Grayson’s message arrived just as Stan was finishing some routine work.
[Grayson: I’ve finished negotiating with the supplier.]
Stan pulled out his phone and replied.
[Stan: The aircraft?]
[Grayson: One of the most capable long-range private jets currently available. They’ve also agreed to every modification you requested. Full package attached below.]
The next message contained a detailed itemized list. Stan opened the attachment and scrolled through it.
From polar operations package, extreme cold-weather reinforcement of the private jet and advanced de-icing systems, emergency survival equipment, long-range communications suite, satellite navigation package, Multiple spare engines to large reserve of Jet A-1 fuel.
Stan nodded upon reading through it, it was very reasonable, after all he was getting a custom jet, not just any custom jet but on customed for Antarctica level of coldness, which can go to as low as -89°C which is really crazy...
Anyways, he look and saw Grayson reply...
[Grayson: The total comes to just under five hundred million U.S. dollars. Payment can be made whenever it suits your schedule.]
Stan didn’t hesitate.
[Stan: I’ll transfer the funds now.]
A moment later, another message appeared.
[Grayson: ... Alright.]
After Stan did the transfer Grayson sent him another message a few minutes later;
[The aircraft is fueled, fully prepared, and waiting at the company’s private airfield. It can depart within the hour as soon as you arrive.]
[Stan: Good.]
He slipped the phone back into his pocket. There wasn’t much time.
The system had given him a seven-day window, but he doubted he had that long in practice. The old families Amelia’s intelligence had identified were already mobilizing. Every hour they gained was another hour he’d have to claw back.
Every minute counted.
Before leaving Inksea, Stan made a series of calls.
He sat at his dining table, mentally arranged them in order of emotional proximity, and worked through them one by one.
Sophie first. She answered on the second ring, her voice carrying the quiet warmth she reserved for him alone.
"Stan?"
"Sophie. I’m going away for a while. Business."
"...Business."
"Something like that."
A brief silence followed.
Sophie possessed an almost uncanny instinct for recognizing the boundaries he wouldn’t cross. Something like that told her there were answers he wasn’t prepared to give.
She didn’t press.
"How long?"
"I’m not sure. A few days at least. Maybe a week and a half."
"Where are you going?"
"Somewhere with unreliable signal."
"Stan."
"Yes?"
"Is it safe?"
"Yes."
"Are you telling me the truth?"
"I am."
Another pause.
When she spoke again, her voice was softer.
"Just come back safely."
"I will."
"I mean it." She exhaled quietly. "I have a bad feeling about this, and I don’t know why. Just... come back."
"Sophie."
"Yes?"
"I’ll come back."
She let out a small, unsteady breath. "Okay."
"I’ll call you the moment I have signal again."
"You’d better."
The call ended.
Sarah next.
She answered almost immediately, her cheerful voice brightening the line.
"Stan, hi."
"Sarah. Just a quick call. I’ll be away for about a week, maybe a little longer. Reception’s probably going to be poor."
"Oh."
A brief pause as she adjusted.
"Where are you headed?"
"Work."
"Are you okay?"
"I’m fine."
"You’d tell me if you weren’t?"
"I would."
She was quiet for a moment.
"I’ll miss you, Stan."
"I’ll miss you too, Sarah."
Another pause.
"I’ll bring you something back."
"You don’t have to."
"I know."
His voice softened.
"I want to."
She smiled, and he could hear it.
"Then... something small. Nothing extravagant."
"Something small and thoughtful. Got it."
Another beat passed before she spoke again, more quietly this time.
"Come back to me."
"I will."
The line went silent.
He then called Maya who answered with the playful tone that had become her default with him since their dinner together.
"Business investor calling to check on his investment?"
"Business investor calling to say he’ll be off-grid for a while."
"Off-grid?" Her voice sharpened ever so slightly. "Off-grid where?"
"Overseas. Somewhere with unreliable reception. About a week, maybe a little longer."
"Stan."
"Yes?"
"Is this film opportunity off-grid, or someone’s trying to kill you off-grid?"
He almost laughed. "Neither. Just private business."
"That’s not remotely reassuring."
"It isn’t meant to be ominous. It’s just a trip."
