“How about six billion dollars?” said Ted.
Martin whistled low and looked around to make sure no one else was listening. He stood up and took Ted by the shoulder.
“Let’s take a drive, Ted,” he said.
Ted dropped a ten on the table, and they went outside. It was just getting dark, and the sky was filled with clouds. It looked as though it might rain.
Guiding Ted to his Mercedes, they got in and Martin started the car. He pressed two buttons that were inconspicuously positioned on his armrest. A mild hum started, and a sound like rain filled the cabin. As he drove off, he looked at the inset screen on his dash. A series of green lights blinked rapidly and then settled down.
“OK, we’re secure,” said Martin.
Ted looked a bit puzzled, so Martin explained.
“I had this installed in the Benz after last quarter when I found out that my conversations were being tapped by some foreign competitors, who were using laser-beam vibrational tech to listen to me as I was driving,” said Martin.
He pointed to the dash monitor.
“This system counteracts four different types of surveillance devices, and three kinds of procedures,” he said. “The lights indicate when it’s safe to converse. Kind of like the ‘Cone of Silence’ from the old television spy shows. When these are green, nothing can listen in on us. I had a couple of different spooks look it over. They told me this is NSA certified for confidentiality. Now, then…”
“Wow!” exclaimed Ted. “This is really something. I assume you had it installed at company expense?”
“After some consultation with legal and Dave, our CPA, it was deemed not only necessary, but tax-deductible,” said Martin. “You remember Beijing and the follow-up from last year don’t you? They were able to keep one step ahead of us on the DORCAN contract because they were lasing us. The way it works is that they will have four semi-tractor trucks in a convoy spaced around the target car. One of these rigs always is lasing the windows on the target. As they move past, to give the illusion that they are just random traffic, they hand off communications to another truck. The information is beamed via microwave to another vehicle, usually miles away, for collection and analysis. We lost the DORCAN contract because of a 2% under-bid by Reighland Corp, and I found out later it was because they had heard me discussing the details with Robert and Stan one afternoon about two weeks before final bid.”
“Those fuckers!” shouted Ted. He was seething, which was something relatively unusual for him. “Can we prove anything? Is it actionable?”
“No, not really,” said Martin.
“But,” he continued, “there is a contingent clause in our initial contract for the feasibility study we did that says we are the fall-back contractor if the principal has any issues with delivery or product quality. I don’t know how our legal got that in there, but I was assured that DORCAN lawyers approved it. Inside info, I received from a couple other vectors tell me that Reighland is going to outsource this project. They will use foreign national coders, and once that becomes evident, the contract is null and void. DORCAN is defense, and DIACAP will rule. Bye bye, Reighland.”
“Why didn’t this surface sooner?” asked Ted. “It seems obvious that they can’t get this bid done with foreign nationals doing the work?”
“They lied,” Martin said. “It’s going to bite them in the ass, hard, within a few months, and we will end up with the business anyway. But, I won’t get caught with my pants down again!”
The Mercedes drove along the highway, the ocean on one side, and the vast mountainous forests on the other. It was comfortable and smooth, traveling across the terrain like a mechanical panther.
The sky had decided it wanted to rain, after all, and big drops began to splatter on the windscreen. The Mercedes wipers automatically came on, clearing the view for Martin. The car purred with the pure puissant power of its meticulous German V12 engine. It hugged the curves and wet road so tightly Ted felt the car was on rails.
“This is a really nice car, Martin. I have always loved it,” he said.
They rode in silence for a while, the rain sporadically increasing and decreasing. Martin had the look on his face he got that Ted knew meant he was deep in thought. He knew when Martin was like that it was best to let him be the one to begin the next part of the conversation. Ted fiddled with his cell phone, waiting for his friend.
He noticed Sarah had sent him a picture of her sticking a finger in herself, her labia spread wide. The accompanying text message said “Thinking of you!”
