CHAPTER 10
The elevator easily ascended to the fifth floor and the doors slid open. The finely dressed man stepped out of the car and proceeded in the direction of the CEO's office. He knew the way because he had been there before, only this time he noticed that many of the lighting fixtures had been replaced and some new, potted office plants were decoratively positioned along the walls of the hallway.
It had been no more than five weeks since their initial meeting, but clearly, the doctor was putting some of his earnings back into the building’s overall appearance. The observant visitor also took note of several new engraved nameplates on office doors that had been previously unoccupied. This impressed him, as Vincent was truly working to improve the corporation’s reputation by hiring additional qualified staff. All his observations indicated that the company was once again thriving, and if Bacro Industries was back to turning a profit, this would only benefit the Headman in the long run. He checked the positioning of his face mask prior to knocking on the doctor’s door but wasn’t too concerned as he hadn’t seen any surveillance cameras in the building. They could possibly have been hidden in the ceiling tiles, but nothing had seemed too conspicuous.
He knocked on the door twice and heard movement behind the door. Years of operating in hostile neighborhoods had sharpened his senses making him more in tune to the slightest movements around him. He counted the footsteps as they approached the locked door. He could tell by the timing of the stride, that it was definitely Vincent, and that the man was alone.
“Who is it?” but in all actuality, the CEO already knew the answer.
“My dear, dear Vincent are you going to let me in, or am I going to stare at a locked door all night?”
The inner lock clicked twice and the office door swung inwards revealing a man who was cleanly shaven and sharply dressed in a navy blue Armani suit and an expensive silk tie.
“Ah, Mr. Headman in Charge. So good to see you again. Please come in and make yourself comfortable. I am really liking the new attire. It is quite. . . unique if I do say so, and quite frankly, it suits you. No pun intended of course.”
The drug lord eyed him curiously at first and then confidently walked over to his desk. “I could say the same of you, doctor. Quite a transformation since our last encounter. Glad to see that your belt is securely fastened around your waist again.”
Doctor D’Alleva grimaced at the statement, then motioned for his visitor to have a seat before occupying his own chair behind his desk.
“Can I offer you some Scotch? A cigar perhaps?”
The Headman graciously accepted the offer, and the CEO reached into the lower desk drawer to retrieve two tumblers and a twelve-year-old bottle of Balvenie. After pouring two glasses, he lifted his own in a toast and waited for the drug lord to reciprocate the gesture.
“To new partnerships and the future of Bacro Industries.” The two gentlemen clinked glasses and then each took a long sip.
“This is some really good Scotch doctor. Thank you for your hospitality, but I hate to remind you that this is not a social call.”
The drug lord’s proclamation stung the doctor and a thin line of perspiration began to form upon his brow.
“Yes, yes. I’m quite aware, but I saw no reason why we couldn't still be cordial.”
“Fair enough, this is a business agreement more than anything else so, I’m here to present to you my plans for expansion mister chief executive officer.” Vincent nearly choked on his next sip.
“I’m sorry, but did you say an expansion plan?”
The Headman removed his hat and settled back more comfortably in his chair while lighting the cigar that Vincent had previously provided.
“I did.” He took a few puffs off of the Cuban cigar. “You wouldn’t happen to have an ashtray handy old chap, would you?”
Vincent immediately produced one from within his desk and placed it within reach of the well-dressed man.
“I would also like to discuss some ideas I have in regards to new product offerings and the creation of our Northeastern distribution hub. It’s my understanding, that there is an abandoned warehouse located behind the main industrial complex on the western lot that once served as a functional shipping terminal?”
“Yes, it was in use as recently as 2011. Back then, it housed a fleet of nearly two dozen tractor trailers. I even had my own diesel mechanics on site to perform routine maintenance. There were close to ten service bays with functional heavy duty lifts. It’s been decommissioned for quite some time now, and I sold off a lot of the heavy equipment to appease some of my debt collectors. The area is in various levels of disarray.”
“I see. Well, I’d like to get it back up and running again. I need to make an important delivery tonight and feel that it would be the perfect location to house my products. I’m thinking in the next three hours or so. That won’t be a problem for you. Will it partner?”
The CEO had feared that this type of business arrangement might very well be part of the favor he owed, but it seemed innocuous enough as the western factory was not directly connected to the main structure and was currently serving no purpose other than being an eyesore. His new business associate had kept his part of the bargain by getting his products back on the market and keeping the government inspectors away. Was there really any harm in letting him revitalize the old distribution center? The building didn’t even have Bacro signs on it. If Vivian inquired, he could simply say that the new increase in accounts warranted reopening the area as it would save the corporation millions in private shipping costs. Or he could say that he was renting it out to turn a profit. He contemplated the positives and negatives of the Headman’s proposal before answering.
