'Learn to fight, learn to survive, learn to kill'.
Those sentences echoed in her mind, those words always send shivers down her spine. A spy must be prepared for the worst, a spy must be prepared for the whispers of death.
It took sometime to understand this, no.. It didn't.. It took years. Grace never imagined six years has past now. Six whole years of staying at a unknown place fighting for a Empire. Six years of blood and death.
Staring at the mirror in front of her, she carefully tied her hair to a bun, her eyes not leaving her reflection, her eyes not blinking... It was only filled with emptiness. The emptiness she now feels in her heart is now in her eyes.
"357.. The commander need your presence in the board room", A voice echoed outside.
Finally she blinked.
Looking at herself once more.. She grabbed her gun, and twin shadow knife, hiding it in her pockets. After that she opened her steel door.
The one who spoke stared at Grace, "The other board members and the council are waiting for you", 988 informed.
"Hmm", Grace walked past him but halted when 988 spoked.
"And 163 is there"
'Amy?, why is she there?'.
Grace didn't want to ask why she simply walked off to the board room.. Her mind was coming up with different theories why Amy was there. She understands that Amy is important in the Empire... But not in the meeting for all organisations.
"Somethings fishy", She muttered.
As she arrived at the door of the meeting, voices echoed.
"What do you mean? Damon?".
"I have full control of all of you", She heard Damon voice proud and mighty.
"You and I know that you don't deserve that seat, it only belongs to the true bloodline and your niece is alive and well, why haven't she taken over?!".
The one that just spoke? Grace searched through her memory for that voice,
"We the Dragon Knives are going out of the organisation if the rightful heir is not operating the Empire!!".
Ohhh, she now recognised the voice, the right hand man of the Japanese Dragon Knives, Shinji Nakamura..
She didn't stay long, she opened the door. As they hear the door open everyone went quiet.. The silence made her understand that she is the reason why everyone is here... They want her to take over the Empire? Now? Is she really ready?.
Her eyes scanned the big room, all the organisations are here, and they have brought their best with them, her eyes landed on Shinji Nakamura and the twins behind him, Ari and Uri. For what she knows about this twins their art at swords and guns are beyond any other spies in the continent. It made her smirk and the twins frowned.
"Shinji Nakamura?", Grace called with a smile, "It's been a while".
The twins were ready to draw out their sword but Shinji stopped them.
"357 it is nice to see you again", He said.
Everyone glanced at each other, not knowing why there was tension in the air now. It looks like 357 doesn't like the Japanese or maybe the twins??
"Grace Donald?", One of the council member called her name.
In the law of the Empire, the council are the one in charge of the punishment of spies, and they are the only ones who are outside of the Black Eagle to call her by her name.
"I hope you know why you are here?".
Grace smile remained plastered on her face, of course it sent shivers down other lower spies.
"I know why I am here", She answered, "Even though I wish not to be here".
Someone silently scoffed, knowing who it is, Grace glanced at Amy who lean by a wall, her blue eyes glowing lightly despite the lights.
"I do not wish to take over the Empire now", She ignored Amy and focus on the council members sitting on a high table.. Of course the council is higher than the Empire without them the Empire will not be as this today, "I am not still interested in ruling unknown people".
While Damon had a half smirk. Other organisations found her word offensive, they blurted out immediately.
"How are we unknown people?!, we have been ruling under your family for generations!! Generations that we don't even know when to begin!! And here you are calling us known people!!".
"You are still a kid as the rumors says, you know nothing about the empire!".
"You are a disgrace to us".
"Your parents should have taken you with them".
That word? That word?.
Grace looked at the direction of that voice.
"What did you say?", She asked her voice filled with vemon.
There was silence for a brief moment before tension, the tension was building up as everyone knew who spoke.
"What did you say 163?"
Amy gently pushed herself off from the wall, her hands sliding in her jacket pockets, she walked towards Grace in a cool manner and stood in front of her.
"Your parents should have taken you with them".
Someone gasped.
'163 said it again?!', That was everyone's mindset.
"163 are you here to provoke me?", Grace questioned her blood boiling from anger.
Amy clicked her tongue clearly interested in Grace anger, "What if I am?. What if I want the Anti-being to get so angry that she explodes? Hmmm?".
Grace clenched her fists that her fingers dug into her flesh, the room started to shake.
"357?", Zara called as she stood up from her seat nearly knocking the chair over, "Calm down!".
Calm down? How can she calm down? When this beast reminded her about her parents? This beast.. This heartless beast has caused pain since the beginning.
"Calm down Grace", Amy mocked, "This is a reflection of yourself, you and I know that. You have destiny and you want to throw it away, only a fool will do that".
Grace was momentarily stunned, is Amy trying to convince her to rule the Empire? Or trying to push her button?.
But Amy continued not minding her confused face, "If your mother was here I guess she wouldn't want you to take the seat right? And then what about your decisions?".
'What is she taking about?'.
Everyone was confused.
"The Empire needs a real bloodline!", Someone spoke up.
"That is what I'm saying, we have all seen over the pat six years that the underground world and the Black Market has started to lose their patience and the greedy men and women who have invested in each and everyone of you are at your necks. Even if my good friend Grace here, rules the Empire she won't still let those greedy men and women let go of your necks"