The Corporate Raider

I had a sit-down with an old friend, and it inspired the thoughts that later gelled into this little blurb of writing. I may not agree with it, in whole or part, but it inspired some neurons to move about.

"Mongol, the structure in America has changed from the ideals. Ignore the patriotic rhetoric, we're in an Oligarchy now. We have generational families of politicians. We have mega-corporations, who pass the power internally or along family lines. THOSE are the new royalty."

I sat my drink down and considered his words. "Could you expand that please?"

"We have, from one of the most backward states in the union, a sixth-generation politician, who after being governor of his state, became a congressman. He's the second in his family to be governor, first to be a senator. His grandfather was a politician, and a business mogul. His father was the same. Each first-born child in that family is groomed for succession... if they can't achieve the necessary steps to hit the planned goals, they manufacture them. Consistently."

"Unfortunately, the senator didn't have a son... he's got a daughter. She was an awful student, her true grades reflect that, but were hushed up. She got into college on false credentials, because her father is on that universities board of governors, and she was handed a diploma in... nobody knows. Her grades were consistently failing, but 'somehow,' she got a diploma. Since that state has a rather backwards distaste for female politicians, no matter their merits, her father planned things differently for her..."

"Her father got her a job in a then in-state pharmaceutical company... one of the medium sized ones... that was at that time, a bit lacking in leadership. She started there making labels for files. In a few years, thanks to political influence, she was the CEO... and she was a puppet. For her father, and certain special interests."

"That company, which was the only physical industry in that town and a lynchpin in their economy, was under her 'leadership,' gutted, sold, and moved away to foreign countries."

"Along the way, her father, the senator, profited untold riches, she herself netted at least eighteen million in a 'golden parachute' deal, and there was plenty of scandals to go around."

"Because of the scandals, the daughter had too much of a spotlight, so she wasn't of much use to her father anymore... she's in 'retirement,'... while her father has announced that he's considering a run for presidency."

"Much of that was planned. It wasn't the initial plan... that started with a first-born son being born, inheriting the sword from his father, and him becoming president. Still, the backup plans worked well, power was gathered, reputations were protected, hush contracts were used, and now some truly reprehensible people continue to move about the halls of power."

"Understand, if you deal with these people, they use the law to their advantage. They have people sign NDA's (Non-Disclosure Agreements) that are life-destroying, they restrict peoples actions, and they are liberal with the punishment... especially long-term. They USE the law to break people to their will."

He then took a drink, looking thoughtful, and considered his words.

"I know I sound like a conspiracy theorist, but this is a consistent thing now. If you even want a date, or in some cases, to talk to a scion, you have to go through certain procedures and be vetted. Then you sign contracts. Randomness is eliminated."

"Everything is planned. With backup plans. Backups for the backups. Chance is only allowed in competition, and in that is our last hope, if things don't change."

We talked a bit more, on this and other subjects, and our meeting ended positively.

But it was thought provoking.

________________________________________

I sat there, awaiting my fiancée.

She was the best thing to ever happen to me, and in another three months, we were going to be before the altar, and a huge audience, to be married.

I don't know how I snagged her. She was trifecta of amazing: rich, intelligent, and drop-dead gorgeous. She had two degrees, economics and business management. Her father owned the company she worked at, and they were very successful. She'd been a state-level beauty pageant winner.

She was going to be my wife!

I didn't care much about the money she had. She didn't have to work, let alone accomplish all the things she had. She'd done that because she had a fierce amount of drive. She was extremely goal oriented. She had her life mapped out for the next 20 years.

We'd met at a university function. I was just given tenure, and was second chair in the Business school, which was something since I was only thirty-six. I was probably going to be second chair for another fifteen years, but that was okay. I'd made my parents, both teachers themselves, incredibly proud.

Beverly had simply walked up to me after all the hubbub was over, I'd had my promotion and position announced, and introduced herself. It was strange, I consider myself mostly average in looks, unremarkable physically, but I have to say that I'm pretty smart. I was one of the youngest in my field to get my doctorate, and I had early on started a "side-business" in which I was available for consultation. I charged a hefty penny to those who could afford it, and mostly gave my advice for free to hopeful people doing startups.

