“Man,” Samuel exclaimed. “Where is Lebanon, and how long ago was it? You guys must be ancient.”
“Lebanon’s in the Middle East, and shares borders with Israel and Syria,” Connor laughed, “and we are ancient. We will have to take up your education on geography, and world affairs a little later. You guys will need it. The distance I carried him has gotten longer every time Nate told the story, I would wager. Now, did you guys get a chance to check out any potential places before Beavis and Butthead rounded you all up?”
“I found a warehouse which deals with comics, cards, and collectibles,” Jeremiah spoke up. “They will need a resale number, and an application filled out. We will have to pay in advance with our orders until they get to know us. I have their card and an application.”
“Outstanding,” Connor nodded. “Anything else?”
“There are a lot of limousine services around Mr. Connor,” Joseph informed him. “Are you sure you want to get something going here?”
“Absolutely,” Connor answered. “The reason I want to take on selling comics, antiques, and do vehicle repairs along with the limousine service, will become apparent when you watch one or another of the businesses we do slow down at odd times. If you only know one thing and it goes through a down time, things get pretty tight real quick.”
“That’s why you want us to learn and work all of them,” Henry added.
“Exactly my friend,” Connor agreed. “I will teach you about saving your money legitimately. You will each have a 401K retirement fund, and maintain your own cash savings. Each of you will have an expense account, and know how to answer for it.”
“What’s in this for you Sir?” Luke asked.
“You will soon learn,” Connor answered, “we define ourselves by what we accomplish and work at in our lives. I have an opportunity to accomplish ten times what I ever dreamed of, and I plan to take advantage of it. How about the potential businesses?”
“Jeff and Sammy found a great place Mr. Connor,” Luke put in excitedly. “Jeff found a classified ad on the computer at the library.”
“This place really fits what you said Mr. Connor,” Jeffrey confirmed. “They have a huge place, all new. A group of investors came up with an idea of storing and servicing their own limousine service. They have their own office area right in between the service bays, and their storage bays. The office would work for all of the other things you want.”
“Sounds too good to be true,” Connor replied. “You say they want to sell it?”
“Yes Sir,” Samuel answered. “We talked to a couple of their guys, who thought we were joking around with them. They never took us seriously, so they explained a couple of things, when Jeff and I were wondering about why they wanted to sell. As we told you, the competition for the tourist and airport traffic is brutal. They underestimated the competition, and could not keep good drivers long enough to develop a clientele. The maintenance techs are almost all gone, because they could not keep up with the expense without the customers. The one guy said it was just a vicious circle. You have breakdowns, and missed appointments, because you have to cut back on the maintenance. Then you have to cut further back on the maintenance, because you had to lay off the guys servicing them.”
“You guys received a first class education in what kills a business,” Connor said approvingly. “Did you get a close look at their fleet?”
“They don’t have anything older than three years old Mr. Connor,” Jeffrey continued. “They have five stretch limos, and seven of the sedan type. They have ten service bays, with entry from their parking lot, and five storage bays on the other side in a swank type showroom setting. It’s right over on Massachusetts Avenue near Wisconsin.”
“So they have a residential area near the place too,” Connor mused.
“I don’t know about you Thomas,” Nate broke in, “but I would love to see this place.”
“You sound like you may be getting up for this Nate, old boy,” Connor replied smiling.
“I have to admit, I was skeptical about all this to say the least. How in the hell could you get six young car-jackers going like you did, when forty years of welfare agents would have killed just to get them to speak in whole sentences.”
“You answered your own question Nate. This is not welfare. I am giving them nothing. They will work like dogs to make this successful, because they have a stake in it.”
“In an ideal world,” Nate countered.
“No Nate,” Connor stated. “In a world where you work, and live with honor, or you get your ass kicked out into the street, with nothing but the clothes on your back.”
“Good point,” Nate admitted. He looked around at the young men around him. “You guys sure hit the jackpot here. I hope you all can take advantage of it.”
“Before we go check out our potential operation, we will need to stake our young employees to a wardrobe suitable for our business. The limo service, I am sure, has a uniform service taking care of the driver outfits, and the mechanics work clothes, so we can concentrate on personal wardrobes for now.”
“How do you want us dressed Mr. Connor?” Jeffrey asked.
“I want you all in white shirts, dark pants, dark ties, and shined shoes if you have office duty. Drivers will wear their uniforms and caps. Clean uniforms or coveralls will be for your stint in the service bays. Drivers and service people will wear their uniforms into work. We just need you to get a wardrobe for the office duty. Do you guys think you can pick out your own stuff if I set it up with the clothing store? Samuel can guide Nate and I over to the business. He can get fitted later.”
“We can get that taken care of Mr. Connor,” Henry replied, after looking at his friends.
Connor nodded. He paid the restaurant bill, while Nate and the young men waited outside. Connor led them inside the mall and over to the clothing store. The smile of recognition on the salesman’s face disappeared as he saw the young men follow Connor into the store. Connor walked up to him quickly.
