Sotus: For One Last Time

Conference Pt1: Revelations

Arthit POV

"Arthit, it's been a while!" Uncle says while pulling me into a hug as soon as I enter his luxurious waiting room with the queen. After releasing me, aunt Lara also hugs me gently as she adds, "You've rarely visited me, Arthit." After pulling back, and examining me from head to toe frantically, "You lost so much weight" she adds before shaking her head and rehugging me fiercely this time, "I missed you so much." Having succeeded in making me feel really guilty, I can only remorsely answer, "I'm sorry, aunt Lara. I missed you too"

As Uncle distractetly talks with someone on the phone away from us on the balcony while appearing a bit annoyed, a look I rarely see on him, aunt Lara and I catch up on what we both missed. And as uncle gets even more irate, to the point of yelling, a rare phenomen for him, aunt Lara just tiredly looks at me and says "He's been really stressed out by the ministers lately", something I know she's just saying to appease me. For all the years since uncle took the throne and since I can remember, it's the first time I'm seeing him being so short with anyone.

"The guests have started arriving. And as good hosts, we better go greet them" she tells me cheerfully while pulling me out of the room and towards the double doors enclosing the conference room in order to distract me from uncle.

Just as more guests pour in, she successfully succeeds in temporaringly turning my attention away, but the small interlude keeps replaying on my mind, giving me a very uncomfortable sensation.

KongPob POV

As I walk out the elevator, and towards the parking lot with my car that I haven't driven since I got here, I pull out my phone and call my mom.

"Mae, an emergency came up and I cannot make it right now. Can we talk after the conference?"

"Is everything okay?" She asks hesitangly as her motherly senses kicks into action, recognizing the danger surrounding me.

Lightening my voice, I answer "Yeah, don't worry about it; just lab stuff I have to take care of right now"

"Fine....We'll make sure to clear our schedules for you later on" she answers and when dad starts to protest, I can practically feel her sending him her evil glare without even being there.

"Thanks, mae"

After a slight pause, she quietly adds,  "Be careful Kong" before hanging up.

Shaking my head at what she might know or suspect, I enter my car, turn on the signal jammer, take out the encrypted communication device under the carpet of my seat and call my contact. Although the text message read "the Wolf will bark tomorrow", that was actually code for "a master will be visiting you in an hour or so".

After the fourth ring, as standard proceduce, my contact picks up the phone.

"Tattoo Parlor, 84 Avenue Street." she says before hanging up, telling me where to go to meet the master and get the instructions from the Intelligence Alliance Agents (IAs).

A few years ago, I was drafted into what may be the biggest but most secretive intelligence agency, or in lament terms, spy and black ops organization in the world. The IAs recruits the most talented individuals across the globle, and despite your different nationalities, once you graduate from the IAs academy, and especially after you become an activated IAs agent, you work for the betterment of the world, not any specific single country....or person. We do the jobs that needs to get done for the betterment of the world, whether it be annhilaring terrorists groups or stoping their attacks, conducting dangerous rescue missions, leading worlwide organisations and even assassinating presidents and kings. All IAs agents are either in positions of high power or complete obscurity where they move even more silently than ghosts, with me being the former. And With me being the son of  two of the biggest businessmen on earth today along with my passion for engineering, I was recruited and personally trained by the headmaster of the agency for several years. Or so I thought. However, after graduation I was never activated, despite being the best of my class. I never questioned it as we all knew that while many get activated right after graduation, the agency decides the activation period of the agents with some of us never being activated for unknown official reasons, although we all guess that those that are never activated always have a direct personal relation to presidents/kings or queens, which is the biggest taboo of our agency.