Chapter 139: Boss Hart’s Righteousness
"Thank you," Frederick Shaw said. He helped Zom onto the bed and apologized to the boy who had been woken up.
After all the commotion, everyone was finally tucked into bed and asleep.
In the Dawn Hotel, a room facing the RV was pitch-black, its lights off.
Stan Sterling leaned against the balcony railing, his piercing gaze taking in the entire scene.
’The little boy came, Lily Hart went out with him, and then, after a long time, she brought someone else back. Did something happen...?’
As an outsider, Stan Sterling didn’t understand, but his curiosity was piqued. He recorded everything, zooming in to capture their expressions.
He glanced at the message on his Light Brain, deleted it with an air of impatience, and wiped away every trace.
’The desire to break away is getting stronger...’
A new day dawned. Lily Hart was busy setting up her scratch-off tickets when Logan Holland arrived.
"Boss Hart, I’m returning to Central Command today. Cherie and Tanya will be staying here, so I’m leaving them in your care," Logan Holland said sincerely.
"Not a problem," Lily Hart agreed. Logan Holland was a good person and had helped them a lot; it was only natural to return the favor.
The two chatted for a while longer, and Lily Hart told him what had happened the previous night, though she omitted certain details.
"Lily!" Easton came running, leading a pack of little rascals who swarmed over like a gust of wind, their greetings overlapping in a cheerful chorus.
Frederick Shaw lagged behind, walking side-by-side with Zom. Logan Holland’s gaze fell upon them, and his heart leaped in shock.
He asked in a low voice, "Is that the little boy you were talking about?"
Lily Hart hummed in affirmation. "What do you think? He looks pretty sharp, doesn’t he?" She tilted her head, looking at Logan Holland.
But she was met with a look of stunned disbelief in his eyes. Lily Hart was taken aback and asked, a bit confused, "What’s wrong?"
Logan Holland shook his head and took a breath to compose himself. With a trembling hand, he opened an application on his Light Brain, bypassing layer after layer of password protection.
It was a list, densely packed with names. Some were blacked out, while others were circled.
The heading on the list read: Project Fireseed.
Lily Hart glanced over and immediately spotted Frederick Shaw’s name. Not only was it on the list, but it was right at the top.
Entry #1.
Lily Hart couldn’t help but wonder, ’Who are these people on the list? What are their backgrounds?’
Logan Holland said nothing. He angled his body slightly to shield the screen from view and quickly located Frederick Shaw’s entry.
He tapped the name, and a personal profile appeared, complete with a photo and other information.
Logan Holland scanned the information line by line, comparing the gender, name, and date of birth. Every so often, he would glance over at the quiet Frederick Shaw in the RV.
The photo on file showed Frederick Shaw at three years old. He was seven now, and four years later, his features had matured significantly.
But the underlying structure of his face was the same. A careful comparison confirmed it was the same person.
The Frederick Shaw in the RV was indeed the same Frederick Shaw as Entry #1—the grandson of Elder Shaw, the man who held a position of great power in Central Command and controlled eighty percent of the military.
He had recognized the boy at a glance because he bore such a striking resemblance to Elder Shaw—their eyes were exactly the same.
At this realization, Logan Holland jolted, snapped his Light Brain shut, and glanced cautiously at Lily Hart.
She still wore her usual calm and gentle expression. ’She must not have noticed my furtive actions,’ he thought.
’Elder Shaw’s grandson is here... what should I do? Should I take him back, or should I let him continue living here in ignorance?’
But he quickly recalled Elder Shaw’s current predicament. The man was besieged on all sides, with several factions scheming to carve up his military authority.
Countless eyes were fixed on Elder Shaw. Bringing Frederick Shaw back now was absolutely not the right time.
One wrong move, and the boy could become a hostage.
Logan Holland’s mind raced, his thoughts a tangled mess. When he finally looked up, the six little rascals were already eating breakfast.
As a newcomer, Frederick Shaw sat by himself on the opposite side—a small boy with a big bowl.
His back was to Logan Holland as he sat on his chair, head bent over his bowl, slurping noodles. Though his face was hidden, one could still feel his happiness.
Logan Holland made his decision in that instant. He would let the boy stay here, in this last bastion of peace in a world torn by apocalypse.
Central Command was too complicated, too many factions had their eyes on Elder Shaw. It was no place for a child to grow up safely.
He casually shut his Light Brain, only to meet Lily Hart’s slightly probing gaze. His heart skipped a beat.
’Boss Hart is so perceptive and sharp,’ he thought. ’If she spotted even the slightest clue, she could easily follow the breadcrumbs to the truth.’
There was no telling how long Frederick Shaw would have to stay here. ’I might as well just tell Boss Hart his real identity.’
’That way, she’ll be able to protect him better.’
In a split second, Logan Holland made up his mind. He blinked at Lily Hart and beckoned her closer with his finger.
"Hmm?" Lily Hart bent over and leaned in. ’I already have a pretty good idea what he’s going to say.’
’I’m actually quite relieved that he’s choosing to tell me instead of keeping it a secret.’
Logan Holland whispered mysteriously, "Do you have any idea what that kid’s identity is?"
Lily Hart shook her head, her eyes wide with feigned curiosity as she played along. "An identity? What kind of identity could a little kid like him have?"
Logan Holland mentioned a name, but it meant nothing to Lily Hart. It seemed the pre-apocalyptic civilization here was like a parallel universe to the 21st century she came from.
The geography, environment, and nations were all broadly similar; it was just that the cast of characters, from the top down, was completely different.
Seeing her blank expression, Logan Holland simply opened his Light Brain again and pulled up an archival photo from one of the pre-apocalyptic era’s grand annual military parades.
He pointed to a man in the front row, slightly off-center—a vigorous, radiant man who looked to be in his fifties.
"This man, do you recognize him?" Logan Holland asked, pointing at the photo and noting Lily Hart’s still-blank expression.
Lily Hart shook her head. She didn’t recognize the man, but his seating position alone told her everything she needed to know about his importance and influence.
"His grandson?" Lily Hart ventured, calculating the ages. ’Wow, so Frederick Shaw’s background is pretty impressive, huh?’
"Is he still alive?" Lily Hart pressed. ’If he’s dead, that cuts the impressiveness factor in half.’
Logan Holland nodded vigorously. "Of course." He held out his hand and made a grasping gesture. "He’s the top dog in the military."
"And what’s more," Logan Holland added regretfully, "his son and daughter-in-law are both dead. The grandson is the only heir left."
Lily Hart nodded in understanding. ’So Frederick Shaw’s stock value just keeps rising,’ she mused.
So?
She looked at Logan Holland. "What’s your plan?"
Their gazes met, and Logan Holland was the first to look away. "Please, Boss Hart," he pleaded, "keep his identity a secret and do your best to protect him. On the surface, he’s just Elder Shaw’s grandson, but the situation is so delicate... one wrong move could set off a catastrophic chain reaction."
Lily Hart fell into thought. ’What’s in it for me?’ she wondered.
The answer was obvious, of course. She’d basically be holding a major political player’s lifeline in her hands. ’But,’ she thought, ’it’s not like I care about that sort of thing!’
’Oh, whatever. I’ll just chalk it up to doing a good deed, storing up some good karma.’
’Besides, Frederick Shaw is still registered as an ’exception’ by the system. That’s a mystery worth exploring.’
"Alright," Lily Hart agreed without hesitation.
"Boss Hart, you are a truly righteous person!" Logan Holland was completely sincere, and his gaze turned fervent.
Lily Hart waved a dismissive hand. "Oh, it’s nothing. Just setting another place at the table."