Another Good Day ... Almost
Jon Hersey left the meeting knowing his boss' objectives were satisfied - the final price was under budget, the contract was extended an extra year, and a long term relationship maintained. Feeling good about his negotiating success Jon decides a celebratory local brew is the reward du jour - to be followed by a run through the Lido district of Charlotte. Running is cherished private time for thinking, planning, and problem solving - and, time to tryout those new "accelerating spring" running shoes.
Jon, a private man by nature (and necessity), finds being alone in a crowded pub ... ironically uncomfortable. The Thor's Ale is smooth and flavorful. To avoid the attention given to guzzlers, Jon has to deliberately pace his beer while the crowd closes in ... twelve ounces ... twelve to eighteen minutes ...
The new shoes are like running on a cloud. After ten minutes, Jon's mind usually begins the logical progression of separating critical thoughts from nonsense. But ... the next assignment is in the town where his soulmate lost her 426 day battle with pancreatic cancer - 94 days ago. There has been little, if any, separating-of-thoughts the past six months after Jon and Alissa found out the chemo regimen was not working. The short two months of travel, theatre, art, and holding hands had been the time of their lives. Alissa's request to rest a few days turned into 28 days of home movies, laughing at photographs, cooking experiments, and one food fight.
Room service, hot shower, red wine mini bottle, and six hours of channel surfing does little to calm his mind. Two hours of sleep in the past two days is brought to an abrupt end by his alarm clock and a wake-up call a minute later. Three hours later the airplane is approaching the Tulsa International Airport.
As scheduled, Jon is in Tulsa on a Friday. His public job and his private job take place in the same city for the first time since he started the second job 79 days ago.
DENVER TO DALLAS
While waiting for a flight to Dallas and wanting some relief from the agony of Alissa's death, he starts a conversation with Daryl Alexander - a business consultant. Daryl's pleasant nature and job enthusiasm makes Jon envious for the excitement of a fun, fresh occupation. They exchange biz stories and a few laughs until Daryl's zone (one) is called to board. Seventeen minutes later the last zone is announced. Jon collects his carry-on, presents the boarding pass, and walks down the jetway. Daryl makes an effort to catch Jon's attention to say "see you in Dallas". Near the end of the 92 minute flight, Daryl strolls back to row 31 seat E to invite Jon for a beer in the Dallas airport.
Daryl, on his cell phone, is waiting for Jon at the top of the jetway ... "yah I know, it seems quick ... Just do the check ... It's time to take this project off hold ... It's going to work out ... I know, just do the check, gotta go, bye". In one second, Daryl ends the call, stows the phone, touches Jon's shoulder, then points the way to the pub.
They talk for three beers: - biz, previous jobs, sports, headlines, cars, bow hunting, back packing, but not family. Daryl checks the time - "gotta go" - grabs his computer bag - shakes Jon's hand - takes off through the concourse and is gone in 10 seconds. Jon surprised by the speed of Daryl's departure realizes how "normal" he feels. Walking toward the baggage claim, Jon thinks he sees Daryl boarding another plane.
Tulsa ... The Return
A quick taxi ride takes Jon by the Tulsa offices occupied by the prospective client, then drops him at the new Best Western in the nearby retail development. Checked in, unpacked, and hungry - next stop, Chick's OK Grille. The waitress recommended Tulsa Chicken Pie was tasty, unique, and filling.
Spent most of the afternoon in the hotel room reviewing the files on Grindell Injectors Inc. Grindell is a third generation company manufacturing auto fuel injectors. Their claim-to-fame is customer service, quick delivery, and a quality design. "A", one, single design is their problem. Grindell rapidly needs an engineering department expansion, updated production machinery, training programs, building expansion, and ... money!
Grindell will receive the standard three day presentation and negotiation. The presentation process took two years of department meetings to complete and another three months for Jon to develop his unauthorized detours.
Spent balance of afternoon memorizing the Tulsa street map for the evening run by Injector One Industries - the target of the private job; and, major competitor of Grindell Injectors Inc.
DALLAS TO FIRST CLASS
The warm dry Tulsa air felt good. The thin wispy clouds reflecting the sunset reminded Jon of the early evening flight through Dallas four days after meeting Daryl.
Stepping out of the jetway, Jon sees his new friend Daryl Alexander sitting in the waiting area. Daryl has his phone in his lap and a thin cord dangles from his right ear - "the check was good? ... Good! ... Please stop harassing me about the time, it is going to be fine ... Then I'll terminate the - agreement ... Gotta go, bye". Again, Jon is surprised by the speed at which Daryl ends the call, and packs the phone. Daryl looks up from the motionless shoes in front of him, recognizes the angel pin on the computer bag, and smiles when his eyes meet Jon's. They shake hands and Daryl offers to buy another round at the pub across the concourse.
- "what brings you to the Dallas airport?"
