Sophie stepped a few steps away and brought the communicator to her ear. While she waited for Irina to answer, I kept looking at the flowers on the other side of the glass. Until a few minutes ago, I hadn't even thought about the date, and now it seemed impossible to return to the mansion without bringing something for Eleonor. It wouldn't make up for the birthdays we had spent apart or everything that had happened between us, but that wasn't what I was trying to do. I just wanted that day not to become another day of reports and worries.
"We need your help with something," Sophie said.
She listened for a few seconds and then smiled.
"No, we're not in trouble. It's about Eleonor."
I entered the flower shop while she continued talking. The air inside was warm and smelled of damp leaves. There were several bouquets prepared on a table, but I stopped in front of some white flowers mixed with others in a soft violet color. When the woman working there approached, I pointed to them.
"A small bouquet. It's for a birthday."
The woman began gathering the flowers. She asked if I wanted to add a card, and I almost said yes, but then shook my head. I preferred to give them to her in person, even though I still wasn't sure what to say.
Sophie came in when the bouquet was almost finished. She put away the communicator and stood beside me, watching the woman arrange the flowers.
"Irina will help us. She'll prepare what we need while we get a few things for the cake."
"You're going to make it yourselves?"
She looked at me.
"Does that worry you?"
"I didn't say that."
"Your face did."
The woman finished wrapping the flowers and handed them to me. I held them carefully, trying not to bend the paper.
"They're pretty," Sophie said.
"I hope she likes them."
"Then make sure you give them to her before the day is over."
She left the store smiling, and I hurried to catch up with her. We still had a few things to buy, so I followed her while she chose what they needed for the cake. From time to time, I looked at the bouquet to make sure I hadn't hit it against one of the bags, until Sophie finally took one of the bags from me.
"You take care of the flowers. I'll take care of this."
When we finally returned to the mansion, Irina was waiting for us near the kitchens. She took some of the groceries and then looked at the bouquet. The small smile on her face made me suspect that Sophie had already told her more than necessary.
"Eleonor is in her room," she told me. "She asked when you would be back."
"What did you tell her?"
"That you were still shopping. It wasn't a lie."
We followed her to a table where she had left several containers. Sophie began taking out the ingredients, and the two of them checked what we had, setting aside what they were going to use. I stood beside them with the flowers in my hand until Irina pointed to an empty space.
"You can leave them there for now."
I placed them there carefully. Near the kitchen there was a small room we could use, and Sophie had gotten permission to prepare the table without anyone interrupting us. It would be just the four of us. A cake, some flowers, and some time together. It was exactly what I had imagined.
While they organized the ingredients, I checked a message Haruki had sent. Coordinating access had taken longer than expected, and the final confirmation set our visit for two days from now. I put the communicator away. There was nothing I could do to speed things up, and for once I didn't want to spend the waiting hours looking at a screen.
Irina picked up a container and Sophie began looking for the utensils. I had almost always seen them examining maps, treating the wounded, or holding a weapon. Seeing them busy with a small cake made me realize how long it had been since we had done something so simple.
"And what do I do?" I asked.
Sophie looked up.
"You can start by finding a vase."
I looked at the flowers and nodded. Then they asked me to take the cups and plates to the room, so I went back and forth several times while they prepared the mixture. When the cake was in the oven, the table still needed to be arranged. I stayed there doing that while I listened to them quietly discuss the decorations.
In the mansion's operations area, preparations also continued, although no one there was thinking about a celebration. The new authorizations had begun generating equipment requests and personnel assignments, and one of the men responsible for reviewing them had spent hours waiting to find something useful among those records.
The infiltrator had not tried to enter restricted files or approach the secured areas. Masumoto had been clear, and the measures implemented by Haruki left little room for mistakes. From his station, he could check requests for materials, transportation availability, and shift changes. None of that directly showed the location of the relic, but it allowed him to identify those who had participated in certain movements after the attack.
Among the recent orders, he found an assignment that caught his attention. A transport had to be available for a visit to a security facility in two days. The destination remained restricted, but several of the men assigned to it had also participated in the previous transfer.
He read the information without stopping his work any longer than usual. It still wasn't enough to report to Masumoto. He needed to know if that visit was related to what they were looking for.
A while later, the man in charge of the preparations approached his station.
"Is this the complete list?" he asked, reviewing the record.
"The security equipment still needs to be confirmed," the infiltrator replied, pointing to the corresponding section.
The man examined the request.
"Don't close it yet. Haruki will give the authorization."
"Is the date still the same?"
"Yes. In two days."
The infiltrator nodded and continued reviewing the equipment. He asked no more questions. When Haruki arrived accompanied by a member of security, he remained at his station and let the man in charge speak with him.
The conversation was brief. Haruki checked the pending requests and pointed to one of them.
"Confirm the protective equipment for the relic. I don't want anything missing when we can access it."
"It will be ready, sir."
"Good. The entry authorizations will be verified there. No one will move ahead of the procedure."
