"Too long?" Clyde's grip on the steering wheel tightened as his eyes flickered with unease. His mind raced, searching for a way to divert William's attention from his true plan.
Feigning pain in his expression, Clyde spoke in a low voice. "Since you've guessed part of it, I'll come clean. The reason I waited so long was to ensure my wife's mother passed away before starting my revenge."
William, equally unwilling to reveal that he had already deduced Clyde's intentions, played along. "So, it really was your brother-in-law targeting your patents? Three years ago, when your father-in-law passed away, you started selling off your patents and properties. Was it all to wait for your mother-in-law's death so you could finally go after your brother-in-law?"
"Exactly," Clyde said through gritted teeth, his hands gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles whitened. "If it weren't for Kelly's parents, I would have killed those scumbags seven years ago, right after leaving the training camp."
"Heh, you've got guts," William said with a thumbs-up, though he knew Clyde's story was only partly true.
Still, whether Clyde followed the path depicted in the movies—taking revenge on everyone involved, including New York's prosecution office—or took a different route was none of William's concern.
Clyde seemed to have stewed for too long, his vengeance feeding into an increasingly ruthless nature. Now, everyone remotely connected to his wife and daughter's murder appeared to be a target, including the entire prosecution department.
If William were in Clyde's shoes, he'd probably feel the same way—unwilling to spare anyone involved.
"So," William said with a smirk, "if it were me, I wouldn't have waited this long. I'd have taken out every last one of them ages ago. But let's get back to the real topic—the one involving that five hundred million dollars you mentioned."
Clyde seemed to sense a kindred spirit in William's reaction. Grinning, he corrected him, "No, not five hundred million—four billion dollars."
Clyde knew from his research into the underground world that at this close range, he'd never manage to eliminate William. If he tried, he'd likely be killed on the spot. So, he decided to play his trump card: the real amount of money at stake.
As expected, William's eyes lit up at the mention of four billion, prompting Clyde to test the waters. "If I were to die, could I trouble you to eliminate my wife Kelly's brother after my mother-in-law passes away?"
"No problem, buddy," William said, narrowing his eyes. "As long as the money's in my hands, I'll take out that scumbag myself. Hell, if four billion is involved, even taking out the head of New York is negotiable."
"Thank you," Clyde said with a hearty laugh. "Be patient, my friend. And by the way, of that four billion, three and a half billion is technically your money."
William's eyes widened. "What do you mean, my money? Are you talking about the three and a half billion I transferred to the French bank for the Château de Chantilly?"
"Exactly," Clyde confirmed, nodding before shaking his head. "That money has now been converted into anonymous gold securities. With gold prices rising recently, they're worth around three-point-six billion dollars now."
Hearing this, William chuckled. "And the remaining five hundred million?"
"The rest is part of the French bank's reserves. It's in digital form, so all you need is the certificate to withdraw it from any bank in the world. If you'd rather avoid complications, you can stash it in Panama. The transaction fee is only five percent—pocket change for someone like you."
"I know how to handle the money without hassle," William retorted, rolling his eyes. With access to the Swiss Basti Bank controlled by the Priory of Sion, laundering the funds over a few years would be a piece of cake. "Now tell me, what do you want from me?"
Seeing William's directness, Clyde was pleased. Without beating around the bush, he said, "I need you to eliminate the people hunting me.
"Since the death of Toby Lane—the French bank's head of IT and security—a group of people has been after me. That's why I returned to the USA.
"And since your people targeted Clarence Darby a few days ago, I've had no choice but to begin my revenge."
Clyde paused, then added, "I need you to keep me safe until all my enemies are dead."
"Heh," William thought to himself. "All your enemies? More like until you blow up New York's prosecution office."
William suspected Clyde also intended to use him as a scapegoat.
If that was Clyde's plan, William was ready to remind him of the kind of man he was dealing with.
"Protecting you is no problem," William said with a grin. "But how do I know you're telling the truth? And if you want my protection, at the very least, you need to tell me who's after you."
"I don't know their exact identities, but they don't seem like hired killers. They feel more like agents," Clyde said after a moment's thought. "Their methods remind me of people I've encountered from the Pentagon or MI6."
"Hahaha," William laughed loudly. "Do you think I'm an idiot?"
"What?" Clyde asked, confused.
"If you didn't know who was targeting the four billion dollars, how could you be so sure? And anyone brazen enough to go after the French bank has to either be insane or an insider."
Watching Clyde's expression closely, William caught a flicker of panic in his eyes, confirming his suspicions.
"So, it's true," William said. "It's someone from inside France targeting that money. And for them to deploy agents to assassinate you, they must hold a very high position."
Clyde's panic subsided as he smiled calmly. "From the moment you bought the Château de Chantilly, many people within France were displeased.
"They couldn't stop you, so they targeted the French bank instead. If that forty billion were stolen, the bank would collapse, forcing the French government to step in.
"Once the government takes over, they'd have the excuse to cause trouble for you. And in a year or two, when the economy recovers and the value of the Château and its 7,800 hectares of land rises, they'd claim it was sold off too cheaply and demand its return."
"Not just possible," William said, grinning. "It's certain. What a brilliant plan. Steal forty billion, and if I agree to return the Château, the government foots the bill."
"Exactly," Clyde replied with a mocking smile. "Don't forget, politicians like us are also capitalists. Our ability to bleed others dry isn't any weaker than yours."
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