A Toy for Christmas

by Mary Jane Forbes

  “Frank, assignments?” Tavis said.

  “Yes, I wasn’t sure you were with us…tried you a couple of times yesterday.”

  “Sorry, I was tied up with a realtor I think you all know, looking for a place to stay. I’m in all the way.”

  “Good, Frank said shaking Tavis’s hand. A large paw was fanning the air waiting to play the game of handshake.

  Frank chuckled as he took Bentley’s paw.

  “Okay, men,” Janet called out. “Waste Management just deposited the dumpster by the back door. Time to roll up our sleeves. The restroom is off to the left. Don’t be put off by the grime. After tomorrow morning, you’d let your mother use it.”

  ────

  The business cards included the partner’s cell numbers. Questions volleyed back and forth concluding about a couple of orders that were received yesterday. In preparation for this phase of the business, Frank had spoken with a local college as well as senior high school students as possible hourly workers, and some hobbyists to assemble the first orders. Tavis was assigned to oversee the assembly line, Michael testing each unit and sales in general, and GK with the actual packaging. Janet was to take care of accounting and purchasing as well as building maintenance and setup. Frank—chief troubleshooter.

  During the day Janet ran out to a used office furniture outlet. With the building layout in hand, she and the manager quickly picked out the few pieces of furniture she listed—desks, chairs, file cabinets, tables for an initial assembly of the drones, and a round coffee table with four chairs in case a client dropped in. She added a mini-refrigerator and microwave oven, all scheduled for delivery tomorrow morning after the cleaning crew scrubbed the grime away. GK and Frank made several trips to the condo to move the equipment and parts for one hundred Mercury drones to the new facility. By late afternoon the trash and crap, as Janet called it, was removed.

  Forty-five minutes later pizzas were delivered with ice cold coke and water. No time was spent picking up a case of beer. The company of five sat on the floor, leaned against a wall and ate, too tired and hungry to talk.

  A few times during the day Tavis took Bentley out to visit the squirrels. The dog seemed to be content with his third chewy bone of the day as his eyes followed the action.

  Suddenly everyone spoke at once. Looking around, each envisioning and talking over the other about parts being spread out on the work tables and assembling each to a perfect Pigeon or Mercury drone.

  Frank had already received an email for fifty-one and then a surprise…an order for twenty toy drones. Pigeon was now in the mix.

  Frank figured by mid-afternoon tomorrow they would be up and running in a clean facility with furniture and a kitchen set up with a counter and sink left by the previous tenant. They were to brown bag it for lunch and snacks.

  They would be open for business…barely.

  Frank took the last swig of water from the bottle as he looked across the empty floor, his eyes a steely grey. He had incorporated this day in his business plan. He had talked to everyone on his list as potential part-time help—available to work day or night. He felt he could scale up production rapidly. The plan was to keep the operation lean—Mercury available in silver or black, no fancy graphics. Hire only when they couldn’t keep up with the orders. He had sourced suppliers in the area for parts.

  Yes, everything was in order. All they had to do was execute.

  Chapter 36

  ────

  IT WAS MID-WEEK. Another hot muggy day. Traffic was heavy and building.

  ABC Trucking didn’t notice the heat and so far had no word of traffic snarls resulting in delays. Their Transit Cargo Vans were white with the company name, address, and phone number in large black letters on the back and each side. Some vans were black, a few green, no signage. Besides regular drop shipments, ABC also farmed out jobs to large semi-truckers trying to avoid deadheading, driving an empty trailer back to their home base.

  Five years ago Jose Ramirez, President of the firm, retrofitted a large warehouse into a garage to maintain and service trucks of various sizes. The building was perfect for his business with room to grow. He equipped a stall on the end for a quick wash before the trucks hit the road. They rarely spent more than six hours in the garage and never remained overnight.

