(To improve the breadth of what the reader, you guys, I am introducing side stories that will probably occur once every 10 chapters. It will tie into whatever is happening at that time and be happening in parallel with the plot. One of the restrictions of first person writing is that it restricts the scope of what the reader can see. I want to expand that. I hope you guys enjoy and appreciate the wider view I want to present.)
-Paul DeMinio-
Every night, without fail, I find myself mesmerized by those legs. The way they curve, stretching right to that full and gorgeous body.
*Huuuuh*
I took a deep breath through my nose, pulling in the deep aroma. Its complexities reached deeper than anything in this world as they harmonized into an elegant classical suite.
This was my nightly ritual. No matter what I had been doing, what I was planning to do tomorrow, this glass of wine marked the end of my day. It was a time when I'd clear my head and review my agenda for the next day.
Tomorrow, however, would be an entirely new experience for me. I reckon that it'd also be quite fun. Over the years, aside from the Jewish high holidays that my sister's family would host, I didn't get to see my nephew that much.
That was another reason I was genuinely excited for tomorrow. I'd get to do more with him and my brother in law as well.
I could only smile as I recalled the look on his face when he opened that envelope. It took a decent amount of convincing and exposure of certain unpleasant details to my wife for her to agree to making such a bullish investment.
I felt that her father, Warren, would have approved of this move. Warren and I really hit it off when I was first dating his princess. He would go on for hours telling me the stories behind his fabled investments.
The one that stuck out to me most was his discovery of Berkshire Hathaway. I still couldn't believe that initially, it was a mere textile company. When he first started, the shares were selling at under $8 per share. The current stock price does more than tell how much his subsequent investments paid off.
I drew comparisons between my nephew's guild and the early days of Berkshire. Both were small players, had little backing, and were discovered by someone with a decent fortune.
The weirdest thing about this, however, is that the main reason I trust this guild to strike gold is not the two kids in charge. Rather, it is my brother in law. Despite my gripes with this choice of profession, I refused to deny his knowledge and experience.
From my time as a civil servant, I learned that experience outranks everything. Throughout my career and especially as the chairman of the intelligence committee, I surrounded myself with talented and skilled people. I ignored partisan barriers and the various backgrounds people came from. Instead, I focused on what someone could bring to the table. What they could contribute to this family I was building.
I had even had some individuals in my faction that were convicted criminals. I ignored their past acts and merely kept a close eye on them while making use of their talents. A substantial portion of my success could be attributed to those individuals.
*Haaaaa*
Releasing a deep breath, I let go of the past. It is healthy to reminisce and evaluate the past on occasion. However, it is important to not let it cloud my mind.
*Heh*
I let out a chuckle as I recalled a quote that has stuck with me since I was a child. Pulling the glass of wine to my lips, I recited the quote in my head. "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it's called the present."
*Ahhhhh*
A satisfied exhale escaped my mouth as I gently swished the wine in my mouth and then swallowed it. My butler James really selected the best bottles for me to open every three days.
*Knock* *Knock*
I placed the glass down and took a deep breath. "Who is it?"
A familiar voice responded from behind the door to my study. "Your daily report is ready, sir."
I sighed, tapping my right middle finger on the arm of my chair. "Very well. Come in."
*Click*
The door slowly opened, revealing a man with both hands behind his back. He was quite skinny, as I've pointed out many times, resulting in his suit being slightly baggy. His hair was of medium length, the blond locks flowing to either side.
His green eyes were also quite piercing but came with an air of comfort and tranquility. His impressive and powerful appearance contrasted with his feeble constitution.
I smiled. "Karl, what do you have for me?"
Karl stepped forwards and stopped about 4 feet away from me. "Not too much has happened but the few things that did happen are quite interesting."
I picked up my wine glass and nodded. "Tell me about it." I proceeded to take another sip.
Karl revealed a tablet from behind his back and started tapping on it. "The Russians and Chinese are continuing to make large investments into GE. With these investments, we were finally able to confirm that the guilds owned by the Triad and Bratva are not related to the guilds backed by these governments."
I sighed, swallowing another sip of wine. "More variables, more trouble."
Karl nodded. "Indeed, sir. It is quite troubling. For the slightly less unpleasant news, the U.S. has expanded its support to yet another guild. This brings their total to 13 of them. This does not include your private investment."
