After this, Yoko jumped down and, accompanied by Akisu, asked if she could come with him.
This made Bill think for a moment, but then he said that it was okay, although Boss would have to wait outside, and reminded both of them that they were not to interfere with the conversation between him and Baskud.
While the opportunity to take Boss into town was worth considering, Bill was more concerned that if Yoko heard some pirate story, she wouldn't understand why he would refuse.
He himself wasn't sure if he'd refuse, and frankly, he didn't like these creatures either. Bill believed that most pirates were predators who contributed nothing to society and only robbed hardworking people.
But despite his disdain for them, he knew that Yoko simply hated anyone associated with that concept.
It was understandable, given what had happened to her father. Still, as he launched the boat and rowed to shore, he wondered what to do about it.
After all, the best revenge is not to become like your enemy, and Yoko could have tried to take revenge on an entire group of people, which would have turned her into the very thing she hated.
Having tied the boat to the dock, Boss landed, and the children followed him, while Bill headed off to the meeting. It was a room Baskud had rented in one of the taverns, and when Bill and his companions approached, he understood why they had chosen it.
"There are escape routes everywhere," he thought, then said to Akis and Yoko, "Keep your eyes open. I'll ask you some questions after the meeting."
He was going to ask them about what they remembered from the tavern, the route they took, and other seemingly insignificant details that were actually very important to someone working in law enforcement.
Bill ducked his head to walk through the tavern door, looking around the dingy room, and the bartender pointed him to another door.
Inside the room was a large round table surrounded by several chairs, and the bounty hunter sat with his back to one of the walls.
Baskud first looked at Bill, then at his companions and asked: "Are you alone with the children?"
Bill shook his head and replied that his lieutenants would be with him shortly, then, gesturing for the junior sailors to step aside, sat down on one of the large chairs at the table.
They chatted briefly while waiting for Rance, Fia, and Borodo. Baskud repeatedly pulled something out of his suitcase, and they briefly discussed the operation to arrest Wetton.
"Where is he now?" Baskud asked, to which Bill replied that the former mayor and his most loyal supporters were being held on his flagship.
Bill didn't mention it, but it was another reason to come up with something urgently. Feeding another sixty people was a huge burden on his already depleted finances.
The $14.8 million reward for Wetton's head would cover the costs, but despite its outward calm, the department urgently needed a capital injection to keep from sinking.
Of course, the former inhabitants of Mechanism Island would not openly complain if he explained the situation, but his reputation was important to Bill, especially among those who served under his command.
He wanted them to believe that he would always keep his word, even if they didn't think he was a great man.
While he was pondering this, Rance and the others entered the room. They had their duties on the island, which had effectively been under a mild form of martial law following the takeover.
When Borodo finally sat down at the table, Baskud opened his suitcase and pulled out several wanted posters.
Passing them around, Baskud asked, "Have any of you heard of Hannibal Island?"
Of course, Bill didn't know, so he looked at Borodo, who replied, "It's a log pose or two from here. I haven't been there, but the name sounds familiar."
Looking at the posters, Bill noticed that the biggest reward was 30 million Beli each for two giants named Bobby and Pogo.
There were also fishmen and numerous human pirates with bounties ranging from 1 to 5 million Beli. While he was calculating the costs and risks, Baskud continued:
"Hannibal is one of the most pirate-infested islands this side of Reverse Mountain. The island has always been a place for pirates to sell their stolen loot, but recently, something else has made it famous."
Then, looking around the table, he added, "This is the Dead Center Race. This race attracts pirates from all over the Grand Line. Murder, theft—anything is allowed, and the grand prize is 300 million Beli."
After Bill calculated the total rewards offered by Baskud—around 250 million Beli—he had to ask, "Where's the money coming from? If this is a pirate race, it's unlikely to attract law-abiding fans. Who's sponsoring it?"
Shaking his head, Baskud replied, "I don't know. Rumor has it that the race is a test for one of the underworld's top brokers. But those are just rumors, and I don't know how true they are."
When asked about the rumors, Baskud sighed heavily and said, "They say she's sponsored by a certain 'Joker'."
Bill had never heard the name before, but he knew of the existence of an underground world that was the main buyer and seller of Devil Fruits, so he decided to remember it.