The General's Forgotten Son

Chapter 3

The Call that changed everything came in at exactly Twelve O' Clock.

Benjamin laid back on his small bed, his eyes fixed on the opened the bleached roof of his room, the event of the day still reeling in his mind.

He sat up, glanced at the wall clock to check the time; 12am. His brow tightened with a deep frown.

"Who is calling by this time of the night?" He muttered, glancing at the buzzing phone on the nightstand beside the bed.

He reached out for the phone to check the number. It was unfamiliar, typical nonsense of digits that he'd never seen before. His frown deepened.

"Scammers," he hissed. "God, don't these people sleep at all?" He disconnected the disturbing call angrily and placed the phone back on the nightstand and laid back on the bed, grumbling in irritation for the disturbance.

Buzz! Buzz!

The phone rang again.

"What the fuck!" He jolted up from the bed, snatched the phone and picked up the call to lash at the caller. "Are you people crazy? Don't you have a better job? Get off my line this minute!"

"Master Volkov." A deep masculine voice resonated through the speaker from the phone. I apologize for the inconvenience, Sir. It is however important I make this call to reach out to you."

A pause.

Benjamin listened, allowing the person he thought to be a scammer to speak on maybe he'll trip for his lie.

"My name is commander Elias Vark. Commander of Southern Valeria, right hand commander of the late General Margaret Volkov who is your mother."

A pause. Benjamin raised a brow, his frown shifted slightly.

"Your mother ordered me to put a call to you exactly when you clock twenty-five years if she didn't return from war with Sarajevo.

"Are you kidding me?" Benjamin let out a skeptical laughter. "Is this some kind of joke? I don't even know my parents but you brought my mother into your fabrication just to scam me?"

Benjamin's voice hardened, irritation and anger flickering behind his eyes.

"Listen you scammer, you should spend your time doing better things instead of making up bullshit stories to defraud people."

"Master Benjamin Volkov. This is not a scam." The voice said firmly. "Today is your birthday I assume, right?"

Benjamin paused. Genuine shock flickered in his eyes for the first time since the call came in.

"Yes..but how did you know?" His voice cracked slightly.

"Because everything I just told you is true." Commander Elia's voice was matter-of-fact. "You're the son of General Margaret Volkov. Your mother wants you to take over everything she has; every fortune, starting from this moment."

He paused.

Benjamin's Heart was racing now. The phone slipped from his hand slightly.

He grew up in the orphanage and the matrons never told him he had a parent so he assumed they were dead. But now, a stranger had just told him he was the son of one General Margaret Volkov.

What was going on?

"I'll give you time to think, Mr. Benjamin Volkov." The man on the other end said in understanding. "I know this might be too much information to handle at once. You can call me when you're ready. I will always be at your service, Sir. Permission to disconnect the line, Sir."

The man who introduced himself as commander Elias said with reverence before the line disconnected.

Silence settled inside Benjamin's apartment heavily. He looked at the phone, wondering if the call he'd just received was a dream, but the foreign number was there on his phone, staring back at him.

"What the heck was that?" He rasped.

Before that thought could settle, his phone rang again. It was another strange number.

His brow arched with curiosity, his heart racing.

"What in the world is going on?" His voice trembled slightly.

First, it was Commander Elias Varks. Now who?

He picked up the call in curiosity. A feminine voice came through the speaker.

"Mr. Benjamin Volkov. Am I speaking with the right person?" The voice was sharp and it was a professional British accent of a woman.

"Who are you? Benjamin's brow arched.

"I am Rebecca Alejandro. President of the World Bank. This call is encrypted, Mr. Volkov. So be assured that our conversation is safe."

Benjamin blinked. He wanted to speak but no words came out. He was pinned by shock.

"President of World Bank now? Is someone trying to joke with my mind?"

"You might think, Mr. Volkov but I am real." Rebecca Alejandro said. "Your mother, Margaret Volkov, ordered for this call twenty two years ago. She kept something for you in her private safe. Should we activate now, Sir? Or would you like us to pick you up with one of your private helicopters to check things out yourself?"

The phone slipped from Benjamin's hand and clattered to the floor. His fingers trembled. Sweats formed on his temple.

Private helicopter? Is this some kind of prank? Has Desmond decided to play a prank on him?

"Hello. Mr. Benjamin Volkov, are you with me?" Rebecca Alejandro's voice came from the phone on the floor again.

"What..what is happening?" His voice trembled slightly.

"Just give the command, Sir— to activate or hold on."

Benjamin was sure he was dreaming. His heart raced loudly in his ear.

His looked around his cramped room.

But his mind was also calculating everything. Different people called in with synonymous agendas. His curiosity instinct kicked in.

"Activate." He said, his voice low and skeptical.

"Command taken, Sir. Margaret Volkov’s safe will be activated in three minutes. A private helicopter will pick you up immediately."

The line disconnected leaving Benjamin's heart reeling. The phone rested on his hand with Rebecca Alejandro's number there.

At exactly three minutes, a heavy sound tore through his thoughts, shattering the stillness of the night.

His heart skipped.

"What the heck is that sound?"

Benjamin bolted to his window immediately, holding the metal grid. Before his eyes, a Black helicopter landed in a clean space at the front of his apartment.

His chest hammered. A Helicopter? Was this real? Benjamin pinched his arm, thinking maybe all of this was a dream, but before his eyes, as soon as the fan blade stopped rotating, two bodyguards jumped down with rifles in their hands. They scanned the whole place.

Benjamin's heart leaped to his throat.

Was it James Sterling coming back to revenge because he slapped him one? The dude is from a rich family. He could do this.

Lastly, a woman wearing a sharp navy blazer that poured over her body like a second skin stepped down.

"What the heck is going on? Who are these people?"

Then there was a gentle knock on his door.

With a racing heart, he walked to the door and opened it. The woman stood there in a navy suit, her posture straight, her hair pulled back tightly. She looked like a woman who had walked into war and conquered it. Behind her, the two bodyguards flanked, armed with rifles and tactical gear.

"Benjamin Volkov?" She raised one brow.

"Yes." Benjamin's voice was low.

She bowed gently.

"I am Rebecca Alejandro. President of the World Bank. You activated a highly classified Safe that belonged to Rebecca Volkov, your mother. Will you like to follow us now for proper execution, Mr. Volkov?"

Benjamin swallowed and nodded stiffly, unsure if he was making the right decision or not.

Benjamin was escorted to the helicopter like a king, he stepped inside and settled on the seat.

The door slid shut, enclosing him inside the new world he was about to experience and Benjamin realized he must truly be the son of a powerful figure in the world.

The General's Son.