Our first hearing went well. Louise was brought to courtroom on a wheelchair. Though I miss her bouncing butt, I'm much happier to see her happy. Loving this woman has changed my life completely. Roberto placed some vital facts in front of the judge, pointing out Schmitten's wife committing suicide, followed by his daughter, in the same year and Schmitten's immoral lifestyle, ruining his business relations with most of his alliances and clients. Luckily, the summon was in the name of Alarie Corp and not particularly Schmitten or Lucas. Schmitten attended the hearing alone, with a few of his bodyguards. Lucas was absent. That was a great advantage for us. He even mentioned about the abduction and our encounter. He didn't mention the secret meeting we underwent with Julian to collaborate with Alaries. Roberto knew his job well. Schmitten looked quite disturbed after the first hearing. He looked like he would do something stupid giving us new cues to act upon.
I made a visit on Lucas in Marseille, the next day of our hearing. At first, he was furious at me and pointed his gun at me. But, I tried to bargain with him and he was ready to listen. I asked him to visit Normandy, this weekend and attend a meeting with Julian. He was surprised and wanted to know everything there, but I put him to suspense and told him to trust me this one time. To ensure his arrival at the dock, I called up Julian afterwards and told him about the plan. I recorded everything we talked over call. Here's the recording:
[Danny] Hey, buddy. We had our first hearing, yesterday and our lawyer didn't mention anything about you.
[Julian] Thank you for that! I really appreciate that, because I don't need any trouble. My dad isn't well enough to handle any stress regarding business. Had I known Louise was alive, I wouldn't have accepted Lucas's offer.
[Danny] We won't mention your name in this case, as promised and you would continue to get all the services, you're provided now by Gabriel. Instead, we need one small help from you.
[Julian] Apart from providing the smuggle records of Lucas?
[Danny] Yes.
[Julian] Okay. Go on.
[Danny] You see, there's already a drift between the Alarie father and son on the context of business. I want to widen this gap, on moral grounds, to ensure the flawlessness of our case. Schmitten have been trying to twist statements and evidences and the least we want is Lucas to ally with him. So, I want you to convince Lucas into believing that he is not being blamed of anything. It's just his father against Louise. Right now, just call him after we end talking and invite to our meeting this weekend. Would that be okay?
[Julian] That is good. I will call him up and tell that we need to discuss something urgent. Something of his interest.
[Danny] Thanks buddy. Louise wasn't wrong, when she told about your helpful nature.
[Julian] How's she holding up? I hope there is nothing serious about her health.
[Danny] She has second degree burns all the way up her thighs and a hair-line fracture on her right index finger. Minor scrapings from the explosion on her elbows and knees, which seem to heal fast. No radioactive exposure. She seemed to have fainted out of fatigue after the explosion.
[Julian] Poor girl!
[Danny] She's the one setting off the explosion! She's one hell of a fighter, dude!
[Julian] Really? Tell me what had happened.
[Danny] This encounter should remain a secret. We should not discuss this in front of Lucas, because looks like he isn't aware of our encounter.
[Julian] Don't worry, you have my word. I asked out of curiosity.
[Danny] Schmitten abducted me and wanted to scare me into negotiating to, maybe, withdraw this case. I was unarmed and stripped of all my clothes. I had to kill one of their men to cover and arm myself. After Schmitten arrived and we had a twisted version of the truth about the Robillard murder scene, he opened firing on me. Gabriel and Louise broke in with other snipers and tried to get me out of the place. When she saw there was bloodshed on both sides and she couldn't find a way out, she provoked Schmitten into turning his men after her and trapped them inside the fuel reserve chamber of the factory. A grenade and the explosion.
[Julian] Holy Christ! That feels like some Hollywood movie shit!
[Danny] True dude! We found her after half an hour of searching, unconscious in the dumping yard of the factory.
[Julian] This girl has some real balls of steel! I didn't know this side of her, before.
[Danny] Her past experiences changed her great deal, dude! She's grown very cold-hearted towards death and bloodshed. Her best quality is she's selfless for the people she loves.
[Julian] You're one lucky man to have met this version of Louise Robillard. I liked her for whatever she was back then, but this version is absolutely lit!
[Danny] I assume that you still have a soft-corner for her. Your eyes spoke your heart.
[Julian] No harsh feelings, buddy, but I missed us, when I met her last time. I hope everything goes well between you two. I shall pray.
[Danny] Thank you so much for the cooperation and for your precious time. You're a better businessman than your father and being an open risk-taker always proves positive for an expanding business. Best of luck with the future!
