Power is not proven by force.
Not by money.
Not even by fear.
Real power…
is when an entire room full of the most powerful people in the world falls silent—
just to hear what you will say next.
And right now…
the world was waiting for Elara Hart.
---
The microphone stood in front of her.
Hundreds of eyes watched.
Billionaires.
Political leaders.
Economic strategists.
Every person in the room trying to determine one thing.
Was Elara Hart a genius…
or a threat?
Behind her, the massive digital screen still displayed the words:
PROJECT HELIOS
Ares stood near the edge of the hall.
Silent.
Observing everything.
Marcus leaned closer to him.
"If this goes wrong…"
Ares replied calmly.
"It won't."
But Marcus noticed something unusual.
Ares wasn't worried.
He was curious.
---
Elara finally spoke.
Her voice was calm.
Clear.
"Predicting the future is impossible."
The audience shifted slightly.
Some people relaxed.
Others looked skeptical.
But she continued.
"However…"
She paused.
"…predicting patterns is not."
The giant screen behind her changed.
Numbers appeared.
Economic charts.
Trade routes.
Energy supply graphs.
Elara turned toward the screen.
"The global economy is not random."
"It is a system of behavior."
She pointed to the first chart.
"Human behavior."
Another chart appeared.
"Political behavior."
Then another.
"Corporate behavior."
The room grew quieter.
Because the models were frighteningly precise.
Marcus whispered to Luca.
"Okay… that's impressive."
Luca muttered.
"Understatement."
---
Elara continued speaking.
"When patterns repeat long enough…"
"They become predictable."
A man in the front row raised his hand.
A famous European banker.
"You're suggesting global markets can be predicted?"
Elara answered immediately.
"No."
"I'm suggesting they already are."
Murmurs spread across the hall.
Ares crossed his arms.
Watching her carefully.
Because this was the moment.
The moment the world would decide whether to trust her—
or fear her.
---
Then suddenly—
A slow clap echoed through the hall.
Everyone turned.
A man stood up from the upper balcony.
Damien Volkov.
Clapping slowly.
Smiling.
"Well done."
His voice carried easily through the room.
"Very impressive."
The entire hall tensed instantly.
Everyone knew who he was.
Volkov walked down the staircase calmly.
Like he owned the building.
Reporters rushed forward.
Cameras focused.
Because two of the most dangerous minds in the world were now in the same room.
Volkov stopped a few meters from the stage.
Looking directly at Elara.
"You speak beautifully about patterns."
He tilted his head slightly.
"But the question remains."
His voice sharpened.
"Are you the prediction…"
"…or the weapon?"
The room held its breath.
Ares's eyes darkened.
Marcus whispered.
"Oh great."
"Here we go."
---
Elara studied Volkov carefully.
The man responsible for half the chaos in her life.
The man who wanted Helios.
Who wanted control.
But she did not show fear.
Instead—
She smiled slightly.
"You already know the answer."
Volkov's eyes narrowed.
"Do I?"
Elara stepped down from the stage.
Walking toward him slowly.
The tension in the room became almost unbearable.
Even security guards were unsure whether to move.
She stopped only a few steps away from him.
Then said quietly—
"You didn't invite me here to test my intelligence."
Volkov watched her carefully.
"No."
She continued.
"You invited me to see if I could understand your plan."
For the first time—
Volkov's smile faded slightly.
Elara's eyes sharpened.
"You're not here for Helios."
"You're here for control."
The room erupted into whispers.
Volkov chuckled softly.
"And what exactly do you think I'm controlling?"
Elara answered calmly.
"The next global collapse."
Complete silence.
Marcus blinked.
"…what?"
---
Ares stepped forward slowly now.
Watching Volkov.
Watching Elara.
Because suddenly—
The entire situation had changed.
Elara looked around the hall.
At the world's most powerful leaders.
And said something that made every single person in the room freeze.
"The global market will crash in fourteen days."
Gasps spread instantly.
People started whispering loudly.
"That's impossible."
"Markets are stable."
"Energy prices are strong."
But Elara didn't move.
Her voice remained steady.
"And Damien Volkov…"
She looked directly at him.
"…is the reason."
The room exploded with shock.
All cameras turned toward Volkov.
The man simply smiled again.
Slowly.
Calmly.
Dangerously.
"Well," he said quietly.
"This summit just became interesting."
The world just heard a terrifying prediction.
A global financial collapse.
Fourteen days away.
And now—
Every leader on Earth is looking at Elara Hart for answers.
But Damien Volkov is smiling.
Because the game he started…
has only just begun.