Chapter 33: Recruiting Christmas Lee
Gareth saw William's inquiring eyes and explained, "There is a low-level archive room in the basement of the London Public Library. It contains all sorts of personnel files."
"And I can see these confidential materials now?" William asked.
Gareth nodded. "It's a perk for insiders. Many of these materials are kept in the private archives of noble families. I still have the authority to open some of them to you."
"But William," he added, "many of our people now know your true identity, so you must be discreet in your actions. Some of the old guard are just waiting to see you fail."
William scowled at Gareth's teasing expression. "Go to hell, Gareth." He couldn't understand why these people insisted on forming their own secret groups. Was it really necessary? This particular group hadn't been active in a decade.
"Is it really necessary for me to set up a group?" he asked. "Just give me an identity. I don't want to go through all this trouble."
Gareth was silent for a moment, then lowered his voice. "If the Earl of Oxford had produced an heir of his own, none of this would be your concern. The formation of Group W would have been his responsibility. But in the past ten years, he has failed to produce an heir, and that introduces too many variables. No one will trust him with our secrets. Coupled with Henry's arrangements, this obligation has fallen back to you, as his heir. In short, as long as you have this identity, it will be very convenient to do many things in the name of the government."
"William, our current situation is very difficult. Many people want to replace us. We need power to protect ourselves. Many of us have secret groups like yours. We are just trying to guarantee our right to survive. You can only feel secure when you have power in your own hands."
Gareth's words silenced William, who thought to himself, *He's right. Isn't the most fundamental purpose of all human activity to survive? Even without the system, my rebirth alone gives me countless opportunities to become a millionaire. If I want to keep my wealth and family, I must have the power to protect myself. I can take advantage of this opportunity to build my own power, which aligns with the intentions of Gareth and the others.*
He knew he had to consider how to defend against the unseen hands reaching for him in the dark; magic wasn't omnipotent. Unless absolutely necessary, William didn't want to be exposed to the public. He had no desire to become a global pariah like the mutants in the movies, because then far too many people would want to get their hands on his magical abilities.
But if it really came down to a life-or-death situation, William wouldn't be soft-hearted. After all, this was a movie world, not the China of his previous life. If the world was destroyed, so be it. He would just take his mother, Lina, use a portal to escape, live in hiding, and then return for revenge. He'd like to see who could withstand the vengeance of a magician who could appear anytime and anywhere.
After he and Gareth parted ways, William finally understood why Gareth and his faction had to form their own groups, and the realization put him more at ease. It was just about building a semi-private armed force hidden within the government. The fact that they needed so many justifications and covers meant that Gareth and his people were in a difficult position, and their power had been forced into the shadows.
As long as their interests weren't threatened, these groups hidden within various departments were legitimate government forces. They were Englishmen, after all. But if someone tried to eliminate Gareth and his allies, these hidden groups would become the knives in Gareth's hands, ready to slash at their enemies.
William drove to the London Public Library. After showing his power company ID, a staff member led him to the underground archives.
After showing William how to use the computer, the staff member left him to his work. William saw files listed for police, military, and even mercenaries. He curiously clicked on the mercenary files and was surprised to see how much information was available. As he flipped through them, he suddenly saw a familiar face.
The photo showed a stone-faced man with a Van Dyke beard and a muscular build. His arms were covered in tattoos of skulls and crows, and he wore a beret. He looked like a middle-aged man you wouldn't want to cross.
The information listed him as Barney Ross, an expert in combat and assault, with a gun-drawing technique that allowed him to fire six shots in one second. The name of his mercenary team was The Expendables.
William was speechless. It was The Expendables, led by the character Stallone played. And in this world, the man's real name was Barney Ross.
His team members were listed as Christmas Lee (Jason Statham), Yin Yang (Jet Li), Hale Caesar (Terry Crews), Toll Road (Randy Couture), and Gunnar Jensen (Dolph Lundgren).
This was a complete surprise. William found the sight of Stallone's famously expressionless face amusing.
The team consisted of a commander, a former member of the British SAS, a close-combat expert, a heavy-weapons expert, a demolitions expert, and a proficient sniper. Although they were all older, they were masters of their craft, with a 100% mission completion rate and high fees—at least one million dollars per mission.
William got up and searched the physical archives for all the information on the team. Looking at the file for Christmas Lee, he picked up his phone and made the call.
*Beep… beep…* The phone connected after a few rings.
"Hello? Who is this?" a voice with a distinct accent came from the other end.
"Hello, Mr. Lee. My name is William Devinshire, a team leader with British MI6. Soldier number S1967726, Lee Christmas. Do you have a moment to chat?"
For a moment, William wondered if he should have used his real name. But then he remembered that since taking over Group W, his identity was already an open secret to those in the know. The Devinshire family had been involved with Group W for over 140 years. Anyone with the means to find out probably already knew. As long as he was discreet about his actions, no one would know his true intentions.
"What the hell? How do you know who I am? And your name is William Devinshire? The heir to the Earl of Devinshire? The billionaire? Are you kidding me, mate? That's not funny. When you're trying to fool someone, at least pick a believable identity," the man on the phone scoffed.
William just smiled.
"Stop bothering me, or I'll come over there and kick your ass."
William didn't waste any more time. "Lee Christmas. Born July 26, 1967, at St. Mary's Hospital, London. You studied Wing Chun, Karate, and Taekwondo. You joined the British Army in 1987. Three years later, you joined the Special Air Service, the SAS, and participated in thirty-one combat operations. You retired in 1997 due to injury. Six months later, you joined Barney Ross's team. You're an expert with throwing knives. Do I need to go on?"
"Alright, sir. Soldier S1967726, what are your orders?" Christmas was spooked now. His SAS information was classified; not just anyone could access it. And as a mercenary, if his enemies knew personal details, his life wouldn't be worth much.
Christmas wondered if this really was someone from British Military Intelligence. The military was full of masters. Why were they coming to him, a retiree?
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