Grandpa Kalvin, deciding to take care of his unfilial sons later, left the living room and then quickly headed to his study where he called one of his men.
“Rodrick, do you have a terminal near you?.” He said,
“Yes sir.” The man replied.
“I… Do you know about Theodore White?” He asked.
“Sir, Is this line secure?” Rodrick asked.
“Yes,” Kalvin replied.
“He is one of the targets for our surveillance… He is very dangerous…” Rodrick replied.
“I already know that. He is on the blue list…. I want to know a few things, like his wife and children's names.” Kalvin said.
“Oh…one moment……” Rodrick said, then quickly proceeded to search for the relevant info.
Kalvin heard the sound of a keyboard typing from the other side.
“Yes… The information is scarce, No official wives list. But the unofficial list of partners contains 3154 entries… As for his children…. Let’s see… Nick, Nicky, Max, Roxy, Roxan, Rex, Pan, Mary, Cara, …. About 317 registered under his name. He might have unregistered ones.”
“Search for Victor, Alice, Mike, and Lara,” Kalvin asked impatiently.
“Oh…One second … There is no Lara, but the others exist… That’s strange... Some of his children were registered in the system when they reached 17 or 18…” Rodrick said.
“Some hidden powers seem to have rules like that… Now, tell me about the names I asked you about.”
“Ah yes…. First, Alice White. Blue list. Mother is Elena. Father is Theodore…. Very successful entrepreneur in BlackFountain City… She has some dark activities, but nothing too brazen, just some underground arena. She enjoys extreme sports and likes powerful men…. Many young masters around the city might have been castrated by her…. And she rarely appears in public. That’s about it” He said, swallowing his saliva… Apparently looking at her photo.
“Second, Mike White, mother: Elena, on the green list. He runs a casino and a few strip clubs in new Lure city… A pervert who likes to collect whores…, He also sponsors many orphanages.” He drank some water….
“Lastly, Victor White, mother: Elena… On the red List. He appeared last month in Vein city. He is attending the academy where some people reported him for indecent behavior…. And he has many properties around town…. ”
“Wait… Red list?” Kalvin opened his mouth wide…. He knew well what this meant…The lists were created to categorize the people that belonged to the hidden powers…
White meant no power. Blue for economic power, green for those who do minor illegal activities. Yellow for the media power…… Red for maniacs and terrorists.
“What did he do?” Kalvin asked.
“Well…His car blew up first… then A few weeks ago he blew the sports car of his half-brother, Nick, killing him…. And a week after that, he threw a grenade on the highway… There were even reports of some weapons transfers to his mansion… and his media company had some bombs purchased for the special effects but they went missing….” Rodrick explained.
“..Did the government do anything?” Kalvin asked.
“No… Apparently, his family took care of it… All charges were dropped…” Rodrick said.
“What about their mother Elena?” He asked.
“No info… We only have the name… Not even a surname, Do you have any idea?”
“No…. That’s all for now…. Take care…” Kalvin said as he hung up with complex eyes….
Thirty years ago, when he worked in the special forces… They were following a very nefarious international human trafficking organization, they fought with them many times almost annihilating them completely. Then… they were ordered to back down. No explanations. No questions allowed.
They didn’t want to, but as soldiers, they could only comply… But he and his team had questions… So they began to do some little investigation… Every time they found a clue the plot got thicker… They couldn’t even imagine that something like this was hidden in plain sight!.
After going all over the data they had for the third time, they were forced to believe the terrifying truth. The government that ruled the Principality was a puppet, controlled by some force from the shadows... Not only their government, all the governments around the world it seemed. They couldn’t believe it at first, but the more they searched the more they confirmed their guesses. Who was this force, and how did they do it?
It took them three years to know that. The force was a conglomerate of families and hidden powers that slipped inside the system controlling everything from behind using agents that they put in place using various means… Even the many resolutions and assassinations around the world were their work!
The president, the leaders, the army, and police commanders all worked for them. And the criminal organization they were following, belonged to one of those as well… They controlled most of the major criminal organizations around the world.