Beverly walked up, extended her hand while holding a drink in the other and simply said "I'm Beverly Madison, pleased to meet you."

"Hello!" I said as we shook. "Mark Hofer, delighted to make your acquaintance. I take it you're the Ms. Madison of Madison Tech?"

"I am." She said, a little pleased to be recognized. "This is my personal assistant, Maddie Schweibel." She gestured to a smaller woman who was behind her slightly and to the side. The woman smiled at me and gave a slight nod with a finger-wave.

That introduction and short conversation led to me making an offer to be available for consultation, which she had conversationally led me to.

The first consult call happened a month later, which happened in a meeting room at one of MadTechs office buildings, with four other people. They were trying to plot out some projections, and I was familiar with what they were looking for.

That led to the second, and then the third consultation.

The third consultation led to Beverly and myself getting dinner on her expense account.

That dinner led to another dinner, without a consult in front of it.

Then I was asked to a two day tech show with her, of which she was treated like royalty, and I followed along happily. In the evenings, there was an early dinner, a visit to a museum, dancing, and real affection on our part toward each other. The only damper was her entourage, which goes everywhere with her.

Then we started going to dinner and doing things without her entourage, and things got interesting.

After a year, and much prodding on her part, I asked her to marry me, and unbelievably, she'd said yes (she knew it was coming, it was obviously her idea, she just let me think it was mine. She's cute like that, in a vicious CEO kind of way).

So here I sat, in the Micheline Star winning restaurant, awaiting the sight of her point security man Geoff, who would then give an all-clear and my bride-to-be would appear.

Five minutes before eight, I saw Geoff near the entrance, he gave me a nod and I smiled back at him. He scanned the room, I could see his lips move slightly, then he went and had a conversation with the manager.

At exactly eight, Beverly walked in. She was in her light tan pantsuit, with the white silk blouse. Her hair was done up high, she wore minimal jewelry, her makeup was tasteful, and she'd worn the two-inch heels that she favored.

Her entourage followed right behind her. Maddie gave me a big smile and small wave as she followed in Beverly's wake. The man and woman team of her security detail peeled off halfway to our table, and sat at their own, a respectful distance away. I didn't know who the other gentleman following behind Beverly was, he must be new.

As expected, Maddie sat at the table near us, within Beverly's casual speaking distance. What I didn't expect was the new gentleman followed Beverly to our table. I stood to hold Beverly's chair, but I noticed the new security man had also started to reach for her chair, presumably to do the same thing. I flashed him a smile, and he looked at me, without the usual stoic but polite expression I'm used to seeing, he actually looked slightly embarrassed.

"Hello dear." Beverly said, sending me an air kiss over her shoulder as I slid the chair under her.

"Hello gorgeous." I said in return, moving to my seat.

That's when the manager set the extra chair at our table. This was odd, as generally only Beverly and I sat at our table.

The new security man moved to the chair, gave a nod while saying "Thank you." to the manager, and sat down with us.

"Hello." I said, extending my hand to the man who towered over me and had at least eighty pounds of muscle mass on me.

"Hi." He said in return, shaking my hand. "I'm Mikael Johnson."

"Mark Hofer. Pleased to meet you."

"Hon, Mikael will be joining us tonight, I wanted you to meet him. He's going to be involved in our future." Beverly explained to me.

"Oh?" I looked a hopeful question at Mikael.

Mikael just smiled politely, and again, looked embarrassed.

"I've also brought the first draft of our pre-nuptial agreement." She explained, holding out her hand toward Maddie, who dutifully laid a near quarter-ream of paper into it.

I ogled the stack of papers she laid down on the side of the table near me. I knew we'd have to have a pre-nuptial agreement, but I'd never seen a legal document so massive. It was the size of an old-style phone book.

"It's mostly what we talked about, dealing with protection of the company and certain of my assets, notably the stock. When we separate, you won't be getting stock, or anything that could jeopardize the company." She explained, looking past me toward an assigned waiter to signal him it was time to approach.

"Okay..." I said, a little bewildered. "I'll have my lawyers look at it."

