While the Longbottoms talked about strategies to steal Laurence's heirlooms, Laurence went on with whatever he was doing, like nothing ever happened after the call with Manny.
Noelle, on the other hand, was worried. With Laurence taking no action, she asked, "Sir, Mom and Master are at the Longbottoms'. Should we go there?"
Laurence said calmly, "Relax. They can get out in one piece. The Longbottoms can't stop Master."
"But Mom-"
"They went out to be bait, so they would have covered all their bases. Master is an expert in hand-to-hand combat, and she carries poison everywhere. Those people are going to get it.
"Even though Mom isn't quite like Master, she's no fragile woman. She'll be fine."
Laurence had the utmost trust in Jane and Lilian. With Lilian there, she would not sit around and play hostage for the Longbottoms.
No one could kidnap Lilian.
"Master was worried the Longbottoms would be too scared to pull off the heist, so they went to play the part of hostages for a bit. If Tony and Manny are smart enough, this should light a fire under their bottoms and push them to raid us late into the night."
In fact, Manny might get involved in the operation himself.
Once Laurence was to produce the heirlooms and make himself known, Tony and Manny's effort in building the empire in the last three decades would be lost. Hence, they would try to steal the token to secure their survival.
The token was the easy bit, but the totem was a different story. Laurence's parents tattooed it on his back, so there was no way Tony and Manny could get their hands on it. All heirlooms had to be in one's possession in order to claim the throne.
From what the legendary doctor learned before his death, the totem was not only a symbol of the family head's authority. It also held a secret left by the Longbottoms' ancestors. It could be related to wealth because the totem was likely a treasure map.
The Longbottoms had established themselves in Havenmill for over a century, spanning several generations. The forefathers lived through a lawless era, but it was also an age where the truly wealthy were unimaginably rich.
Gold, silver, and jewels were abundant. It was not uncommon for families back then to build hidden vaults and leave behind treasure maps for their descendants.
The Longbottoms' ancestors likely did the same, which explained the existence of the totem. It was something only passed down to the head of the family, the true direct bloodline.
Over generations, the true meaning of the totem had been lost. Only heads of the family might have known its real significance. If it truly was a treasure map, then those riches were meant as a reserve for the family's survival in times of crisis.
However, the heads of each generation had led the family well, expanding the family empire and taking great care of the family, so there had never been a need to use that reserve.
Gradually, the totem became a symbol of leadership and power. No one else was aware of the true meaning. Even if rumors existed, they remained unverified, so no one could prove whether they were true or false.
Tony probably had no idea.
Being from the side branch of the family, Tony did not have much information to go on. All he knew was that by possessing the three heirlooms, he could become the head of the family, which would give them more than they already had.
The Longbottoms knew what Laurence was made of after multiple encounters with him. Though they still kept Laurence on the hit list, they did not expect much outcome.
While killing Laurence was not an option, they could steal the family heirlooms and become the real heads. Tony and Manny settled for the next best thing, which was happening tonight.
In their minds, they would take leadership and command of the family elite forces. By then, Laurence would be dead meat.
Noelle asked, "So we're not going to do anything?"
Laurence replied, "Be patient. Master will call me if she needs us."
After a pause, he added. "We can always meet them halfway and jump in to fight when needed. If they don't need our help, we can still escort them back home."
Noelle remarked, "Hurry up then."
While Noelle was wracked with anxiety, Laurence got up and said with a smile, "Don't worry. Look at how we turn out. She is our mentor. She's not going to let herself get caught out.
"We might not even win if we go up against her together."