THE BILLIONAIRE'S RESURRECTION (Book 3)

Chapter 9

After ensuring that Ben was safe at the comfort of his office and making Oren swear nothing bad was going to happen to their boss, Paul whiskers hit the road. On his schedule that was usually full that day the butler did not have much. Since Ben could not listen to him Paul was going rogue. It was time he used his own ways to protect him. Paul was visiting the Japanese yakuza boss Kazuki Yamoto the man who owned numerous night clubs and casinos across the fort canon city. He was not a good man. Even from how he looked, how he talked and the kind of cases that were related to him could send fear down the spines of anyone who went looking for him. But as we all know Paul was not like everyone.

“I seek audience with Mr. Yamoto” Paul said after parking his mustang in the basement parking lot of the five storey night club.

Two Asian men, obviously of Asian origin were standing in front of a heavy metallic door, their hair covering a big part of their faces, in black suits with their katana blades protruding. Paul was confident. They behaved as though they had not heard him.

“Okay boys, here you go” Paul said giving them some money.

A lot of it.

“Why see Yamoto?” One of the gentlemen asked in broken English.

“Me want to talk business” Paul answered.

“Wait here confirm” The big one said knocking on a small opening at the door.

Someone at the back of it opened the small window, they conversed and the door was opened. The remaining guard was preventing Paul from forcing himself inside. And again you might wonder why Paul used that entrance. It was not the normal one. The normal entrance people were allowed to pour in no searches or tipping (unless one was an underage) he would have used the same but it would have required the butler to cause a lot of damage to capture Yamoto’s attention. Instead he went straight to where Yamoto was. Paul walked back. He kept whistling and checking his watch. The messenger was taking so long.

“Can you go check on your friend he is taking so long” Paul complained walking towards the guard.

He got out his blade and pointed on Paul’s chest. The butler was smart enough to stop. It was already threatening to chop his tie into two.

“Patience!” He screamed.

“Okay” Paul said his hands raised up in the air, “Would you mind pointing the sword away?” he asked.

The guard dropped his sword.

“Thank you”

Something was not right. It was a good thing Paul was carrying his pistol and knife as back up. He knew a man like Yamoto could not be approached easily. Someone had to prove how serious and how bad they wanted to meet him. When the other guard came back he whispered something in his friend’s ear. Another red sign but before they acted Paul got out his pistol. They hesitated, he corked it.

“Don’t move” he warned.

They didn’t. They might have had the sharpest swords on the planet but he was the butler to one of the richest men in the city, he was fast and experienced. There was a little chance he was going to miss.

“Good boys, now pass the damn swords over” he ordered, “Nice and slow anything fishy I will send a bullet through your damn heads”

They placed their swords down and dragged them. Once Paul had them he kept his gun and gave them a rope. He did not have to say it. They obediently picked it up and tied each other. He compelled one of them to knock and pretend everything was fine. Once the door opened he knocked them both out and kicked the man at the door.

“Look who decided to join the party” Yamoto said.

In the middle of the room Paul was standing with two swords surrounded by a dozen Japanese Yakuza’s. Their swords were pointed at him.

“Your English is so good” Paul complimented.

Art of war, Paul was trying to act casual, trying to have a normal conversation as though he did not have twelve swords pointed at him. As if he was not all alone with two swords and a pistol loaded with six bullets.

“Yes I was born in japan but my parents moved to fort canon when I was only six” Yamoto explained getting on his feet.

A maid gave him a glass of Whiskey.

“Can you tell your men to...you know drop their razor sharp swords so I can listen to your success story without worrying about whether I will keep my head or not?”

“Boys, drop it” He said making a hand gesture, “Bring Paul some Whiskey too” He said to the maid.

They all dropped their swords, one of them took the ones Paul had in his hands. Whiskey was brought for him and Yamoto directed them to an area where they could talk. A nice joint with a large screen, transparent glass walls from there you could see the rest of the club, leather seats surrounding a glass table.

“I built my fortune from the ground, out of nothing after years of hard work and turmoil in this streets. We started the journey many of us, your boss the immortal Ben Richards was one of them but some gave up and only us survived. Which brings me to this” He paused to drink from his glass, a maid standing behind him was using a feather made fan like object to fan him, “why does your boss want to ruin everything we built? Now that you are here you might have an explanation” He said.

Paul exhaled sharply. Those were the kind of questions he had gone through the answers countless times the previous night. Bargaining was his thing.

Paul readjusted himself “Ben is not trying to ruin the Business environment he...”

“Last time I checked that’s what he is doing” Yamoto interrupted.

“Let me explain” Paul said clearing his throat.

