The Royal Contract

"Damn!"

"That stupid fool. How could Joe do that to us?" 

"Fuck!" Tim continued to curse at the top of his lungs. "All this time, I never suspected anything. How could he betray us all?" He ran his fingers through his hair, feeling exasperated.

He still could not believe that one of them would be capable of stabbing them in the back. Although it was not unlikely since all of them were still humans, capable of making mistakes. Still, he expected more from his team, especially Joe.

He just did not anticipate it from the old goat who had been his confidant since he had joined the team. Joe was a good man, but the system might have gotten to him.

"He wanted out with a huge payday," Ben narrated what happened in the facility where he was treated.

If not for the child, he might be a goner now. He mentally reminded himself that he had to visit him one day when he had fully recovered and all of this was over. 

He had to thank him for saving his life, not just once but twice. He would never have predicted that a young boy could ever save his life.

"Well, if that was all he wanted, he could have asked me. I would have helped him settle in with a comfortable retirement package." Tim said, still unable to accept that one of his teammates would choose money over family.

He had taken care of most of his men in his best capacity. With Alex backing, his men and their families were well provided for. They were not rich, but they had lived comfortably without worries.

They had risked their lives in the military, not knowing when they would return home in a body bag. At the end of it all, they and their families were still unsure of their future.

"Well, Joe believed that you are bypassing him as a successor in your position and naming me as the next in line. He said he refused to work under me." Ben finally admitted, still unable to consider such a ridiculous idea. 

"Of course, I told him that it was not true." He quickly added, not assuming that someone like him could ever take over Tim. 

Maybe in a far future, a very far one, he might take on the role. He believed that Joe was right. He still had a lot to learn before he became anywhere near as good as Tim or even Joe. 

Ben would have followed Joe if Tim ever decided to pass his position to Joe. He respected Joe for all the things he had taught him, especially those times that Joe was there to save his butt.

"Then he was a fool for choosing his interest first before the entire team," Tim concluded, disappointed for losing a good man. But happy that Ben had survived his ordeal.

He patted Ben on his hand, careful not to touch his injuries. He was glad that Ben was finally back in their midst, being treated by the best doctor in the city.

He was proud of his team for risking their lives for their fellow member and for putting their lives to save another. 

He would not lose sleep on Joe. He had become a rotten apple in a good batch. He was glad that they had seen his 

"It was his loss, not ours," Ben stated, agreeing with what his boss had said. "I am also glad that you are ok." He told his boss, who sat beside his hospital bed.

He looked at his boss, who had been like a father to him. He would have given his life for this man and for Alex, who never treated him like he was not his equal.

"Anyway, I better let you get back to sleep. I need you to recover quickly." Tim stood from his chair, holding on to his own injury. 

"I wish I could do more," Ben said, anxious to help in any way he could. "Do you already have any lead to where they had taken them?" He asked, wishing he had learned where they had taken the couple.

He remembered being surprised to see a new flight attendant on the plane. Then, he was attacked from behind when he tried to talk to the pilot inside the cockpit. That was when he had lost consciousness.

After several hours, he woke up, his hands tied up on his back. It was just fortunate that he had a few tricks on his sleeve. He was able to untie himself without the men guarding him noticing.

"I don't want you to worry about that. You already have done more than enough." Tim assured him. "I want you to concentrate on making yourself better."

He knew he should be listening to his own advice. But somebody had to take charge in this situation. He knew it was only him qualified to handle such a delicate matter.

Joe was wrong about Ben. Ben was more than capable of taking over him. He might be young and less experienced than the two of them, but he still had a good head over that shoulder of his.

"But..." Ben was about to argue with Tim that he could still help, but Tim would not allow it.

"Just get better first. You are in a worse condition than I am." Tim told him, with no room for argument.

He stared at one of his best men on the team. He believed that Ben would be a good leader if not now, maybe someday. As he said before, he could see himself in him.

But Joe was also wrong about his assumption. He seriously contemplated handing some of his responsibilities to Joe when he decided to come back from his vacation.

Fortunately, he had learned of his true colors before he did hand him the reins. He would have regretted it in the end. His team would have fallen into the enemy's hands.

"By the way, do you think Joe survived the encounter?" He asked, remembering his other men were unable to answer him definitely.

During their rescue mission of Ben, his men had exchanged gunshots with the other team. Some of his men were injured, while their adversary also had incurred injuries and fatalities.

Nobody could confirm if Joe was only injured or had died during the exchange of fire. However, they were sure that Joe was hit by one of his men.

"I would not know. I was heavily drugged, and my head was spinning during that time." Then, he tried to recall if he could remember anything from that incident.

"Never mind," Tim said, not wanting Ben to worry about him. "If Joe was shot, let us just assume that he might still be alive." He told him. "If he is. I promise you. I will catch him, and he will pay for his crime."

It was better to assume the worse than be complacent that he was killed, then eventually learn that he survived to haunt them in the future.

He was fair in the way he handled his men. He usually showed mercy for the minor mishaps they made. But the treacherous act of Joe was different. His attempt to harm Ben or even kill him was not tolerable.. His betrayal was punishable by death.