  All of the trucks were retrofitted with false side panels. This was not the case for truckers who periodically contracted with ABC for a quick load. Those with false side panels provided enough room to shuttle drugs hidden from view—cases of produce, cases of liquor, cases of water, clothing, anything that had to be transported from point A to point B, even short hauls of furniture from dealers or people moving. The last was the best—people moving rarely asked questions. They want their furniture picked up on a certain date and delivered to their new home as promised.

  Ramirez set up his trucking business after buying the warehouse. Business was booming and he planned to expand—more bays meant more trucks loaded up and on their way. Quick turnover. Pick up and delivery. Short and sweet. Smaller vans received the drugs from various dealers in Miami, then hightailed it to Daytona Beach. The cargo transferred to a larger truck. A crew was ready to reload with incoming cargo depending on the destination. The operation was ongoing 24/7. But most arrivals and departures happened at night. 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. when the garage was a beehive of activity. During the day the hive only processed a few trucks to keep the appearance of a respectable business. Anyone driving by wouldn’t look twice as they passed a cinderblock building behind an eight-foot chain link fence.

  A green truck pulled up to door number one, the driver honking twice. The garage door rose and the van rolled inside the door dropping down behind it.

  Sweet!

  Hector Gomez knew nothing of the false side panels or the drugs. His job—hose down the trucks, fill the gas tanks, and occasionally pinch hit for a driver. Contract truckers didn’t know anything either. They made good money working for ABC, and were paid on time. They didn’t ask questions. A few may have wondered what was going on, but they needed the money so they did the job.

  At the same time Hector Gomez ambled into the scheduling office to see Ramirez the shrill front-gate alarm announced a visitor startling Ramirez and Gomez. Ramirez glanced at the camera aimed at the gate. Geoffrey Kingman was standing, waiting to be buzzed in.

  Ramirez pushed the intercom button. “Geoff, what are you doing here? Did I miss a T-Time?”

  “No, I heard you might be expanding. I drew up some plans. Thought you might like a bid. I have them with me. Do you have time?”

  “It’s pretty busy around here but I can take a quick peek. Push on the gate when you hear the click.” Ramirez turned to Gomez. “I have to see this guy. Go find Skeeter for your next job. He’s out in bay four or five.”

  Ramirez hustled out to the small lobby and opened the door for Geoff. Shaking hands, he nodded to the tube Geoff was holding. “Nice of you to offer some ideas. Who told you I was thinking of expanding?”

  “Someone from your outfit. Is there a place I can spread out the construction documents?”

  “Sure, this table. Just move the newspapers.”

  “I think you might be interested, Jose, because the sheets include measurements.”

  “Measurements of my building?”

  “Yes. Charley, my daughter. You know, she works for your wife’s agency, and one of her brother’s partners flew a drone overhead a few weeks back. I think you saw the video. At least that’s what I recall Charley saying. Darn thing can calibrate the dimensions of what it captures with the onboard camera. Really slick. Did you see the video?”

  “Yes, I remember it. Slick as you say, but I don’t remember her saying anything about taking measurements.”

  “Not surprising. The video was taken to show your wife how the agency can market commercial property as well as the home market.”

  That video again…means Geoff saw the green truck. Ramirez brushed the documents aside knocking a ne
wspaper to the floor. “Your payment is late again, Geoff. I told you last month, late is not acceptable. It has to stop. I loaned you money when you needed it to get your construction company off the ground. Ten years ago you were wailing that construction contracts were few and far between. Now, it’s a different story and I expect payment. Your non-payment has consequences,” Ramirez said, balling his fist.

  “I know, I know. But if you’re expanding, I thought we could have an understanding—you pay for material but the labor we write off against the loan. Six months is all I’m asking for… I’ll be on my feet again. The payments you’re demanding are so high I can’t make any headway, can’t bid on jobs. I’m going under, Jose.”

  “I’m not in any hurry to expand the building. Leave the printouts and don’t come back unless you have some cash instead of excuses. I have a couple of truckers waiting out back.” Ramirez nodded to the door.

