THEY MADE it to the hotel in record time. Because they were early, traffic wasn't bad yet. Their security team maintained crowd control as they stepped out of the limousine.

They were like a pride of lions, confident and powerful. Every step was graceful and commanding as if they owned the very ground beneath their feet. Their eyes were sharp and intense, but their smile carried enough spark to warm the place.

A red carpet was aligned perfectly up the enormous stairs leading to the ...