Those unaware would assume the multiple level story build owned by this parent company was 'artsy, a odd mix of businesses and bland'. From a normal public perspective, it was a shopping mall, a outlet centre or many shops connected into a building complex. The difference with this and those other outlets in the USA or intu centres of the UK is that all the internal stores are handcrafted specialist for everything.
From industrial glassware ordering to flora arrangements for events. All sorts of strange mix of trade were coexist here. Builder societies, carpenters and even folks for legal issues, insurance and banking. It very out of place stores were often not in shopping complex buildings. There isnt any technology stores in this complex. If there is, it was always ground level with unattractive window displays.
Akinded to like the USA if putting these building out the middle of no where, you had to know about it to find it. There was no way of getting lost and happening to find it. Not like the UK to have it in the middle of a known city area for more customer attention.
To anyone of the mage society, this place is one of many headquarters. There one in most major countries. Its a sort of hush agreement with mage island and those countries to have a base of trading. Government bodies of the country these headquarters sit in linger around as long as they have a id clearance to do so. When major magic or supernatural occurs happen, this is where those countries go to have it sorted out and kept hushed by the world population. Sometimes the MAC is called out for normal crises as extra hands during natural disasters. Never for any wars between countries. MAC don't interfere with hot topics like migration crises, civil wars or terrorism. It would put mages in a spotlight not necessary.
There is three levels of director boards whom control everything. Each building has a board team whom control that countries local needs and on site management. One of them in that team go a next step higher whom speak any concern to a world wide MAC director table. There is a next step higher whom take charge of all, only in special circumstances.
The world wide MAC are a separate entity to both the mage isle or the country sitting with them. This is neutral ground for mages whom weren't born on the island, whom can't fit into the medieval world that vast majority of mages come from. They make political plead deals with smoothing magic issues. There is internal conflict all the time between country branches. The overall consensus is that they want to saction all mages but aren't powerful enough for such take over. They couldn't with the threat of the royalty of mages being to magic versatile to control.
There is a minority within the MAC whom want magic erased, a threat to the world majority whom aren't magic gifted. But having proven the use of magic use to rebuild from natural disasters. They guess the craft of skill is from the livelihood of mages. This for now has subdued this anti-magic ideas. They can all agree on monitoring magic like it is nuclear radiation. It is the most suitable agreement that is the purpose of the corporation. Those whom suppress thier abilities are often those that cause disasters in the first place.
The branch directors for one site have representives of each department within the building even cleaning staff have a rep here. This collective all agree to look up to one among them as their world representative.
So levels on levels, the complexity of it all is why Rose and Josh are triple agents. They work direct orders from the USA headquarters lead boss director. They work for Mark Glader, the brother of the late king. All under the guise of being high clearance agents for MAC. Adding to this pairs known placement, for some reason the nobility of mage island respect them. This was never made clear why as these two hardly been there. Josh wasn't even born there while Rose comes from a poor family of cloth weavers.
"Welcome to the meeting, this is a basic update report from teams across the board. A reminder of the main goals. We are seeking escaped mages from thier homeland, dealing with a few connected murder cases and a update on what is going on within the internal affairs of the royal family. Since their drama has spilt blood in public view." The recording equipment is ready and the frist set have came forward reporting movement of royals, nobility reaction and someone on the island legal department explaining something for set up later. Being bold to keep talking of 'younger lives'.
"I have confirmation by 20 different sources that there is 25 confirmated deaths of those whom fled and will not have a bodies to bury for a proper funeral. I took this further with seeking background information about them and if they believed in burial rite. I find intead that its a target generation, from all sectors of the island and this ripple of lost has had determent to the even Royal family. I wish to further report, there been a request by royal island to find every last fled... as the suspect of royality to first in line was among them." The room gasped and at wave of settle. The calm is brought back and the next report giver stands.
"From 3 relying sources, the legal department was also informed. It is correct that a young generation from ages 9 to 24 have fled, due to a prosecution order made by a bill voted on by nobility democratic vote of mage society. This bill was unable to push through due to a lack of royal degree... because of a murder case within royalty families.
