Chapter 2

Saturday, January 6, 2029...

Steve, Karen, and I were sitting in the reception area of Hart Commercial Properties at nine in the morning. Barney Hart came out of his office and we introduced ourselves, before going to his office.

“My secretary told me you are looking for an office building that is about ten thousand square feet in size. Is that correct?”

“Yes, that is what I told her. I know what I will need, but the square footage was an estimate based on the photos I saw on several websites. Steve, Karen, and I spent part of yesterday afternoon trying to compute the amount of office space we will need for our immediate needs. We came up with twenty-four thousand square feet, but when we took into account future needs, we decided the square footage should be at least thirty thousand square feet.”

“Are there any additional requirements to be considered?”

“Yes there are a few. I am buying a house about a mile west-southwest of downtown Rancho Santa Fe. I would like the property to be in that area or close enough to provide me with a short commute time and easy access from the Five. My business associates want to co-locate their companies in the same building as my corporate office. We also want our businesses to be isolated from each other within the building. A multi-story building would probably be the easiest way to do that.

“Land is very expensive in that area, Carl, so buildings the size you are interested in buying are typically multi-story. How much are you willing to pay for the right building?”

“I understand that commercial property goes for about two hundred and fifty dollars a square foot, so something less than eight million would work for me. I can go higher for the right building and area.”

“Excuse me while I enter your criteria into my search program.”

When he finished, Barney said, “I set the property location to within a thirty-mile radius of what is considered to be the center of Rancho Santa Fe. I set the range of square footage for twenty-five to forty thousand, so that will give us a wider range of properties to consider within a relatively short commute distance. I also set the purchase price as less than ten million. Do you want the properties listed by shortest commute or lowest price?”

“Make it shortest commute, I can afford the money but commute traffic can be a bitch.”

Barney printed a report listing the properties within the defined area, and gave me the copy. The four of us talked about the properties and Barney selected the seven properties we were interested in seeing.

Barney said, “I suggest we start with the smallest property first. Since you are comfortable gauging the property size you will need, by what you see, we should be able to come up with a better square footage approximation of what you will need. Let’s start with the twenty-six thousand foot property.”

I said, “I had the impression that today would be to gather the information about our building needs. Do you have time to show properties to us today?”

“Yes. I usually reserve Saturdays for in-house activities and planning my coming week. However, I am always open to showing properties to a new client during the weekend.”

Barney called the sellers’ agents to let them know we planned to tour their properties today.

Once I toured the first property, I knew Steve and Karen had been right about ten thousand square feet being too small. Twenty-six thousand might work if we hadn’t forgotten anything we would need; but we would have no space for expansion.

“I sort of like this, Barney. However, the layout isn’t the best for dividing into areas for our separate businesses, and it won’t give us enough reserve for expansion. Twenty-five thousand square feet should meet our minimum needs, but thirty would be better.”

“That is what we needed to know, Carl. I have listings for a twenty-eight thousand square foot two-story building for seven point two million and a thirty-one thousand one hundred square foot three-story building for eight point seven million. Do you have a preference as to which we look at next?”

“Let’s look at the three-story building. It should be easier to divide into the separate areas we will need.”

The three of us liked the area and the layout of the building. According to the seller’s information the building was compliant with all of the current building codes. I would verify that by having the building inspected. It seemed to be perfect for our needs. It was less than ten miles from my new home and about a mile southwest of the Five’s Lomas Santa Fe Drive exit. Steve, Karen, and I held a brief conversation about the building. We all agreed this building would be better for us than the smaller building. I told Barney that I would like to make an offer on the property.

When we got back to Barney’s office, we discussed price and contingencies. Barney prepared the offer letter, I signed it, and then I wrote out another large ‘earnest check.’ One of the contingencies Barney added stated the offer was based on an inspection report indicating compliance with the current building codes and no defects found during the inspection.

Barney said, “I’ll drop the offer letter and earnest check off to the seller’s agent today. If I don’t hear from him within forty-eight hours, I’ll call and check on the status of your offer.”