Shaking my head, I resumed tapping on the chair's arm. "I still can't tell what their aim is. Do we know who is behind it?"
Karl shook his head. "We have some leads but nothing is set in stone. We do have a leading suspect, however."
I raised my brow. "And who might that be?"
Karl tapped a few times on his tablet and then flipped it around so I could see the screen. "General Jacobs seems to be quite involved in the endeavor. As of three days ago, we have been keeping tabs on the various officials that are in his corner."
I nodded. "Very good. Hopefully that can paint us a better picture. What else do you have?"
Karl froze for a moment before taking a deep breath. "Sir, if I may…"
I gestured for him to continue. "Go on."
Karl nodded and pulled the tablet close to his chest. I found that he'd often do this whenever he was even the slightest bit uncomfortable. "Are you sure that this investment was a good idea? No matter how I look at it, it appears to be quite risky."
I sighed and shook my head. "Karl, of course it is risky. Regardless, even if it is a total loss, it won't hurt that much. On top of that, I trust my family."
Karl nodded, releasing the tablet from his chest slightly. "I understand, sir. There is one last piece of news that I thought you'd be quite interested in. It isn't within our usual scope but… it is troubling."
I took a sip of wine and set the glass down. Karl was never one to exaggerate. In fact, he often had the bad habit of underplaying things. "This will probably be good."
Karl nodded. "There has been another… accident."
He paused for a few seconds so I interjected. "Why do you say it like that?"
Karl sighed as he appeared to be gathering his thoughts. "Another shuttle has disappeared."
I tilted my head in confusion. "Another shu…"
My voice trailed off as my eyes widened in shock. Not much could move me. This, however, was something that hit close to home. The guilt came back to me as I recalled the lies I was forced to tell my brother in law and nephew. I didn't even know what happened. No one did. All we knew was that the shuttle vanished into the void.
Unfortunately, I had to maintain the story that was decided on. It ripped my heart to shreds that I couldn't even tell my family what really happened. But now it happened again.
My mind went cold and I saw Karl shiver a bit. "Details. Now."
Karl hurriedly nodded. "S-Sir, umm, it was Russian this time. It happened this morning and the Kremlin is still scrambling to figure out what happened."
My expression didn't change and neither did my lack of emotion. It was like they were killed off. "Anything else?"
Karl shook his head adamantly. "No, s-sir. Our resources are quite restricted in the Kremlin. Putin's successor is no better in terms of transparency."
I sighed, releasing the lock on my heart. Karl visibly relaxed as he watched my tension wash away with another sip of wine. "I see. This confirms my suspicions."
Karl tilted his head slightly, clearly confused. "Suspicions?"
I nodded, gently placing my glass of wine down. "Yes. It would seem that we need to expedite our plans for GE."
Karl's eyes widened slightly. "Sir, you do realize that this would increase the risk of exposure."
I nodded, wearing a wry smile. "It can't be helped. This new world… if we want to have a piece of it, we can't hold back. Contact my accountant."
Karl nodded. "I don't quite understand but I will trust your judgement, sir."
I smiled, taking another sip of my wine. "Don't worry, Karl. One day soon, you will."
-The Next Morning-
*AAHHHHhhhh*
A vigorous yawn escaped my mouth as I tightly gripped the travel mug in my right hand. "Karl, how are we doing?"
Glancing to my right, I noticed that he was mid sip of his own coffee. We were both quite tired along with everyone else in this warehouse.
Karl pulled the mug away from his lips and released an exhale. "The technicians just completed the installation. I was hoping to finish my coffee before proceeding…"
I smiled and chuckled. "Karl."
Karl sighed and held his mug out. I did the same and my assistant retrieved both mugs. "I know, I know. Let's get it over with."
I smiled and stepped forwards, admiring the array of tanks in front of us. In this warehouse, I had 30 expedition packages installed. Along with Karl and myself, 28 of my most trusted and capable operatives would be entering the game. I felt that this would be a decent start.
All I needed to do was show any semblance of a return on investment for my wife to approve additional funding. For now, thirty men and women would be enough.
I glanced to my left and right, taking note of those that would be joining us in the game. These people were my foundation. They would be the ones that would help me support my precious nephew.
Aside from the unimaginable profits that were waiting to be grabbed, I had one other goal. That goal was to protect Kyle from these nefarious powers. I had to keep him safe.