Unmitigated Greed

Chapter 8

Frank spent the next ten days negotiating for the purchase of Border-to-Border Charter Bus Company. He spent the evenings with Marisol. What stood out to him as he crisscrossed the border every day was how much both cities had changed. Laredo was no longer a frontier border town with dirt streets and run-down neighborhoods. Large warehouses dotted the landscape, and the people appeared more prosperous than when he lived there.

Nuevo Laredo had taken a different path. Although the organization Frank represented was the big dog on the world stage, neighborhood gangs ran the show in this town. Each band of thugs was at war with their neighbor and the civilians did what they could to stay out of the way. Frank was aware of the situation and attempted to stay away from the gang’s turf. Unfortunately, some situations are unavoidable.

It happened late one afternoon. Alejandro and Frank were returning from inspecting the organization’s latest acquisition, Border to Border Tours. A road closure forced them onto a side road that ran through a gang-controlled barrio. They wound their way through narrow neighborhood streets until an old woman crossing the road forced them to stop. As soon as the car came to a halt, a young boy with a window squeegee attempted to clean the windshield. Frank was used to this maneuver and flicked on his wipers to signal he wasn’t interested.

Five men emerged from an alley and surrounded the car. One man brandished a handgun and demanded they exit the car. Frank stepped out of the car and waited. The obvious leader stepped up to Frank and said in broken English, “You don’t want to pay the boy, now you pay me all that you have carbon.”

In perfect Spanish, Frank replied, “That will not be happening, Punta,” and with lightning speed snatched the gun from the would-be attacker. He struck the gang banger along the side of his head with the weapon. The blow sent him to the ground. He then turned to the other men and said, “See the man in the car? He is Alejandro Reyes. I’m sure you’ve heard of him.” The men all nodded an acknowledgment.

“From now on, you work for him. Questions?” Then he walked over to the boy, who was standing nervously nearby. Frank reached into his pocket, pulled out a ten-dollar bill, and handed it to him.

Scanning the crowd that gathered, Frank announced, “That money belongs to the kid. Anyone tries to take it from him and I’ll find out. You five will hear from us soon.” With that, he got back in the car and drove away.

“I see you haven’t lost your skills,” said Ali, smiling.

“I try to keep fit, but the more involved I get in organization business, the more difficult it becomes. Are you going to use any of them?”

“Sure, I can always use more dumb muscle. I’ll send some people to train them in the way we do things in a day or two. I’m glad you were here to handle that. Otherwise, I would have had to kill some of them.” Ali pulled out a pistol from between the seats. “I’m getting too old for that hand-to-hand stuff.” Both men just laughed.

They returned to Ali’s estate without further incident. Marisol greeted them at the door. “You’re late! Supper is ready to be served. Did you have any problems?”

“Nothing our guest couldn’t handle, my dear. Let’s eat!”

Frank would see Ronnie and his mother talking from time to time. The kid acted as the house handyman, gofer, and chauffeur. Marisol did her best to keep him far away from Ali’s illegal businesses, but sometimes the lines blurred. Frank suggested Marisol send him to a college somewhere far away from Laredo, but when she brought up the topic with Ronnie, he immediately shut it down. With his father dead, he felt it was up to him to look after his mother. He was truly a dedicated son.

If attending an out-of-town college was out of the question, Frank suggested he learn the bus business. It was a way for Ronnie to gain a skill and not become involved with the shady side of Ali’s businesses. Frank would just have to make sure the kid never took part in the product transport part of the bus company.

Marisol realized that the longer Frank stayed with her, the more it felt as though they were a permanent couple. She wasn’t sure she should let her guard down completely, but she could feel the walls crumbling. What made things more complicated was Ronnie liked him.

Chapter 9

“What do you have to report?” inquired Asia. Her tone, like always, was somewhere between condescending and accusatory.

“Bloody hell, Asia! Give the man a chance to get seated and open his computer,” Australia exclaimed. He cast an annoyed look at his Asian counterpart.

“It’s all right, Australia. I apologize for not being ready to go, but I have just received an update from our North American candidate. Let me start by calling this meeting of the Council of Continents to order.”

Valentine Fuchs waited until he had everyone’s full attention before continuing. Asia was the last to comply.

“Our North American candidate has informed me that his plan to create and maintain a stable transportation network is on schedule. Our organization has purchased the first and most important link in our product transfer chain. He will travel to several other locations within the next couple of weeks to secure additional distribution sites. Once he completes setting up the Laredo facility, Mr. Reyes will handle the day-to-day operations there.”

South America appeared concerned. “So, you’re saying that all my production will need to be shipped through Laredo? I don’t see that as being very efficient.”

