At this moment, Henry had just received calls from Ruby and Kevin. While it was somewhat expected to get a call from Ruby, it was still surprising. But when he received a call from an unfamiliar number, and the person on the other end introduced himself as Kevin, Henry was startled: Could he suspect that I have an improper relationship with Ruby?
Henry was on the phone with Ruby when Avery called. After finishing his call with Ruby and preparing to return Avery's call, Kevin's call came in.
After receiving a call from Jason, Ruby had promptly called Henry, despite refusing Jason's request for help. She informed Henry that Jason had said Erick had backups of the video footage on the three external hard drives and hoped Henry could retrieve them from Erick. Ruby's intention wasn't to help Jason but to prevent any video involving Kevin from being leaked. She hoped Henry could handle this matter well, promising that their cooperation would be seamless in the future. If Kevin got into trouble at this time, Ruby would undoubtedly be affected.
Henry readily agreed. He had already experienced the benefits of having Ruby as a powerful ally, and maintaining her position was his unshakable responsibility. Right after hanging up with her, Kevin's call came in. Kevin spoke directly: "This is Kevin, the federal deputy leader. Vanessa gave me your number."
Hearing that his number came from Vanessa reassured Henry, and he realized that Vanessa's shares were likely given to Kevin by Erick, similar to how shares given to Quentin were essentially for Ryan or even Quinn.
Henry immediately said, "Hello, sir. What can I do for you?"
Kevin replied, "I have three reasons for calling you today. First, I think you have a high emotional intelligence. Vanessa told me you're very fierce and ruthless, but you handled her shares very well. You knew she couldn't possibly own shares at her age, yet you didn't question it and even promoted her to director. To put it bluntly, many grassroots leaders don't have your level of understanding. That's why many people end up making mistakes while trying to curry favor."
Henry responded, "Thank you for the compliment, sir!"
Kevin continued, "Second, I have some items in Erick's possession. But since you took the bar from him, I assume you have those items too, though Erick still has backups. I hope you can destroy anything related to me, whether it's in your hands or Erick's. You can handle Erick in any way you see fit. I trust you have your methods, as long as no one gets killed. Any other issues, I can handle for you."
Henry nodded, "Understood."
"As for the third reason, I won't elaborate. I'm giving you my phone number so you can contact me anytime, 24/7. You're smart enough to understand that while I'm in office, my word holds weight. Even after I retire, I can still handle minor issues you might face."
Kevin subtly indicated that Henry could reach out anytime for help with any problems, big or small.
"Rest assured, sir," Henry said. "I'll take care of what you asked. In the future, try not to call me directly. Our status difference could raise suspicions. If you need anything, have Vanessa relay the message."
Kevin appreciated Henry's understanding and nodded in satisfaction, "Let's leave it at that."
Henry knew Kevin was still very powerful. Although Kevin was about to retire, his current influence far exceeded Ruby's. Moreover, being on the verge of retirement, Kevin might be even more effective in resolving significant issues.
Henry had a lingering grievance about his past conviction. Yes, he had attacked Joshua with a knife, but the injuries weren't severe enough to cause permanent disability. Joshua's paralysis resulted from his fall while fleeing. Henry wanted to clear his name without seeking compensation. Initially, he thought Ruby could help, but now he believed Kevin would be more effective.
With this in mind, Henry called Victoria: "Victoria, I need your help with something. You can refuse, as it involves betraying your friend."
Victoria responded immediately, "Go ahead, if it's within my power."
"Has Erick been to your place?"
"About a year ago. Since then, we've only met in his office's lounge."
"Can you get him to come over?"
"No problem! But it's best if I'm there, so he feels coerced."
"Alright."
Victoria soon arrived at the apartment complex and ran into Natalie on her way up. They exchanged smiles, though Natalie's seemed a bit odd. Victoria found it strange but quickly realized Natalie might have seen Henry and assumed he was her new boyfriend.
After entering the apartment, Victoria called Erick, asking him to come over and sending him the location. While waiting, she asked Henry, "Do you know Charles's wife?"
Henry shook his head, "No, why?"
"Nothing, just remembered I told you Charles lives here too."
"In this building?"
"Yes, on the sixth floor."
"Oh," Henry realized, "So she's Charles's wife? I ran into her today. She asked me which floor I live on, and after I told her, she looked at me differently."
Victoria laughed, "She probably thinks you're my boyfriend and that I'm cheating on you without you knowing."
Just then, the intercom buzzed. Victoria answered, "Come on up!"