Chapter 2 - Dee

I glance up from my laptop and across my desk at Max, who is standing and watching my every move.  “Is this all of it?  I’m seeing hints of stuff but I’m not seeing anything that I could put my finger on and say that this is the smoking gun.  I can’t up security for the royal family based on this.”

Max sighs and runs his hand through his hair as he slightly shifts back and forth.  “Yeah.  That is all that we could come up with.  The initial source seems sure about it, but we can’t pull up any more information than that.”

I lift my head and raise an eyebrow.  “Source?  You didn’t investigate this because of some increased talk on the web or our other normal channels.”

Max sighs again and leans forward putting his hands on the edge of my desk while frustration and worry swirl in his eyes.  “No.  This time the intel was an anonymous tip which we thought was rather creditable.  The person had so much detail, that only a select few would have it, that we immediately took it as trustworthy.  Plus, my gut was telling me that the tip was legitimate.”

Max’s gut has saved us so many times that I trust him when he says that his gut says that the tip is good.  The only problem is that I can’t really request changes in schedules or routes based on Max’s gut feeling. 

Well, technically, I could, but I’m not going to do it.  I’m going to make sure that the info is there to support my actions. 

I look back down at my laptop and the intel. 

Why can’t my team find that last little bit of info that gives me that last chunk of info that would justify any changes that I would need to request. 

I look back up at Max and reluctantly say, “Let’s go with your gut.  However, I need the actual intel, so keep looking.  Do we have any idea what or who the target is?  Or was the tip too broad to narrow it down?”

Max pushes himself off my desk and runs his hand through his hair again, while a crease forms across his forehead.  “The tip was broad.  The only specific part of it was that someone is targeting the royal family.  However, the tip didn’t say who within the family or a time frame for when the attack is to happen.”

I shake my head.  “The royal family is always under attack from someone.  We need more details.”

I lean back in my chair.  “Usually, the attack is aimed at my father.  However, with some of the crazy things that have happened lately, I’m not going to rule out an attack on anyone in my family, including my family’s personal assistants.  No one is outside of consideration right now.”

My heart tightens as I talk. 

I have been doing this for years, even though I’m young myself.  However, I have been training since I was a child.  But no matter how much I train I still can’t block out all of my emotions. 

The thought of someone trying to take out any of my family makes my heart ache. 

My family is my only weakness.  Luckily, everyone knows me as the young and fierce president of my company.  I can count on one hand the number of people who know exactly who I am.

I don’t want to ask, but I force myself.  “Is everything in place in case I would need to reveal myself?”

Max’s head whips up and his eyes widen.  “No.  You can’t do that.”

A sharp chuckle spills from my mouth.  “I didn’t say that I would, but if this threat is legitimate and we can’t get the information to change things, then I need to think worst case scenario.  If that happens, then I’ll have no choice but to step forward and come out of hiding.  You know that I’m right.”

Silence fills the room. 

I don’t have to ask Max what he is thinking.  It is written all over his face.  As the seconds tick by, the crease on his forehead gets bigger.  However, he doesn’t say anything.    

After several moments, Max finally breaks the silence, as he sighs again.  “Yes.  Everything is ready in case you have to tell everyone who you really are.  As long as you wear your royal necklace all the time, we shouldn’t have any issues.  If by chance you lose it, your ring should prove your identity too.”

For once, I hope that Max’s gut is wrong. 

I glance down at my ring.  To everyone else, it is just a plain and simple ring.  However, there is nothing plain or simple about it.  Not only is there a small tracking chip in it, but there is another chip that holds my true credentials and my official title, Princess Deloris Elliott. 

Yuck.  How could they ever use a name like Deloris?  I know that it is a family name, but Dee is so much better.  It is shorter and it doesn’t make me sound like an old lady.  There is nothing cool about being an old lady. 

I mentally shake my head.  I’m not old.

I swivel the chair around and turn my attention to a recent picture of the royal family.  A small pain shoots through my heart as I look at my parents and my siblings, along with their spouses.  However, I’m not in the picture.  It isn’t safe to have me included in any royal pictures. 

My sisters-in-law don’t even know my true identity.  It is not only for their safety, but for the royal family too. 

When my eyes land on my oldest brother and future king, Brandon, I clear my throat and ask, “Is everything ready for the baby shower?  I can’t go, but I still want to make sure that everything is set and ready.”

Max hums, “Yes.  Everything is set according to you and the queen’s request.  By the way, when is Prince Brandon going to tell his wife the truth about you?  I have seen Princess Katherine giving you some not so nice looks.”

I chuckle and spin my chair back around to face Max again.  “Has she been giving me the stink eye?”

Max smiles and chimes, “Well…”

He doesn’t need to answer.  I have already caught her several times glaring at me like she is better than me. 

Oh, if she only knew exactly who I am, I’m sure that she wouldn’t even think about looking at me like that.  She is also one of the reasons that I don’t tell the sisters-in-law about me. 

Instead of Max’s gut, this time, it is my gut that is telling me not to trust her.  I can’t explain it either. 

I ran the background check on her when she was starting to date Brandon.  She did have a distant connection to one of our foreign enemies.  However, the connection didn’t appear to be something that she is even aware of.  Besides that, there were a few other things that didn’t quite check out, but my father said that Brandon’s happiness is more important.  Reluctantly, I did go along with my father’s decision.

I hope that these current signs of an impeding threat on my family aren’t connected to Brandon’s wife.  However, only time will tell, but hopefully, I’ll get some answers first before things actually happen. 

 I shake my head and glance over my shoulder to the picture on the wall.  “Have you looked into our usually enemy list?  Maybe some of them have gotten smart through the years and are working more in the shadows than in the light.”

Max hums, “I’m doubling checking them right now, but it doesn’t appear that they have gotten smarter through the years.  They still don’t seem to know how to do things without others discovering it.  However, I’m kind of happy that they are doing everything out in the open.  It makes my job easier.”

As I turn my attention back towards Max, I nod my head.  Yes.  It is much easier if our enemies can’t seem to hide anything.  But the little voice in the back of my head keeps chiming that they aren’t showing us everything.

I have to agree.  We do the same thing or should I say, I do the same thing.  I will let our enemies know some data, but the bulk of it is confidential that I don’t let anyone know.  Well, I hope that no one can get the info, but I would be a fool if I think that I’m the only one with good hackers. 

***

“Dee!  We have a problem!”  Max runs to my office.

I tear my attention away from my computer monitor and the plans for the upcoming concert that we are contracted to handle.  “What is the problem?  Did something bad happen?”

He stops right in front of my desk gasping for air.  “Intel.”

I immediately sit upright in my chair.  “What intel?  Is it the intel that I’ve been wanting regarding your gut feeling and the royals?”

Still panting, he nods his head. 

Yes.  This could be the big break that I’ve been wanting. 

I slide to the edge of my seat and demand, “Where is it?  I want to see it.”

A smirk slowly forms on his face as he leans forward and places a USB drive on my desk.  I don’t waste any time and snatch it off my desk and put it in my computer. 

I anxiously scan through the files and thoroughly exam each item.  As my eyes are glued to my monitor, I ask, “Is the information creditable?  Can I believe everything that is here?”

Well, there actually isn’t too much information, but what is there is good, if it is true. 

Max hums, “Yep.  My teams says that it is all reliable and accurate.”

Yes.  I finally have the little bit of information that I can use to make changes to the schedules and tighten the security around the royal family.  With this, I think I can keep my family safe for a little while.