The infiltrator continued working until both men left. He still didn't know where the facility was, but now he knew Haruki would go there. For the first time since receiving Masumoto's order, he had something more concrete than a list of previous movements.
He still had to wait before reporting it. Interrupting his work immediately after that visit would have been careless, so he received the next request and opened it as if nothing had changed.
When Irina came to get me, I had already finished placing the four cups. I followed her to the kitchen and found Sophie watching the cake while Irina finished smoothing the frosting. It was small, just as we had planned, and they had set aside a single candle for the center.
"Not bad," I said.
Sophie looked at me.
"Thank you for your approval."
Irina laughed and handed me a tray with the spoons.
The three of us carried everything to the room. I moved the vase to make space and helped Sophie place the cake in the center of the table. Irina checked that nothing was missing. Then they both turned toward me.
"Go get her," Sophie said.
I walked to Eleonor's room and knocked. Her voice answered almost immediately.
"Come in."
She was sitting with a tablet in her hands. When she saw me, she put it aside.
"You're back."
"A little while ago."
She watched me for a few seconds.
"Did something happen?"
"No. I wanted you to come with me."
"Where?"
"Nearby."
She stood up, but kept looking at me.
"You're acting strange."
"I just asked you to come."
"That's why."
I didn't know what to say. She seemed amused by my expression and followed me out. On the way, I thought about saying something, but every sentence seemed like a way to ruin the surprise. I ended up staying silent while Eleonor walked beside me and looked at me from time to time, becoming more curious.
When we reached the room, I opened the door and stepped aside.
Sophie and Irina were waiting for her beside the table.
"Happy birthday," they said almost at the same time.
Eleonor stopped. Her gaze moved from the cake to the cups and then to the two of them. I entered behind her, picked up the bouquet we had left ready, and waited until she turned toward me.
"Happy birthday, Eleonor."
She looked at the flowers and then at me.
"Did you organize this?"
"It was either this or let you spend the whole day in front of the tablet," Sophie replied.
Eleonor looked at the cake again. When I held out the bouquet, she took it with both hands, so carefully that I forgot what I had been thinking of saying to her.
"Thank you," she murmured.
Irina pulled a chair closer.
"Come on. We still have to taste what we made."
Eleonor sat down without letting go of the flowers. She looked at the petals for a moment before placing them beside her.
"You didn't have to do all this."
"It's not that much," I said, sitting beside her.
"Speak for yourself," Sophie interrupted. "You only went to the flower shop."
"I also set the table."
"That's true," Irina added. "The four cups look very nice."
Eleonor laughed briefly.
I looked at her for a second longer than necessary. It had been a long time since I had heard her laugh without having to return immediately afterward to a difficult conversation.
Sophie lit the candle and moved the cake a little closer.
"Before Noah starts defending his contribution, make a wish."
Eleonor looked at the small flame. Her smile softened and she lowered her eyes for a few seconds. I didn't try to guess what she was thinking. I waited beside her until she closed her eyes and blew out the candle.
Irina was the first to clap. Sophie followed, and I ended up doing the same, feeling a little ridiculous until I saw Eleonor's expression.
"What did you wish for?" I asked.
She looked at me immediately.
"I'm not going to tell you."
"I was just asking."
"Then you'll have to keep wondering."
Sophie removed the candle and began serving the cake. Eleonor tried the first piece while both of them watched her with almost exaggerated attention.
"Well?" Sophie asked.
Eleonor chewed slowly, making them wait.
"It's good."
Irina let out a breath.
"Thank goodness."
"You hadn't tried it?" I asked.
Sophie placed my plate in front of me.
"You still have time not to eat it."
I picked up the fork, and Eleonor laughed again.
The conversation continued while we ate. Sophie told them how long it had taken me to choose the flowers, and I tried to explain that it hadn't taken that long. Irina asked Eleonor if she wanted another cup. She accepted and began dividing a second piece of cake to share between the two of them.
Without realizing it, I stopped paying attention to the communicator. For a while, we didn't talk about laboratories, relics, or what might happen if our enemies got ahead of us. The three of them were there, sitting with me, and I could concentrate on what they were saying without expecting an alarm to force us to get up.
When Sophie and Irina went to get more water, Eleonor looked at the bouquet again.
"They're pretty," she said.
"I didn't know which ones to choose."
She touched one of the petals with the tip of her finger.
"You chose well."
I felt some of the tension in my chest disappear. Eleonor looked up at me with a calmer expression.
"I thought you'd forgotten."
I could have told her that I had remembered since that morning, that everything had been planned, but it wouldn't have been true.
"I remembered today."
She raised an eyebrow.
"I see."
"We were passing the flower shop and I looked at the date. Then I asked Sophie for help."
Eleonor looked down at the flowers and smiled slightly.
"At least you didn't try to lie to me."
"I don't think it would have worked."
"No."
We remained silent. From the hallway, I heard Sophie say something and Irina answer her. Eleonor adjusted the paper around the stems.