"Of course." She said, smiling at me, then looking at the waiter who approached her first at our table.

"But I also have something in there that we didn't discuss... a few things..." Beverly said, holding up her hand to the waiter, halting him from reciting the specials. "Part of it is where Mikael comes in."

I looked over at Mikael, who looked a tad uncomfortable.

Beverly made a "go ahead" gesture to the waiter, who then told us what the chef would prepare for us. At the end, Beverly ordered for herself, then me, and Mikael gave his order in a deep bass voice.

"What it generally pertains to,..." Beverly went on after the waiter left us. "... is the child we're going to have, its care, and what you get when it reaches age eighteen."

"Wait, what?" I asked.

"Pay attention, I'm telling you." Beverly gave me a small indulgent smile.

The patient and generally happy expression fell off my face, becoming one of concern. What I felt inside... why was I just now hearing anything like this? Shouldn't I have heard about this before... I mean, before I proposed, shouldn't I have known about this?

"You will raise the child, being primary caregiver, and seeing to all its needs, until legal adulthood. At which time, I'll take over. At that point we'll work up a new contract."

I'm certain I now had a frown on my face. This was so far from what I had envisioned... it was so cold.

"In the contract are the requirements for the child's nutrition, education, and physical activities at each stage of its life. I'm afraid those aren't negotiable." Beverly told me, looking a little apologetic. "You'll have to relocate when it gets into certain schools, but I'll be covering all the expenses, and it won't affect you financially."

"Wait." I said, holding up my palm to signal her to halt. This wasn't the Beverly I thought I knew. How?...

"The only issue may be your access to the child when it's on certain campuses." Beverly said, ignoring my gesture for her to wait. "We'll handle that as best possible, but you may have to live off-campus in one situation."

"Hold it." I said, a little more force in my voice. I was catching up to what I was being told, and I was feeling revulsion... so many ideas and hopeful plans were being torn down as I listened to this woman go on and on, unemotionally... Humans don't act like this.

"We do expect the child to start Harvard in it's seventeenth year, and we'll have arranged close to campus housing for you, the child and the staff." Beverly was still ignoring my entreaties.

"Stop." I said, leaning into the word. I rarely raised my voice, but this warranted it. No more being steamrolled, no more giving her her way. That was over. Beverly gets her way too often, and she may expect it, but that ends with me... now.

Beverly closed her mouth, and gave me a look of mild surprise. She wasn't used to hearing such a word.

"What are you talking about." I said, more than asked. I was pretty certain I had a framework of what I was hearing, but I wanted this woman to confirm it. Just so I could be clear.

"The child." Beverly said. "The baby we'll have next year, in May."

I knew Beverly scheduled everything, but this was ridiculous.

"Stop being a CEO, and talk to me as my fiancé." I said.

"It's in the contract." Beverly said, taking note of the waiter approaching with the wine. She wanted me to hear the truth she wanted me to sign on to, from someone else apparently. No, not acceptable. I needed to hear this from her.

I held out my hand to stop the waiter, who with a look of confusion, stopped a few feet away.

"No." I told Beverly. "Explain it."

Beverly, who wasn't used to that tone from anyone, and certainly not me, looked a little puzzled.

Mikael looked decidedly uncomfortable.

"It's the plan for the child." Beverly said, speaking a little slower and gesturing toward the contract. "It explains your responsibilities."

"Hold it. Stop right there." I said, not willing to ride this railroad. 'The child' was an incredibly cold way to describe what was once going to be our children.

Bev had a look of mild confusion cross her face.

"You have the plan already for our child." I stated.

"For the child you'll be raising." Beverly corrected.

"The child" I repeated. "Explain that first."

Now Beverly looked less than composed, which was a rarity.

"I will bear a child, and..."

"A child." I repeated, cutting her off. "A' child... implying not our child. My child." I gave her a narrowed eye look.

"Well... I admit, I was uncomfortable with explaining this part to you Mark." Beverly was slipping into executive mode now. Her bearing changed from relaxed, to more formal. I knew from past experience, this is where she hid when things got uncomfortable. "But essentially, yes. The child will not come from your genes."

