Loyalties

Chapter 3: Drake

Duke's Palace, Catakus II, Eastmarch
Adrian seems like a real nice guy. Built like a soldier, has respect like a soldier, and I almost thought he was one. He would be a great mission pair with Alex. I still don't regret enrolling my son. He deserves it for stealing from people for three months. And he is going to become the best.

I sit down at my desk, and rummage through papers until I pull up information on the Gershwarve family, mainly about Adrian. Just making sure my daughter isn't dating a psycho. Finally, I find a whole document about the family. I open it up, and a hologram with each of the separate family members comes up a couple inches from the folder. I examine each of the panels containing one family member each.

His father is who I expected to see: Ron Gershwarve. His age doesn't show, surprisingly. The black hair and marksman's grey eyes are exactly how I remember, although his muscle is starting to be lost. I check his profile, and everything is green.

Adrian's mother looks way younger than she supposedly is. When she should be looking old, she looks 40! It's amazing what technology can do. Her profile says she stole a chocolate bar when she was ten, but other than that really minor offense, she's clean.

Now, time to look at the boy himself: Adrian Gershwarve. Everything appears to be in check, nothing wrong. However, something catches my eye. I keep reading it over and over.
--- Defended local bank (Stored Credits: 50,000,000) against gangs (no_detail_on_involved) [details: armed (T-54 rifle, R.L.G) (Armored heavily)]. Other factions: Space Ranger Squad 46429-C, Catakus Police Force
Adrian defended a bank against heavily armed robbers, I think over and over as keep reading.

The door opens, and I quickly close the Gershwarve profile, and pull out another folder. When I look up, it's my beautiful wife, Lizell, standing in the doorway. I smile.

"Hello, my world," she says as she walks towards me. "What's going on?"

I shake my head. "Nothing much, just looking over other paperwork as always." The thing was, it's Deanna's English homework. Deanna is my second daughter, her blonde hair that reaches her jawline, with blue eyes and, as Lizell calls them, 'reporter's glasses'. Dee is around 5'5, and she always dreams of becoming a reporter.

"So, Dee's homework is considered "paperwork"?" Lizell laughs her beautiful laugh. "Well, Mister 'I-run-a-duchy-I-didn't-want-to', I might have to teach you a small lesson," Lizell says as she leans in to kiss me when a beep goes off on my intercom.

I sit up, and answer. "What's the problem?" I ask.

"Sir, this is Lieutenant Incon. I'm seeing unauthorized vehicles and personnel on the drive. They're all in black, covering themselves from head to toe. Shall I send units out to investigate?"

"Negative, Lieutenant," I say. "Whatever they want, they'll have to ask me. If they ring in, buzz them to me."

"Yes sir," Lieutenant Incon says as he cuts the line.

I look out my wall I call a window, and I see something that sends chills down my spine. In the distance, I spot at least ten VTOL dropships coming towards the palace, armed with missiles and hi- power 600rail Gatling guns.

"I want you to take everyone to the basement, and go to the bunker," I say to Lizell, fear in her eyes. She wraps her arms around me, and kisses me.
"Be safe, please," she says as she runs out of my room, and sounds the warning alarm. It's silent outside, only the guards outside can hear it in their earpieces.

I walk to the closet. I open it up, and push all the suits to one side, revealing a metal safe with a glass door. Inside, a uniform fitted for me that Robert gave me as a thank-you gift. Made from the lightest yet hardest materials in all he rules. It looks like a Marine Paratrooper suit, except there's one big difference: it looks more like a futuristic soldier's suit of armor. I slip into it, and it still fits. I feel stronger in it since it can stop rails of any caliber.