[Julian] Wish you luck with the trial! Ciao.
Though it sounded a bit informal between us, the friendship is needed for business. Pure business alliance. It's been two days since our phone call. Louise seems to heal pretty fast. She looks very happy with the family, she craved to get till the last few months. Gabriel loved me like his own son. I wonder why he lived alone. Was he still unmarried or divorced? He didn't have children? I decided to ask these questions, directly.
After dinner, Louise stayed busy gossiping with Darcey and Patricio seemed to have found interest in the girly chit-chats. Such a kiddish guy could become such a beast when handed an AK-47M. Thanks to God, he's in right hands. Such immature boys are often easy targets to be tamed by terror campaigns of some such organisations. Had Laden been trained under a man like Gabriel, he would have been alive and not recognised as a terrorist, today. I shook away my silly thoughts and asked out Gabriel for a smoke. We walked into the living hall and sat across the bar niche, puffing into our cigars.
"Can I ask you something, Monsieur?"
"Yes, my child. Go ahead."
"Where are your wife and kids?"
"I never had kids."
"And what about a wife?"
"She was killed." He puffed a huge amount of smoke out.
"How? When?"
"I used to be a part of Robillard Corporation, once upon a time! I had married my high school girlfriend, but didn't have kids. 20th January, 1992. We were kids. We didn't need kids then. It was a destination wedding in Hawaii, escaping the snowfall of Paris. You had to see Samuel, blooming like a flower out of happiness. We were so much in love and new to our father's business. It was a large-scale business then, but wasn't a multi-national giant like today. Things started going out of order the day we brothers decided to make collaborations and expand the business. The biggest tycoon then, was the Stepanov Global Enterprise, which belonged to the most powerful Russian Mafia Prince Zultan Stepanov and his sons. Just two successful business collaborations with the lesser alliances of Stepanov and it got the Prince furious. He didn't like small collaborations. We received a letter from the Russian Prince to stop expanding business in the Russian-occupied markets. We sent him an apology and expressed our wish to expand business with them. Never knew so much brutality until the day, I found our father, mother and my wife, dead in front of our office building and hung by ropes, like banners by the window panes!"
"WHAT THE--"
"Yes, my boy. I was heartbroken and became an emotionless rock, since then. I had cried so much, that I don't have tears or emotions left in me, anymore. I could never dare to marry someone else. I couldn't move on from Lucy. I left business and cracked the entrance to the General Directorate for External Security, France and kept sharpening my skills in defence and conducted many secret missions, gaining political power. Here, Samuel kept doing business and with my help, we expanded our Robillard Corporation to such heights the Russian Prince could never imagine. I learnt a great lesson in life - SURVIVAL OF THE COLDEST!"
The last line hit me like a dart in the heart! Couldn't agree more with the old man. Each one of us had been through such rough times, which turned us into monsters of some kind. Gabriel patted my shoulder and slid a bottle of Krug Clos pinot noir in my hands. I pulled out two glasses and poured red wine for us. Since my entry in the mafia business, I have had some some fucking expensive wines, which were totally worth the money!
"My boy, I wish you luck on this lawsuit! Louise is the only one left in my family. I don't want to see her suffer the way I did. Make sure you never hurt my princess!"
"I will take care of her like my baby, always. Tomorrow, I would be meeting Julian and Lucas. I hope everything goes according to our plan."
"Amen! You must rest now. It's quite late."
I nodded as he left me alone on the bar niche. I walked up to the guest room and peeped inside. Darcey and Louise were fast asleep, like twin babies. Not making an attempt to disturb them, I fled from there and headed to bed.
The following morning my eyes opened when the first beam of sunlight hit my eyes. I hurried for my flight to Normandy. Gabriel's well-wishes and Louise's kisses boosting my confidence, I left for this important settlement. I had Patricio and Travis with me on the tour and asked them to stay inside the flight, while keeping me under radar. Anything could go wrong, anytime and I might need cover fire. I put on a slim bullet-proof material under my shirt, before leaving and kept my revolver fully loaded, with a few extra bullets in the inner pocket of my coat. I kept a recorder in my purse. At the dockyard, Julian shook hands with me and welcomed me into his business cruise. Lucas was already present inside with a bottle of champagne. I took a seat opposite Lucas. He gave me cold glance. Julian broke the ice.
"Gentlemen, we have to discuss something very serious and I have very less time to spare. So, let's cut to the chase?"
Both of us nodded in agreement. Clearing my throat, I started with my rehearsed speech.
"I know about your smuggling business with Othonos. It would be better, if we all be honest here and don't beat around the bush."