- "just finished renewing a contract with our oldest client"
- "I am recruiting my company's newest - consultant"
- "how is that going?"
- "really well at the moment"
Jon had thought a lot about their meeting four days ago and Daryl's enthusiasm for his work. The current job was OK, but a change might help him set aside the pain of losing Alissa and focus more on the great life they had together.
- "what's the name of your employer again?"
- "Zeta Consulting - named after the cyclone that would not die. Hurricane Zeta was a powerful record setting cyclone that no one remembers - it was the 27th storm in the extended 2005 hurricane season. It never hit land, but it closed or altered most of the Atlantic ship lanes. Zeta disrupted a lot of commerce in its extended, under-the-radar existence. That's what we do - we disrupt bad business practices. ... Oh ... A little know fact - much like the hurricane - the Coast Guard rescued a ship's crew which had three members on the terror watch list."
- "So ... You work for a company that no one's ever heard of, that causes a lot of disruption, and rescues terrorists?"
- "two out of three - not bad for a bow hunting, almost Navy Seal, back-packer from atmosphere deprived Denver."
Had Jon told Daryl about his Navy Seal mis-adventure? Maybe? There has been a lot of "bromance" the past four days.
Over the hum of 20 pub conversations, Jon can barely hear the announcement that flight 348 to Denver is now boarding zone one. Daryl says, "that's us, you can get on with me, they won't say anything."
Jon presents his boarding pass. The pass reader begins its alert cycle and prints out a new seat assignment slip. Jon has been moved to first class and it's not a bulkhead seat - double bonus! His boss must be really happy with the last negotiation. Jon is "awakened" from his moment of joy by a pat on the back from Daryl.
- "you must not fly first class often."
- "this is only the second time my company has ponied-up for a first class ticket. Last time I landed my first 250 million deal."
- "about that ... "
Tulsa ... The Return + "One"
Lacing up the new accelerating spring running shoes, Jon is anxious to start this run - actually it's always the first run for his private job that excites him. The course he mapped out earlier will give him three passes by Injector One Industries. Jon puts on the reversible orange glow-in-the-dark runners vest as he exits the Best Western. Eight minutes later he is running past the east side of Injector One's building. Jon's mind starts "running": - one large room on corner with 16 cubicles, no one working in that room, clock says 7:10, janitor vacuuming hallway (probably two more in Break-room), two of six smaller offices occupied by staff (it's Friday, must be career building or Peter's principle), double lobby doors (keep the hot air out), controlled access door on each side of receptionist's desk, only two chairs in lobby (not many visitors), another janitor in large office at the other corner, lots of blinds on these windows (the boss), two cars in reserved parking lot (belong to career builders, new SUV of Jed Boyington, small German coupe of Denise Dallor), 25 marked parking stalls (16 cubicles, 6 middle management, one receptionist, one boss, one visitor), private entrance door by boss' office, and several lights burned out on Injector One sign (lit part reads In or One).
Jon's mind starts separating the facts from this afternoon's Zeta file and nonsense gathered so far during the run: - Injector One suspected of selling military grade titanium injectors to Iran, - the production of Humvee's is being held up by a shortage of injectors, - the titanium supply is alleged to be far more than the units shipped for Humvee production plus scrap sold to local recycler, - CEO Ian Breck travels frequently to Greece, Turkey, and Egypt.
Jon turns right at the corner, runs a few blocks, then reverses the vest. Twenty seven minutes later, Jon runs by the south side of the Injector One building: - 35 parking stalls, - two spaces by the employee entrance marked for the shift manger, - poorly lit parking area, - three dock doors with two occupied by freight trailers and one with eight smokers, - an open top train car partially filled with scrap metal is along side the far end of the dock, - the rail spur behind the train car is lit by light spilling through an open door, - a forklift, behind the smokers, is loading palletized material onto a shrink wrap machine, - past the forklift are 7 to 9 CNC lathes.
After a couple turns, Jon stops long enough to fold and store the reversible vest in a zippered vest pocket, then turns the green side of his tee shirt out.
Twenty two minutes later he has returned for his third pass. The north side of Injector One's site is dark. A single light of eight is working. No security cameras are observed. Bonus! ... there is easy access down the rail spur on the west side. Inching up to the open door behind the rail car, Jon finds the phone junction box, the gas line, and can hear the high speed ramp-up and ramp-down of the CNC lathes. Peeking along the bottom corner reveals that the CNC lathes total about 35 and the open door is only ten feet away from pallet racking that could be used for "cover".
Jon returns to the street then begins running back toward the hotel. While running he reverses his tee shirt and puts the vest's orange side out. Approaching the hotel, he can see the overstuffed lobby chairs that remind him of the first class seats on the Dallas to Denver "recruiting" flight.
