As soon as Marcus responded with a nod, Andre immediately stepped on the gas pedal as the vehicle zoomed. Of course, Marcus has already opened the gate to allow the car to leave the building. With a speed going from 0-200 mph in less than 8 seconds, Marcus was even more thrilled. "Stupendo! Compared to the speed that I estimated, this beats it with a whopping 3 seconds! Phenomenal!"
While Marcus was still marveling at the car, Andre drove pretty easy, shocking even him. The steering wheel is easy to use and accurate, the brakes are strong, and the tires were very premium, basing from the quality of the ride. All in all, the drive is very comfortable and consistently excellent.
Andre also tried drifting and found that it was incredibly smooth, and it wasn't hard to stabilize the car after doing so.
After a while of test driving, they already reached the Centro Escolar University, just outside the perimeters of the highly secured Malacañang Territory.
When they tried to go far deeper, they were immediately stopped by the military that were in the area. "Further entry is prohibited. Please go back, or we will be forced to apprehend you." The soldier stated coldly.
Andre scrutinized the officer and looked at his rank. "Lieutenant Colonel." Andre muttered while nodding his head. A soldier that was just guarding the perimeters was already a Lieutenant Colonel rank, that means that at least senior officials and the other higher ups have already gathered inside.
Andre turned to Marcus and inquired, "Can the car initiate a call?" Marcus nodded in response, "Yes, Signore. This baby has its own module that can contact other SIMs. Of course, you have to have a number."
While talking, Marcus already opened the module of the car on the screen, and the dial pad was also prepared.
"Thanks." Andre then started to press the numbers and called.
"Mister, please leave! Or else, we will shoot!" The man suddenly raised his rifle pointing straight at them. With him, the other soldiers also aimed towards the car.
Andre didn't even flinch as he continued. Finally.. "Hello?" Chairperson Mimicry's voice echoed from the speaker. What Andre said next then shocked the Lieutenant Colonel and the others.
"Yes. This is Former Haribon Division General Horan speaking, Your Excellency. I am outside of the Malacañang Territory, awaiting your summon."
"Haribon Division General?!" The Lieutenant Colonel's eyes widened as he looked at the 27 or 28 year-old man inside the car. "Sir, this joke is already out of bounds. Leave or we will shoot!" He hissed hostilely. The supernaturals who were on the site also started to prepare to attack at any second.
Suddenly..
"How dare a mere Lieutenant Colonel be this hostile towards my father's Commanding Strategist?" Mimicry asked coldly.
"Mister! You do know that posing as someone of His Excellency's stature grants you immediate death!" The Lieutenant Colonel snarled at him.
"Who's going to put me to death? You?" Behind them, Mimicry suddenly appeared together with his personal men with the phone being held beside his ear. He looked at the Lieutenant Colonel coldly as he ended the call with Andre.
He was wearing his ceremonial suit as a King. Different from Andre's style of ornaments, his white royal suit doesn't have much embellishments on it, with only an aiguillette on his right shoulder, a silver four-winged eagle brooch with a golden south sea pearl being held by its talons, and below it were his medals of honor.
Beside his waist was a silver rapier with a sapphire gem inlaid in the middle of the dome-shaped hilt, where the blade extends from.
While the Lieutenant Colonel and the other men were shocked by his arrival, he glared at the Lieutenant Colonel who threatened to "grant him immediate death" and stated coldly, "If you can, go and put me to death. I dare you."
The man shook in terror as he kowtowed while struggling to say out what he wanted to say, "I-I-I'm s-sorry Y-Your Excellenc-cy.."
"You better be. Or else I'll be glad to strip off that position of yours and execute you personally." He spat before motioning to the men behind him, "Take him away. Make sure that he learns his lesson."
"You should be lenient to him, Your Excellency. He's only doing his job." While they were quarreling, Andre opened the car door of the driver's seat and leaned himself beside the car. The King's eyes visibly lightened as he walked towards the car at a fast pace.
When he arrived in front of Andre, Mimicry's eyes ran as he examined him. Confirming that Andre is Andre, he stopped himself from kneeling and instead went for a big and tight hug. Andre widened his eyes in shock but still returned the hug. "We missed you, General. We really do." He muttered hoarsely as he pulled out from the hug.
"This General apologizes for vanishing suddenly without warning." Andre sighed internally while he saluted at Mimicry.
"Now that you're back.." Mimicry then extended his open hand to Andre as his voice turned solemn, "..we would need your help."
Andre gazed at the hand for a moment before smiling as he shook the King's hand, "I'll be glad to help."
Andre then turned to enter his car but first looked at the Lieutenant Colonel. "Your name?"
"Quezon, Sire." The man answered with a lowered head. "You have done your job like how it is truly done. You did great and the only reason that you are reprimanded is because you have been a little mistaken. It's understandable, considering my look, so do not be disheartened. You're only doing your job." He said with an affirming look before smiling slightly and entering the car.
"Move!" As soon as Andre entered the car, The King and the others immediately made way for the car while they ran back towards the palace.
As the world has already changed greatly, the speed of the King and his men on foot had almost reached the speed that of the car. With their speed, they arrived in front of Malacañang in just a couple of minutes.
When they entered the palace, Mimicry then dispersed the other generals to return to their positions before bringing Andre with him to his office.
Throughout the walk, the two stayed silent until they entered the King's Study. As soon as Andre turned around to close the door, he suddenly heard a loud thud, shocking him. He quickly turned around and saw Mimicry went down on his knees and kowtowed, "Master.. President.. Where were you…" He sniffled with sadness as he lost his aura of majesty, turning into that of a child who lost one's parents and later found them.
"Mimicry.." Andre immediately went down to his level and caressed Mimicry's head, "I am sorry that I wasn't there. I was gone for a long time, and I promise to fix this problem to the best that I can."
"Y-You don't have to say sorry, Father." Mimicry shook his head and replied. Andre gasped slightly and sighed as he pulled Mimicry to a hug. Back when Mimicry first appeared in existence, Andre found him and told him to call him Father, but Mimicry did not do so and instead called him Master or President. Hearing the word "Father" from his mouth directed to him, Andre couldn't help but be touched.
After a while, Mimicry pulled out from the hug and said with a serious tone, "The world does not need to go back to how it should." Andre tilted his head in confusion and asked, "What do you mean by that?"
Mimicry stood up and turned around and looked at the pictures hanging on the wall. It was Andre's picture in different generations in different identities as the hidden King of the Phillipines. "For centuries, you have seated upon your throne while doing your best not to expose your true identity as an immortal."
"Why?" He turned around and looked at Andre who had already stood up and was looking at him in puzzlement, "It is because the world is filled with mortals who dies after a small amount of time!"
"Once they discover your identity, they will treat you as a monster, someone that shouldn't exist! All of the nations would despise you, even your subjects! They would not treat you a human, but instead, a miscreant who goes against the will of their God!" He crumpled his hand into a fist as he poured out the words that were pent up inside him for years.
"Mimicry.." Andre couldn't believe that this person in front of him was indignant because of that for years. He knew that Mimicry wanted to see him exact his power and authority, but of course, he didn't need to and he shouldn't because of the power it holds. He was hiding his power for the sake of the naive mortals in this world.