Daniel Ganninger - Icarus Investigations 01 - Flapjack (22 page)

-Chapter 39-

I awoke with a start as my alarm blared out the latest top forty radio hits followed by some nincompoop who spoke in his best DJ voice.  The sounds wrenched me to a sitting position.  I punched the clock to silence the clatter and waddled to the bathroom.  I felt like I’d been struck by a Mack truck.  My legs and back hurt, and my rear wasn’t feeling much better.  After what seemed like hours, I managed to awake from my stupor and drove quickly to Alex’s humble abode.

Galveston
had beaten me there and was waiting inside.  Alex looked in a truly disheveled mood, Galveston must have already told him of his new roomy, and I had missed the reaction.  It must have been great.  I tried to get myself settled, but before I could, Galveston reached hyper mode, like a kid who had just eaten too much sugar.

“
Alright Alex, now that were here, I need info on an Ernesto Patelo.  He’s an acquaintance of Colonel Espinosa.”  Alex dejectedly began typing; probably still thinking about how he was going to entertain Dr. Sloan.

I positioned myself at an adjacent computer and began to surf the web, anything to pass the time while Alex did his work.  Something caught my eye almost immediately.  I don’t know why, but it seemed to stand out. 
The news article read, “Rebels Destroy Nigerian Oil Outpost”.  I clicked the link and read through the article.

Lagos (Reuters) – A major explosion was reported at two of the main

export oil terminals of Nigeria’s Bonny crude oil loading platform

early Thursday morning.  The explosion completely destroyed the two

offloading output terminals for oil produced from the
Niger delta

region.  The fire continued to burn throughout the afternoon as fire

crews tried to control the blaze.  “Oil production has been ceased

indefinitely
until security concerns are addressed,” a spokesman for

Royal Dutch Shell said, a principle operator of tankers in the area. 

The Nigerian government has blamed extremist rebels for the

explosions and ha
s plans to move troops into the area.  No group has

claimed responsibility for the attack.  The Niger Delta
produces an

estimated 2.3 million barrels a day according to
U.S. government

sources and has seen drastic cuts in production of up to 450,000

barrels per day due to recent conflicts with militant groups.  The price

of oil rose today on the news of further cuts in oil production in the

region, which threatens to disrupt global energy capacity demands.

I sat staring at the article.  Could there be a connection here, I
thought.  Nah, they wouldn’t go to these lengths, they wouldn’t dare.  On the other hand, they did poison someone using an Aztec statue, broke into a woman’s house in England, and already tried to kidnap an esteemed professor. 

I then thought over the connection logically.  The gears in my brain moved exceedingly slow, the rust and cobwebs from the previous night were causing the neurons not to fire.  I gave myself a quick slap in the face, reverberating the sound across the room
.  Alex and Galveston stared at me pitifully, as if I had lost my mind.  I gave my face another good smack and told myself to think.  Yeah, that did it, I was clear and my face now hurt.  I felt like a fool, but I was awake.  Just like slapping myself in the face got the attention of Alex and Galveston, these explosions would get everyone’s attention.

I resolved it came down to a simple case of cause and effect, supply and demand.  Actually eloquent, I had to admit
, as I read the article again.  They cause an explosion and cut off the supply of much needed oil to a hungry global economy.  The effect would be increased demand, and a nasty little rebel group would get the blame.  I just knew it had to be Black Bear behind this explosion.  They were intentionally trying to drive up the price of oil, and they were doing it the most quick and effective way they knew how, by blowing the hell out of a major oil producer’s infrastructure.  But again the question returned for the millionth time again to why?  I had to find this out and now.

Galveston
and Alex were so enthralled with searching for Dr. Patelo that they hardly knew I was in the room.  At this point I was only speculating that Black Bear was involved in these explosions, because I had no proof.  I looked up Black Bear on the financial pages.  It gave all the information on the company.  Black Bear had made 237 million in revenue the last quarter, with a healthy earnings report.  It was hardly proof of a company struggling for a profit.  The stock price was holding relatively steady at twenty three dollars a share.  Visibly not a sign a company is doing poorly.  Black Bear had also announced some new government contracts that would pad their bottom line in the coming years.