DALLAS TO DENVER
Jon has the window seat and Daryl the aisle seat. Both grab a couple file folders before placing their computer bags in the overhead. The flight attendant returns with their drinks. Daryl's folders have the Zeta Consulting Group logo ... Jon has no logo on his mass produced plain manila folders. Jon is almost certain he saw the letters JH on the bottom folder before Daryl placed them in the seat pocket.
Jon's sixth sense is tingling - several happenstance meetings, and beers, with a new friend, - first class upgrade next to new friend, - the folder with JH, - did Daryl say he arranged the upgrade, ... Jon's mind begins separating the critical from the nonsense.
At 10,000 feet the flight attendant announces the personal use of electronic devices has been approved by the pilot. The "entertainment portion of the flight" is Daryl's queue - most of the passengers will be in their own e-cocoon.
- "Jon, I arranged our first couple meetings to get to know you, and this first class upgrade to see if you might be interested in a new job. We, Zeta, have been interested in you for 28 months and put your 'recruiting' on hold so you could focus on Alissa".
- "How do you know about Alissa? Why is Zeta interested in me?"
- "I have two files for you to review - one about Zeta, - the other explains ... why you. If after you read these two files, you are not interested, you can decline and never hear from Zeta again."
- "How do you know about Alissa?"
- "Jon ... it's all in the files. Please trust me. The files explain everything".
Tulsa - Day Two of "One"
Saturday - its more Injector One surveillance. Jon rents a car at the Best Western counter - mid-sized, white, Buick, plain ... Forgettable.
9:11 AM - yard maintenance crew loading their equipment, about ready to leave. No cars in office parking area. Two pickups in the employee lot. Only one commercial freight trailer at dock - Tulsa Southern Express. Same rail car. Door behind rail car closed. A forklift backs out of the trailer. (to himself) "Wonder if this is an illegal shipment? - is that Ian Breck with the paperwork? - Ian drives a pickup!?"
A Tulsa Southern Express semi tractor, without trailer, passes Jon going the other direction. Jon turns right to drive around the block. Now parked about 100 yards away the license plates are readable through the Nikon telephoto lens: - newer White Ford F150 plate is UW2 57X and a license frame with "2Phast4U", - the older blue Dodge 3/4 ton is TK5 84F, - and the tractor plate is CO F276A6. The tractor backs under the trailer, hooks up the hoses, retracts the front wheels, and secures the coupling safety pin. Ian closes the dock area gate behind the departing semi. Jon takes a couple pictures of the two men - certain that Ian is one, the other can be found by Peter Stone's forensic guy. As the trailer pulls away a couple snapshots of the plate shows CO 354801. Jon opens the backpack, removes the GPS unit, programs in Tulsa Southern Express, and attaches the receiver to the windshield.
Arriving before the semi, Jon is able to witness the trailer, # CO 354801, dutifully follow the tractor into the Tulsa Southern Express lot. The semi rig pulls over to the side, stops, the driver exits the cab, and walks over to a new pickup truck with temporary paper license. The driver pulls just outside the gate, stops, closes and locks the gates, then drives off. Jon wonders if the driver is part of the scheme.
A small detour by the cancer center before returning to the Best Western. He would send the photos to Peter later.
DALLAS TO DENVER ... with Zeta
Daryl hands Jon the first folder labeled "Zeta Mission". Jon pauses for a moment then takes the folder. Jon opens the folder to find a single sheet of paper .....
Zeta Consulting Group
Mission: Through the use of clandestine methods we shall bring about the disruption of American companies involved in illegal anti-American activities. Target companies, government, and legal organizations shall not know of our existence and activities.
Scope: Targeted companies shall be located on American soil. Companies suspected of, and / or involved, in anti-American activities shall be targeted.
Responsibilities:
1. Board shall be responsible for approving and recruiting personnel.
2. Board shall maintain a priority list of target and suspect companies.
3. Board shall authorize personnel assigned to analyze target companies.
4. Board shall keep all records and activities confidential
5. Personnel shall have final disruption plans approved by board.
6. Personnel shall not recruit or solicit outside personnel or services in the execution of disruption plans.
7. Personnel shall keep all records and activities confidential.
Funding: Funding shall be by anonymous donations only.
Peter Stone 1-26-06
Jon closed Zeta folder one, then stared out the window for ... for-ever. His mind was racing ... an organization like this really exists? ... why were they interested in him? ... what does disruption mean? ... who is on the board of an organization like this? ... how do they know about Alissa? ... anonymous donations? ... how does he know Peter Stone? ... who? ... where? ... why? ... when?
Daryl's experience told him to let the recruit deliberate at the recruit's pace.
Jon did not hear the pilot announce the upcoming turbulence, but was shaken from his thoughts by violent jostling of the plane. Jon turned to Daryl, but before he could ask his first question Daryl interjected, "I will be available as long as you need me and will answer ALL your questions ... in Denver. Let's trade folders. This folder will explain a few things".
Jon opened the second folder. Like the first folder it contained one page.