The next day, to continue deceiving Roberto, Darnell didn’t go to work at Spectrum Pharmaceuticals. Instead, he and Garrett secured eleven cars.
Seeing the brand-new BMW X5s and hearing that these were company vehicles, Arthur, Vance, and the others were delighted, each of them touching the cars with excitement.
Darnell found a place for them to test drive the cars and get familiar with their performance as quickly as possible.
He also trained a few more people. The villagers nodded in approval, seeing that Darnell was genuinely invested in the security efforts for Woodsea. Otherwise, he wouldn’t spend so much.
After dealing with the cars, Darnell called Judith to ask her to procure some police equipment like batons, tear gas, high-pressure water guns, riot guns, handcuffs, shackles, and police ropes.
Judith scolded Darnell over the phone, furious about being left with such a mess by Victoria. She also warned that buying police equipment was akin to courting disaster.
If the local police reported this, Darnell’s Elite Force would likely be shut down entirely.
Arming three hundred people like this was almost like rebellion.
But after scolding him, she still gave him the phone number of a familiar manufacturer who had some defective products. She told Darnell to send someone to buy them at thirty percent of the normal price.
However, she warned that once Darnell bought them, he must modify them to distinguish them from regular police equipment and absolutely avoid purchasing lethal weapons.
Darnell thanked her cheerfully and then handed the task to Sheldon. Compared to Garrett and the others, Sheldon, who came from the military, was more familiar with these things.
Without any hesitation, Sheldon took a million dollars and drove off.
After handling these matters, Darnell returned to his rented house to rest. Before he could enter, Cesar and his three companions, wrapped in blankets, rushed in.
Darnell was startled and pulled Cesar’s blanket off in dissatisfaction. “Why are you four running around instead of resting?”
Although Leroy had given Darnell the seventh floor to live in, Darnell had been too busy to move in. He didn’t want to either, so the spacious seventh floor remained empty. After bringing Cesar and his companions back yesterday, he put them there to recover properly.
Cesar pulled Darnell onto the sofa while Harry and the others gathered around. Seeing the four of them made Darnell dizzy. “If you have something to say, say it. Don’t get too close. I’m not interested in men.”
Cesar quickly pushed Harry and the others away before revealing his big gold teeth. “Boss, our injuries are almost healed. We don’t need to lie in bed all day anymore.”
“You can give us some work. Even if we can’t deal with Steve yet, we can do other things to help you out.”
“Look at Garrett! He looks so impressive with three hundred men and eleven luxury cars. He has everything he needs and commands respect.”
“And look at us, just four people without knives or guns, hiding like rats to heal our wounds. It’s really frustrating.”
Darnell sighed, understanding why they had come to him. They were unwilling to remain mediocre. He smiled, “It’s good that you have ambition and a fighting spirit, but I told you yesterday that your priority is healing. Only when you’re fully recovered can you take revenge and do great things.”
“Boss, I understand what you mean, but we always hope for a goal beyond revenge,” Cesar said seriously for the first time.
Seeing Garrett’s enthusiasm every day made Cesar’s blood boil too. “We also want to live proudly in this world.”
Darnell was slightly taken aback by Cesar’s words. He had thought Cesar was just showing off but saw no flippancy on his face, only idealistic fervor.
Harry and the others shared similar expressions, genuine sincerity…
Though he felt their passion, Darnell couldn’t help feeling helpless. “A goal? What goal can I give you?”
He self-deprecatingly said, “I came to Whiteville just wandering around. I might leave in a few days.”
“I helped Woodsea and form Darnell’s Elite Force just so they could live peacefully with a job. Dealing with the Axe and Steve was due to personal grudges. I never had any grand goals.”
“So don’t pin your hopes on me.”
Cesar shook his head vigorously. “Boss, it’s not about pinning hopes on you. It’s that you are many people’s hope.”
“As long as you’re our boss, whatever task you give us, we’ll see it as hope and be full of motivation.”
Darnell frowned. “But I really don’t have any big tasks for you right now. Besides, your current identities are quite sensitive. It’s not convenient for you to show up.”
As he said those last words, an idea struck him while looking at their persistent faces. Darnell got up suddenly.
He went to the safe, opened it, and took out five checks won from Amber last night. “I just thought of something you can do.”
Cesar and his companions were overjoyed. “What is it? Boss, please tell us!”
“Garrett and his team are the core of Darnell’s Elite Force, responsible for safeguarding the safety of tens of thousands of people in Woodsea and taking on legitimate security tasks. However, in this world, where there’s light, there’s also darkness. While Garrett and his team can handle overt threats, they’re not suited for covert operations.”
Darnell recalled the security task of protecting Houston. Utilizing Garrett and his group for such dangerous missions was a significant risk. If the pursuers caught wind of it, Darnell’s Elite Force could easily become entangled, putting Woodsea itself in jeopardy. Darnell preferred to have a hidden force to handle these matters.
Cesar was sharp and quickly understood. “Mr. Halford, you want us to be the dark side of Darnell’s Elite Force?” Darnell nodded, giving him a thumbs up. “Exactly. While I lean towards legitimate business, sometimes I take on illicit jobs for the sake of money.”
“It’s always better to keep those two types of business separate. Mixing them will only lead to trouble and make us a target.”
Cesar straightened up, thumping his chest. “Boss, just say the word, and we’ll do whatever you need.”
Harry and the others stood tall as well.
“This is five million.”
Darnell spoke calmly, “You’ve got plenty of brothers in Whiteville. I need you to recruit about fifty of them.”
“They don’t need to be powerful warriors, but they must be loyal and reliable for when the need arises.”
Cesar and his team’s eyes lit up. “Understood.”
Darnell continued, “If Garrett manages the legitimate operations of Darnell’s Elite Force, then his team can be called the ‘Brigade of Light’. And your team… let’s call you the ‘Brigade of Shadow!'”
“Brigade of Shadow?”
Cesar was instantly fired up.