by Bill O. A
“I know your heart is still with the Catholic faith, you can fool the world but not me,” replied Azeem. “I will inform the coordinator of this update.”
“Okay, that is fine. So let me hear the other parts of the plan,” said Alhaji.
“Certainly. So the second part will be the adoption itself. A different team will handle this so the operation is kept a secret as much as possible. We then have the transfer to the south-east of the country. We plan to use a helicopter to prevent exposure in a public place like the airport. The chartered chopper will be from a fellow ‘customer’ in the south-west of the country. The final part will be the movement of the subject from the storage base in the south-east to the chief priest’s shrine inside the jungle, by another team as usual.”
“I see you have done your homework. I hope you will be incorporating our corrupt elements in the security forces. This plan cannot afford to fail. Imagine the public outcry if there is any discovery,” replied Alhaji.
“You can be rest assured that the most experienced people are being engaged as we speak.”
“Outstanding,” said Alhaji.
“You don’t need all these things Alhaji, please leave them in the hospital. We need to get you home before your wife starts wondering where you are. Aren’t you happy you are being discharged from the hospital?” Azeem was furious at his friend’s attitude.
“You better leave me alone and understand my motive. The doctor promised to discharge me at five p.m. and now it is almost seven p.m. I have things to do in the office,” replied Alhaji.
Azeem shook his head. He didn’t believe Alhaji was planning to go to the office at this time of the day.
“I am sure your staff would have closed for the day. Why will anyone be in your office at this time?” replied Azeem.
“I need to review some mails. I run a business and I have to make sure my management team is at their best. It would just be for a couple of hours; I will be done before midnight. Don’t worry about me. You can go home. I will be fine and remember I have security detail attached to me.”
“All right, I will call your wife to explain things to her,” replied Azeem, “but please make sure you get home.”
“Certainly, old friend,” said Alhaji, with a broad smile. “I am expecting the email on plan and scope of the matter discussed in the morning.”
“You don’t need to worry, I will pay for the job.”
“Now that is my friend talking.”
“I will tell the coordinator to send me all the details tonight. I will review and negotiate the price with him. Once an agreed fee is reached, I will give you all the whole details, most likely before Friday this week.”
“Excellent. Catch you later.”
“Guys, I understand Alhaji is in the office. He will certainly want an update on the three cargo shipments en route to Europe. I am going back to the office. Please inform all heads of department what is happening,” said the commercial manager. He terminated the phone call and began the long drive back to the central business area.
“I understand there were some delays in loading the cargo.”
“What happened? I am sure you have some rock-solid answer,” said Alhaji.
“There is no cause for alarm. The buyer has extended the letter of credit already, the banks have confirmed this. We are in good standing,” replied the commercial manager.
“Please, let me have a look at the amended copy,” said Alhaji.
“Here you go sir, straight from their bankers and verified by ours.”
“This is okay. How many days do we have before the cargoes reach their destinations?”
“Four more days,” replied the commercial manager. “As you can see, it agrees with the letter of credit. Our bankers are excited and have presented interesting investment packages for the company. This is obviously based on the length of our service and the quality of transactions we present them,” continued the commercial manager.
“You don’t need to worry about that. I am expecting something to start operations with this OPL thing. Once the new license is issued, we can be guaranteed of increased cash flow once the wells are set and more exporting begins. We have to diversify our funds, I am looking at agriculture. I need the research department to develop a five-billion-dollar investment plan for me. I am sure the returns would be worthwhile and the problem of shortages and unsteady prices of basic food items will be controlled. Let the public and media teams present a good image for us on that front.”
“You are wonderful sir,” replied the commercial manager. “I will inform the management team of your plans but, as usual, you will need to call a meeting so that all the required departments can be informed officially.”
“There is no time for that. I will just send you a mail and you can forward to all,” replied Alhaji.
“Well understood sir, I will work on the plan immediately and kick start the entire process.”
“That is good, you can go home now. I have a video conference with a very important person in London, have a nice night rest.”
“Goodnight sir,” said the commercial manager as he left the presence of his boss, and headed home.
Chapter 20
Silicon Valley en route to Berkeley, California
3rd July 2015, 8:26 a.m.
“Dad, you have to use the car’s GPS, it is the safest thing to do not to lose time and direction.”
“Be quiet, Kenny,” replied Bode. “These electronic maps are not reliable. Just stick to the paper map okay? It never fails.”
“I got you Dad, but you almost left the I-880N, and both the electronic and paper maps agrees to this being the shortest distance.”
“You better not piss me off boy. I let go of my personal meetings to be with you and now this crap.”
“Whatever. It is forty-five minutes more with this route to Berkeley. We will just miss the opening at this rate,” replied Kenny.
