Asgard was in turmoil. Everywhere you looked aids and assistants went from office to office. Files were pulled while analysts had practically taken up residence inside the various conference rooms. At about midnight SEER went completely insane. For over a week it assured its analysts that something was bound to happen. It pointed towards a terrorist strike but failed to accurately guess the size of it. The only thing it did say that it could be a level 5 event. So many at the top were roused to sleep. Who, on their turn, judged the threat to be very real and very dangerous. The inner-city of Asgard was completely awake at 5am.

At 6am the first ties were loosened as data was compared. Breakfast was served as team leaders gave their groups a briefing while stuffing their mouth full with whatever the aids delivered. Theories began to take shape at 6:43. The largest one: strategical strike. At Vanaheim, the center of Dreyed and the home of SEER, backup servers were being integrated into the system. Forcing SEER to work harder. At 7:02 it detected digital an enormous spike in digital chatter among certain monitored groups.

At 7:36 Haldjor took the Executive decision of picking the go to scenario and work from there. The strategical strike against an EEC hotspot was deemed the most likely event. At 7:37 SEER started to make projections and predictions. At the same time, the digital chatter kept on increasing. Tension rose throughout the entire building as Haldjor himself came in for work early. Usually when he got called up awake at 6:30 he’d still work from home till 9. However, today he came In at 7:46. Yet his army of aids was ready and flocked at him as he entered the building.

“Einherjar shares are rising. SEER is expecting a rise in contract requests.”

“Dreyed requests additional funds for ORACLE.”

“Future Investment Reports 29 student whose parents might be caught in the explosion.”

“Bank of Scandinavia is holding strong as always. Stock shocks were dampened.”

“Red Orchestra’s claim is loudest as of this point.”

“Einherjar reports that Strike Teams are being prepared as we speak. Mission ready in 20.”

“Social media chimes loudest with #PrayForVatican and #PrayForItaly.”

“The EDA is yet to release a statement.”

“Goayu expressed their condolences.”

“Communist believers are gathering for a manifestation. The end of the march is supposedly Asgard. Mostly poors will attend.”

The steady stream of useful information continued. Haldjor himself never said a word but his aids never expected one. They just kept going, even inside the elevator towards the Executive level. In fact, the entire stand-up briefing was timed in such a way the aids finished right when he entered his office. The CEO of the world’s largest bank first took a seat and a delicate sip of his coffee. Then began his spree of executive questions and decisions:

“Target middle members of Red Orchestra. I want them alive. But pick those surrounded by armed detail. I don’t want bloodbaths but swiftly resolved firefights. They all go on public trial next week. Make sure the trial is rehearsed. And make sure it’s televised. Both the arrests and the trials. Make it look like a crackdown.”

A few aids took the task upon them by simply leaving the office.

“Prepare me a statement, use the hashtag. I want the first half moving, preaching of solidarity and prosperity in whole of Europe. Don’t skimp on telling everyone just how good it is here because of us. The second half must be a clear message towards Red Orchestra. Carolus Holdings will stand as a sentinel of the west. Make sure images of the arrests can be shown. I don’t need context. Just the images. Leave out any thanks towards none-EU companies expressing support.”

Another band of aids left the office without uttering a word.

“I want a list of victims. Cross-reference that list with the students. If any of them lost a family member, all necessary transport is to be prepared. Refrain from telling them.”

Two more aids left the office.

“I want the Bank preparing a central Europe relief package. Throw in everything required. Financial aid, food, security. The whole deal. Make an initial one which I can send out this afternoon already. I want boots on the ground there before midnight. The full package must be finished in 5 days.”

Almost all the aids had left now. Only 3 more remained.

“Let the demonstration happen. But don’t let them inside Asgard. Redirect any in-out traffic away from the main gate. Prepare an emergency statement in case the protest gets too rowdy. Use the images from the Vatican. I want them bloody.”

And so the last of the aids left. Haldjor remained alone in his office. Like every morning, silently sipping his coffee. There were other pressing matters. But they required more refined thoughts. Dreyed always wants more money, often stating a lack of funds as reason of the setbacks. Certainly some of the funds were spend in a rather irresponsible way. But Haldjor couldn’t afford antagonizing his technology arm so close to the initial testing phase of ORACLE. It would seem he’d have to visit Vanaheim soon.

Then there was the issue of foreigners. Other mega-corporations would want a piece of this godsend PR opportunity. He’d have to call the head of EDA to discuss the relief program. As well as see what to do with the so-called help of other corporations like Goayu. Flat our rejecting them would be bad. Yet accepting it would send a signal of leniency. Maybe one of weakness. In this world, nothing was free.