The screen shows a prisoner seated in a brightly lit room with shining electric-powered handcuffs around his wrists. He's surrounded by UN agents. Helms smirks a bit at the representatives' stunned expressions.
"We have reason to believe that this prisoner is the protector of Eza, the fiancée of Prince Zec, heir to the Euperian throne. Eza is also the daughter of Matiboth, now second-in-command of Zheteg's forces but once the general of the forces that protected Greron, the capital of the Euperian Empire."
The screen changes to show footage of Eza's escape.
"I'm sorry," a representative interrupts. "You're saying we have an Isarian protector in custody who belongs to Matiboth's daughter, and you think that this girl is her?"
"Yes, I'm sure of it."
The representatives look at each other in astonishment. Helms changes the footage on the screen to images of classified documents.
"What you're looking at now is years of data that confirms my assumption. This data was recently retrieved during a raid of a terrorist compound whose mission was to spy on this girl. We also learned from these terrorists that they believe Eza and her protector were headed to Port Jervis, New York. The reason they were heading there is still unknown."
Now the screen shows an article from the Port Jervis Gazette, titled: "Brave Teen Enters Burning Building to Save Friend."
"I trust you remember this incident from a couple of months back. I apprised all of you of the event after it occurred, as well as the aftermath. The girl in this article was blown from the third floor by a backdraft, along with the so-called hero, yet she was 'miraculously' uninjured despite the fact that she was inside the burning building for approximately twenty minutes and then fell to the pavement forty feet below. I don't think it's a coincidence that Eza and her protector happened to head to Port Jervis after this incident, and I also believe there's more to the girl from the article that we currently know or understand. Therefore, I respectfully request authorization from the UN to personally lead a Level Five operation aimed at tracking, capturing, and questioning Eza and any other Azhalian or human we encounter during the pursuit."
"Helms?" interjects one of the UN representatives. "You're implying that the rumors are true — that the Euperian royal children are alive, and here on Earth?"
"I am," Helms says firmly. "How else did the two kids survive the fire and the fall? How else can we explain the intel we retrieved from the terrorist cell? Why did those aliens follow this girl for so many years? And why was a Isarian protecting her?"
"Do the Azhalian authorities know that we've captured an Isarian?" a representative asks.
"No. No report about the capture has been filed with the Azhalian Assembly, nor have we shared any of the intel from the raid." Helms scans the faces of the men. "Look, I'm not arguing that things for us Earthlings were great before the Ucte takeover, but they've definitely gotten worse since. Zheteg is draining us of resources to fund his war at home, and we're getting nothing in return. We need a bargaining chip in order to extract concessions from the Ucte, and this is it. It's clear by now that Zheteg doesn't possess the manpower to complete the full subjection of the Euperian people on Azha. Moreover, Queen Liaj fights on. If the Euperian people discover that their Prince and heir to the throne is alive, they will rise up to join her."
"Are you sure this Eza is even an Azhalian?" another representative asks.
Helms smiles and presses a button on the computer. "Can a human do this?" The holograms show Eza firing a blast from her hand that kills two agents.
"If Helms is wrong, we're all going to be hanged for this," the oldest of the representatives say to the others. "But I agree, this might be our only chance to get the upper hand on the Ucte. I vote to give Helms what he wants."
As the representatives deliberate, the Secretary-General gathers his thoughts. He stares at the holograms of Eza. Then he stands and places both hands on his desk. "Do you understand the repercussions of what you are saying, Helms? You are explicitly contradicting the Azhalian ambassador's claim that the heirs of King Uphu and Queen Liaj are dead."
"Of course I understand," Helms says. "We all know the Ucte can't be trusted."
The Secretary-General arches his eyebrows. "If this operation is greenlit, then you will assume full responsibility. If your intentions are discovered by the Azhalian Assembly before you can prove your theory, you will be hanged. We will all deny any involvement."
Everyone in the briefing room stares at Helms, then at the Secretary-General. "I expected no less, sir," Helms says, his eyes cold as flint.
❖❖❖
"I don't have a good feeling about this," Blake mutters.
"Me neither. But what choice do we have?" Wally responds.
"I just don't trust politicians, especially Uek'unts. All they care about is wealth and status."
A black cargo van stops and parks in the driveway. Aaron steps out of the driver's side door, greeting them with a cheerful, "Good evening, gentlemen." He walks toward the back of the van, and both Blake and Wally follow. Aaron pulls the handle on the back hatch, and the door slides open. Blake's and Wally's jaws drop simultaneously. "We're smuggling people?!" Blake asks forcefully.
"Shhh, keep it down. But yes. These people are persecuted Euperians, and we need to get them to safety."
"Where are we taking them, then?" Wally asks.
"Canada." Aaron signals to the group to exit the truck.
"But Canada will just extradite them back to the UN."
"You're not wrong about that, but Canada won't be their last stop. Your job is just
