Chapter 12 Chapter Twelve
Holloway entered the Drunkard's Tavern, and Joe Dries, as he had expected, sat on the third stool from the right of the bar.That's Joe Dries' exclusive drinking seat.Driss sat on it so much that the cushions pushed out of his ass.If Dries walks in and someone else is sitting in that seat, they won't be there for long.Dries would sit next to them and stare at them until they gave up their seats.Once, a contract surveyor didn't know what to do, and Dries had to sit elsewhere until the surveyor left the bar.The next morning, people found the surveyor in the alley. He was not dead, but a scary scar was left on his forehead.After that, Dries hardly had to stare.
Holloway made a beeline for Dries, waited for the look of shock on his face, and then punched him in the fat face.Driss fell off the high stool, and the beer bottle fell to pieces on the ground, and the bar crowded with many people suddenly fell silent.
"Hi, Joe," said Holloway, "I know you're surprised to see me."
Dries, who fell to the ground, was stunned and looked at Holloway in disbelief. "You hit the policeman! You fool!" he cried.
"That's right," said Holloway, "I beat up a cop, in front of a lot of witnesses, in a bar with surveillance cameras connected directly to the security office. That way, if you do it again this time Want me to disappear, and everyone will know that you did it, you disgusting scum. Don't try to hurt me again."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Dries said.
"Of course you say that," said Holloway, "but I'd like to know why you wanted to kill me, Jo. We never liked each other, but I don't think you and I have that much of an animosity. What's the matter? Is it because I pissed you off at the construction site that day? You can’t take it anymore with a few bad words? Or have you planned it for a long time? Just tell me.”
Driss got up from the ground. "You're under arrest, Holloway, for assaulting a sheriff."
"Excellent," said Holloway, holding out his hands together. "Arrest me, you disgusting fat lard. When I get to the sheriff's office with you, I'm going to get a lawyer and tell him what you did to my ship. What did you do, what did you do when you were left alone on my spaceship just a few days ago. It's an interesting story, and it ends with you fat ass going to jail. So go ahead and arrest me, I'm counting on you to do it. Joe Hurry up." Holloway put his hands on Driss again.
Dries stood there, furious, but did not move.
"I knew it," Holloway said, "seems like you're just going to take the punch and enjoy it. But look at it this way - I almost got eaten by two Zara Velociraptors today, and you're paying for nothing but stupid Punched in the face. I think you're cheap, don't you? But I'm warning you, Joe. If you do it again, you better hope you make it. Because if I do, I won't leave you with the whole Damn. I'll do what I say."
Holloway turned and walked towards the door, trying not to smile so as not to spoil the menacing look he had put on as he entered the bar.Assaulting a sheriff is usually not easy to get away with.Holloway weighed it up and decided that with witnesses and surveillance footage, he could do it.It would be too risky for Dries to retaliate now.Even if he held back and troubled him later, the video of Holloway accusing him of attempted murder would remain in the Zara Group security files forever, irrevocably.
It was actually better than formally charging Dries with attempted murder.This way Holloway didn't have to prove anything, it was almost as if he had bought insurance against Dries' murderous intent against him in the future.This is a great trick.wonderful.Holloway glanced at the camera, ready to send a smug smile to the camera, and strode out of the bar.
The shelf for the camera was empty.
Holloway stopped and turned to look at the bartender.
"That thing broke a week ago," said the bartender. "Haven't had time to install a new one."
Holloway didn't have time to think, but Dries hit the back of the head with a pool stick and fell down, unconscious before falling to the ground.
