The Royal Contract

The police and the ambulance surrounded the scene. There was no way for him to know but to wait on the sideline until they revealed their accident report. But until now, he was clueless since the police had no conclusive findings, not officially.

“Don’t you plan to go home?” A sudden bright glare flooded the room as his friend switched the lights on.

He continued to walk further into the room, not waiting for his permission to join him. But that was his friend. He felt entitled to do what he pleased since he was his friend.

“No, not yet.” He answered without looking at him as he closed his eyes and pretended it was still dark in the room. He wanted peace to think. “What do you want, Mike?” He finally asked as he finally opened his eyes when it was clear to him that his friend was not going anywhere until he dealt with him.

“I think Don was the one who sabotaged the operation earlier,” Mike told him as he sat on the chair and crossed his leg. He wore his smug face, confidently showing he had figured out the entire incident this evening.

“What made you think that?” Initially, Don was also his first suspect. He knew the plans and the entire operation.

.....

The exchange he had organized was simple. If done flawlessly according to his instructions, it would have been a quick and easy exchange of goods and money.

But something fucked up along the way. Or rather, someone fucked him up and informed the police of the undergoing drug operation. He doubted that there was a mole in his organization since he had swept his team and cleaned his house.

He caught two more moles and disposed of them. They all pointed in the direction of his friend, Don. But it was too easy. It felt like it was a setup. Or Don might have made it feel that way.

After all, Don had been in this business since he was still in a diaper. He knew most of the ins and outs of this business at the back of his mind. He was his mentor, for fuck sake.

“Aside from the obvious that he had backstabbed you before, I think he might have some change of heart and want the throne for himself.” Mike speculated as he took a cigarette from his pocket and a lighter.

Then, he leaned on his chair as he lighted his cigar, inhaled deeply, and puffed a white cloud of smoke in front of him. But his eyes never left him as if he was studying him, reading what he was thinking.

“That is possible.” And the man had openly threatened to destroy him the last time they had met. But he could also think of several names that could fill the list.

But the older man also informed him he had not yet lost faith in him. He still wanted to see that he could recover from this situation. If that were the case, then why would he sabotage his mission?

It did not make sense that Don would try to ruin his reputation unless it was all a ploy to throw him off his game. Therefore, he was also considering him a suspect even if it was against his better judgment.

“But do you have any other suspects?” Mike asked as he continued to play with his cigar, creating circular shapes with the smoke coming from his mouth.

Of course, he did.

“There is the Fabio Family and Robert from the west side. Then, there is the Rosley Family.” He spoke in a quiet deep tone, especially the last name, as he released a deep sigh.

It seemed that he had been complacent in dealing with the Rosley Family. Probably partly because of his involvement with Haley. He never did a thorough background check on her and her family.

Recently, he learned through Mike’s connection and a thorough investigation that Alfred, Haley’s father, had deep ties with a rival underground organization in another part of the city. It was a big organization abroad, but it was still trying to break its market here in this country.

“So, you think Haley’s father might have something to do with this,” Mike stated as he stood up and crushed his dying cigar on the ashtray on his table. “It is also possible.” His friend nodded as if agreeing with him.

But he knew it was already at the top of his friend’s list of suspects. Mike did not want to point it out since he was still involved with Haley. And he did not want to consider that Haley had any part in this.

Unlike what Mike had suggested, at the time, he discovered the truth about Alfred Rosley. His friend believed that Haley had been a pawn of his father to use against him.

“I know what you are thinking.” Gerald quickly reacted. “If Alfred is involved in this, I doubt Haley had anything to do with it.” He still did not want to believe Haley knew anything about her father’s participation in the underground.

His father was not a primary leader in the other organization, but he was actively participating in their illegal activities. Based on the reports he received from their investigation, Alfred had aided many shipments of contrabands to the country, using his construction business.

But what he still did not understand in this grand scheme of things was his participation in it. If Alfred knew that he was the leader of their competition, why would he help him in his candidacy and want him to marry his daughter?

It just did not make sense to him yet.

“Why don’t you admit it to me? You love Haley. That is why you are protecting her like this.” Mike looked at him frustratedly, as if he was angry that he would not trust him with this information.

“No, as I said before.” He stared his friend in the eye. “I need her. But I don’t love her.” That remained his stand on the subject matter.