I was driving down the road in one of my most favorable sports cars. To go meet with my Grandfather Phil. Nick was sitting in my passenger seat. I was surprised, he tagged along since Nick and his Division just got back from their hit run. So I kinda figured he wanna go to bed for a bit but I guess not. Aaron and Jay drove between me, each in their car.
Normally, I would have six more cars following me from all six Divisions. Would come with me for extra protection. But since Grandfather Phil's mansion was just down the road from my dad's mansion. I figured it will be fine that only the four of us went to go speak with my Grandfather.
••••
We pulled up into the driveway of my Grandfather's mansion. It had vehicles parked aside in the paved cycle lot. Once we parked we got out, shutting the doors.
Surprisingly seeing my Grandfather's men from Jay's Division. Are in nicely dressed black suits standing outside the mansion waiting around guarding. Being kinda resigned from his reign, Grandfather didn't always have them out patrolling. I found it a bit puzzling as to why he had them out guarding today though.
His two non-military servant men opened the big dark red doors for my friends and me. Inside more men from Aaron's Division, wearing black suits are standing guard.
My friends and I didn't speak to anyone walking past them. We gave our greeting head gestures from knowing them. They're mostly my Grandfather's Highest Rankers. Grandfather and his men may have been older. But now my men and I outranked them.
Most of them are blood-related to my Highest Rankers. From infancy they watched us grow up and even trained us to be the killers that we are to protect this Kingdom.
Grandfather Phil and his men were the Highest power ranked at one point. Grandfather Phil was once called a Primary King but now he is honorably ranked as an Elder. He ruled the Kingdom before handing it over to me.
Grandfather Phil and I are very close and had a good relationship. Even over my dad, I have a closer relationship with my Grandfather Phil. Crazy to think this at times but Grandfather Phil is exactly my dad's father. Both men are very stern and strict to the core but I find Grandfather Phil is more logical and reasonable to speak with. I feel my dad doesn't always hear me.
Altogether we walked through another set of doors held open for us by two servant men. We entered a massive room with a huge table. The walls are a deep dark red color. Same with the floor with brown trim. Grandfather is sitting directly in the middle quietly working from his laptop. So the four of us all took a seat. I sat in the middle between Aaron and Nick. Jay took a seat by Aaron's right.
Grandfather Phil noticed us saying, "Hello, how are you gentlemen doing today? As he looked back at his laptop. "I'm sure business was successful as always."
"Yup all was fine. Nick and his Division took care of a few hybrid people and we managed a huge success. We were able to put down a few Highest Rankers of our enemies. It was clean with no witnesses. The businessman working with them had also been put down." I updated him.
"Good, glad all is in order." He looked back up from his work. "So now what did you want to talk about with this slave girl?" Grandfather asked excitedly yet perplexed.
"Yes, that same businessman owned this slave. I took her after I killed him. I paused taking an exhausted breath. "Right away, I noticed something unusual about her," I wasn't sure how to explain this to him.
Grandfather looked at me, saying. "Well good for you as you should! That is the price he paid for trying to betray us. Code law states you take all that he owns now is yours. Now you say unusual. Is she a tubebaby?" He asked.
"Yes, she is a tubebaby but.."
Grandfather interrupted. "Oh, Cory son! Sometimes unusual things happen with those tubebabies. Not all those factories are careful.."
"No grandfather!" I raised my tone slightly trying to get Grandfather's understanding. As he gave his surreal glance my way.
"She has darker blood and these strange healing abilities. We've also discovered she can absorb sedation and pain medications." As I even stressed more in my voice. "My men even informed me when she ran away. She seemed to be running on adrenaline. Which shouldn't be possible!" I tried telling Grandfather Phil.
My Grandfather's eyes enlarged wider. Throwing my friends and me off to the sight of this most chilling expression. I've never once seen Grandfather express his eyes quite like this, I thought.
"We need to call the Elders." Grandfather Phil said with this urgent voice. "Our first Elder needs to hear this!"
We gave a peculiar look towards Grandfather's odd behavior.
After waiting another hour for the Elders to arrive. The oldest Elder known as the First Elder is highly respected by us. He is the first Royal from my family's bloodline to gain immortality. This wise powerful retired Primary King took a seat directly across from me at the table by Grandfather Phil. He was still old-fashioned.
Not aged in the face because no one aged in our worlds anymore from our mutations. Deep in his eyes, you could see his age of wisdom. Yet, his eyes always remained youthful and never would deteriorate from droopiness. He wore a dark trench coat-type robe, even his hair was black and long. That he pulled back often in a long tail ponytail. (Kinda resembling to look like a very attractive vampire with a shaded tan.)
Oftentimes, I teased him whenever I was in my teenager fifty years age marker. I always jokingly told him it was time for a more updated wardrobe. He was another Royal family member, I got along with. I have a close relationship with our First Elder. To my surprise, he had this most unexplainable expression. I've never once seen from him. The First Elder showed great worry.
"Cory we have kept something from you." The first Elder confessed.
"Okay, I am listening." Puzzled I replied.
The first Elder took a breath and says explaining a lot. "There is an old legend I found whenever I was so much younger. It spoke of a female who would someday be born within one of the kingdoms. This unique girl would share almost the same traits as us hybrid-men. She would be the queen of all females."
I sat there listening to the Elder speak without any fervor conveyed on my face. As I watched my first elder's veins stretch in his throat from great tension.
"She would have this ranking title called the Grand Duchess. First of her breed. Her traits consisted of darker blood, healing ability, tears of blood, and other unknown strange traits. We don't fully understand even to this day. Unlike us hybrid-men, she has the perfect mutated immortality Gene. To our understanding, her blood could be used as a boost for a hybrid-man. Making him more powerful by his strength. She could be trained, and gain a powerful strength to fight in a war, alongside us or against us. The legend also spoke, that she has the rights in choosing her King and making him the most powerful of all the Nations throughout our galaxies. Which still even now, we don't have a clear understanding on how she could make one hybrid-man the most powerful." With a pausing breath, he continued.