Chapter 24

Thursday

It’s the fifth week of school and today is already shaping up to be a busy day. While we’re having breakfast I’m chewing over the news Mr and Mrs Schlene have surfaced after their security people called Rob for a status report. They’re staying away until the work at their house is completed. The whole property wall is being strengthened and loaded with sensors while they rebuild the damage. More sensors and security strong points are being added inside the grounds as well. The people who did the penthouse windows have a contract to replace all of the windows and to also construct some ’wind shields’ in front of the main doors. The kids are to stay with us for a few more weeks, until after all of the work is finished. All but five people have been released from the hospital and sent home for the final stages of their recovery while the last five are recovering well. All of the intel from John and other sources indicates that’s all over with now.

The Muramasa katana is on display in a high security case in a big public museum in the district where it was made, and everyone is very happy about that.

Of more interest to me is Bryce’s latest email saying I can get a new Boeing BBJ 3 in about two and a half years or I can have a new Airbus A318 by December. If I want the Airbus I’ve got to let him know today because it’s finished being built and is about to be fitted out. We can get a nice luxury fit out done which reduces the seating while allowing a lot more comfort, but we have to select which luxury fit out we want.

This will cost about eighty million dollars when ready. The people who ordered it want a bigger model now so they’re looking to sell it and place a new order for delivery later. We pay them the advance they paid and the balance to Airbus. The time issue is to get the fitting instructions in place before they start that work. He has three layouts for me. This plane has a range of 6,500 km due to extra fuel tanks in place of part of the freight storage, cruising at 955 km per hour. I’m not interested in the used planes available because I don’t like their layouts. After breakfast I send him an email to take the plane, note which of the colour schemes and fitting plans I want, with a change to the plan for a larger pilot cabin area because I want to do a later modification there.

The school day goes well and I go to the technical drawing room for the fifth period to have my meeting with the designers.

Designing Ways

All are on time, and so is the class. I ask for copies of each of their proposals and I have them present them in the order they left the first meeting. The first four could have been photocopies except for the company logos and the costs, so I figure they differ due to the different mark-up rates. Melissa is very unhappy with the one she proposes.

After Melissa’s presentation I ask some questions. “Excuse me, but am I right to assume there’s a very good design program which has a database of the county, state, and federal rules that you just enter the specifications of the land etcetera in then it tosses up a legal plan for you? I ask, as that seems to be what I’m looking at here.” They all agree there is such a program and that’s what they use. I smile and I look at Melissa.

She grimaces as she says, “My boss, Mister Steele, took the project off me and ran this up. He gave it to me this morning to present to you. Despite your instructions I didn’t get the job or the commission.” I nod to her and I wave John Small to give his proposal while I look at his model.

This is very different. It has about seventy percent of the density of people as the others with larger lots and more recreation facilities. The roads are wider and they curve a lot to keep speed down. He even has a few slots for double width units. Very different and much more friendly.

I make a few comments about how he’s met the first requirements of being very child friendly while having a more liveable environment. I thank the first three and I tell them I prefer Mr Small’s proposal. They all pack up and leave. I ask Melissa what she would have done, if allowed.

She says, “I think it needs anti-noise dirt berms along the roadside and some triple-wide slots for larger long term residences. I had planned to landscape parts of the creek to have a few pools in it: a swimming hole and a couple of fishing holes. Less communal playgrounds amongst the sites, but take up a section of the land right along the creek for a larger general recreational area and some fenced in parks between that and the street.” I notice John Small is noting all of this down. “I got so upset with Mister Steele I left my resignation with his secretary before I left the office. I think he’ll tell me to go instead of working out my two weeks and this will be my last official activity with them.”

John says, “Melissa, whatever day is your last day there come to see me that day or the next and I’ll put you on. I need more staff and a smart planner like you is very hard to find.” She smiles as she nods while the class gasps and some laugh. Both of them turn to look at the students.

I grin, “After the last meeting I told them I thought you would end up leaving Benson and going to work for Small. I also predicted you two would be the only two to come up with something nice. I think a target of about sixty percent of what the others had would be good for this. So you two can work on that.” I pull some papers out of my bag and hand them to John, “And you can also start on this. That’s the areas where I want the commercial zone, the holiday cabins, the camping ground, and my residence. All the basic specs of what I want are there. Also what needs to be done to the road with regards the clover leaf overpass and widening. I’d like some rough plans on that lot soon, including the walking and riding trails. I also want some final plans for the mobile home park as soon as you can do them because I want to get started. When you present the next lot of plans you can tell me how much money you need up front. At present I’ve earmarked seventy million for this and there’s another thirty million from county, state, and federal agencies for the road works because they’re each meeting twenty percent of those costs.” Everyone in the room looks at me in shock. After a moment John shakes his head as he grins while he packs up. We all pack up and leave.

