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After a while Tim stuck his head in the door and said, “Sir, Mr. Bannic is in the conference room.”
“Thank you Tim. I’ll be right there. Why don’t you join us? There might be things I need you to handle.” Rick shut down the computer and looked for something to wipe down the desk. He felt guilty for leaving his fingerprints but for now he would leave it alone. From now on he would have to bring something to clean off the prints. Tim said he had people to do that for him, but it would make him feel better if he left it in a pristine condition.
Rick went to the conference room and opened the door.
“Rick!” It seemed like Bannic was glad to see Rick. He jumped out of the chair and rushed over to shake Rick’s hand. “How have you been? I haven’t seen you since the trial.”
“I’m doing good, but a lot has happened,” said Rick. He remembered Tim accusing him of being an Atob. “How are you doing?”
“I’ve been board stiff. While they gave me a new life they have really haven’t given me anything to do. So, I just watch the news feeds and follow your career. Congratulations on becoming Director, by the way.”
“Thank you for that. It’s been a little tough but I’m adjusting. Have they told you why I need to see you?” said Rick.
“No. They just told me that you need to see me and that was enough for me.”
“I need your help. I figured that you were good at tracking money. I need you to track a money trail so we can locate someone.”
“Who are you looking for?” said Bannic.
“We are looking for Steve Collier.”
“Okay. He is in the Horse system. Cold and nasty place.”
“How do you know Collier is there?”
“Because I set up the accounts. I’m sure that’s why he had the mindbenders come after me. I knew too much about his activities.”
Rick was shocked at the news. He had access to the one man that could lead them to Collier all along. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
“You never asked,” said Bannic with the air of innocents. Rick remembered that Bannic had his personality wiped and in that respect he was still a child.
“Fair enough. How can you be sure that he is on Horse?”
“I set up twenty-seven accounts for fake companies. The money was automatically transferred form one company to another. Always constantly on the move in random amounts ranging from a couple of thousand to a couple million credits. The whole idea was to make it look like the companies were trading goods and services to each other.” As Bannic spoke it seemed like he was proud of himself. “The moneys trailed through the companies and stopped being moved once they hit Horse.”
“Rick had so many questions he wasn’t sure what to ask first. Then the thought hit him. “How much money are we talking about.”
“Well at last figures that I had was 480,733,276,470,237 credits.”
At that point Tim got up and was headed for the door. Rick said “Tim! Stop!”
Tim stopped and turned and looked at Rick. “The CEO must be informed. This is a danger to our nation.”
“He will be informed, but let’s not give Collier advanced warning of our actions.”
“That’s not possible,” said Tim with no conviction in his voice.
“It is possible. You heard what he has been able to accomplish right under our noses. That means he had to have help.” Rick turned to Bannic and said, “How long has Collier been doing this?”
“Eight years, five months and twenty-seven days.”
“Eight and a half years,” said Rick. “He has believers.”
“What do you mean by that?” said Tim.
“You can’t keep something like that a secret for that long without surround yourself with people that are true believers. It is personal, it’s a cause for them. Having spoken to Collier myself, I can tell you what a magnetic personality he has. He almost had me believing. Look Tim, I trusted you with Johnson. Please trust me on this. It’s my area of expertise.”
“Alright. What do you want me to do?”
“Set up a meeting with the CEO. Tell him I need to see him in the park. He will understand that it is urgent and that it needs to be private. Then see if Captain Jennings is still in orbit. Tell him I need a mission to Three Worlds.”
“Three Worlds?” said Tim.
“Yes. If any of Collier’s people get word through official channels, Collier will be gone before we can get to him.”
“Got it.” Then Tim left the room.
“Now back to you,” said Rick. “Do you know where he is on the planet?”
“Know? No, I don’t know. However, I can make some guesses as to where you need to start. The planet is cold so most of the population centers are underground. The primary industry is forestry. They have a type of evergreen tree they use as their number one export. But I doubt you will find Collier in the logging camps and wineries. The three centers that hold the bulk of the population is Oracle, York and Excitor. Excitor has the space port and the docks for shipping out wood and wine.
“Wine?” Rick was getting off the subject, but it was good to have as much information as he could. Besides he had nothing better to do until he could talk to the CEO.
“Yeah, wine it’s made from the Valcon nuts that come off the trees. The wine has a 24% alcohol content and that is twice the amount of most other wines.”
“Yeah I could see why that could be a big export.”
“York is somewhat of a hybrid. On the surface is tourism with skiing, bobsledding and sleighrides. Underground is hotels, casinos and corporate offices.”
“Wow an ice planet with tourism. What about Oracle?”
“Oracle is the industrial center. Their biggest trade is computer components. Yet they can manufacture small parts for just about everything. They have a lot of what they call job shops. Bring in a design and they will make it for you.”
“So, with computer components and parts, Collier could build a fleet of ships.”
“Well, if he was wanting to do that it would have to be fighters. The job shops only make small parts and space is very limited. I’m fairly certain that’s where you will find him.”
“How do you know all of this?” asked Rick.
“I have your doctor to thank for that.”
“How so?”
“When he gave me that shot he did more than fix my brain. He improved it. My member and ability to think have been vastly improved,” said Bannic.
“Wow, have you told Doc that yet?”
“No, I haven’t really been out of the house until now.”
Just then Tim came back into the room and said, “CEO Hobbs will see you in the park in half an hour.”
Rick turned to Bannic. “Forgive me But I have just enough time to get there, but I have to leave now.”
“Can I come with?” The look on his face was like a child asking for permission to do something fun.
Rick’s first thought was to say no. before he said it he stopped himself. Bannic had given him the information on Collier. The same information he was about to give Hobbs. Why not let Hobbs get it from the source. If Hobbs had any questions, Bannic would be more likely to answer them. “Sure, but we have to leave now.” Rick got up and headed for the door followed by Tim and Bannic.
