July 25 – Cairo
Back in Cairo. A day to relax, relatively speaking. No concerts. No divine negotiations. Just a few dozen minor crises and half as many meetings. That passes for calm these days.
I spent the morning reviewing security and logistics with the team. The rest of the day was my own. So I reached out to Vivek.
We spoke—digitally, of course. I asked him if I could borrow the scepter.
He found it amusing. Said I could, since it’s “worthless” without its capstone—something he apparently knew the whole time. Watched his own daughter betray him over it for no other reason than curiosity and boredom. I can’t tell if he’s callous or just operating on a different scale of consequence. Probably both.
Still, he’s loaning it to me. For research. What kind of research? I’ll figure that out. The scepter hums with history. There may be more there than he lets on.
July 26 – Cairo
Spoke with Astrid Nygård today.
Officially: to prepare for the Scandinavian leg of the tour—concerts in Copenhagen, her media appearance on The Truth with Kate, that sort of thing.
Unofficially? Perhaps something more.
There’s opportunity in the SSU. Not just for Halo, or Horizon, or Starway Elite—but for me. Astrid is powerful, precise, and playing a deep game. The Union’s international image is suffering. Her own political capital is strained. Halo can help shift perception. So can I. If she lets me in.
I floated the idea of giving the Union’s Awakened creatures a greater voice—metahumans, spirits, even dragons, if they’re listening. She was… intrigued. I don’t think she expected that angle. But this is bigger than ratings and album sales. There’s room here for a new bloc. Vivek, Astrid, and others. A triangle of influence cutting through the tired East/West divide.
Also—let’s not lie—I kind of like her. That’s going to complicate things. Sorry, Wizkid. You’ll need to find your drama elsewhere.
Speaking of which…
Wizkid’s been busy. He bought a derelict property in Evan’s Creek, up in Redmond. Plans to open a club. He’s calling it The SINless. I’ve seen the blueprints. It's less “nightlife hotspot” and more “paramilitary recruitment center with a dancefloor.”
Tacoma’s seen a spike in armed merc sightings. So has Redmond. Evan’s Creek is humming. Whatever he’s building, it’s not just a bar. I haven’t asked questions. Probably better that I don’t.
July 27 – Departure
We leave for Paris.
More concerts. More gods.
More secrets. More plays.
The scepter’s coming with me.
Let’s see what France remembers.
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