THE RISE OF THE APEX KING

CHAPTER 2

It was a few minutes past 8 a.m. and President Andrew Garlick sat behind his polished desk, flipping through a stack of classified folders, his mind lost in the mess of national issues he needed to address before noon.

He had just concluded an important meeting on national security with his Chief of Staff and he was still considering his next line of action when his private phone rang.

For a minute, he stared at the number on the screen. Very few people had access to his private line.

His fingers trembled slightly as he picked up the call.

“This is President Garlick,” he said,

“Good morning, Andrew," Richard answered. “I'm pretty sure you can remember me.”

The president shot up from his chair so fast it toppled backward and crashed against the floor. His heartbeat erupted like drums inside his chest.

“Richard?” his voice cracked with disbelief. “Is this really you?"

“I see you haven’t changed," Richard said with a chuckle. "Still so quick to panic."

President Garlick placed a hand over his chest as he paced around his office.

“This can’t be real,” he whispered. “You were in that coma for seven years. I thought I'd lost you."

Richard let out a low sigh on the other end.

“I expected better from you, Andrew,” he said. “Especially after I risked my life helping you win the election seven years ago.”

The president cleared his throat.

“I… I never thought you’d make it. You were in a coma, Richard. Seven years. You were declared medically hopeless. They said—”

“I didn’t ask what they said,” Richard cut in. “I’m awake now. And I need to see you.”

The president stood still for a moment, then rubbed his forehead. “Alright. My secretary can schedule for - "

“My country home,” Richard cut in. “You remember the address. Be here immediately.”

He hesitated for a while before replying.

"Right now? Richard, I have urgent paperwork and classified documents to sign. There’s a national threat—”

“I wasn’t requesting, Andrew,” Richard said. “I was informing you.”

There was an uncomfortable silence for a while and finally, President Garlick shut his eyes, defeated. “Fine. I’ll be there.”

Richard ended the call immediately and President Garlick heaved a deep sigh.

Seven years ago, Richard Carter, the CEO of the world's most powerful organization (The Apex) saved his political career.

It had been a risky underground work - building his election campaign from the scratch, digging up the dirtiest secrets of his closest rivals and even manipulating the results when necessary. For four whole years before the election, Richard had given up all luxury going undercover as a jobless college graduate while getting access to all the information he needed to swing the election in his favour.

But on the night of his victory, which doubled as the night Richard planned to propose to his girlfriend, everything had gone terribly wrong.

Some local thugs got wind of the location of the party and Richard had dived in when his girlfriend got shot, saving her life by taking a bullet to his brain.

He had fallen into a coma shortly after being admitted to the hospital but now, seven years later, he was back.

“God help us all,” the president murmured before signaling the Secret Service. “Prepare the fleet. We’re leaving immediately.”

Less than an hour later, the presidential convoy sped down the road—black SUVs, all filled with armed escorts, and the presidential limousine in the center of the convoy.

In less than thirty minutes, they were at his residence. The massive iron gates of Richard Carter’s estate opened automatically as the convoy approached and all the cars drove in.

President Garlick stepped out of the limousine and walked inside the grand mansion, his shoes echoing against the marble floor.

“Richard,” the president smiled.

Richard didn’t rise to his feet or even return the smile.

The president extended his hand. “It’s good to see you alive.”

Richard's eyes remained fixed on him and the president sighed, dropping his hand.

“You’re still angry. I understand.”

Richard’s brows arched slightly. “Do you?"

President Garlick cleared his throat awkwardly. “Look if this is about your girlfriend—”

Richard’s eyes sharpened immediately.

“My girlfriend?”

“Yes, Isabella.” He sighed. “The rumors of her engagement to billionaire CEO, Chris Washington are all over headlines."

Richard didn't say a word and he continued.

“I’m sorry, Richard. I know you cared about her. But she didn’t wait for you."

"She thought I was some lowlife, Andrew!" He snapped.

President Garlick stepped closer.

“Richard, I need you to understand something. Yes, we asked you to play the undercover role of a college graduate twelve years ago. But it was the only way you could complete this mission without attracting public scrutiny. The less people knew about your real identity, the safer you were.”

“And yet, even with that secrecy, I still got found out," Richard grunted. "I still got shot. I still spent seven years paralyzed in a hospital bed.”

There was an uncomfortable silence for a while before Garlick finally spoke again.

“We had to leave all your assets frozen to protect your identity from being traced. Your companies, your offshore accounts, your intelligence networks, everything is still locked down.”

Richard leaned back slightly. “I didn’t call you here to relive the past, Andrew.”

“Then what do you want?”

Richard stared hard at him. “To tie up all loose ends.”

The president frowned. “What loose ends?"

"Before I left the hospital, the nurse told me that a kind lady paid my bills.”

The president frowned. “And you thought it was Isabella.”

Richard nodded. “But now I know it wasn’t her.”

“And you think this mystery woman might know your real identity?”

“She must,” Richard replied. “No one pays for a random patient in a coma for seven whole years."

President Garlick rubbed his chin slowly. “Alright. I understand the situation. I’ll look into it.”

“I need a name, picture and location," Richard grunted. "I need to know who she is and what she's up to."

The president nodded. “You’ll have it.”

“And my assets?” Richard asked.

The president nodded.

"Yes. Of course. I’ll unfreeze everything today. All your offshore accounts, all your companies, they’ll be back under your control by midnight.”

He paused for a while and swallowed hard.

“Thank you again for everything you did for me. I’m indebted to you for life.”

Richard walked past him and headed for the doorway.

“All I want is the details I asked for, Andrew."

"And I can assure you that you'll get it today," President Garlick said as he rose to his feet, signaling the end of their meeting.

Later that day, Richard received the mail from the president and he stared at the name - Michelle Donovan and photo on the screen.

He had absolutely no idea who she was but if any of his many enemies had sent her, then he needed to be one step ahead.

Richard slipped his phone in his pocket and walked toward a locked drawer in the corner of the room. He opened it, removing a polished black pistol and he checked the chamber to make sure it was loaded.

Next, he picked up a small bouquet of white flowers sitting by the window and made his way to his car.

He had a potential date with the beautiful Michelle Donovan, one that could turn bloody if she proved to be the enemy.