"Straightforward trips don’t usually come with a warning that you’ll disappear off the grid."
"You’re too perceptive for your own good."
"I know." She sighed. "I’m still going to worry."
"Then try not to."
"That’s not how worrying works."
He smiled despite himself.
"Maya."
"Yes?"
"I’ll be back. And when I am, I’ll tell you the whole story."
"The whole story?"
"As much of it as I can."
She huffed softly. "That’s not quite the same thing."
"It’s the best I can offer right now."
A brief silence settled between them.
"Come back safe, Stan Harrison."
"I will."
The call ended.
Mia fourth.
She answered almost breathlessly, the way she always did now, the eager inhale of someone who had spent nine years believing he’d disappeared from her life, and who still hadn’t quite grown used to seeing his name appear on her phone.
"Stan!"
"Mia."
"Where are you? Are you coming over?"
"Not this week. I’m calling because I’ll be away for a little while."
"...Away?"
"Traveling somewhere remote. Reception’s going to be unreliable."
Her excitement faded at once.
"How long?"
"About a week. Ten days at the most."
There was a tiny tremor in her voice when she spoke again.
"Stan... you’re coming back, right?"
"I’m coming back."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
"You really mean it?"
"I do."
He paused before adding gently,
"This isn’t nine years. It’s one week."
A quiet laugh escaped her, fragile despite itself.
"I’ll still miss you."
"I know."
"Mom’s going to ask if you called."
"I’ll message her as soon as I’m back."
"...Okay."
"Mia."
"Yeah?"
"I’ll see you soon."
"I’ll hold you to that."
Then he called Xenia. She answered in the polished, professional voice she used at Star Entertainment.
"Sir Stan."
"Xenia. Just a quick heads-up. I’ll be off-grid for about a week, possibly a little longer."
"Understood."
"If anything urgent comes up, Vivian has interim authority to handle escalations. She already knows the chain of command, but I wanted you informed."
"Understood, Sir Stan. Anything else?"
"Nothing operational."
He paused.
"And... thank you. You’ve kept everything running smoothly."
Her voice softened almost imperceptibly.
"It’s my pleasure, Sir Stan."
Another brief pause.
"Please return safely."
"I intend to."
Amelia after that. He gave her Vivian’s contact incase she got results from Vanguard about the Fake Streak they were investigating
Vivian was next. The conversation was brief and entirely professional.
He confirmed that she would hold interim authority over Star Entertainment’s escalation chain during his absence, reminded her that Amelia’s operation involving the Streak impersonator would continue as planned, and assured her that the arrangements concerning her brother remained in place if she needed anything while he was away.
Vivian thanked him formally and wished him a safe journey before ending the call.
Then finally was his sister, She answered on the third ring, surprise quickly giving way to concern, the instinctive shift she always had whenever her younger brother called unexpectedly.
"Stan?"
"Sis."
"You never call at this hour. What’s wrong?"
She always knew. "I’m traveling for a week or so. Maybe ten days. Reception will be spotty."
The silence that followed was longer than any he’d encountered during the other calls.
"...Where are you going?"
"It’s business."
"Stan."
"Sis."
"You’re not going to tell me where."
"No."
"Why?"
He drew a slow breath. "Because I don’t want you worrying."
"Stan."
Her voice changed.
It was no longer the casual concern of an older sister. It was the voice of a sister who had stepped into the role of parent when theirs disappeared.
The voice that had argued with landlords, stretched every dollar, and carried them both through years that should have broken them.
Just as he thought she was about to scold him or something, her voice softened slightly..
"You’re a Grown up now Stan, you can take care of yourself and stay safe... I don’t want you to dissapear like mum and dad..."
A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Fair."
"I love you."
"I love you too, sis."
"Come home."
"I will."
The call ended. Stan lowered the phone but didn’t move.
For a long moment, he simply sat there, staring at the blank screen in his hand.
Then he stood.
He walked into his bedroom and packed a small backpack with a change of clothes, and a few essentials, everything important he might need, water, drinks, they were all put to his inventory and then he left...
When he left the apartment, he hailed a taxi. He didn’t have someone to drive his car back if he used that, so a taxi was more convenient...