by C. T. Sloan
“Consider it done. And Harold, take it from my personal experience. When these big papers do something like this, consider it a compliment,” my boss tells the editor.
“Thank you. Mr. Rex. This article is the most important piece I have ever had the pleasure of working on. I am very proud of Julie,” Harold declares.
“So am I,” my boss responds.
Wow. Now my head officially inflated to twice its size.
***
The news exploded soon after the New York Times broke the embargo. The next day, just about every news outlet ran a “Who’s Trent Rex?” Literally thousands of requests for interviews came into Mr. Rex’s office. True to my boss’s word, he refused every interview. The anticipation for the release of the Texas Monthly magazine reached a fever pitch.
On Tuesday morning, a brown box arrived at the office of Rex Industries. After the security team screened the box, it was sent up to Mr. Rex’s office. I look at the return address. It’s from Harold. I open the box and there in front of me are about a hundred copies of Texas Monthly magazine with an illustration of a T. Rex dinosaur biting into several drug smugglers. The title across the front of the cover reads, “The T. Rex vs. Los Zetas: How One Billionaire Is Winning The War Against Mexico’s Drug Lords.” I pull out a magazine and turn to the article. And there it is, my name on the byline. I wipe my eyes as Mr. Rex puts his right arm around me. “Congratulations, Julie,” my boss tells me.
My morning got off to such a great start, I can not even conceive how it could get any better. After our morning status meeting, Mr. Rex tells me that we are going out to lunch to “Celebrate.” We take the elevator down to the ground floor and get into a Rolls-Royce Phantom. The car takes us to Sevy’s Grill for lunch. Mr. Rex and I enjoy a great little lunch. Just the two of us. As Mr. Rex and I enjoy a couple of margaritas, I notice that my boss is looking at me a little differently. I swear he has a newfound respect for me. Maybe it’s the drinks talking.
The rest of the day just floats by for me. When we get back to the mansion, Mr. Rex and I relax in bed and watch the wall-to-wall newscast about Mr. Rex and the Texas Monthly story. We flip to CNN and see the anchor interviewing both Texas Senators in Washington D.C. This is quite unusual since each Senator is from opposing political parties and supposedly hate each other.
“Frankly, it’s about time that someone has stood up to Los Zetas. Mr. Rex is a national hero for standing up to these monsters who flood the streets with drugs. We, in Washington D.C., need to step-up and put an end to these violent drug cartel terrorists,” Republican Senator Lem Beets proclaims.
“While we don’t agree on most issues, I wholeheartedly concur with my fellow colleague,” Democratic Senator Alice Kindler responds. “We are wasting billions on military operations in places like Afghanistan, Iraq and North Africa. Thugs like Los Zetas are a threat to our children and our families and I will support any actions taken to help local, Federal and Mexican law enforcement.”
Mr. Rex sits up and watches both Senators talk tough about dealing with the drug cartel. By the end of the interview, the Republican Senator adds a final statement. “My message to the leader of Los Zetas is this - if we can get to Bin Laden, then we can get to you.”
“Wow,” my boss exclaims.
The night goes on. We switch from news channel to news channel as more Democrats and Republicans begin to rally for war against the infamous Mexican drug cartel. It becomes the “Cause du Jour.”
At the end of the night, the CNN anchor even mentions tweets from celebrities and musicians who demand that “Los Zetas must be stopped to end the suffering of Mexico.”
***
The next few days are a whirlwind of activity for Mr. Rex. The entire focus of the news is the threat of Los Zetas. There are news specials about the drug cartel. Just about every politician has come out in support of sending American military advisors and aid to Mexico. Celebrities start to contact Mr. Rex, asking how they could jump on the “bandwagon.” I am all fine and good with this until I go on TMZ.com and find out that the hottest starlet in Hollywood wants to meet Mr. Rex. Now, I am starting to get jealous!
My boss is taking all this new attention in stride. He realizes that he could not live in a bubble forever. And he is more than willing to sacrifice his privacy if it could help improve his business. While we sit in his office, my boss weighs the many interview requests coming toward him.
“I am not doing television,” Mr. Rex insists.
The four assistants quickly begin to email the various cable news channels, informing them that Mr. Rex will not be appearing on camera. My boss immediately crosses out the New York Times for betraying Harold and breaking the embargo.
“What about the Wall Street Journal?” I suggest.
“Maybe. I just want to make sure I can control the story. Who knows what will happen if I am interviewed by one of these big papers.”
***
The workday ends at a little after 10:00 p.m. We hop into the helicopter and head back to the estate. Mr. Rex and I relax in each other’s arms as I stare out into the city of Dallas. My boss turns on the inflight television and checks out the latest news on CNN. We both look out on the screen as we see a Breaking News graphic flash across the bottom of the screen.
Los Zetas Offers $50 Million For Murder of Rex CEO, Trent Rex
A shot of panic shoots through my body. I turn up the volume as the cable channel shows a hooded man, holding a machine gun, speaking in Spanish. We listen to the voice of the female anchor as she reads the latest information.
“According to the video, the powerful Mexican drug cartel Los Zetas has placed a fifty million dollar murder contract on the CEO of Rex Industries, Trent Rex. As many of you know, the reclusive Mr. Rex - with an estimated net worth of thirty billion dollars - has recently broken his silence to discuss his war against Los Zetas.”
I clutch my boss as he calmly turns down the volume on the television.
“I’m so sorry, sir,” I cry.
“What are you sorry about?” Mr. Rex asks me.
“I should have never proposed that article.”
My boss runs his hands across my hair. He kisses the top of my head. “You did the right thing, Julie. Your article is upsetting the right people.”
As the helicopter flies over Mr. Rex’s estate, we can see dozens of flashing red and blue lights around the grounds of the estate. I worry. Why are all those police there? The helicopter slowly descends. I can see about forty men on the grounds with machine guns. We land on the helipad where Mr. Skoca is waiting for us.
“The grounds and the perimeter are secure,” the head of security tells my boss.
We are whisked from the helicopter to the mansion. As soon as we are inside, I clutch my boss’s massive body. We just hold each other, in silence, for a long minute. I listen to Mr. Rex’s heartbeat. A tear falls from my cheek and onto my boss’s hand.
“Don’t cry. Don’t be scared,” Mr. Rex tells me.
“I can’t help it.”
“I will not be killed.”
“How do you know that?” I ask.
My boss lifts my body up and looks me in the eye. He wipes the tears from my eyes and tells me, “I will not allow anyone to separate me from you.”
To be Concluded In “Exclusive.” The Final Installment In the “Hot Off The Press” Trilogy.