Man at War – Excerpt No. 33

13 October 2025

The allure of The Grand was its neutral status. Vampires on opposing sides of the conflict were said to be safe within these walls. Having the telephone bugged says otherwise.

“I suspect every room is bugged,” Evelyn replied. “When they are done, I suspect this wand will always glow red.”

She suspected that some would view that as being neutral. No one has an advantage over another.

“Then why are we here?” Grace said.

“The same reason why the other side will send agents,” Evelyn said. “To figure out what we are up to.”

a cinematic colour photo of a female phone operator with a calm and attentive expression, seated by her vintage switchboard, listening intently to a conversation with a pair of headphones on, set against a dimly lit room with artificial lighting, dressed in attire suitable for 1914, including a long skirt and blouse, with her dark hair styled in a bun, and a faint glow on her pale skin, the switchboard and surrounding equipment are made of brass and wood, with a mix of warm and cool tones, the overall atmosphere is one of focused concentration, captured through a shallow depth of field, with the operator as the main subject, in a photography style reminiscent of the early 20th century.

Disclaimer: This novel is an work in progress and readers may encounter grammatical errors and inconsistencies. Please view this a draft and not a published work.