Time flew by. Several years passed in the blink of an eye after Howard's olive-oil-soaked wedding.
Su Ming had kept a low profile these past few years. Aside from observing the changes in the Cosmic Cube at Kamar-Taj, he trained to keep himself in shape.
Every now and then, he would take a trip to Sparta or stay in Vanaheim for a few days. Life had been good every day.
One day, while he had returned to the company to check the accounts, he suddenly received a call from Howard.
"God, I finally got through! Where the hell have you been?"
Howard's voice sounded haggard over the phone, and he was so frantic that he did not even give Su Ming a chance to say hello.
"Me? Same as always. Traveling around, wandering everywhere." Su Ming pinned the receiver between his shoulder and ear while using his free hand to twist open a bottle of liquor. "What do you need? If you just called to chat, I'm hanging up."
"Don't, don't. Listen." The sound of Howard taking a deep breath came through the line, the airflow making the receiver crackle. He lowered his voice. "Maria and I need help. Cough, cough... special help."
Su Ming's heart stirred, but he slowed his speech. "I don't know what you mean. We'll talk when we meet. Where are you?"
"Long Island. My villa."
Howard knew some things could not be discussed over the phone. As a high-ranking member of the Logistics Directorate, his calls and communications were monitored. Openly monitored. If he dared block the surveillance, it would only prove he had something to hide.
It was not just him. Every Logistics Directorate leader was treated the same way. Telephones were no longer a secure means of communication. Want to keep a little