Chapter 161 The Agreement Made

Chapter 161 The Agreement Made

September 23rd, 2023. At the Ayala North Exchange Tower 1. The time was seven o'clock in the morning.

Yesterday, moments after the call ended, Maria called the radio again and clarified the exact time. The meeting is to be held at eight o'clock in the morning. So they have at least thirty minutes to prepare themselves before getting into the helicopter and flying towards New Clark City.

At the command center, Richard sat in the command center, stifling a yawn as Sara handed him a cup of coffee. He took a grateful sip, feeling the warmth of the coffee invigorate him.

"Thanks, Sara," he muttered, setting the cup down and turning his attention to the monitors displaying various data and surveillance feeds. Ever since that call, Richard has tasked his reconnaissance team to recon the New Clark City and see if they are doing something abrupt or unwanted. Fortunately, there wasn't.

"You are really not coming with me?" Richard asked Sara again. He had hoped she would join him for the meeting and he had been pestering her since yesterday.

Sara shook her head firmly. "I need to be here to oversee the operation. Mark can accompany you."

"No, I'm good, sir," Mark interjected quickly, clearly not keen on stepping away from his duties at the command center.

Richard sighed, understanding their positions. "I'm going to be alone there."

"Well...you have Graves coming with you," Sara reminded him. "And you can invite your little sister, Lisa if you think she might be helpful."

Richard shook his head. "No, Lisa slept late; I don't think she can wake up in time, and it's probably not the right setting for her."

He stood up, his resolve firming. "Alright, I'll head out with Graves, standard protocol as always. We've handled tougher situations before." Checking his watch, he noted the time. "We should leave now to make it there by eight."

Sara gave him a reassuring nod. "We'll be monitoring everything from here. You've got this, Richard."

"I love you," Richard said abruptly, his words causing a slight flush on Sara's cheeks. noVe.lb-1n

Sara, momentarily taken aback, quickly regained her composure. "Thank you...stay safe."

"No, I'm not going anywhere if I don't hear those words," Richard said, half-joking yet with a hint of seriousness in his tone. "What if this is my last day on Earth? It would be a shame if—"

Sara interrupted him, a bashful smile on her face. "I love you too, Richard. Now go, and make sure it's not your last day."

Satisfied with Sara's response, Richard gave a quick nod and made his way to the rooftop where the helicopter was waiting. Meanwhile, Graves, having overheard the conversation, couldn't help but chuckle at their exchange. Despite the seriousness of the day ahead, moments like these brought a touch of normalcy.

In this operation, Richard had arranged for two helicopters: Pave Hawk helicopters for transport and an MQ-9 Reaper drone orbiting New Clark City for additional surveillance and firepower support in case of unexpected events.

As Richard and Graves boarded the Pave Hawk, the pilots completed their final checks. The atmosphere inside the helicopter was one of focused professionalism. Each team member was aware of their role and the importance of the mission at hand.

Moments later, Graves broke the silence. "That was cute, sir," he said, referring to Richard's exchange with Sara.

Richard raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Really?"

"You could have asked her for a kiss on the cheek, that would be more romantic," Graves joked lightly, trying to ease the tension before the meeting.

Richard let out a short laugh, appreciating Graves' attempt to lighten the mood. "Maybe next time," he replied, turning his gaze back to the window as the helicopter lifted off.

"Oh, by the way, Graves, I have a gift for you after this meeting, and I'm sure you are going to like it," Richard said.

"I'm excited, sir," Graves responded, curiosity evident in his tone.

The helicopter ride to New Clark City was smooth, with the pilots skillfully navigating to avoid drawing undue attention. Upon landing, Richard and Graves were promptly greeted by Maria's security team and escorted to the meeting area.

"Of course, before we start the meeting, we have prepared breakfast for all of your men," Maria announced as they entered the meeting area.

At the table, there were common Filipino breakfast items such as scrambled eggs, loaves of bread, and longganisa (Filipino sausage). There was also a selection of fresh fruits and coffee. The spread was modest but well-prepared.

Richard scanned the food at the table, his brows narrowing.

"It's not poison," Peralta said jokingly. "If we were to poison every one of you, I'm sure the drone that is orbiting above us is going to fire a missile at us."

Richard managed a small smile at Peralta's attempt at humor, acknowledging the underlying truth in his statement. "I trust you," he said, opting to join in the meal. The breakfast was a delicious treat and they enjoyed it.

After breakfast, the group moved into the meeting.

"Okay, first of all...who is Richard Gonzales?"

"That would be me," Richard raised a hand.

"You are the boss? Aren't you too young for—"

"I get that a lot, but can we proceed with the meeting, please? Respectfully, we don't have much time, and I can't be away from my camp a bit longer."

"I apologize," Maria said. "Okay, for the terms. We will let you move to our camp, but we will have a separate governing body. We must maintain our autonomy. Don't misunderstand, this is the only way we can protect ourselves and the civilians who have trusted us."

Richard nodded in understanding. "That's completely reasonable. Blackwatch respects the independence of your camp. But are we going to divide the camp? Because if there are two provisional administrative bodies, it might lead to confusion and inefficiency."

Maria considered this for a moment. "No, we don't intend to physically divide the camp. Instead, we propose having joint meetings at regular intervals to discuss mutual concerns and coordinate efforts. This way, both parties can work together while maintaining their respective leadership structures."

Graves leaned over and whispered into Richard's ear. "This is going to be a problem in the future sir."

"I know, but let's agree for now, we'll handle it once the problem rears its ugly head," Richard whispered back before flickering his gaze to Maria. "Okay, madam, you have your conditions and we respect them," Richard said to Maria, addressing her directly. "We'll work within these parameters and ensure that our presence is supportive and non-intrusive."

Maria nodded, satisfied with Richard's acknowledgment. "Thank you, Mr. Gonzales"

Both leaders stood up and exchanged a handshake, sealing the deal.