“Sandra, please put that brown cloth over the table in the corner of the hall. I will put the first-generation computers there for prospective students to view when I start my speech. I have fifteen minutes to sell the department to them,” said Mr Gates. He had been a professor at the University of California Berkeley for close to eighteen years. He had always loved computer science, and here he was a renowned teacher in his field.
“Dad, you know I am no longer a child to keep going to this yearly event with you. I’m all grown up and can decide what I want to do with my time.”
Sandra was unhappy with her father for dragging her along to assist him in preparing his department for the Open House hosted by the University. From her point of view, she felt he could have chosen any of his postgraduate students to help him but no, she must be his tool to a grand department’s contribution to the all-purpose driven event.
She laid the cloth on the table and started placing the plastic chairs in order.
“You are doing fine, girl. I am always pleased with the way you handle things,” said Mr Gates.
Sandra just kept working and ignored her dad.
“Hey son look, the opening ceremony is still on. I knew we would catch up.”
“Great Dad, let’s join them,” replied Kenny. He was excited; he had a secret plan to visit the soccer team later in the day.
“So, are there any questions about the faculties?” Jane Pitts had anchored open houses for six years now; she had heard all types of questions.
“I have one,” shouted a man from the back of the crowd.
“Please go ahead,” replied Jane.
“I need to know if Pieter Abbeel still heads Robotics and Machine Learning. My son is crazy about computer science.”
“Yes, he still does,” replied Jane.
“That reminds me, Kenny, you will need to take a few courses in computer science. The world is fast becoming technology advanced; you must be able to blend in. Those courses will help prepare you for future changes in the business world.”
“I agree, Dad. You a
re correct.”
“Ladies, gentlemen and our potential students, the Open House has officially begun. You will find directions to any part of the University you would like to visit on the wall. There are staff with green T-shirts and ‘Ask Me’ labels on them. Just walk up to any and ask your questions, they will be happy to help you.”
“Dad, the College of Engineering is this way. The signs can’t be wrong.”
“Okay, let’s try it your way this time around.”
“Now you are talking Dad.”
“Could you have a look at the middle page of the Open House booklet? This university has several outstanding records. We have the discovery of vitamins E and K, works on the atomic bomb, development of the flu vaccine and even the mixture of gases for deep-sea diving.”
“I know you will fancy that Dad.”
“Let me have a look. Do pass the booklet, please,” said Bode. “You are right boy, A lot of interesting discoveries. You are certainly going to attend this university.”
Kenny grinned. “Here we are Dad, College of Engineering.”
“You are a good boy. Let’s step into the hall for their event.”
“You are welcome to the Faculty of Engineering. I am Phil Lee and I am representing the Department of Mechanical Engineering. You can come to the starting point over here. We will begin the presentations in ten minutes.”
“I don’t know what to say,” said Bode, “but you are the man we are looking for. You see, my son is interested in Mechanical Engineering and we want to know everything there is to know.”
“I see,” replied Phil. “But all departments are having their events today, and we will be taking turns. Mine is sixth on the list, so it wouldn’t be too long before I address the gathering. You can ask your questions after that.”
“That sounds fine, we will wait and attend the sessions till it gets to you,” replied Bode. “Okay son, let’s see what the department of Material Science and Engineering is talking about. You know no knowledge is wasted.”
Kenny shook his head at his father’s comment; he was in for some encounter.
“You can start sharing the booklets Sandra, the number of guests is increasing.”
“Sure Dad, anything you say.”
“Please, one booklet per family. We want to make sure it goes around.”
“Here madam, you and your daughter can share this,” said Sandra.
“Thank you dear, this will be just fine.”
“The first time the words personal computer were mentioned, was the year 1962, in a November third edition of the New York Times,” said Mr Gates.
He was excited to have captured the attention of the Department’s guest. He refrained from being called a professor; he went with his full name, Mr Ralph Gates, most preferably Mr Gates.
“These words were not fully accepted until the seventies when the ‘1977 trinity’ occurred. Three pre-assembled small computers were available for purchase in the markets. The Apple II, PET 2001 and the TRS-80. By 1979, close to half a million personal computers were sold, and the younger generation cherished this new phenomenon. From then on, the PC has evolved to what we know today. If you look at the monitor, I can show you the changes that occurred in history. Just give me a minute, let me get the remote control for the projector.”
“Sandra, the batteries are down. Please fetch me the replacement batteries from my office. You will find them in the second drawer of my desk.”
“Of course, Dad. I will be quick about it.”
Five minutes later, Sandra was on her way back with some new batteries; she was just two minutes away from her father’s presentations.
“Are you satisfied now, son? All you have to do is get a high score in your entrance exams and we are all set.”
“Relax Dad, I don’t take you for sucker. Let us visit other universities and then compare.”
