The Royal Contract

He would deal with him personally. If he proved his loyalty to him and the group. He would reward him with a higher position in his rank.

Otherwise, Samson would end up at the bottom of the sea, where he would rot for eternity. No one would even know he existed in this world, and no one would miss him either in this lifetime.

“What about the couple?” Mike asked, still concerned about what they might know of the organization.

Although current reports still indicated that the couple had not shown knowledge or interest in pursuing a case against them, he still believed he had to dig deeper.

He could not allow any hidden surprises to catch them unaware. Cases like this could be tricky. Last-minute evidence and witnesses could be crucial in winning the case and convicting the criminal.

In this case, all blame should point to one person alone. The unlucky beneficiary of the accusation was no other than Nickolas Travis. He concocted this entire crime as far as they were concerned.

.....

“As long as the two remained clueless or shut their mouths if they knew anything, they could keep their heads on their shoulders.” He told his old partner.

At the moment, he would like his people to lie low. He only gave tasks to those he could trust. The situation was very delicate and should be handled discreetly and efficiently.

He would avoid any confrontation with the couple in the meantime. Not when the situation with the authorities was hot. If there was no reason for him to intervene and take matters into his hands, he would gladly stay quiet on the side.

He did not want the authorities snooping around his backyard if they suspected his involvement in the case. He needed to distance himself from the couple but make sure Nick took all the blame for everything.

“As you wish.” Mike also agreed with his plan. He also would not stir any trouble when it was not necessary, but he still advised him to take some precautions.

He discussed a few more things with his former partner regarding a few legal matters and concerns with the underground organization.

Although they gathered a few glances and greetings from the other diners, they did not see any problems so far. They appeared like they were just having a casual lunch between two friends.

“Anyway, I will not keep you anymore. I know you still have a lot to do.” He told Mike, glad that he finally had his partner back to support him.

In his current position, he needed people he could count on. Men that he could trust with his life. Mike was one of them. He would willingly put his life for him, just like Mike would sacrifice his life for him.

“It was nice to be back,” Mike said to him, happy that he was once again serving the man he owed a lot of his success today. “Then, I will see you around.”

He dropped his napkin on the table as he shook his friend’s hand as he bade goodbye. A show for the others to watch, an ending to a reunion of old friends. But to them, it was just the beginning of a long partnership.

“You go ahead. I will just need to make a phone call.” He told his pal, letting him leave before him.

He grabbed his phone, pressing a number. He still needed to deal with a few loose ends in this case. He could not allow anything to jeopardize his position.

Just a few tables away from his location, another commotion was happening at the exact moment. The owner was showing her new guests to their table.

“I hope you will enjoy our specials.” She personally accommodated them, knowing that they were Haley’s guests.

Since Haley helped her renovate her place, customers started coming and noticing her restaurant. The restaurant was almost on the brink of bankruptcy, but with her help, she was able to recover.

Haley swore she loved her food. So, she helped her with the renovation. She insisted on paying her for the expenses, but Haley only allowed her to cover the materials through a loan.

“Haley, speak only of good things about your food,” Dani stated as she settled on her seat with Alex’s assistance.

Dani told the owner how Haley was bragging about the quality of food that the restaurant served. She learned that this restaurant was one of the first establishments Haley had helped, which inspired her to create her foundation.

“Well, I can’t wait to dig in.” Alex also joined in the conversation, sitting next to his wife. While Haley sat across from the two of them.

He would have loved to talk more about the current topic, but his stomach growling indicated it was time for something else. He needed sustenance soon.

“I think this young man can’t wait any longer.” The owner teased him, making everyone laugh on the table, including Alex.

After ordering the specials, the owner finally left them on their table to proceed to the kitchen to have their food prepared. The three continued talking about the foundation and their plans.

“I will check the place this week. If you can give me the blueprints of the previous plans, it would be helpful.” Haley explained to them.

She told them about her intent to convert their original plan of building a house for a family to something that would be more fitting for a foster home.

But to save on materials, labor, and time, she would need to see what was already done with the place. Then, she could work on redesigning it to work according to the standard required by the law in this case.

She did not want to waste time and money if she had to demolish and start over again. It was better to adjust to what was currently done and work from there.

“I agree. Let me have my team call you for everything you will need.” Alex offered, so they could facilitate the construction of the new project.

He did not believe in delaying it any longer than necessary when everything was set. He would help in any way he could as long as it would make her wife happy.

Seeing the passion in her eyes, the happiness this new endeavor had brought to her face, the smile that seemed to brighten up the room. It was all worth it.

“What is wrong?” Alex noticed that his wife was silent, and her smile faded as her eyes fixed on someone on their other side.

He followed his gaze and recognized the man on the other table. He had met him several times before but never did get a chance to have a meaningful conversation with him.

“Is it ok if I greet him and ask him to join us if he is dining alone?” She remembered the kindness he showed her when she went back to work. She only wished to return the same gesture.

When Alex nodded in agreement, seeing nothing wrong with it, she stood up and walked toward the man who had been a mentor to her.

“Excuse me, Gerald.” She approached and greeted him when she noticed that he was done with his phone conversation.

She waved his hand to him, trying to catch his attention. When he finally looked up, he seemed surprised to see her, standing on his other side.

She could not blame him when he seemed preoccupied with his thoughts. Although she did not plan to sneak up, he just did not notice her coming over to his table.

But, she could not help but feel bad for what she did, seeing the reaction on his face. His eyes bulged a bit, and his expression changed. It appeared like he was suddenly afraid or guilty of something.

“Dani, I am sorry. I did not see you.” Gerald immediately responded, quickly recovering from his shock. “How long have you been standing there?” He quickly straightened up and greeted her back.

He was left wondering if she had heard anything from his conversation. He was not expecting to see her in this restaurant at this time. He believed that she never frequented this place.

Now, he could only wonder if his secret had been discovered.

Did she hear any of his conversations?

Was he caught red-handed?