Chapter Twenty
The billionaires' battlefield; wealth is the only weapon 4
Everyone began to file out of the hall. To their surprise, the street was crowded. The traffic jam may not ease off in the next three hours.
While Jeff was filling forms and setting out to make payment, Mr. Brooklyn and his team members were already outside mourning their lose.
"We will make that island uninhabitable for them. We would know who owns the land."
"You can take the form to your father to sign and bring it back."
Mr. Clark King suggested hoping that Jeff cannot handle such task.
"Never mind, Mr. King. I will handle it. Can I have the bank details?"
The Minister cast an incredulous glance at him as he made the account details available to him. Jeff made the payment instantly with his card. The perplexed Minister and his staff could not believe that Cherry Fields Oil and Gas Group applied for the bidding.
"If we had known, we would not have bothered ourselves with the auction?"
"Yes. They would have gladly paid one hundred billion."
They discussed within themselves. The documents were duly signed and stamped, and Jeff collected all the documents.
At the premises, the brutal looking Mr. Brooklyn and his friends were loitering around even when the premises had been cleared. From the livestreaming, Mr. Morris became uncomfortable. He remembered how Jeff's mother was kidnapped two years ago. He got dressed up immediately and moved.
When Jeff and the security men got out of the hall and saw the traffic jam, he was startled.
"Oh my God, how are we going to leave?"
He asked the father's aids.
"We may have to wait or use the siren."
While they were still deliberating, behold his masked up grandfather. Jeff recognized him at once and smiled like the child that he was.
"Son, congratulations. I'm so proud of you. Let's go."
"All right dad. Thank you for coming."
The security escorted them to the helicopter. Jeff handed his car keys to one of the aids and boarded the helicopter with his grandfather, and they flew. The bewildered Mr. Brooklyn was still waiting for Jeff when he saw the helicopter flying away. He looked around, but Jeff was not in the company of the security guards.
"We have to change our plans. We will trace the security men to know where he lives."
"All right boss."
As soon as Jeff left with his grandfather, the livestreaming stopped. All the countries watching were relieved. His parents were now relaxed.
In the Helicopter
"I'm very proud of you son."
"Thank you dad. Did I do well?"
"Yes. You did very well. For not adding ten billion at the last bidding was very commendable. Keep it up."
"Thank you dad. I promised I will not let you down,"
"Thank you son. You're the best. Where do we go, school or home?"
"School."
Shortly after that, they were at the Eagles City University and Mr. Morris landed. Jeff handed all the documents of the land and the evidence of payment to him before he got down.
"These are the documents of the Island?"
"That is all right. See you later."
"Bye dad."
"Bye."
As he walked to his department, he met Prof. Wood who was also walking to his class for lecture which would begin by 12.
"Good day, Prof. Wood. Nice to meet you."
Prof. Wood ran his eyes over him to observe him critically before he smiled and responded.
"Good morning. Jeff, how was your weekend?"
"My weekend was good, and yours?"
Before he could respond, Jeff was already in the class. Prof. Wood swallowed what he wanted to say. Seeing students coming to school with a helicopter was not new to Eagle City University, just as he had seen Jeff, but the curiosity of knowing his real identity had consumed him. He could not tell whether he was the person he saw at the Ministry of Trade and Commerce or not. He continued with his lecture while stealing a glance at him whenever he had the slightest opportunity.
At the Ministry Of Trade and Commerce.
The aids, security and the media team were all waiting at the venue for the traffic to ease off before they could move. Mr. Brooklyn and his team were also waiting. They observed the security men for any clue of whom the young bidder was, but there was no crest on their clothes. They resorted to tracing them.
"You will all return to the island. My aid and I will trace them."
"That's good boss."
Now, it was time to leave, as planned, they began tailing them as soon as they drove out. The security men who knew they were being tailed ignored them until they got to a lonely road. The Hilux Van driver came to an abrupt stop, and they rammed into it and somersaulted into the bush. The security moved on as though nothing happened.
A month later, Jeff took the Works Department of the Cherry Fields Oil and Gas Group and visited the Island with heavily armed security men to address the inhabitants. They all gathered at the urban square for a briefing. There was someone with a walking cane and cervical collar limping to the square along with others. Once they got a reasonable number of people, they began the meeting. The host was the secretary of the Works Department Manager.
"Good day all, thank you all for your response to this call despite the short notice. This is to officially inform you that the ownership of this island had changed."
Some people whimpered. Some whispered to others. The general mood of the people failed. The secretary stopped to watch their countenances and continued.
"We are appealing to you to relocate within three months."
One of the residents was bold enough to ask.
"Sir, is it lawful to give a tenant just three months' notice to relocate?"
The host who knew where he was going decided to speak their language.
"No, it is very wrong to give a tenant three months' notice."
The resident who were happy with the question and response decided to ask another question, this time, bolder since he was taken seriously by the host.
"Then why are you giving us just three months' notice to relocate? Is it fair?"
He became their hero and self-appointed spokesperson. The secretary smiled and looked at his Bosses, who also smiled and back to the residents.
"You would have been asking such question if you are our tenants, and we would have attempted answering your questions if your rent is still running."
They were dumbfounded. The secretary ignored them and continued.
"However, we have options for you."
The people became attentive.
"We are starting work very soon, and we would be needing the services of both skilled and unskilled workers. If you wish to work with us, you are free to indicate interest in filling the forms we would issue to you immediately, but if you're not, you can leave after three months."
This was the best news they have heard after the auction. They began to fill the forms. The man with the walking cane and cervical collar collected and filled the form too. From his form, the secretary discovered that he was Mr. Wong, Brooklyn and a Medical Doctor.
He had been disowned by his owners and the sponsors of the terrorist group for failing to acquire the island and for being incommunicado after that. He realized how empty his life as a terrorist had been. A small boy of about twenty years defeated him in an auction sales, yet he believed he was the high and mighty. He had been a terrorist since he was fourteen years until now that he was thirty. He had nothing to show for it, so he had to go back to his profession. Jeff sighted a figure that looks like Ben-G. He was also attempting to fill the form as an unskilled worker. The secretary concluded.
"Thank you for your cooperation. You will hear from us very soon."
In that battlefield, no weapon was used. Bullets were not shot, armored tanks were not seen. No bomb blast. The only weapon that was used was wealth.