"How did you find out about this? Tell me that first!"
"Fair enough! Schmitten sent me here, a couple of weeks ago, as a representative on his behalf. He already had an appointment fixed with Julian and had given him a proposal to collaborate with Alarie Corp."
"Not again! Why does this man try to get onto my nerves always?" Lucas hissed under his breath.
"I didn't understand this thing in the beginning. When I visited Normandy and had a talk with Julian, I was surprised to know that you're involved into something so risky like narcotics. Julian told me that he thinks Schmitten wanted to shut down the Othonos just like his other collaborations, to gain an upper hand in business. So, he simply rejected this offer."
"I don't understand what's his fucking problem with me earning my own way? He says narcotics are risky - which is true, but atleast it's good money. I don't go around fucking up relations with people and ruining my income like him. He thinks getting involved into narcotics business would make him incapable of blending with politicians, but my question is when did he ever make strong connections enough to take this business blowing off the charts? Did he ever make useful connection? Did he ever try to sit and talk, without shedding a drop of blood on the floor? That person is a blood-sucking mongrel, you know!"
I looked diagonally at Julian and bit my lips, preventing myself from grinning there. Lucas's words lit up to me a great path towards success. I nodded in agreement with Lucas.
"Yes, definitely. I am aware of Schmitten's nature. He is a self-centred person--"
"AN EGOTISTIC PIECE OF SHIT! A PIG WITH NO GUT!" Lucas snapped at me, leaning too close to me.
"Yes, I agree with that. Since I have known you so many years and worked with you more than with your father, I came here to tell you about his intentions and offer you a helping hand. Right now, I hope you know the situation about the lawsuit going between Louise and Schmitten."
"You are going to help that little whore ruin Schmitten, because she thinks he had murdered the Robillards and seized her father's business. Right?"
I felt a gush of fury swarming my senses, to control which I clenched my hands into fists. I couldn't afford to lose my calm here.
"Listen. You have been a good friend to me, the past five years, I spent working for the Alaries. Being a good friend, I am asking you a favour to help me out in this situation against someone, whom most of the people in France hate commonly. You would never be judged for taking your stand when he is trying to restrict your life and stay dependent under him. I can assure you protection from Schmitten, so that you can continue your business in narcotics."
"What do you want in return?"
"Give your father a piece of your mind and step ahead of the already-flop Alarie business. You have me at your back."
"What did he do to you that you began to dislike him?"
"I was abducted last week and dropped in between an open fire, unarmed, because he saw me hanging out with Louise. I was curious about what she's up to in this lawsuit."
"And now you have changed sides?"
"I wouldn't have, until the abduction. I am a human and I fear death. I got protection from Gabriel Robillard and so, thought of you. Schmitten is a dangerous man and knows no boundary, when it comes to bloodshed. No blood relation matters to him!"
Lucas lowered his neck and stayed like that for a while. Julian added something after staying silent this entire conversation.
"Even I took protection from Gabriel, when I had to reject this proposal of collaboration, to keep away from bloodshed and trouble. I can assure you, his men are the most reliable bodyguards you can find in whole France! My father is not well and I didn't want any trouble in my business, because I both need money and a peaceful situation to help father make a speedy recovery."
Lucas got up from his seat and walked up to the window, both hands in his pockets. I kept my grip on my revolver in a very subtle manner. After a few moments, Lucas turned around and answered me.
"He needs to be shown his grounds! I can't let piece of old meat fuck around with my life, just like he messed up himself. I will take a stand against him! I will reconstruct the Alarie Corporation and this old man needs to be removed from his dictatorship!"
"Excellent decision!"
"But first, I need a demo of the particular service we're talking about!"
Pulling out his gun, Lucas loaded it and pointed at me. Julian stood up with his pistol pointed at Lucas.
"Julian, you on his side?"
"Put that fucking gun down, Lucas!"
Patricio and Travis came running with their rifles into the cabinet.
"Okay, so these puny little guards will give me service?"
*BANG BANG BANG BANG*
A series of gunshots reverberated through the cruise. Lucas peeped out of the window. The entire cabinet was encircled with men armed to their teeth. Julian spoke up.
"This is my team, Lucas. Nobody escapes them! It's a very useful deal. Trust me."
Lucas looked around at everybody and lowered his gun. I could see a feeling of satisfaction in his eyes. He agreed to take the service. We sealed the deal with a randomly made formal-looking form of services for Lucas to sign as a paper proof. We shook hands and left for our private planes. This success was required to be celebrated with everyone at Paris. I wonder what Gabriel has in store, next.