“I want you to fit all of these young men for five outfits each. They know what I wish them to have, so help them out.” Connor took a five hundred dollar bill out, and gave it to the man. “This is for you to get what I want done.”
Connor took out three thousand dollars more and gave it to the stunned sales clerk. “I will be back with the last young man in one or two hours. Will this be sufficient to get you started?”
“Yes Sir.”
“Good,” Connor turned around and faced his employees. “Show this man a sample of how we will be conducting ourselves in the future.”
There were a chorus of ‘Yes Sirs’. Connor nodded, and turned to Nate. “Are you ready ‘Don’?”
“Yes indeed,” Nate smiled.
“Follow us out to the car Samuel. You can drive us over instead of me taking directions.”
“Yes Sir.” Samuel followed Connor and Johnson out to Karen’s car. Nate got in next to Samuel to get more legroom, while Connor got into the back. Connor noticed how careful the young man drove. Twenty minutes later Samuel pulled into the parking lot in front of a large, horizontally situated building. Connor could see through the open bay doors the place was immaculate. No one worked on the vehicles in the service bays. There were two men standing around in the bays they used to store the limos between rides.
Connor let Samuel lead the way into the spacious office. One secretary sat at a desk in the front. There were three doors in the back of the main office, which Connor assumed led to individual offices. When the secretary noticed Samuel, she got up and walked over to the counter with a puzzled look on her face.
“Can I help you?”
“Can we see Mr. Leary please?” Samuel asked. “My employers wish to discuss the sale of this place.”
The secretary hesitated for a moment and then went into the office on the far right. She came back in a short time and opened the side counter door. “Please follow me.”
She led them into a large, well-decorated office. A
middle aged white man sat behind a handsome oak desk. He stuck out his hand to Samuel. “I did not expect to see you back here after the talk we had yesterday.” He looked up at Connor and Nate. “This young man and his friend were very persistent to find out about our business. I thought it was a put-on. I’m John Leary, how can I help you?”
Connor and Nate shook hands with him and they all sat down.
“My name is Thomas Connor. This is my business associate Nathaniel Johnson. My representatives told me your place would be perfect for what we have in mind. Have you an asking price in mind?”
“The business group I represent is asking fifteen million.”
Connor nodded. “Three things Mr. Leary: first off, does your group own the building and inventory? Secondly, what happened besides competition to cause you to sell? Lastly, if we decide on a deal, I want to talk to your bank, your accountant, your books, and look over your tax forms.”
“We own the building and inventory. The outstanding money on the loans is 6.5 million. I will take you over to our bank myself, and have our accountant meet us there. You can go over anything you wish. As to why we seem to be failing, competition has a lot to do with it.”
“But not everything to do with it?” Nate commented.
Leary paused, and began to reply when the secretary opened the door hurriedly. She was pushed aside by three huge white men in business suits. They all had short-cropped blonde or sandy colored hair. All appeared to Connor to be in their late twenties or early thirties.
“You are late in paying Leary,” The man who had been first through the door said in a heavily accented voice.
Nate began laughing. Connor tried to quiet him, but only succeeded in making him laugh harder. Connor looked up at the one who had spoken, and shrugged. Connor watched the man flush in anger and walk over to Nate. Thomas moved Samuel back behind him as he watched the three closely.
“You think this funny?” The man reached down, and pulled Nate up by his suit coat. On the way up Nate stopped laughing, kneed the man viciously in the groin, and then in the face as he jerked forward in pain. He fell to the floor screaming. Nate continued straight through to the man on his left, and drove his hand, held with fingers straight and forked between thumb and fingers, into the man’s Adam’s apple. The man collapsed, frantically grabbing his damaged throat, and trying to breathe. The man on Nate’s right had reached into his coat for a gun, but as Nate drove his elbow in a backwards blow to the man’s temple, Connor already held the man’s gun in his hand. The last man dropped as if hit by a baseball bat, and lay still on the floor.
Leary started to speak, but Connor held up his hand. Connor went over to the secretary, who had begun screaming, and touched her arm gently. She immediately quieted. Connor led her out of the room; and told her to go on home, that everything would be all right. She left immediately. Connor came back into the room, and smiled at Nate. He put an arm around Samuel.
“You okay Sammy?” Connor asked.
“With you two around, how could I be anything else?”
“You still have not lost your touch big guy,” Connor told Nate. “You relax. I will say goodbye to our friends here, while Mr. Leary tries to explain his situation.”
Nate laughed again, and nodded agreement. He turned back to the desk, and asked Leary to continue. Connor picked up the man Nate had taken out first. He was holding his broken nose, and his groin area at the same time. Connor carried him out of the office like a child, and over to the late model Ford Taurus Connor had not seen before.
“This your vehicle Ivan?”
The man nodded. Connor stood the man up, and opened the door for him. After guiding him into the driver’s seat, Connor gave him a handkerchief, and told him to wait. Connor returned to the room twice, retrieving each of the man’s remaining companions. After making sure they were settled in their seats, Connor went back over to the driver’s side window.
