Chapter 18 - Challenge (1/2)
Being a high-profile family, the Blyths handled things a bit differently than most. One of them is when issues creep up among the younger generations of a family. Such issues are common as they promote competition among the younger generation.
If the agenda of one of them is found to be directly or indirectly harmful to the family's influence or power, the elders of the council would quickly put an end to it. The same happens to the cases when one of them uses unlawful or despicable means against another.
When the issue has no effect on the family and both the parties were lawful and honorable, they tend to settle it in a much more simple and effective way. They could challenge one another to a fight and settle the issue based on who won. It was common to challenge over monetary issues or bet properties when both the parties willingly agreed.
Balthazar preemptively dared Jack to challenge him so that he could avoid trouble from himself and get something from it.
Jack was very surprised by Balthazar taking initiative to suggest a challenge. He was always known to be a bit of bully and people hardly ever took initiative to fight him. But he couldn't just back down out of it as it would be harmful to his reputation. Jack had two other ventures and he could use one of them for the stakes. But he was sure that Balthazar wouldn't be interested in them.
Unable to decide on what to do, he silently moved towards his father and asked him in a whisper, ”What should I put in as stakes? I don't know if he would be interested in either the restaurant or the building.”
”I doubt that he would be interested in either. But I would suggest not to challenge him. He used to be able to hold himself against you five years ago. Though you are older than him and have your own experiences, he has a certain name in the military. You might not be able to fight him anymore,” advised Oliver.
”I have the same feeling, but if someone offered to represent me?” asked Jack back to Oliver.
”I doubt anyone else in your generation can fight him either. Balthazar also seems very confident in himself and he is was not known to be unnecessarily reckless. Don't expect me to fight. I am Elder and I don't want to be that shameless to intrude in the fights of their juniors.”
”What if an Elder wants to fight and even offered to pay the amount?”
”Who would be that generous to you?”
”Elder Max. But I suspect somethings wrong. Why would he give me such an offer? I hardly know him. So, I wanted to know if you might have any idea.”
”Elder Max? He is always planning something or other. He is lucky, he never got caught. But since he is feeling so generous let him be. Don't interact with him ever again.”
”OK, I will go on with the challenge.”
Decided on going ahead with challenging he immediately sent a message to Max for the money. A second later he got a confirmation of the transfer. He immediately called out to Balthazar, ”If you are in for the challenge, my representative is ready.”
”You got someone else to represent you from the family? You afraid to fight yourself?” sneered Balthazar trying to agitate Jack to fight himself as he didn't know who the representative would be.
But Jack was not that gullible a man. He just laughed back. ”What? You're worried about who it is that would be representing me?” he shamelessly asked back in a sneer.
”OK. I accept your challenge. Who is you representative?” said Balthazar. He was confident in fighting any member of the family of the same generation as him. He doubted that any family member including Oliver would publicly involve themselves in the squabbles of the younger generation.
”It is me,” said Max suddenly coming to stand beside Jack. Max had been thinking about his summon back to the mansion for quite some time. He couldn't find any reason for the family to suspect him of anything. His contact at the knights of the old republic was insisting that he find out why he was summoned by his family. He did get summoned back after the attempt on Balthazar. So, he wanted to be doubly sure that Balthazar has no clue about him ever since he reached the mansion.
When he heard about Jack and Oliver waiting for Balthazar at the main hall, he immediately made his way down to the main hall and had been waiting there since. When Balthazar taunted Jack to challenge him, he couldn't believe that Balthazar would be the one giving him the chance.
When Balthazar saw Max stepping forward to represent Jack, he was both shocked and angry but mostly angry. He couldn't believe that Max an Elder would be that shameless to participate in their squabble. ”This bastard! He is trying to test me out,” he thought realizing Max's plans.
He quickly managed to calm the rage and managed to put in a face of surprise as he let his jaw drop down. A minute later, he sent a message to Max asking him why he would be doing this. But he didn't get any reply from him.
He immediately approached Max and asked ”Uncle Max! What are you doing? Why are you doing this? You realize you are an elder right?”
”I am sorry Bel. But Jack had promised me a favor that I need, and I will be representing him for it,” lied Max through his teeth.
”He had been prepared for this,” thought Balthazar when he heard Max's excuse. ”Well, I was just being silent all this time but if you insist on having a fight, I will show you what I can do.”
”Are you sure you want to do this,” he asked Max to confirm that a fight between them couldn't be avoided.
”I can't back out of this, Bel. I will go easy on you. Don't worry,” he said acting as if to comfort Balthazar. Max also couldn't explicitly reveal that he wanted Balthazar dead.
”Ok,” said Balthazar aloud. ”I am fine with the challenge. Let us go to the fighting ring.”
Soon, he along with Jack, Oliver, Max and a few spectating members of the family found themselves in the first floor of the gymnasium. The challenge fights would usually take place in one of the two fighting rings here. It was a square-shaped ring with rubber ropes along the borders similar to a wrestling ring.
As he got ready to fight, he received a message from Robert. ”I heard you are going to fight Max in the gym. What happened to being friendly with him?” it read.
”He initiated the fight. He wants to represent Jack in a challenge,” he replied back.
”I contacted Walter already. He was very angry that Max is taking sides in juniors' quarrels. He thinks that Max might take this chance to injure you seriously. So, his suggestion is for you to fight like he was the enemy or have Salazar represent you.”
”No, involving Salazar would just give him more information about me. I will be fine. Come to watch the fight,” he replied ending the conversation.
”State the terms of your challenge and wager of both the parties,” said Oliver loudly trying to start up the challenge.