“Okay you have five minutes”

“My boss is a lover of peace, he thrives in it. And he cannot enjoy business if you guys are not. I mean you are a habitat, there’s a food chain her in fort canon. Lincoln pushed his hand and he was just trying to protect his family. You have children Mr. Yamoto?” Paul asked.

Told you. Persuasion was Paul’s thing. And he was well aware how sacred family was in all parts of the world. Especially in japan. The yakuza were like a family.

“Yes, where are you going with this?” He asked worried.

“Don’t worry am just trying to make a point here, am sure you would do anything to save them right?”

“Yes, still not getting the point can you try to be black and white with this?” he checked his watch, “And you five minutes are almost over Mr. Butler”

“Paul, my name is Paul. Look, I want you to reconsider joining Boaz and we can settle this like longtime friends, you said yourself Ben and you come from way long don’t let Boaz ruin that” Paul finalized his pitch.

Yamoto took some time to think of it. Paul had not touched his drink since bidding for Ben’s protection, which was without Ben’s knowledge by the way. He had no idea Paul was there trying to find him some friends.

“Drink up my friend” Yamoto said.

“Not until I have your word” Paul argued.

“What you are asking me is to betray my friends and side with the enemy. Can I do it?” he asked, smiled broadly and drank from his glass watching mesmerized Paul, “Yes I can. Anything for family you said and for me family is business, but I will have to hear it come from Ben. Get him to find me and we can strike a deal with you no”

“Thank you sir” Paul said and emptied his glass.

He got up and bowed in the Yakuza way. Yamoto bowed too.

“It was nice talking to you” Paul said stretching his hand for a handshake.

“You too Paul, make sure you hang by sometimes we should get to know each other and also I have to finish my story”

“Sure”

Paul was escorted outside like a VIP. When he got to his car and drove out of the basement he took a sigh of relief. A few blocks away he parked the car and got out of it shutting the door with a bang. He was breathing heavily. The fear he would have felt back there with swords pointed at him started to come in. was it worth it? Risking his life. Was it time he stopped being a butler and had a family too like Ben had his? Cassie was there for him and some of his relatives he had not seen in years.

“No” he said out loud kicking the tyre of his mustang. “I can’t, I took an oath” he said and went on his knees to look under it. Yamoto could not be trusted, maybe he had one of his guys plant an explosive under his car. Luckily there was none. Paul got back inside his car and drove away. While at it he remembered there was one more hurdle in getting Ben the support he needed, Ben himself agreeing to meet Yamoto.

****

The immortal Ben Richards was having a hard time settling in. on his desk was a bunch of papers his laptop was logged on he was relaxing on the coach with a basketball. On one end of the wall was the basket where he kept scoring from. Clearly his mind was soaring the world while his body was in the office. His secretary knocked.

“Come in!” Ben shouted.

“Good day sir” She said.

“Good day, what is it. More papers for me to sign?” He asked still holding the ball.

“No sir, your son is here” She said.

“Let him in”

“He insisted on waiting outside” She said calmly.

“Did he also insist on why he can’t come in or what he wanted to say?” Ben asked getting up.

“I think he wants you guys to go for lunch” She said.

Then it hit him. He had lost track of time. Ben looked at his watch and smiled with embarrassment.

“Why didn’t you tell me it’s lunch time?” he asked dropping the ball and taking his coat from the hanger.

“I thought you knew sir, sorry”

“I didn’t, clean up everything let me go”

“Okay sir”

As he walked out the secretary was left to clean the papers he had tried to throw into the dustbin, situated across the room from his seat. She also dusted his seat and rearranged the bunch of un signed papers and contracts that were on his desk.

“How are you faring old man?” Scott asked when his dad emerged from behind the large doors on which the top had a brass plate with the inscription “CEO”

“Not good son” Ben said walking briskly.

Oren followed them from behind keeping his distance.

“You will get used to it party boy” Scott mocked.

“I wish I could go back and have more fun, work is exhausting” He complained.

“You still have enough left in the tank” Scott said as they got to the lift.

All the employees who were already in had to leave. Oren did a thorough search before the father son duo got in.

“Where are we going?” Ben asked.

“Hotel east port, they have missed you there” Scott said chuckling.

“You read my mind”: ben said happily.

You are probably asking what was so good about the hotel despite the fact that it belonged to one, Boaz. Bens number one enemy. There is nothing special about it, the last time Ben was there he actually tipped the entire stuff. Some of them got more money than their salaries and it happened Boaz had not paid them for almost three months. If Ben didn’t know that was the beginning of their enmity.

“Where to sir?” Oren asked when he sat behind the wheel.

“Hotel east port” Ben said.

It was this second visit that would give Boaz an opportunity to bring the immortal down.