"It had been a long time since we'd spent a birthday together," I said.
"Yes."
She didn't add anything immediately. I didn't want to turn that moment into an explanation about the years I had spent in Canada either.
Eleonor placed the bouquet on the table and looked at me again.
"I'm glad you're here."
I couldn't think of a better answer.
"So am I."
Sophie returned with the pitcher and looked at us before sitting down.
"Did we miss something?"
Eleonor picked up her fork.
"Noah admitting that he forgot my birthday."
Sophie pointed at me with the pitcher.
"I didn't say anything."
"I know," I replied.
Irina sat across from us and moved the last piece of cake to the center.
"Then he can still make up for it by washing the dishes."
Eleonor looked at me seriously, but the expression didn't last long.
"That seems fair."
I didn't argue. There was still some cake left, so no one got up immediately. Sophie refilled the cups and the conversation continued until we started cleaning up.
At that time, the staff in the operations area were also finishing some of their tasks. The infiltrator turned in the material he had reviewed, confirmed what was still pending, and received instructions for his next shift. He had not tried to add his name to the escort or change any assignment. The only thing he needed now was to transmit what he had discovered.
He waited until he was alone and used the agreed channel to contact Masumoto. The response came shortly afterward.
"Speak."
"Haruki will visit the facility where they secured the relic. The departure is confirmed for two days from now."
Masumoto remained silent for a moment.
"Did you find the location?"
"Not yet. The destination doesn't appear in our section's records. Those responsible for the transfer will receive that information when the procedure is completed."
"Are you sure they're going there for the relic?"
"Haruki confirmed it in front of the man in charge of preparations. They're gathering protective equipment for it."
Masumoto moved closer to the screen.
"Do you know who will accompany him?"
"I know some of the escort. The complete list isn't available yet."
"Send me what you have. Names, date, and whatever preparations you've been able to confirm."
The infiltrator transmitted the information and waited while Masumoto reviewed it.
"Don't try to enter that facility on your own," he finally told him. "Continue with your work and let me know if anything changes."
"Understood."
The connection ended. The man put away the device and returned to his duties. He still didn't know where Haruki had secured the relic, but the date and the names had just left the mansion.
At the refuge in Wales, Masumoto reviewed the information once more before requesting a meeting with Valerius. There was no reason to wait for his infiltrator to obtain the exact destination. Moving the men and gathering the equipment would take time, and they finally had a date to work with.
When he arrived to present the report, Markus was already with Valerius. Masumoto showed them the information he had received and explained what still needed to be confirmed.
"In two days," Markus repeated, examining the assignments. "That doesn't leave us much time to move the teams."
"That's why they have to start now," Masumoto replied.
Valerius looked up.
"The location still hasn't been confirmed?"
"No. Haruki divided the information. The man we have inside can see the preparations, but not the destination."
Markus looked at the record again.
"Then we can't prepare an assault against a place we don't know."
"No," Valerius said. "But we know who will go there."
Masumoto nodded.
"We can use their movements to locate it."
"And wait until we have a real opportunity to reach the relic," Valerius added. "I don't want a repeat of the attack on the mansion. This time we're not going to tear down walls only to discover that they've already moved it."
Markus began reviewing the available units.
"I'll send a small group. They can be ready in Japan before the visit."
"I'll go with them," Masumoto said.
Valerius watched him for a few seconds.
"Haruki knows your face."
"I won't go near the mansion. I'll stay with the team until we know where to act."
Valerius looked back at the information.
"Then prepare to leave. The operation will take place in two days, when they confirm they're at the location where the relic is being kept. If their movements change, you'll inform me before doing anything."
"Understood."
"And tell your man not to risk himself just to get one more piece of information. As long as he remains inside, he'll still be useful to us."
Markus left first, and Masumoto went with him. On the way to the communications area, they reviewed who could be mobilized immediately. Shortly afterward, orders began reaching the Eagle faction's safe houses. Personnel were gathered, equipment was checked, and transportation to Japan was assigned.
They still didn't know what defenses the facility had, but they wouldn't wait until they had all the answers before setting out.
At the Minamoto mansion, the celebration had ended and Eleonor was getting ready to return to her room. I offered to carry the vase while she held the bouquet, and we walked together down the hallway. Near her door, she asked me to wait a moment while she opened it.
I followed her inside and placed the vase on a table beside the window. Eleonor carefully removed the paper and arranged the flowers in the water. She moved them a little, stepped back to look at them, and then adjusted one of the stems.
"There. That's good," she said.
I nodded and headed toward the door.
"Noah."
I turned around. Eleonor was still standing beside the table.
"Thank you for remembering."
I smiled.
"Happy birthday."
I left and carefully closed the door. Sophie and Irina were still cleaning up in the room. I walked over to them and, before I could say anything, Sophie handed me the last plates.
I took them without complaining. I could still smell the cake coming from the kitchen, and as I followed them, I thought about the flowers Eleonor had just placed beside her window.
At least that birthday hadn't gone unnoticed.