The Adventurer
Copyright© 2025 by A Well Traveled Man
Chapter 11
Trey did his forms and martial arts workout early Friday morning. Then he showered, dressed, went to the stable, and saddled Blackie. They took off for a ride and took it easy in the snow. They got 2” yesterday, which wasn’t enough to cancel their ride. But he wouldn’t take a chance hitting an icy spot and falling. They returned to the stables, Trey cared for Blackie, and returned to his room. He put on his new hunting camo’s and went to the kitchen.
Jack entered the kitchen 15 minutes later, and they put their gear in the F250. Trey drove to his ranch, and Jack asked how he got access to the property. He lied and said the owner was a snowbird. In exchange for checking on the place, I can hunt it. After locking the bar gate, Trey drove to the woods, stopping 25 yards past the hidden barn/hangar. They got out, went into the woods, and stopped when they found a deer stand in the trees. Trey climbed up first, then Jack followed, saying this was a perfect hunting spot.
They saw nothing for the first hour, and it was getting light when they saw a Buck followed by three Doe’s and two young deer. Trey told Jack to take the shot, and he killed the lead Doe. The other deer ran away, and they climbed out of the deer stand. They dressed the Doe, buried the remains, and returned to the ranch. Maria saw the Vinson, took it from Jack, and started butchering it. We let her do her thing and went to our rooms and cleaned up.
After his shower, Trey dressed and went to the den. Jack was there with his laptop, reading emails. He said shit and asked Trey if he wanted to go to Fort Lauderdale on Monday. Jack said his drug distributor raised their prices by 30%. He needs to visit them and find out what’s going on, and he could use your help. Trey said Sure, but what about our passports. Jack said we’d leave Sunday afternoon and spend the night in New York. We’ll visit the British Embassy on Monday morning, then fly to Fort Lauderdale.
Jack said this is a business trip, so bring two suits, three dress shirts, and ties. Also, pack your golf gear in case we have time to play. Trey asked if Mom was going, and Jack said Not this time. Jack said he would explain it to Kay and asked Trey to bring his laptop. They won’t give us information freely, so you’ll need to do some digging without their knowledge.
After lunch, they cleaned their hunting rifles and prepared them for storage. Jack told Trey they’d use hunting as an excuse tomorrow and go to the office instead. I must get our purchase records for the last six months for our meeting with Quantum Pharmaceuticals Solutions. While I’m doing that, you can search for chemical and drug suppliers online. It would be a good idea to shop around for prices if we need to change vendors.
Jack left to find Mom and tell her about our business trip. Trey went outside to pick up his Newegg order and went to his room. He assembled the AI computer, powered it up, updated the BIOS, firmware, and software, and connected it to his computer. Then, Mom yelled that dinner was ready, so he went to the kitchen. While they ate, Mom said Jack told me you were attending a business meeting with him. Mom told Trey he needed to wear a suit and observe, but not to interrupt their discussions.
Trey said yes, Mommy, but Daddy asked me to keep the hot babe’s skimpily dressed or wearing bikinis occupied so he wasn’t distracted. The question I have, Mommy, is, do you think twelve condoms are enough? Mom choked on her food, and everyone else laughed. Grandmother said bringing extras is always a good idea, causing more laughter. They finished dinner, ate dessert, and then watched the news. The lead story was that US Senator Robert Whitehurst was injured in a fall Friday morning and rushed to the hospital. Details of how it happened and the senator’s injuries were not released. But the hospital reported he would recover and resume his senate duties soon.
Trey asked Grandmother if they should send a get-well-soon card with an assorted nut basket. Everyone laughed, and Grandmother said the card and flowers would be a good idea. But the nut basket could cause the asshole to remember what happened. Jack said the senator was shit faced drunk, so he probably doesn’t remember anything. At the end of the program, Trey said goodnight and went to bed.
Early Saturday morning, Trey did his forms and weightlifting routine. Then he showered, dressed, and checked out his new AI computer. Everything was fine, so he continued programming his AI until he sensed movement downstairs. He saved his work, went to the kitchen, and waited for Jack. When he arrived, they drove to Bowman Pharmaceuticals and went to Jack’s office.
