NOVEL WEB Chapter 112: Leader's Council
Lukas leaped away and the shockwave hurled him towards one of the armored trucks.
Thud.
He smashed into the front of the armored truck, causing a depression in the reinforced armored steel.
Lukas used his hands and held onto the edge of the reinforced armored steel and pulled himself out of the armored truck.
A man who was engulfed in flames was standing in front of him.
"$5 million dollars." The man licked his lips and looked at Lukas.
He held his hands upwards.
Lukas saw the amber glow again and he used his Shadow Wielder ability and yanked the man off his feet.
Thud.
The man fell onto his back and the huge fireball he conjured started to dissipate.
"Everybody stop!" Benson's voice boomed in the air and everyone stopped moving.
Lukas felt a tap on his shoulder, and he could move again.
"He must be one of the awakened after the bounty reward. We better make a move fast before the effect of my ability wears off." Benson said and Lukas nodded.
They got back onto the armored truck and the convoy started to move again.
...
The remaining journey to the Security Force Headquarters was relatively uneventful.
It took them another half an hour before reaching the destination.
"Come with me." Benson said after they alighted from the armored truck.
They entered the building and followed Benson into an office, with the words 'Investigation Room' on the door.
"Record down everything." Benson said and the security officer inside the office obliged.
Benson then motioned for Lukas and the others to sit.
They did so and he took out a folder.
"Dr. Uwe, what had happened in the West Battle Administration Area?" Benson asked.
Dr. Uwe proceeded to tell Benson how he was kidnapped by Peter Lim and how he saw the Shadow Lotus working with Peter Lim.
And finally, he told of how Lukas and the team risked their lives to rescue him from Peter Lim.
Benson's hand wrote furiously as Dr. Uwe spoke.
And when he was done, he asked Lukas and the other team members the same question.
All of them told him their side of the story.
"Stop the recording." Benson glanced over to the security officer and said when everyone had said their piece.
The security officer stopped the camera, took out the storage card and handed it over to Benson.
"Now we go to the Leader's council for the real battle." Benson said.
"At this hour?" Rodney asked as it was getting late.
Benson let out a sigh and said, "We have no other choice.
"Unless you want to fend off awakened teams out for the bounty reward and the paramilitary.
"And don't worry everyone, I've got an ace up my sleeves."
Rodney nodded his head as he knew Benson was right.
They got onto another car and made their way to the Leader's council.
The white building of the Leader's council wasn't too far, and they arrived after ten minutes of travel.
Lukas glanced at the white building and the five towers standing tall out from the building.
This was the first time he was so close to the apex of power.
He had come a long way from his dark and tiny bedroom to this, although it was not for the best of reasons.
"Officer Benson, I'm surprised to see you at this hour. How may I help you? The chairman of the council is already off duty." The guard at the door of the building stopped Benson.
"I'm here to lodge a case of serious corruption in the West Battle Administration Area." Benson handed the guard a document.
The guard read the document, and he had to double check with his superior.
Benson invoked an arcane rule in the law that had never been used before.
The Leader's council was to convene immediately when there was a probable case of corruption for officials at the rank of Governor and above.
It was passed by the Leader many years back and forgotten.
Benson took some effort digging through volumes of the laws to find it.
Moments passed before the superior of the guard finally replied.
"Let them through."
The guard opened the doors to let Benson and the others through.
Phone calls were then made to the secretaries and the chairman of the council by Benson.
Each of them was furious and they too had to check before accepting that Benson was right.
They dressed up while grumbling and begrudgingly left for the Leader's council.
...
"Benson, this better be good or else..." The chairman of the council narrowed his eyes and stared at Benson.
Lukas and the others were seated with Benson inside the council hall.
The chairman of the council sat in front of them with the four secretaries sitting in two rows on their sides.
"Here are the statements from my key witness." Benson stood up and staff came over to take the folder and storage card from the camera.
Secretary Lawrence glanced at the folder and storage card closely as they were placed onto the chairman of the council's desk.
"Who are these people, Benson? You grabbed them from the streets to accuse the Governor of corruption? I'll make sure you lose your job after this."
Secretary Lawrence pointed at Benson and said.
"What do you mean by someone from the streets!" Rex wasn't too happy, and he stood up.
Riley pulled him back down onto his seat.
"Enough!" The chairman of the council shouted and placed the folder he had in his hand back down onto the desk.
His eyes darted over at Secretary Lawrence.
Secretary Lawrence shook his head slightly.
"Secretary Lawrence has a point. You could have ganged up and made up this story about Peter Lim abducting this Dr. Uwe."
"But chairman of the council, that's what happened.
"I was the one abducted, never was I a guest at Peter Lim's place.
"He was lying.
"How can you not believe what I've said." Dr. Uwe couldn't believe what he heard.
"You might have had a fallout with him after extorting him for money. Hence that's the reason why you are trying to accuse him of corruption."
Dr. Uwe's hands shook from the anger he had, but the rage consumed him, and he couldn't say anything.
The next moment, Lukas stood up.