Is this destiny?

Sarah looked at Albert and Rance smugly. Now she had five out of seven members of the Council supporting her openly.

It's not that Sarah wanted to join the Council. She had no intention of doing so. But she wanted them off her back, and that means Albert and Rance need to lose their positions.

Based on what Jarred and Suvedini told Sarah, the Council doesn't have a process of removing a member, and Sarah was set on creating that process because this was unacceptable.

"This… this…", Albert stuttered angrily while looking at the four folders in front of Sarah. "This is not what we agreed!"

Sarah sneered. "What did you agree? To stall the process? What is the difference if I join today or a week from now? Is there something you can attain within that one week? Or did you plan to delay this indefinitely? Do you think that you and Rance can prevent me from becoming a member of the Council?"

"Everyone needs to agree!", Rance fumed. He was fine sitting and letting Albert take the heat, but Sarah was clearly disrespectful toward the Council and the process they follow, and Rance will remind others of that. "Here, we need to vote and act in unison. Every vote counts."

Sarah shook her head in disagreement. "That policy only allows for a few to disrupt the process when they don't agree with the majority. You are like a toddler who creates a ruckus by throwing a tantrum."

Rance's face turned into a scowl. "You will never get my vote."

"What makes you think I need it?"

Albert understood what Rance is going for. Instead of attacking Sarah, they will remind everyone of the rules they follow.

"You can't ignore us!", Albert said while looking at everyone in the room. "We are all equal members. Or do you plan to kick us out? No one here has the power to remove an existing member!"

Sarah chuckled and placed her palm over the kolovrat-shaped indentation in front of her. "You are right. No one has the power to remove an existing member."

Sarah retracted her hand in slow motion and everyone's eyes bulged at the sight of a kolovrat-shaped medallion with a sapphire in the middle that was cut in the shape of a swan… and it fit perfectly in the groove on the table.

"This… This…", Albert stuttered. "What is this?"

"Isn't it obvious? Or are your eyes failing you?", Sarah taunted Albert. "This is my medallion. A symbol that I am a member of this Council. As I said… I don't need your vote. I don't need anyone's vote because I am in, and no one has the power to remove an existing member."

Jarred looked at Sarah with an unreadable expression. He wondered from where she got that medallion. When did she get it? Did she know about the Council from the beginning, and she was only playing with him? Was he watching her, or was it the other way around? The more he looked at her, the more questions he had.

Suvedini was in a similar state of confusion. She thought about all the guilt that consumed her in the last few weeks, yet now it turned that Sarah played with them. But Suvedini had to agree that this was a good plan, to test the members and see who will support her and who will act against her. In situations like these, there are no neutral parties.

Sarah proved that Albert and Rance will act in their interest and ignore the rules of the Council.

"Can I see that medallion?", Sinet's question broke the silence.

Sarah gave it to her and Sinet flipped it a few times, feeling the grooves on the back. It took a minute before Sinet spoke, "This is the real thing. Welcome, council member Sarah."

Sarah nodded in response as she accepted the medallion back and placed it back into the groove.

"I want to see it also.", Albert demanded.

"Only if you let me see yours first.", Sarah challenged him.

Albert glared at Sarah. "What?"

"You heard me. If you want my medallion, I want yours. But I must warn you…", Sarah paused while touching the part of the table which she crushed with her left hand at the beginning of the meeting. "When I get emotional, I lose control of my strength, and… accidents happen."

Seeing that Albert leaned back into his chair, Sarah understood that he gave up on the idea of getting his hands on her medallion.

"Good. Since we acknowledged this little detail…", Sarah paused and pointed at the kolovrat-shaped medallion in front of her. "We can move on with the agenda."

Sarah stacked the folders one on top of another. "Thank you for providing me with this information. I will review it and get back to you. Albert, Rance, I expect that you send me yours within forty-eight hours."

"Why?", Rance asked impatiently. "You are a member. Why do you need this?"

"Right now, I'm considering if I will stay a member. Unless you show me that this is not a waste of my time, I will destroy my medallion and not appear here again."

"This is preposterous!", Albert shouted. "Do you think you can come and go as you want?"

"Do you think you can stop me?", Sarah spat back.

"Your actions have consequences.", Albert warned Sarah in a low voice full of malice. "Think carefully, so you don't regret it later."

"I will say the same words to you. I don't attack people without reason, but if someone is scheming against me, I will show no mercy.", Sarah paused while gauging Albert's expression which tensed as he tried to control another of his outbursts. "You mentioned that your home was robbed. Do you need help catching the culprit? My men are quite capable, and we can assist you, however, you might want to check if you have enough resources available before you ask me to help. You don't want to end up hiring people and not having enough funds to cover their fees.", Sarah ended by looking at Rance.

BANG!

Sarah slapped the folders with her palm loudly, making everyone jump in their seats.

"Alright! I will review these, and we can meet again in one week. Any objections? Good!", she spoke quickly, without giving anyone a chance to respond.

Sarah took her medallion and stood up. "I wish you good rest of the day, ladies and gentlemen."

…

In the car…

Ron was driving and Zula was in the front passenger's seat. They were heading toward the LA Medical Center.

Zula turned back to face Sarah. "Do you think that Albert and Rance will give up on attacking after this?" She didn't ask what happened, because they watched everything through a live stream that drones provided.

Sarah puffed her cheeks. "We emptied their finances. Rance might give up because he doesn't have money to pay his mercenaries, or he might pretend that he has the money and order them to attack in a desperate move with a goal to pay them later. Albert has connections and loss of money will not impact his ability to attack. However, now that they know I'm a member they will not act rashly, because going after me means other members of the Council might retaliate."

Today's performance was to serve as a distraction and to buy more time. With the information that Mia provided about the Council members, they are closer to pinpointing the locations of the vaults.

Sarah's lips lifted into a smile while she tried to imagine riches that would be contained there.

She hoped that there will be diamonds because she loves sparkly things.

---

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