MY TREASURED DESIRE

Chapter FORTY-FOUR: Don Leslie Adams' Memoirs

Sunday, 8:40 am Local Time (Sunday 12.40 am, GMT or UTC.)

Imperial Chalet Guests’ Suite AA, Imperial Palace, Achaia.

20 Days Before the Proposed Traditional Marriage Between Alexa and Reynold.

Don Leslie’s POV.

“The newly honoured Ambassador Plenipotentiary, Brigadier-General Leslie Adams also has a story to remember,” I said to myself, then I sank into the Imperial single-seater sofa, holding the locket I had removed from my neck and smiling.

The position of Crown Prince has a multi-trillion-dollar Corporation that goes with it. Hence, the head of the Royal Guards has an oversight function on the security of both the owner of the company and the business. He will, therefore, have an endless financial flow that he can use as he deems fit if he could engage in some underhand deals. The ReyChang Imperial Mining Corporation has equipment worth over 75 trillion dollars. I did have under my control, a retinue of security staff and Security Engineers employed to the security unit of R.I.M.C.

One day, Brigadier-General Alex Chiang, Brigade Commander of the Achaia Armoury - a man that commanded respect from the entire continent – came to me, asking me to allow some co-soldiers who were also engineers to check some engineering details on the factory machines.

“Sir, I’m honoured to serve you, Sir! I have the standing order from the emperor that I must demand a written letter from the G.O.C. of the A.S.S.S. before I allow non-workers any access to R.I.M.C. property, Sir. Your will shall be my command, Sir,” I said firmly.

“Good to hear, Major… I will sign your elevation letter today. You will be a Colonel,” the General said and repeated his directive for me to allow the illegality.

I quickly reminded the General, “I came tops at the Command Examinations, Sir… But if this is another test, I refuse to fail, Sir. Thank You, Sir.”

General Alex Chiang left me, and later returned after 24 minutes. He brought a letter… An agreement that exculpates me from any ill that comes up after the engineering checks! The letter indicts the head of Engineering as the one who gave permission for the engineering inspection, without any due information to the Security Department. At that point, I knew that this is a scheme… The Head of Engineering has already signed the letter… And there he stood before me, begging that the inspection be done in disobedience to the stated security procedure. “This is treason,” I thought!

“Sir, Now I am aware, I shall not be vindicated if I allow this!”

The Head of Engineering said, “Officially, you are not informed. Will you say you are aware?!”

“How well will this one help you…?” The General collected a briefcase from the Head of Engineering, who inserted the security codes and caused the briefcase to flip open… “WOW… Eye-popping,” I thought. Then the general spoke again: “There is $1,000,000= in this briefcase. All circuit TV channels are shut down as we speak!”

“I know, Sir. You would not like to be indicted… Sir,” I said with a deceptive smile.

“Good Boy. Take this briefcase. Go, and keep it safe, while the Engineers complete the job in a jiffy… All right…” the General ranted before I cut him short with my command,

“Officers… Take position!” That was a command that will bring all my armed guards at a defensive level. Even if the emperor speaks another word against mine at this time, the law demands that I must be obeyed, first!

Brigadier Chiang was shocked! He retreated and commanded his cohorts to move away as fast as they could… because, at that time, the microphone connecting the speaker on the table of the General Officer Commanding the A.S.S.S. had been turned on. That is what that command does!

I never knew that the General remained that smart. He fled into a waiting War Jeep and the bad boys left! That was part of my secret offence that turned some of the big brats to support falsehood against me when I faced the trumped-up charge of a treasonable felony for what I never knew about… Well, God had judged him!

***

I smiled as Dr. Reese entered my suite. I stood up and congratulated her for defeating death!

“Oh, Brigadier-General, Congratulations! You deserve this, Friend,” Dr. Reese greeted with much appreciation than just a congratulatory greeting. Then I was surprised to see her fiancé.

“Hi, Partner… How are you doing, Ambassador Plenipotentiary?!” Sir Dr. Alex Junior greeted.

“All thanks to you, I am no more a Mafia Boss but a World-Renowned Security Consultant – and that was very often – I must remind myself that all the glory goes to God, the accolades belong to both of you!” I responded and gestured that they should take their seats. I was truly happy to see them so strong, though moving with the aid of crotches… “How is the pain?”

“No pains,” the couple chorused! Then they looked at each other and laughed!

“Then, you should not be using the crotches,” I said, looking at them quizzically.

“I was wondering what those village healers used on us. I have no single pain…” said Dr. Reese.

“We were warned to exert no stress on our limbs for three days so that our limbs will get “set’ and we can fight “Kung-Fu’ after three days…” added Dr. Alex, with a wave of laughter. “I never felt stronger.”

“Why are there no physical scars on your bodies, I learned that those masked soldiers made you fall into metals that should scar you… And they hit you with shovel’s metal-heads…” I queried.

“If not because one of the youths showed us a video early in the morning while the battle was going on between your Super-Expert Masters and the masked army, I won’t believe that was true… They put some leaves, ointments, and oils on our bodies for the deep therapeutic healing and cosmetic repairs…” Dr. Reese replied.

“The sweet middle-aged nurse told us that the ointments, mixed with leaves in specially prepared oil, will clear any scar in 48 hours. I could not believe that statement until a few minutes ago when I sneaked into Reese’s room and saw her checking her body out… She must have seen her body in the mirror, and we were both pleasantly surprised. She did not even remember that I was next to her,” Dr. Alex added gleefully. “We should be thanking you, and them!”