Ted hadn’t ever dreamed of how technology would change the way people related so drastically. Sarah seemed prim and proper, came from a moneyed family, and had loads of class. In public, she rarely swore and people felt she was such a lovely woman. She kept up traditional role model appearances for the sake of business, but her workers respected her for her leadership ability and empathy. Sarah had never had any of her employees quit, but she had fired a few. Even then, the partings were usually amicable, as the departing personnel simply were not up to the task, often through no fault of their own.
One time, she did have a terrible time with one woman who called her a ‘bitch’ as she was leaving. But, it fizzled out quickly and things settled back to normal.
So, when Ted saw these intimate snapshots from her, he could only shake his head in wonder at how this refined woman thought so much of him to send him little reminders of her love for him. He knew he was lucky, and thanked the gods every day for sending her to him.
Ted was about to reply with a sexy one-liner when Martin decided to finally speak.
“So, Brett is going to get six billion dollars for his baby?” Martin continued.
“Yes,” said Ted.
Regarding Brett and his success, Ted was concerned on an entirely different level for his son. Ted was not a stupid man, and even in his life he had amassed millions. But this sudden wealth was several orders of magnitude different.
He had no experience to offer Brett. His own life held nothing comparable on which he could draw. Ted felt frustrated by his inability to do something. As was his nature, he wanted to just grab the problem by the throat and lunge ahead. He had been too impulsive in the past, so he knew now he must carefully listen to Martin, so he would best be able to help Brett.
“Well, Old Son, I would say you have a bit of a pickle,” said Martin.
Ted stared at Martin and then laughed. Martin’s grim smile caught him short.
“Martin, my good friend, I have never seen you look this worried in all our time together,” he said.
“Ted, this is bigger than you know,” Martin replied cryptically.
“What do you mean?” asked Ted.
“I did a little checking in earlier today, on just who was interested in ‘Pecker.’ Do you know who made the deal with Brett?” said Martin.
“Yeah, some guy named Erskine, who represented a VC firm called Northland Holdings,” said Ted.
“Did you go any further back than that?” asked Martin. Ted shook his head to indicate he did not check.
“Northland is a shell company that is held by another shell company. That company is a subsidiary of a division of a large defense contracting firm that specializes in construction software” Martin said evenly.
Ted turned a bit pale.
“Reighland.”
Martin nodded.
“I wonder why they are so interested in a company like ‘Pecker,’ Ted. I really do,” he said. “And I wonder why it’s worth six billion dollars to them to put us out of business.”
The Mercedes continued along the beach highway, with both men lost in their thoughts.
Chapter Nine
Brett couldn’t understand exactly what had happened, but his protective instincts for Kady had kicked in and he was on full alert.
After the brawl at the restaurant, the Brett and Kady were rapidly escorted to a waiting limousine. In all the excitement, they had been s
wept away into the warm and comforting interior of one of the most elegant cabins in any car they had seen. The giant black limousine, it windows tinted in the darkest shade imaginable, cruised on into the night. Brett and Kady sat in the luxurious cabin, surrounded by luxury that dazzled their senses. Large flat screen monitors gave updates in real-time of the exterior of the limo, combined with a GPS map overlay, and news feeds. A stock ticker snaked slowly across the bottom.
Another monitor had a menu for selecting drinks and snacks. Kady, who was still feeling a bit unnerved, clicked on the picture of a Tequila Sunrise and giggled. There was a beeping noise, and a tray extended from a small cabinet in front of her. On it was a perfectly made drink, in a cold glass, with ice and salt on the rim.
“I can drink in here, can’t I?” she asked Brett, seriously.
At nineteen, she was still not of age for legally drinking alcohol in the state, although her parents had not denied her the occasional glass of wine or champagne at family celebrations.
“Yeah, why not?” said Brett.
“You deserve it after that ruckus at the restaurant. Get me a beer, too, then,” he said.
“What kind of beer?” asked Kady.
“Surprise me,” he said.