Retribution

I’ve still got half a free period to go so I ask Melissa for a lift to her office. After I ring Randy to ask him to meet me there I have a nice chat with Melissa on the way to her office.

We arrive at the same time and I brief Randy on the situation. He nods he understands and he waits in the foyer of the office building Benson Construction are in where they’ve the ninth to eleventh floors. Melissa goes up to her office while I go to reception on the tenth floor.

I enter reception, “I’d like to speak with Mister Benson, please.”

I’m told, “I’m sorry, Sir, he only sees people by appointment.”

“That’s not what I was told. I need to urgently talk to him about a problem with my contract with your firm.”

“I can get you an appointment for next week, if you wish. Do you care to leave a message for him?” She’s too calm and cool for someone being confronted by a teenager like this.

I slowly nod while I look around the office at the dozen or so people waiting. “I tried to handle this quietly, but you won’t have that. Tell Mister Benson Al Adams called and is angry about how my project was done. I paid for the job in advance so you had no financial risks. I gave a very easy to follow set of basic instructions of what I wanted. Yet Mister Steele ignored every item of instruction given him by me, the client, and he submitted a piece of useless garbage as his proposal. I regard this as a breach of the work order contract and my lawyer will be calling on you to discuss the matter. The refusal to follow a client’s instructions is a case of gross negligence, in my book. Have Mister Benson call me when he can. Here’s my card,” and I hand her one of my business cards. She takes it and puts it down on her desk. I turn and I leave while noticing the odd and concerned looks on the others in the waiting area.

Back downstairs I hand Randy all of the papers and my tape recorder which I had on for the entire encounter. He takes it and he goes upstairs.

Manning Meeting

Randy enters the reception area for Benson Construction and says, “I’m Randolph Manning of Manning, Howard, Roach, and Hughes. I’d like a word with Mister Charles Benson, please. It’s urgent.” He hands over his card, the girl gives it a quick glance before she stands to hurry into one of the offices. She knows of this firm and how important they are, as are their clients. She returns a moment later, followed by an elderly man with a big grin.

The man says, “Hello, Randy. How’s your father? What can I do for you today?” He speaks while they shake hands

“Dad’s doing well. He’s really enjoying the sun and sea in Hawaii. I need to speak to you about a problem with my major client.”

“Major client, have you reduced to one for personal service?” He shows Randy to his office while they walk and talk.

“Basically, yes. I’ve a very important client who keeps me busy most of the time. I’d be upset, but he’s also very interesting and he’s always into new things; so it’s a lot of fun. A couple of weeks back we had to appear before the Securities Commission for a hearing. And that was one of the more normal activities he has me doing.”

While shutting the door Benson says, “Sounds like interesting times for you now.”

“Yes, it is. And now I have to speak to you about a matter of gross incompetence in a design proposal by Steele, and what can also be seen as fraud or theft by him.” Benson is shocked. “Have you had any message given to you in the last fifteen or twenty minutes?”

While shaking his head no he goes to the door and opens it, “Nancy, have you got any messages for me?”

“No, Sir, no messages for you.”

Randy calls out, “Nancy, what happened to the message Mister Adams left a few minutes ago?”

The colour drains from her face. “Mister Steele’s handling that matter. He said to expect a prank visit from a high-school student. I was to not let him in and to pass all messages to him.”

Benson goes a bit red in the face, “Nancy, in future all messages that are addressed to me are to come to me. I don’t care what anyone else says or if they turn out to be pranks. If they say they’re for me you will see I get them. Do you understand?” She gulps as she nods. “Good. We did a proposal for a Mister Adams recently. I want the file and every other piece of paper we have on it in my office, now! I also want to see everyone who had anything to do with the proposal. Understand?”

She nods again and stands up, “Yes, Sir.” Turning, she darts into the main office area to check the files while Benson shuts the door, goes to his desk, and sits down behind it.

“OK, Randy, how badly are we screwed?”