"I don't understand how you knocked his head off without being in the alley?" Holloway heard a voice. "Too many witnesses," answered another voice.The voice is that of Joe Dries. "The bastard's right. That's why I gotta get him here." "You're still going to knock his head off," said the voice from before. "Yes, but now because he resisted arrest," Dries said. "You're going to testify for me?" The voice laughed. Holloway risked opening his eyes and immediately regretted it.The strong light pierced his retina, and he strained his eyelids to concentrate on observing his surroundings.It finally became clear: he was in the Zara Group's security holding cell.He had come before for a drunken disturbance, just a few days after Isabelle had broken up with him. "Your friend is awake." A distant figure spotted him.Another figure approached the detention room, it was Dries.Dries, still in civilian clothes, smiled at Holloway. "Hi, Jack," Dries said. "How's it going?" "Feels like some bastard sneaked up on me," Holloway said. "It happens to you a lot, doesn't it?" Dries said. "You see, for a guy like you who thinks you're smart, you're doing stupid things. Like not looking at surveillance first." Is the video still there?" Holloway closed his eyes. "I must admit that you are right, Jo." "Classic being silly," Dries said, "I could talk about it with my friends for years." "You're not really going to knock my head off, are you?" Holloway said. "After tonight, a lot of people will know that you have a motive for murder." Driss snorted disdainfully. "Please," he said, "the people in the bar are so scared of me that they can't even sit on my bar stool while I'm away. Warren told me that if I was on a construction site, the bar would be full of my The bar stools are still empty. Don't get delusional, Jack. The people in the bar will only remember that you hit me, so I arrested you. They'll forget the rest very quickly." "Why, Joe?" Holloway asked, opening his eyes again to Dries, "I mean, why did you mess with my ship. You didn't answer me in the bar. I didn't know you hated me so much. " "Few people like you, Jack." Dries said, "Even those who like you don't like you very much. I never wait to see you." "I sound like you're admitting it," Holloway said. "I told you, I don't know what you're talking about," Dries said, with a rare sympathy, "I just know that you hit me and I brought you here. And then you fought back uncontrollably, I had to subdue you. Simple as that." "Just keep it simple," Holloway said. "That way you won't get it wrong." Dries laughed. "I'll miss you, Jack," he said. "You've told me that before," said Holloway. "I was serious both times," Dries said. "You've had enough rest. We've got to do something like, you resist arrest and I have to put you down." "That's right," said Holloway. "Don't worry, Jack," Dries said. "It won't hurt very much." "Thank you, Joe," said Holloway, "thank you very much." Dries smiled again and walked away.Holloway tried to concentrate, contemplating the grim reality that he might only have a few hours to live right now, but eventually decided that his head was too painful to think, and he slipped back into a coma. After an unknown amount of time, Holloway was pushed awake. "Halloway," a voice he didn't recognize called to him, "wake up." "Wake up so I can be beaten to death?" said Holloway vaguely. "I can't be active." "You've got a concussion, Holloway," the voice said. "It's not a good time to sleep." Holloway raised his eyelids, and he didn't recognize the source of the voice he didn't recognize. "Who are you?" he asked. "If all goes well, I'm the one who saved you from being beaten to death in the holding cell," the man said. "Try to stand up now, okay?" Holloway tried to get up from the ground with a pained contorted look on his face, and the man bent down to help him steady. "Stand carefully," he said. "That's easy for you to say," said Holloway. The man smiled and turned to the sheriff's trio standing outside the holding cell, one of whom was Joe Dries, now in uniform. "I'm taking Mr. Holloway," he said.His originally friendly tone had completely changed. "He needs to see a doctor." "He's not going anywhere, Mark," said one of the security guards, whom Holloway recognized as Luther Milner, who patrolled the dump. "The bastard attacked a sheriff. We have evidence." "Aha," said the man named Mark (who knows now), "witnesses in that bar? The one where the sheriff who claims to be assaulted is going to beat anyone up on the stool." A bar? The testimony of everyone there is quite credible." "Hey, he hit me, lawyer," Dries said, "don't get it wrong, that's not how it's done." "Of course not," said Mark, now clearly a lawyer. "Like if I didn't get there in time, Mr. Holloway's neck would have been wrenched for resistance, right? That's how it worked out, right?" ?” "I don't like your tone, Sullivan," Dries said. "I also don't like your idea that beating