She pressed the touchscreen, and a moment later a bottle of Guinness stout and an empty glass came smoothly rolling out on another tray, this time on Brett’s side of the cabin.
“That’s pretty amazing,” said Brett.
He poured the Guinness into the glass, and then set the empty bottle on the tray. It instantly disappeared. There was a small clink noise, and the tray came out again, this time with a bowl of mixed nuts, and another bowl of chips and salsa.
They looked at each other, and both burst out laughing.
“That’s fucking incredible,” said Kady.
She sipped at her drink, suddenly really cognizant of the fact that she and Brett were alone, and she was still very aroused. She shifted position to better look at his body, with its rippling muscles barely hidden beneath his wet shirt. His erection was evident, and she took her right index finger and began to trace it.
At first, Brett was going to object, but he decided that he was going to stay in the moment for a while. He leaned back, allowing Kady access to his groin as he spread lazily on the limo seats.
The seats were real leather, and the interior of the car smelled delicious. There must have been some kind of aerosol emitter that refreshed the cabin, or maybe an ionizer in the air conditioning. All he knew was that it smelled fresh and clean, and he could now smell Kady’s scent.
She moved closer to him, snuggling up against his body, her mouth sipping prettily at the cold glass. She finished her drink without a word and set it down on her tray. With a small noise, the glass disappeared. The plate came back out with a selection of smoking materials, all neatly arranged. There were even marijuana cigarettes, and a triple-flame butane Colibri lighter.
Brett and Kady were now firmly aware of their feelings for the other. Brett again felt a wave of needing to protect her, and so he asked the driver where they were going.
“Yes sir,” said the Driver. “Is there anything you require?”
“Where are we going?” asked Brett.
“My instructions are to deliver you to a mansion near here. The exact address is 100 Ocean Drive. I believe it is the property of a Mr. Walter Reighland,” said the driver.
“I don’t know him,” said Brett. “Take us back to the city; I can pay you whatever the fare difference will be.”
“I was also instructed to tell you that Mr. Reighland is most interested in meeting his new business partner, the President and CEO of ‘Pecker.’ You are invited to meet him at an exclusive event, but if this is not a convenient time, then he will reschedule to accommodate your needs,” said the Driver.
Brett thought for a minute, which was not easy with Kady stroking his boner through his jeans. He didn’t want her to stop because it felt fantastic. He could tell she was a bit scared, but also excited by this new development. He gently moved her hand from him and gave her a brief hug and a smile.
“Wait,” he said.
Kady gave him her best pout and arched back in the leather seats. Her nipples were outlined tightly against her blouse, and Brett could see that underneath her skirt she wasn’t wearing underwear. She naughtily uncrossed her legs, giving him a flash of her smooth skin. Then she crossed them, pretending to be interested in the car’s gadgets.
After a few more minutes of conversing with the driver over the private intercom, Brett made a decision.
“OK, Driver,” he said. “How long until we get there?”
“About ninety minutes, sir,” the Driver replied. “Unless you require more time?”
Looking at Kady, who was now staring hungrily at him, Brett replied.
“We just might, at that,” he said as he lunged for her.
Chapter Ten
Ted and Martin traded ideas on the drive back to the watering hole, but neither had any real knowledge that would shine the light on the big problem as to why Reighland was so intent on acquiring ‘Pecker’. The only common element they could identify was Brett.
Ted agreed to discuss the situation with Brett and then bring in the Ghent, Inc. attorneys to see what might be their necessary legal defenses or actions that would protect them from conflicts of interest, or other issues. Martin agreed to get back to Ted, and that he would handle setting up whatever meetings would have to be conducted.
They took their leave of each other, and Ted drove back to his home. As he pulled into the drive, he thought about calling Brett to see if he would be available in the morning for a meeting with Martin and the lawyers.
Ted dialed Brett’s ‘Pecker’ business number. The call went through to the answering service, and they sent him through to Brett’s voicemail. Ted left a message to call him as soon as possible.
