After their discussions, Arthur asked his wife to contact Harriet, and she did. She linked her up with the Patriarch, and she was delighted.
“Thank you, mom,” she appreciated. Henry was not left out in the appreciation. Nevertheless, the Patriarch informed the family heads through email of his intention, but he concealed the feasting side of it.
“That is a good one,” some family heads confirmed, but the overly difficult to please ones had their reservations and grumbled, “This is an eye service. The Patriarch wished to butter up Arthur to make his children rich like Brown.”
“Humphrey, you are right, and I can bet you that he will not get it.”
“Why? What made you think so?”
“Arthur is unpredictable. The closer you are to him, the more careful he is with you.”
“You are right, Albert. I wondered how Brown warmed his way into Arthur’s heart.”
“It is obvious. That was a compensation for taking his kinsman, the superstar, away from him,”
“That was a good compensation. After all, he had nothing to lose.”
“You know that Brown is a cunning man. He carefully pushed his responsibility to Arthur. Apart from that, would he have been able to make the lad a superstar?”
“Not at all. I wish I had a returnee kinsman that I can give to Arthur so that he would compensate me too.”
“You are right. Look at how Brown expanded overnight.”
“Yes. His products and companies are all over the world.”
The chat of the disgusting and idle family heads turned to whisper when they heard footsteps. Albert was the family head, who pushed Brown the day they held a family meeting because of Stephen, while Humphrey was the head who said ‘you can give him your wife and daughters to abduct’. They begrudged him when what would have brought him loss of face for life, turned out to bring him affluence.
Meanwhile, the Patriarch, who was proud to be the first to organize a get-together to recognize an illustrious son in the history of the Bailey’s family, was delighted. Nevertheless, the idea of welcoming a kinsman on that day, was the icing on the cake, and he gave the program the publicity it required, omitting Arthur’s name to avoid his wrath. Howbeit, it was unbearable for Stephen when he saw the publicity.
“How did it happen? How did they discover that my son is a kinsman? Has he left his mom and Bricks Mont?” The thoughts gave him more worries than his detention. Ordinarily, bringing his son home, and relating with his men, would have given him honor, and kept him out of trouble, but he missed it.
At Denise's Apartment
After his chat with the seventeen-year-old boy from Zingcord that he met online, he returned home and met his wife working on her educational website.
“Welcome back, Hubby,” she greeted after she joined him in the car.
“Thank you, my Angel. How are you?”
“We are good. He missed you,” Olivia responded with a smirk on her face.
“I know she would miss her dad,” Denise responded, and they laughed softly, and Denise asked, “What have you being doing with yourself?”
“I have been working on my education website. Presently, I have many students.”
“That is good. Jude was in my office today,” Denise informed, and his wife’s face beamed.
“What does he want?” his wife demanded anxiously. Denise gave him a rundown of his discussion with Jude, and she showed concern, “The award is not as simple as we think.”
“You are right. It would be an honor if we succeed in creating a peaceful world for our children.”
“Yes. Even our grandchildren.”
“We will think of the modalities,” Denise declared. Then, he looked at the wife’s baby bump, and commented, “Mother said that we are counting down.” Olivia expressed joy, and responded, “I’m counting down too.”
At Arthur’s Office
After Denise came up with the modalities on how to initiate peace at Zingcord, he decided to have a discussion with his father.
“Good morning, father,” he greeted when he got into the office.
“Good morning, son. How are you?” his father answered happily.
“I’m good, father. I saw the jingle of the family dinner. Are you aware of it?” Arthur chuckled and stated, “Yes, son. The Patriarch is overwhelmed with the degree of success the family is recording in his time.”
“Wow! I did not see it that way. So, the dinner has a political undertone?”
“Of course, and we don’t have anything to lose.”
“You are right, father. Let him carry on, if it makes him happy.”
“That is it. What brings you?”
“Jude was in my office,” Denise paused when he saw his father’s face beamed, and waited for him to speak.
“Why was he in your office? I guessed there are no challenges?”
“Not at all. He was interested in the peace in his country.”
Now, the disturbed Arthur breathed freely, and consented, “That is a good one. How do you intend to go about it?”
“I had privileged information why the war lingers.”
“That is good. Let’s hear it,” Arthur requested anxiously. Denise informed him of the information he got from his random, who gave him some intel about the Head of State, and Arthur recommended, “In that case, your work is half done. Get the contact of the Head of State, and initiate a conversation.”
“I got it, father.”
The Peace Negotiation
Denise returned to his office and contacted the United Nation Security Office, and notified the Head, Mr. Murphy Abel of his intention to initiate a peace talk with the Zingcord Island, and he welcomed the idea.
“Mr. Bailey, it is a welcomed idea. I wondered why the war had lingered despite our efforts,” Mr. Abel stated.
“Thank you, Mr. Abel. I will give it a try, and with your backing, I hope I will succeed if I am furnished with the necessary information.”
“That won’t be an issue. You have my support.”
“Thank you, Mr. Abel.”
“You are welcome. I will send the detailed information you need right away.”
“I will be grateful.”
With the information available, Denise was able to chat the Head of State up as an ammunition dealer. From their chat, he confirmed the information he got from his seventeen-year-old friend, and got additional information from the Head of State, Dr. Wilfred Parker. Although, he was skeptical about external espionage, but he trusted Denise, and related with him on a business ground.
“Thank you for reaching out to me, young man. I like your business acumen,” Dr. Parker commended during one of their chats.
“Thank you, Dr. Parker,” Denise responded, and waited for him to speak.