Brief Encounters

Timeline 1 (Part 22)

The soft hum of the office clock was the only sound in the room as William poured over documents, his focus unwavering despite the late hour. The door creaked open, and Stratham stepped inside, his usual stoic demeanor tinged with something harder to place—unease.

"Stratham," William acknowledged without looking up. "I trust there's progress?"

"Yes, sir." Stratham's voice was clipped, his words carefully measured. He crossed the room, stopping just short of the desk. "But it's... peculiar."

William glanced up, setting his pen aside. "Peculiar how?"

Stratham pulled a folder from under his arm, his fingers lingering on it for a second too long before he placed it on the desk. "It's about Patrick."

William's brow furrowed. "What about him? I thought you said the preliminary checks cleared him."

"They did. At least, on the surface." Stratham's jaw tightened. "But I had a gut feeling, Your Royal Highness. Something didn't sit right. So, I dug deeper."

William opened the folder, his eyes scanning the first page. A strange chill ran down his spine as he read the words printed there—or rather, the lack of them. "This... this can't be right."

"I thought the same," Stratham admitted. "But it's accurate. Patrick's background is... nonexistent. No birth certificate, no school records, no medical history. The man's a ghost."

William leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. "He's been with us for more than a score now. How could this slip through the cracks?"

Stratham's expression darkened. "Because someone wanted it to. The documents we initially reviewed were impeccable—professionally forged. Whoever orchestrated this knew exactly what they were doing."

The weight of the revelation pressed down on William's chest. Patrick had been in their inner circle, trusted, privy to sensitive information. "Have we been compromised?"

"It's possible," Stratham admitted grimly. "But I can't say for certain without more digging. What I do know is that Patrick isn't who he claims to be. And if he's here under false pretenses..." His voice trailed off, leaving the implication hanging in the air.

William stared at the folder, his thoughts a storm of anger, betrayal, and disbelief. Patrick had been a friend—or so he'd thought. "What's the next move?"

"I've already taken steps to monitor him," Stratham said. "But we need to proceed carefully. If he senses we're onto him, he could bolt—or worse."

William nodded slowly, his jaw tightening. "Handle it discreetly, Stratham. I want to know who he really is, what he wants, and who sent him. No matter how far you have to dig."

Stratham gave a curt nod. "Understood, sir."

As Stratham turned to leave, William's voice stopped him. "And Stratham... if he's a threat to the family..."

Stratham's gaze hardened. "You'll know right away, sir."

The door closed softly behind him, leaving William alone with the weight of the truth. Patrick wasn't just a stranger—he was a threat.