When Rome Stumbles

by David Kershner

  Michael Monahan concurred when he added, “What does that guy want? Any company manufacturing anything these days has to label the crap out of it. There’s no way anyone out there doesn’t know what they are eating anymore. This is Elias blowing smoke.”

  Edward nodded in agreement before asking Samantha her opinion. “Sam, you’re awful quiet down there. Care to weigh in on this little discussion?”

  Samantha knew she was the odd man out, just like her father, when the four heads of the GMO companies met so she opted for a neutral stance in her reply. “While it’s true that everything is extensively labeled, and our products have been approved for wide spread consumption by the general public, we should not forget that for the first twenty five years we got away with murder from a regulation standpoint. The ride had to end sooner or later, didn’t it?”

  Thurber picked up the thought and chuckled as he said, “We sure did, didn’t we boys!”

  A hearty laugh from the other guests ensued. Thurber broke through the cackling and commented, “Who could have imagined that seeds engineered to raise crop yields for livestock would be such a bellwether for us financially? Hell, we’re practically printing money at our facilities.”

  After the laughter subsided, Edward added, “Gentlemen, I don’t think that was quite what Samantha was referring to. Sam, please continue.”

  “What I mean is that I’d be real careful about downplaying the contents of that report. Even though there was little to no regulation or labeling for the first twenty five years, the last five to ten years, when all of the new laws and regs took effect, each of us have seen our stock prices fall along with our profits. That’s why Daddy started carrying and marketing heirloom seeds.”

  “Ahh, there it is,” Edward sardonically added. “There’s that calm and level headed Jameson demeanor. Anything else?”

  “Actually, yes,” Samantha began. “Think about it. We’ve been selling GMO seeds for over thirty years. Practically every seed sold in a big box, home improvement, or small town hardware store is a GMO seed. That’s just about long enough to have a baseline medical study for any number of conditions, ailments, diseases... you name it. I’d bet that that’s what he’s got.”

  Samantha knew her audience. Why not throw a little truth in there and rattle their cage.

  Michael began to thunder against the accusation of independent studies being performed on the GMO seeds. Edward stopped his trajectory and reminded everyone of the licensing agreements and the consequences that the FDA, EPA, and USDA faced if they violated the terms of the conditions.

  Thurber concluded the train of conversation with, “The Federal Government is in such a precarious position financially that they would never be foolish enough to risk the collapse of the industry. Hell, ‘we’re too big to fail!’ Senators, Congressmen, what are your thoughts on this?”

  It was Congresswoman Martzen that spoke first when she replied, “We know that Elias is fishing around and trying to get the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader to authorize a joint committee meeting between the House Committee on Agriculture and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. The last time the Secretary made this type of request, it was followed with regulatory announcements that didn’t bode well for some very large manufacturing companies. Samantha already mentioned the labeling. If he gets these two committees to work together on something of this magnitude, Lord help us.”

  Senator Bainbridge added, “It is my understanding that he’s working with Jack Swofford over at the EPA on this one. It’s gotta be something huge for him to be playing nice with Swofford.”

  “I agree,” Edward interjected. “Does anyone know if he’s contacted someone from the FDA?”

  “Not that I’m aware of,” Senator Hightower answered. “I’ve got a weekly squash game with one of the Directors and he says that, aside from it being a seething bed of bureaucratic inadequacy, they generally follow the lead of the Secretary. They are more into research then regulatory actions. They issue recalls when something goes wrong, that’s about it. I wouldn’t worry about that group of dysfunctional scientist hacks.”

  Without looking up, Edward addressed the assembled with a terse reply, “You know Mitch, when someone tells me that a government entity is useless, and that I shouldn’t worry about them, it usually costs me a lot of money. Don’t ever spout that nonsense to me again. Idiot.”

  Senator Hightower began to respond, “You listen here –“ when Judith put her hand on his arm to silence him.

  “Don’t. Don’t say it,” she scolded.

  “But I’m a Senator for crying out loud –“ he started to protest

  Congressman James Abernathy joined the discussion when he said, “You’ll have to forgive our young Senator, Edward. He’s very eager to do some good, but he has a lot left to learn. We’ll take care of any report that Secretary McInerney may have in his possession.”

  “Thank you, James,” Edward replied. “You know, I find it astounding that you four function as either Chairman of the Committee or Subcommittee in the Senate and the House and none of you knows a damn thing about why the Secretary of the USDA is leaning on the Speakers for a joint session. Or what he wants to talk about.”

  As an afterthought, he added, “It was a lot easier to run Washington before Sarkes bullied you guys into term limits. Where are we on getting that crap repealed?”

  Senator Bainbridge spoke for the group when he replied, “There’s a motion on the floor as we speak and we should get it through the houses when everyone reconvenes in a week or so.”

  “Excellent,” Edward gushed. “Now, how do we find out what Elias has?”

  The dinner party guests all began looking around the table, at Edward, at their neighbors and no one spoke for a long moment until Samantha spoke up.