people to death in Zara's detention cell is a pleasure, Mr. Dries," said attorney Mark Sullivan. I have a big problem with the lawyers of the Zara Group. I understand that you think you don't need to report to anyone here, but Zara 23 is theoretically under the official jurisdiction of the colonial star, murder or murder. If the employees of the Zara Group are in Murdered a person within the confines of the group, not very good for the company's image, huh? Are you stupid, Mr. Dries?" "What?" Dries said. "I said, are you stupid?" Sullivan said. "This question is very simple, but if you need, I can ask more clearly. Are you an idiot? That's a good question." "Be careful," Dries threatened. "What else, Dries?" said Sullivan, omitting the honorific.He let go of Holloway and walked straight up to Dries to face him. "You're going to beat me to death too? Because no one cares about the deputy general counsel who runs the entire planet, right? Try threatening me again, Driss, and I guarantee you will spend the rest of your life on Zara Group's guano mine." Bat guano. If you think I can't do it, mess with me again, come on." Dries said nothing, and Sullivan retreated to Holloway. "I really like you," Holloway said to Sullivan. "Shut up." Sullivan replied.Holloway smiled. Sullivan turned his attention back to Dries. "Now, Mr. Dries," he said, "I ask you a question. Are you an idiot?" "No." Driss said angrily. "Really?" said Sullivan, "you almost fooled me into thinking you were. Because, as I'm sure you know, this Mr. Holloway recently discovered one of the largest solar mines the universe has ever seen. Anyway The value may exceed trillions of credit coins, and he can get billions, do you know this?" "Yeah," Dries said. "Okay. Now tell me, Mr. Dries, what do you think would happen if Mr. Holloway suddenly died in the holding cell of the Zara Group? Anyone anywhere in the known universe would believe an idiot Did the security guard say it was because he resisted arrest? Or did the Colonial Star official conduct a comprehensive investigation, going deep into all operations of the Zara Group, looking for evidence of commercial intimidation and assassination? Will the Colonial Star investigation stop the mining of the Sun Mine, causing the company to lose money? How many millions? "Will Mr. Holloway's descendants or heirs stand by while this happens? Or will they sue the company for wrongful death for the millions or billions they would have inherited? And you, Mr. Dries, once The Zara Group has decided that the cheapest solution is to put it all on you, where else will you go in your next life but a cell of less than 3 square meters? Again you are not an idiot, Mr. Dries. I really want to hear it. " Driss' arrogance completely disappeared, and he looked away. Sullivan glared angrily at the three sheriffs. "I have to be clear. You have to understand, and you have to make sure all the other sheriffs understand. There's one guy on Zara 23 you must never touch, and that's Mr. Holloway. He's so fucking valuable. If If anything happens to him, the Colonial Planet officials will come here and take off all of our pants to check thoroughly. From this moment on, your task is to ensure that he lives happily and happily. Also, Mr. Dries, if It means that every day you are in this company, Mr. Holloway punches you in the face every time he sees you, so you have to smile and ask if you can punch you again. Do you understand?" "Understood." Holloway suspected he hadn't spoken in that tone since Driss was eight years old.The other two sheriffs nodded. "Excellent," said Sullivan, looking back at Dries. "Now I apologize to Mr. Holloway." "What?" Driss was shocked. "You're trying to smash the back of his head with a pool stick, as I see it," Sullivan said. "You need to apologize. Say sorry, now." Holloway watched Dries' face, wondering if the stroke could be forced out.It was funny, but Holloway thought Sullivan was pushing Dries a little too far for the wimp's brain to handle. "Never mind," said Holloway, "actually I should apologize to Joe. Just say I went off to another pub and got too drunk and got into a fight and Joe had to get me sober. Nothing happened. Harm, no hostility, let's forget about it." Sullivan looked at Holloway for a long time, wondering what he was doing, what was his purpose. "I'm all right," he said after a minute. "What do you say, Mr. Dries?" "Okay," Dries said, looking straight into Holloway's face with a look that suggested they couldn't be alone in the same place anymore.Holloway thought so too. "Okay," repeated Sullivan, "then we're done with it here. I'm going to take Mr. Holloway, unless there's any objection." No one objected. "You're not bad," Holloway blurted out as soon as they left the sheriff's office. "I can see why Isabel likes you." "I'm glad you think so," said Sullivan, "because we'll never have to go through this again. Our mutual friend cost her a lot of credits to get