Jason Blackwell's Rise To Power

CHAPTER 4

Jason stared at the man standing in front of him. Rainwater streamed down his face.

For several seconds, Jason said nothing. Then he laughed.

"Are you serious?"

The man remained calm. "Completely."

Jason pointed toward the road. "You surrounded me with three cars in the middle of the night just to tell me I won a lottery?"

"Yes." The man nodded. 

"I don't play lotteries." Jason stated. 

The man nodded. "We know."

Jason's expression changed. "You know?"

"Yes." The man nodded again. 

"Then you're wasting my time." Jason said as he turned around. "I have to get to the hospital."

The man immediately stepped forward. "Your mother is at St. Vincent Medical Center."

Jason stopped and his face hardened. "How do you know that?"

The man didn't answer immediately.

Jason turned around. "How do you know where my mother is?"

"Because we know everything about the winner." The man answered. 

Jason's eyes narrowed. "Winner?"

"That's what you called yourself a moment ago." The man said.

"I didn't call myself anything."

"You selected the number." The man said again.

"Because your stupid advertisement wouldn't disappear!" Jason said, his voice rising a little.

The man smiled. "Exactly."

Jason stared at him. "So it was an advertisement."

"Partly." The man answered.

"Partly?" Jason asked.

"Yes."

Jason shook his head. 

"This is ridiculous." He pulled out his phone. "I have an emergency."

He tried calling the hospital but the call wouldn't connect.

He tried again.

Nothing.

Jason's frustration exploded. "Why isn't this working?"

The man calmly said, "Because your phone has been placed in secure mode."

Jason looked up sharply. "You did that?"

"We did." The man said. 

"Give me my phone back." Jason demanded.

"You'll get it back." The man said casually.

"When?" Jason asked. 

"When we're finished."

Jason walked toward him. "Listen to me carefully, my mother is dying. I don't care about your game, I don't care about your lottery, I don't care about your money."

The man raised an eyebrow.

"You don't care about one hundred billion dollars?"

Jason froze, then he laughed bitterly. "One hundred billion?"

"Yes."

"Do you know what five hundred thousand dollars means to me right now?" Jason asked.

The man nodded. "Yes.”

“It means my mother's life."

"And that's why you were selected." The man said.

Jason frowned. "What does that mean?"

The man reached inside his jacket and pulled out a black folder and opened it.

Jason immediately recognized the photograph on the first page.

His mother.

His face changed. "What is that?"

"Your profile." The man answered casually.

Jason grabbed the folder. There were pages of information.

His employment history, his marriage, his financial records, his mother's medical condition and even details about his childhood.

Jason's breathing became heavier. "You've been investigating me?"

The man calmly answered. "For several years."

Jason looked up. "Why?"

"We'll explain everything." The man said simply.

"Who are you?" Jason asked.

"My name is Marcus." The man replied.

"Marcus what?" Jason asked again.

"Just Marcus."

Jason stared at him suspiciously. "Who sent you?"

Marcus smiled. "Three men."

"Who?"

"You'll meet them soon."

Jason looked at the folder again. "Why me?"

Marcus closed it. "Because you passed the test."

"What test?" Jason asked, confused.

"The game." The man responded.

Jason shook his head. "I didn't play any game."

Marcus stepped closer. "You had two choices."

"What choices?" Jason asked.

"Ignore the screen… Or select a number."

Jason frowned. "And I selected one randomly."

"Exactly."

"So what?"

Marcus smiled. "That's what made you different."

Jason stared at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Most people who saw that screen spent several minutes trying to calculate which number would give them the best chance."

Jason remained silent.

Marcus continued.

"You didn't. You didn't think about winning, you didn't think about the money, you simply wanted the screen gone."

Jason looked confused. "So?"

Marcus's expression became serious. "That was the test."

Jason's eyes narrowed. "What kind of test?"

"Character."

Jason laughed. "You tested my character with a stupid number game?"

"Yes."

"That's insane."

Marcus shook his head. "No. The insane thing is what people become when money is placed in front of them."

Jason looked away.

Marcus continued.

"You were offered a chance to win without knowing the reward. You chose without hesitation. That told us something."

Jason's voice became cold. "Then why didn't you just give me the money?"

Marcus smiled. "Because there's one final step."

Jason frowned. "What step?"

Marcus reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black card.

He held it between two fingers. "This."

Jason stared at it. "What is that?"

"Your access card."

"To what?" Jason asked.

Marcus extended it toward him. "To your new life."

Jason didn't take it. "I don't want a new life. I want my mother alive."

Marcus nodded. "Then you should take the card."

Jason hesitated. "What happens if I don't?"

Marcus's expression suddenly became serious. "Then the money goes back."

Jason stared at him. His breathing stopped for a moment. "All one hundred billion?"

"Every dollar." The man said.

Jason looked toward the hospital in the distance. His mother's face flashed through his mind.

He slowly reached for the card.

The moment his fingers touched it, his phone suddenly rang.

Jason looked at the screen.

ST. VINCENT MEDICAL CENTER

His heart nearly stopped. He answered immediately. "Hello?"

A woman's trembling voice came through.

"Is this Jason Blackwell?"

"Yes." Jason responded.

"I'm calling from the emergency department."

Jason's voice shook. "How is my mother?"

There was a pause, then the woman said, "Mr. Blackwell..."

Jason closed his eyes. "Please..."

"Your mother's condition has suddenly deteriorated."

His body went rigid. "How long?"

"We're trying everything we can."

"How long?" Jason asked again.

The woman hesitated. "Maybe ten minutes."

Jason's knees almost gave way. "Ten minutes?"

"Yes."

He looked at Marcus. "Help me."

Marcus nodded. "Take the card."

Jason gripped it tightly. "How much is available?"

Marcus smiled. "Everything."

Jason immediately asked, "Can you transfer five hundred thousand dollars to the hospital?"

Marcus didn't move. "Jason..."

"What?"

"You still don't understand."

"Understand what?" Jason asked.

Marcus looked at the black card in Jason's hand.

"That card doesn't contain one hundred billion dollars."

Jason's expression changed. "Then where is the money?"

Marcus smiled faintly. "Everywhere."

Jason stared at him. "What does that mean?"

Marcus opened the car door. "Get in."

Jason hesitated. "My mother—"

"Will be saved." The man interrupted.

Jason stared at Marcus, then at the black card. Then toward the distant hospital.

Finally, he stepped into the vehicle.

But just before Marcus entered behind him, his phone received one final message.

WELCOME, MR. BLACKWELL.

THE FIRST TEST HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

Jason's eyes narrowed. Below the message was another line.

TEST TWO BEGINS AT MIDNIGHT.

Jason slowly looked up. "What test?"

Marcus closed the car door.

And for the first time that night...

Jason looked genuinely worried.

"That's the part nobody told you." The man said as the vehicle accelerated into the darkness.