The Royal Contract

1188 To be a free man

He focused his eyes on the road as he drove them to their destination. Finally, the authorities allowed him out of their safe house. He did not need to sneak out this time.

However, he could not help but wish that he had seen her off before she left for the island. But Mike was right. It was better this way. He could not compromise her safety by making careless mistakes.

“What do you think of their plans? Do you think it would work?” His friend consulted with him, reviewing the strategy that the authorities gave them.

So far, he believed their joint efforts had worked and were successful. He did not want to question the situation unless he found a reason or a loophole in the strategy. He guessed following the plan was better than going rogue.

He was lucky the other night that no one caught him. Or he would have wasted their effort and might have put Haley in danger. But now, she was safely out of their enemies. Hopefully, they would not reach her where he was hiding her.

Nevertheless, an incident earlier would not stop bothering him, disrupting his thoughts. Then, he turned to his friend, hoping that he could dispel his predicament.

“I wonder if she heard my voice earlier.” Gerald voiced his concern with his friend as he sat on an old model Cadillac with a hat, glasses, fake beard, and mustache to hide his identity.

He even wore old clothing that only a homeless man would have no choice but to wear. It was the only way they could guarantee his safety against those who wanted him dead.

To his adversaries, he was supposed to be rotting under the ground, not driving around the city. Therefore, he had to remain dead in their eyes. He had to be cautious not to be seen and recognized.

.....

“I am unsure. I hope not.” Mike answered him. “But she did not seem to mention anything.”

He wished that was the case with her. The last thing he wanted was for her to get haunted by his voice. He was slightly worried when Mike told him she had sensed his present the other night, thinking he was a ghost.

It was also why he did not try to see her off at the airport. He did not want her to suffer any more than necessary. As much as he did not want to make her cry, he knew it was out of his hands.

It was better to hurt her emotionally than to see her in a coffin buried next to his coffin. She wanted her to live and be happy, even if it meant that he would not be part of her life. At least she would have their child to love and love her back.

“Just keep your ears alert for any signs that she suspects anything. Then, assure her that it was just her imagination.” Gerald did not wish to do this to her. He did not want to lie and put her in the dark, but it was the only good thing he had done with his entire life.

And he would not back out now, especially when she was carrying their child. He had to protect them even if he had to die again, doing so. He would lay his life for them.

“I will,” Mike assured him as they neared their destination. “But I need you to stop thinking about her. I need your mind and your eyes focused on this.” His friend reminded him, a bit worried about his behavior.

But that would not be a problem since he was doing this for the love of his life and his child. He knew he could not mess this up. If he succeeded with the plan, he might eventually find a way to reunite with his family.

Yes, Haley and their child were his families now. They had been the center of his life. But if he failed, they would be safe and away from the life he had to endure to survive. His child would not have to live in a life of darkness.

“Don’t worry. I have your back.” Although their initial mission was not life and death, they still needed to be careful. He only went out today to gather intel. Information that the authorities would not know how to find.

The world of the underground organization was an intricate business that had fooled the authorities so many times. It was the only reason it continued to be prolific despite the intense and fierce pursuit of the legal system.

As the former leader of the infamous group, he was privy to most of the secrets of the underground world. And most importantly, how it had functioned since he established most of its latest operations.

He learned from Mike that they barely changed anything since they thought Gerald was dead. They saw no threat to continuing a working and successful system.

“Ok. Get ready! We are nearing the warehouse.” Gerald told his friend as they parked the car in an obscure location where no one would notice it.

They would have to travel by foot from the car to the building, which was a considerable walk. But it was better than for the vehicle to get spotted by one of his former men.

Although his wound still ache, it was tolerable. He knew he could manage to fight if needed. But he hoped he did not have to as he pulled his gun out of the hidden compartment in the car.

Then he turned the microphone on so the authorities could hear their conversations again. He had to turn them off earlier when they discussed Haley, not wanting them to snoop in his private life.

“What happened to your mikes?” The voice of the man in charge on the other end asked.

“It is ok now. I can hear you loud and clear.” He had no intention of answering the man as he checked the chamber of his gun, ensuring that it had bullets and was ready to fire before inserting it in his waistband, hiding it under his jacket.

His friend also did the same with him, following his lead before he answered the man on the other line, who was listening to their mikes. “We are ready.” He informed them, knowing they were not far behind, also hiding out of sight.

His mission was simple. They had to get passed the guards. Then he had to retrieve a file he kept in a secret vault in his former office. Of course, as a lawyer, he knew that having a weapon was the key to getting out of anything.

He would use everything he knew about the organization as a bargaining chip for his freedom. But there was a hitch. They wanted him to help burn the organization to the ground.

But he believed an established organization like this that operated worldwide would not be easy to destroy. It might take many years before he could finally put the last nail in its coffin.

Nevertheless, he knew the sacrifice was worth it if he could spend the rest of his life with his family as a free man. He would never have a second thought of doing this for that chance.

He remembered Mike’s words. “Why would you give up all this?” He asked him. But he had only one answer in his mind. “For Haley.” He did not even know at that time that she was pregnant.

He wanted to give her a life she could be happy without the constant fear of danger in her head. He knew that a life of crime was not for her, especially when he had confirmed that she had nothing to do with her father’s illegal activities.

And he thought he would never want a child, afraid that he was a monster like his father, Joaquin. But Haley made him feel different. Somehow, she taught him that he should not be defined by how his father had raised him.

After all, he had the blood of a good man, Ethan.

“Let’s go,” Mike said, snapping him out of his reverie and reminding him that he had to focus.

They exited the car and gradually closed into the warehouse, which only consisted of a handful of guards. He picked this time since the warehouse was empty of contrabands. There was nothing much to guard.

They just had to pick the perfect time to avoid security from catching them. Two guards stood by the gates. Then, at least three roamed the ground. Usually, there was no one inside.

He just had to reach the confine of the empty building to avoid getting spotted. Then, he was safe. He could effortlessly gain access to his office and to the files.

“What do you think?” Mike asked as they stopped at an area outside the perimeter fence.

He looked at his watch, counting the minutes, before returning his eyes to his binoculars. He observed the movement of the three roaming guards, timing their patrol.

“What is the update?” His earpiece sounded in his ears, demanding information.

“Give me a minute.” He said, checking if his plan was good.

Eventually, he moved, asking Mike to watch his back. He did not need Mike to go with him. It was better if he did it alone. It would be easier and faster.

It was dangerous, but as he had said earlier, he would risk everything, and even his life, for his family and to be a free man.

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