Chapter 4

4: 4

The villagers were seconds from coming to blows with the crew. Then a siren cut through it all.

A few patrol cars pulled up outside my fish farm, and the moment the enforcement officers stepped out, Mayor Barnaby Lambert dropped to his knees with a cluster of old men behind him.

"Officers, you have to stand up for us. This heartless boss Noah Dickerson is trying to haul off our village's equipment!"

"He takes that away, he's cutting off the living of hundreds of families in this village!"

"Arrest that heartless boss Noah Dickerson, quick!"

"..."

The whole crowd was wailing, tears and all, and a couple of the old women threw themselves on the ground and started rolling around.

I just watched it, cold, barely able to keep the corner of my mouth from twitching up.

These people still thought it was the old days, like throwing a tantrum in the dirt could turn a lie into the truth.

The lead enforcement officer looked over at me. I had my assistant hand over all the purchase receipts and invoices.

"Officer, all of this equipment was bought and paid for in full by me personally. Here are the invoices and receipts. These people are trying to seize my property by force."

The officers started going through the receipts and the purchase list carefully, checking every item against the actual equipment, one by one.

"Confirmed. All of this equipment was purchased with Noah Dickerson's own money. Anyone who obstructs from here on is committing disorderly conduct."

Barnaby heard that and stiffly shot back, "Officer, this equipment is installed on our village's land."

Before he could finish, my assistant already had the village lease out.

"Take a look, officer. This is our lease agreement. We pay the village a hundred thousand dollars in rent every year."

Barnaby and the others wanted to keep arguing but couldn't find the words.

All they could do was throw looks, cueing the old people to start their theatrics again.

"Anyone who dares obstruct again gets detained plus fined."

Then the lead officer turned his eyes on Barnaby.

"Barnaby Lambert, you're the mayor, and you're gathering a crowd to make trouble? Looks like I'll have to file a report with my superiors."

"No, no, I didn't."

Barnaby was badly rattled and quickly told the old people to get up.

I had the crew take the equipment apart and haul it off, piece by piece.

Dominic came up to me, his face full of hate.

"Noah, you think you won? Let me tell you, I'll have fingerlings and equipment bought in no time, and then all of this will be mine."

"Is that so? Well, old friend, let me wish you a fortune in advance. Just don't cry when the time comes."

"Noah, quit talking tough. How many days do you think those fish of yours will last once they're out of the water? You think I actually believe you've got some Base Two?"

"If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do about it."

I didn't waste any more energy tangling with the villagers of Lambert Village. I left an accountant behind to settle every last cent of their wages, then headed to Base Two.

The truth was, I had three fish farms in all, because my father's restaurant business had grown bigger and bigger over the years.

And this four-gilled bass was the signature dish across his restaurants and hotels. Demand stayed high, so I had no choice but to keep expanding.

Base Three was actually built in the village next to Lambert Village, a place called Lawrence Village.

Back then the mayor of Lawrence Village had watched the people of Lambert Village make money, so he came to me again and again, practically begging. Since I happened to be looking to expand, I agreed.

But Lowell had always run that one, and I rarely went out there, so the people of Lambert Village had no idea I had another fish farm in Lawrence Village at all.

The moment my car reached the entrance of Lawrence Village, I saw banners hanging on both sides of the road. They read: Welcome, Mr. Dickerson.