“We will be waiting for your call, Barney. I guess I need to get back to San Diego and take care of a few things.” We shook hands and left.

We stopped at Milton’s Deli for lunch. While we waited for our food, we talked about the building. One of Karen and Steve’s concerns was their commute from San Diego. I wouldn’t want to make that commute, so I knew they had a valid point. We discussed the possibility of them moving to the Solana Beach area and they said they would consider relocating.

Monday, January 8, 2029

I had finished breakfast and was ready to meet my new driver at eight; which was when he was due to arrive. It was only six-thirty, so I went into the office to do some work.

Most of our drivers at the freight company where I had worked, had been Chicano, and I knew a large portion of San Diego’s population was Chicano. So after Miss Cortese’s question about race, I was expecting a Chicano male. When the door chime was rung, I opened my front door and met my new chauffeur. He was in his early thirties, and he was a tall, slender, Japanese male; who introduced himself as Jason Otabi. I invited him in and introduced myself.

Jason accepted my offer of coffee, so at my suggestion, we made ourselves comfortable in the living room and started to get to know each other. As we talked, a bond seemed to be forming between the two of us.

“Jason, did Miss Cortese explain to you that I will require you to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement as a requirement for employment as my chauffeur?”

“Yes, Sir, she did. She let me know that you would be sending her a copy of the agreement for the agency’s lawyer to review before I sign it.”

“Good, but call me Carl for Sir makes me feel uncomfortable. I have a two o’clock business meeting with several of my associates at a friend’s house. Unfortunately, I can’t have you present while I am discussing business matters until after you sign the agreement. You can drop me off at my friends’ place and wait for me at a local coffee house or a place of your choice until I finish my business. I expect that to take several hours, and I’ll call you when we are finished.”

“That is fine with me, Carl.”

After exchanging telephone numbers and entering them into our cell phones, it was getting close to lunch time, so we went out to grab something to eat at a nearby Italian restaurant Jason recommended. It felt odd handing him my car keys and sitting in the passenger seat; there was no way I would comfortably fit in the backseat even with the front seat slid forward. I wasn’t sure that I would ever be comfortable sitting in the back seat of a car, but I would have to get used to it once I hired a bodyguard.

Jason said it probably wasn’t necessary, but he called ahead to get us a reservation at the restaurant. When we arrived, we were seated quickly and our waitress gave us time to look over the menu before she took our orders.

Once our orders were submitted and the busboy brought us our coffees, I said, “Jason, I need a couple of recommendations. I need to buy a new car and I need to find a bodyguard. It occurred to me that you may know of someone or an agency that provides bodyguards and know what type of car I might need for someone in my position.

“There are two main reasons for me needing a bodyguard.

“I went to Vegas without a bodyguard for the Christmas-New Year holiday and was mobbed by the media wanting an interview, there were also tourists wanting autographs, and a few of the attractive female staff members at the hotel where I stayed. The ladies made it clear that they would be happy to join me in my suite later that night. I did not care for being accosted in the way these people accosted me.

“The business meeting this afternoon is about me and my associates setting up several businesses that will likely make us a few powerful enemies. A few of those enemies may decide to use violence to stop us from annoying them; if so, the service of a bodyguard is a necessity.

“Have you worked for an employer who has had bodyguards before, Jason?”

“Yes, I’ve worked with several. Only two of the bodyguard services impressed me enough to recommend them.

“The first was the Clyde Protective Services. One of my employers had a large country estate, and he had the works. Personal bodyguards that traveled with him and security guards at his home.

“The other employer only needed personal security for when he went out in public, which was normally during the day. He used Huxx Security Agency. That agency is a one-man business owned by Gary Huxx. Gary and I got to know each other and became friends.

“The services provided by both companies seemed above average to me. Personally, I would prefer Gary’s company over the other company’s bodyguards because they seemed cold and detached, whereas Gary was always personable.

“What do you need for security?”

“I’m not sure, Jason. I don’t know if they told you, but I’m the guy who won the one point four billion dollar Power Ball lottery. I’ve been advised that I will need a bodyguard when I go out in public and I’ve been told that I will need security guards at my home.

