Chapter 18: Down The Rabbit Hole

As we walked up the ramp I told him, "Keith, hire some help. You're trying to do it all yourself and it's too much for one man."

"Dan, I have tried but I don't know enough to know whom to hire. For instance, the tool grinding operation is a cover for what I believe is a new energy source according to the records I've found so far. The problem is I can't get anyone to say anything to me. More and more obstacles are thrown in my path, then even another batch of obstacles and I can't get a handle on anything."

"Do you have the phone number for the main office?" I asked him.

"There again is the problem. Every time I call them the number has been changed." He shook his head as he looked at the floor.

"Bullshit like this I know how to handle. You are trying to be a gentleman executive. You were a major in the SAS. You did not get to that rank inviting people to Sunday school. Call whoever you have to right now, track down the new number and hand the phone to me."

He whipped out his Sat COM and started to punch in numbers. "Yell at me when you get them. I haven't met Warren's fiancé yet." I stepped over to where Bobbie was chatting with the young woman.

"Honey, this is Warren's sweet fiancé, Sophie," Bobbie hugged me as I came within reach.

"Sophie, I am glad to meet you. If you and Warren need any help getting settled in New York, let us know."

Before she could answer Keith handed me the phone. "Merrill Wiggins is holding for you." He looked angry.

"Hello?" I said into the phone.

"A very harsh woman's voice said, "Wait for Mister Wiggins."

"Are you still on the phone?" I asked in a quiet voice.

"Well of course I am. Where else would I be?" She replied in a snotty voice.

"You will be in the unemployment line job hunting after I fire you for cause," I replied. "This is Daniel Hundley. Now put Wiggins on or he's going to follow your brainless ass down the road."

"This is Wiggins," a man's voice stated.

"This is Hundley and I shall be on my way to your office tomorrow morning. I have the company jet here in London. How long does it take to fly from London to Leeds?"

"Why I don't know," he answered.

"I don't know either. We will both find out, won't we? We are coming to inspect things. You will meet us or you are fired. Your next stop will be prison. Do you understand me?"

"You can't do that. I have a directive from New York stating you are not in charge. They have already sent a person over here to handle things."

"You are now fired. You are trespassing. We will be there first thing in the morning." I hung up.

"Guys, we have more minor problems. Everybody check in to a hotel or motel when we get to the Leeds Airport or whatever. It seems we need to take a side trip to Leeds. It was supposed to be first thing in the morning but I have changed my mind. We go as soon as we have clearance to take off.

I hurried forward to talk to the pilot. "We are cleared for takeoff as soon as everybody is aboard and seated. I called and made adjustments as soon as I heard you yelling on the phone." He smiled and I hurried back to join Bobbie. I was positive I merely raised my voice a little. I never yell at people.

When everyone took their places, I leaned over and nibbled on her ear and felt the beginnings of another erection. "I love you," I whispered.

Keith interrupted our affectionate moment, "We still have two perfectly good motorcycles stored in the cargo bay, remember them? Aren't you glad we don't have to store a forty foot long boat as well?"

"Good," I told him. "We might find them useful in Leeds or later on." I was thankful the Boeing had started life as a cargo plane and was converted to the dual purpose to stand in for an executive jet or to haul needed items from one place to another around the world.

I looked back at Bobbie. "Damn, you really look like the Dragon Lady now." She was wearing black maternity slacks even. "Knocked up higher than a kite and still beautiful," I told her. The black knit lambs wool sweater and hair pulled tightly back completed the illusion of a very pregnant Dragon Lady. I patted her becoming more noticeable by the day belly.

It was right then as I looked at the no longer tiny mound that I knew for certain one very important rule of life. I suddenly realized that love made the beautiful woman even more beautiful. I knew others found her extremely attractive. To me she was irresistible. I got a hard on. All my romantic thoughts were put on hold for my lusty thoughts.

Suddenly she turned pale and got up out of her seat. "Don't let the pilot take off yet." She hurried back to the head.

I heard about morning sickness from listening to the women I worked with at Morgan and for a week at Hundley Creations. However, it still scared the hell out of me, especially Bobbie's erratic form of it. One day she was fine and the next day she might have three sessions of morning sickness.

Everyone looked at her retreating back with alarm. "Morning sickness," I told them.

Keith nodded his sympathy and I turned my attention back to the Leeds problem. The more I learned about the size of all the Hundley holdings, the more I wanted to back out of the whole thing. I just wasn't cut out to be an executive and had no training to be one. Nor did I want the training to be one.

I loved Bobby, that was a given, and now it looked like I might legitimately be an heir to part of the Hundley estate. However, I was not all that certain I wanted what I perceived as the problems that went along with such a vast ownership. Oh, it would be nice to have a little nest egg to fall back on. However, to be given everything handed me on a silver platter did not feel right.

I preferred to set goals. Then I liked to pursue those goals until I either attained them or did not. To be able to write a check and buy the most expensive car in the world took the joy out of ownership of that car. I was confused. I wanted Bobbie with all my heart. What I did not want was the problems that came along with her. Because of my love for her, I decided to stick it out.

"We can go now," she said in a weak voice as she reclaimed her seat beside me. Warren called forward and the pilot started the take off.

With so many of the records destroyed when Willy was murdered and management of three of the plants throwing obstacles in his way Keith was busy day and night. I saw the haggard look in his eyes. The man was close to a burn out. I vowed when this Leeds thing was settled I intended to send him and his wife away for a two-week rest. When he came back I would force him to hire the right people. Bobbie could give him guidance in that department.

We spent more time taking off and landing than we did in flight it seemed. Keith had two limos waiting for us. "Honey, Keith, Warren and I are going to beard the lion in his den. You take the others and get us set up with hotel rooms. We'll join you as quickly as we can. I have a hunch we got big problems here. This might well be The Project I found references to."

"Do you know what you are doing?" she asked me worriedly.

"Nope," I answered. "We're going to wing it and find out just what is going on here. I kissed her. Then Keith, Warren and I hurried down the ramp and into a waiting limo. Our driver knew the location and had us at the front gate in minutes. It was closed, locked and nobody was in sight.

The area outside the fence looked desolate. The area inside the fence looked even worse. I spied a worn out truck tire lying beside the roadway. I motioned for Warren to join me. Between us we rolled the big tire up and leaned it against the gate. "Bring the front bumper up against the tire and push," I ordered the driver.

He nodded and carefully placed the front bumper against the tire and gave it the gas. Metal groaned, the lock snapped and the gate that normally rolled sideways to open was now pushed inward. Finally, it fell over. Warren and I got back in the car and we followed the short winding dirt road to a small concrete block building.

"Kick the door in," I ordered Warren. As the door flew inward, Keith ran through, Warren came next and I followed last.