Salute To The General

Very quickly, Nathan was able to meet with Zion in an isolated interrogation room.

Zion's hair had shockingly turned white overnight, which gave him the bespectacled man the appearance of a grizzled elder.

That aside, Zion's attire remained prim and proper, and he was both physically unharmed and mentally alert. His silvery mane, though, made him resemble more of a wizened scholar than an important official.

Zion was extremely surprised to see

Nathan. “What are you doing here, Chief Cross?"

"I've come to visit you because Mr. Windsor is concerned that you may be subjected to mistreatment, as do myself," said Nathan in his deep inflection.

That drew a bitter smile from Zion even as his eyes welled up. "Previously, I was told that you are a forthright and upstanding man, but I was skeptical about that. To think that you're the only one dropping in to see me now that I'm in trouble!"

Nathan had not much to say about that and only turned to regard Braydon, Colin, and the others to the side solemnly. "Step outside, all of you. I'd like to have a word with Mr. Lucas. Also, have all the surveillance equipment inside of this room turned off."

Braydon expressed no objections and filed out alongside Colin, the Elite Eight, and whoever else was there.

After the door closed behind them with only Nathan and Zion left alone inside, the former asked candidly, "What's going on here, Mr. Lucas? Braydon said that you'd confessed to the charges of unlawful conduct?" "That's right. There is truth to the accusations that they've leveled against me, and I've admitted to them, since I'm unable to defend myself in good conscience."

Nathan was stunned. "What do you mean by that? Did you really break the law? How much were you on the take for?"

Zion was in no hurry to answer. Instead, he asked, "Do you have any cigarettes, Chief Cross?"

With everything that is happening here, are you really still in the mood to smoke? Nathan was speechless.

Although that was what he thought inside, he fished out a pack of cigarettes and offered a stick to Zion.

Zion was a little astonished at the Marlboro, which cost less than ten a pack, in Nathan's possession. "This cheap stuff? Shouldn't you be smoking something else better than this, Chief Cross?"

"I smoke a lot of these, and I'll have the exclusive ones as well. Sometimes, I may continue smoking the exclusives at home if I don't manage to finish the ones that I am issued. But most of the time, I'd probably just go with Marlboro."

Coming to that point, Nathan frowned and asked, "Do you have a problem with that?”

"Yes, and no," Zion replied.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Nathan asked.

e'

Zion picked up the lighter on the table. Flicking it open with a mechanical ring, he lit up a cigarette and took a puff before he continued, "I was under the impression that someone in your position surely has habits similar to myself, settling for nothing but the best when it comes to your vices. Even if you're that hard up, it still ought to be the good cigarettes and alcohol that other people are bringing to you. Didn't strike me at all that you'd be the type to go for such terrible stuff."

Nathan said, “Cheap cigarettes are what soldiers will smoke when they are on leave, and besides, I don't think there's any correlation between quality and affordability. In the service, the ordinary soldiers like the ordinary stuff, and we like our drinks cheap and stiff.”

Zion replied, "Then, we're nothing

alike, you and Basically, I'd always have the premium stuff. Sometimes at work, businessmen or the guys under me would offer me all sorts of stuff after the job is done. Cigars, alcohol, and money; you name it. I'd always say no to the money, but never to the cigars and alcohol. Hence, I'd never have to smoke or drink anything that's low end."

That drew a frown from Nathan. "Are you just showing off, Mr. Lucas, or are you trying to tell me something with this?"

"What I mean to say is thatCopyright by Nôv/elDrama.Org.

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sometimes this job isn't such a cakewalk," replied Zion, smiling bitterly. "For instance, if you're in a leadership position and needed to complete a certain project, you have to select the contractor in an impartial manner in order to get the job done. After the chairmen of those companies have made their money, they may wish to express their gratitude, or perhaps they will make an attempt to foster a good relationship with you. Their means, to that end, is by offering you gifts in the form of cigars, alcohol, and lots and lots of money. Tell me, what would you do under such

circumstances?"

"Refuse them, of course, and also issue them a stern warning that that is against regulations. Be it graft or bribery, they are all considered unlawful conduct,” Nathan answered without the slightest bit of hesitancy.