by J. T. Cross
“Both Philip and Jim work for me as consultants. Their primary job has been to locate new energy sources for my company to develop. Jim called me this afternoon and informed me about the nature of the rock sample you brought for him to analyze.”
They had their nerve calling this man without even asking his permission, thought Luc.
“I’m not one to overstate things but, from what I’ve been told, this could be the answer to the world’s energy needs. If we can find enough of this material, or understand how to create it, we can free the world from fossil fuels and atomic energy.”
“Those are mighty lofty goals,” Luc said.
“And I’m the man to realize them,” Valenkamp replied, flashing a smile and displaying the whitest teeth Luc had ever seen.
At that moment, Christie walked back into the room and sat down quietly next to the man on the couch. She glanced at Luc then looked away. She looked embarrassed, thought Luc.
“So, what is it you want?” Luc asked.
“I don’t like to mince words, Luc. I’m here to make an offer of one million to each of you in return for signing over all rights to the sample. You will also be restricted from mentioning the sample in any way.”
Luc glanced around the room. Philip and Lackland looked somewhat surprised. Christie, on the other hand, looked upset. When she noticed Luc looking at her, she spoke up.
“Are you thinking of mining the area, Mr. Valenkamp?”
“If there are sufficient deposits, that would be our intent,” he said cautiously.
“You can’t just go into that area and start mining. You could destroy the whole habitat and I have reason to believe there are unknown species in that valley. Species that were thought to be extinct twenty-five million years ago. If I’m right, they have to be protected.”
“What kind of animals are we talking about?”
“In addition to the rock sample, Luc also brought back an incisor from what appears to be a saber-toothed tiger.”
“If I may say, that’s pretty fanciful,” Valenkamp said.
Luc noticed his face had a slight red tinge to it. Luc wondered if the man was getting upset.
“I have part of the tooth from the animal in my lab. It doesn’t match any known animals living today. The root still has blood in it. I know because I just extracted some tissues to run DNA tests on them.”
Valenkamp looked down at the floor and took a deep breath. “Suppose for a moment you’re right. I have the authority to hire a consultant to guide us on the proper handling of the valley with respect to species that might require protection. Of course, that would require an expert to go into the valley and conduct extensive research on the new species there. Would you be interested in the position?”
Luc watched Christie’s face light up. “Of course, as long as you agree to protect any animals we discover.”
“We would. Why else would I hire you? I assure you, Northern Energies considers habitat protection a high priority.”
What an incredible manipulator, thought Luc. These people didn’t actually trust this man, did they? He looked at Philip and Lackland and realized they saw only dollar signs at that moment.
Valenkamp sat back down in the chair and rubbed his chin, focusing on each person in the room, one at a time. He reminded Luc of a poker player trying to figure out just how much he should throw into the pot.
“Suppose we went in and located a substantial amount of the material, would one million each be enough to buy your silence?” asked Valenkamp.
“Now just a minute. Mr. Valenkamp,” Philip blurted out. “There’s no way you’re going to buy us out of this for a million each. Not even close. Not even two or three billion would be enough. We want a fifty-fifty partnership with you.”
Luc was surprised at Philip’s nerve. He hadn’t expected that.
“Why should I make you fifty-fifty partners? All you’ve brought me is a hot black rock. All the real work still has to be done.”
“One reason is because we have a map showing the exact location of the ore. With our map to locate the deposits and your money to develop the energy generating capability, we could easily become the wealthiest men in the world.”
“Fifty percent of the profits is out of line Philip. You have no idea how hard it would be to get that ore out, or how dangerous.”
Luc decided it was time to join in the discussion. “You can’t just assume that you can get rights to that land. The land was granted to the native Indians who live in Manatuk. Any deal would have to be approved by them. And they would have to be cut into the profits as well.”
“That could tie things up for years,” Valenkamp said angrily.
“Here’s our deal to you, Mr. Valenkamp. We’d like to fly a helicopter into the area to take pictures, get more readings and samples to document our claim. We’d like approval to bill the flight to your company.”
Luc wondered how Valenkamp would react to Philip’s demands. His face appeared to have turned even redder.
Valenkamp sunk his face into his hands and sat silently for several seconds. When he raised his head back up, he looked more relaxed and had a smile on his face.
“You know, you guys are absolutely right. You have the map and I don’t. I’ll get you a helicopter on one condition: you sign a temporary nondisclosure form. It will be equally binding on all of us.”
“Why should we do that?” Luc asked.
“You have no idea the amount of corporate espionage going on these days. We have to keep this absolutely secret from everyone. And by that, I mean other oil companies, the government authorities, the Manatuk village elders, everyone that could potentially bring another company in and destroy our deal.”
Luc thought about that. He guessed it wasn’t that out of line, considering the amount of money Valenkamp’s company would have to pay for the upfront exploration. He decided he could go along with the request for a while. He looked around the room at the others to see what their response would be.
Montague, the attorney for Northern Energies, opened his briefcase and pulled out several forms. He put them on the coffee table in front of the couch.
