Reincarnated as an Imperial Prince

"Director of the Foreign Intelligence Services," Alexander mouthed the position of the man standing in front of him right now with a scrutinizing gaze. "It took you five years to compile what you have tucked away in those files, Director. Well, better late than never they say, proceed,"

"Right away Your Majesty," Bobrinsky cleared his throat and handed a copy of a file he had on his hands to the Emperor and his National Security Advisor.

Alexander opened the file and took a quick glance at it. It contains the summarized version of what the Foreign Intelligence Services has gathered on the Black Hand.

He closed the file and placed it on his desk. He'd want to hear it from him rather than spend time reading it.

"I will now start with, Your Majesty. We all know that Black Hand is an underground international syndicate whose aim is to depose every reigning monarch and reform it under its own image. The Black Hand was founded on the other side of the world, in the continent of North America. After the conclusion of the revolutionary war between the United States and the Britannia Empire, the founding fathers had come up with an idea of exporting their revolutionary ideas across the continent of Europa."

"You're saying that the Black Hand was founded by the founding fathers, where one of its members would be the president of the United States. Do you have any proof that supports this claim?"

"Yes Your Majesty, it's in front of you," Bobrinsky eyed the document containing files in it. Alexander grabbed it again and opened it, searching for answers.

While he was doing that, Bobrinsky resumed his debriefing. "Inside the files are documentation tracing back from the founding fathers. There are encrypted letters containing orders, messages, notes, and reports from various influential people ranging from nobility, military generals, members of the council, prime ministers, et cetera. Also in that file, you can see that there is a note from President Thomas Jefferson to the Emperor of the Francois Republic, Napoleon Bonaparte who was at war with all of Europa during the time."

Alexander read the note Bobrinsky is referring to. It was indeed there, an encrypted communication between the President of the United States and the Emperor of the Francois Republic. The message was long but can be summarized into one sentence. Thomas Jefferson made a deal with Napoleon to buy Louisiana and to fuel and finance his revolution against Europa as long as his war inspires the people of the belligerent kingdoms to revolt. And Napoleon did just that, the conquered states became republics until 1815 when Napoleon was defeated and was exiled to Elba."

"So based on this report alone, it is clear that the organization is from the United States, and what's more, the head of it seems to be the president?" Sevastian deduced.

Bobrinsky shook his head. "No, Your Highness, each president has a different agenda that differs from that of the Black Hand. And we haven't gotten definitive proof that it was the case, so it is possible."

Alexander listened to the exchange between the two. He contemplated for a moment. In the United States, to think that the origin of the most notorious terrorist organization was founded there was confounding, to say the least. Like, how did they get so much power? They were a weak and disorganized nation at the time, how did they spread their influence in Europa?

"Assuming the Black Hand indeed originated in the United States and was founded by one of the founding fathers, how did their successor spread their ideals to the Europa?"

"By financing revolutionary groups within the state," Bobrinsky answered simply. "After the conclusion of the revolutionary war, the United States sent an encrypted message to one of the rebel groups rising within the Ruthenia Empire, the Decembrist. The United States financed their group by providing arms, munitions, and money in exchange for pledging their allegiance to the Black Hand. They used the materials they'd gotten from the Black Hand for their uprising that occurred on December 14, 1825. We all know that it failed but the surviving members who still believe in the ideals of Black Hand lived on," Bobrinsky concluded.

Alexander hummed and rubbed his chin as he pondered. What the Black Hand is doing makes sense. The quality of life of the commoners one hundred years ago was dreadful. Famines, lack of civil rights, absolutism, and the social hierarchy leads a group of people to form a group to change the status of their livelihood and the state of their nation. Black Hand came in and exploited their discontent and created a revolutionary movement against the state, which resulted in a series of wars and revolutions happening over centuries. "

Though some of it failed, the message remains that they are fighting for justice and equality whereas, in reality, it was just a greedy attempt of the Black Hand to control the world.

"So rebel groups means a subordinate of Black Hand. Every nation in the west has it, does it mean that our neighbors have it?"

"Yes Your Majesty, in fact, we have conclusive evidence that it was the case. For five years, the Foreign Intelligence Services worked very hard to track them down. From Empire to nation, we have captured a plethora of their agents and interrogated them on a Black Site using new tricks. They revealed vital information about Black Hand. According to one source, each nation has a Black Hand branch led by a Shepherd. Now that Shepherd is the head of the Black Hand in a specific country, for example, The Shepherd of the Ruthenia Empire, Shepherd of Austrea Empire, Shepherd of Francois Republic, and the list goes on."

"And who is the head of them all?" Alexander dropped the folder he was holding and locked his gaze with Brobinsky.

"The thing is Your Majesty, we aren't certain of who is who yet but we can use basic deduction to figure out its identity. It must be from the country of origin, where the Black Hand is founded. The United States."

"Could it be the current President of the United States?" Sevastian asked.

"We are still looking into him, Your Highness."

"Who was the president of the United States again?" Alexander asked Sevastian.

"Your Majesty, his name is Willian Dudley Pelley," Sevastian answered.

"William Dudley? I never heard that name. Who was his opponent in the presidential elections?"

"That would be Franklin D. Roosevelt, Your Majesty."

Alexander's facial expression froze, wide-eyed.

"What's the matter, Your Majesty?"

"Franklin D. Roosevelt lost? That is something concerning,"

"How so?"

"Well, I can't explain to you but I'm just feeling something weird in my gut," his gaze flickered to Bobrinsky. "Look into the current president, I want to know everything about him. Where he was born, what he did before he became president, children, affiliations, likes, and dislikes. Even his state of mood is important, is he happy, sad, angry, I don't care, look up everything."

"Yes Your Majesty, we will make it a top priority," Bobrinsky acknowledged.

"Is there anything else?" Alexander asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty but we will be sending you a more detailed report later."

"Good."

So to summarize, the Black Hand originated in the United States by the Founding Fathers and spread their influence by helping revolutionaries within a state of their target.

"Oh before I forgot, have we identified who the Ruthenian Shepherd is?"

"Your Majesty, there is no Ruthenian Shepherd, in one of our many pieces of evidence, it was stated that he was killed by his fellow Shepherd in a meeting that was held in a secret location. Would you like me to send the file to you?"

"Yes."