“I understand your concern and let me clarify how this will work,” replied Fuchs. “Laredo is only the first of several transport hubs to be established along the U.S. Mexico border. If this works as well as I think it will, New Mexico, Arizona, and California will all have at least one and probably multiple transfer stations. We will eventually spider web the States with locations if Frank Mason is correct.”

“And if he’s wrong, we end up with a bunch of useless bus companies,” grumbled Asia. “This could end up like the drug company fiasco. Am I the only one who understands that the old ways are the best ways?”

“May I remind our Asian colleague that, although our last large venture didn’t go as planned, it continues to be highly profitable,” said Fuchs in an annoyed tone. “The dividends from the stocks we kept have not only covered all the expenses from the last enterprise but continues to generate a healthy profit. It’s all in the quarterly report I issued to each of you. I assume you read it, Asia?”

“Yes, Director, I’ve read it! It makes me wonder how much more we would have made if all the blunders hadn’t occurred.”

Valentine could feel his ire beguine to rise, but quickly brought it under control. Asia wanted his position, and he’d be damn if she would make him lose his cool.

“There were many things that should have happened differently, including the killing of two Belgian police officers carried out by your people, Asia, but that is the past. This operation is now, and I, along with most of us at this table, feel it has a great deal of promise. Unless you have an alternative plan, I make a motion that we allow Mr. Mason to continue with his idea. All in favor?”

The Council of Continents gave their approval, with Asia being the last to agree. She remained ensconced in the idea that change is never a good thing, but she was smart enough to know resistance wouldn’t help her cause. Instead, she would patiently wait for the plan to fall apart and then make her move to take over the chairman’s job.

Later that evening, Chairman Fuchs was sharing drinks with Europe and Australia when their conversation turned to Asia’s negative attitude.

“Ya knows, mate, I think she’s after your job. She questions every decision you make,” said the Ozzie. “In her country, everyone calls her the dragon lady, and I can see why. There are rumors she had a whole family eliminated because they refused to work for her.”

Europe joined the conversation. “I’ve heard that same rumor, along with several other unsavory tidbits. I think Li Wei would be a much better fit than her. Perhaps we need to have a vote of confidence at the next council meeting.”

“Gentlemen, please, one thing at a time. We still have North America to replace and this new distribution method to bring online,” answered Fuchs. “I’m not saying I disagree with your assessment, but we need to stay focused on current tasks or we could all face revolts from those working for us.”

The other men nodded in agreement and they all headed for the dining room.

Chapter 10

Border to Border was just the first of many bus companies Frank needed to operate his network, but it was the most important one. Fortunately, the organization had skilled technicians who were more than capable of creating multiple hiding places in the luggage compartments, as well as throughout the passenger area. They were paid well and asked no questions. Each of the special cargo cubicles was lined with a scented lining which made it difficult if not impossible for drug dogs to sniff out the contents.

The buses were ready ahead of schedule, so Frank knew his time with Marisol and Ronnie was over, at least for now. Frank kept his word to Ronnie by hiring him as an apprentice dispatcher. If the kid paid attention and learned the business, he could find work with any transportation company in the U.S.

Frank was leaving for Fort Worth the next day, and he still hadn’t discussed his departure with Marisol. Naturally, she knew he was leaving because she was involved in the business. Frank had abandoned her without a word when they were teenagers, and she felt he was about to do it again. Frank was lying in her bed, staring at the ceiling, when she started the conversation.

“When are you leaving, Frank?”

“I’m not leaving. I’m going to acquire more companies, but I’ll be back.”

“If that’s the truth, then why haven’t we talked about our future together?”

“We can’t talk about a future until I know what’s going to happen in the present. This project will take me all over the country. The only thing for certain is I will return when the job is done so we can spend the rest of our lives together. If you’re still interested, that is?”

“You could hand off the project to someone else. Tell Fuchs after doing more research, the plan is faulty and you can’t make it work. Then you can stay here with me and help Alejandro run his businesses.”

“Sure, I can do that, and you can place flowers on my grave once a week, provided you can find it. Valentine is not a man to be trifled with. Besides, if this goes well, I’ll be offered a seat at the Council of Continents. North America will be mine, I mean ours, to control. All you need is patience, and everything will come our way. You can see that, can’t you?”

She stared into his eyes for what seemed like an eternity before replying. “What I see is a man who is letting his greed and lust for power cloud his decision-making. I love you and always have, but I won’t take a back seat to lust for power. I’ll wait for you, but not forever. At some point, you are going to have to decide between me and the organization. I can only hope it’s me.”

Frank stood, pulled on his clothes, and then said as he headed for his room, “You’ll just have to trust me. Good night, Marisol.” Early the next morning, he was off to Fort Worth and his next acquisition. Marisol wasn’t there to say goodbye.