“Not everyone.” Old Huang Enlai had lingered at the window, watching the lights war on, but he turned now and nodded to the empty board table, testing the faces of his companions. Would they see it? “There’s someone who knows everything, who isn’t on that list. Someone who’s sat at this table almost as often as we have ourselves.”

“Xiao Hei Wang!” Jehovah’s Chinese name spread quickly through the others, wide eyes with it. “Xiao Hei Wang is innocent.”

“Xiao Hei Wang could do it.”

“They sit in on every meeting, know who owes favors, family history, everything.”

“They could hold my bloc together.”

“They could hold all our blocs together until real plans are made.”

Korea nodded. “It’s not a bad idea.”

“The other Hives trust Xiao Hei Wang too, they’d trust the Mitsubishi under their leadership.”

“Would Xiao Hei Wang have to join the Hive?”

“No. Outside contractors can hold shares in trust.”

“They’d do it for us, wouldn’t they, Andō?” Old Huang Enlai approached the Chief Director’s desk. “Xiao Hei Wang thinks of you as a father. They’ve supported us against the Masons, fed us secrets behind MASON’s back. They’d stay loyal, support our families, honor our requests and instructions, even from prison, and they’ll have Madame’s resources to help, and the world’s trust.”

“Xiao Hei Wang would do it, I’m sure. We can make them custodian of all our shares until a new board is selected.”

“They’ll protect our families.”

“Maybe get us acquitted.”

“No!” Hotaka Andō rarely raises his voice, but there is thunder in it when he does. “We have been defeated. That does not mean we hand the enemy their prize.”

All stared. “What enemy?”

“Madame D’Arouet. Can’t you see it? They planned all this to force us to pass power to Tai-kun.”

“Madame?” Glances flicked fast as sparks among the others. “Why would Madame attack us? We’re all their clients.”

This should be no surprise, reader. To head a Mitsubishi bloc is to raise a high tower on ground besieged by earthquakes; Madame’s patronage is the iron hidden in the tower’s heart which makes these ten still stand.

“Madame is not our friend.” Andō’s shoulders shook, as if something threatened to erupt from him, sobs or laughter. “It’s just as Sniper said: Madame is trying to tear down all the Hives and put Tai-kun at the head of what remains. Tai-kun nearly lost their life exposing O.S. They’re the world’s hero now. The Cousins, the Humanists, Europe, we’re all on the edge of ruin, and Madame is counting on us to realize we can save ourselves by handing power to Tai-kun. Europe has given itself to Spain, and Prince Leonor’s death makes Tai-kun Heir Presumptive. As for the Cousins, they’re already implementing Tai-kun’s interim constitution, and you can’t doubt Tai-kun and Heloïse will be the architects of the permanent one as well.”

“Heloïse?”

Andō met Huang Enlai’s eyes. “A tearful maiden charges onto the Senate floor with a bloodstained constitution? My Hiroaki still has access to the CFB, and the Cousins are all sympathy vote. After ‘Aunt’ Kosala’s touching performance at the Senate this morning, and in the Brussels crisis, they’ve received more letters demanding that Kosala remain Chair than they had before for their dismissal. Even more are demanding that the Board waive the requirement for Board Members to be Cousins, so they can appoint Heloïse, as well as Tai-kun. Madame knows how to use a broken system.”