The burning of the OmniCorp shares was a declaration of total war. Mo Chen knew the consortium's response would be disproportionate. She expected an army. She expected a fleet.
She did not expect a single, unarmed woman in a rowboat.
Mo Chen was on the bridge of The Unburnt when the drone feed showed the small boat approaching. The woman at the oars was Isolde.
She looked tired. The elegant composure was still there, but it was frayed at the edges. She rowed until she was alongside the massive hull, then looked up, her eyes finding the hidden camera.
"I request parley," she called out, her voice carrying faintly over the water. "I am alone. And I am unarmed. You have my word."
Silas's voice was a growl in Mo Chen's earpiece. "It's a trap. Sink the boat."
Mo Chen watched the monitor. Isolde was just sitting there, exposed on the open water. It was either the most arrogant or the most desperate move she could have made.
" Bring her aboard," Mo Chen said. "But strip-search her. Scan her for any implants, any trackers. If she so much as twitches wrong, incinerate her."
Fifteen minutes later, Isolde stood on the deck of The Unburnt, draped in a plain blanket, her own clothes confiscated. She looked small and vulnerable, a stark contrast to the powerful figure from the Zurich cafe.
" You've made your point," Isolde said, her voice calm. "The old rules are broken. We cannot control you. We cannot destroy you. So, I am here to propose a new rule."
" Which is?" Mo Chen asked, her arms crossed.
" A non-aggression pact," Isolde said. "You leave our core assets alone. We leave you and your family alone. We stay out of each other's way."
" Why would I agree to that? I'm winning."
" Because you are one woman, Mo Chen," Isolde said, her gaze steady. "And the world is very large. There are other threats rising, things that make Kraken look like a street gang. You cannot fight them all alone. You need… not an ally, but a quiet border."
It was a pragmatic offer. A ceasefire from a position of weakness. Mo Chen knew it was the smart move. But trusting this woman felt like pouring water on her own core.
" Get off my ship," Mo Chen said. "The pact is agreed. But if you or any of your consortium ever come near my family again, I won't burn your stocks. I'll burn the air you breathe."
Isolde nodded, a flicker of respect in her eyes. "Understood."
The ceasefire was brokered. The Phoenix had secured its borders.