Handler XX: Stock Maestro

"T–Trent..." Cisco called, surprised to see him as he walked in.

He excused himself from the people he was talking with and walked towards Trent.

"It's been a while. I wanted—"

"Let's talk about this another time, Cisco..." Trent smiled, looking at him,

"I'd love to host you and the team soon at my place."

"That'll be..." Cisco turned as Trent walked past him,

"They'll be happy to meet you."

"Let's talk more, Cisco. I've got a proposal I'll like you to hear."

It'll be beneficial to get them to work at BlueBee if the deal gets finalized.

He opened the door to the briefing room and walked in.

"It's good to see you." Wanda waved as he entered

"What's..." He looked at Anton,

"Why is she here?"

"I see you're not yet used to calling me Mom."

"It'll take some—"

"It's good to see you too, Mom." Trent scoffed, interrupting Anton.

"And you Dad..." He chuckled, taking a seat.

"What's up?"

Wanda looked at him for a while and chuckled.

"I decided to come spend some time here. It's been decades since I stepped in this place."

"I'm pretty sure this is not some catching up," Trent looked at Anton,

"It sounded urgent."

"It is urgent." Wanda cut in,

"Your mother has visited the country and can't stay in such a crappy place."

"I'm sure you could've gotten a nicer place to stay or something," Trent turned to her,

"What is all the—"

"She just entered the country. Let her stay with you while she's—"

"That's not what I'm asking for." Wanda interrupted Anton, shaking her head.

"He's our Son." She said with a grin.

"Buy us a place."

Trent stared at her for a few seconds.

"You have all the money you'll need to buy a—"

"I'm not going to spend my money when I've got a billionaire for a son." She scoffed.

"You've got to be filial and—"

"That's childish, Wanda..." Thaddeus voice interrupted from her phone.

"You shouldn't—"

"Now who was it that made me buy him a plate of food for five thousand dollars when I got my first Handler check." She huffed, picking the phone.

"I... You didn't really need that measly amount they gave out." Thaddeus huffed,

"And you ought to treat your father to a meal. Your mother would've wanted it." He muttered and stayed silent for a while.

"I'm very sure she should've. And at the time when you asked for that meal I didn't have a billion, did I?"

"Over Eight billion..." Anton cut in with a grin, looking at Trent.

"Thank you, dear..." She laughed softly.

"I was just leaving a meeting, you know..." Trent exhaled.

"You don't have to worry about those guys, Trent..." Thaddeus chuckled,

"They all agreed when you left. Even talked of reducing to three times."

"I knew they'll call..." Trent chuckled,

"No one leaves a deal so sweet."

"A deal?" Anton looked at him.

"You're buying a new company?"

"It's in progress..." Trent leaned his back against the chair.

"See..." Wanda cut in,

"We're not taking advantage of you, pookie..." She shook her head

"Please don't call me that, Mom..." He looked at her.

"That's... cringe."

"She's not going to call you that." Anton said with a serious face.

"I am her pookie..."

Ugh...

Trent shook his head as he watched them flirt with each other.

He took his phone out and dialed Kimberly.

"What's up? Can you—"

"The contractors sent progress report but—"

"It's not about the project." He interrupted her.

They stopped and looked at him.

"I need you to help me find a manor available for sale. It'll be best if—"

"The Morlov Manor..." She cut in,

"The government have it seized right now so it will take a while for—"

"Who do I have to call?"

"I never said I couldn't get it for you." She chuckled,

"Depends on how fast you want it... I can have everything you want prepared but it will take—"

"Three days." He interrupted,

"Will that be possible? I can assist you with any government issue you find yourself."

She thought silently for a while before answering,

"With your assistance... I can have it prepared in two days. The house is worth Eight million dollars so you'll have to—"

"I'll send you twenty million— whatever it costs to get the house and tell Mikhail to get me a car that's like the Rolls Royce. The remaining is commission."

"Everything involved with the house should be twelve million max..." She muttered,

"The commission after the car purchase is too much for—"

"Consider it a thank you gift, Kim..." He chuckled.

"...Alright." She exhaled,

"There's no stopping you. Thank you very much, Trent. It means a lot to me."