Then, Ted tried calling Brett directly; it also went straight to voicemail. He left another message, thinking to add ‘urgent’ at the last second, to make sure Brett knew the call was vital.
Ted walked into the foyer of his house, which was quite spectacular in its own right. At one time, it had been featured on the cover of “Architectural Digest”, when its Hollywood star owner had first bought it. Later money troubles forced a sale at vastly reduced prices, which is when Ghent, Inc. purchased it for the company. Ted and Sarah had moved in, renting their prior houses out to young couples. Sarah had told Ted just how much she now loved the home, as it was their first real evidence of commitment.
When Ted walked into the kitchen, he found Sarah sitting at the table, reading some emails from her architectural firm on her tablet and sipping on a glass of rose wine.
He walked up behind her, quietly and gently grasped her by the shoulders. She looked up and smiled, and they kissed warmly.
“Hi, beautiful!” he said.
“Am I ever glad you finally got home!” exclaimed Sarah.
“Now why is that?” he said, smiling evilly at her. He moved his mouth to her neck, and gently kissed and nibbled on her while moving to cup her breasts.
Sarah was only wearing a light robe, with nothing underneath. Her nipples hardened, and Ted could smell her moistness. He moved a hand between her legs, feeling how wet she was. She lifted her hand to his mouth, and he sucked on her fingers, tasting her juices. Apparently, she had not waited for him to get started.
Moaning, she shifted position to allow him a better angle, and his fingers moved in and out of her warmth. Gasping, she tried to speak.
“Oh! Oh! Don’t forget…” she said, in between kisses and his thrusting hand motions, “we are supposed to go to that event…tonite…it’s…Oh! Oh, God! Don’t stop!”
She reached up to Ted’s belt and fumbled it open. Still panting with lust and the onset of her climax, she pulled his trousers down into a loose pile on the kitchen floor. She pushed him around so that he was now sitting on the table
.
Ted’s massive erection pointed out from his body, twitching at her face. Sarah grabbed it in her fist, then gently caressed his testicles. A drop of pre-cum oozed out of the tip and started to drip down his shaft.
Sarah bent her head over him, and he felt her hot breath on the head of his cock. He felt her tongue flick it and groaned. She moved her fist up and down, squeezing hard, to extract his juice. As each clear drop formed, she would lick it like an ice cream cone, swallowing the sweet nectar. It was driving him mad.
He moved into a more comfortable position, and reached down to tweak her nipples. She groaned as his fingers found the tips of her breasts, sliding around on them, and then into her mouth. Her saliva made them slick and she reveled in the feel of his hands kneading her orbs.
“Pinch me!” she cried out.
Ted took her left nipple in his right hand, gripping the pink nub firmly and tugging on it. His left hand was stroking Sarah’s neck, playing with her hair. Her tongue lapped again and again on his erection, and the veins and blood pulsed all along its length.
He pulled her nipple, forcing her to move closer to him. She made a noise deep in her throat, and her eyes rolled as she leaned back from him. Her nipple stretched and stretched, and he feared he might hurt her. Instead, she used her own fingers to pinch even harder, using her nails. She came then, bucking and crying out with the force of her orgasm.
Her thighs became drenched with her juices, and she grabbed Ted’s buttocks with both hands and shoved his huge member deep down her throat. Gagging, she dove again and again, her mouth filling with him as she tried to choke on it.
She looked up at him, her eyes frantic and the lust grabbing full hold of her now.
“Push it all in! Like you do! Please! I’m begging you, darling! Skull-fuck me hard!” she exclaimed.
Ted grabbed her by the sides of her head, and he mashed her mouth down over his immense prick. It seemed as though not all of it would fit, and Sarah was on the verge of gagging when he pushed her head down and his cock went around the curve of her throat and plunged deep into her.
Billionaire Stepbrother - Addiction: The Complete Series Page 6