  “I still have friends in the Air Force that might be interested in some late night clandestine work at the USDA.”

  Edward slammed his hand on the table, startling the guests, and making the silverware bounce as he pronounced, “You see! You see that! That’s what I’m talking about. Finally someone with a ‘can do’ attitude. Anyone have any issues with a little Watergate action?”

  When no one dissented Edward asked, “Any guesses what this little bit of snooping might cost us?”

  “I can answer that, Edward,” James Abernathy said. “When I was on the Armed Services Committee, we would authorize payment for ‘services rendered’ for professionals doing some clandestine work at the UN building. This was before they moved the UN Headquarters to The Hague, but after Sarkes gave up our permanent seat on the Security Council. I would expect some freelancers to run in the low six figures.”

  “The guys I have in mind will do it with no questions asked,” Samantha added to help seal the deal.

  “Done,” Edward proclaimed.

  * * *

  The conversation slowly returned to the trivial with Senator Hightower visibly fuming over being publicly reprimanded by Edward. As the dessert course was being cleared away, the large grandfather clock in the foyer struck eleven o’clock. On cue, the four valets that had met the politicians upon their arrival appeared and stood behind each representative.

  “Senators, Congressmen. Thank you for a delightful evening. We have some issues to discuss that, I’m afraid, will bore you to tears. You all must be extremely tired after your journey. Get some rest and we’ll discuss more in the morning. Your valets can show you to your room.”

  None of them protested as the servants led them through the foyer to the ornate staircase and up to their rooms. After a few moments of silence, Edward spoke. “If you three care to join me in my study, we can discuss what to do with our freshman Senator from Iowa.”

  The assembled group pushed back their chairs without uttering a word and followed Edward to his office.

  The room was warm and comfortable with soft leather seats and a sofa facing a large mahogany desk. The butler had already started a fire in the fire
place and poured each a glass of whiskey, neat. As they retrieved their spirits and began sitting throughout the room, Edward could see that Thurber James was ready to begin the discussion.

  “Okay, Thurber. What’s on your mind?” he asked.

  “With all due respect, Edward, you need to get agreement from us before you arbitrarily agree to a plan of action. Let alone a price.”

  “I thought I did. None of you spoke up,” Edward replied.

  “Do you honestly think any of us is going to pipe up in that setting, in that environment, and be dressed down like young Mitch out there?” NFCC Chairman Michael Monahan intoned.

  “Oh, he just got a little verbal slap on the wrist. Besides, he’s doing more than playing squash with the Director. It seems the two of them have been frequent visitors to a motor lodge outside Georgetown.”

  Thurber James nearly choked on his whiskey at that revelation. “Good God Almighty! They’re...” Thurber stammered unable to say the word. “How did you find that out, Edward?”

  “I have my sources, Thurber. I have information on all of the people I do business with. I’m a modern day J. Edgar... without the closet full of women’s clothes, of course,” he said as he laughed at his own joke.

  “In fact, I know that you have a mistress, Thurber. Is it any of my concern? Absolutely not, or at least until I have an issue with you and need to leverage that information. All of you know things about me too. It’s what keeps us working as a viable partnership. I have sources that provide me with useful information from time to time. What can I say? Actually, the only one I don’t have a hefty file on is you, Samantha.”

  “Me? I have nothing to hide. My father started Hyloset when I was a kid. He ran it while I was in ROTC and continued while I was thrill seeking in the Air Force. I rose through the ranks, got my MBA on the government’s dime, and retired after I finished my twenty. I took over the company after he died,” Samantha answered.

  “Please don’t misunderstand. These aren’t threats... until they have to be,” he warned. “Regardless, we’re not here to discuss what I know about you or even what information is in your possession. What I’d like to determine is our course of action regarding Senator Mitchell Hightower and his indiscretions,” Edward said.

  “He’s new and green and doesn’t know how to deal with you yet, Edward. Are we seriously going to talk about the removal of another member of Congress? All he did was speak out of turn,” Michael responded.

  “Oh, he’s been doing far more than that,” Edward answered.

  Thurber regained his composure and joined in the conversation by adding, “What other sin has he committed besides being gay, Edward?”

  “Oh, just a little pillow talk with his friend at the FDA. It seems that our young Senator Hightower has been passing information from our meetings to the Director. He thought it was all in private. Hush, hush off the record, as it were. Unfortunately, his little squash buddy took it on up the chain until it landed on the desk of the Secretary for U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.”

  “Excuse me, gentlemen,” Samantha interjected. “But what are we discussing?”

  The three looked at each other seemingly forgetting that Samantha had only been running Hyloset for the past six months. After a brief moment where the topic of conversation intersected with their collective situational awareness, Edward spoke in response, “Thurber, would you please?”

  “Samantha, a few years back there was a Congressmen from Florida. Davies, I think his name was. Anyway, he started blabbing about the very thing you brought up during dinner. Do you remember mentioning labeling?”

  “Yeah, so?”

  “So, he was the guy that cost manufacturing untold millions because he discussed confidential information he learned in meetings with us.”