I searched through the old news items
.  Most of the news was about the company acquiring new contracts, and the ebb and flow of the company’s stock price, but one item stood out.  About six months ago, Black Bear agreed to provide security services to Global Energy Enterprises in their overseas operations.  It explained that Global Energy Enterprise was a non-profit company that supplied energy solutions for developing countries.  This was the organization that Weston Chase had started, and the one Dr. Sloan had told us about.  As I read further, the story quoted a speech from Black Bear CEO, Timothy Placer.  It read:

We have established a grant to Global Energy Enterprises for their

continued good work in developing green energy alternatives for

areas of the world in need of these services.  In addition to this grant,

Black Bear Global Security will supply all the services for this great

organization to safely implement all of their alternative energies, such

as solar, wind, and clean fuels.  In response to th
e growing need for

all people to have access to alternative forms of energy, and in

cooperation with the government of Brazil, we will start up our

newest
endeavor, Ecomax Clean Energy.  This may seem strange

given that our primary business is security services, but we feel this

will significantly diversify our position in the world marketplace, and

with our know how in security services we will be able to ensure that

new breakthroughs in energy technology will be accessible by all who

are in need.

It tugged on the heartstrings.  These great bastions of American capitalism
wanted to help all the lonely, desolate peoples of the world.  I continued to read the transcript, transfixed to the words.

Ecomax will research and develop alternate forms of energy, and we

have already begun to employ the best and brightest from the

scientific community.  We have also begun the research and

development of a cleaner burning hydrocarbon fuel and the

development of more effective battery technology.

The transcript ended and the story behind it summarized the feelings of investors.

Response on Wall Street was mixed with the stock closing lower on

the news.  Investors seem cool to the idea of a security company

entering the volatile and uncertain world of alternative energy

solutions from the ground up.

I was stunned.  They really were doing this, and I had to admit that it was a brilliant plan, if not devious, with the insider information we knew.  But
if I had been an investor at this time, I would have run for the exits.  A company that had no experience in energy beginning a start-up, from scratch?  Not something I would put my money into.  There were still answers I needed, however, and further questions to form.

Just about then I hear a yelp from across the room.

“We found him,” Galveston yelled as I spun my chair towards him.  “Here he is, Ernesto Patelo.”  He pointed to the screen in an act of satisfaction.

“
Let me guess,” I started, “he works for a company in Brazil,” I scratched my head to let the tension build, “and I bet it’s called Ecomax.”  I let the words sink in and watched Galveston’s and Alex’s expressions fade from excitement to amazement.  They stuttered in unison at my Yuri Geller like powers. 

“
How did you, what, how?”  Galveston stammered.

“
I did a little research of my own.  I think we need to have a little pow-wow.”

-Chapter 40-

I relayed all the news I had gathered; the explosion, the Black Bear bottom line, their help with Global Energy Enterprise, and the start-up of Ecomax in Brazil.  They sat transfixed, and I held their attention with every word I said.

“
I think I follow, but I’m still confused,” Galveston said as I finished with my information.  “Break your theory down, in a nutshell.”

“
I’ll try to dumb it down for you,” I said joking.  “Maybe I’ll start from the beginning.  That ought to help us see the timeline better.  Black Bear offers to provide security for Global Energy in the bad, rough parts of the world, so they can implement whatever, it doesn’t really matter.”

“
Who got them to do that?” Galveston interrupted.

“
I don’t know, but Black Bear gave Global Energy a grant and they become a prized child and a buddy, just wanting to help.  Global Energy knows what Dr. Sloan is working on, and as cover, Black Bear starts Ecomax, strategically placing it out of the prying eyes in the U.S.  They place the company in Brazil, all under the guise of helping the world, the environment, etcetera, where Ecomax would be out of sight from U.S. regulations and investment law.  Black Bear steals two of the battery prototypes right as Dr. Sloan leaves for Memphis, but the two they steal aren’t the final version.”  I was in the zone, one thought coming after another, like the last pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.  “Black Bear flies the prototypes to the airfield in northern Mexico, and with Colonel Espinosa’s help, they’re exchanged to another plane.  They’re then flown to Brazil where Espinosa hands them over, and returns to Mexico.  The one man that is aware of this hand-off is poisoned and now dead.” 

“
Colonel Espinosa?”  Alex jutted in.

“
Exactly,” I answered coolly, enjoying my new found respect.  “They manage to silence him and the trail was supposed to go cold right there.”   

I looked at Galveston and Alex to make sure they were following me.  They both stared intently, waiting for the next sequence of events.

“Now this is where it gets messy,” I warned them.  “Black Bear sends a team to England to retrieve the final plans.  They probably had the same information as the Feds.  Somehow they knew the prototypes weren’t the final version.  The trip to England was an effort to get the final design while they get Genesis to develop software for a production line.”

“
Black Bear must be confident they can produce it,” Galveston added.

“I think it went to Ecomax to be developed, but without the final plans they would have to reverse engineer it to set it up for production, costing valuable time.  Stay with me here, nobody would be interested, yet,” I said with dramatic effect.  “To accomplish this feat they blow up a major oil export center.  The explosion is blamed on terrorism, the markets respond with supply fear, and oil prices rise drastically.  Black Bear plans to capitalize on the high oil prices with the release of the battery, making a lot of people very, very rich.”

