Blackstone

Meeting a Prince

I looked out the window of the beamship as David zipped up Sixth Avenue.  Great, I thought, the entire city could be in danger and we have to babysit a spoiled Orion prince who's probably going to throw a temper tantrum when he finds out his precious fashion show is going to be cancelled. My trip to New York wasn't exactly working out as I planned.

David and I had drawn the job of informing the prince while Carrie and Thomas stayed behind at Ross Enterprises. Thomas had come up with a brilliant idea for tracking the quantum signature of the bomb and was working to develop a device that would pinpoint its location. Carrie was being kept in the infirmary under close watch of the healers in case she had another vision.

David slid Cassie into a tight parking space and we stepped out of the cool interior into the bright late summer sun.  I gazed up at the tall trees of Bryant Park. The park was truly an urban oasis in the midst of the tall skyscrapers of midtown, and I remembered eating lunch with my sixth grade class on the wide lawn after visiting the library.

David and I headed into the park and walked past the billowy white tents that were set up throughout the park for Fashion Week until we arrived at Prince Val Tarran's tent. We flashed our passes to the burly security guards and slipped inside.

My eyes adjusted to the dim lighting inside the tent and I saw rows of chairs surrounded a large stage with a jutting catwalk that thrust out into the audience like a medieval battering ram. Loud techno music blared from loudspeakers while tall, willowy models strutted down the runway.

David nudged me and pointed to the clothes on the models. "Prince Val Tarran has integrated Orion and Earth designs into a totally new form of fashion. He believes that fashion should reflect the individual not the designer."

I looked in amazement at the clothes on the models. Every single item of clothing seemed to sparkle and glow. The colors were astoundingly bright and aggressive on one model, subdued and relaxed on the next.

"It's almost like the clothes reflect the essence of the person—"

"Who wears them. Yes, I thought so."

I spun around and found Prince Val Tarran standing behind me. He smiled at me and extended his hand. "You must be Agent Grant. Hello, my name is Eric."

David had warned me about how handsome Prince Val Tarran was, about the bewitching charms that Orion men possessed, and I had tried to prepare myself for meeting the Prince face to face, but nothing could have prepared me for the actual moment of meeting him.

He was clearly the most beautiful person I had ever met. Long blonde hair framed a perfect heart shaped face with high cheekbones and flawless skin. Shining blue eyes the color of a clear desert sky looked back at me with warmth and intelligence.

I blinked and shook my head. Come on, Grant, get it together. I grasped the Prince's hand and shook it firmly.

"Actually, Your Highness, Eliza is still a first year recruit. She won't be a full agent for another two years." David said.

Prince Val Tarran raised an eyebrow. "And yet you managed to destroy four Grimm Lancers all by yourself. Very impressive for a first year recruit."

I shrugged. "Just lucky, I guess."

David stepped forward. "Your Highness, if we could talk to you alone. There's something very important we need to discuss."

"Of course, Agent Ross," Prince Val Tarran said and motioned to an older male assistant who signaled a five minute break to the models. The music cut out and we were left alone with the prince.

   "Your highness, we wouldn't interrupt your work if we didn't feel that there was an immediate danger," David said.

Prince Val Tarran frowned. "An immediate danger, Agent Ross? If you're worried about my Aunt trying something, I can assure you that I'm highly confident in your abilities to protect me."

"It's not that, your highness. It's something worse."

I leaned forward, "It's a Quantum Bomb. It's going to wipe out the whole city and everyone in it unless we find it and stop it."

"That's why we have to get you out of the city as soon as possible, your highness." David said.

Prince Val Tarran frowned, "Quantum weapons have been outlawed throughout the galaxy. I didn't even know they still existed."

"I'm sorry, your highness, It's a long story, and we can fill you in on the beamship ride out but we must get going now," David said urgently.

"Agent Ross, if you think I'm going to cowardly run off and leave my people here to die—"

I grabbed the prince's arm. He appeared startled at my bold move. I guess I wasn't supposed to grab him but I didn't care.

"Listen, your highness, millions of your people are depending on you to survive and lead them to freedom against your Aunt. You can't do that if you're dead. Think about your responsibilities." I said.

"I am thinking of my responsibilities. How would it appear to my supporters if I ran in the face of the danger? My aunt would use this as a propaganda victory and my position would be weakened." Prince Val Tarran said as he stood up. He straightened his clothing and brushed the dust off his pants. "I don't care what you have to do, but I'm staying right here. Do whatever you have to do to find this quantum bomb. You have my complete trust and support."

David and I watched as the Prince strode off. David turned to me, a severe look on his face, "Don't ever do that, again."

"What? What did I do?"

"You grabbed him. It's considered a grave insult for a commoner to touch Orion royalty like that."

I sighed and threw my hands up. "All right, I'm sorry. But this is my first time dealing with an alien prince."

"And don't ever use the word 'alien' around the prince. It's highly insulting."

"Okay."

"Now that we've gotten that out of the way, there's a bigger problem facing us."

I grabbed my phone and looked for any texts from Thomas. "Yeah, how are we going to find this bomb."

Suddenly, David's phone flashed. He looks at the display. "It's an incoming message from Nicole."

David and I moved to a secluded section of the tent where no one can see us. David looked around and activated the holograph.

I gasped when Nicole's image appeared. Her face was bloody and marked with numerous cuts and bruises. She stood with the weary expression of someone who has just endured a tremendous ordeal and is trying to hold it together.

"David, get back here, right now," Nicole said, clutching her side with pain.

"Nicole, what happened? Are you all right?" David asked.

Nicole grimaced, "The Grimm attacked us. Got right in through our shields."

I hit the side of the tent in anger. "I knew we shouldn't have left."

David motioned for me to calm down. "We're on our way. Is my father all right?"

"Yeah, he's fine, but there's something else," Nicole focused on me, "Grant, they took your Uncle."

I grabbed the razor phone from David's hands, "What do you mean, they took my Uncle?"

"Exactly what I said. The Grimm kidnapped your Uncle. Get back here right now."

To Be Continued

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