"Signore e signori, let us begin," declared a tall, heavyset man. He cast a stern look around the small table, staring down his bold Patrician nose at the assembled group. The dark wood paneling of their organization's British headquarters loomed menacingly around them.

"Monsieur Faraldo, I hope this emergency meeting is not to share as dire news as the last. If we have truly become so toothless in this new century, it may be time to consider whether our task is even possible any more." The shorter Frenchman crossed his arms, clear irritation on his face.

"Have no fear, Signore Guillory." Leaning back in his leather backed chair, Faraldo rested the tips of his fingers together. "There is a new player we must consider."

"America?" There was obvious skepticism in the Brazilian woman's voice. "We know of America and the failure in Tejas."

"I did not call for this meeting because of America, Madam Alonso," Artebury snapped.

"Is there another new Personification? Some new micronation?" Slaski slammed his hands down on the table, his fury causing his Polish accent to thicken. "How are they to be destroyed if more keep appearing? We must find a way to stop this!"

A dark smile crossed Artebury's face. "No, there is no new Personification," he chuckled softly.

Faraldo cast a dark glare at the smug British nobleman. "You will explain things to the Council at once," he insisted. "We all have other business to attend to."

Twitching slightly at the obvious menace in their leader's voice, Artebury bowed his head slightly. "Of course. Our new player, ladies and gentlemen, is England."

On the far side of the table, Ochoa frowned. "England is-"

"Let him finish," Faraldo instructed, raising a hand to interrupt the Spaniard.

"Thank you, Signore Faraldo." Pausing for a moment, Artebury cast his eyes around the table. "Having just returned from the recent NATO conference, England confessed to me that he is suspicious of America. He sees him as an enemy and requested my help is, ah, dealing with him. Naturally, I agreed." A slow smile spread over his face. "Ladies and Gentlemen of the Council, we now have a mole inside the Personifications, an agent at our beck and call and wholly unaware of our organization and intent."

Artebury preened internally at the astonished murmur that filled the room.

Catching his eye, Faraldo nodded approvingly. "I assume you have a plan to accompany this fortuitous development?" he asked.

"Naturally," Artebury confirmed. "I believe England can be used to destroy America, and with him out of the way, removing the rest should be straightforward. With his unusual strength and mysterious background, it is America who stands in our way now that we finally have a weapon to use again the Personifications. Through England, we shall finally achieve our centuries long goal."

"How fortunate," Ochoa agreed. There was a dark flicker in his eyes at the shifting tide in the room, a rebalancing of power back to Artebury. "It shall take a great deal of planning to determine how best to take advantage of our unwitting agent."

"Which is why I thought it prudent to bring this new development before the Council as soon as possible," Artebury agreed in a smug voice. He cast a small smirk first at Ochoa and then at Guillory.

Unconcerned with the silent threats being passed around the table, Faraldo nodded solemnly, a dark smile spread across his face. "Let us go to work."