  The meeting was over.

  Geoff walked out to the gate, waved over his shoulder at the building in case anyone was looking. “Remind yourself, Kingman, never drop by unannounced again,” he muttered.

  ────

  Ramirez watched his visitor stroll to the front gate swinging open as Kingman approached. As soon as he saw the gate close he shouted for Skeeter over the intercom. His booming voice blasted through the bays. Skeeter came running.

  Chapter 37

  ────

  THE CLEANERS HAD SCOURED the new DroneKing facility. The dumpster had been removed. The furniture had been delivered. The landlord grumbled but finally agreed to uproot the weeds along the front next to the road and gave his blessing on a sign to be attached to the front of the building—DRONEKING, INC. All caps.

  Standing next to each other, Frank and Tavis said goodbye to the landlord as Janet stomped out the front entrance.

  “Frank, you’d better come inside. Michael and GK are threatening to quit.”

  “Okay, Okay. I saw something brewing. Hoped they could work it out.”

  He didn’t have to go in.

  The argument spilled out the front door with Michael yelling at Frank. “I’m pulling out. Don’t ask me to stay. You have Tavis and Janet. GK and I didn’t have a say about either one.”

  “You didn’t ask us about the so called business plan either,” GK chimed in marching out behind Michael. “Obviously, we don’t matter. We don’t have a say…on anything. I’ll take The Drone Warriors to someone else.”

  “I think I’ll go back to Vegas. My bookie is there. Real estate is booming. I can make tons of money on videos. More than the measly amount you’re dolling out from Daddy Kingman.”

  “Stop your bellyaching,” Frank yelled back. “Get your sorry asses inside. Tell me what you’re really crying about.”

  Frank turned, strode inside, looked around and decided on the sitting area Janet had set up—round coffee table with four chairs. He wasn’t sure if they would follow him inside but they did. They’d had fracases before, but this was different. He had to placate them. He needed them, needed all of them. He had an ace up his sleeve. He prayed it would be enough.

  They settled around the table with Janet dragging her desk chair over to join the group. Frank leaned forward, elbows on his knees, hands together as he looked at Michael and GK slumped in their chairs.

  “It’s too early for this,” GK said waving his hand around at the cavernous facility.

  “That’s right. You said everything would change in Vegas,” Michael said. “The only thing that changed is we have two more people on a non-existent payroll. I’m not about to be a partner in a bankruptcy, or sued over your adding more and more debt. You said we’d be partners In a great adventure. The adventure is pure fantasy…just like a video game except a game is fun. This is not fun, Frank.”

  “How about you, Janet? How do you feel?” Frank said.

  “Hey, I signed up for the ride. I can stay on the bus until the end of the year. If things don’t pan out I’ll be gone.”

  “Tavis?”

  “As I told you in Arizona when I asked to come aboard, your design is elegant. Michael and GK, you know it is. Remember at MIT, the three of us would marvel at Frank’s engineering skills, solving the impossible, making a device work. Maybe you guys have a bit of cabin fever. Living together. Frank is bringing the business from the playing-around stage, to a serious business. I’m in. I have a place to stay. Of course, Bentley over there is part of my bargain.”

  Bentley lifted his head. Was it playtime? He got up on all fours. Stretched, and then trotted to his playmate.

  Whap! His paw hit Tavis’s thigh. In slow motion the chair legs slipped landing Tavis on his keister. Definitely a new game, Bentley got down on his front legs with a soft bark, a slurp on the cheek, urging Tavis to get up and do it again.

  “Nice, Bentley, way to go,” Frank said laughing, giving Tavis a hand up. Glad you have a place to lay your head, Tavis. Just be careful with your furry friend there. He may take over the bed.”

  They all laughed happy it was Tavis on the floor. Served him right for weaseling in on the business.

