The Royal Contract

He opened his eyes to the plain white ceiling and the irritating sound of a beeping machine. He automatically grabbed his side but felt the excruciating pain, like someone just punched him hard on his stomach or probably worse.

He rotated his eyes and head around the room, trying to figure out his whereabouts. He saw some kind of fluid being drifted into his bloodstream, then machines connected to his chest, monitoring his heartbeat.

He concluded that he was in a hospital, suddenly recalling the incident that put him there. He remembered the wedding and then the ambush.

"Anybody out there." He shouted, knowing quite well that someone would be standing by outside his door. One of his men would never leave his side.

He did not want to press the emergency button, not wanting to alert the nurse or a doctor that he was already awake. He had to talk to his men first in private.

He was sure that a detective would be standing by to take his statement. Once they were alerted of his condition, he would not have time to confer with his team.

He had to determine first that their mission was enacted and accomplished according to their plan. He did not mind being the casualty. He could take it, but he knew anyone of his men would also risk their lives for the couple.

"Sir, finally, you are awake." One of their youngest team members entered his room. He had told the young boy multiple times he should call him by his first name when not on a mission, the boy still insisted on formalities.

"How was the wedding?" He quickly asked him, dismissing the concern in his voice.

He felt fine.

He was alive.

That was all that mattered.

But right now, he had to know the status of their boss and his wife. It was his primary duty as the leader of his security team. It was not an excuse that he was lying down on this bed.

"I think you should concentrate on getting some rest and making yourself better." The boy answered, afraid to say more. "Everything went smoothly. It was a beautiful wedding." He did not lie, just omitted some details.

Why did it have to be him guarding the door when he woke up. He was not good at lying to him. He had too much respect for his boss to leave him in the dark.

But he had instructions to let him rest and avoid giving him anything that might stress him out. The current news would surely put his blood pressure to the roof if he ever found out.

"Tell me, boy, what is going on, or else I will beat it out of you," Tim warned him, seeing the telltale sign that he was keeping something from him.

The boy was agitated for a reason. The tiny beads of sweat forming on the top of his head were an indication that he was lying. The slight stuttering was a dead giveaway.

"I am not lying, Sir. I am telling the truth." He insisted, but he knew he was only burying himself in an early grave.

He considered him lucky when Tim accepted him to join the group despite his age and lack of experience compared to his other team members.

He knew he could be a valuable part of the team because of his capability with new technologies. However, in terms of physical combat and handling a gun, he was still working on it.

Luckily, the door opening interrupted the interrogation of his boss. He knew if he kept asking, he would have no choice but to tell him the truth.

"Stop harassing the boy." A loud, authoritative voice came booming inside the room. It was starting to become a familiar sound ever since his boss worked with him.

"You can go back to your position." A younger voice said to the boy, dismissing him as they proceeded inside the room, taking the space earlier occupied by the boy beside the bed.

"Sir Ethan, Marcus. What are you doing here?" Acknowledging the newcomer who stood before him. "There is no need for a visit. As you can see, I am very much alive and kicking. Well, soon enough anyway." He corrected with a smirk on his face.

He was not expecting that they would be visiting today. They might have more important things to do than check on him. Now that his boss was indisposed at the moment. He was sure that they had a company to run.

He attempted to push himself into a sitting position, but the pain was still too much for small movements. He ended up back lying on the bed, holding his wounds.

"Hey, Tim. Try not to force yourself." Marcus warned him. "Your wound might not be fatal, but it did penetrate deep into your side." He told him, remembering what the doctor told him of his condition. "You might still bleed to death if you are not careful."

Tim had been a friend to him. An old buddy who had taught him a thing or two about self-defense and life itself. He did not want anything to happen to him.

"I guess you are right," Tim finally conceded, feeling the pain increase the more he stubbornly forced himself to move.

"We are here to check on you, but more than that, we also need your help." Ethan finally spoke up, knowing the urgency of the matter.

He did not want to bother the man in his recovery. But he needed his expertise and knowledge about his boss and his enemies. Time was of the essence. He could not wait until he had recovered from his injury.

"What is it?" Now, he knew he was right in his instinct earlier. The boy knew something that he was not sharing. Judging from the look exchanged by the two, it was something serious. "Tell me." He commanded, not caring who he was talking to.

He could be facing the president of the free world, but he did not care. He had to hear what they had to say, especially if it had something to do with the prince and his wife.

"They were taken." Ethan finally voiced out what he had learned a few minutes ago from the report he had received from his investigative team.

The black box was found but not the plane. Based on the investigation, the entire cabin crew was replaced by another set without anyone knowing. The original flight crew was found in the hanger tied down, unconscious.

"Who took them?" Tim asked, hoping they might, at least, have a lead on this case.

He wondered if it was for ransom, a business rival, or a personal enemy. He could already list down several names, and a few were already topping the chart.

"It is the reason why we are here. We still have no concrete proof of who took Alex and Dani. Nobody had claimed responsibility yet." Marcus was the one who answered him. "We might need your help." He informed him.

"What about Ben?" Tim asked since he was already as good as him. He was grooming him to take over his position once he finally decided to retire.

"He is also missing," Ethan said, feeling a bit desperate every minute that passed.

It would have been simple if they contacted them and gave them their demands. They could have a chance to track them and find wherever they had taken them.

The silence of the abductors meant they wanted something else.. Meaning there would be no demand for ransom.