Philip picked up one of the forms and studied it for several minutes. “This non-disclosure agreement is equally binding and would only be in effect for one month,” he said, after reviewing it.
“I think we can do this,” said Lackland.
Christie nodded at Philip and he smiled back nodding.
“Okay,” Luc said.
They took turns signing the agreements, one for each person. Valenkamp went first. When they were finished, Montague tore off a copy for each person and put the remaining sheets in his briefcase.
“I think everyone can rest easier now that we know the discovery will not go public until we’re ready.”
“So, where do you want your copter and how much range does it need to have?”
“The Manatuk airport, and it should be able to make a three-hundred-mile round trip without refueling,” Philip said.
“I’m not familiar with that village, but I’ll arrange to have one of our large exploration copters waiting for you there by Thursday morning. The pilot will take you wherever you want to go. You will need to bring your map so the pilot can find the location.
“Without a contract to protect our share of the potential profits, we’re going to have to keep the location secret. So, you wouldn’t mind if we used our own pilot, would you?” Philip said.
Valenkamp’s face began to turn red again and Luc could see anger flash across his face. “I absolutely mind, Philip,” Valenkamp said, raising his voice. “We have got to have a little trust here, or there is going to be no way for us to do business.”
Luc stared at Valenkamp, wondering just how far Philip could push the man before he exploded. He also wondered how much longer the free air fare back to Fairbanks would last.
Valenkamp stood up. “Excuse me I need to get a little fresh air,” he said and walked out the door slamming it b
ehind him.
“I guess that must’ve struck a sensitive nerve. Sharing the profits that is,” Luc said.
“He has to worry about shareholders and stock valuation,” the attorney said.
“Luc got up and walked over to the window and watched Valenkamp storm out to the limousine. The rear window went down as he approached it. He stood talking to someone in the back for a while then pulled a cell phone out of his jacket pocket and made a call.
A few minutes later, he put the phone away and headed back toward the house. Luc went back to his chair and sat down just as Valenkamp opened the door.
He walked in and went over to the armchair and sat back down. It was immediately evident to Luc that his demeanor had changed for the better.
“Okay, Philip, I guess I know a tough negotiator when I see one. Lord knows I’ve been up against a few in my life,” Valenkamp said, and chuckled. “I think I have a way to put everyone’s mind at ease. Jack, would you pull out the assignment of rights contract please?”
Montague hesitated. “Are you sure you want to make commitments before the exploration phase has even begun?” he asked.
“Let’s not let perfection stand in the way of progress. It’s clear to me we must move forward quickly on this. We really don’t have a choice.”
Once again, Montague opened his briefcase, but this time he pulled out a single form. Valenkamp took the form over to a dining room table and sat down. He quietly began filling out the blank parts of the agreement.
Luc watched him as he wrote. Between the bursts of writing he would stop for a moment to run his fingers through his hair and stare off into blank space. After a brief pause he would continue another short burst of writing. The master dealmaker at work, Luc thought.
Finally, he clicked the pen closed and slipped it back in his jacket pocket. He walked back into the living room and handed the contract to Philip. Philip silently studied the contract and after a few minutes, glanced around the room.
“This contract makes us fifty percent partners with Northern Energies Corporation after any profits owed to the native Indians living in the village have been paid out. I think this is a very fair agreement. I suggest we sign it and move forward.”
Luc had been worrying that somehow the villagers would be cut out of any profits, but it appeared this wasn’t going to happen. A feeling of relief flowed through his body.
Soon the group was engaged in a second round of contract signings. At the end, Philip took the completed contract into the other room and returned with a copy for each person.
Luc looked over the list of names on his copy. Philip Richardson, Christie Richardson, Luc Moon, Jim Lackland, Roland Valenkamp (on behalf of Northern Energies Corporation). Luc hadn’t felt this good in a long time. Things were turning around.
The kids came back into the room. “Can we go now? We’re getting bored,” Stuart said.
“Let’s do it,” Luc said. He picked up the children’s suitcases that had been sitting by the door and his small toolbox containing the sample. He wished everyone a good day and walked out the front door with Kelly and Stuart.
* * *
Victor Solanich sat in the back of the black limousine and watched the tall muscular man and two children exit the small lackluster house he had been waiting in front of for the last hour. He snapped pictures of them and watched them drive off.
Victor decided there was something peculiar about the man. He had a distinct military bearing about him. Stranger still, he thought he recognized him from somewhere. But how could that be possible?
Shortly after the car pulled away, Valenkamp exited, followed by three men and a woman. They gathered on the front lawn to shake hands. He took a few more photos.
Victor shifted his attention to the brunette standing next to the slender nervous-looking man. He was instantly attracted to her and felt his heart beat faster. From the look on Valenkamp’s face he had the feeling it wouldn’t be the last time he would see these people.
He looked her up and down more closely and decided if the opportunity arose, he would show her what a real man was like. His thoughts were disrupted as the chauffeur opened the limousine door and Valenkamp climbed in next to him.
