Poppy hovered mid-air, arms folded. “You still haven’t told me why you’re in charge of all this. Surely there are… ministers or whatever for this sort of thing?”

Albert leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing slightly. “Because, fairy, I don’t just consult for this company—” he nodded at the frozen video feed of the vendor’s board “—I’m the main investor. I’ve got more money sunk into them than the rest of the board combined, which means when they fuck up, it’s my problem to clean up before it hits the front page and tanks the share price.”

Poppy’s mouth curved into a knowing smile. “So, it's about money?”

“I’m here to stop politicians from making knee-jerk decisions that’ll cripple both the NHS and my balance sheet,” he said sharply. “The difference between me and them is I actually know what to do.”

His PA stepped back into the room, holding a slim folder. “Sir, the Cabinet Office has cleared you to act as point between all parties.”

Albert stood, taking the folder. “Good. Let's get all communication funnelled through here. Hospitals call us, we call GCHQ, GCHQ calls back—no crossed wires or endless fucking email chains.”

“Yes, sir.” She hesitated. “They’ve also asked if you’ll be available for a press statement later this evening.”

Albert’s laugh was short and cold. “Absolutely not. They can trot out someone in a suit who likes microphones.’”

Poppy smirked from her perch on the edge of his desk as his PA left the room. “You’d look good on television, though. Maybe tilt your head a little, soften the jawline—”

Albert shot her a look that could have frosted glass. “Do you ever shut up?”

Three more hours of calls followed, Albert running the crisis like a conductor with a particularly unruly orchestra. He didn’t know how to write code or decrypt data, but he knew exactly how to get rival security firms to share information without snarling at each other, how to get a hospital trust chair to authorise emergency funds without waiting for a board vote, and—most importantly—how to make GCHQ skip the usual six-day clearance process for sensitive data.

By the time the last call ended, it was well after nine. The sky outside had gone from orange to black, the lights of London glittering far below. Albert collected his coat and phone without ceremony.

His PA caught up to him at the lift. “Shall I keep the lines open overnight?”

“Yes,” Albert said. “And if anyone calls who doesn’t have the words critical update in the first sentence, tell them I’m dead.”

The lift doors slid shut, sealing him into rare silence. Poppy floated lazily in front of him, arms folded behind her head. “So, now we go save the world again tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow,” Albert said. “Tonight, I’m going home.”

The Bentley glided through the near-empty streets of London, the wet asphalt reflecting the city lights. South Kensington was quiet when they pulled up outside his townhouse—three storeys of white stucco elegance behind a set of black wrought-iron railings.

Inside, the air was warm, scented faintly of old books and cedar. Albert shrugged off his coat, loosened his tie, and poured himself a drink from the decanter in his study.

Poppy flitted toward a high bookshelf, running her fingers along the spines. “Nice place. Bit big for one person.”

Albert took a slow sip of whisky. “I like my space.”

“You’ll have to get used to sharing it,” she said with a grin.

Albert stared at her over the rim of his glass. “fucking marvellous.”

What happens next?

Voting has finished. You can no longer vote.


• Magical Assistant – Poppy shapeshifts into human form. She looks the same but without the wings, and when in human form, everyone can see her. She offers to help Albert as an "asssistant" and tracks down the hackers responsible, only to find that it was actually a deliberate internal sabotage to ruin Albert's credibility.
  Votes: 0
• Binding Perks – Because of their lightning-forged bond, Albert can momentarily borrow Poppy’s magic—slight telekinesis, heightened perception, and the ability to manipulate probability. The catch: the magic only works when Poppy’s physically close, and using it strengthens the bond in ways Poppy isn’t fully explaining.
  Votes: 1
• Political Crossfire – Albert’s blunt handling of the crisis puts him at odds with both ministers and corporate executives, forcing him into a political minefield where one wrong move could ruin his reputation and investments.
  Votes: 0