  “As for me, I can move back to the beach house,” Frank said. He looked at GK and Michael. “Can you two figure something out, get along for another month? Each of us brings something essential to the business, what we’re trying to do. We need each other to make it work.”

  “A month? And then what?” Michael said, shaking his head.

  “Hang on a minute. I have something to show you.”

  Frank walked over to what was to be his desk, picked up his laptop and set it on the coffee table. Tapping a few keys, a few more keys, squinting, scrolling down the screen, he turned the laptop around in front of Michael and GK. Tavis and Janet leaned in on either side.

  “Read that first email…scroll down to the next. Keep going. There are five.”

  Michael looked up. “Frank, are these orders? Are they for real? The orders add up to eight-hundred Pigeons? We don’t have the parts.”

  “Yes. I was going to show them to you after the landlord left. A few of them are sending a deposit. We’ll have enough money to fill the first order of seventy-five. Then we have to scramble.”

  “OK, I guess I can hang in a little longer,” Michael said.

  “How about you, GK?” Frank said.

  “If Michael stays, I’ll stay…for a little while. But what do you mean by scramble?”

  “It’ll be touch and go,” Frank said leaning back in his chair, fingers laced on the top of his head as he looked each member of DroneKing in the eyes.

  “How exactly?” GK said.

  “Credit cards.”

  “How many credit cards?” Janet said.

  “As many as it takes,” Frank said.

  Chapter 38

  ────

  CHARLEY PACED OUTSIDE THE agency mulling over the idea to sell commercial property as well as target the home market. An hour ago she picked up a call from a CEO of a company who wanted to relocate to Florida. He was looking for space—outside of a large metropolitan area such as Miami and Orlando, but close enough to entice engineers—computer engineers, programmers. A place located near colleges with an excellent curriculum in the technical field and known for high caliber graduates. She asked him to give her a couple of days. She was sure she had something to offer.

  Now, the question in front of her was where to start. She had to find vacant buildings of various sizes, also dig up companies that were thinking of moving, considering a merger, or selling out. Give them a nudge to put their thinking into action. Next, put together a marketing package to entire companies, such as the one that called, spelling out that the Daytona Beach area was perfect for them, checking off all the boxes on what they were looking for. Example—Florida State University was already established with one of their campuses here with an extensive curriculum in computer science.

  She stopped pacing…an idea formulating in her mind. Show the video her father asked Michael to shoot, a possible r
enovation job he was going to bid on. Show the video to potential clients looking for a low-tax state, a state with no income tax and a growing labor force. She could end the video with an advertisement. Ask the question: Do you want to sell your building? Out of state companies are looking for space. Yes, that would be work. Get permission to show buildings for sale.

  Grabbing her tote, she began thinking out loud. “I’ll go visit ABC Trucking, ask for permission to show their building as a sample.” Not that they were thinking of selling. Talking to them will give me ideas of how the process might work. Ask a few questions. Pick up keywords, phrases. Ask them to give me a few minutes, fifteen tops. I wouldn’t want to impose on their time.

  Hearing the Saints, she reached in her tote for her cell.

  “Hey, Charley, if you’re heading out, or sitting twiddling your thumbs, could you stop by for a minute? I can’t reach Frank and his inbox is full. Manny and I are discussing how drones are being used to help investigations and—”

  “Sure can. Is Manny with you now? I could meet at your house in fifteen...unless you’re at the office.”

  “Fantastic, we’re home. Manny’s walking the dogs. My mom’s coming over to pick up Lizzie. She says Manny and I need a date night. I’d almost forgotten what that was. He’ll be back any minute. Coffee?”

  “Always.”

  The thought of seeing Liz brought a smile to Charley’s lips. Her quirky friend could bring a boring day to a fourth of July celebration uttering the word hello.

  ────

  Tote in hand, Charley climbed out of the car and strode to the house. “Come on in, Charley,” Manny said. “Liz tells me you have a must-see video to show us.”