Dr. Reese blushed!

Alex quickly changed the topic. “It is my opportunity to appreciate you for looking out for us, Leslie. Thank You!”

“Yeah, I found out that you Africans can thank somebody for a little favour, for a lifetime! It is enough now… But let me tell Sir Dr. Alex junior, that a few tears ago, you told me a story, but your conclusion is unforgettable:”

“What?” Alex groaned.

I quoted him, thus: “The wealth of a man is in the quality of the people in his life – lasting achievements and legacy - not the material things he has acquired.”

“You mean…?” Dr. Reese was wondering, and I interrupted her thoughts by continuing my story.

“Sir Dr. Alex concluded that ‘the old man has – in his life - the people who own the choicest cars, and if the wealthy young man’s cars and physical acquisitions are gone, then his riches are gone... But there’s no material thing you will take from the old man to make him poor. In other words: He doesn't need to keep those cars; those cars are in the lives of those in the man’s life… This is the power of being there for people!’ Do you remember the story, Boss?”

Dr. Alex and his fiancée pondered over the saying and chorused, “You have become our wealth, General Leslie.”

Dr. Alex also remembered his words on that day and said, “The reason people will fear to hurt you is when they know the power of those who will come against them if they touch you.”

The three of them laughed over the matter!

Alex suddenly stopped laughing and asked, seriously, “But why did you choose to ask for a meaningless thing from the king? What is in being our bodyguards in the UK… Our contract with your Security Organisation makes you our Bodyguard in the UK., and much more… You have even surpassed your duties by coming here to find us,”

I replied amidst laughter, “Boss…? Are you hearing yourself right now? Crown Prince Reynold and General Raymond Chang saved my life. You saved my integrity and livelihood, and you want me to be rewarded for a small thing?”

“Small thing?” Dr. Reese snapped at me.

“Dr. Reese Chang, Group Medical Director of Royal Specialist Hospital of Achaia,” I called her as if I had a great revelation to make, and I said: “I am grateful to those villagers who saved your life, I did not. But while I was the Colonel at the top of hierarchy of the Royal Guard, I had quite an experience with those villagers. I was missing for three months when some Generals in the Defence of Achaia shot at me and threw me over the bridge, into that same river… I swam out of the Jeep – under the sea – before the hapless car was blown up. It was reported that I had died. No one had a clue where I was. I stayed under the care of those villagers for 3 years!”

“What?! And nobody traced you to the bridge or the river?” Dr. Reese was so angry.

I smiled and continued. “To the authorities, I only absconded from work because I sensed that a treason case will soon be hanging over my head!”

Sir Dr. Alex Junior could hardly stay calm, as he shook his head and said, “The Governments and the places of power therein are full of wickedness… Your haters planned an extra-judicial killing but when they failed, they raised another alibi.”

“I got that. So, I appeared to both Prince Reynold and General Raymond Chang. I told them about the incident of the Brigadier-General wanting to sabotage the stream of the Crown Prince’s wealth and other matters. They saw my point, but, they said that I had no proof!” I told them.

Alex stepped in: “Did that not happen after you had been retired?”

“It did.” Dr. Reese replied. “The information you gave led to the extra security measures that were taken… They would have gone away with their crime when they struck!”

“Sir, it was a bad experience,” Don Leslie shook passionately.

But Alex took his crotches and helped himself to stand. He moved to Don Leslie Adams who stood up and hugged benefactors in turn.

Alex paused when Leslie was hugging Dr. Reese, and asked, “You are an overcomer! One good turn deserves another… You had taken the villagers as your family, and… how did they know that by saving u, they are helping you?”

I responded with a smile, and said, “You won’t believe that the self-styled spokesman beat up one of the village vigilante operatives who had my number? That vigilante official boasted that he had the contact of the Don of Middleville… The so-called spokesman wanted that number since they thought the Don was a ‘Father Christmas’ who will give money for such news that the couple they needed to kill has died!”

Reese asked, “Did the embattled Security Operative give your phone number to him instead?”

I answered with a smile, “That’s right! Some arrogant man called me, saying he was the Spokesman of the Village and the couple I seek to kill are dead… I only called my loyalists to save the couple and do everything to conceal the whereabouts of the couple from the Spokesman!”

Dr. Reese asked, “why does any villager have your direct number?” At that point, my smaller phone rang, I picked it up and gave it to Reese who put it on the loudspeaker: “Hello, Chief… Three men who are strange to our community are now quizzing the Village Nurse. The Youths are standing-by. What should we do?”

I answered calmly, “I hope no one is seeing you call?”

“No, Chief”

“So, the Officer you saw three days ago when we took my friends away… Do you know him?”

“Pastor John Doe?”

“Yeah, he will send men to help you. Only do a job for me. Without violence, keep those men busy till John Doe’s men arrive… The masked men will never trouble that village again! Alright?”

“Thanks, Chief… I have work to do. Bye, Chief” the voice on the receiver echoed. And the call was disconnected. I placed a call to John Doe who dispatched a naval-police team to the village but informed me that the village has been listed as one of the patrol destinations of the respected naval anti-pirates Vessel, NNS Shinji.

I faced my benefactors: “That bridge over the Riverine Village has been – for a few years - the slaughter spot used by outlaws and dissidents to get rid of their victims… After the hospital attack, I set my intelligence dragnets. I have my loyalists in Achaia – My motherland, my home! And beyond that river, I have my adopted family. I am their unofficial Chief, for they have none.; I send help to them from time to time. No one else knows about this.”