“I am in the process of buying a new house and a commercial property for the businesses my associates and I will start. I think someone like Gary Huxx would be adequate for me, when I’m ready to hire a bodyguard. I will need the full complement of security services for both my home and the office building. My home will need it as soon as I buy a place, and I will probably want the type of service Clyde Protective Services provided to your former employer. Once we start doing business, I will add security services for the office building I buy. As far as Gary is concerned, my associates and I won’t need a high level of personal protective services, until our businesses begin operation.”

“Carl, if you want me to I’ll contact Gary and explain what you need, when you are ready to hire a bodyguard, I believe he will meet your needs.”

“Thanks. Now with security in mind what type of car do you think I will need in the future?”

“Some of my prior employers had armored vehicles. If you need a bodyguard, then I think you should have an armored vehicle also. You can get almost any type of vehicle armored to various levels of protection. Are you interested in a basic sedan, SUV, or limousine?”

“A sedan or SUV suits my personality, but I won’t rule out a limousine. I need to give that some thought. What did you mean by armored to various levels of protection?”

“I’m not an expert in that field, Carl. However, I do know that there are several levels of armor for vehicles. The lower level of armor will stop handgun rounds and rounds from the less powerful rifles. However, that level of protection will not stop rounds from high-powered rifles and armor piercing rounds. To stop those types of bullets, you need a much higher level of protection, which increases the cost. If you buy a new car, there are companies that will turn your car into a bullet-proof vehicle. You can also buy a new or used bullet-proof car.”

“Okay, Jason. How do I go about finding a used armored car?”

“Check the Internet for companies that deal in bullet-proof cars. You can lease one or buy one. If you feel you need one right away, then you should lease one and try it out until you make up your mind on what is best for your needs.”

“That’s a good idea, but I don’t think I will need one immediately. However, I do need a new car, and I think I need to go car shopping soon.

“I never thought to ask about the financial aspects of hiring you. All Miss Cortese said was you would give her a time card and the agency would bill me. Do you work by the hour or day?”

“When I fill out my time card, I record when I started, when I finished, and when I took lunch. They don’t tell me the rate they bill my employer for my time, but that was easy to find out. Their billing rate is almost three times what they pay me, but I know they incur costs due to my employment. Personally, I think they make a huge profit on my work.”

“You are probably right. Are you on a standard workday of eight to five, or how does it work?”

“No, my day starts when I arrive. Monday through Friday is straight time for the first eight hours, time and a half over that up to twelve hours, and double time after twelve hours. Saturdays are time and a half up to eight hours and double time after that; Sundays are double time. There is also a forty hour minimum per week, and I get a one-hour lunch break, and if I work more than eight hours, I get a one-hour dinner break. That is how I get paid, but I don’t know the rate the agency will bill you for my hours.”

“Jason, there is a clause in my contract for converting your services to me directly. If things work out for us, I may want to convert you to a direct employee after several months. Keep that in mind and think about it. We can discuss it later.”

The impression I got from Jason was to forget about a normal car and just buy an armored sedan; he qualified that by saying I should rent one until I decided exactly what I needed and liked. He clarified a sedan was his personal preference as far as body style was concerned; while others favored an SUV. When I asked why he favored a sedan, he said SUVs have a higher center of gravity and in emergencies requiring abrupt maneuvers, such as sharp, high-speed turns, they were more likely to rollover. He said I could get a used or new vehicle for immediate delivery from dealers that specialized in armored vehicles; the main difference was price and they both had the limitation that I had to take the current configuration, or pay extra to have it reconfigured. If I was willing to wait, I could order a new vehicle and have it customized to my specific needs.

Jason asked if I want a new vehicle or a used vehicle. I said I didn’t have a preference. When I asked about the types of customization, Jason told me he knew very little about the different options. He said I needed to determine my threat level and the types of weapons an adversary might use, like handguns, hunting rifles, full automatic armor piercing military weapons, explosives, RPGs, etc. Once I had a clear picture of how serious an attacker might be, I needed to talk with someone who knew more about the armoring of different makes and models of vehicles. They would have a better idea of what to recommend and an appropriate armoring level to include options like run-flat tires, a bullet-proof gas tank, an armored engine compartment, etc. It sounded to me as if Jason knew more about armored vehicles than he realized.

