Edward's Bounty

"Yesterday, a man of great prominence checked into the renowned Continental Hotel in New York." Winston said with a sly smile.

"Oh?" Jack raised an intrigued eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "Who is it?"

Winston grinned mischievously and leaned in, lowering his voice.

"Here's the kicker: his name is Sloan Kenway. But that's not all! Just a while ago, I received a call from the High Table, and they've arranged for someone to escort him away in a day's time."

Jack's eyes gleamed with intrigue. "Well, that's certainly interesting," he remarked, his eyebrow still arched inquisitively.

"But we don't have to make it so complicated," Jack continued, his tone thoughtful.

"If he wishes to leave, then let him. However, it presents a golden opportunity for us. We'll allow him to carry some intriguing news back to the 'elder' at the High Table. And when the time comes, we'll settle the score together. No need for you to worry, Mr. Winston. For now, continue with your duties, and I'll alert you when I require your cooperation."

Winston nodded, reassured by Jack's confident plan. "Of course," he agreed.

Jack reached into his pocket and retrieved a crumpled note and a simple cross.

"In light of the Knights Templar's current funding issues, we'll have to simplify the initiation ceremony for now," he explained.

"This is the Templars' cross, and here is a gift for entering our esteemed order."

Suddenly, both Winston's and Jack's phones chimed simultaneously, their alert tones piercing the air.

The two men exchanged glances, swiftly grabbing their phones to check the messages. There was only one plausible reason for such a notification sound—a lucrative reward.

"The Chairman of the Edward Group... and the reward amount is a staggering eight million dollars?" Winston exclaimed, his voice tinged with awe.

"Now that's a fortune! But wait... Mr. Jack, if I recall correctly, isn't this the same person who assigns you the independent mission?"

Jack nodded knowingly. "Yes," he confirmed. "If my instincts serve me right..."

Before Jack could finish his sentence, his phone began to ring, interrupting him.

Jack swiftly answered the call, pressing the phone to his ear, and Edward's voice resonated from the other end.

....

"I'm here, Mr. Edward, and I must say, you're lightning fast," Jack exclaimed with a wide grin. "Your name barely made it onto the reward list, and before I could even blink, you were on the line!"

Edward was initially dumbfounded by Jack's remark, but his voice quickly regained composure and seriousness. "Well, when it's a matter of life and death, time becomes a whole different game."

"Oh, Honorable Mr. Templar," Edward said, sounding both eloquent and professional,

"In the pursuit of upholding justice and order, would you be willing to accept the generous reward of 16 million dollars? It's my humble contribution to protect me and ensure those who disrupt order face punishment."

The words flowed smoothly from Edward's lips, leaving no doubt in anyone's mind that he hadn't rehearsed them beforehand.

Jack, impressed by Edward's swift response, couldn't help but think that he had the potential to be a master at luring and grooming talents for the Templar Knights' Propaganda Department. The thought excited him greatly.

Jack, embracing his role as the righteous defender, responded firmly, "In a situation like this, even if I wanted to refuse, my sense of justice would never allow it. I shall be there in no time at all! Fear not!"

"Excellent! I eagerly await your arrival," Edward replied, a sense of relief evident in his voice.

After hanging up the phone, Jack turned to Winston, who was staring at him in disbelief, and asked curiously, "What's the matter?"

Winston, recovering from his astonishment, swiftly pulled out his phone and dialed Charon at the front desk. "Instruct our personnel not to accept the 8 million reward!" he exclaimed urgently.

Having been the owner of the Continental Hotel for many years, Winston had built a loyal circle of individuals, including skilled assassins under his command. He didn't want his subordinates to take on this particular task, only to have Jack assign it to him!

"After all, I don't want to be caught in the crossfire," Winston muttered to himself, disregarding the other killers and their involvement.

"Did you come to an agreement with Mr. Edward?" Winston inquired once he had finished his phone call.

"Yes," Jack nodded with enthusiasm, heading toward the exit. "And you know what? This is the perfect opportunity for the Knights Templar to make a grand announcement about our triumphant return to the world!"

.....

"Are you absolutely certain that everything you've told me is true?" Secretary of Defense Camilles peered at Anderson with a serious expression.

"This is not a matter to be taken lightly, Anderson. If something were to go awry, we could find ourselves knee-deep in trouble."

Anderson leaned back in his chair confidently. "They don't require our assistance, sir. And as long as we refrain from intervening, the High Table has no reason to retaliate against us."

The Secretary pondered for a moment before asking, "And what is it exactly that they want?"

Anderson paused, trying to recall the limited information he had received. "The details were rather scant, but it was a general statement... they desire equal treatment akin to that of the High Table."

"Another High Table?" Secretary Camilles raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"To be more precise, it's a 'High Table' that is willing to engage in a battle to the death with the existing High Table."

Secretary Camilles leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "...I must admit, I am intrigued. However, such a vague statement hardly suffices. What more can you tell me?"

"He mentioned that he wishes to speak to you face to face."

A grin formed on Secretary Camilles' face. "How interesting... such audacity! Even the [Elder] of the High Table would not dare make such a request."

"Perhaps it stems from their unwavering confidence?" Anderson suggested.

"In any case, I find myself genuinely intrigued by the intentions of this Knight Templar and what this individual seeks," Secretary Camilles mused. "Three days from now, here at the Pentagon, let him come alone."

...

"Thank God, Mr. Jack, you are finally here," Edward exclaimed with a mix of relief and astonishment as he welcomed him into the president's office at Edward Group.

Jack, with his usual air of calmness and composure, replied, "Just in time, it seems. You mentioned encountering at least ten people attempting to assassinate you. Second assassination, you say?"

Edward nodded, still in shock. "Yes, it was a close call. These killers seem to be lured by the irresistible temptation of eight million dollars."

Jack smirked knowingly. "Ah, money has a way of tempting even the most skilled assassins. However, the defense system I provided you with has proven to be quite useful, hasn't it?"

Edward's face brightened with gratitude. "Absolutely! If it weren't for your defense system, I wouldn't have survived long enough for your arrival. Thanks to it, I successfully blocked the attempts of at least five killers!"

As Edward spoke, a realization dawned on him. "Wait a minute, Mr. Jack... How did you manage to get here undetected?"

Jack shrugged casually, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "My dear, if the system I designed didn't have a way for me to enter, that would be rather amusing, wouldn't it? But let's not dwell on that. We have important matters to discuss."

Jack took out his mobile phone and began reading a message he had received from Winston, his trusted informant. "According to the background information I've gathered, there are no less than 500 killers currently assigned to this task, and their numbers are still increasing."

Edward's eyes widened in shock. "500? That's an unimaginable number! Mr. Jack, what do you plan to do?"

Jack continued to read, his tone serious yet determined. "Fear not, Edward. I am here to protect you. These initial attempts on your life are merely appetizers. The main course is yet to come!"

Edward's anxiety grew, and he nervously asked, "What's the plan, Mr. Jack? How can we possibly handle such a daunting situation?"

Jack looked up from his phone, a glint of determination in his eyes. "As the losses for these killers pile up, the Continental Hotel, our trusted ally, will pressure the parties offering the bounty to increase the reward amount. But here's the trick: once these individuals are eliminated, and no one adds more money to the reward, your bounty will naturally be canceled."

•••

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