They got to the lift and Rick said “Thank you Tim for trusting me on this. That means a lot to me.” The three of them got into the lift. “For right now Mr. Bannic is going to be working with me. But we need to find him some work to do.” Rick was looking at Tim.
Tim leaned in and said in a low tone. “His new identity is Graham. And I think we can find him a spot in the financial investigation.” The last was said a little louder.
Rick turned to Bannic. “Well Mr. Graham do you think that will be suited to your talents?”
“Yes indeed. However, I wouldn’t let me investigate any of the Directors, if I were you.”
They got out of the lift and headed for Rick’s car. Rick noticed that Tim stayed behind. “Why is that?” said Rick as he opened the door to his car. They both got in. and Rick said to the car, “Admin park.”
“Because all Directors have some financial irregularities. It’s strange how people with money always want more.”
Rick laughed but kept the thought in the back of his head. It just may be the thing that will handle problems in the future. Right now he needed to find Collier.
Bannic was looking out the window. It was like a kid watching the world go by. Rick reminded himself that it may be not too far from the truth.
The park Rick was to meet Hobbs at was next to the administration building. That’s why it was called Admin Park. It was a heavily forested area. One of the few untouched areas of the planet. Jeb Wilson decreed the park as a nature preserve, as soon as he picked out the site for the building. He wanted to walk among the trees. Who could blame him, after being in a ship for thirty years?
The reason he chose this site was that it was away from the office and the wood would absorb the sound if they kept their voices low. Rick didn’t want any of Collier’s spies to overhear the information.
The car dropped down in a little parking lot at the edge of the park. Rick got out and waved Bannic to join him.
There was a man in a dark blue suite stand at the entrance to the park. As they came closer the man started to speak, “I’m sorry Sir, this is a restricted area. I’m going to ask you to please leave.”
Rick was impressed. This young man was firm but polite. This was a young man with manners. “I...”
“Jenkins,” said a man that had just came from behind one of the trees. “Stand down.” Rick turned and saw an older man with gray hair heading towards them. “This is Director Thompson.” Then he turned to address Rick. “The CEO is this way. If you would please follow me.” Then he turned and went into the forest. Rick went into the forest after him, followed by Bannic.
As they walked Rick realized that this was the security detail for Hobbs. He was sure that there were others out in the forest, but they were just not visible. With a flash the world he had been made to enter just became very real to him. While no one has said anything to him yet, maybe it would be a good idea to have his own security. The young man at the entrance would be a good choice. He would have to talk to Tim about that.
The group walked for a while. It seemed to Rick that they were going into the heart of the forest. Rick walked around a tree and a gazebo came into view. Vines were intertwined in the lattes and it gave the overall impression that this structure was made from living plants.
Rick stepped inside and found Hobbs sitting on a bench looking off into the forest. Before Rick had a chance to say anything Hobbs said, “As a boy I used to spend time on my uncles ranch. I used to take long walks in the forest. Until today I have not seen a tree in many years. I’ve been too busy. For this reason and this reason alone, I thank you. It brings me back to my childhood. But time moves forward, and we all grow up. So, what did you want to see me about?” Hobbs looked over at Bannic. “Why is he here?”
“We have a line on Collier, and Mr. Bannic is here to give you a briefing in the subject,” said Rick. “Tell him what you told me.”
Rick sat down on a bench opposite Hobbs and heard the same information that Bannic had told him just a short while ago.
Hobbs reaction was one of astonishment when he heard how much money they were talking about. “It would appear that Collier is more a danger than we first thought. So, Mr. Bannic can you tell me exactly where he is? What city, what address?”
“At this moment I would have to say no. Still it would take me a very short while to find him if I access the Horse local net.”
Rick interrupted before anything else could be said. “I would like to be in orbit of Horse before we do that. It would keep from attracting attention to ourselves.”
Hobbs looked thoughtful for a moment. “So I take it you are going to go to Horse and get Collier yourself?”
Rick smiled. “Yes Sir, that is the plan. I let him get away once, now look at the mess he made. It’s my responsibility to bring him in.”
“I see,” said Hobbs in a mild tone. “That is why I have told Captain Jennings to render you any assistance he can?”
“Uh, Sir?” Rick was confused as to how Hobbs knew about Jennings.
That confusion must have showed on his face. In a fatherly tone Hobbs said, “Rick you have been given a lot of power and authority, but only I can give orders to the military.”
“I’m sorry Sir, I didn’t mean to overstep my boundaries. I...”
“Rick, it’s my fault. I haven’t even taught what your boundaries are yet. That is why I have given Admiral Hornsby and Captain Jennings orders to assist you in any way they can. Just do me a favor.”
“What would that be Sir?”
“Don’t start any wars,” said Hobbs.
“I’m trying to prevent...” Rick saw the smile on Hobbs face and realized that he was joking. “Yes Sir, I’ll try not to do that.”
“Good, Now I have a shuttle from the Coltran Corporation that I will send up to Jennings ship as soon as I get back to my office.”
“Sir, my I ask how you happen to have the exact shuttle that I need for this mission?”
“Rick as a Director you will soon learn to be prepared for any eventuality. I bought a shuttle from every corporation in the Conglomeration.” Hobbs stood up. “I have to get back to the office. I think I’ll be back here when I need some peace of mind.” Hobbs turned and walked away. He raised his hand in a wave and said, “Keep me updated.”
“Yes Sir,” Rick said to his back.
“I’ll show you the way out,” said the man that escorted them in.
It was a good thing too; he was turned around because for Rick one tree looked like every other tree.
As they came to the parking lot Rick noticed that security had disappeared. He got in the car and headed back to the office.