Chapter 3: Football game goes viral, secret revealed

The good Doctor had early on last night shut down the land lines and all of our cell phones, except for the visiting general, in response to the overload of calls from the media trying to reach me or get a quote from the family. Voice mails exceeded the capacity of the phones so all were deleted. The General had gone out early and bought copies of all available newspapers. The sole theme in the headlines was, "INTERNATIONAL TERRORISTS AND THE ASSASSINS FOOTBALL TEAM SUFFERED MAYHEM ON THE SAME FIELD".

The visiting general reported that the president had contacted him, knowing that he was in the vicinity, after viewing film coverage of the situation which had gone viral. He had ordered the general to issue an invitation for us to visit him at the White House at our earliest convenience.

All of this notoriety as fine but my major question was, "What is the secret that brought all of this on"? My grandmother, the Doctor, suggested that all present retire to the dining room where there was sufficient comfortable seating for everyone. Both the General and Doctor sat side by side at the head of the table. With a sigh of exasperation, the General commenced with the observation, "This is much earlier than we wanted to divulge you heritage, especially your mother. You were born out of wedlock to our daughter and my long term friend and your father, the Captain after they had a lust filled weekend in New Orleans at my instigation. Your mother rejected marriage to the Captain and continued with her graduate studies at the university under the capable guidance of the Doctor."

"During her remaining time in the university she met and was swept off her feet by the son of a sultan of an independent emirate. During their courtship she did not reveal her previous indiscretions. Upon completing their studies, he proposed and she accepted subject to a very detailed premarital agreement. Among the provisions of the agreement her first born son, you, would succeed her betrothed husband as ruler of the emirate. In the event that he died before you were of an age and maturity to serve in this capacity, she would serve as ruler. The Doctor and I arranged for that document and your identity to be most confidentially filed with the U.S. State Department."

"Your mid-eastern language skills were assured through your mother providing gorgeous but well qualified females who would serve as instructors and companions to you under the guise of the Doctors graduate students. If they became pregnant from your relationship they were to be returned to the emirate and assigned to the harem with duties in the palace appropriate with their education. These were highly sought after assignments resulting in much prestige for the ladies."

"Your mother's husband was killed soon after their marriage, while flying a jet fighter that was too hot for him to handle. You mother has capably ruled since his death while awaiting your ascension to the throne." The Doctor revealed that she and the General had been in close continuous contact with my mother and served as her trusted advisors. She had indicated to them that she would happily continue to rule but would be delighted to issue edicts to achieve any objectives that I sought.

The visiting marine general who was now identified as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff spoke up to reveal several concessions the United States sought in the independent emirate. The first was an air base, the second was port facilities and the third was a camp for SEALS and other special forces operating in the area. I assured him that I would support these requests but only after protracted negotiations during our forthcoming trip at the invitation of the president. First would be a mutual defense agreement against internal and foreign aggression. Second was recognition of our international boundaries to twelve miles at sea. Third was sovereign control of the airspace within our national boundaries. I advised him that he could convey these initial demands along to the appropriate government offices for approval and discussion of lease terms for the subject bases upon our visit which would require the approval and issuance of edicts by my mother.

I further indicated to him that government agencies should be prepared to release certain abandoned air bases with mineral rights in South Texas and on Padre Island along with a number of mothballed heavy lift aircraft to my grandfather's company of which forty nine percent ownership interest had been placed in trust for me. We would staff the facilities and equipment with retired or released marine personnel to the maximum extent possible and would be seeking lists of such personnel from him. The General seemed dumfounded at these demands but nodded his head in the affirmative as each was presented.

The meeting was interrupted and immediately adjourned by an announcement that the high school principal was at the door and wanted an audience with me. I reluctantly agreed and asked my grandparents to remain with me. He was interested in how badly I was injured and my opinion concerning holding the prom tonight after the chaos of yesterday. I briefly conferred with the Doctor and General and stated that I saw no reason to disrupt holding the prom especially since I did not want to disappoint my ladies. In order that there would be no confusion later I informed him that I would be bringing three dates. He thanked us and excused himself.