Alex and
Galveston sat stunned, but nodded in acknowledgement at what was in theory a simple plan, but with the many steps, amazingly difficult.  They began to pepper me with questions like I was an esteemed professor.  I don’t know about the esteemed part, but I did consider myself an expert in economics.

“
What do you think they’ll do next?”  Galveston asked inquisitively. 

“
I’m bothered by this one explosion actually.  It’s not really enough to cause a very long term drop in oil supply.  I think they’re going to strike again,” I said.

“
Another explosion?  Do you think in the U.S.?”  Alex asked.

“
I don’t think so.  Too easy to investigate.  I think they’ll go after another major export area.  Probably in an area where we don’t have good relations.  This would ensure that the U.S. won’t be able to investigate.”  I leaned back in my chair.  “I am bothered by two questions, though.  What is the catalyst for them to do this, and two, what is the truth behind Black Bear’s bottom line?  I think that’s an area we need to figure out.  I would bet Black Bear isn’t doing as well as their financial and accounting reports show.”

“
I agree,” said Galveston.  “I think there is some cooking of the books going on.  Alex, look into that.  Find out any information you can on Black Bear.  Contracts, law suits, liquidity issues, anything that sounds like they’re not doing as well as they say they are.  Roger, who do you guess may have started this?”  I thought hard for a second, trying to formulate an intelligent answer.

“
You know,” I gave an inquisitive look, “for them to pull this off, they’re going to need help.  Chase could have started it, but why?  He has no reason to do it that I can see and I don’t think Black Bear acted alone.  They would need assistance, and probably in the form of government help.  They need a strong motivator to investors, higher oil prices won’t be enough.  It would have to come in the form of government intervention.” 

Galveston
raised his eyebrows at my statement.  A light bulb seemed to appear over his head, and I knew what he was thinking.

“
The government, huh.  How would they help?”  He asked. 

“
Well, if the U.S. government eased restrictions on foreign investment, or offered incentives for investors in ‘green’ technologies, that would do it.  Investors would pour money into such things, but that would be a big ‘if’,” I answered as Galveston looked thoughtfully at me.

“
A Senator could do such a thing, right?”  He asked.

“
Yeah, I guess.”  I knew where he was going with this.  Galveston flipped through some papers on his desk, and muttered.

“
A Senator, that’s it.  Right here.”

He handed me a paper with the list of the Board of Directors of Global Energy Enterprise, and pointed to a name, second from the bott
om, that we were familiar with, Senator Edward Eastman.

He
moved to the computer I was using and began typing before I could say more.  It did seem farfetched.  A U.S. Senator?  I guess stranger things have happened.  I moved to the center of the room as Alex and Galveston researched frantically from our technological information center.  I decided to get something to drink in the kitchen as they continued their work.  I hadn’t even asked about Ernesto Patelo, we would know his fate soon enough.

Before arriving in the kitchen I
heard a knock on the door and went to answer it.  It was Elizabeth with Dr. Sloan and I welcomed them in.  Dr. Sloan looked overly tired and disheveled, the product of living out of a suitcase for the past week.  Elizabeth guided him to where Alex and Galveston were working.  I heard a clatter of chatter as they exchanged pleasantries, and I returned to the kitchen to find a drink.  As I reached for a glass in the cupboard, I heard another knock on the door.  “Now what”, I thought, and moved to the front door and looked through the peephole.  It was May, alone, waiting at the door. 

I yelled to
Galveston.  “May’s here!” 

I heard a clatter of footsteps and noise coming from the back room. 
Galveston appeared immediately in the foyer in response to my yell.

“
Dr. Sloan isn’t here,” Galveston told me as we met at the door.  “I think we need to keep him under wraps until we figure this thing out.  The less David knows right now about his whereabouts, the better.”  I wasn’t sure what he was getting at.  I assumed that keeping Dr. Sloan’s whereabouts secret would stop the Bureau’s temptation of trying to use him.  Galveston swung open the door.

“
David!”  He exclaimed.  “Have I got a prize for you.”  May was taken aback by the exuberance.

“
I’m a little hesitant to take it off your hands, but I have the lab waiting to take a look at it,” May responded flatly.

Galveston
moved to an adjacent closet door, opened it, and on the floor sat his black bag with the pink suitcase inside.

“
I wouldn’t open it, if I were you,” he warned May, who nodded in agreement.  “And you can keep my clothes.  I don’t think I want them back.”  Galveston handed the black bag to May cautiously.  “Let me know what you find.  We have a lot of things working right now.”

