Later next week, Tacloban International Airport
Rafael stood near the window where he could overlook the tarmac and saw planes park and leave. He was in a private lounge designated for Atlas executives, and behind him was Graves, who stood like a statue, while Rafael's guards were stationed across the room.
"Sir, the plane is ready," Michael said, arriving inside. Rafael turned to him and nodded.
Walking through the terminal hallway, parts of it were shut off and closed to the public, while SAF and airport security units patrolled and guarded every exit and entrance. As they rode in a car heading to the plane's location, it was similar to Air Force One, but a bit bigger, with a conference room and a private room with a small barracks.
Entering the plane, he noticed Emir was on a different flight and had left early. This model was exclusive to him, and there were only five around the world.
"How long till we get to New York?" Rafael asked, sitting down on a leather chair and pouring himself a glass of Sapporo beer.
"Around 16 hours, and we will arrive around 2 AM," Michael said. Rafael nodded and saw the guards taking up positions, while in the cockpit, the trained and selected pilots did pre-flight checks.
Rafael reviewed the reports from the Overseer Council and also did a separate digging using a unit in the ASIB to conduct a separate investigation involving any misconduct and corruption within the ranks. In 10 minutes, he felt the plane begin taking off.
One hour later, the plane was in the sky above the Pacific Ocean, while four F-22 Raptors and two F-18s formed a box formation, coming from the Atlas Japan Air Group.
During this time, Rafael worked on his homework in advance and did one last check before dozing off for the next few hours.
Fifteen hours later, at JFK International Airport, Rafael's plane landed around 2:15 AM. The entire airport was silent since, officially, the airport was undergoing maintenance work, but that was the cover-up since Rafael didn't want too much attention.
The first people who disembarked were Graves and a platoon of guards who created a perimeter, while on the rooftops, Atlas security forces patrolled and set up anti-sniper nests. Five minutes later, Rafael exited the plane. Arriving on the ground, he turned to Graves and asked, "Where am I staying for the time being?" He saw a convoy of armored vehicles arriving near the plane.
"A hotel that is owned covertly by Atlas, and we bought all of the rooms, so we have the entire hotel as ours," he said.
"Good thing it's not far from UN HQ," he said and got into the vehicle waiting for him. Soon, the convoy departed for the Royal Atlantic Hotel, and along the roads, the NYPD temporarily blocked the roads, making sure that the convoy bearing Atlas logos passed through swiftly, while two armored vehicles with SWAT officers followed the convoy, ensuring its protection.
Inside the vehicle, "The attire that you're going to wear, sir, is tailored to hide your identity, and this mask perfectly covers your face with a few special features. The suit has two pairs: one you can use tomorrow and the other on the day of the event," Graves explained.
"Then I will meet with Marcus tomorrow; I need to talk to him," Rafael said and changed into the suit since he would be using it again. After changing, he added some knives and a pistol that he could fit inside. As he saw that they were arriving at their destination, he immediately equipped the mask, and the insides began lighting up.
"This thing can give advanced information thanks to different systems connected to it, and thanks to that, the helmet simplifies the information. Currently, it's at the prototype stage."
Twenty minutes later, the convoy pulled up near the entrance of the hotel. First, his security exited, and around them, the NYPD created a strong perimeter. The second layer was his guards, while a unit of Secret Service joined later and patrolled near the crowds. Two minutes later, Rafael came out with his mask and walked towards the entrance, while reporters who were allowed a little close to the pathway took pictures and journalists asked a flurry of questions. But he ignored them and saw someone near the entrance.
Canute, also known as 05-1 'The CEO,' stood inside the hotel with a group of Secret Service personnel and Left Hand of Justice guards wearing a purple tuxedo and exuding an aura of needed respect.
"Sir, it's good to see you again for this rare occasion that you insisted on attending this," he said with no ill intentions, as he was genuinely surprised that Rafael wished to do it personally since normally he would handle all of the parties and events involving Atlas and also making allies.
"Just making sure people who are very greedy for power know that I'm alive. Plus, the general public doesn't know the existence of my position, so they will think that gaining the position of CEO will give them control of Atlas," he said, adding that he would announce some of the breakthroughs in Atlas technology.
"Sir, your room is ready," the hotel manager said, arriving and stepping forward with his crisp suit and speaking in a respectful tone.
"Canute, let's continue talking in my room; we have much to discuss," Rafael said and followed the manager. The reporters outside tried to enter, but Rafael's guards, NYPD, and Secret Service barricaded the entrance and prevented them from moving inside.
Rafael's room, "One of my fiancées, I finally discovered her name," he said as he went to the mini-bar and poured himself a glass of beer.
"Who is it?" Canute asked as he poured himself a glass of wine.
"Ruby Zandria Rose," Rafael said in a semi-nostalgic tone, while Canute stiffened upon hearing the name.
"The Rose and Zandria families, who united later in marriage, controlled 40% of the United States, mainly the western coast and parts of Mexico and Canada," Canute said.
