At The Canteen
Sgt. Courtney, Ella and his team were busy with planning the day's work when she walked into his office with an obvious face.
“Good morning, Sgt. Courtney,” she greeted him and ignored the rest.
Ella looked up when she heard her voice and greeted her cheerfully, “Good morning, Boss.”
She ignored her before she glared at her and cursed in her mind, “Pervert.”
“Excuse us. I will call you back shortly,” Sgt. Courtney informed his staff members and they got up.
Ella was surprised at Laura's coldness towards her gave her a searching look. She shrugged her shoulders and walked away with the rest.
“Good morning, Miss Dickson. How may I help you?”
She rudely sat down without being offered and looked into Sgt. Courtney's eyes.
“You can help me by explaining to me why you withdrew my chef without notifying me. Is that how things are done?”
Her question boxed the Sergeant into a corner because she was in the wrong place. Above all, he did not wish to say more than he knew about Ella's withdrawal.
“Why not find out from the appropriate quarters?” He advised her and she realized herself.
She recalled that Ella was invited to the complex the previous day by Bright and not Sgt. Courtney.
“Thank you, for your advice, Sergeant,” she said and got up swiftly.
Nevertheless, accessing the President's office was a Herculean task and she decided to inform her lawyer. She returned to her cubicle, took her seat and called Barr. Denise Wentworth.
At Tim's House
He was happy with the publicity the media houses were giving to the anniversary jingle. To his delight Brig. Fidelis Witherspoon of Savannah chatted him up.
(Good evening from my country. It has been a while.)
(Good morning, Minister. It has been a while. How may I help you?)
(Yes. I wish to inform you that my Head of State, Gen. Muncie Tarter will be at the anniversary celebration.)
(Yes. I'm aware. I saw his picture on the jingle.)
(Good. I think I deserve to be there as well. My Head of State was not aware of how you and I began and got to the point where we defeated the South Coast.)
Tim laughed quietly at his point and thought, “If only he is aware that the event is for those who were marked for death, he will just chill out.”
All the same, he showed surprise.
(Ha!)
(Yes. I initiated the relationship and I deserve to be at the event.)
(You are right. What do you want me to do?)
(Thank you for acknowledging that. Can you talk to the Third in Command's Assistant on my behalf? With his influence, his boss can invite me.)
(I got it. Is that all you want?)
(Yes, for now. I propose that the invitation should be sent through my Head of State.)
(It's all right. I will see if I can convince the assistant.)
(I will be glad if you do. When can I expect the response?)
(Give me two days.)
(It is noted.)
After the chat, Tim was happy with himself. He went through the chat again and smiled happily. Nevertheless, his happiness was cut short when George shared an email with him. He quickly tapped on the email and furrowed his brow.
“Barr. Denise Wentworth!” He exclaimed before reading the email.
At The Auxiliary Armory PLC
After Laura called the barrister, she waited anxiously for him to pick up the call but he did not. After the second attempt to get him failed, she resolved to wait for a few minutes. She was about to drop her phone when she got a message from him and she hurriedly read through.
(I can't speak now. Send a message to me.)
Instantly, she responded.
(It is all right, barrister. I will send an email.)
She quickly drafted an email stating how she was cheated and her father was given a poisonous drug which Bright gave to her chef. Afterward, she shared it and waited for his response.
The barrister read the email after an hour when he settled down in his office and was infuriated. The last time she complained about Bar. Gibson's demands, he could not do much because it was a personal case and Tim's death could not be proven without his corpse. Now, he would throw his weight behind her and prove that he was truly a Human Rights Activist.
“This is injustice. How can the management be so heartless? Do they wish to kill her father?” He grumbled.
Afterward, he called her and she picked up at once. Barbara was attracted by the call and looked at her.
“Good morning, Barrister,” she greeted.
“Good morning, Miss Dickson. I got your email. What would you like me to do?”
Although, Barbara did not hear the Barrister, she heard Laura's response.
“I want justice, Barrister,” she answered confidently.
“It is all right.”
Instantly, the lawyer began to draft his simple petition which he addressed to the President. He concluded with:
(To avoid filing a lawsuit which would take a lot of time and money to resolve, kindly be gentleman enough by compensating my client with the sum of two million pounds sterling. As you are aware the sum is not enough for the inconveniences and mental stress that your inconsiderate action had caused your President's secretary and her family. I hope you will comply and save your organization embarrassment and dent on your integrity. Yours truly, Barr. Denise Wentworth)
He read through the draft again and was satisfied. Thereafter, he shared it with Laura and forwarded it to the company's official email address.