“So, you’re saying that you want permission to refurbish the warehouse and start a shipping company?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes. Your decision to use the services my business will provide are solely up to you. No pressure. Like I have said before, I don’t want control of your company. I simply want access to some of the perks of being a silent partner.”
“Alright then, I’m on board with that, but you also mentioned an expansion plan and some new products. Care to elaborate on that aspect as well?”
The Headman didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he took another sip of Balvenie. After savoring the drink, he took another puff off of his cigar.
“I have a financial need to extend my network outside of the United States. Let’s just say that packaging, distribution and shipping costs are interfering with my overall revenue. All I require from you is permission to use the company name and patents. I can handle the rest.”
The new conversation was beginning to make the good doctor feel uneasy. He didn’t want his company tied in with the illegal drug trade, but his new partner had quickly gone from asking for his permission to telling him how things were going to unfold. The thought of shooting the overly smug man as he sat unknowingly in front of him crossed his mind, but he wasn’t a murderer.
“Tick-tock doctor. Do we have an agreement or not? Oh, and if you’re planning on doing something with your gun, now might be a good time. Yes, Vincent, I know about the Glock locked and ready in the desk drawer. I didn’t get to where I am by being naive.”
Vincent’s surprised expression lasted a little too long, and only further proved his previous intentions. He quickly put up his hands to show that he was unarmed.
“No Sir. . . I mean... I was never going to shoot you. I just. . .” The CEO stammered, but the cartel lord held up his hand to silence him.
“No worries doctor. I’m not going to kill you if that’s your concern, but if you ever think of crossing me, I will not think twice about going after your son Antonio and what’s your daughter’s name again? Oh yes, I remember now, sweet little Isabella.”
How did he know about his family? Better yet, how did he know where to find them? The doctor’s emotions went from rage to fear, and everything in between. He realized then that this was slowly becoming the worst mistake he had ever made in life, and with his children's lives at stake, he would have no other choice than to cooperate with the criminal in front of him and continue to hope for the best.
“Please, don’t hurt my children. I’ll do whatever you need me to do. You can use my company name and patents. I’ll have my lawyers draw up the contracts in the morning.” The Headman smiled once more.
“I knew you were a reasonable man doctor. But you still don’t get it. I’m not your enemy. I’m not here to take over your corporation. We are partners and most of the time you will never see me, but I would rather be civil than a bully.”
Vincent did his best to nod in agreement, but he could not trust the masked man.
“If you excuse me a moment, I need to make an important phone call.”
He activated his cell phone and his second in command was quick to answer the call on just the second ring.
“Yes, boss?”
The line was quiet for a few moments, and then he delivered a single word command.
“Proceed.”
As the phone line disconnected, Gristle turned to the nearest Headhunters and told them to spread the word throughout the ranks. The delivery would take place as scheduled. An address appeared in the form of a text message shortly after. Within a matter of minutes, the first ice cream truck loaded with product left the storehouse, followed by a bakery van five minutes later, a potato chip truck ten minutes later and finally a FedEx conversion van. Random delivery vehicles would continue to hit the road at set intervals over the next hour. In order not to raise the suspicions of local authorities, various routes would be used to arrive at their new storage facility, the western warehouse just outside of Bacro Industries.
“I imagine that right now you are quite angry with me, doctor, but that in time, will pass. The sooner you come to terms with the fact that you will not in any way be included in my organization’s criminal activities you’ll feel better. I can assure you of this Vincent. Your business will continue to thrive and if all my overseas arrangements go as planned, Bacro Industries will be trading on the international stock market within the next two months. All at no added cost to you. And once we get some of my other product ideas out on the market, your stocks will continue to soar. Ultimately, you’ll end up thanking me.”
The CEO did not answer, he merely hanged his head in defeat.
“Oh, and how’s my new plant food coming along? I understand you are close to completion. Would it be possible to use the company greenhouse in the near future?”
Vincent had almost forgotten about the plant food part of the agreement. He had never attempted to use any of his supplements on the various illegally grown controlled substances but imagined these tests would be happening in the very near future.
“I just received a sample of the new formula earlier today, but I will need at least another two weeks to conduct trials.” The sharp dressed man seemed pleased.
“I look forward to those results. Might I get the keys to the western warehouse now? I am expecting some very important guests within the next two hours. Dr. D’Alleva reached into his top right desk drawer and handed him a key ring tagged with only a “W”.
“Thank you, doctor. It has been a pleasure doing business with you, partner. I’ll be in touch to discuss some of my other business ideas soon.”
The dangerous man in the mustard-colored, pinstripe suit placed his hat back on his head, then politely bowed as he finished his scotch and placed the tumbler on the desk.
“Thank you again for the scotch. You have a well-trained palate.”
After the Headman left, Vincent slumped in his chair and poured himself another heavy-handed drink. He raised the glass to his eagerly awaiting lips. the meeting had left him with many unanswered questions and many new concerns. What exactly had he gotten himself into?
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