Washington D.C., the White House — four days after Stockholm

  President Donald Trump read the CIA report with an expression his assistant would later describe as "bewildered fury." Trump was a man who understood commerce, threats, leverage — but not this.

  "Europe is building its own nuclear weapons?"

  "Planning to, for now, Mr President. But according to our sources, the technical phase has begun."

  "Why didn't they inform us?"

  National Security Adviser Susan Chen answered calmly.

  "Because this is not about us. It is a European initiative outside NATO. And according to our legal advisers — it is not in conflict with international law, provided the programme's structure remains as planned."

  "The NPT?"

  "The NPT assumes that countries without nuclear weapons are protected by those that have them. If America's guarantees are…"

  Chen stopped. Trump finished the sentence himself, without intending to.

  "If America's guarantees are in question. I understand."

  Silence. Trump was a man who hated losing. And someone had just shown him that his own words — his threats, his questioning of commitments — had created a space for something he could not control.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  "What do they want?"

  "According to what we know — nothing from us. That is the point. They want to be independent."

  "And ASML?"

  Chen exhaled.

  "ASML is a Dutch company. The Netherlands is in the EU. In the Initiative. If they decided to restrict licences for EUV machines…"

  "Our chip companies would have a problem."

  "Yes, Mr President."

  Trump stood. He walked to the window overlooking the Rose Garden. The roses were still bare — February in DC was grey and cold.

  "Can we stop them?"

  "We can protest diplomatically. We can threaten tariffs. But if we stop them by force — we lose Europe as an ally permanently. And Europe without the American market would be painful. But the West without European cooperation — in technology, intelligence, values — would be fatal for America's geopolitical position."

  Trump turned.

  "So they're blackmailing us."

  "They're not blackmailing. They're acting."

  A distinction Trump did not understand, or did not wish to understand. Blackmail can be refused. Action can only be accepted, or accepted at a worse price.

  "What do you recommend?"

  "Let them proceed. Watch. Maintain communication. And in future negotiations, be more realistic about what Europe actually needs from us."

  Trump muttered something not intended for the record.

  At that same moment, in Brussels, Hoffmann was sitting in her office reading a diplomatic cable from Washington. The American ambassador was requesting an urgent meeting.

  She was smiling.