George was devastated after reading the email and grumbled, “We should have laid this girl off when she failed the Aptitude Test.”
He sank into his chair in dejection. Then, he read over it again and asked himself, “President's secretary? Is she still the secretary? How did Bright give Ella poisonous drugs?  We should have informed her before withdrawing her chef,” he blamed himself.
Howbeit, he ran his hand through his head and breathed freely. After mulling over the petition, he shared it with Tim and began to wait for his response.
He did not wait for too long when his phone rang and he picked it up immediately when he discovered that it was from Tim.
“Hello, Boss,” he answered with a helpless voice and Tim's anger against Laura increased.
“George, why are you downcast?” He asked at once.
“Pardon my recklessness, Boss. I should have informed her before withdrawing her chef. I goofed …”
Tim hated to hear him sound defeated which was not good for him at that formative stage. He felt that all that he taught him about believing in himself may give way and interrupted him.
“Did you inform her when you reduced her dismissal to demotion? Why did she not revolt?”
George's face brightened up and he added, “Or even when she claimed to be a senior staff but was not.”
“You got what I mean. Don't lose sleep over the petition.”
“Okay, Boss. What about the compensation?”
“We will pay her but not so easily. Let her and her lawyer disgrace themselves enough and we will demand for our compensation as well. Did you get me?”
“Wow!” The empowered George exclaimed and was battle ready.
“I got you, Boss.”
“It's all right. Thank you for driving the clunkers yesterday and today,” he teased just to make him laugh, and it worked.
George laughed loudly and answered, “I can't imagine that I did it.”
“I know. See you later.”
“Okay, Boss.”
He hardly dropped his phone when Capt. Bolton who had read the email walked in with a long face. He was surprised to see that he was unperturbed. Likewise, he stood up quickly and saluted him.
“Good morning, Captain.”
“Good morning, Sergeant,” he returned the salute.
They sat down immediately and he asked, “You look troubled, Captain. What brings you?”
The crestfallen General Manager searched him and wondered if he did not see the email. After he found his bearing, he spoke.
“Did you see the email from Miss Dickson's lawyer?”
“Oh! Is that why you are losing your cool?”
“Did you inform her before withdrawing her chef. That is a serious breach of contract.”
“Yes. A serious breach of contract on her part. When she seized to be the President's secretary, she should have relinquished all her entitlement without being told,” he explained.
Capt. Bolton pouted and studied his composed face before he spoke, “You are right. The problem with her is that she lacked good advisers.”
“You are right. Even her lawyer is a moron.”
“That is it. She should have informed me and we will look into the matter and settle it amicably.”
“It is her undoing.”
“I agree with you. Let's see how it goes.”
“Good. I hope Barr. Fitzgerald is aware of this?” George inquired.
“I think so. All the same, I will find out,” Capt. Bolton said and got up.
Before he could take a step, Barr. Louis Fitzgerald, the twenty-seven years Company's lawyer walked in hurriedly and he halted. They focused on him and he greeted them.
“Good morning, Capt. Bolton. Good morning, Sgt. Young.”
“Good morning, Barrister,” they responded simultaneously and Capt. Bolton sat down.
“Sit down, Barrister,” George offered him and he was grateful.
“Thank you for the offer, Sgt. Young,” he said and took his seat.
“You are welcome. What brings you?”
The Barrister looked at him and smiled softly before her stated, “I guess you have not seen the email from Barr. Wentworth. It is disturbing. Kindly …”
“I have seen it,” he interrupted him and answered.
“Wow. I wish to acknowledge the receipt and plead with him to give us time to look into the matter.”
“That would be a great honor to him. Allow him and his client to fool around. At the appropriate time, we will sink our teeth into them and teach them the meaning of dialogue.”
Barr. Fitzgerald's face beamed with delight and he agreed with George, “You are right, Sergeant. He should have contacted me before making such an outrageous demand.”
“You got it.”
“Nevertheless, I would like to interview your secretary and Ella to be proactive.”
“Oh! That's good. Please don't hesitate to speak with them.”
“Thank you for the permission. I will be on my way.”
“It is all right. Have a wonderful day.”
The Barrister left and George faced the General Manager and reminded him, “The cadets will resume on Monday. Right?”
“Yes. I'm waiting for Capt. Jaja to get the engagement letters for signing.”
“It is all right.”
“Before the end of today everything will be ready. We will invite them to come and pick up their letters.”
“You are on point.”