Beech Mountbatten

After Lynch came out of the washroom, he felt that moving really couldn't wait any longer.

All the tenants had returned by now, and he'd spent a full half hour waiting outside before he could take care of business.

The good news, though, was that when he got back, Klein had used yesterday's leftovers to whip up another decent meal.

There wasn't much of it, but Klein promised he'd go out and buy beef later, so they could have a proper dinner once Melissa got home.

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Benson chatted with them for a few more minutes, then hurried off to the docks.

Lynch didn't linger either. He spotted two children wandering around outside the window. That was the signal he'd agreed on with Mountbatten.

If they caught someone, the children would circle around outside his window several times.

After all, they were just kids. Nobody would pay any attention to them for walking around a few times.

He gestured to the two children, then went outside and hurried to the agreed meeting place.

As he walked, he kept one hand on the grip of his revolver. He'd already loaded it, and if things went badly, he'd need to take some defensive measures.

"Mr. Trance, is that him?"

As soon as Mountbatten saw Lynch arrive, he led him over to a group of people who were bound hand and foot.

Lynch recognized all of them. They were the thugs from the street where the original owner had lived.

"When we got there, they were drinking inside. Once they saw us, they could barely walk."

Mountbatten kicked one of them, his face full of contempt.

Lynch looked over the men, keeping his expression neutral, though he felt a little disappointed.

He'd thought they might catch a Beyonder!

He hadn't expected them to be nothing but this sorry lot.

Clearly, the real mastermind behind this hadn't shown up.

"Take him to a quiet room. I need to ask him some questions."

Lynch pointed at Upton and motioned for Mountbatten to drag him into another room.

Mountbatten didn't call on any of his men. He went in person, helping Lynch haul Upton into the room.

Upton glared at Lynch, looking as though he'd suffered a terrible humiliation. He kept shouting, "I only went over to take advantage of the situation! Why did you tie up all my brothers?"

Brothers?

Thinking of Upton's men, who'd been drinking themselves into a stupor, Lynch assumed he was joking.

If they were really brothers, they wouldn't all have been dead drunk while Upton alone was sober enough to talk to him.

"Go on, then. What are you trying to do?"

Lynch smiled. He glanced at Upton, his tone casual, as if the whole affair hadn't troubled him in the slightest.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I only went over to take advantage of the situation, and in the end I didn't do anything. What gives you the right to treat me like this?"

Upton stared at Lynch in indignation.

Lynch watched him for a while, then changed the subject.

"Do you know about the Nighthawks in Tingen?"

Upton frowned.

"What are you talking about?"

Lynch lowered his voice and leaned close to Upton's ear.

"The Nighthawks have been investigating the Big Meat Church. I need you to pass them a message: those Beyonders are trying to use me to catch them."

A flicker of surprise crossed Upton's eyes. Then he went back to acting as though he knew nothing. But Lynch had already confirmed that the man was in the know.

He hadn't caught the wrong person.

"I haven't betrayed the organization. The Nighthawks were the ones who came after me. They took the Antigonus Notebook. I'm innocent too—I can swear it before the Lord!"

Lynch had said it on impulse.

Who cared which Lord it was? As long as he hadn't meant what he said, the gods wouldn't pay any attention to him.

He spoke with such conviction that Upton immediately believed half of it. In this era, few people dared to lie to a god's face.

"Then why did you have me arrested?"

"I'm putting on a show for the Nighthawks team. They seem to think you lot helped me get the Antigonus Notebook, so they want to use me to catch you. I had no way to pass on a message, so I could only ask these guys to help me put on a show and pick a fight with you.

"Anyway, once I leave here, I'll pretend I don't know any of you. Even if you stand right in front of me, I'll act as though we've never met. Of course, you can tell them that if they have anything to say to me, they can write to me in secret and sign it: 'Mr. xxx Trance.'

"I can tell the others it's a letter from a distant relative. Remember what I said. I don't have much free time, and I'm being watched most of the time. That Klein is a member of the Nighthawks. It took everything I had just to get away from him."

When Lynch finished, he winked at Upton, looking utterly devoted.

Then he raised his voice. "I'll ask you once more: did you come to my house with any ulterior motive?"

Upton caught on.

He shouted and even glared at Lynch on purpose, making Lynch so angry that he punched him twice.

"I'll make these people pay! Let Upton go, and lock his brothers up for two days. Brother, he won't have any brothers left in a minute!"

Lynch stormed out, shouting. Upton couldn't help admiring him.

So this was what a true master of performance looked like.

Following Lynch's lead, he shouted angrily too, declaring that he would never give in.

Only after Upton was kicked out and the other thugs were taken back to the police station did Lynch turn to Mountbatten.

"It worked. I've convinced Upton to join me. He's a member of a cult that worships an evil god. This is your chance, Mountbatten. Do you know which church Upton belongs to?"

Mountbatten looked confused, so Lynch explained, "He's with the Big Meat Church, which worships a terrifying evil god. If we can strike a blow against this criminal organization, and I put in a good word for you, you'll have earned a major achievement. Becoming chief will be just around the corner!"

Mountbatten's eyes lit up, and he nodded firmly.

"I'll keep an eye on him!"

Lynch didn't comment. He simply took out a sheet of paper and, right in front of Mountbatten, casually wrote a pledge on it.

I, Lynch Trans, swear to defend the Big Meat Church to the death. If I die, everything I own belongs to the Church!

After writing it, he handed the pledge to Mountbatten.

"I told Upton to say I wanted to join the Big Meat Church, so he'd have something to tell them and wouldn't get into trouble. I wrote this pledge to help him win their trust. Find a way to get it to Upton without drawing attention."

Mountbatten nodded and gave him a thumbs-up.

This officer was willing to write a pledge just to solve a case, without the slightest fear of the evil god's revenge. No wonder he was a member of the Seventh Action Group!

The other man was so selfless that Mountbatten felt ashamed of himself.

But soon, Mountbatten saw the encouraging look in Lynch's eyes, and immediately straightened up.

That was right. He, Beech Mountbatten, was also serving the people. Everything he did wasn't just for the sake of becoming chief, but for the people and for his country!

He, Beech Mountbatten, was exceptionally patriotic!