"Are you both just going to continue to sit there without properly greeting me?" Delilah said in her best haughty young mistress voice.

Camila just gave her a befuddled look, but Adder caught onto what she was going for and quickly moved to play along.

"I’m sorry, I was stunned by your beauty and presence Lady Sinclair. Please forgive my insolence."

Adder had hastily gotten out of his chair and bowed deeply with respect.

Something that left Camila’s mouth hanging wide open in disbelief. The man never showed that much deference to anybody.

Delilah smiled at how well this was already going.

She had already brainstormed several potential identities to trick poor Camila with, but Adder had outdone himself already acting like he knew who she was.

The name was also perfect since she knew who he was already planning on tying her to. It would make their joke more believable.

"Very well. I’m glad that at least one of you knows my venerable self. Though it is a shame how far our leadership has slipped in my grandfather’s absence that I am not recognized immediately by all." Delilah said, casting a disappointed glance at Camila.

Before Camila could recover from the sudden shock of the unexpected situation, Adder hissed at her and said, "Hurry up and stand up already can give a proper greeting. She is the granddaughter of one of the founders, Reuben Sinclair. He may have gone missing twenty-seven years ago, but his legacy still lives on through her. After being thoroughly raised to succeed him, she’s finally here to take her rightful place among us."

Delilah could hardly hold back a snicker upon hearing the impressive background that Adder had thought up for her in the moment.

He truly was a sharp and conniving man. Someone she was glad was currently an ally.

Though she knew that if either of them ever showed a hint of weakness to exploit to the other, that neither of them would hesitate to seize the opportunity.

"My apologies Lady Sinclair. I hadn’t heard of you before and didn’t know that you would be coming today."

Feeling the pressure, Camila had done as Adder said. Although she still had a hint of skepticism and confusion on her face.

Delilah was about to escalate the scenario when the meeting room doors opened, and another voice resounded through the area.

"Adder, Delilah, stop messing around with Camila. We’re not gathered here today so that the two of you can play your sick games with the rest of us."

Everyone’s eyes turned towards the newcomer that had just spoken up.

Delilah frowned since she had been exposed and felt rather unlucky that it was not someone else that had arrived instead.

Out of the other leaders, most would have been indifferent to Camila’s plight and not bothered saying anything, while a couple other might have actually joined in.

This man, however, was as serious as they got. Something anyone with eyes would be able to tell by his neatly trimmed short gray hair, stern expression, and piercing yellow eyes.

"Jorgan, you know that you don’t need to keep up your role right now. You’re not the Vice Minister of Defense here, and Camila is not a Deputy Chief subordinate to you. Or is there something more going on here? Do I need to report the two you to the Office of Government Ethics for salacious misconduct?" Adder said, a mischievous grin on his face.

The man did not offer any response and merely glowered at Adder before turning away and taking his own seat at the table.

Now knowing that she had been duped by the two most infuriating members of the organization, Camila angrily sighed and shoved past Delilah and Adder.

Both of them briefed locked eyes with each other and shrugged their shoulders before going their separate ways and taking seats of their own.

Over the next couple of hours, more people continued to trickle until there were thirty-eight individuals accounted for.

This was the entire group that currently stood at the top of their little secret society.

It was a bit smaller of a gathering than last time.

A few people were noticeably missing. Iniquus, Clarien, and Rook among those that could not make it for one reason or another.

One of the people that was present was notably out of place though.

An old man that clearly did not give off the same presence of importance as the rest of those sitting at the table.

Most knew who he was, and many that looked down on him kept giving him nasty looks.

He used to be Iniquus’ aide, and the aide of his father before him.

Normally, someone like him would have never been invited to a meeting like this.

However, he had proven his loyalty to the organization over even his own master, and more importantly, he was in possession of something of vital importance.

’If only I could have figured out where he had that thing stashed away, I could have swiped it for myself. A shame, but it’s too dangerous a device to risk it ending up outside of our hands due to infighting.’ Delilah thought, turning her attention to the old man.

Despite the mounting pressure against him, he remained unnerved. Something of a necessary skillset for anyone that worked closely with Iniquus and his father.

Eventually, the meeting commenced, and since most of the attention was already directed towards a specific individual, the conversation naturally went towards the project he was involved in.

"I’m sure that we’re all curious to hear about the progress of the emitter. Davern, would you mind enlightening us." The current head of the organization said, in a low, commanding voice.

They were presumably a man, but even Delilah was not certain about their identity. Their supposed leader was covered completely from head to toe and had never shown their appearance.

"Understood." Davern said, nodding his head. "I’m pleased to announce that after finding a few capable experts to finish the device, the solar flare emitter is fully operational. All that is necessary now is picking an acceptable target for a first field test."