Chapter 75: Bounty
Date 22 Mar 2321
Time 15:45
Location Sky Blossom City, Guild a.s.sociation Mall, Warehouse no. 234, Card Lab
Tom Wyatt and Papa Wyatt are not blood-related brothers, they grew up in the same orphanage. They bonded over their love for Card Apprentice Championship, as they were of the same age their relationship grew deeper and considered each other as brothers.
They grew up sharing the same dream of being ranked in the Card Apprentice Championship and when they were of legal age both decided to take up Wyatt as their surname in honour of the late Card Apprentice Wyatt Hunter ranked no.13 in the year 2292 Card Apprentice Championship.
Nearing the age of 17 they both successfully contracted grimoires and became card apprentices, so the government resettled them to a newly founded Village as farmers.
Even though they were card apprentices they were government-contracted farmers with minimum wages who were confined in the village as farmers.
Both Tom and papa Wyatt were young and hot-blooded, they yearned for freedom, and to achieve their dream of being ranked in the Card Apprentice Championship.
So they decided to work odd jobs in addition to their regular farm work to earn and collect enough money to redeem both their freedoms from the government.
3 years in, together they had already collected enough for one of them to bail out of the government contract but then the situation had changed they no longer shared the same dream.
Tom fell in love with a lovely village girl and his new goal was to marry, settle and start a family with her. But papa Wyatt still nurtured their childhood dream so, without informing papa Wyatt Tom bailed papa Wyatt out of the contract.
Of course, they had a big fight after that incident and papa Wyatt went on his adventure, became a silver grimoire holder, helped Tom gain his freedom and marry the love of his life, then papa Wyatt met and married mama Wyatt, and finally settled in Sky Blossom City near to uncle Tom’s village.
Every summer and winter break both the Wyatt families would gather at Tom or Papa Wyatt house to spend time together with family.
Even though Tom Wyatt and Papa Wyatt were closer than blood brothers they were not related in the government papers so Tom Wyatt was not informed of the unfortunate pa.s.sing of Papa and Mama Wyatt.
The thought of informing Tom Wyatt about papa and mama Wyatt never crossed Young Wyatt’s head as he was too depressed to think straight losing his loved ones, being bullied, falling prey to scams young Wyatt went through a lot for his age and experience so I could not blame him.
…
” uncle what is it, it seems urgent, tell me I will report it to them later.”
“It’s about your cousin Ronnie, he is in trouble. I thought maybe your father could help.”
“Ronnie! What about him? I know he can be mischievous sometimes but he is smart enough not to get himself in any trouble.”
“*sigh*… I guess it doesn’t matter telling you now, you will know about it soon anyway.
Ronnie, he ran away from the village…”
“What?!.. Are you sure? Why would he do that? Maybe he is kidnapped by human traffickers.”
In this world, human trafficking is a day to day incident especially near the rural areas as they need slaves to do illegal dungeon mining.
“T-that punk ran away from the village with the village head’s daughter. It has been a week now! at first, I thought spending all their money they will return but it seems they ran away for good ”
‘Snort face Ronnie got a girlfriend before me. Wait! What am I thinking…’ clearing my head I asked, “what’s the problem? They will return when they are bored of each other.”
“The problem is that the village head’s daughter is already engaged to the village guard chief’s eldest son.
Now both the village head and guard chief have already lodged an official complaint on your cousin stating that he kidnapped Jackie against her will. And also put a $25,000 bounty on Ronnie’s head.
No matter what if Ronnie falls in their hands he is as good as dead”
“Jackie! Jackie is the village head’s daughter!”
“Yes, she used to babysit you and Ronnie remember… “
‘Fu
“Yes, I remember. Ronnie has good taste and skills just like you uncle.”
“*ahem* I could suppress them till now using your parent’s name but now they have lost their patience.