“Listen son, any of those four universities I chose is fine, but you need to make up your mind so that we can all plan accordingly.”
“I know Dad, but Mum said we should be thorough.”
“We will discuss this in more detail when we return to Silicon Valley. In the meantime, let’s visit the Computer Science Department. I want to know what likely courses you would like to attend.”
“Look Dad, it’s the Art Practice Department.”
“I thought you were interested in Law? Where did this fantasy come from?”
“Let’s have a look, Dad. Don’t you want to know how American movies are made?”
Bode looked at his watch. “In a space of six minutes you are suddenly in a vacation mood. You need to set your priorities right and not want any of this.”
The duo walked right past the entrance to the Art Practice Department. A few steps further Bode halted his steps.
“Son, I want you to see this.”
Kenny moved into a position where he could see what his father was looking at.
“Do you know what painting this is?” Bode asked his son.
“No Dad, not the slightest idea.”
“This is a copy of the Vitruvian man painted by Leonardo da Vinci himself around 1490, it is one of the most revered paintings in the world. The original is in Venice, Italy and kept with Gabinetto dei disegni e stampe of the Gallerie dell’Accademia. You see, da Vinci was a man widely known for his interest and works on invention, painting, sculpting and architecture. The list goes on. Other famous paintings of his are the Mona Lisa and Salvator Mundi, but it is agreed amongst his fans and critics alike that the Mona Lisa is the most famous of all his paintings.”
“I am going to Google this guy. I need to know everything about him,” said Kenny.
Bode laughed and touched his son to follow him.
“Come on, Dad. Let me ask the girl coming. She might know the exact entrance to the event by the Department of Computer Science.”
“Be careful son. She seems careless, walking, throwing and catching a set of batteries into the air.”
Kenny had surely had his fill with his dad for one day.
“Hello. Please, we are looking for the entrance to the event by the Department of Computer Science,” said Kenny. He was waiting for an answer, but none seemed to be coming. His father noticed the silence and came over to them; the girl looked stunned as if she had seen a ghost.
Sandra stared in disbelief. She wasn’t sure if she was dreaming; right in front of her, the young man who had asked for directions was the ghost man everyone had been looking for.
Chapter 21
All Areas, California
3rd July 2015, 12:15 p.m.
“I want all agents in the safe house changed.”
Jack couldn’t believe agents at the house were nonchalant about security; he had returned from a walk and found the agents at the front door playing cards. Alfred tried persuading his boss that his men would change but it wasn’t working.
“I need the eight-man team changed within two days.” Jack was talking to Alfred. “You can contact Washington if getting replacements is going to be an issue.”
Such insouciance, Jack was still surprised at the level of professionalism displayed by Alfred’s men in the current situation.
“You can be rest assured sir that the agents will be changed and their approach towards this assignment will improve in the meantime.”
“That’s okay,” replied Jack.
“Please call Brad in. I need to know what is happening with the Bureau of Consular Affairs.”
“I will do that right away sir,” replied Alfred.
“I think you should have gone with your friend to the Open House.”
“Dad, these events become boring when you have been there umpteenth times.”
Amy had other plans for the day; she didn’t want an event which she attended with Sandra ever since they were nine years old to affect her schedule for the day.
“But you used to like going,” said Donald,
“Dad, can we just drop it? I have other activities today, okay?
”
“Fine by me,” replied Donald. “Please don’t bring trouble home. I always like Sandra by your side anytime you go out. She has been a trusted friend to you.”
“Thank you, Dad, but I will do just fine. See you all when I get back.”
“Please tell your mother where you are going. If you wouldn’t tell me, at least tell Jessica okay?”
“You win Dad, I will do as you wish.”
Sandra knew she had to wake up. The shock of seeing the ghost man was totally unexpected.
“You are right where you should be,” said Sandra.
She was trying her topmost best to remain calm and think decisively of her next moves. She just kept remembering George’s statement during one of his visits.
“If any of you accidentally see the ghost man, don’t be scared. Remain composed and think of the best way to get him to the house. You just have to cook up something that will fit with the situation. If you are too overwhelmed when you see him, don’t lose him. Get his address, or anything that can link us to him. Just don’t lose him.”
This was what George had said and the words that kept on resonating in Sandra’s mind.
“This door leads to the Department’s event. It kind of hard to locate but with the usual guides around, everyone should be fine.”
“Well thank you, young lady,” replied Bode. “We will just let ourselves in.”
“Don’t worry sir. I have been assisting my father do this stuff ever since I knew my ABCs. Just follow me okay?”
“Oh, thank you. We are most grateful,” replied Kenny.
“Wonderful event Professor Gates, I am really thrilled to have attended the sessions,” said Bode.