Jack went to purchasing to pull the Purchase Orders for Quantum Pharmaceuticals Solutions. Trey searched online for pharmaceutical and chemical supply companies. He found three, two in the Los Angeles area and one in Atlanta. Trey printed the information, and then Cheryl walked into Jack’s office. She said, “Since you’re traveling next week, let’s do your check-up now.” Trey groaned, said he’d been set up, and followed a laughing Cheryl to the clinic.
She said to Undress and put on a gown, and he said What, no foreplay. Cheryl left the room laughing, and he got ready. When she returned, Cheryl took blood and a urine sample. Then his height, weight, and blood pressure were measured. Finally, Cheryl told Trey to lie on the treatment table and gave him an injection. He felt dizzy and passed out. When he awoke, Cheryl was taking his blood pressure, and he asked for a cigarette.
Cheryl laughed, told Trey he’d be sore for a while, and told him to get dressed. She was right about being sore because his whole body hurt. Jack was in his office when he returned, and Trey complained that Cheryl abused him. Jack laughed and said he’d feel better in the morning. Cheryl volunteered to come in and do your check-up. If Charlie Ward, owner of Quantum Pharmaceuticals Solutions, is involved in something illegal, we may need to spend more time there. We may need to sever the relationship there so we don’t bring trouble home. So, prepare your bag of tricks if a late-night visit is required.
They gathered all the needed information and returned to the ranch. Jack asked Trey to make a list of all the drugs, chemicals, and amounts they used from the purchase orders. We’ll use the list to forward to the other supply companies if needed. They changed into their camos in the garage and entered the house. Mom asked how their hunt went, and Jack said it was good, but we didn’t see any deer. They changed clothes and returned to the kitchen for lunch.
After lunch, Trey returned to his room and compiled the list for Jack. Then, he resumed programming for his AI. He finished the core program and would need to troubleshoot it after returning from Fort Lauderdale. Then, Trey packed for his trip and included his dark clothes, ski mask, voice-altering device, gloves, lock picks, and audio/video detector. He added two disguises, 10k in cash, and swimsuits, and he was set.
Trey went to the kitchen, and dinner was ready. During dinner, Jack said the pilot called and thunderstorms were expected in New York the next day. So, we’ll leave early tomorrow morning and fly to Fort Lauderdale first. Then, we’ll stop in New York on the way home and renew our passports. Trey looked at Thor and Bella and told them to keep an eye on Mom. If she gets out of line, nip her in the butt, and they barked. Mom said Don’t tell them that and everyone laughed. After dinner, they went to the den and watched TV for an hour. When the program was over, Trey said goodnight and went to bed.
Trey did his forms early Monday morning, then went to the dojo and did his martial arts workout. Returning to his room, he showered, dressed, and took his bags and clubs to the kitchen. When Jack arrived, they loaded their luggage in his SUV and went to the airport. Dan, the pilot, was waiting at the Gulfstream and helped load their luggage. They were the first flight out after the airport opened and flew to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Jack rented an SUV, and they drove to the hotel.
Before checking in, Trey told Jack his idea for their rooms. Jack checked into a single suite, and Trey checked into a double bedroom suite with a connecting doorway. He used the name William Hunt and slipped the receptionist a $100 tip to keep it confidential. They settled in their suites and drove to the Plantation Preserve Golf Course and Club. The concierge recommended the course and got a $100 tip from Jack. They checked in at the pro shop and paid the fee. They got a course guide, two buckets of balls, and went to the practice range.
When warmed up, they went to the starting line, and no one was there. Jack teed off, and Trey followed him. During the round, Jack asked Trey when they should expect visitors. Trey said if there is illegal activity at Quantum Pharmaceuticals Solutions and we get a meeting on Monday, then that night, we should expect a visit. But if we are delayed for a meeting until Tuesday, expect your suite to have listening devices and cameras on Monday. Then, on Tuesday night, we should expect visitors.
They finished the round and added up their score cards. Trey shot a four under par and Jack shot a two over par. They returned to their suites, changed clothes, and ordered room service in Jack’s suite for lunch. While waiting, Trey swept both suites for listening devices and cameras. They were clean, so they had a benchmark. Room service arrived, and while eating, Trey went online and accessed the Quantum Pharmaceuticals Solutions website.
Charlie Ward was listed as CEO. Anthony Farina was the vice President of Customer Relations, and Jack said he had never heard of him. Then, Trey searched for news on Quantum Pharmaceuticals Solutions. There was an article in which the company entered an agreement with Unique Finance Concepts, LLC, to provide bridge financing for expansion. Trey looked up the company and found Anthony Farina listed as the managing partner. Jack said this wasn’t good, and Trey agreed.
