Unintended Consequences - By Stuart Woods

34





Stone and Marcel were driven to the offices of Strategic Services by Philip in Stone’s car and were immediately shown into Mike Freeman’s large office.

“Good morning, Marcel,” Mike said. “Bill Eggers will be joining us in half an hour or so, but I wanted to talk with you about your security concerns in Paris.”

“Thank you, Mike,” Marcel said, sitting down on the sofa and accepting a cup of coffee.

“There are two immediate concerns, as we see it,” Mike said. “First, there’s the Blaise factory, which we have not had an opportunity to survey.”

“Fortunately,” Marcel replied, “we have had a considerable security presence at the factory, because of our concerns about keeping the operation secret. With the introduction of the car at auto shows around the world, I had planned to reduce that to the bare minimum.”

“Are you pleased with the quality of the security personnel?”

“I believe they are good at keeping visitors away.”

“Are they armed?”

“No.”

“Then it is our recommendation, if you wish to continue with the same security firm, that you request an upgrade in the quality and training of the guards and have them armed with semiautomatic pistols and to have assault rifles or shotguns readily available to them.”

“I do not have confidence that the firm I’m dealing with would be able to provide such personnel.”

“Then may we send our Paris station head to the factory to conduct a survey and make a proposal?”

“Certainly, and the sooner the better.”

“Tomorrow at the latest,” Mike said. “Now to your personal needs. Stone has described your living arrangements at the top of your office building, and we like what we heard. We recommend that you have two armed men in the building twenty-four hours a day, one at the front desk downstairs and one in your living quarters. Ideally, that man would answer the door when guests arrive, and he would ride in the front seat of your car with your driver when you move about Paris, then accompany you in a discreet manner when you leave the car.”

“That sounds like a good plan,” Marcel replied.

“Staffing that requirement twenty-four hours a day would require a team of eight to ten men.” Mike handed him a sheet of paper. “This is a quote for such a complement.”

Marcel read it quickly. “Agreed,” he said.

“They will be on duty when you arrive back in Paris,” Mike said. “We also recommend very strongly that you travel in a well-armored vehicle.”

Marcel shook his head. “I don’t want to move about in a tank.”

“You drove here in Stone’s car, which is a product of our armored vehicle division.”

“The Bentley? That didn’t seem like a tank.”

“It would have protected you from the sort of assault that was attempted on your car on your way to Le Bourget,” Mike said.

“How long would I have to wait for it?”

“Are you happy with your Maybach?”

“Very much so.”

“We have existing templates for all the panels necessary to fortify your car. Stone says you are shipping Blaises by air to this country. If you can ship the Maybach that way, then by working around the clock on the car we can complete the work in eight days.” He handed Marcel a quote for the job.

“I can ship it by air,” Marcel said, “and I accept your proposal.”

“Thank you, Marcel. In two or three days we will have a proposal for protecting the Blaise factory. In the meantime, I would suggest that you ask your current contractor to beef up security and, if possible, to arm them.”

“I will telephone them today,” Marcel said.

“How are you currently shipping Blaises to the U.S.?”

“In a former French military aircraft, two at a time.”

“We have a contractor at Stewart International Airport, in Newburgh, New York, an hour’s drive north of here, that operates a C-17. Do you know this aircraft?”

“No.”

“It is a four-engine, jet airplane that could transport, perhaps, two dozen Blaises and your Maybach on a single flight. Cars destined for other American cities could easily be transported by truck, enclosed truck, if you like.”

“You can arrange this?”

“We’d be very glad to.”

“Then please do so at your earliest convenience. I have six Blaises awaiting transport to the New York Auto Show next week, and a further dozen completed cars for our dealers in Palm Beach, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.”

“Could you have all of them at Le Bourget the day after tomorrow?”

“Indeed, yes.”

“I’ll give you the cost later in the day.”

Mike’s secretary walked in, followed by Bill Eggers. Hands were shaken all around.

“That completes our security business,” Mike said. “Now we can move on to the business of The Arrington.”

“I have come prepared to make you an offer,” Marcel said. “Stone has proposed selling me fifteen percent of the Arrington shares for three hundred and fifty million, then investing that sum in a European company. I offer to pay you that amount for twenty percent of the shares, plus a seat on the board. I will form a Swiss company with an initial capitalization of two billion euros for the purpose of handling the European expansion, and I suggest we satisfy our financial obligations to each other with an exchange of stock, which should react to our mutual benefit through tax savings.”

Stone, Mike, and Eggers exchanged glances and nods.

“That is acceptable to us in principle,” Eggers said, “contingent on a determination of the value of your shares and other details.”

“Then I suggest you draw up a deal memo,” Marcel said, “and I will have my legal team here the day after tomorrow to hash out the details and help write the final contract. Do we have anything else to discuss?”

Mike spoke up. “If you have more time today, I’d like you to view a short film about Strategic Services, which will give you a good idea of the range of what we offer. Also, I’d like you to see the original designs that were made for The Arrington in Los Angeles, and meet some of the team that put them together.”

“I have the rest of the day,” Marcel said. “I need only to make a few phone calls to Paris to get the wheels turning.”

“I must get back to my office,” Stone said. “I’ll leave you the car.”

Marcel took him aside.

“I’ll have my attorneys pick up Helga at Stockholm City Airport at noon the day after tomorrow. She should go to Grafair Jet Center at that airport.”

“Thank you, Marcel, I’ll let her know.”

• • •

Eggers walked Stone out. “That went very well and very quickly,” Bill said. “If Marcel is always that easy to work with, then this should be a delightful business venture for us.”

“All we have to do,” Stone said, “is keep him alive and well.”