The Queen family library became Michael's refuge and his silent command center. While Oliver's nocturnal activities began, Michael immersed himself in the dusty tomes, his touch often triggering flashes of unexpected knowledge.
Oliver returned one morning, bruised and frustrated. "These gangs… they're more organized than before. Someone is pulling the strings."
Michael, looking up from a book on criminology, offered calmly, "Organizations have structures, Oliver. And structures have weaknesses. One simply needs to identify the linchpin."
Tommy tried to engage Michael in their old banter. "Remember that time we…?"
Michael cut him off gently. "Those memories feel distant now, Tommy. I'm… not the same person who left."
Moira watched Michael's intense focus on the books with a growing unease. "You spend so much time in here, Michael. What are you reading?"
Michael offered a vague reply. "Just trying to understand the world I've returned to, Mother. History, economics… the forces that shape our city." He deliberately concealed his strategic acquisition of knowledge.
Later, alone in the library, Michael touched a book on surveillance techniques. A sudden understanding of hidden cameras and communication intercepts flooded his mind. He began to subtly scan the mansion, his awareness heightened, already anticipating potential threats.