confide in him further. “It was during our study that we discovered a natural gas deposit in the Mediterranean floor.”

“Which is why you’re reviewing proposals right now.”

“Yes, but with the exception of a few companies we have entered into confidential bidding agreements, the general public doesn’t realize the potential of our discovery. It’s quite substantial.”

Levi’s eyebrows lifted. “How substantial?”

“The Sereno field rivals the size of the Leviathan field.” She drew a deep breath before offering the critical information. “Our initial estimates value it at 80 billion euros worth of harvestable oil and gas deposits.”

“Eighty billion?” Levi repeated. “That would put Sereno on the map as one of the leading energy producers in the area.”

“The wind farm alone would have been enough to make an impact, but by moving forward with it and partnering with an energy company for the drilling of oil and natural gas, Sereno will never have to worry about financial issues again.”