me here to save you. I'd love to , because I think you know how I feel about her." "I know," Holloway said. "If you're upset, I want you to tell me now," Sullivan said. "I don't like surprises." Holloway shrugged. "I screwed up with Isabel," he said, "and she's not going to give me a second chance to screw it up again. You're fine." "That's all right," said Sullivan. "As I said, I'd love to help her, and I'd love to help you. But just this one time. You attacked a sheriff, not just any sheriff, but wearing a A sheriff with badges who enjoy being a hooligan. You're an idiot for that. If you get into trouble like this, Holloway, you'll have to save your life. I hope I've made myself clear." "Got it," Holloway said. "You're right, I was stupid. There won't be a next time, and if there were, I wouldn't expect you or Isabel to save me." "That's enough." Sullivan said, looking Holloway up and down, "How do you feel?" "It was like someone hit me on the head hard," Holloway said. "It happened for a reason," Sullivan said. "Okay, go to the hospital first, get checked for a concussion. Then you can spend the night on my sofa. Where's your ship?" "At Louis Ng's," said Holloway, "that's the mechanic in Aubrey, knocking out the hollow in the boat and fixing the emergency life-saving equipment. Probably tomorrow." "Have you had an accident?" said Sullivan. "I'll tell you later." Holloway said, "By the way, are you serious that if something happens to me, the colony officials will come to investigate?" "If you died in the security detention room of the Zara Group?" Sullivan said, "It will definitely be investigated. If your spaceship crashed into a tree, probably not. But they don't need to know." Sullivan pointed back Sheriff's Office. "They hate you very much." "Not everyone," Holloway said. "Driss must hate you," said Sullivan. "Yeah," Holloway said, "thank you for saving my life. I owe it to you. But I won't be able to repay you until they start digging my sun mine. I spend all my money on repairing my ship up." "You can repay me by taking me for a ride," Sullivan said. "When Isabel asked me to come to you, she said that I would go back with you. She said she wanted to talk to me about something, and I was the legal representative of the Zara Group. Something that falls within the purview of a consultant. I have absolutely no idea what she's talking about. What about you?" "Something," Holloway said.He rubbed his forehead, feeling a new headache hit him.
"I don't understand how you knocked his head off without being in the alley?" Holloway heard a voice. "Too many witnesses," answered another voice.The voice is that of Joe Dries. "The bastard's right. That's why I gotta get him here." "You're still going to knock his head off," said the voice from before. "Yes, but now because he resisted arrest," Dries said. "You're going to testify for me?" The voice laughed. Holloway risked opening his eyes and immediately regretted it.The strong light pierced his retina, and he strained his eyelids to concentrate on observing his surroundings.It finally became clear: he was in the Zara Group's security holding cell.He had come before for a drunken disturbance, just a few days after Isabelle had broken up with him. "Your friend is awake." A distant figure spotted him.Another figure approached the detention room, it was Dries.Dries, still in civilian clothes, smiled at Holloway. "Hi, Jack," Dries said. "How's it going?" "Feels like some bastard sneaked up on me," Holloway said. "It happens to you a lot, doesn't it?" Dries said. "You see, for a guy like you who thinks you're smart, you're doing stupid things. Like not looking at surveillance first." Is the video still there?" Holloway closed his eyes. "I must admit that you are right, Jo." "Classic being silly," Dries said, "I could talk about it with my friends for years." "You're not really going to knock my head off, are you?" Holloway said. "After tonight, a lot of people will know that you have a motive for murder." Driss snorted disdainfully. "Please," he said, "the people in the bar are so scared of me that they can't even sit on my bar stool while I'm away. Warren told me that if I was on a construction site, the bar would be full of my The bar stools are still empty. Don't get delusional, Jack. The people in the bar will only remember that you hit me, so I arrested you. They'll forget the rest very quickly." "Why, Joe?" Holloway asked, opening his eyes again to Dries, "I mean, why did you mess with my ship. You didn't answer me in the bar. I didn't know you hated me so much. " "Few people like you, Jack." Dries said, "Even those who like you don't like you very much. I never wait to see you." "I sound like you're admitting it," Holloway said. "I told you, I don't know what you're talking about," Dries said, with a rare sympathy, "I just know that you hit me and I brought you here. And then you fought back uncontrollably, I had to subdue you. Simple