Prologue: Inheritance
The Cobra Commander sat on his son's bed and made eye contact with the boy, who was standing in front of him. Billy was in his brand new special made Cobra pajamas, the red sigil of his father's organization displayed on his chest, and was beaming with pride. The pajamas had been his birthday gift: the Commander's little man had turned six today.
The present had been received, the cupcake had been eaten, the day was done and now it was time for Billy's bedtime routine. The Commander never allowed that the routine be skipped, and tonight was no exception. Quite the contrary: now that he was six, which the Commander thought of as 'school age', Billy would start working with tutors the very next morning. That meant an extra step needed to be added to the bedtime routine.
"You look splendid," the Commander told his son, his characteristic hiss dragging the s.
Billy grinned wider. "Thanks, Dad!"
The Commander smiled. "Now, I hope you will do that symbol proud tonight."
Billy lost his smile in favour of a more serious expression and nodded firmly. "Yes, Father." He straightened up, feet together, arms rigid at his side and staring straight ahead.
The Commander nodded in approval. "What is Cobra?" he asked.
"Cobra is the future," Billy replied in a clear voice, perfectly repeating the mantra he had long since learned by heart. "Cobra is hope."
"What are Cobra's goals?" The Commander asked.
Billy knew this part by heart too. "To fix today's broken world. To establish and forever guard a new order, a better way."
"Who am I?" The Commander asked.
"You are Cobra Commander. You are Cobra's leader and guiding light. You ARE Cobra." Billy put extra emphasis on 'are', just as he had been taught. "You are the saviour."
"And who are you?"
Billy took a breath. This last part was the longest. "I am the son of Cobra Commander. I am the heir to Cobra. I will inherit the World to lead and to guide. I am the future. I am hope. I am Cobra and the World is my birth right and my burden."
The Commander smiled at his boy. "Very good, Billy. And do you remember what begins tomorrow?"
Billy relaxed, abandoning his posture. "School!" he exclaimed, grinning again. "I…" He stopped and lost his smile, noticing that his father was frowning.
"How are you standing?" the Commander asked in a hiss.
"Sorry, Father," Billy said, snapping back into position.
The Commander harrumphed. "Tomorrow, you start school," he said. "And you will do your very best to learn as much as you can from your tutors. So, whenever I ask 'What will you be doing tomorrow', the correct answer is 'I will do my best to learn as much as I can from my tutors'. Repeat."
"I will do my best to learn a lot from my teachers," Billy said.
The Commander scowled. "Wrong. 'I will do my best to learn as much as I can from my tutors'. Repeat."
Billy swallowed and tried again. "I will do my best to learn as much as I can from my…" he hesitated. He didn't know the last word his father had used.
"Tutors," the Commander said. "Those who will be teaching you. Last chance, Billy."
Billy swallowed; he didn't want to be punished. He took a deep breath and tried again. "I will do my best to learn as much as I can from my tu…tors."
The Commander nodded again. "Acceptable. Practice the word tutors for tomorrow night."
"Yes, Father."
"You can relax. Get in bed."
Saying so, the Commander got up to let his son lie down in his bed. He tucked him in and kissed his forehead. "Goodnight Billy. Daddy loves you."
"Goodnight, Daddy," Billy replied. He yawned and closed his eyes. "I love you. I love Cobra."
The Commander smiled down at his heir, the heir of Cobra.