I sat back, and regarded the woman. She looked back at me levelly. Coolly. Dispassionately.

"It's been decided that while you have the high level of intelligence we desire for the child, that intelligence is also dominantly an environmental factor, and your line doesn't have the physicality we want."

"Who is 'we?" I asked. I already knew, but as I'd said, I needed to hear it.

"My father, and myself." Beverly stated.

"So I'm supposed to raise a kid, that I didn't father?" I said, contempt in my voice.

Beverly just looked at me, some subtle play of emotion briefly covering her features.

"Mark,..." she softened her tone a bit, trying to appeal to me. I'd seen her do this before. It was a tactic. "... I have a plan. I love you dearly, but I want certain things for the child, things that you and your parents just don't physically have."

"Oh?" I asked, sitting back and crossing my arms.

"I want the child to be gifted academically, and athletically."

"Eugenics." I stated.

"Exactly." Beverly confirmed. "With a little scientific help."

"I'm not carrying good genes for that, in your opinion." I semi-asked.

"It's not an opinion." Beverly stated. "While your family, back through four generation all show remarkable intelligence, none of you have the size, or athletic ability we want for the child."

"You researched us back that far." I said.

"Further actually, but the records become increasingly incomplete going back into the 1800's." Beverly then signaled to the waiter to pour the wine.

"So you want me to raise a child, that I won't be fathering." I summed. "I'm responsible for raising it, educating it, its health, and generally everything, after you've assigned what you want done?"

"Essentially, yes." Beverly confirmed.

"No."

Beverly gave me a look of mild surprise. I'd used another word she wasn't used to hearing.

The look between us went on for several seconds. Mikael's eyes were moving from Beverly to me and back.

"Mark, let me explain..."

"Oh, there's more. Lovely." I said. Sarcasm goes right over Beverly's head, she doesn't get exposed to it much.

My eyes shifted to regard Mikael, I could anticipate where this was going. He was keeping his eyes on Beverly. He looked studious.

"I will get pregnant. It's important my lineage continues." Beverly explained. "We think we can guarantee a male, which is the hope. It's a simple tweak we can do after fertilization."

"Fertilization." I repeated. Beverly simply nodded.

"After I carry to term, you and your staff, will assume responsibility of the child. Don't worry, I'll still be around, but honestly, I don't care much for children."

I just sat there, my arms crossed. Mikael was looking at Beverly, concern on his face.

"We have a map of benchmarks the child is to achieve, as it ages. You'll be responsible for those. You'll have all the help you could need. Don't worry, no expense will be spared." Beverly assured me.

I made a rolling motion with my hand, prompting her to continue. I wanted it all. The whole story. Right now, I wanted to hear it all, this once, so I could burn whatever love I had for Beverly. Whatever was lingering in the corners of my soul, had to be burned in the rage I now felt for her.

"At the age of eighteen, I'll take over, along with my father, if he's still around. We're going to groom it for control of the business." Beverly told me, reaching for her wine.

Seeing I had no reaction, Beverly plunged ahead.

"At that point, if you and I still want to be married, we'll come up with a new contract. If we don't, the contact outlines your benefits and severance. It's a little generous, I admit." Beverly gave me a loving smile at this. "You'll get a bonus of eighteen million, one million per year of the childs life, on top of your yearly fees."

I raised an eyebrow. How fatalistic. She didn't even believe in 'being-together-forever' and planned for it. I hadn't been looking for a temporary position, I'd envisioned myself growing old with her... no longer.

"Of course, there's also penalties, for failure to follow the schedule, but I've allowed for variations in it." Beverly said. "You do have input here."

"I do, huh?"

"Well, yes. Of course." Beverly looked magnanimous now. "Your family are all careful planners, intelligent, and most importantly, you are all historically educators. You all know how to pass along information. That's a valuable skill, one which is often underestimated. I'd find it very desirable for the child to learn that."

I contemplated that angrily for maybe two seconds.

"Who's the father going to be?" I asked, a little gruffly. I had a nasty suspicion.

"Mikael will be the father." Beverly informed me, not looking at the aforementioned person sitting with us.