Albedo Castle. Stella Fracta

Alexandra’s expression change – from pensively sad to mysteriously sly. He raised an eyebrow questioningly when she looked at him.

      “Got a prophecy for you, Christopher,” she smiled. “The Lovers card.”

      “For me?”

      “I know how it works. It’s contagious.”

      “I don’t understand,” Christopher frowned, now it was his expressions’ turn to change as he ran through guesses.

      “You will. Just start noticing.”

      12. Every Other

[Japan, Tokyo, Chuo City]

[Japan, Tokyo, Shinjuku City]

      In the lobby of the Mandarin Oriental hotel on the thirty-eigth floor there was a crowd at the reception desk: the card keys which allowed guests to call the elevator to their room floors, rather than just to the restaurant and other amenities, had stopped working. Dario and Adam were sitting on the square sofas nearby, Alexandra and Christopher approached them – not the check-in counter.

      “There they are, the technologies of the future,” Dario grumbled jokingly, turning around. “The power of dreams.”

      “Agent Christopher, agent Dario, agent Adam,” Alexandra introduced them one by one.

      Adam coughed at the word ‘agent,’ Dario extended his hand to Christopher.

      “Another agent,” he nodded. “Nice to meet you.”

      “Nice to meet you,” Dr. Bradshaw repeated after him.

      “Same to you.”

      “Where’s Richard?”

      “In the hotel room. He told us to wait here,” Dario answered.

      “So we wait here,” Christopher threw up his hands and sat down on the armrest of the doctor’s chair. “Everyone knows the plan?”

      He wasn’t even trying to hide his smile, Dario Fisher was staring at the stranger with curiosity, Adam Bradshaw – with a mix of wariness and resignation.

      “The plan is to discuss everything that’s happened up until now – together,” Alexandra explained.

      She stood nearby, hands crossed over her chest, looking towards the elevator that Richard was supposed to come out of – barely restraining herself from going up to the room.

      “And then get shitfaced,” concluded Christopher.

      “We narrowly dodged a Japanese booze-up with the Bulls – who were taken to team recreation,” Dario replied. “Which, by the way, wasn’t easy. We left because the booze-up with Nonoda will be on another day.”

      “A real team. What do we call ourselves?”

      “Christopher!”

      “No, not Christopher. We’ll be called Team RS – like Rote Stier, but Richard Stern.”

      Alexandra rolled her eyes, Adam looked from Christopher to Dario and back, confused, Christopher was enjoying himself.

      “We haven’t had team building yet – the time has come today. First, dinner at an izakaya, then bar hopping, then a strip club, and in the morning, my favorite game – guess where we are. The main task of the marathon is to keep track of each other during the entire event. We value and need every soldier.”

      Dr. Bradshaw was looking up at Christopher, Christopher was looking at him. Adam wanted to object – but his vocal cords wouldn’t comply, for some reason, his palms went sweaty.

      “Those types of marathons are contraindicated for Richard, actually,” he said.

      “But we’ve got a doctor on board.”

      “You can’t heal what’s dead.”

      “I get it. I, also, nearly got killed a year ago, abdominal gunshot wound, wanna see?”

      Christopher was already pulling up his red hoodie, but a loud shout from the approaching man stopped him.

      “What are you doing here?!” Richard roared.

      “Same thing as you!”

      Christopher stood from the armrest and moved towards him, Dario for some reason thought they were about to fight, but they hugged.

      “He was undressing,” he spoke.

      Alexandra wanted to say that it’s what they teach at the Circus, but remained silent.

      Without a word, she approached Richard when Christopher let him go. Richard pulled her close, she wrapped her arms around his waist, putting her hands under his jacket, trying not to press to his stomach but hold firmly onto his back. Warm breath was on her temple, she nuzzled his neck, under his chin, his fingers were already stroking her hair. They both forgot that both British spies and hotel guests are looking at them.