"Thank you for everything, Kimberly..." He laughed, ending the call.

"Wanda loves the Bugatti..." Thaddeus spoke as the call ended.

"How do you—"

"Almost all the cars you've had are Bugattis... It's no secret. Plus you've been thinking of getting one, no? It's all on your—"

"Enough..." She cut in,

"I love the Bugatti." She smiled at Trent.

"I fancy the Rolls Royce..." Anton chuckled, "Never owned one."

"These are my purchases, old man..." Wanda growled at him.

Trent stood up and shook his head.

"I'll get everything for both of you. The house belongs to both of you too."

She looked at Trent for a while and huffed.

"Should I ask for a gift too?" Thaddeus cut in

"No!" They answered together.

"How unfair..."

Trent exhaled and placed his hands on the table.

"I got an invitation from Aerwin Kravenberch..."

They stopped and looked at him.

"I was going to ask later..." She leaned forward.

"What do you think about it?"

"I'm thinking of attending to see what he has to offer." Trent chuckled,

"I hear he's invited a lot of powerful people."

"You don't have to honor the invitation." Anton shook his head.

"Tell him you've got business to attend. You're acquiring a new company and need—"

"He should go." Thaddeus cut in.

"I thought you'd be against this..." Anton looked at the phone.

"Aerwin and his mother will try to buy your support." Thaddeus continued,

"By all means possible."

"We both know what happens if he doesn't agree to—"

"Of course." Thaddeus interrupted Wanda.

"And you want him to go."

"Yes. I want you to see Trent... No one else deserves to be Emperor."

"You're still on that?" Trent scoffed,

"I haven't given it—"

"Aerwin won't be able to buy the most important people. He'll have to go against them."

"I am sure they'll be alright." Trent chuckled.

"It's much bigger than you think." Thaddeus muttered, "There is a generational issue at play that needs correction."

Trent stared at the phone for a while.

"When the time comes to make a decision." He looked at Wanda.

"I will make one that keeps my people alive and well."

"I'm sure you will." Wanda chuckled,

"When will the house be ready and what type of—"

"It's a manor. It will be ready in two days."

"Good." She laughed, looking at Anton.

"Have you told him, Father?"

"I... No." Thaddeus answered,

"I told Harv to wait for—"

"Who's Harv?" Trent asked, confused.

"Harvey Verathin. Your uncle." She answered, tilting her head

"Verathin? Isn't that name not supposed to—"

"Harvey has always been a strange kid growing up. He's my second son turned Bishop for the Astral Temple."

"I haven't heard of—"

"He abandoned the name, Kravenberch and begged me to kill him..."

"Kill him? What sort of—"

"He died in a car crash at an early age of Seventeen. That's what people know."

"And he knows about all these? Even the state you currently—"

"Harvey is the the only other person I trusted in the Astral Temple apart from Ferinni." Thaddeus interrupted Trent.

"He's taken the name Verathin as he once sought to bring it's glory to light. But over the years... He's dedicated himself to another light."

"What kind of—"

"Him." Wanda looked at Anton, interrupting.

"He's ready to place Trent on the throne with all his power."

"He's just a Bishop that—"

"Do not underestimate Harvey, Anton..." Thaddeus chuckled,

"He can be deadly if he wants to. Even to the Pope. I've given him everything he needs to be powerful."

"And he's waiting to contact me." Trent muttered.

"Yes." Thaddeus chuckled,

"He is the only other person of Kravenberch blood that knows about your birth. He's that close."

"Then why did you set that thirty years rule for—"

"As I said— Harvey is one strange kid. I needed a way to protect Wanda and he suggested it."

Hmmm... They're close enough that Thaddeus listens to his suggestions.

"As I said..." Trent stood straight and exhaled.

"When I make a decision—"

"That's why he's not contacted you yet." Thaddeus cut in,

"He wants you to make a decision for yourself." He paused.

"You do not tell the Sun when to rise." He chuckled, "That's what he said."

Trent looked at his phone.

Someone had been trying to call.

Musk made it possible to bypass and send a call with the signal blockers here, not receive one.

"How's your plans for the Sinclairs coming?" He raised his head.

"Joe Stanper's calling."