Chapter 211 - Surrounded (1/2)
”So, are you going to tell me?” asked D.i.c.k.
”What?”
”Your relationship with Rowley. Why do you want him alive?” asked D.i.c.k. ”What do you think he knows?”
”I don't expect him to know much, but he could have some information from the fact that there is more than one bounty for killing him. There hadn't been an announcement from his family that he has been emancipated, but somehow three bounties appeared on the day he was kicked out. Someone wants him silenced and he says that he could provide me with some answers,” said Balthazar.
”That could all be a trick to get you close to him,” said D.i.c.k. ”You did play a part in the events that led to his brother's death.”
”I have considered it, but it is unlikely. He wouldn't put three bounties on himself for the sake of avenging his brother. He has his own family and my investigation reveals that he cares for them dearly. Those bounties could get him killed as he could never control the ones that take it,” said Balthazar. ”If he was the emotional kind, he wouldn't have left his wife and children to attack me. If he considers it necessary for me to die for the Rowley family's repute, business and sustenance, he wouldn't try to kill me either as that would have worse repercussions on the Rowleys.”
”So, I am thinking that there are only two possibilities for all this. One he is being hunted and I am his only choice for sanctuary as he has information that could help him. Two he is being blackmailed to put me in danger, but I have already checked that his wife and children are safe in the Rowley family and their patriarch himself is taking responsibility for their safety,” said Balthazar.
”You have them under surveillance?” asked D.i.c.k.
”No, I had some one hired through ShadowCard to provide me information and this was what I obtained from the bounty. They had nothing about his present locale, but there were a few who investigated his family to know about him and told me that it was a dead end and I needed to increase the bounty. I paid them a bit and put in a condition that his family is out of limits. Can't have him at odds with me and that would be hard if someone got to him through his family due to my bounty,” said Balthazar. ”Those idiots will probably try to capture and bring him to me, and he wouldn't be really willing to help if he knew that I went behind his back.”
”Then you should remove the request of wanting him alive and just request for getting information on him,” said D.i.c.k.
”Of course, I changed it.”
”See you soon, hopefully with some useful information,” said D.i.c.k leaving the room. Glen was right outside the room and he went in as soon as D.i.c.k left.
”What did he want?” asked Glen. As Balthazar's bodyguard and observer during this time, he needed to know if there was any chance of danger to him from D.i.c.k. Though he was considered a family friend through his relationship with Bruce and Evelyn, he didn't trust D.i.c.k completely and if there was anything fishy going on, he was sure that Balthazar would give him a hint in some way.
”It is nothing. I have recently joined ShadowCard,” said Balthazar as he took a bottle of whiskey from the mini fridge in the room and poured it in a pair of glasses.
”Good way to be anonymous, but I hope you didn't use D.i.c.k's help to set up your account. That is same use joining Bruce Kane's side among the commanders and he could monitor your activity to a certain level,” said Glen.
”What?”
”You know that Bruce is one of the commander's, right?”
”Yes, I just came to know about it today. How do you know?” asked Balthazar.
”I am a member of the table. Well almost,” said Glen. ”There are some things you learn when you are being trained by them. ShadowCard is an organization used quite frequently by the major powers and all their security personnel would have a certain amount of understanding towards them. There used to be to commanders from our family about four decades ago in ShadowCard and there is one commander now,” said Glen.
”Usually all members of the ShadowCard from the family are taken in by him, but Bruce can be still considered the same. His post was given to him by a Blyth when he resigned as the commander. So, there are quite a good amount of interaction between them,” he explained.
”Who is the one from our family, Walter?”
”No. I am not allowed to tell you about his identity, but it is not Walter. I will let you know only that much,” said Glen. ”Anyways, if a commander recruits you or vets your account, there seems to be a way for them to monitor your activity. It is to prevent any action from accidentally being taken against them by their own men.”