  “Wait. I do recall him. He died in a car crash. No, no. His plane crashed, right?”

  “Correct. What Edward is referring to is that was no accident.”

  “And my father signed off on that? I don’t believe that. I can’t believe that. Not for one second! He was a lot of things, but he was no murderer!”

  “Believe it, Samantha. Once it was decided, he was the one who called in the favor to an Air Force buddy. Mike something or other. They manipulated some flight logs so the guy could be on a training run over the everglades performing live fire exercises.”

  Samantha swallowed hard and said, “Mike Lawson?”

  “That sounds about right,” Thurber answered.

  Samantha sat down in her chair next to the fireplace. “I think I’m gonna be sick,” she said as she hunched over and put her forehead on her legs.

  The three men took in Samantha’s demeanor and waited for her response. Sam’s mind was racing. She already knew most of this due to her father’s death bed confessions. She had to maintain the ruse. I need to get them to say it. I have to have them own up to their deeds. Please, God. Give me strength and help me make this work.

  Without sitting up to face the others, Samantha spoke into her knees and replied, “It makes sense, I guess. Dad did become somewhat distant around that time period, but why did he do it? He almost lost the company anyway. Shooting down the Congressman’s plane, in the end, didn’t do any good. Everyone still had to add the labels.”

  This time it was Edward’s turn to speak, “Well, it didn’t work out quite like we planned, we’ll admit that. That man’s loose lips and insinuations took an extremely large chunk out of everyone’s bottom line. He had to go... and so does Mr. Hightower. Unfortunately, as far as the late Congressman is concerned, we didn’t count on the liberals latching on to the cause and forcing the label issue. Your dad saw it as a means to an end. To him, it was the only way to salvage the company, the industry.

  “Hyloset and his family was all he had, really. You were off jumping out of planes so that just left your mom, but then she died. He was a proud man. He was trying to save something to pass on to you.”

  “My dad went along with this plan? He was complicit with murder because I was serving my country?”

  “Well, that’s putting a bit too fine a point on it, but it was a factor,” Michael replied. “Even with the labeling, your dad managed to reinvent and diversify the company’s holdings. He started a hydroponics division and he also began investing in the sale and marketing of heirloom seeds to the fringe element. What’s the new buzzword? Outliers? He practically created the organic food market. Who knew there were so many crazies out there waiting for the end of the world?”

  “Then why even invite him out here to learn more? If this guy walks out of here we all go down is that it?” Samantha asked.

  “Appearances, Samantha, it’s all about the appearance. If he was suddenly uninvited, then that would raise a pretty big warning flag,” Edward answered in response.

  She sat back up with a start and made a show of wiping her tears.

  “Well, by God, I’m not going to let some junior Senator from Iowa take apart what’s left of daddy’s company. What do you have in mind, Edward?”

  Encouraged and emboldened by Samantha’s seeming poise, Edward answered Samantha’s question, “Mike is still your pilot, isn’t he?”

  “He is,” she replied somewhat guardedly.

  “Why don’t you and your old family friend give an unconscious Senator a ride home to Iowa where I’ll have some capitalism loving patriots waiting to stage a little car accident? Maybe a Chappaquiddick re-enactment. Only this time, it’s the Senator who dies.”

  Perfect. They’ve admitted to it all and then some.

  “Fine. How shall we incapacitate him?” she asked.

  “Oh, my butler has already taken care of that. Why don’t you pack and I’ll have the car brought around to take you back to the airstrip.”

  Thinking quickly, Sam decided to try and see where some of this might go. “I see. So I do this and you’ll have dirt on me. Just like my dad. I don’t do this and you release information implicating my father in the death of Dav
ies, anonymously of course, and tarnish his name and company. Is that it? Or am I to visit the late Congressman in the glades?”

  “Oh, Samantha. It won’t come to that. You know what’s at stake and what needs to be done. Think of this as more of an initiation.”

  “And what do I get in return?”

  Smiling, Edward replied, “What would you like?”

  Continuing to play her rouse, Samantha responded, “I think it’s time for a little quid pro quo, Edward. Thurber having a mistress won’t cut it. If I’m ‘joining the club,’ each of you needs to fess up something and it better be good too. We wouldn’t want to spoil this ‘viable partnership’ by withholding information.”

  Thank you, God.

  Chapter 6

  Samantha climbed aboard the corporate Learjet and handed her pilot, Mike Lawson, the flight plan. He would need to register it with any tower or radar facility if they happened to be squawked by one while in flight. The chances of that were slim. Most of the air traffic controllers were not needed in the fly over states. Only the main commercial and international hubs handled flights these days and they were all located on the coasts. The only thing a flight crew needed nowadays was a transponder signal for route identification and course correction purposes and a proximity and avoidance system.

  Mike reviewed the flight plan and remarked, “What’s in Iowa City?”

  Before Sam could answer, two of Edward’s protection detail boarded the jet carrying an unconscious Senator Hightower. They quickly deposited him in a seat in the rear of the plane, buckled him, and disembarked just as efficiently.