The public wasn't very well informed about the situation between the government and Markovia. In their minds, it was ultimately impossible that Arias would be allowed entry back into the country, as it was almost unanimously felt—even by those who supported him—that now wasn't the right time for him to appear, whether his intentions were good or not.
However, their thoughts and opinions didn't matter at all in the grand scheme of things.
Currently, the government was already scrambling to figure out how to reveal that Arias would be back in the country. They had struggled the entire day in an attempt to have him refrain from entering, bringing up excuses and laws, and emphasizing how negative it would be for both sides.
But Arias's orders were clear, and Mercy didn't fold, leading to the current situation where they had to either accept Arias's set of conditions or reject them and arrest him should he come, but they all felt this impossible to do, at least, not possible without grave consequences.
———
"Dammit," President Ross muttered.
He was sitting at his desk, looking incredibly worried. He leaned forward in an exhausted posture, his head resting on both of his hands. He then heaved a loud sigh before sitting back up and loosening his tie. Within his office, many of the other officials present were in the same state, some even sweating profusely while fanning themselves with the documents they held.
Looking at the President's expression, everyone collectively sighed with the Attorney General asking, "another break down in negotiations?"
This time, though, President Ross looked absolutely defeated as he revealed, "Either we accept the conditions they've laid out or arrest him when he comes to the country anyway. According to Mercy Graves, he will be arriving by private boat at Gotham Harbor at roughly four in the morning."
"Four in the morning? How fast is he going to get here?" someone asked, disbelief evident in their voice.
Hearing that Arias was already on his way, the Secretary of Defense was especially concerned. They were so busy in negotiations, thinking they would obviously reach a certain conclusion, that they hadn't prepared at all for Arias to arrive on such short notice. At the very least, they had all expected it to be a drawn-out process.
"This is no longer a negotiation, ladies and gentlemen. That was a clear order—or should I say a threat," the Vice President said angrily, shaking his head before asking the President, "It's clear we can't stop him. So instead, I'd be more concerned with what we're going to tell the public, the Senate, Congress, investors, foreign allies, and stakeholders."
———
Meanwhile, back in Markovia, Arias was now at one of the many private harbors owned by the royal family. With him were Cheshire and Tala who stood at his sides, next to the ramp leading up to his yacht. Opposite them was Mercy, who stood next to a luxurious black sedan.
As the call with President Ross came to an end, Arias showed a smile and said to her, "Well, if everything's settled, we'll be off now. Be sure that the others arrive by next week."
Mercy, still very angry, didn't focus much on Arias himself but instead shot subtle hateful glances toward Cheshire before answering, "Yeah, yeah, I'll do as you ask," she sarcastically said while rolling her eyes.
Seeing this blatant disrespect, Tala was about to come to the defense of her master, but Arias spoke up himself, choosing to chuckle first before saying, "Oh, I wasn't asking. I was telling you. By now, you should be very clear on the difference. Oh, do you need a reminder?" As he said the latter part, Arias's tone turned serious.
Tala slightly shirked away, while Cheshire pretended to look in another direction, bringing her lips together as if she were whistling. Mercy's angry demeanor immediately disappeared, and she kept her head lowered for a minute without responding. Eventually, she muttered the words, "No, I get it," before turning around, entering the car, and then driving off.
Arias didn't give her a second glance and simply turned around before proceeding to enter his yacht. As his figure disappeared into the interior, Tala leaned toward Cheshire and whispered, "You zee, zhis iz vwhat happens when you dizrezpect zhe mazter. One day, he vwill stop tolerating your shenaniganz and throw you away."
"Don't worry about me. I have a knack for being obedient when needed," Cheshire teasingly replied before proceeding up the ramp.