After nine in the evening, the phone in Lance's room suddenly rang.
"This is Lance White."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tom's voice came through the receiver, "The senator wants to talk to you!"
Then he could hear some sounds of the receiver being picked up and put down, footsteps, and someone sitting down on the sofa, with the sound of clothes rubbing against the sofa.
After about ten seconds, Senator Cleveland's voice came through the receiver.
"I heard you refused the mediation?"
Without any pleasantries, he went straight to the point.
Lance nodded in agreement, "They kidnapped Mayor Williams' youngest son, Arthur, and plan to drive him out of the mayor's office."
"The conflict between both sides has no room for reconciliation, so mediation is impossible."
"I have a good relationship with Mayor Williams, and I've clashed quite a bit with the Bay Area. If Mayor Williams is ousted, their push for a new mayor would be very unfavorable to me."
