Chapitre 184: Chapter 184: Creating Gates' Airborne Prison
"Little fox, you and Henry are both heartless. I really don't know what poor girl will be unlucky enough to marry you in the future," Victoria said, dissatisfied with William's continued trickery.
"Don't tell me the Declaration of Independence isn't in your possession, William. At Black Mountain, I was in the casino watching you win money, then in the hotel watching you kill those mercenaries with a gun. Now, is this how you treat your benefactor and grandmother?"
'Heh, you're not my grandmother,' William thought to himself. But facing someone who had protected him, he didn't dare to retort.
Seeing Victoria's displeasure, William quickly raised his hands in apology, took out paper and pen, and wrote: "I know who stole the Declaration of Independence, and I have a way to catch the thief and retrieve the declaration."
"Heh," Victoria squinted at William, who was being so cautious. She wondered how Henry had raised William to be so ruthless and suspicious at just 20 years old.
Able to stay hidden in the National Archives for two days, waiting for the chance to steal the Declaration of Independence, his subordinates were dealt with without hesitation.
Victoria now thought William had to deal with his subordinates and the assassin because he owed her a favor.
Thinking of that assassin, Victoria couldn't help but snort coldly, "Luckily, you're suspicious and think things through. Otherwise, Ben and Pat would have been killed by you. If that had happened, I really wouldn't know what to do, William."
William also felt a bit fortunate, secretly sighing, 'This isn't because of suspicion. If it weren't for the system forbidding killing saints and ordinary people, Ben Gates would have been taken care of at Cape Barrow.'
Moreover, if such a situation had occurred, of course, he would eliminate anyone threatening him and his mother. Even his uncle Winston would be dealt with if he posed a threat, let alone a grandmother he met for the first time.
Fortunately, the heavens had spared him from such a painful situation, and there was still a chance to make things right.
So, William brought Victoria to his secret room and said, "I will give you the Declaration of Independence, but even if we manage to return it discreetly, Ben Gates will still face charges. It's unlikely he won't be sentenced. Do you have any good ideas?"
Victoria fell silent upon hearing William's words, looking troubled as she said, "If the Declaration of Independence suddenly reappears in the National Archives, would Ben still be guilty, or if guilty, wouldn't the charges be less severe?"
Victoria glanced at William's expression. In her mind, the difficulty of returning the Declaration of Independence silently was immense. But William showed no signs of dissatisfaction or difficulty.
Victoria then happily joked, "I really hope the person who borrowed the Declaration of Independence just wanted to study it. Now that they've finished, they can naturally return it."
"Heh, it's possible. If that doesn't exonerate Ben," William suddenly recalled a movie from his past life where a character resembling Ben Gates starred in a film about an airborne prison. His eyes lit up as he said, "Perhaps we can make Ben Gates a hero."
Seeing William's eyes light up, Victoria knew he had an idea and quickly asked, "What do you mean?"
"If he can't be exonerated, we can downplay his crime of stealing the Declaration of Independence and highlight the Gates family's sacrifices over generations to find the treasure. After a year or two, we could create a crisis to make Ben Gates a hero."
Victoria thought for a moment and then worriedly asked, "What kind of crisis? Should we stage a prison riot and let Ben quell it?"
William quickly dissuaded her, "God, no. If word got out, everyone involved would suffer. Victoria, what if Ben Gates saved a plane hijacked by dangerous criminals, rescuing the crew, guards, and other inmates? Then, with some media hype, wouldn't Benjamin Arthur, the Chief of the United States, award Ben Gates the highest honor? Considering his current tough situation, any good news would be a lifeline for him."
After a moment of reflection, Victoria, delighted, said, "As long as we pick the right criminals or insert some of our own people among them, if nothing goes wrong, we don't need to act. If something does, we eliminate everyone but our people."
"NO, Victoria. We should go all out. Besides a few chosen death-deserving criminals, everyone else should be our own people. The more people Ben saves, the greater his merit. Ideally, there should be a dozen or so people on the plane, including crew, guards, and inmates. If we choose a major company's plane, their influence and willingness to cooperate will be stronger if we save their assets. With enough publicity, Ben Gates' heroics will be undeniable. The media won't miss the chance to hype it up, and Benjamin Arthur won't be able to ignore public sentiment and will have to award Ben Gates."
Imagining the scenario William described, Victoria quickly became serious. The more she thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. She had many contacts and had saved many people over the years. With enough money, things would be even easier.
Before Victoria could speak, William considerately handed her a check for $10 million.
Looking at the check, Victoria happily hugged William and kissed his forehead, "William, you're amazing. You didn't let me down. I remember teaching that bully's parents a lesson when you were little. With this money, things will be easier."
William, a bit embarrassed, gently extricated himself from Victoria's embrace, thinking apologetically, 'If you knew the treasure's value, you wouldn't be thanking me. If Ben Gates knew he only got $10 million to save him while I kept the treasure, who knows if he'd come after me later.'
William chuckled and assured, "Don't worry, Victoria. If the money isn't enough, you can always ask me. You know my situation; if money can solve it, it's not a problem."
"No need, William. I've saved up quite a bit over the years. Though not as much as you gave me, I have a few million. Sometimes, retirement gets too dull, and I take on some private jobs from Winston."
"No, Victoria. Keep your money. The check I gave you came from multiple offshore accounts, making it very safe. We must be cautious with this hijacking plan. Better to spend money than expose ourselves."
After some thought, Victoria nodded, "Alright, William. You're right. We must be careful. I'll use my connections to find terminally ill people or those needing money for their families to act as the criminals and guards. If the money runs out, I'll come to you. Thank you, William."
"That's the spirit, Victoria. From now on, your problems are my problems. You've protected me and my mother for ten years. Now that I'm grown and capable, I want you to enjoy your retirement. Hopefully, Ben Gates will give you a whole team of grandkids to keep you company."
With her son's issue resolved, Victoria's mood brightened considerably, laughing heartily.
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