Then Trey dug deeper, and Unique Finance Concepts had a negative rating on BBB and Yelp. The recommendation was to avoid using their services as they charge high interest rates and use aggressive collection tactics. Trey said it’s doubtful we’ll meet with Charlie. I’ll bet Anthony Farina will meet with us and make an excuse for Charlie not attending. They made a plan for their unexpected visit on Monday morning. They didn’t expect to get a meeting with Charlie that day. However, a meeting will be set up for Tuesday so Anthony can prepare for their visit.
After lunch and their planning session, they went to the beach and checked out the shops. Trey convinced Jack to buy a Speedo and board shorts swimwear. Then they found a bikini shop and selected a string bikini for Mom. Jack said Kay would kill him, and they laughed. The sales lady recommended a matching short cover-up, so Jack bought that, too. The sales lady put it into a gift box, and they left the store. Trey took photos of girls sunbathing at the beach with his phone, and they returned to the hotel. They changed into their swimsuits, went to the pool, swam, and relaxed on the lounges.
When they had had enough sun, they returned to their suites, cleaned up, and went to the hotel restaurant for dinner. Trey read the minds of the people around them and tagged several phones while they ate. After dinner, they returned to Jack’s suite and called home. Mom answered and asked about their trip. Jack said they avoided the storm front by leaving early and got settled in the hotel. They spent the morning preparing for the meeting and swam in the hotel pool after lunch.
Mom told Jack he didn’t pack a swimsuit, so where did you get one? Jack lied and told her they saw a shop on the way to the hotel, and Trey helped him select one. Mom said, “Oh my god, not one like his.” Trey said, “No, Mom, it was a different color,” and everyone laughed. Then Trey thanked Grandmother for her wise advice, and there was silence, then loud laughter, and the line went dead. They watched the local news, and Jack said Let’s plan on being at Quantum Pharmaceuticals Solutions when they open. When the news ended, Trey said goodnight, returned to his suite, and went to bed.
Trey did his forms early Monday morning and went to the hotel gym. He did his weight routine, returned to his suite, showered, dressed, and waited for Jack. When he arrived, they went to the hotel restaurant, ate breakfast, and drove to Quantum Pharmaceuticals Solutions. They went to the reception desk as planned, and Jack asked to meet with Charlie Ward. Then Trey asked where the restrooms were, got directions, and left. Trey passed the restrooms and found an unoccupied office.
He hacked into the computer and then into the company’s mainframe computer. Five minutes later, Trey planted his worm, shut off the computer, and returned to the reception area. He met Jack in the lobby, and they left. On returning to the hotel, Jack said Charlie couldn’t meet with us today, but we have a 9 a.m. appointment on Tuesday. Then he asked Trey if his part was successful. Trey said yes, and we will have access to their files within an hour.
When they arrived at the hotel, Jack entered his suite and opened the interconnecting door to Trey’s. Trey opened his side, and they sat at the kitchen table in his suite. Trey turned on his laptop and checked his cloud account. The computer files for Quantum Pharmaceuticals Solutions were there, and he checked Anthony Farina’s and Charlie Ward’s emails. It was as they suspected that Anthony Farina was running the company. Charlie worked from home and only visited the company when needed.
They ordered room service for lunch from Jack’s suite and ate while planning their next move. Jack was to leave the hotel and wait for Trey’s call. They expected Anthony’s men to be watching the hotel, and they would bug his suite when he left. Trey told Jack to shop for some camo lingerie for Mom, and he laughed and left after lunch. It went as planned, and 15 minutes after Jack left, two men entered his suite. They were planting listening devices when Trey surprised them and knocked them out. He read their minds and discovered they had a suite on the same floor to monitor the devices. He also got Anthony’s home address.
Trey carried them to their suite, beat them up, adding several kicks to the head and balls. He took their wallets, cell phones, keys, and their gear. Returning to his suite, Trey called Jack and told him it was safe to return. Then he examined the men’s gear in the duffel bag. They had two Glock 9mm with silencers, duct tape, gloves, stun guns, ski masks, gloves and hoods. So, the plan was to kidnap and torture them if the negotiations went badly.