Valenkamp sat silently staring at the back of the front seat until the chauffeur climbed in and closed the door. “Take us back to the airport,” he yelled.
Chapter 11
Victor felt himself pushed back into his seat as the limousine accelerated away from the house. The chauffeur wasted no time leaving the neighborhood, and soon they were on the freeway heading back to Washington International Airport and Valenkamp’s private Gulfstream.
Victor glanced at Valenkamp. He sat rigid, his jaw clenched, staring straight out the front windshield. Victor could sense an almost palpable anger emanating from the man. He had a suspicion that the meeting in the house had not gone as planned.
“Did everything go okay, Mr. Valenkamp?” he asked.
“Egghead professors thinking they have fifty percent coming to them, Native American Eskimos coming out my ass, and a fricking tree-hugging, habitat-protecting paleontologist—hell no, things didn’t go okay!”
Victor didn’t say a word in response, he knew better than to do that. He listened silently as Valenkamp continued to vent.
“Who the hell do they think they’re dealing with anyway? They’re the most imbecilic bunch of amateur...”
After his rant was over, there was no further talk as the chauffeur whisked them back to the airport. If they only knew who they were dealing with things would’ve gone differently, Victor thought.
Thirty minutes later, they arrived at the airport and the chauffeur pulled up the limousine to the private Northern Energies hangar.
“Meet me in the conference room,” Valenkamp said, as he got out.
Victor watched him storm across the tarmac, jog up the stairs, and disappear into the plane. He got out of the limousine slowly. His muscles ached as he had worked out exceptionally hard the night before. He went around to the rear of the limo. He knocked on the trunk and the chauffeur released the trunk latch. He watched it gently raise up.
Inside the trunk was a rifle and his semiautomatic Colt 45. He lifted them out and carried them into the plane. He stowed them in a locker just behind the cockpit then went back to the conference room located at the rear of the jet.
He ducked his head slightly and felt both of his heavily muscled shoulders brush against the sides of the doorway as he entered the small room. At six-foot, three inches and two hundred and fifty pounds, he always felt a bit cramped in the Gulfstream.
He knew Valenkamp enjoyed owning people. He also knew he was one of his most prized possessions, and that would continue to be fine as long as the money flowed.
He sat down at the conference table, opposite Valenkamp, and looked at him with his pale blue eyes and an expression he knew communicated no thoughts or intentions of his own.
“I assume you have some work for me,” he said, in a deep measured voice.
“That I do, Victor.” he said, with a self-satisfied look on his face. “The people I met with tonight, did you get a good look at them?”
“Yes. I saw them through the limo window several times. I took close-up pictures of them all.”
“Good, you may need to identify them quickly in the future.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem.”
“They’re going to be borrowing a helicopter from the corporation in a few days. I’ve given them carte blanche to fly anywhere they want over central Alaska.”
“Isn’t that a bit unusual?”
“It is. But then again, this deal has the potential to make the company more money than all the deals we’ve done since I became CEO. The acquisition of any large energy asset is like an unpredictable contest whose rules change every time you play the game. You could think about us as being in the pre-game right now.”
“I understand,” Victor said.
“They’re going to be
taking the helicopter in to search for an ore deposit that I believe will be extremely valuable to the company. I’m considering having the helicopter go down. If the corporation needed that to happen, could you arrange it?”
“Of course. But are you sure you want to take down the company’s own helicopter?”
He saw the expression on Roland’s face quickly sour and immediately regretted asking the question.
“Hell, yes, I want the company’s own helicopter to go down. There are big dollars at stake here, Victor. They refused to give me the location of the deposit, they refused to be sensible, they demanded an unreasonable percentage of the profits, and they royally pissed me off! The corporation cannot tolerate partners who behave that way.”
“Of course not, Mr. Valenkamp.”
He continued in a lighter tone. “Because you’re my most valued employee, I’m going to give you a little corporate training Victor. The helicopter and the pilot are like all other commodities to be used for the benefit of the company’s profits. Make sense?”
“Absolutely.”
“Anyway, I haven’t decided if I want the damn copter to go down or not. If our attorneys can tie up the deal and guarantee me that Philip and his little gang of imbeciles can be cut out, then there’s no need to bring down an expensive aircraft, is there.”
“No sir, it wouldn’t seem so.”
“However, if our attorneys determine they’re standing in the way of the company’s profits, the helicopter might be more useful as a coffin. When I make that decision, you’ll be the first to know,” he said, smiling.
“I’ll need about twenty-four hours’ notice and private access to the helicopter.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem. However, speaking of problems, there is one I need you to handle.”
“What’s that?” Victor asked.
“There are three people who know about the rock sample, that won’t be on the helicopter. One of them is Luc Moon. He was one of the people I met with this evening. He’s bound and determined to get the Native Americans living in his village involved in this deal and tie it up in knots for years. I know his type. If he’s not stopped, he’ll cause us no end of problems.”