“He’s got you by the balls in so many ways it’s not funny. Though he doesn’t want to screw you, just the one who created the trouble, Steele. Adams’ secretary made an appointment for Steele to see him to discuss the project some weeks ago. At the last moment he didn’t go and he sent a new hire along, Melissa Smithers. Adams briefed her and he gave her a copy of the requirements setting out his needs which stated he wanted her to do the job and get the commission. What he got given today was a basic computer run job that ignored all of his instructions and Melissa had been kept from the project until it was handed to her to deliver. She got so angry she gave Steele her notice before making the delivery. At the meeting Adams asked for a verbal proposal and he liked her ideas. The best bid lodged was by John Small, so John offered her a job to put her ideas in with his and to do the final proposal. Adams came here to talk to you and he wasn’t allowed in so he left a message then went downstairs to brief me then I came up here. So you can see why he’s not happy at the moment.” There’s a knock on the door.

Benson calls out, “Enter.” Nancy walks in with Steele, Smithers, and Barnes - one of the office gophers. She hands a thin file to Benson and he opens it.

Steele says, “Why all the trouble about this school boy prank?”

Benson glances at him, “Sit down and shut up. You’ve already caused more than enough trouble.” He looks through the file then looks at Randy, “What other papers do you have, Randy?” He hands them over. A quick check, then Benson turns to Steele, “Where’s the client’s briefing, our confirmation of work order, the message he left this afternoon, and the funds dispersal sheet?”

“That’s the whole file, there’s nothing else.”

Benson looks at him for a moment. He picks up his phone and dials a number, it answers. “Betty, I want a full analysis of all payments made to Steele for the last four weeks. It’s to show every job the commissions relate to and get me the files. Start processing his final pay; he’s being terminated for cause. Have security lock down his computer access and send someone to escort him out when he leaves.” He turns to Steele, “Even I can tell, at a glance, some papers have been removed from this file, little bits of paper are left behind from where you ripped them out.” To Randy, “OK, Randy, show us the rest of the evidence.”

He pulls out the tape and plays the meeting with Nancy. She confirms making notes of the meeting and handing the paper to Steele, but the notes can’t be found now. Melissa confirms putting two copies of the original brief on the file, along with a completed work order and accounting’s receipt for the two thousand dollar cheque. She names two other staff who witnessed her putting them in the file just before she gave the file to Steele.

Betty arrives with the commissions list and the files. A quick check shows two files as being paid with the cheque from Al. A simple job like this normally results in a two or three hundred dollar commission for the designer who works on it. The missing papers are on a second file and Steele is down for a five hundred dollar commission from both of the files. This is a clear case of fraud. Benson shows it all to Betty, she notes the files with the commission codes and leaves. Everyone sits around and waits while Benson checks all of the files, and he notes a few more.

He picks up the phone and rings Betty, “Stop Steele’s final pay until we do a one hundred percent check of every file and every commission he’s had for the last five years. I’ve found another fraudulent file already. I’ll have to talk to the board about whether to lay criminal charges or not.” He turns to glare at Steele.

He smirks, “Say what you like. You can’t prove any criminal action by me because all of those files were raised by others.”

Randy laughs, “Steele, you’re such a bloody idiot. You tried to screw over a high-school student for a five hundred dollar commission. If you’d let Melissa have this commission and do what she wanted to do you’d have this job and the other hundred million dollars’ worth of work that goes with it since she had the best ideas. Now Small and Little have the work and have hired her.” Everyone turns to look at him with surprise. “Yes, you tried to screw over a high-school kid who owns a billion dollar business empire and has some major work to do. On top of that, you’re in real big trouble. You’re trying to screw over a kid that even the Yakuza are scared of upsetting. Your best option’s to die on the way home because the local Yakuza would like to do something to get back in his good books. You should always try to find out who you’re dealing with before you try to rip them off.” Steele is ashen faced.

Benson looks up, “The ancient sword, he’s the one who gave it up?”

“Yes, after winning it in a sword fight that was to the death.”

Benson picks up his phone again. “Betty, are you doing Melissa’s final pay?” A wait for an answer. “Add in a commission of six hundred from the Adams account file. She was supposed to get it, so she will.” He looks at her, “I’m truly sorry to see you go, but I understand why. I wish you well with your new position. I don’t think we need trouble you or Peter any longer. You can go back to your work too, Nancy.”

They troop out as two of the security staff enter to escort Steele in his leaving the company. Benson is packing the papers up when Randy says, “I’ll tell Al what happened. I doubt he’ll take this any further. He’s big on kicking scum, but he’s bigger on helping people.” He leaves too.