His team was shocked, but after seeing the atrocity that gang did….They decided to do something about this. But how? The government refused to act. They were even demoted after asking!
So, they formed a secret organization with the goal of collecting information about those guys and then eliminating them. They used the army’s and the government's capabilities for this… Secretly of course.
They have discovered that those forces had lists of names that the government could not interfere with… as if they belonged to a different class. They policed themselves…. And from those lists, his team started their search!
All went well until they were discovered… No, those guys were aware of them from the start, but they ignored them, as a lion ignores a fly.
Kalvin doesn’t know what exactly happened, but his best friend found something, something that caused those powers to kill him with most of the team… Their bodies were cut into pieces and then thrown into the sea.
He only survived because his friend was smart enough to split his organization into two parts when he created it. One active and one passive. Kalvin was one of the leaders of the Passive section which remained hidden… Or were they ignored on purpose? He didn’t dare to think about that possibility.
His friend only left one sentence before he died, IT IS A GAME… PLAYERS!
What does that mean? He didn't know, but it caused his friend's death!.
He decided to keep a lowkey and only collect information that is available in the public records. And social media lately… nothing that would make them think of him as a threat.
It has been 20 years. His organization has grown a lot, and they recruited many others who also discovered the same truth and wanted to fight it… but still, they didn’t dare to make a move. They saw others try and die miserably.
Now, his daughter turned out to have married one of those hateful guys…. Damn it! He should not have been this stubborn… He shouldn’t have let her go back then.
Kalvin sighed as he left the study... Waking in the corridor, He noticed something. Victor was dragging that grandson-in-law, Archie somewhere, They headed upstairs… Kalvin, despite his age, followed them soundlessly as they entered an abandoned room and closed the door.
He eavesdropped on them.
“.... but what does the young master want to ask about?” Archie asked just as Klavin placed his ear on the wooden door… A man his age shouldn’t be doing this, but he couldn't resist.
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“You seemed scared when my sister Alice’s name was mentioned… Have you met her before?” Victor said arrogantly.
“.... I had the honor a few years ago…I might have offended her….. It didn’t go well.” Archi didn’t elaborate.
“She is the decisive type, but she has a good heart, or you would have been dead by now,” Victor said, making Archie cough... He didn’t agree.
Kalvin wanted to see Archie's face at that moment, but he didn’t dare to move…
“Now… Since you belong to the prince’s family’s direct line… Why are you still not awakened?” Victor asked. Making Kalvin almost gasp… He didn’t know that his grandson-in-law was this important. What did he mean by awakened?
“Awakened?” Archie asked. It seemed like he didn’t know either.
“Doesn’t your family have a secret ritual? Why didn’t you do it?” Victor asked, making Kalvin listen more attentively as Archie seemed to be thinking of an answer…
“I…. I made a mistake when I was younger…. I was forbidden from attending the ritual. And…. I was demoted in the family… I can’t even attend their meetings.” Archie said with clear hatred in his voice.
“It was Troy who baited you? Didn’t he” Victor asked, making Kelvin's eyes narrow… Troy Wiren. He is on the black list which was reserved for the worst of the worst.
“Does the young master know anything?” Archie asked.
“No… Just the way your face distorted when I told you his name earlier… Seems like I was right.” Victor said.
“Yes…. He tricked me into giving away one of the family's heirlooms to a girl I liked… A b*tch “ Kalvin didn't elaborate. Kalvin didn’t need more info either… It was the classic trick. The pitiful girl asking for help.
“You are an idiot,” Victor said. Kalvin outside nodded.
“I know… You don’t have to rub it….” Archie replied.
“No… I mean seriously… My cousin Marlie is probably working for someone too... I am not sure yet though…” Victor added.
“Impossible!” Archie said, making Kalvin nod again. Marlie might be a slut, but she is a good girl…
“How did you meet her? She wanted help?... No, you won’t fall for the same trap twice…. Oh… You must have been in trouble, and she saved your life… “Victor said.
