The Last Option

Duncan followed Nathan for a few days before planning how to assassinate him, to learn about his routines and frequent movements. It took him a full month to figure out that part of his routine consisted of leaving for work at Southern Hilltop Gold very early every day of the week, including some Saturdays until noon. In the past, he would have spent part of his days doing the odd business trip, and in the afternoons, when he was not traveling, visiting the exclusive clubs where he met with other executives and friends, playing golf or simply going out with his wife to dinner or the theater, among other activities, But Duncan was struck by the fact that almost every day after work he arrived with his driver at an exclusive residential complex and stayed a few hours in one of its apartments. Other times he attended with his wife Norma. He rarely witnessed how he made some purchases, always in the company of his driver and sometimes with his wife, and took them to the same apartment. He would dedicate himself to investigating what he almost always did there, or who he visited so assiduously. It was clear that he was not cheating on his wife, for he sometimes took her there too, unless the lover was an acquaintance of hers, whom she occasionally visited.

If it had been among his plans to follow the chauffeur after he dropped him off at his house, he would have realized that the apartment Nathan visited so much was his house, and he would have been much closer to knowing the whole truth of what it happened within its four walls. As Bernard was not in his plans, he never saw when he went out and arrived with his pregnant wife at the exclusive residential complex.

What he did realize was that Norma was definitely not pregnant, because with the month of follow-up he was able to see her on several occasions and there were no signs that she was expecting a baby, so he included her in his plans as well. It was time to act. And he was prepared.

He could not sabotage their cars because the new driver was aware of them and their maintenance; nor could he cause an accident with another car when he was on the way to work or with his wife to another place because there were no large highways in the sector where he generally traveled. He thought in the traditional way, shooting him with his sniper rifle from a distance and when he was getting to work or one of the exclusive clubs he attended, or at night when he got home from some activity, but he thought to leave it rather as a last resource when the other options have failed, if they fail.

Finally, he decided to hire someone to fake an armed robbery when he was on his way home after attending a theater function, going to the movies, or having dinner with his wife, since in those moments he was usually not there accompanied by his driver, who strangely gave him a lot of free time.

He contacted Billy "the bully," a former partner in crime, and commissioned him to do the job, after paying him a good deal of money and assuring him that he could keep whatever they were carrying. To do this, they had to watch Nathan and his wife and follow them when they left without their driver.

"If he goes out with his driver it won't be a problem either," Billy told him, "I'll take him too and that's it. That one will be free."

One night Nathan insisted that Bernard stay a bit longer to take him and Norma to a benefit dinner, as he didn't want to drive. Before accepting the job, Bernard had done some research on a billionaire's chauffeur job, and realized he didn't do all the things he was supposed to do, especially being available to his employer practically 24 hours a day. Although it was true that Nathan was not the typical billionaire, he wanted to know anyway why he did not act like the others, and since he had some confidence in him, he decided that night to question him with all the respect he deserved, and apologizing if he was intruding on his intimate life.

"Forgive me if I'm intruding on your private life, Mr. Hicks, but it has struck me that you are not a typical billionaire, and that I'm not a typical billionaire's driver. In your case I don't see a trace of arrogance or the typical haughtiness of someone in your position. You treat others as equals and unlike the other millionaire, your heart isn't where your money is, you are selfless and generous, or at least you have been with my wife and me."

Nathan just smiled at Bernard's words. Few people would care about things like that and speak them with all the innocence, sincerity and simplicity with which this man was doing it, and now he liked him more. That conversation would be irrelevant to anyone, however he decided to go along with him so as not to make him feel bad.

"And why do you consider you are not the typical driver?"

"Well, I have investigated that a personal driver for someone like you must come from a specialized company, and have training in personal defense and defensive driving. And in the event it doesn't come from such a company, it should have an area in the residence of its employer to unwind and sleep, and be available for when it is required, whatever time it is. I see that I have a lot of free time, perhaps because of the agreement we have, it's convenient for you that I spend more time with my wife and take care of her, but I repeat: I don't see myself as the typical driver, and you don't see yourself as the typical billionaire."

"Well, as for your first observation, I don't see why I should be like the other "billionaires", as you call me; I'm convinced that it isn't worth wasting time in negative attitudes that only darken your soul and can do some harm to others, belittling them or making them feel less than you for the simple fact of not having money. If you are authentic, money won't change you in any aspect of your life. It only helps you live a little better, but it isn't everything." "What about not having a driver like the other billionaires?"

"I have a driver, right? As you have already realized, we are only my wife and I in the house; so far we don't have children or any other family member that justifies having a driver available most of the day to transport them. I usually have a driver to get to and from work, which always keeps my mind busy. I'm usually thinking of a thousand and one things before I get to my office and I could easily get distracted if I drive myself. Besides," Nathan smiled broadly again, as he looked at Bernard in the rearview mirror, "if I hadn't had a driver, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to have a child."

Norma was silently listening to the conversation between Nathan and Bernard, and smiled at her husband's last words.

"In that you're right, dear," she said, taking his hand, "but you're not thinking of me, because if you didn't have a driver, I wouldn't have someone to take me shopping or to my friends, and you couldn't indulge me in that regard." Bernard frowned for a few seconds, realizing at that precise moment that since he had been working for them, the number of times he had taken her alone to do her things had been counted. He usually drove Nathan, rarely both, and very rarely to her.

He wanted to tell them that, but preferred to remain silent.

In a few minutes they arrived at the site of the charity, an exclusive club of executives and personalities linked to the social, political and business life of the city. The other guests were already arriving and had to wait in line for their turn to stop in front of the main entrance to get out of the car. Bernard opened the door for them and Nathan and Norma got out.

"This is going to take a while, Bernard," Nathan told him. "If you want you can go see Margaret and see how she is. Come back in two hours, by then maybe this is over." "Very good, Mr. Hicks. I'll be back in two hours."

Bernard started the Bentley and began to drive away.

"You know these activities don't end in two hours," Norma told Nathan as they entered the club.

"I know, I was going to tell him to wait for us in the parking lot but I couldn't help thinking about his wife and our son and that's why I ordered him to go see them." "But you still ordered him to come back early."

"Yes. For some strange reason I also want him to be here sooner and wait for us."

Nearby, in the shadows and from his car parked a few feet behind, Billy "the bully" watched them as they entered the club.