From Nothing to Norton

Chapter 9 The Rat

Newton lay on his bed, feeling relaxed after a warm bath in his Jacuzzi. The enigmatic woman's image continued to haunt his thoughts, her name still unknown but her beauty etched in his mind.

Recalling his defeat in the sword fight against her, Newton shifted position and lay on his back, gazing at the ceiling. "How can someone be simultaneously beautiful and dangerous?" he wondered.

Motivated by curiosity, he decided to inquire about her from his father. After struggling to put on his shirt due to his tense muscles, Newton made his way to his father's location. Upon entering, he found his father engaged in conversation with the Grinch, but the details eluded him. Leaning against the wall, he observed the interaction.

After a while, the Grinch bowed to Newton and left the room. Determined to delve deeper into the matter, Newton initiated the conversation with his father. "...I encountered a lady on the fifth floor today while practicing with the sword."

His father replied, "Okay..."

"I want to know who she is. She refused to disclose her name."

"She's nobody," Mr. Norton responded.

"She possesses remarkable sword skills," Newton added with a smile, reminiscing about their sparring session.

"Fine. Since you're so intrigued by her, I'll tell you about her. But you must keep her existence a secret. It's strictly between the two of us. These men are unaware of her," Mr. Norton conveyed in a hushed tone.

"I can keep a secret," Newton affirmed eagerly, anticipating his father's revelation.

"Alright... here it is..." Newton's eyes widened, bracing himself for a bombshell.

"...Your existence is the secret!"

Newton waited, hoping for further elucidation, but none came. He slumped back, disappointed. "Is that it?" he asked in a crestfallen tone.

"Yes, son. That's it," Mr. Norton responded, lighting his cigar.

Newton was about to retreat to his room when his father called out, "Got you there, didn't I?" Mr. Norton chuckled. "The look on your face is priceless. I could recognize it anywhere, son... You have feelings for her, don't you?"

Newton's eyes widened, his cheeks blushing. "No, not like that. She defeated me in a sword fight today, and I despise losing, especially to a woman," he protested.

His father grinned, his teeth fully exposed. "Son, even with the devil on your side, you couldn't defeat that witch in a sword fight," Mr. Norton laughed.

Newton chuckled, relenting. "What's her name? She wouldn't tell me."

"...Kira."

"A beautiful name," Newton remarked, now seated as his interest in the conversation peaked.

"You see, son, in a fight, you make sure to have a secret that your enemy is unaware of. A hidden advantage," his father explained. "She's my personal assassin. I employ her when I need to act against my enemies discreetly, without leaving a trace that could be traced back to me."

"Wow!" Newton exclaimed, captivated by the revelation.

"Now, she is under your command, son. But you must keep her existence a secret. If these men find out, rumors will spread, and our enemies will become aware. No more covert operations. Do you understand?" Mr. Norton emphasized.

Newton nodded in agreement, fully comprehending the gravity of the situation.

"...Furthermore, it's essential to maintain a separation between romance and business. There are plenty of other women to choose from. You have the ability to attract any woman, but not this particular one. Mixing romance with business is usually detrimental for both. It can have negative consequences for the business."

Newton's spirits sank, his shoulders slumping.

He hadn't responded to his father's last lecture because he had different intentions in mind.

Now, all his plans had gone up in smoke.

Newton observed his father's perceptive eyes, knowing that his father could discern his true intentions even if he attempted to deny them.

"You know what? Let's go visit Mr. Belson. He has rested long enough."

Mr. Norton dialed Drax on the phone, instructing him to bring the black briefcase and meet them at the basement entrance.

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Mr. Norton placed his finger on the scanner, and the door opened, allowing them all to enter.

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"What on earth?"

Drax inquired, bewildered, as he joined Mr. Norton and Newton.

Newton's gaze fell upon the metal chair with bloody ropes still hanging from its side.

"No way he could have escaped. His legs were broken!" Mr. Norton exclaimed, horror etched on his face as he looked at the hanging ropes.

Newton sensed that something was amiss.

Mr. Belson's broken legs, the fingerprint-secured door, and the extensive security personnel stationed throughout the premises—all pointed to a secure environment. The mansion was situated far from the public road, making it highly improbable for a man with broken legs to reach there.

All these thoughts raced through Newton's mind.

Mr. Norton hastily rushed outside and summoned Grinch.

"...Instruct every man on the grounds to conduct a thorough search. Mr. Belson has escaped!"

Panic ensued among the men as they combed every inch of the house, leaving no stone unturned.

Every area was thoroughly searched, except for the chief's quarters.

The rooms belonging to Newton, Mr. Norton, Grinch, and Drax were off-limits to the common personnel.

Eventually, they returned to Mr. Norton, who was personally involved in the search.

"We found no one, sir," they reported.

Mr. Norton gestured for Drax and Newton to follow him.

Angrily kicking open the front door, Mr. Norton stormed in, heading towards the CCTV room.

His intention was to review the footage from the past 18 hours.

Entering the CCTV room, Mr. Norton inserted the key and turned it, unlocking the door with a forceful kick.

Without delay, he hurried to the monitor, tracing the unlocking pattern with his mouse.

The tape was played, fast-forwarding through the 18-hour duration.

The three men watched the monitor with undivided attention.

Newton noticed a strand of long hair on the table.

Glancing to the side, he saw his father's eyes reddened with a mix of anger and concern. Newton feared the consequences if Mr. Belson couldn't be located.

As the playback reached the live feed, nothing suspicious appeared.

Mr. Norton replayed it repeatedly, watching it five times until he reached a point where he paused and slowed it down.

The monitor screen remained void of any image for a brief moment, engulfed in darkness.

Suddenly, the gate closed, restoring the appearance of normalcy to the surroundings.

"There! This is the sequence of events. It's clear that we have a traitor among us!" Mr. Norton's voice reverberated as he burst out of the room in a fit of anger.

"Grinch!..." Mr. Norton's voice boomed through the corridors.

Grinch swiftly approached, his expression fraught with concern.

"We have a traitor among our ranks! You must identify and apprehend the culprit within the next two hours!" Mr. Norton reiterated forcefully before storming off into his private living room.

Newton entered the private living room, finding his father seated in silence. Taking a seat on the opposite sofa, Newton contemplated the weight of the situation.

Breaking the silence, he ventured to inquire, "...So, what does his escape signify?"

"Everything, my son," Mr. Norton replied gravely. "Firstly, it exposes vulnerabilities in our security. When our enemies manage to escape our grasp, it sends a dangerous message. It shows weakness, inviting potential attacks."

Newton absorbed his father's words, realizing the gravity of the situation.

"Whoever orchestrated this escape will pay dearly," Mr. Norton declared fiercely. "They have signed their own death warrant."

Just then, Mr. Norton's phone interrupted the tense atmosphere, emitting a series of beeps.

"Boss... We've captured the traitor. We're in the lobby," came the voice of the Grinch from the other end of the line, audible to Newton as well.