The Royal Contract

"Oh, crap!"

"Damnit!"

He swore under his breath when he recognized the man about to pass them by. But he still tried to maintain his composure, not wanting his companions to notice anything strange with him.

He kept his eyes straight, avoiding contact with the man almost before them. The last thing he wanted was for the others to suspect anything and to blow his friend's cover.

But what was he doing here? He silently questioned. He recalled their last conversation. Gerald promised to lie low until he could find a safe place to hide far away from the people who would want him dead.

He would vanish for a little while until they could find a more permanent solution to their problem, and while he worked on digging deeper into their enemies.

Therefore, why was his former boss and bestfriend doing in their headquarters?

"What are you doing, man?" He mentally asked his friend when he looked up, and their eyes met even for the briefest second.

He could not understand what his plans were. What changed? And why his friend would risk getting caught, especially when his situation was fragile and precariously dangerous.

He could only conclude that his friend might have gone insane and suddenly had a death wish. What else could it be?

"Mike, nice job." One of their associates praised him for the latest case he handled for the District Office.

He just lost against a drug case. It meant the organization won against the government. But truthfully, he did not intentionally sabotage his client so his opponent could walk free.

Unfortunately, he did not have enough proof to convict the illegal drug dealers. The evidence in his possession was insufficient to provide inconclusive proof of their offense.

"I try to do my best." But under his circumstance, he had no choice but to play the part, acknowledging the work as if he manipulated the result in their favor.

However, lately, he had had enough of working for them. Sometimes, he wondered if Haley's goodness had rubbed off him, making him grow a conscience.

There was a time that he would not care about how many lives he ruined with their illegal activities. He was addicted to money and power that nothing else mattered.

But spending time with Haley somehow changed his view on life. He guessed it was not only Gerald who had changed. He supposed he also did.

"It was insane." He thought to himself, jeopardizing everything he had done in the past for a brand new future. And for what? He would still end up alone.

But his musing ended when he heard laughter around him. He had hardly noticed what it was all about. But he was glad that his friend had almost reached the door when he subtly glanced at his back as they continued marching toward the elevator.

"Why are we here again?" He finally asked, unconvinced that this emergency meeting had anything to do with his earlier case. It was a petty lawsuit that did not merit their attention.

But he did hear something about another case. He could only surmise that they might want him to make it disappear.

In the past, that was his job for Gerald. He was good at negotiating and controlling the narrative of a situation, downplaying most of his cases until the law lost its interest in them, leaving him to settle quietly or dismiss it entirely.

"Just be patient." One of their companions tapped him on his back, smirking like he knew something he did not. "You will know soon enough."

Suddenly, he had a terrible feeling about the situation. His heart began to race inside his chest. It was a sign of impending trouble that was about to unfold.

Instinct and experience had taught him how to read the hidden indications of a situation that was about to go wrong. Unfortunately, his gut could not say much.

Still, he readied himself for whatever would happen. He could not be too careful in this situation. One second could mean life or death as he felt his gun underneath his arm.

"By the way, Gerald, fancy seeing that you are still alive," Don finally spoke before his friend could walk close enough to exit the door.

Then, he heard the security mobilized, blocking the exit and cornering his friend. Everything happened so fast that his friend barely had the time to react as he stopped in the center of the empty, spacious hallway.

He could have pulled his gun, but what good would that do? He and Gerald were no match and outnumbered.

"Did you think you could get away that easily, my old friend?" Don slowly turned and faced his friend while the guards disarmed him and pinned him flat on the floor.

Then, Don signaled his men to bring their captive closer to him. All Mike could do was stare at his friend, knowing he had to tread lightly. It would do both of them no good if they were both captured.

He had to think quickly but at the same time not let his companion guess that he was a traitor.

Because he already presumed that they were becoming dubious. And he could not feed their suspicion.

"Well, I guessed I should give you more credit than you deserved." Gerald spit out calmly, appearing unthreatened by his current situation.

That was what he had admired about his friend. He could already be in a tight bind, but his confidence and courage would never waver.

"For someone already dead, you are still annoying and a pain in the ass." Don walked closer, stopping only when he was inches away from him.

Then, his fist flew in the air, landing hard on Gerald's stomach. But his friend only smiled, seemingly unaffected by the pain inflicted on him.

Of course, his reaction only angered Don even more as he asked his men to beat the crap out of his friend. But his friend, despite the pain, still put a bloodied, splitting grin on his lips.

"I doubted that you would die that easily. But I am grateful I have a second chance to kill you again. But this time, I will ensure it will take longer and more excruciating." Don smiled devilishly, enjoying every second of his friend's agonizing situation.

"I hope you will guarantee my death or else if I get out of this. I will bury you myself." His friend said threateningly. "Dead or preferably alive." He added with a sweet smile on his face.

Mike believed his friend was taunting one of the highest members of their organization. But his buff was not only with him. There was a bigger fish that he was after.

"Mike, I don't know how you could have majorly screwed something like this." Finally, Don turned to him, questioning his participation in killing his friend.

Suddenly, he wondered if Don and the rest of the crew would believe his explanation. But he had to try, or he was screwed.

"I have no idea how this could have happened." He pretended to be clueless about his mistake. "I saw him die in front of me." He still stuck with his story.

"You saw him die, right?" He pointed to one of the men that was present that night. He was his witness, although he agreed with his prognosis without checking Gerald.

"Yeah, he was dead when we put him in the trunk." The man backed up his story. "Then, Mike drove the car in the deserted park and saw him burn the car with him inside."

But the man did not know the neat trick he did with the car. There was a secret compartment inside where a dead body was already waiting.

Gerald switched with the body and escaped through a hole under the mattress, slipping underneath the car, underneath the darkness, and into the bushes.

"Uhm!" Don appeared to be thinking, probably deciding whether to believe them.

But honestly, anyone with a brain would see through his lie. His alibi was becoming more and more unreliable. He could not help but worry that his situation might be worse than he thought.

"You are saying you watch the car burn with him inside. But you did not see him burning with your actual eyes." Don critically examined the information they gave him.

"Yes." Mike answered him, sounding convincing enough.

"I was sure he was inside." The man again covered his ass, having no idea what he had done.

After all, he was also trying to salvage his situation. He would be in so much trouble as he was if Don proved that he had something to do with Gerald's survival.

"But contrary to what you are saying, somehow, Gerald survives." Don sarcastically responded to their claim. "I am suddenly wondering if I can still trust you."

Mike could not determine if Don was talking to him or the other man, but he was alert. He was on guard in case Don decided he was a traitor.

"You are still a coward until now, Don. You have not changed at all. That is your problem." Gerald interrupted them. "You still expect other people to do the dirty work while you bask in the glory."

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His friend insulted his once comrade, putting him in his trashy place. In his mind, Don would never live up to his friend, Gerald.

He was nothing compared to his friend. And he knew it. That was the reason he wanted to get rid of him. Now, he understood he was the one who orchestrated all of this.

"Why should I dirty my hands when someone else could do it for me?" With that said, he asked one of the guards to take out a gun.

"Mike..." Don turned to him. "This is your only chance to clean up the mess you made and prove your loyalty to the group."

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