I know that no business contract, no order or commercial consideration can ever be worth the happiness of one's home or the peace of one's mind.—Peter Marshall

Peter Marshall

The storm swirling in Newt's head couldn't contrast more sharply with the serenity of early morning around him as he shuffled up the steps to the government house. Hands stuffed into the pockets of his overcoat, he watched his breath drift from him in a misty plume, just as his peace had left him since the news hit his ears.

Only three days before the scheduled beginning of his biggest deforestation project yet, the notice had arrived that Bolivar Ortega would be bringing a lawsuit against Newt and his company.

Newt held himself back from screaming, and instead, the stress continued bubbling inside him. His suede boot scraped across the top step. A crow fluttered away from a dropped bag of chips, and Newt watched it take freely to the skies with disdain. He patted the handgun nestled in the depths of his coat and reached for the door to the government house.

Once he stepped inside, he received a warm smile from Ricardo, the receptionist. Normally, Newt would lean casually over the younger man's desk and chat idly with him for a minute or two, but times had changed. All his past, present, and future earnings stood on the line if Ortega won the lawsuit levied against him.

Newt hustled down the hallways of the government house until he came to a doorway purposefully built a few inches taller than any of the others. His eyes brushed over the embossed nameplate on the door, reading "Sebastian Aleric", and his glower only deepened at the sight. Clenching his fist, he rapped against the slab of wood with all his might.

He picked out the sound of shuffling inside for a few seconds before the door swung open and Mr. Aleric stepped out to tower over Newt. The two men exchanged a hard, silent glance for a moment.

"You shouldn't startle me this early." Sebastian said, "My mood isn't so good in the mornings."

The lines in Newt's forehead deepened. "You're one to talk about mood! How do you think I feel, now that my entire livelihood is on the line?"

"What are you talking abou-oh, you have that case to fight out with Ortega, don't you?"

"Not if you do something about it, I don't."

Sebastian sighed and beckoned Newt to enter the room. He complied with a huff and plopped down in the armchair across from the desk. His forehead pulsed as he waited for Sebastian to take a seat as well.

Once Sebastian had made himself comfortable and folded his hands on the desk, he spoke again. "What are you hoping I'll do for you, then?"

"You have authority, don't you? Just tell Ortega he has no case and that'll be the end of it!"

"Unfortunately, that isn't how things work in the legal realm. Since this dispute bridges across two cities, it's a matter for the regional court, which I have no sway over. You're on your own, Newt."

Newt folded his arms. "I don't think you realize what's at stake here."

"I haven't come to be in the position I am by being a man of little understanding. I know very well what's at stake."

"Then you tell me what that is."

"Your reputation, pride, and some money." Sebastian said coldly, "You'll make it all back once the project's complete."

"I can't even begin the project if this goes on! Ortega's suing me for trillions, Aleric. Trillions! I don't have that sort of money, and neither will I within the next ten years."

"Sounds to me as if you'll have to settle out of court, then."

"Are you insane?" Newt asked, "If he's suing me for this much, do you really think he'll settle for an amount I can actually pay and concede to me still doing the project? I can't even afford a proper lawyer, let alone pay any kind of settlement money."

"Somehow, I find that doubtful."

"Doubt all you want, but I'm telling you where things stand. If you want this deforestation to happen, you have to do something to dig me out of this hole."

"I'm not giving you more money if that's what you're asking."

"Then what do you expect me to do?"

Sebastian shrugged. "I expect you to do what's best. It doesn't matter to me whether you fight the case or settle, as long as you hold up your end of our deal in the end."

"I just told you, I can't do either! Now that I'm in this mess, I don't have the money to escape it."

"Every time I bail you out, you never hold up your end of the bargain. I'm not falling for your tricks again, Newt."

"Then you leave me no choice! I can't afford to fight the case, and I can't afford to settle, so all I can do is prompt Ortega to withdraw his complaint by other means."

Sebastian frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

Newt rose to his feet and glanced at the open doorway. "What I mean is I'm canceling the deforestation project. He can't sue my company for something that's no longer in the plans."

"Don't talk like a fool. We have a deal, and you have an obligation to fulfill your end of the bargain."

"What do you expect me to do? I need money. You won't give me any, and the lawsuit's not gonna go away just because you don't like it. Maybe it's time to brush up on your arithmetic."

Now it was Sebastian's turn to stand up. He towered over Newt, and his clenched fists conveyed an unspoken threat reinforced by stern features. "I would urge you not to act foolishly here, Newt. The courts may not be under my authority, but you still are. I have a variety of tools at my disposal to bring you in line if you refuse to see sense."

"Like what?"

"Freeze your assets, remove your license to operate a business ... I can even have you imprisoned if I'm in the right mood."

Newt sneered. "Threaten me all you want, Aleric. I'm left with no choice, so I'll do what I have to. Your dream will never come to pass."

He spun on his heel and slithered out the door, ignoring every word Sebastian railed after him. A scheme had begun to take shape in Newt's head, one that would benefit him the most while evading any consequences from Sebastian. He'd hurry to the office, pay the workers any outstanding wages, and then lay them off. Then he'd take all the remaining money for himself and lay low in Newhill, leaving nothing to be sanctioned or repossessed. It took a keen mind to thrive even with Steelfort's cunning leader as a foe.

***

Mrs. Aleric hunched over her computer a few doors down from her husband when a notification in the corner of her screen called her attention. One click and she'd opened an email from Sebastian, consisting of no subject line and a disorganized jumble of text beneath.

After reading the gibberish twice, she picked out the important details. Newt had canceled the deforestation project, and Sebastian suspected some sort of foul play in Ortega's sudden lawsuit. He'd thought the matter over and concluded the mayor must have been persuaded to do so by the woman who had penned the petition against the deforestation, Paloma Jaramillo. He hadn't been able to discover her address, but Steelfort's law enforcement had been informed to keep an eye out for the girl and her family members.

Lastly, Sebastian requested that his wife persuade Ramona to visit Ortega again that very day and convince him to relent. Newt's only chance at receiving any mercy was if Ortega removed his complaint without any fuss and Newt agreed to fulfill the original agreement.

Mrs. Aleric grinned to herself as she began tapping out an email for Ramona to see when she arrived for her shift an hour down the line. She found the entire mess wretchedly stimulating.

★★★★★

Oh boy, things are getting heated.

Does anyone feel a little sympathy for good ol' Newt? 😂
If you do and if you don't, give me a reason in the comments section.
I look forward to seeing them. XD

And then what are your thoughts on what Mrs. Aleric is cooking up? How do you think Ramona will wrangle out of that assignment?

Fill the comments section with your thoughts and opinions.
And also don't forget to
Vote and share.

Until next time, remain peaceful ❤