“We will be buying this business, and taking it over right away. There will be no more payments. I know how you boys operate. You will not do the smart thing, and let this go. I will only tell you this one time. I will be waiting for you. When I am done with you and your bosses, you will be dead, along with everything you love right down to your dog. Choose wisely, and do not return.”
The man stared out of pain filled eyes into Connor’s face, and nodded again. “I.I will tell them.”
Connor backed away, making a motion for the man to take off. The man started the car, and drove away, still holding Connor’s handkerchief to his face. Connor looked around the garage area, and saw that the remaining employees had fled. He returned to Leary’s office. Connor saw Sammy sitting wide-eyed as he listened to the men talking about the business.
Nate looked up from his negotiations when Connor entered the room. “Thomas, it seems we have inadvertently found out the reason for Mr. Leary’s group wanting to leave. Mr. Leary informs me they would be willing to lower the asking price if they could get out of here right away.”
“How much lower Mr. Leary?” Connor asked, while he took a seat again next to Nate.
“Would twelve million be acceptable?”
“Very much so Mr. Leary,” Connor answered, “but why in the world did you start paying off the Russian Mafia, and how did they come onto you anyway? Does this protection racket extend very far?”
“We had a terrific start for the first quarter. They showed up a few weeks later, and promised us protection for a fee of a thousand dollars a month. We refused. One of our vehicles blew up that night on a job. Luckily no one was hurt. We went to the police, and so they set up a sting operation. The Russians never showed up again until the police left. We began to pay. The fee increased a hundred dollars a month since then.”
“Nate and I have had a little experience with the Russian Mafia. They only understand one language. Luckily, Nate and I speak it fluently. We need to keep our employees safe until I can take care of the problem. In any case Mr. Leary, you have a deal. Why not close up for the day, and get in touch with your investors. We can meet tomorrow about the same time and take care of the details.”
“I think under the circumstances,” Leary replied, “adjourning for the day would be very wise.”
“If your records all look in order, we can proceed to my bank and withdraw your money. Can your lien holder meet us with the papers for their end of the deal? I do not want to have to go through this day after day.”
“I will have everything in order for you Mr. Connor,” Leary answered. “I will call in the title company we used to obtain the original deal. Will you be having your lawyer present?”
“He already is,” Connor replied chuckling. “My friend Nate here has a law license, and belongs to the BAR in Washington, DC. I handle the questions, and the big print. He handles the fine print.”
“Well, I am certainly happy you gentlemen came by today. I will walk with a much lighter stride after this, thank you.” Leary shook hands with all three of them.
“Make sure you get everything going before you start your celebration Mr. Leary,” Nate said smiling. “I read fine print very well.”
“I understand Sir,” Leary replied. “Good day to you.”
A half an hour later, Sammy pulled back into the Mall parking lot. The fittings on Sammy’s five companions were almost done. They all looked up expectantly when the three walked into the store.
“Well boys, you will be happy to know we have acquired an establishment to pursue our fortune in.” Nate informed them.
Sammy began to tell them about the Russians, but Connor motioned for him to stop. “If you guys are about done, we can get Sammy here started.”
“We’re all done Mr. Connor. The man says we can pick up all of it tomorrow.” Henry informed him.
Connor nodded and drew the salesman aside. “Do you have enough to finish my last man here?”
“Yes Sir,” the salesman replied. “You can give me a call tomorrow if you have to leave now. If there is anything out
standing, I can let you know at that time.”
“Good, I will leave this in your capable hands then.” Connor turned back to his young charges. Connor gave each of them two hundred dollars. “Do not get used to this. I just wanted you to know I appreciate your efforts. Once we get this business off of the ground, you all will be making me plenty. Stay out of trouble, and out of sight until the day after tomorrow. I will meet you at the mall entrance at 8 AM. Be dressed for business, just in case Nate and I can finish up things tomorrow. Otherwise we will at least get out, and sign up for those mobile phones with the direct links. As I told you, I want to be able to contact any of you at any time.”
“We will be out front to meet you Mr. Connor,” Jeffrey said, and the rest agreed quickly.
Chapter 12 The Russians and Nate’s Lincoln
Later, in the car, Nate went over their choices as to how to handle the Russians. Connor listened until he finished. “Those ideas would be fine for just us Nate, but with the boys out there driving, and the place unguarded at times, things could get dangerous. I do not want even one of those boys touched. It will ruin my experiment. My plan to make them all successful men in the next few years could fail if I let them get hurt or killed. I plan on staying in the place, but I can not be there every second.”
“You’re thinking pre-emptive strike,” Nate said.
“Yep. What do you think?”
“We know those assholes well enough to know they will not give up. If we want to be safe, it may be the only way. Finding the ringleader gets tricky with the Russian Mob. They stay pretty quiet about who calls the shots.”
“I will find out who and where. I am sure Mr. Leary has a number to reach some rung on the ladder. He can give me that after we get the place bought. Better yet, I will find out when I get back to the Center, through the police and FBI files. Do you like this operation so far?”
American Mutant Page 10