There isn't a current royal leader known of... but there is a tickle of some paperwork being approved of inspite of lacking a known royal hand. Its unclear if this is papers being found in the manor by servants and are late written entries or if the acting royal is hidden from public sight. This is all speculation brought by the 3 reliable sources.
The next information can't confirmed as of truth or not. A new source has told me that there must have been 40 whom attempted escape of the age range spoken. They added a particular route of 15 had successfully made it alive outside the mage island. They claim but I didn't believe until now, that among the 15 was royality.
There have been several picked up by orphanage systems and homeless shelters. Some have managed to completely gone off grid. As of this moment, I have confirmed 8 in the UK as such group from the 40 children age. 7 adults from age of 18 to 39. 12 USA fostering homes. 2 adult of 30 and 47 whom were homeless. They are under society protection. We are both currently working undercover as a foster agents in the separate countries. Most information was from such facilities." Rose and Josh stood together as this was a joint report by them both. Josh was covering USA side and Rose with UK.
"Any potential to being a royal?"
"Early days, these kids have choose to hide thier abilities and every detail about themselves. I am finding nobility children pretending to be beggers and the beggers being adopted into rich big named families. One of them is now part of the family whom owns fords car factory. They will do anything to hide their magic and in the extreme cases... have lead to very upsetting situations. These kids are really scared of coming back or dealing with mages at all. Whatever was the cause of all this... is proving to make this harder." Josh took out six files, "These are confirmed deaths of pushing it to far. I currently have managed 4 in my care... whom I have built trust to have these conversations with. They avoid the event of why the left, a sort of unspoken agreement of fear between all of them."
"I have only one in my care, someone last minute that I wasnt expecting. I just met them... so it take time for me to find common ground. The reason I acted so quick was his gift... he sees and can hear the dead. Someone like him would not last long in the UK foster system. Catherine asked me personally too. She never does that for normal none or even normal mage kids. I however have no reason to assume this is a royal. He speaks common fluently... not royal." Josh tilted in thinking as Rose spoke clearly of the issue.
"So there needs some space and time to work with them and prevent the memory of the cause from being erased. We need to continue working with other countries to seek out any stragglers and have a finalized number count." Someone voicing this was given nods agreement across teams, "Is there anything else?"
"I can confirm that Mark is after his nephew. That he wants the head on a silver platter. He is some for the direct cause of deaths for those aged 9. He had recently disturbed the unseen spirits of the damned to find more of these children. Its a race of time before all of those aged 9 or of royal connections are lost in more bloodshed. His personal request was that a kid with a scar through the chest is whom his looking for."
The room took notes on this and some team's was being sent out to go in response immediately. The few whom had potential leads were quick following. No long was this meeting going to be slow but now was really picked up pace. There a entire mix skills team being put together to make a new accommodation plans for these kids.
That placement was going to be out of reach of public information. A USA school in a quiet area was elected, following with housing for all those foster families to have first bid of housing in the area. A student dormitory being constructed for the other kids. Josh already has a home safe place established there and is a key member. Rose was going to be part of it too however she is excused for now. So she may build on the relationship with William James Jackson. A already weird kid.
"Rose, I want to talk privately." Her Boss on the phone.
"Yes boss." She packs up and spell jumps to the disclosed mid way met. The airport cafe in one the majority cities within the UK. At a guess Gatwick or Heathrow but she wasn't trying to guess her location choose. A coasta cafe with her favourite order sat beside the unassuming person on phone messaging. They don't even look to her as she sits down and took the drink.
"What of the any news on the late king and queen?" They type at full focus with the long silence.
"Thier spirits or someone among royalty is keeping the entire country afloat while the chaos of disruptions continues. The two from USA side are direct servant hands of them... they were separated from the 9 prince mocks and the prince himself. Although, I heard that the prince and his servant look like twins. From speculation made by someone Josh spoke to of one the nine. They werent sure if the prince was among them or alive at all. A outsider entity has seen to it personally to kidnap or help the prince out the country.
