Emperium is one of their family companies, established by their late grandmother. It is her legacy and the position of being the chairwoman should have been given to their aunt when their grandmother died but due to the circumstances they're at years ago it was left under the care of one of their grandmother's subordinates.
"That's good to know aunt Sel because I heard that the company isn't going well these last two years." Julian recalled that time where he overheard his grandfather talking to his mom and his aunt Hanna regarding their grandmother's business.
"Yeah but that's for other time, you don't have to worry about the company. You're parents and I will be handling it. For now, focus on your own tasks and the company that you're grandmother left you." Selene reminds them.
"Well, Julian and the twins got that covered." Jazz lamented.
"How about you and Jin." Selene gives her two nieces a disapproving look.
Jin glared at Jazz for having her drag into the talk of business. Not that they don't care about their family business. It's just that, it's really not their thing, though they are knowledgeable enough in that area, the guys are more than capable of handling it.
"I have no qualms about the two of you pursuing other career but remember we are family and in our family, we help each other. You can't just give all the work to your brothers understand."
"Yes, aunt Selene." Jin and Jazz helplessly murmured in defeat.
"Julian, give them a project to work with you can't just carry the burden on your own." Selene didn't give him the chance to protest thus he just nods his head and mounted sorry to Jin and Jazz.
"And another thing starting next week the five of you will be given a daily routine workout which will be made by yours truly. So tomorrow expect to have physical combat I will be assessing you." Their aunt notified them.
They all looked at each other thinking that they're all doomed knowing how their aunt can be harsh when it comes to keeping one's body in tip top form.
"We don't have to fight you right?" Jazz really wished they won't. She doesn't want any injury right now.
"Depends on how well you perform. Alright, you five go take a rest for a while. I'll have you called once dinner is ready." Their aunt said before leaving the meeting room.
"C'mon Jazz stop sulking aunt won't kill you." Jake teased her sister.
"She wouldn't but she can give me a week worth of body pain." Jazz huffed before finally joining them out of the room.
"It's better than a fracture or dislocating your body parts." Julian joined the teasing.
"Oh, gods." Jazz couldn't help but shudder at the thought of sparring with their aunt.
"Stop being a baby," Jin smirked while Jaden proceeded to pat Jazz on her head.
The residence of the Hamilton household is all sleeping peacefully when suddenly a thunderous sound of a siren echoes on the third-floor hallway.
Jin instinctively sat down and looked around her room. After checking and making sure that there is nothing suspicious she went outside and checked the corridor where the sound of the siren is coming from.
At the same time from their respective rooms Jazz also came out with her hair in an absolute mess, the twins looking alert and Julian, with a gun on hand.
"Aunt Sel? What are you doing here and what's up with that blasted siren?" Jake asked looking back and forth between their aunt and the siren that is still annoyingly wailing.
Their aunt did not respond right away. She turned the siren off before finally answering.
"Good, now that you're all awake and alert, follow me downstairs your assessment starts now and Julian do leave that blasted gun behind, you're not going to need it." She told them before descending the stairs leaving the siren and the 5 of them stunned.
"What? But aunt Sel it's still 5 in the morning." Jazz protested.
"I know. Got any problem with that?" Their aunt raised her eyebrows at them shutting any further protest.
"I thought so now, we're wasting time, come along now the sooner you move your asses the earlier we'll be over with your first assessment." Selene then continued to descend the stairs.
"Is she being serious with this assessment thing this time in the morning?" Jazz said scandalously.
"I think she is, now let's go before she'll come back and literally drag us all down." Jin is the first one to follow after their aunt.
"But this isn't the army and she is treating us as one." Jazz still protested though she still follows after her cousin.
Selene used to be a Major General until 5 years ago where she decided to do an early retirement she was the only person among their family who still resides here after the incident, being part of the corps she is more than capable of taking good care of herself thus she was give permission by their grandfather to stay even if it's for a bit longer as she needs to render the remaining years required before she could do an early retirement.
"2 minutes." They heard their aunt shout from the first floor making them all run downstairs.
After arriving on the first floor they found their aunt standing outside.
"I'm not liking where this is going." Jazz has a look of horror in her eyes.
"For the first part of your assessment, run from here until the main gate. I think 20 lapses will suffice. I will be expecting you all to be back here after an hour."
Their faces all turned ugly after hearing the instructions of their aunt. They are all having an inner turmoil. Jazz is right their aunt is absolutely treating them like soldiers, heck even soldiers don't run this long.
The distance between the house and the front gate is around 500m long. If they are to run 20 lapses that would be about 10km that they will be running with a time limit of an hour. Even for trained runners, it is quite difficult to cover that distance within the given time limit even if they use their top speed besides no ordinary human being can continuously run with his or her top speed for such time.
They are not even trained runners to begin with not to mention the fact that they haven't been conditioning themselves for a sudden marathon. Sure they have been doing some workouts but not enough to get their body in shape for this kind of situation.
"But aunt Sel…" Jazz started to protest but was stopped by their aunts' unflinching stare.
"You have a minute to position yourselves."
Having no choice they went on their front lawn and got themselves ready all glaring at the brightly lit pathway. Once they are in a position they hear a shotgun fired and off they go running.