as that." "Just keep it simple," Holloway said. "That way you won't get it wrong." Dries laughed. "I'll miss you, Jack," he said. "You've told me that before," said Holloway. "I was serious both times," Dries said. "You've had enough rest. We've got to do something like, you resist arrest and I have to put you down." "That's right," said Holloway. "Don't worry, Jack," Dries said. "It won't hurt very much." "Thank you, Joe," said Holloway, "thank you very much." Dries smiled again and walked away.Holloway tried to concentrate, contemplating the grim reality that he might only have a few hours to live right now, but eventually decided that his head was too painful to think, and he slipped back into a coma. After an unknown amount of time, Holloway was pushed awake. "Halloway," a voice he didn't recognize called to him, "wake up." "Wake up so I can be beaten to death?" said Holloway vaguely. "I can't be active." "You've got a concussion, Holloway," the voice said. "It's not a good time to sleep." Holloway raised his eyelids, and he didn't recognize the source of the voice he didn't recognize. "Who are you?" he asked. "If all goes well, I'm the one who saved you from being beaten to death in the holding cell," the man said. "Try to stand up now, okay?" Holloway tried to get up from the ground with a pained contorted look on his face, and the man bent down to help him steady. "Stand carefully," he said. "That's easy for you to say," said Holloway. The man smiled and turned to the sheriff's trio standing outside the holding cell, one of whom was Joe Dries, now in uniform. "I'm taking Mr. Holloway," he said.His originally friendly tone had completely changed. "He needs to see a doctor." "He's not going anywhere, Mark," said one of the security guards, whom Holloway recognized as Luther Milner, who patrolled the dump. "The bastard attacked a sheriff. We have evidence." "Aha," said the man named Mark (who knows now), "witnesses in that bar? The one where the sheriff who claims to be assaulted is going to beat anyone up on the stool." A bar? The testimony of everyone there is quite credible." "Hey, he hit me, lawyer," Dries said, "don't get it wrong, that's not how it's done." "Of course not," said Mark, now clearly a lawyer. "Like if I didn't get there in time, Mr. Holloway's neck would have been wrenched for resistance, right? That's how it worked out, right?" ?” "I don't like your tone, Sullivan," Dries said. "I also don't like your idea that beating people to death in Zara's detention cell is a pleasure, Mr. Dries," said attorney Mark Sullivan. I have a big problem with the lawyers of the Zara Group. I understand that you think you don't need to report to anyone here, but Zara 23 is theoretically under the official jurisdiction of the colonial star, murder or murder. If the employees of the Zara Group are in Murdered a person within the confines of the group, not very good for the company's image, huh? Are you stupid, Mr. Dries?" "What?" Dries said. "I said, are you stupid?" Sullivan said. "This question is very simple, but if you need, I can ask more clearly. Are you an idiot? That's a good question." "Be careful," Dries threatened. "What else, Dries?" said Sullivan, omitting the honorific.He let go of Holloway and walked straight up to Dries to face him. "You're going to beat me to death too? Because no one cares about the deputy general counsel who runs the entire planet, right? Try threatening me again, Driss, and I guarantee you will spend the rest of your life on Zara Group's guano mine." Bat guano. If you think I can't do it, mess with me again, come on." Dries said nothing, and Sullivan retreated to Holloway. "I really like you," Holloway said to Sullivan. "Shut up." Sullivan replied.Holloway smiled. Sullivan turned his attention back to Dries. "Now, Mr. Dries," he said, "I ask you a question. Are you an idiot?" "No." Driss said angrily. "Really?" said Sullivan, "you almost fooled me into thinking you were. Because, as I'm sure you know, this Mr. Holloway recently discovered one of the largest solar mines the universe has ever seen. Anyway The value may exceed trillions of credit coins, and he can get billions, do you know this?" "Yeah," Dries said. "Okay. Now tell me, Mr. Dries, what do you think would happen if Mr. Holloway suddenly died in the holding cell of the Zara Group? Anyone anywhere in the known universe would believe an idiot Did the security guard say it was because he resisted arrest? Or did the Colonial Star official conduct a comprehensive investigation, going deep into all operations of the Zara Group, looking for evidence of commercial intimidation and assassination? Will the Colonial Star investigation stop the mining of the Sun Mine, causing the company to lose money? How many millions? "Will Mr. Holloway's descendants or heirs stand by while this happens? Or will they sue the company for wrongful death for the millions or billions they would have inherited? And