read part one, two, three, four The Chairman had tried to relax after arriving at his office. He’d prepared himself a drink and changed into comfortable clothing. It hadn’t helped. He was furious. He’d felt the need to do something; he started by making phone calls. He had a problem and he needed a problem-solver. He’d been lucky—he could count the number of times he’d needed such services of one hand. He’d tried to keep his business methods as clean as possible. Some of his rivals, he knew, had come to rely on such measures—and paid for it dearly. He made twelve phone calls and made the same inquiry: he needed somebody quickly but he was not willing to compromise. Cost was not an issue. Without much hesitation he’d been given the same name eleven times. That was enough of an endorsement for him. The name had been given easily but he’d had to barter for a method of contact. It had cost him information. He’d much rather have paid cash. Nonetheless, he had his problem solver. He dialed the costly phone number and waited. “Information. What city and state please?” answered a female voice. “Mountain View, California.” “What listing?” “L&M Superior Glass.” “One moment, please.” The Chairman wondered if it was possible he had been fooled. “Please hold for your listing.” The phone line went dead silent for ten seconds before he heard a slight click. “One, One, Four, Seven, Eight, Parker, Street, Mountain, View, California,Nine,Oh,Five,PM,” said the automated voice. He had not been fooled it seemed. “Please arrive promptly. A retention fee of—One Hundred, Fifty, Thousand, American—will be required via—cash, payment. If you are seen as a threat, the meeting will be canceled and possible further action taken. Instigating such events is not recommended; therefore, if possible, arrive alone. Thank you. Have a good day.” The Chairman smiled at the bold, even cunning, contact system. He looked at his watch: it was almost seven. He needed to retrieve the money from his bedroom vault in Palo Alto. He’d better leave promptly. He hoped dearly that Tangiers had done his job. read part six...