Archie didn’t reply…. Victor was telling the truth.
“Don’t worry, now that she knows your status she would never sell you off… Not cheaply anyway.” Victor said,
Archie didn’t reply.
“I am not telling you to abandon her, she might have some feelings for you after all… She is still young... Kids nowadays don't know what's good for them.” Victor said, making his grandfather want to slap him… How old are you to say that Marlie is young? She is older than you!
“What then?” Archie asked… He seemed to be beginning to believe Victor.
“She is my cousin, after all, and I don't want her to be hurt... So, You just need to be more vigilant around her and only feed her select information… You know what I mean...I don’t hire idiots…. You see, I am planning to let you work for me, are you interested?” Victor asked.
“You want to use me to get at Troy? What do I get in return?” Archie asked…
“Yes… Now… A few of Troy’s men attacked my mansion yesterday. He needs punishment… And I decided that he is no longer fit to be an heir to the prince's seat…. Do you want his place?” Victor asked casually as if he was replacing a chair in a dining room.
“Yes,” Archie replied immediately, with clear anticipation in his voice.
“But in return, I will need your full obedience… You would be my dog. The Wiren family would by my b*tch!” Victor said plainly.
“I am willing.” Archie didn’t hesitate, making both Kalvin and Victor a little surprised…
“Troy did something else other than taking your position in the family didn’t he?” Victor asked calmly.
“He killed my sister… He doesn’t know that I know…” Archie didn’t say any more.
“Oh... Well, that’s your business…. Anyway, I have to say this…. If you have any thoughts of betrayal you better back down now, or your end would be miserable… This is your last chance to back down… Once I speak my next word there will be no way back.” Victor warned again,
“I am willing!” Archie said with firm words as Kalvin pressed his ear harder on the wooden door.
“Fine then….First, we need to make you a Player.” Victor said, sending a shiver in Kalvin’s back. A PLAYER!
“A Player?” Archie asked.
“Yes… Your cousin should be a semi-player, your grandfather and father the same… You will be better than them. But you will have to keep everything a secret though… If anything I will tell you now gets leaked, not only you, your entire bloodline might get executed.” Victor said… Kalvin had the illusion that Victor was talking to him.
“Yes… What is a player?” Archie asked.
“I will only tell you the outline, but… Simply, we live in a world that has game like rules… and people who can use those rules are called players. Like Video games.” Victor said.
“Ahh…” Archie didn’t say anything. Then he yelled… “You are flying!” Kalvin thought that they were scamming him for a minute there… He really wanted to open the door and have a look… He better not do that.
“Yes, some of us can fly, shoot fire, and teleport… Like superheroes. Or Villians, Mostly supernatural skills, and almost every awakened have superhuman strength….Your family are only semi-players, they are slightly more powerful than normal humans and they can only use about three or two skills per person. If you become a full player you would be far stronger than any of them… You would be able to level up, they can’t do that…. That’s all I can tell you for now.” Victor said.
“How can I become a player?” Archie asked with anticipation… Kalvin who was in a little disbelief listened…. When he fought with that gang in the past, all of them were inhumanly strong… and one of the men breathed fire… He remembers that. But he thought it was some kind of an exotic weapon back then… What if it weren't… Impossible… At this moment he remembered many things…
“Becoming a player is very hard… Your family has been trying for centuries…. But I happen to have a method but it depends…. Can you fight?” Victor asked.
“Yes, I can use a spear… Family training…” Archie said.
“Then you would be fine…. There is a risk of death…. But this is the fastest way….” Victor said, “Or you can wait for a year or two, I might find you a better method..”
“No… Grandfather might abdicate this winter… And Troy is the only candidate!.” Archie refused.
“Oh… Then first….. Take this.” Victor said.
“A contract? How did you get it from thin air… A Skill?” Archie asked.
“Yes… This is our agreement. You will be my slave and not tell anyone about my secrets, and in return, I would help you get rid of your cousin Troy and then help you take his seat.” Victor said.