Afterwards

I’m waiting in the downstairs lobby when Melissa walks out. She comes over to tell me what she knows. I thank her and help her take her things to her car. I get back to the lobby in time to meet Randy when he’s leaving. We chat while we go to his car and I get a lift back to the school because I’m late for football training.

Randy says, “Al, Benson Construction are really a good lot. One bad apple doesn’t ruin all the good work they’ve done. Will you approve Small and Little sub-contracting work to them when they have to give a bit out due to lack of skills or enough staff? I figure Small and Little will do the thinking stuff to get the proposals to the point where they just need the hack and calculation work done. That can be contracted so they can concentrate on the real design work.”

“Yeah, that’s OK with me. I don’t care who works on it with them as long as I get their bright ideas in the concepts and they see it comes out that way. They can sub-contract to whoever they want to. Pass that on to them for me, please, Randy.”

“Good. Steele’s been ripping Benson off for a few years, but not now. Also, I doubt he’ll be able to get another job anywhere in the country after this.” We finish the drive in silence.

I get to practice twenty minutes late. It’s a discussion about plays, anyway, so it’s no big loss because I already know the plays I’m in. After school it’s time to go home and life as usual.

Note: An interesting news item a few weeks later is the death of Steele in a single car accident when he failed to take a corner at high speed while drunk. I check, and I find out he couldn’t get a job and he was drowning his sorrows. He was well insured, so his family didn’t suffer financially. I strongly suspect they’re now better off in many ways.

October and November

Life goes on very well for several weeks. My private life is well organised by my girlfriends in coordination with Rob and Sharon. Our daily routines of travel, school, homework, socialising, having fun, sex, shopping, movies - at home and the theatre, live shows - a treat for most of the ladies, visiting family and friends, workouts, training at Sensei Yuuma’s dojo now all of my girls and security staff go there for training and they’re all doing well. Paul Williams the Fifth stops causing trouble because he’s way too busy studying. He no longer gets any special treatment for being the star of the football team. He would’ve had study trouble, anyway. The acting principal, Mr Hills, believes all of the students can do well in their academic studies, including the sports stars. Things at school are so good I’m now glad I chose the school.

The football team plays out the season without a loss, it’s the first time a team in our group has gone the whole season undefeated. I continue with my strategy of taking a knee instead of a tackle. Our opponents are now recognising that and aren’t trying to tackle me, they just run up and wait for me to stop, which I do. We make it to the play-off finals this year.

All of the staff from the Schlene residence are released from hospital after they make a full recovery. The work on their residence security is finished and the Schlenes return to live at their home. Amy, Fred, and Jon return home, but are frequent visitors with us and they also join us on outings. Debbie talks her parents into letting her stay with us on a full time basis; so she moves in with my ladies.

In early October Maria, Rosa, and Gina call for a visit. Maria and Rosa have a fun visit in my bedroom while the girls entertain Gina in the spa because she’s still very wary of males due to her rape. They often visit us after that. By late November I’m able to teach Gina sex can be fun for her, which makes her mother and aunt very happy to see her smiling again. Chelsea also turns up for her visit with El, but I don’t push her about having sex with me, making her a lot happier. After the first visit she’s often spending the night with one of my harem, so do our female security staff. Neither Rob nor I have a problem with the girls staying overnight as it means more security staff are on hand if there’s a problem at night. A surprise on this front is when Dad comes to breakfast with Ann, one of our security ladies, as a member of his overnight playmates.

Sharon has so much to do for me she trains a replacement for the hotel and she resigns in mid October. She sets up in my office and takes on the work of being my full-time personal assistant while using my other adult slaves as her office staff and gophers.

Business is going well, despite a few small hiccups with some changes to remove policies I don’t like. The management restructure is going at a good pace because those who can see the writing on the wall jump ship by asking for early contract termination while getting new jobs with other companies. Half of the salary cuts in each company are being set aside to be paid out as Christmas bonuses to the staff on a per head basis to make the amount the same for all of the staff. The junior staff are all responding well to the new changes. Productivity is up in most and half of the extra profits are being set aside for Christmas bonuses as well.

Almost all of the business letters and emails I get are about things done or are requests to expand into new business areas, all are approved by me. We take over a few more companies when Bryce moves to rationalise the full corporate structure to improve the operations in some of the industries we now cover. The big thing is my new business jet is to be delivered to Frederick Municipal Airport in early December. So I’ll have it to fly to Japan, which I hope to do in mid or late December.