NIKOLAI'S POV
The towering structure of the UNPOD headquarters stood before me, its flags fluttering in the New York breeze. It had been decades since I last walked through these halls of power—back when I had to strike a fragile agreement with the humans. Now, as I approached once more, the air felt heavy with the familiar weight of tension, a tension we had long grown used to. The delicate balance between humans and supernaturals has only become more precarious.
I arrived at Director Evelyn Darnell's office and found Samara already seated, her posture poised but tense as she waited for the meeting to begin. She had temporarily stepped out of her self-imposed exile for this urgent matter.
"It's so good to see you again, Samara," I greeted her, offering a warm smile despite the situatio