“
Good, you’ll fill me in when you’re ready, right?”  May asked.

“
Of course,” Galveston replied.

“
And what about Sloan.  Where is he, and is he safe?  We would really like to talk to him,” May inquired, as Galveston had expected.

“
He’s safe and in a hotel.  I’d rather you wait until we get more information as a favor to me.  He’s just too hot right now.  I’ll tell you this, everything he has told us, we have told you.  Deal?”

“
Alright, deal.  We’re devoting much of our time to the leads you’ve already given us.”

“
There’s more to come, that’s for sure.  This thing is big David, real big.  I don’t know if you boys know how far this thing goes.”

“
We’re beginning to get that feeling.  It’s going to be a mess.”

“
I figured you knew.  I’ll call you soon,” Galveston said while he seemingly pushed May back through the door and gave a wave goodbye. 

“
Oh, by the way Galveston, be careful.  We’re dealing with professionals.”

“
Now you tell me,” Galveston laughed, “Talk to you soon, David.”  Galveston closed the door and turned to me.  “I don’t want to tell May anything until we know the whole story and can protect ourselves.  He’d have the Bureau in here in a second if he knew what we knew.”

I understood his reluctance.  The last thing we needed w
ere Federal agents scouring over everything we had worked so hard to find.  We still had to look out for ourselves first.  Our livelihood and safety had to take first priority over everything else, as callous as that may sound.  Galveston and I walked back to Alex’s office.

“
You can come out Dr. Sloan,” Galveston yelled.  Dr. Sloan emerged from a closet in the room, appearing more disheveled than ever.  “Sorry Dr. Sloan, we just have to be cautious,” Galveston said to him.

“
I understand, but I’m getting tired of hiding,” he replied.  We all felt his pain.

“
Dr. Sloan, this is your new buddy, Alex.  This is his house, and what is his, is yours.”  Galveston answered for Alex who sat staring at the computer screen.  He simply waved his arm over his head in an act of defiance.

“
I appreciate all you’ve done.  It’s good to get out of a hotel for a while,” Sloan answered.

“
Yeah, put your feet up, relax, and make yourself at home.  We’ll get some fresh clothes for you too.  Alex has a huge closet,” Galveston said ribbing Alex, as he in turn flashed Galveston a dirty look.  “Alex, could you find the good doctor something to eat?  I’m sure he’s famished.”  Alex grunted and moped his way toward the kitchen.

“
Follow me Professor,” he said dejectedly, and they left the room.

“
You’re really putting the screws to him,” I said to Galveston.

“
Ah, he’s okay.  He’s getting too tan.  This will help keep his mind off of sitting by the pool and sipping his fruity drinks,” Galveston replied, smiling.  “Boy-oh-boy Elizabeth, do we have a story for you.”  Galveston grabbed Elizabeth’s hand and squeezed it, obviously glad to see her.

He gave her a short synopsis of our travels, what we had figured out so far, and our theory about Black Bear’s next steps. 
Elizabeth was intrigued, but shocked at the scope.

“
I feel I must get the Agency involved, these things are of importance to our government also,” she told him.  Galveston was hesitant, but Elizabeth had resources at her disposal that were endless.

“
Maybe if you can find out what the real story is in Nigeria.  We’ll never get it from the news wires.  We’re still going on a hunch on that one,” Galveston requested.

“
Let me make a call.”  She pulled out her phone and went onto the patio.

“
Did you find out anymore about Black Bear or the Senator?”  I asked him after Elizabeth left the room.  I had to snap my fingers at him in the process to get him to listen.

“
Uh, yeah, yeah,” he said breaking away from his stare at Elizabeth.  “From what we found, it looks like Black Bear isn’t doing as great as they appeared, just as you suggested.”  He pointed to a page on the computer and I skimmed it quickly.

Black Bear had lost two lucrative
security contracts in the Middle East in the previous year.  They had also lost a trio of lawsuits.  Two were from foreign governments, and one from a private company.  One case was settled for an undisclosed amount, and the other case was settled for 14 million dollars, payable over five years.  The private company’s lawsuit was still pending.  This company was seeking damages of 80 million dollars, due to accusations of a hostile takeover, records tampering, and lost revenue.  It seemed Black Bear had a history of unscrupulous activities.  Black Bear was being hammered by lawsuits.  I figured in the amount of two recent contracts losses, and based on my best estimation, the numbers were clearly in the red.  Black Bear also tried to expand into other areas of business that didn’t relate to their own.  When I checked on the other companies they had acquired, I found that those companies were doing terribly.