The most helpful part of our lunch conversation was Jason’s answer to my question about the differences between bodyguards and security guards. Up until then, I had assumed there was little to no difference between the two types of security personnel other than one guarded your property and the other guarded you. When he finished his explanation, I understood there was a major difference between the two. I would need both bodyguards and security guards.

Jason dropped me off at Steve and Karen’s home for my two o’clock meeting. He said he would wait at Starbucks, which was nearby, until I was finished.

When I arrived, Victor Charles, Bill and Mary Noble, and Harry Slaughter had already arrived for our meeting. Karen pointed me toward the coffee urn and a platter of pastries. With a coffee mug in my left hand and a stiff paper plate containing a bear claw on a napkin in my right hand, I sat down at the head of the dining room table, and started to devour my bear claw.

Victor and Harry knew of my business activities and future plans. When everyone was seated at the table, I said, “Vic, I explained to my associates about Charles and Associates being our primary legal firm for Invasion of Privacy lawsuits and that you and Harry will handle our other legal matters either directly or through other law firms. I assume Steve and Karen have introduced the two of you to everyone. Do I need to clarify your position or how my friends fit into SIMC’s business plan?”

“I believe Harry and I understand what has been done up to this point, Carl. However, just to ensure that everyone is on the same page, why don’t you explain the history of you setting up SIMC and what you have done in establishing the newspapers and the research and writing firm.”

“All right. It started with Steve, Karen, and I discussing my starting an online newspaper and how to manage the future investments I would make. I decided that it would be a good idea to create an investment management company to handle those investments.

“As we talked, it became apparent that I would need a parent company to manage the businesses that I would create. I then talked with Bill about formally creating The Rattler and SIMC, and he handled the paperwork for their creation. Originally, Steve and Karen were listed as two of my corporation’s board members. Once we decided to create more than one newspaper, I thought it would be a good idea if Steve and Karen owned two of the newspapers; Steve would manage The Rattler, Karen would manage the other newspaper, and I would own and manage SIMC and my investment company. We realized Steve and Karen’s positions on SIMC’s board of directors could create a conflict of interest since they would be the owners of two of the newspapers associated with SIMC.”

“Let me stop you for a moment, Carl. In our prior meetings, you said you would own SIMC and The Rattler, and that you would create two additional newspapers and a research and writing business. You also mentioned that you were considering selling The Rattler. Now you are telling me that Steve will be the owner of The Rattler and Karen will be the owner of one of the other two newspapers. How did that happen?”

“Well, I hadn’t done anything to set up The Rattler other than to create its LLC. I agreed to sell the newspaper to Steve and loan him the money to set up the company. I also agreed to lend Karen the money to create and set up a second newspaper. I haven’t done anything yet regarding the third newspaper. I didn’t mention it yet, but I also agreed to lend Mary the money to create and set up the research and writing group. In return, I will receive twenty-five percent ownership of each company.”

“Okay, Carl. From what you previously told me and what you are now describing, your plans could very easily be viewed as a conspiracy. We need to discuss this matter before you actually do anything further. Go on and finish telling me about the history of the businesses up to this point.”

“What I’ve said so far is essentially the history of what has happened. I still own SIMC and The Rattler. Bill submitted the paperwork to California’s Office of the Secretary of State to inform them that Steve and Karen resigned from SIMC’s board of directors. The paperwork identified my investment manager, Bob Thompson, to replace Steve on the board and my business consultant, James Conway, to replace Karen. Everything else is still in the planning stage.”

“Okay, Carl, I think we all understand what has happened up to this point. It will be important for everyone to tell the same basic story in their own words. You and I will need to talk with Bob Thompson and James Conway about this in the near future. If any of you are asked from this point forward how you met and became business associates you will all need to tell the same basic story from your perspective with personal variations in your wording. The following are the basics that all of you must adhere to.