Free Web NovelChapter 600: Last Chance
"Give her up and we’ll wipe the slate clean. We’ll forgive your digression and welcome you back into the fold," Alberto said coldly as he stared at Christian.
"No way!" Christian refused without a second’s hesitation.
If he had intended to give Wendy up, he would not have protected her from Clement.
Neither would he have gone to so much trouble to take her out of Lake City and bring her to Rheinsville City.
In an instant, Alberto raised his cane and with evil radiating from his eyes, pointed it directly at Christian’s forehead.
That cane of his was custom-made and was not just an ordinary mobility aid.
In the process of raising it, he had activated a hidden switch in it.
A slim dart had appeared at the end of the cane and was pointing about an inch from Christian’s forehead. This dart contained an extremely poisonous toxin that would cause immediate death upon contact.
In a threatening tone, Alberto said, "I’m sure you know that all I need to do is to push the switch and you would die of poison within three minutes."
On his part, Christian appeared unfazed. He looked as resolute as ever and did not budge.
In fact, he did not even blink.
"Alberto, I know that you don’t really want to kill me," Christian said calmly.
"If you had wanted me dead, how could I be standing before you now?"
"Ha ha ha...." Suddenly, Alberto laughed.
"I would not have killed the old you because I needed your brains, capability and your resources.
But now, just look at you! You’ve got some balls to try and push my buttons, and just because of a woman!
Are you really sure that I will not kill you?"
While he was talking, Alberto had already inched his cane a little forward.
That dart was now about one-tenth of an inch away from touching Christian.
At that distance, even an involuntary twitch on Alberto’s hand would get Christian killed.
Sensing that Christian was in real danger, Clement stood up hastily and pleaded on his behalf, "Simmer down, Alberto. There’s still room for discussion. Let’s talk through this calmly..."
"That’s right. Killing him now won’t do the organization any good."
"With the anti-drug authorities breathing down our necks, we need all the help we can get now. Christian can redeem himself by helping us get through this."
Apart from Clement, some of the other members had also spoken up for Christian.
Truth to be told, during the years he had been in charge, Christian had made a lot of money and provided for them abundantly.
Of course, there were also those who had been envious and begrudged his successes. And they were now adding fuel to the fire.
"Are you guys nuts? Do you think that our rules are negligible?" a man in a black parka ranted.
"These rules had been laid down by Christian himself. You had once regarded him as the heir and indeed, he had done well and had not been a disappointment.
However, what do we know about his capabilities now after a three-year absence?
Are we going to allow him to come and go as he pleases?
Alberto, don’t be blindsided by his sweet talk. Who knows what he’s got up his sleeves that he’s coming back to us now!
He has yet to give us an explanation for the incident with the safe!
For all you know, he might have volunteered to give away that safe to the drug squad."
"Kennix, stop using this chance to stir sh*t. Everyone knows that you bear a grudge against Christian for taking the role of successor away from you."
Clement stepped forward and told it as it is, "It has been three years since Christian left the organization. Tell me, what have you done for the organization in the past three years?
If you had embraced your role as the heir apparent and managed the organization well during these three years, would Christian be given a chance to come back? He won’t even be standing here now."
...
What Clement said was all true and that was what Christian had betted on.
He had bet on the fact that Alberto would not kill Christian when he decided to come back here.
Truth to be told, he had indeed done a lot for the organization. In the past few years, he had been instrumental in taking the organization to greater heights.
In the span of just a few years, except for a handful of countries with especially strict controls, he had managed to set up a presence for their business in almost every other country.
Without a doubt, Christian was the one who had spearheaded their efforts to expand their global footprint.
After Christian had decided to leave the organization, he did wash his hands off the drug trade, although he was still maintaining contact with people in the organization.
Originally, he had thought that having left the organization, he would never have to deal drugs again, not in this lifetime.
Unfortunately, here he was again.
As for Kennix, he was indeed the next in line to be the successor.
However, compared to Christian, his capabilities were still lacking.
He had assumed that, with Christian gone, he would naturally slide into the role of successor. But, unexpectedly, Alberto had dragged his feet and not talked about his succession plan.
Alas, before he could take over the running of the organization from Alberto, Christian had popped up again.
It was no wonder that he was pissed off.
What Clement had said was like rubbing salt into Kennix’s wound. Angrily, he shot up from his chair and stepped forward, intending to throw a punch at Clement.
Naturally, Clement was ready for him.
Very soon, the pair were engaged in a fistfight.
Closing his eyes, Alberto lowered his cane.
Then, he raised it and stomped it hard on the floor, bellowing angrily, "Enough! Stop it right now!"
Since Alberto had spoken, both men just had to stop fighting.
Returning to his seat, Alberto looked up at Christian who was still standing before him.
After a pause, he said frostily, "Since we have people opposing Christian’s return to the fold, we shall put it to a vote."
Gesturing with his hand, he said, "Raise your hand if you agree with him coming back."
