‘With all due respect, Mr Lake – this is taking a big risk,’ said Dale Copeland.
The two other men in the room looked up from their notes and stared at Dale. He had been the Financial Director for Lake AeroSpace since day one. He had also been a leading contributor to the taking of the company from a two-plane, low-orbit tourist trip provider, to a world leader in reusable space planes.
He still felt like an outsider, though, no matter how hard he worked or how successful the company became. Xavier Lake never gave him any praise – not once patted him on the back and said, ‘Good job, Dale.’
‘You seem to be putting a lot of trust in our Research and Development Department,’ he said. ‘We’re pumping tens of millions into a dream that may not happen. I mean, the whole planet has tried to overcome the FTL barrier for several decades with no success, and we’re building a one-off FTL ship with no bloody engine. Why are you so convinced that one of the biggest advances in human history is just around the corner? Not just that, it’s just around our corner?’ said Dale, regretting the forcefulness of his tone immediately.
‘Dale, have I ever failed you before?’ said Lake, glaring.
‘No, you know you haven’t. I – I just don’t want this to be a first, as it could drop the share price like a stone,’ said Dale, nervously.
‘You’re just going to have to trust me on this one, Dale,’ said Lake. ‘I do what I want to do with my company. I do have a few tricks up my sleeve, but it’s too early to go public yet. As far as anyone’s concerned, it’s not an FTL ship; those words do not get spoken. Are we clear on that point, Mr Copeland?’ Lake growled.
Dale nodded, a little overenthusiastically, and clenched his fists to try to cover up the shakes he could feel coming on.
‘As far as the media is concerned it will continue to be a personal space plane for a super-rich client,’ Lake continued, in a much softer voice.
‘Yes – yes. I’m – I’m cool with that,’ said Dale, desperately trying to think of some other topic. ‘Ah, I nearly forgot. Do you remember that pretty young lady journalist that came to see us last week, asking about the special space ship and, later, security caught her taking photographs inside the construction facility?’
‘I understood that the police arrested her, escorted her to the airport and put her on a flight back to London, with the message, “don’t come back”,’ said Lake.
‘Yes, that’s correct,’ said Dale. ‘Only, on the news this morning, they said she’d been murdered last night in a bungled robbery at her apartment in North London. Nothing stolen apart from her laptop and cameras,’ he continued.
‘That’s awful – how utterly dreadful. London can be such a rough town at times. Can you ask my PA to organise some flowers on your way out? I need to have a private chat with Mr Herez,’ said Lake.
Dale nodded and gathered his notes together, and left the boardroom as swiftly as he could, exhaling with relief after closing the door. He told Lake’s PA about the flowers for London and headed directly for the lift.
Lake’s office was on the fifty-sixth floor. All the outer walls were floor-to-ceiling glass. Dale hated heights and every time he looked out the window his legs went weak.
Returning to the Finance Department on the third floor was his immediate concern.
‘Are we secure, Mr Herez?’ asked Lake, once Dale had left the room.
‘Yes, boss. Your rooms were scanned this morning.’
Lake nodded, walked to the window and looked out at the view of the Dubai coastline which stretched away for miles. He turned back to face Herez.
‘Is Copeland still cool?’ He asked.
‘Yes, boss,’ said Herez, in his heavy South American accent.
Floyd Herez had been Head of Security and Mr Lake’s personal bodyguard for eleven years. He was ex-Colombian Military Special Forces and had the uncanny ability to magically ensure problems disappeared with absolutely no comeback. Nobody got near Xavier Lake without his direct approval.
‘The surveillance we use on all our senior staff is total. Anywhere they go, anything they say, the algorithms will alert me to any transgression and also provide us with a lot of information to ensure they, err, how you say—’
‘Remain loyal to the cause?’ said Lake.
‘Yes, Mr Lake,’ said Herez, a predatory smile creasing his features.
‘I understand the London problem was brought to a successful conclusion.’
‘Correct, sir. I have an old friend at the London embassy who is always susceptible to a little cash work.’
‘Is he discreet?’
‘He is after he saw a little video I acquired in Soho that clearly shows he’s a man of – how you say – questionable sexual habits. It was pointed out to him that his wife’s continued ignorance of this should be high in his priorities, especially as she is the daughter of one of the most senior generals in the Columbian military.’
‘Love your work, Mr Herez. Love your work,’ Lake replied, turning back to the view. ‘Any new information from Canterbury?’
‘Virr and Faux are in Florida. We can’t activate the software on his tablet when he’s at a NASA installation as the security systems would probably detect the intrusion. We will, however, check them after they leave.’
‘Where are we with the new drive?’
‘About a week from testing.’
‘And the construction technicians?’
‘Construction of the prototype is spread over six facilities in three countries. Not one of them has a clue as to what their particular unit does. All the parts are to be flown individually here for installation by the end of the week.’
‘The Chinese, are they peeping?’
‘Only at NASA and the Russians, as far as we can see. They know something’s in the wind, but I don’t believe they have any strong intelligence yet.’
‘That’s good, Mr Herez,’ said Lake. ‘Just make sure they remain ignorant of our little toy’s true purpose. We’re going to need to rent a hangar on their space station in the next week or so.’