If not for the fear of your parents they would not let me and your aunt go… we are not worried about us but that foolish cousin of yours… Where is he? What is he doing? *sigh* Your aunt has lost 20kg in weight worrying about him.”
‘s.h.i.t! Not good, looks like news of mama and Wyatt’s death has not reached the village yet but it doesn’t mean it will not reach in future.
Uncle and aunt are in danger, the village head and village guard chief are the law in the village.
If the village head and guard chief knew about the pa.s.sing of papa and mama Wyatt then they will direct their anger towards uncle and auntie Wyatt.’
Thinking of the dire consequences of Ronnie’s foolish actions my head went into adrenalin, the village head and village guard chief are the law in the village even if they killed uncle and auntie Wyatt they could easily get away with the murders.
If not for them being afraid of papa and mama Wyatt’s revenge they would have already taken uncle and auntie Wyatt hostage to threaten Ronnie into submitting.
No, I have to do something, I know where Ronnie and Jackie are hiding, I will talk to them soon. But now I will have to convince uncle and auntie Wyatt to leave the village and come to me as soon as possible.
“Uncle where are you right now?”
“I am home washing the dishes. Why?”
“Are you alone and sure of no one eavesdropping on you?”
“What is going on Dalton? Did you help Ronnie or did he contact you? Do you know where he is?” Uncle only calls young Wyatt Dalton when he is angry.
“Uncle! stay calm and listen to me, this is a matter of life and death. Get auntie, pack important stuff and head to the address that I will be sending you… I will explain everything to you later when you get here… please trust me this once, will you” I said trying to sound as sincere as possible.
“… Okay! I understand, we will be there soon. Wyatt, you have grown up and I hope you know what you are doing. If you see Ronnie tell that dumba.s.s to be prepared for some a.s.s-kicking”
“Thank you, uncle! see you soon.”
That’s it? I did not think uncle would be so understanding. Anyway, this makes my job easier now all I have to do is find Ronnie and Jackie, the bakery should be a good place to start.
Sending the warehouse address to uncle, I head out towards Helen’s homemade bread. I gave the warehouse address because it was the most secure place with the city’s enforcers watching over and not many people from young Wyatt’s past knew I was living here so it was not only secure but covert of sorts.
…
Date 22 Mar 2321
Time 16:57
Location Sky Blossom City, South zone, Helen’s Homemade bread.
Taking a seat in the shop lobby, I called Jackie. Yesterday after scanning the Qr code of grimoire Jackie shared her number to my grimoire too.
“h.e.l.lo, Wyatt! What a surprise I was planning to contact you… I am at work, I will call you later”
“Hi Jackie, I am sitting at table no.5 of your shop. Why don’t you come by and say hi?”
“Oh! You are here… Right now it is rush hour, I can not come to meet you now… how about you wait a few minutes I will be there.”
“Don’t try to run Jackie, I know everything.
Did you know your father has put a large bounty on Ronnie’s head and filed a complaint in the local police station accusing him of kidnapping you?
If you care about Ronnie come meet me now, think about your baby before you act.
Ronnie is my cousin, I want to help, I have come alone and just want to talk, trust me.”
“Okay, I will be there”
“Tu… Tu… Tu…”
…
I did not have to wait long, Jackie arrived and sat opposite to me cautiously looking left to right. I did not blame her, one could not be more cautious when it comes to the wellbeing of your loved ones.
“I came alone and n.o.body knows that you are here to my knowledge. Is that baby Ronnie’s”
“Yes”
“I have so many questions to ask but for now, Of all the boys in the world why Ronnie? What did you see in him?”
“Wyatt please be serious… is it true that my father put a large bounty on Ronnie’s head and filed a complaint in the local police station accusing him of kidnapping me?”
“Yes, uncle Tom tried to stop them but today your father along with the guard chief lost their patience and lodged an official complaint in the local police station stating that Ronnie kidnapped you against your will and also put a $25,000 bounty on Ronnie’s head.”
?