"Yeah, and a competing faction for the control of the United States, who is our King of North America, Marcus Aurelius," Rafael continued.
"So when do we need to talk to him?" Canute asked, since he was not blind to the main vassals of Atlas.
"Tomorrow, since we're not busy, and I hope he's not focused on his broken love life," Rafael said and downed the glass of beer.
"Sure," Canute agreed.
"How about the other fiancées?" Canute asked, changing the subject.
"Okay, from Europe, there are two I know: one is from the Hossen Principality and from the Vermillion Kingdom," he said, and Canute just sighed in defeat and spoke, "Fucking hell, we had past contracts with them when we were mercenaries." Canute said, massaging his temples and taking another shot of his drink.
"I don't know how my father made deals with them, maybe using the pretense of getting information about my location, and I recently implanted a bug, but he may be using a different location in calling them, and lastly, I want our field agents to begin a deep sweep over the family since he needs a broader information collection."
"Sure, two months, I will give you the findings," Canute said.
"Alright, I need to sleep, and on the second day of our stay will be the event. I still need to coordinate with the others," Canute said and left Rafael.
Next day, Rafael woke up and did a light exercise and wore his suit but only had his long sleeve and grey pants with brown leather shoes. With Canute, they went towards the back door of the hotel where a white Rolls-Royce Phantom was prepared, and with them were two guards equipped with automatic Glock pistols.
As they drove off, behind them was Canute's personal vehicle, a BMW 7 Series, with Canute inside with his own bodyguards driving.
"Sir, currently Mr. Aurelius is not far from our current location, although there are some people who are keeping an eye on him. Though he's not officially part of the Venoran family, only his cousins' bodyguards kept a close watch on him," Graves said, sitting next to the driver in the front seats, looking through his phone.
"He should have guards from his 'Crown' guards to make sure he's safe since that rule was enacted by him and can't get them to stop their duties since he's the only king and no one can claim it," Rafael spoke, since the Crown Guards were trained by the Red Right Hand and Left Hand of Justice, while they were taught the basic foundations from the Secret Service.
"He would have, but it seems he gave a silent order to only observe him from a distance, and currently he's taken a day off," Graves replied.
Twenty-five minutes later, a 21-year-old man was seated outside of a 7/11 store, eating a microwave burger and a brewed brown coffee. When he took a bite of his burger and sipped his coffee, and when he just sighed, he saw a white Rolls-Royce pull up and saw someone exiting the vehicle and recognized him.
"Rafe, is that you?" he said, loud enough for Rafael to hear, and put his coffee down.
"One and only, Marcus," Rafael said and went towards his seat and seated opposite of him.
"I have seen the underground news and reports. How's America welcoming you?" Marcus said with a slight smile and took another bite of his burger.
"On the surface, it has been peaceful, but how's life since I heard you got engaged?" Rafael said, getting straight to the point.
"Well, my plans were messed up by her, her family, and my family since I planned to graduate peacefully before going back to my throne, but my mother brought me up for engagement in order for her to live peacefully with my father when they were young and got married, so I was basically never going to have a peaceful life due to her dumb decision," Marcus said with a frustrated tone since Rafael knew this man was good at controlling his emotions.
But he knew that Marcus had limits, and sooner or later he would show his true colors and mobilize his forces.
"So basically, she had to use her firstborn as a bargaining chip, and since your mother was part of the crime family that you are going to join, she decided that peace would be achieved in the so-called underworld world of New York," Rafael said.
"Yes," he replied, looking at his food. He really wanted to use his position to end it all quickly and give the peace that his family wanted, but it would cost the oath he made to Atlas and his promise of going through it without using his powers, and the consequence was far greater.
"Call me when you need help again, and remember, it was three favors, but after using two of them, and now you have one more, use it wisely. Also," Rafael stood up and looked at a building near them and felt someone spying on them.
And the one spying on them widened his eyes in shock but also turned his head to his back but wasn't fast enough to react as Emir's sword beheaded him, and the blood stained the walls and Emir's combat gear.
"Use your connections well, you have them and use it. Don't leave it on the shelf. Find a balance of your two identities," Rafael gave somewhat of advice since this man right here was his vassal and friend.
"I'll take your words into consideration, Rafael," Marcus said, since if his patience ran dry, he would don his crown and let people know why his era was called the bloody era.
"Remember, contact Atlas if you take any drastic measures, remember who you are and what you are going to lose," Rafael said and sighed while going to Marcus's side and patted him on the back, while Marcus just looked up at the grey clouds in the sky with a tired gaze.
"I will remember that," he said.
"Before I leave, don't fucking compare your love life with mine, I have more problems to deal with," Rafael said without revealing anything and walked towards his Rolls-Royce.
"Bloody hell, Canute, is that you?" Marcus commented as he saw Canute, who just nodded, and both of them chatted.
To be continued.