Trane stared out the window in their limo ride to their secured location. Lucan wisely held his tongue. The injustice of it all struck him the hardest. He was the only one who was trying, the leader in environmental protection, had dedicated his life to preserving the Mediterranean. And yet he was the one attacked.

The summit drew attention. It was the perfect location to make a point. He understood that. But he couldn’t stop to make sense of the rushing feelings that raced through him. Anger. He clenched his fists. “How close are we to taking the Environs down?” His voice sounded calm, but Lucan’s eyes responded with the same fire that Trane felt.

“A matter of hours.” He uncrossed his leg. “One benefit from Seraphina being involved and the reason we didn’t inform her of all that we knew, was that through her we were able to get a jump start in tracking their movement.” He checked his phone. “Don’t worry, brother. They don’t have long to last on this earth.”

“That sounds ominous.”

“I just mean, their entire structure will be take down, the lead members put on international trial, and they will be made an example of.”

Trane nodded. “I should feel more satisfied with that.”

“I know. But we still have a facility to repair and an interrupted summit to carry out…and your girlfriend was involved.”

“How can you still even call her that?” He narrowed his eyes. “No. I don’t want to talk about it.” He turned back out the window and again, Lucan wisely kept to himself.

The anger coursed through him on the current of betrayal and real sadness. He had again hoped to work through some things and at last have Seraphina in his life. Her career was a real problem. It didn’t have to be, but she placed such a high importance on her stories, on reporting, on her sources. He gritted his teeth again. Even if they are known terrorists. Instead of pounding something with his fist, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “How far away are we?”

“Arriving now.”

They pulled into a nondescript building. Lucan’s thumbs flew across his phone. “All the countries’ leaders participating in the summit have been accounted for and moved for security purposes. We will meet here in the upstairs conference room. No press.”

Trane nodded. “Perhaps we could video the proceedings.”

“Yes, taken care of. They will have a live stream for our country’s local networks.”

“Thank you Lucan.” He appreciated his brother’s thoroughness. The very best at what he did, instead of hiring a head of security, he preferred the job himself.

They were shown to their rooms, much like a typical hotel room, but without windows. And Trane fell into bed.

Hours later, still not asleep, Trane received the text he wanted from Lucan. “Every Environ leader in custody.”

“Thanks brother.”

The next day, all the world leader representatives gathered around a table and signed an agreement, the furthest reaching of its kind, committing each country with shared sea shoreline to better care for the precious resource. Trane breathed in with pride when the last signature sealed their agreement and they all stood and clapped. King Nico Valdez stood and clapped him on the shoulder. “I can’t think of a better person to lead us in this. It is through your excellent vision and decades’ long Valdez and Torren tradition, that we were able to work through our differences, compromise where needed and create such a productive synergy. May we keep our agreements and have the beautiful sea to enjoy and subsist on for many decades to come.”

They clapped again, everyone cheering for Trane. He waved them to quiet. “Our excellent work today could never have been accomplished without the commitment of each of you to preserve something beautiful. May our children’s children praise our names.”

Lucan stood to inform them of the security protocol. With the Environs detained, they were free to come and go as they pleased and were invited to continue with the evening’s events.

Trane shook hands with each member of the summit who he had come to admire and appreciate. And then he and Nico and Lucan were alone.

Lucan gathered his papers into a briefcase. “Trane. She didn’t know.”

“But how could she not know? And this whole thing just highlights one more reason we can’t make it work. How can I be with someone who keeps these connections, who puts the story before the crown.” Before him. It hurt. And he wasn’t ready to try again. No matter how much his arms ached to hold her and his heart longed to hear her laugh.