Chapter 5
The Gala and the Sampler
The Aethelburg Elite Gala was a spectacle of controlled opulence.
Held in the Spire's Grand Atrium, it was a sea of shimmering synth-silk, polished chrome, and carefully curated laughter. For Lyra, in her formal Enforcer dress uniform, it was familiar territory—a network of power and influence she was trained to navigate. For Kael, stuffed into a borrowed server-tech’s formal wear, it was a hostile ecosystem.
He stood near a towering ice sculpture, trying to look inconspicuous as his eyes scanned the crowd. “I feel like a glitch in the source code,” he muttered into the tiny comm-piece Lyra had given him.
“Just stay focused,” her voice came back, calm and clear in his ear. She was across the room, a glass of sparkling water in her hand, engaged in a conversation with a Council member. “Soren is by the central fountain. The man in the deep blue robe.”
Kael spotted him. Dr. Evander Soren was a tall, gaunt man with a carefully cultivated air of intellectual superiority. He was shaking hands, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. Perfect.
“I need a DNA vector,” Kael said. “A glass, a utensil, anything he touches.”
“He’s not eating. And he’s using a servitor to hold his drink,” Lyra observed. “He’s cautious.”
Their plan was falling apart before it began. Then, Kael saw an opportunity. A young, flustered server was carrying a tray of delicate, empty crystal flutes towards the bar for refills. Soren, turning to greet someone, bumped into her.
The tray tilted. A single flute wobbled, but the server, with a deft flick of her wrist, caught it before it fell. Soren offered a curt, dismissive nod and moved on, never touching the glass.
“The tray,” Kael breathed. “He didn’t touch the glass, but he brushed against the edge of the tray. There might be a skin-cell transfer.”
It was a long shot. But it was all they had.
As the server moved towards the service entrance, Kael moved. He intercepted her just as the doors hissed shut behind her in the quieter service corridor.
“Excuse me,” he said, flashing what he hoped was a charming, embarrassed smile. “My date, she’s absolutely obsessed with these crystal designs. Would it be possible to get a closer look? I want to surprise her with a set.”
The server, a young woman named Elara, looked tired but sympathetic. “They’re just standard issue…”
“Please? Just for a second?” Kael turned up the charm.
Rolling her eyes but smiling, she handed him the tray. “Quickly. And if you break one, it’s coming out of my pay.”
“You’re a lifesaver.” Kael took the tray, his heart hammering. He pretended to examine the crystal, turning it over in his hands while his other hand, hidden in his pocket, activated the bio-mimetic sampler. He ran the needle-fine tip along the metal edge where Soren had made contact.
A tiny light on the sampler glowed green. Sample Acquired.
“Absolutely stunning,” he said, handing the tray back with a grateful nod. “Thank you.”
Back in the crowded atrium, he melted into the throng. “I have it,” he whispered.
“Good,” Lyra’s voice responded. “Now get out of there. We rendezvous at the access point in one hour.”
As Kael made his way towards the exit, he felt a prickle on the back of his neck. He glanced over his shoulder. Across the room, Director Stavos was watching him, his expression unreadable. He didn't look away. He simply raised his glass in a slow, deliberate, and deeply unsettling salute.
Kael quickened his pace, the sampler feeling like a live bomb in his pocket. They had the key. But the warden had just seen them pick the lock.