However it also managing to kept the prince within law. According to royal success rules, the royal must never leave the island before being seen in public offically and of adult age. The orginal adult age of 18 before the nobility bill of lowering age to 10. Something or someone is secretly continued paperwork. I want guess that maybe our prince is either not the only sibling, hasn't left the country or..." the pause from the phone as she posed another opinion, "Darkcarft magic has been used to do something to this prince."
"Interesting third option. Why are you suggesting it?"
"It was something my husband said about royals. There is a cursed set whom can be in two places at once. He wouldn't tell me how and what details. He claims the late king and his brother are such cursed types. If inherented... might mean..."
"The prince is able to stay inside the country and outside of it. He wouldn't be breaking law of succession to be the inheritance of the kings power."
"Yes... I didn't explain that to you. Thats a close royal family secret." She studied how her boss is back on the phone focus and the mixed expressions he was pulling.
"I have unreliable sources whom tell me strange things. Its been the work of you and your husband to confirm or deny things... make sense of it. My concern isn't what the company is aware of. My concern is with royal power succession. Where the power that can tare whole countries into a dust is..."
She is put off having her drink now, given her boss was always uneasy in private.
The thought that a person is being compared to a nuclear bomb was off putting enough. Then working out the puzzle that this nuclear bomb person is someone likely the age of 9, whom is parentless, being in the fear of being murdered by thier uncle and is now missing. The feeling of discomfort was hard to not ignore. No wonder they offered a drink to please her frist.
"Its not the first time in mage records the line of succession has been abnormal. They don't go by direct bloodline or at least they didn't used to for several generations. Its when the three grandfathers had a internal war between when they changed everything. When royals started intermarriage within... all because of how a royal head was never picked based on merit, biological gene or choosen by predecessor. The factor was something else and had become easier to pick within the few bloodline generation due to intermarriage. The biggest problem now is if the bloodline miss outside of oberverable grounds. The lad isn't mature enough to have kids now but when he does... a matter of when he does. What happens to the powers of succession?" The boss sighed in aggravation of these possibilities.
"So it would matter about of this kid is dead or not already. Its if his bloodline gets lost." She frowns at her drink, "How do you know all this and why do trust me and my husband?" The boss laughed a little.
"Its true about how some royals are two halves. We have a living body and a shadow. I am whats is left of a father whom cant find his son. My regrets of not being what I wanted be. University days were worth while... I have to give my wife that." He taps her shoulder, "Its wise to continue pretending I am just a no one. As this is a dangerous game, that cost more then life or death." She agrees and took the drink. Sipping it, for a strawberry smoothie... there is a shot of vodka in it.
Reminiscent of uni club nights with her friends. The light alcohol was appropriate with smoothing over what she learned.
"Another thing, your husband is to close with my brother. Try to not tell for as long as possible."
"brother?" she was about to ask and finds the boss gone. As mysterious as always. If she is to believe and trust that her USA boss is the late kings spirit, of which she doubts. She wants proof. A very dangerous idea came to mind. It dangerous if the turth was used against the royals. DNA.
It felt like it would help work out the these children origins. Finding the prince. Now she knew where to find DNA and how to confirm it all.
She sighed in a defeat that she having to break her husband's promises... to not hide important things. The more she thinks the more things about why mage society bothers them makes sense.
She can at least tell her husband, she has a lead to find thier university freinds kid.
Drink in hand and her work bag. She makes journey to the hotel she has left William on short notice. Other thoughts were bothering here too. She can't assume anything. Its unlikely in her mind this kid with gifted sight would be royal. Even if William was the late kings real name. James something her uni friends wanted to name thier son as. She doesn't want to endanger a possible unrelated child as a importer prince.
Although the doubt is there, the whole talking to spirits of the dead and touching a mask of one like that is... very unstable evidence she could not prove to company.
Her minds starting to tally issues of working out this kids identity, starting with being unable to age them. He acts older then his size. How Catherine talked of finding the kid. All scrunched up and affraid of harmed. The next day attitude change. Too much.