“How do I sign it? There is no place…” Archie asked not caring about being a slave.
“You can’t sign it, only players can. After becoming a player, drop some of your blood on it…. Remember… AFTER becoming a player.” Victor said, “If you leave that place without signing it, I will make sure you die like a dog.” He added.
“I understand,” Archie said, as a paper folding sound could be heard.
“Then Go there. This is called dungeon awakening,” Victor said… Apparently giving a paper to Archie. “They will give you what you need and tell you what to do.” He said.
There was silence after that.
“What are you waiting for? The ritual can only be done once and it would start by sunrise. You need at least 6 hours to get there….” Victor scolded again, making Archie run out of the room and then leave the house without even saying goodbye to his beloved.
Kalvin was not in the corridor, he had successfully returned to his study just in time. He was breathing rapidly.
“Grandpa… You also better keep this a secret.” Kalvin who sighed in relief as he closed the door, heard a voice from behind him, scaring the sh*t out of him. It was Victor. When did he get there? His instinct as a soldier told him one thing. His grandson was dangerous… Too dangerous... He remembered RED LIST.
“Is it true?” He asked. Found a seat… He was too old for running.
“Every bit of it.” Victor said, “Didn’t you see the Mantises in the news…. That guy who fought them was a player…. “Victor added, making his grandfather opened his eyes wide…. Wasn’t it an army experience? Some people even said that it was aliens….
“If that guy is a Player… What is the mantis?” Kalvin asked.
“A monster from another world,” Victor said briefly.
“Anyway, the reason I let you hear my conversation with Archie is for your benefit. You belong to SunRizeright?” Victor asked, making his grandfather sweat, but he did not answer.
“Anyway, the things you heard will be leaked to the public very soon. And the situation in the world is about to change, so the hidden powers would probably start to search for the leaker…. So you better stick your head in the sand and keep your little organization hidden for now and focus on information gathering. That's all I can tell you… You might be able to be more active later…“ Victor said as he headed to the study’s door, making Kalvin sweat more… Not knowing what to think… He better calls his partners and ask, as he was just one of 7 leaders of the organization… But if those guys decided to eliminate them, they wouldn’t be able to resist.
“Oh…” Victor stopped leaving the room as if he remembered something. Then he threw a bottle of some liquid to his grandfather, who caught it in mid-air.
“Drink this now,” Victor ordered.
Kalvin hesitated.
“If I wanted to kill you, you would have already been dead,” Victor said Kalvin didn't move… He just eyed the bottle.
“I have to do it myself, it seems,” Victor said as he disappeared. In the next moment, Kalvin felt like the bottle in his hand was forcibly moved and pushed into his mouth. He didn’t dare to swallow but a light press on his throat forced him to.
“You need to be more trusting, you know. I am your grandson.” Victor said as he materialized in front of his grandfather...
Kalvin opened his eyes in shock and then felt as if his body was getting rejuvenated. Every old injury in his body was healing. His back no longer ached, and his joints were more flexible. Even his ***** was working again for the first time in 10 years. What is this drink?
“This is my meeting gift to you. A healing elixir.” Victor said as he headed to the door. “Keep it a secret, people with loose mouths tend to lose their heads a lot around here,” he added with an innocent smile that sent shivers in his grandfather’s back.
“What is a player?” Kalvin managed to ask just as Victor reached the door.
“Oh… I already explained it to Archie…. Victor said, then stuck his head with his hand “Ah…. Sometimes I forget how old some people are… Sorry….. Well….. I noticed you have a new BoxStation 7 in the living room.” Victor said.
“Oh That thing… Your uncles bought it to let their children be less noisy when they visit here…. They are still noisy…. Why are you asking?” Kalvin asked with annoyance. Did this bastard just call him old?
“Try playing a game called World of Truth, I am sure it is already installed…. You will know what a player means… It was made to teach potential players about the rules…” Victor said with a smile as he stepped out of the room, leaving his confused grandfather.