CHAPTER 139: HIGHLY VALUED TARGET

A knock at the door awakened me from my deep and highly satiated slumber. I still wanted to continue sleeping until I fully regained my lost strength, because Pamela’s energy extremely exhausted me hours ago, but the rampant knocks of whoever it was made me open my still dreamy eyes and forced me to climb down my bed. Lazily, while rubbing my eyes, I dragged myself towards the door and irritatedly opened it. It was Marcus who appeared in front of me. 

“We have a gigantic problem, Ivar!” He promptly uttered and just entered my room without being invited. I watched him frantically walk aimlessly, which made me sigh heavily. 

“I am already aware of the problem, Marcus,” I murmured sleepily as I closed the door behind me. 

“No, you don’t, Ivar! What I am pertaining to wasn’t the problem that you already knew we have.” His statement made my forehead crease and caused my system to be fully awakened. 

“What are you talking about?” 

“Here! Watch this!” He swiftly handed me his phone, which I cluelessly grabbed. “Play it.” He ordered with conviction. 

Not certain of what he made him so agitated, I played the video he  wished for me to watch. It was a live broadcast from a well-known broadcasting network here in New York City. While watching the entire video coverage, I could feel my veins bulging with extensive rage, as my blood aggressively surged up to its highest peak. My eyes are piercing sharply to the man seated at the center of the network’s stage, where bundles of money were piled up, my money to be exact. 

“Goddammit! FUCK! FUCK YOU, LEWIS WHITE!” I angrily threw the phone I was holding and hit savagely at the wall, which smashed it into pieces. 

“What the! Jesus! That’s my fucking phone, Ivar! Why throw it?” Marcus protested as he aggravatedly held his hair and stared at me unbelievably. 

“Who else knows about this? Have you told Pamela? Or Michael?” My head is spinning wildly in worry as I crumpled my face with my bare hand. 

“I haven’t told anyone yet, but you, Ivar. When I watched the live broadcast minutes ago, I hastily headed here to inform you first. I just don’t know if they’ve watched it as well.” 

“Mother fucker! That son of a bitch doctor really gets on my nerves! The audacity of him to challenge me like that! I’ll tear him into pieces the minute I see him!” 

“What will we do now, Ivar? We have a very limited time to think things over and over. We only got until tomorrow before dawn to surrender the kid to them, or you’ll be New York City’s most wanted and highly valued target. It’s your head on the line here, Ivar. Have you ever thought about what the outcome this live broadcast will bring forth to you?” 

I aimingly yet quietly looked at him, while my head started to circulate and functionally think. Marcus is right. If we can’t deliver the child by today, tomorrow will be the start of my dreary days. I will be the number one target of the entire city, like some kind of a prey being hunted by hungry and greedy predators. Wherever I go, even here at the fortress, I will no longer be safe. I could no longer feel secure, because the minute everyone here knew about this stupid broadcast that fucker put up to, it isn’t impossible that some of them might betray me for the sake of that hefty amount. I couldn’t trust anyone now, even Marcus here. He might betray me anytime he wishes and inform the police of my whereabouts. I must do something about this as soon as possible. I need to know amongst the one I am with now, who are truly for me and who are loyal to me until their very last breath, then eliminate those who aren’t and those whom I think can be a threat to my safety. 

“Collect everyone’s phone now, Marcus. If they retaliate, which I am certain they would, tell them I ordered you to confiscate their phones. Then call Dennis, I want him now here.” 

“Alright!” He was about to head towards the door when I called his attention once again. 

“Marcus?” 

“Yes, Ivar.” 

“Will you betray me for a thousand million dollars?” He was startled at my untimely question. I can see how his eyes became troubled and somewhat bewildered him as he stood motionless on his ground. 

“Why ask me such a difficult question, Ivar?” 

“You knew well enough why I did, Marcus. Will you? Will you exchange our decades of friendship and brotherhood for that huge amount of money?” I am studying not only his body language, but also the movements of his eyes. He may lie to me verbally, but his eyes will tell me what I need to know. 

“Everybody wished to be filthy rich, Ivar, that is why we are here in the first place, right? But I am not that stupid enough to risk my life if ever I thought of betraying you. I know very well that the minute I do so, you will have my head on a platter, so why will I betray you Ivar? I will never dare to betray you, you have my word. I will be with you to the very end. Just give me your word that we will get out of this shithole alive, you and I, with just enough money in our pockets. That’s more than enough for me.”       

His answer made me smile and be at temporary ease. I’ve known Marcus for decades. We may not be together most of the time, but the friendship and bond we built was enough for us to remain faithful to each other. I trust his words and I am certain that he wouldn’t dare to defy nor betray me. 

I walked towards him with precision before uttering an oath that was solidified with a hand shake. “You have my word, Marcus. I have your back whatever it takes.” We firmly shake hands, looking at each other’s eyes and cementing our bond. 

Minutes after Marcus left my room, Dennis came in with a cup of steaming hot coffee, which he usually does every morning. Dennis is my second in command, so if there’s someone who I trusted the most, it is him. While having my morning coffee and a stick of cigar, I went straight to the point and disclosed to Dennis everything that’s on my mind. 

“So what do you want me to do, Boss?” He attentively asked after I spilled every detail to him.

“I want you to first and foremost destroy every television here, including all laptops, no one must know about that live broadcast. Then after doing so, change the security password of the main door and no one leaves this place without my consent. Also, I need you to jot down the names of who you think couldn’t be trusted much. Those who are quite suspicious.”

“As you wish, Boss.” 

“Do it secretly, Dennis.” 

“Yes, Boss.” 

“And call Pamela, send her here.” He nodded obediently before leaving.