William and his group, accompanied by Adam and Delmar, exited the room and began their trek down the lengthy corridor. As they walked, William turned to Delmar and inquired, "Can you check on the demeanor of the other security personnel? How are they reacting?"
"Don't think they are taking this very well."
"Feeling uneasy, Boss?" Delmar asked. He could understand what was going through William's mind as the same thing was also going through his mind as well.
"Yeah... I've just abducted their leader, someone they've placed their trust in and followed for years. I don't want any of them getting the wrong idea and attempting a rescue mission." William said while thinking about something that resembled a rebellion.
"You're right," Delmar acknowledged, "but may I offer a suggestion?" William nodded, prompting Delmar to continue. "I believe it would be prudent to let them make an attempt." He said while a mysterious smile donned his face.
William and Adam exchanged looks, raising their eyebrows in surprise, and the trio came to a halt. Sensing their bewilderment, Delmar elaborated.
"There's a rationale behind why I want them to act. At this moment, most of the security staff are aware that we've apprehended him. So, what will they do? Will they remain silent and let it slide, or will they attempt to rescue their long-time comrade?"
Neither man responded, their focus solely on Delmar. He continued, "I suspect they'll start forming factions."
"Factions?" William asked, intrigued.
"Yes, factions. Two distinct groups. One will support Carl, while the other will choose to stay neutral. I propose we allow them to form these groups, and when they do..." Delmar paused, allowing Adam to pick up where he left off.
"You intercept them and neutralize the threat before they can cause any significant harm." Adam concluded. "A proper but risky move."
Delmar smiled, "So you do have some insight after all. Yes, that's precisely my strategy. We let them make their group and when they least expect it, we take care of them."
Adam didn't react to the subtle jab, but William pressed further, "But wouldn't that still be perilous? I understand you want to preempt potential threats, but taking such action might exacerbate the situation."
"The group that opts to remain neutral might not stay that way after realizing that, along with their leader, their friends have been dealt with as well." William added, and Adam nodded in agreement.
Delmar acknowledged their concern with a nod. "Yes, I understand they might consider that, but they won't act on it... at least not immediately."
"So you'd just be postponing the inevitable. What will you do when they actually decide to take action? Who will protect the boss then?" Adam questioned.
"I'm talking about Carl, that woman, and the way Delmar is handling this whole situation. Personally, I don't think you should heed his advice."
"So what course of action do you think I should take?" William inquired, and Adam fell silent for a moment before responding.
"Let Carl rejoin us, and when the time is right, kill him."
William sighed and nodded, "Yes, when I calmed down and considered the situation, I arrived at the same conclusion."
"Then why-"
"But then I realized how shortsighted that plan would be for me." William interrupted.
Adam frowned, struggling to grasp William's reasoning. "I understand you're trying to find a solution that minimizes conflict, and your idea of letting Carl rejoin is a sound plan. But doing so would be detrimental to me."
"In what way?"
"Right now, the men are wondering what I'm going to do to Carl and whether they should intervene. But none of them are questioning whether my actions are right or wrong."
"But the moment I let him go, something will shift within them."
"They'll stop contemplating this situation, and after some time, things will return to normal, resolving most of my immediate problems. But..."
"They'll have lost the image they have of me in their minds." Adam sighed as understanding dawned on him. He finally grasped why William had chosen this path.
"Not only that, but their loyalty to me will waver. If the time comes when they must choose between me and a significant bribe, they'll hesitate. They'll think, 'If I could forgive Carl, who was in a much higher position and committed a far graver offense, then surely, they—mere foot soldiers—would be forgiven or perhaps even forgotten.'"
William halted, and Adam stopped alongside him. They looked at each other, the intensity of their thoughts reflected in their eyes. Then William asked, "So now that you understand my reasoning, should I still forgive them, or...?"
Adam remained silent, unsure of what to say. He closed his eyes, searching for a less chaotic solution, but the more he thought, the more he realized how limited their options truly were.
"I understand why you're doing this, Boss."
"And even though it's not the course of action I would take, it does seem like the only viable path—one with high risks and no rewards."