Chapter 38: Fathers and Their Children

The next morning, I wake up to a morning blowjob from Dahlia. Thankfully, she is content to keep it to just morning head. It is the first morning where we go on a longer bike ride to school and shower before class.

During the morning break, I track down Elsa. I find her wandering the halls wasting time. Trying to catch up to her, I shout out her name, and she turns to face me, greeting, “Hey Trent, I still haven’t decided if I want to accept your help yet.”

“That isn’t why I wanted to talk with you. You know I hired your Dad, and he starts tomorrow.”

“And”

“How would you like to work for your dad?”

“You can’t have enough work for two engineers.”

“I have projects nobody knows about that will require most of his time. Only he can’t tell you about them.”

I pull her into an empty classroom and continue, “We are putting in a bid to build a class of ship for the navy. Your Dad can’t talk to you about it. I need another engineer to work on other projects. I want the other engineer to be you. Then you can still talk to your Dad about his projects. It will also expand your knowledge and have you working on things you have never done before. In the future, we will also work on hydrofoil and WIG craft.

“This isn’t a power play to get you to sign the 10-year contract. I’m willing to hire you until university. It will look good on a resume and help you get into the school of your choice. Who else could say they worked as an assistant to a PE all through Sr. High.”

“It sounds like this is a tactic to get me to sign on permanently.”

“As I said, this is completely separate from my offer to pay for your university. What you decide for one will have no bearing on the other. Well, other than if you are my employee, then I can wait longer for your answer about sending you to university. That is the only factor. Ask all my employees. I do my best to give them their dream job. Your Dad’s is to work with you. Talk to him. If you show up to work with him tomorrow, then you have a job. If not, then no harm.”

“If I don’t show what will happen to dad?”

“Nothing, I need him to take on some of my workload so I can work on other things. His job is secure for as long as he needs it.”

“I’ll talk to Dad but no promises.”

“That is all I ask.”

After school, the Germans are waiting for me at the shop. It goes just as I predicted. They ask for ten years’ exclusivity, and I laugh. If I can’t sell it for ten years, the cold war will be over, and I won’t be able to sell it to arms merchants. After I strong-arm them, we come up with an agreement. I am to act as a consultant over the phone while they test my theories. They have one month to test my thermal-magnetic process. After the month is up, they present their findings, and when they have proven my predictions correct, they pay me 60 million USD. They have six months shared exclusivity with GM Defence and a full year before I try to sell it to any other US-based company. The only other clause is that the Canadian military gets their tanks upgraded at cost.

The next day Elsa shows up with her Dad, ready to work. As soon as their paperwork is completed, I send them to Performance Bikes to pick up their new bikes and get kitted out.

One of the reasons I sent them for their bikes first thing was because I didn’t have time to deal with them. I have a conference call with GM Defence. They agree to some tentative terms but decide to hold off on signing until Krauss-Maffei is done with their testing, and they can see the results. I’m happy with it since Krauss will prove my process is better than I claim, and my bargaining power will increase.GM will negotiate from a weaker position.

As soon as the call is complete, I phone Gen Graham and let him know about the Krauss-Maffei deal and the tentative deal with GM defence. Essentially it is me telling him I arranged a deal for over $100 million in armour upgrades that will cost the Canadian military less than 10. I also let him know that as of the end of next week, I will no longer need his men to guard my property.

As soon as I get off the phone with him, I make another call.

“Hello,” answers a woman’s voice.

“Hello, is Mr. Murphy in? This is Trent Brown.”

“Oh, Hello, Trent. Just a minute.”

I can hear her yelling for her husband to come to the phone. He picks it up, saying, “Hi Trent, what can I do for you?”

“I wanted to know how things were working out with Kevin.”

“Splendid, He has been a great help, and my sales have continued to increase since he started helping me.”

“Good, I’m glad to hear it.”

“He has nothing but good things to say about working for you. Apparently, you have helped us out a few times. Thanks for that.”