Derrick squatted down in front of Thomas. He reached out to grab the latter by the hair and turned his bloodied face around to meet his gaze.
“Nathan is not going to forgive you for this, Thomas. Working with me is your only shot at redemption. Be my inside man close to him. Find an opportunity to administer the poison. I will give you the tools you need when the time comes. Even an autopsy wouldn't be able to reveal the true cause of death with what I have in store for him. Upon completion, we'll call it even by waiving your gambling debt. On top of that, I'll throw in three billion as a reward. How about that?”
After considering for a moment, Thomas smiled.
Derrick reciprocated the smile when Thomas' face suddenly contorted with rage as he spat a mouthful of blood onto Derrick's face.
“So that's the plan, isn't it?” Thomas shouted. “To conspire with Jonneth against me. You had it all planned out to force my hand by blackmailing me. However, there is one thing that you've failed to account for. Even if I die, I will not betray the General. Kill me and be done with it.”
Smack!
Derrick slapped Thomas across the face. Looking absolutely livid, he took a handkerchief out of his shirt pocket to dab the blood on his face.
One of his bodyguards, Counsellor, spoke up. “Master, we have a stubborn, loyal type on our hands. Let’s just get rid of him. We've wasted enough time trying to change his mind.”
Buster nodded in agreement. “That's right, Master. I can stomp this guy dead in half a second, and we'll be freed up to go after Nathan himself.”
Derrick shook his head. “No, we must have him on board.”
He waved his hand, and one of the men appeared to hand him a syringe filled with white fluid.
Derrick sneered at Thomas. “You think you're the first stubborn idiot I've had to deal with? You can fight all you want, but you will succumb to this in the end.” He gave the syringe a little shake.
Derrick gave a delighted laugh at Thomas' wary gaze at the syringe. “You must be wondering what's inside this. It's more common than you might think. Remember the drug addicts you've met on the streets of Marsingfill?”
Thomas grew pale at his words.
Derrick cackled at Thomas' fright. “Not so brave anymore, aren't you? Whenever the craving kicks in, you'll be on your knees begging me for a hit. By then, you'll do anything to get your hands on this thing. You'll even kill your own parents, let alone Nathan.”
Thomas's eyes widened in horror.
With a sudden movement, he dived toward a wall with the intention of smashing his head against it.
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