“Thank you,” Adelaide said, blushing at the compliment. I was a little embarrassed for her at the reaction. “I appreciate the opportunity with Omega.” She looked down, and I knew this wasn’t feigned. “I know my kind doesn’t tend to get many chances like this …”
“You are the exception,” the Primus of Omega said with dark humor. “And you are turning out to be quite the worthy exception.” He kept his distance even as he got closer, walking past where she stood on the wall of bookshelves to stand near a row of volumes that I’d noticed before. “We are always looking for exceptional talent at Omega. It makes our task easier. You have done fantastic work so far. Clearly a superior talent.” The oiliness of his smile nearly made me gag. The flattery was so thick I was surprised Adelaide wasn’t choking on it.
Janus didn’t seem all that impressed. “Perhaps it would be a good time to talk about Adelaide’s next assignment?”
“Indeed,” the Primus said, a look of real or feigned concern written across his face. “I want to talk to you about a very real danger; possibly the most dangerous threat we face in the world we live in today.”
There was a pause, and Adelaide waited along with Janus for the answer. She looked around, and after a moment passed, she offered, “The Reds?”
The Primus laughed. “The Reds have something they believe in, for the most part. They’re certainly dangerous, let there be no doubt. They are, after all, men possessed of extraordinary power in the form of modern weapons. If backed into a corner, they do have the power to unleash untold horrors upon the world we have so carefully constructed to our advantage.” He smiled. “So, they are certainly a danger, but one I think we have well in hand. Because they’re men. Flawed, corruptible, desirous of women, power, and all the worldly goods they seemingly eschew. No, we have a good handle on the Reds. So long as a man wants things, you have power over him. Leverage.”
The Primus looked out the window. “No, I’m talking about someone more dangerous than that. I’m talking about someone who claims he doesn’t want anything. Nothing at all.” He looked back, slyly, at Adelaide. “Now, I think that’s a bit of a fib. After all, a man who wants nothing is either a man totally satiated, who’s achieved his goals … or he’s a man with no ambitions at all.” The smile froze, and the Primus looked back out at the vastly changed landscape of London, so different from the one I looked out at. “This particular man … he’s not lazy or shiftless. I think all his talk of wanting nothing is just a cover brought about by a desire to avoid any possible harm. Either way, a man who desires nothing is dangerous. He has no pressure points. If there’s nothing he cares about, that means there’s nothing you can take away from him when you need something to twist on.” He smiled at Adelaide. “Do you know what I mean?”
Adelaide shot a look at Janus before returning to the Primus. “Haven’t the foggiest, sorry,” she said with an embarrassed little laugh. “I mean, I understand the gist of the philosophy you’re speaking. I get that you’re talking about a man who seems to have no vulnerabilities, but I suppose I’m still waiting for the dots to connect on why you’re telling me this.”
“That’s a good question,” the Primus said with a chuckle. “And the answer is, I’m not really explaining it to you. You’re simply here because I need you to be.”
Adelaide’s expression grew blank. “I’m sorry?”
The Primus turned his eyes toward Janus. “You understand, don’t you?”
“He is not a threat,” Janus said, shrugging expansively. “He has yet to tamper with our operations, he remains at a distance from us and the balance of humanity … I don’t see why you consider him a concern. This man …”
“You know his name,” the Primus said, and any trace of amusement was gone.
“I knew his name when he had one,” Janus agreed, “but that was a long time ago. He prefers to go by the name Sovereign now, as I understand it.”
“A ridiculous appellation,” the Primus said, glancing toward Adelaide for only a moment before turning his attention back to Janus. “A man unto himself, apart from the world?” The Primus snorted. “No man is an island.”
Janus gave a sort of one-shouldered shrug, as though to express his bafflement. “Quotations from Donne aside, he wishes to be left alone. You have read my report. We should leave him be. He has yet to show any sign of interest in things that he doesn’t wish to involve himself in. We currently fit that profile. Best we keep it that way.”