you, Mr. Dries, once The Zara Group has decided that the cheapest solution is to put it all on you, where else will you go in your next life but a cell of less than 3 square meters? Again you are not an idiot, Mr. Dries. I really want to hear it. " Driss' arrogance completely disappeared, and he looked away. Sullivan glared angrily at the three sheriffs. "I have to be clear. You have to understand, and you have to make sure all the other sheriffs understand. There's one guy on Zara 23 you must never touch, and that's Mr. Holloway. He's so fucking valuable. If If anything happens to him, the Colonial Planet officials will come here and take off all of our pants to check thoroughly. From this moment on, your task is to ensure that he lives happily and happily. Also, Mr. Dries, if It means that every day you are in this company, Mr. Holloway punches you in the face every time he sees you, so you have to smile and ask if you can punch you again. Do you understand?" "Understood." Holloway suspected he hadn't spoken in that tone since Driss was eight years old.The other two sheriffs nodded. "Excellent," said Sullivan, looking back at Dries. "Now I apologize to Mr. Holloway." "What?" Driss was shocked. "You're trying to smash the back of his head with a pool stick, as I see it," Sullivan said. "You need to apologize. Say sorry, now." Holloway watched Dries' face, wondering if the stroke could be forced out.It was funny, but Holloway thought Sullivan was pushing Dries a little too far for the wimp's brain to handle. "Never mind," said Holloway, "actually I should apologize to Joe. Just say I went off to another pub and got too drunk and got into a fight and Joe had to get me sober. Nothing happened. Harm, no hostility, let's forget about it." Sullivan looked at Holloway for a long time, wondering what he was doing, what was his purpose. "I'm all right," he said after a minute. "What do you say, Mr. Dries?" "Okay," Dries said, looking straight into Holloway's face with a look that suggested they couldn't be alone in the same place anymore.Holloway thought so too. "Okay," repeated Sullivan, "then we're done with it here. I'm going to take Mr. Holloway, unless there's any objection." No one objected. "You're not bad," Holloway blurted out as soon as they left the sheriff's office. "I can see why Isabel likes you." "I'm glad you think so," said Sullivan, "because we'll never have to go through this again. Our mutual friend cost her a lot of credits to get me here to save you. I'd love to , because I think you know how I feel about her." "I know," Holloway said. "If you're upset, I want you to tell me now," Sullivan said. "I don't like surprises." Holloway shrugged. "I screwed up with Isabel," he said, "and she's not going to give me a second chance to screw it up again. You're fine." "That's all right," said Sullivan. "As I said, I'd love to help her, and I'd love to help you. But just this one time. You attacked a sheriff, not just any sheriff, but wearing a A sheriff with badges who enjoy being a hooligan. You're an idiot for that. If you get into trouble like this, Holloway, you'll have to save your life. I hope I've made myself clear." "Got it," Holloway said. "You're right, I was stupid. There won't be a next time, and if there were, I wouldn't expect you or Isabel to save me." "That's enough." Sullivan said, looking Holloway up and down, "How do you feel?" "It was like someone hit me on the head hard," Holloway said. "It happened for a reason," Sullivan said. "Okay, go to the hospital first, get checked for a concussion. Then you can spend the night on my sofa. Where's your ship?" "At Louis Ng's," said Holloway, "that's the mechanic in Aubrey, knocking out the hollow in the boat and fixing the emergency life-saving equipment. Probably tomorrow." "Have you had an accident?" said Sullivan. "I'll tell you later." Holloway said, "By the way, are you serious that if something happens to me, the colony officials will come to investigate?" "If you died in the security detention room of the Zara Group?" Sullivan said, "It will definitely be investigated. If your spaceship crashed into a tree, probably not. But they don't need to know." Sullivan pointed back Sheriff's Office. "They hate you very much." "Not everyone," Holloway said. "Driss must hate you," said Sullivan. "Yeah," Holloway said, "thank you for saving my life. I owe it to you. But I won't be able to repay you until they start digging my sun mine. I spend all my money on repairing my ship up." "You can repay me by taking me for a ride," Sullivan said. "When Isabel asked me to come to you, she said that I would go back with you. She said she wanted to talk to me about something, and I was the legal representative of the Zara Group. Something that falls within the purview of a consultant. I have absolutely no idea what she's talking about. What about you?" "Something," Holloway said.He rubbed his forehead, feeling a new headache hit him.