Despite their past differences, Clement was the only person in the organization who got along with Christian.
In fact, they had been like brothers before Christian decided to up and leave the organization.
At this time, Clement was the first who unequivocally raised his hand in agreement.
Looking around at the group of men, Christian assured them, "In three months, I will bring 800 million to the table. You have my word on this. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
If you want to make money fast, your best bet is to let me come back to the fold.
Of course, if you can find someone else who could do the same for you, then you have my congratulations."
At that, the other men looked at one another and raised their hands also.
"How could you agree to let him come back based on those empty words? Have you forgotten how unyielding he had been when he suddenly decided to leave us?
Kennix demanded the others to think further.
"Aren’t you worried that he might just do a U-turn in a few days and announce that he’s going to leave again?"
Obviously, no one was listening to him.
In the end, there were only two people who had not raised their hands. Kennix was one of them and the other, his close friend.
On his part, Christian was not at all surprised at the outcome of the vote.
In this line of business, nothing talked louder than dollars and cents.
In their minds, they were all very clear as to who from this next generation was likely to generate more wealth for them.
Despite his excellent capabilities, Alberto was, after all, getting old.
Sizing up the situation, Kennix realized that Christian’s return to the fold was a done deal.
Nonetheless, he was not about to roll over and let Christian win so easily. Instead, he said very loudly, "Well, since all of you have agreed to let him come back, I will accept the decision.
However, the fact is that he had betrayed the organization and as such, should be made to pay the price."
.
"The reason I’m still standing here before you is to be held accountable for what I ad done," Christian declared fearlessly.
According to our house rules, I should be subjected to high-voltage electrocution."
...
Indeed, Christian had to be held accountable for what he had done. Besides, back then, he had been the one who had laid down those rules.
Clement looked at Christian in disbelief, wondering if he had lost his mind. He walked over to Christian and whispered, "Do you know what high-voltage electrocution means?"
"Yeah, I do," Christian replied without batting an eyelash. "I was the one who made that rule, remember?"
"Up until now, only nine men in our organization has been put through this kind of punishment. Eight of them died during the process while the only one who survived did not live for too long after either," Clement informed him. "Do you really think you will be an exception?"
"Yes, I do," Christian stated confidently, his hands clenched into tight fists.
Clement did not wish to see Christian suffer and die, so he urged him to change his mind. "Let’s plead for mercy together. Perhaps we could-" "There’s no need to beg. I deserve to be punished," Christian interrupted Clement, shaking his head. With that, he bowed deeply to Alberto and spoke emotionlessly, "Let’s get on with it."
"Last chance. Give that woman up and I will wipe the slate clean," Alberto said. "If you do, you won’t have to go through with the punishment."
"No deal." After that, Christian walked towards a small door to the side. The room behind that door was where the punishment would be conducted.
As he watched Christian walking away with his head held high, Alberto shook his head and sighed, "You’re just as stubborn as ever. But then, that is a good trait to have. We need someone like you to take our organization to greater heights and make us stronger." Waving his hand, he kept his eyes lowered and instructed them, "Get stared then."
Shortly, the small door was pulled shut. Christian walked to the bed and laid down on it, cuffing himself in at the ankles and wrists. Then, he opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling.
In the next instant, electric waves surged erratically throughout his body. He gritted his teeth tightly, willing himself to not make a single sound. Despite the sensation of his blood vessels coming close to eruption and the cuffs cutting deep bloody wounds in his ankles and wrists, he did not utter a word. The brief ten-minute session felt like an eternity to him.
The men seated outside were shocked that they had not heard a single word or scream from within that room. How was it possible that anyone could withstand the high-voltage electrocution without making even a whimper?
In fact, Clement wondered if Christian had died already. Unable to hold back any longer, he got to his feet and entered the little room. When he saw that Christian was alive, he heaved a sigh of relief.
"Get lost!" Christian ordered shakily with whatever strength he had left when he noticed that someone had entered the room. He did not want anyone to witness the humiliating state that he was in at that moment. Not having the stomach to watch him anyway, Clement turned and left the room.
After ten minutes, the electrocution punishment ended. The two operators immediately stepped forward to check on Christian. By then, Christian had turned a deathly pale from head to toe and had bloodied wounds on his legs and hands.
Those wounds were all self-inflicted from when he could no longer tolerate the high-voltage shocks.
He got up off the bed, wobbling unsteadily as he struggled to stand up straight beside it. After the electrocution, the bed had turned into an unsightly mess.
Although he had survived the ordeal, it was still a huge physically detrimental experience for his body that had resulted in him losing control of his bowels and urinary system.
Brushing aside the hands of the operator who was propping him up, he weakly said, "Clean up that mess." Then, with gritted teeth, he mustered up every ounce of strength left in him and walked slowly, one step at a time, towards the door.
He had no wish to let everyone see the sorry state that he was in. So, instead of walking back to the meeting room outside, he asked for some water. He wanted to wash himself clean before stepping outside.
