v22f June 21st, 2013 Copyright 2013 Hallett German Written by
Missing Owner? Corporate Intent Series Book#2 Abridged Version
.v22f June 21st, 2013 Copyright 2013 Hallett German Written by Hallett German Illustrated by Alessandra R. German This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Works by Author: Amazi Chronicles: Story #1: How I Overcame My Inventor’s Block Book #1: Automatons for Peace Corporate Intent Story #1: Missing Profits? Book #1: Missing Employees? Book #2: Missing Owner? Book #3 Missing Company? Olivia Plymouth, International Traveler and Fashion Consultant: Story #1: Joyous Travel with the Wrong Suitcase Book #1: Brazilian Quest Book #2: Misadventures in Boston Non-Series Books Combustible Networks: Year One Ghosts vs. Robots! Available on Smashwords, Amazon, Kobobooks and other e-book seller locations.
More details at https://sites.google.com/site/hallettgermanfiction/
Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1: Understaffed Chapter 2: An Unexpected Lead Chapter 3: First Steps Chapter 4: Brainstorming Session Chapter 5: Setback Chapter 6: Some Progress Chapter 7: What Happened to Judy? Chapter 8: Case Review Chapter 9: Strong Sense of Urgency Chapter 10: Unauthorized Access Chapter 11: Picnic and an Old Flame. Chapter 12: What Happened to Judy: Part 2? Chapter 13: Light Dawns on Marblehead Chapter 14: Closing In Chapter 15: A Helpful Detainment Chapter 16: Getting Evidence Chapter 17: Brotherly Meeting Chapter 18: Awakening Chapter 19: Last Gasp Chapter 20: Aftermath Chapter 21: Bonus Original Opening to Missing Owners?
Introduction Return to Table of Contents. Some corporations are real and some exist only in the mind. This is a story about the latter, presented both as a fantasy and a mystery. Nothing more than that. HG
Chapter 1: Understaffed Return to Table of Contents It was a wonderful summer day on the Many Miles River. The boats were steadily going up and down the river. The many beachgoers were enjoying the waves and the sun. And Judy Duty (yes that is her real name) was happily working in her executive office on a cliff overlooking the river. She worked as CEO of the Dysfunctional Corporation Research Institute (DCRI). The Institute’s purpose was to investigate those companies that endangered public welfare. This was allowed under the Harmful Corporation Elimination Act which permitted non-governmental investigations of suspected companies without punitive recourse. This was sorely needed since Earth had become a battleground of galactic conglomerates fighting with each other and encroaching on worker and customer rights. It had been three short years since successfully investigating Inscrutable Consulting (see Book #1 Missing Employees) in which Judy and the Institute were personally and professionally tested. But at the end she had gained a new employee, Warica Arcane, whose brothers had ironically run Inscrutable Consulting (IC). It also let the world know that DCRI would go to great lengths to serve the public interest through unrelenting investigations. Two key employees of DCRI were now on maternity leave. This included Warica (COO and business partner) who was taking time to raise her son Victor (named after her mother Victoria). Fellow DCRI employee Johnny Lemay was her devoted husband and actively shared in childrearing duties. Laura Garfield, the head of research, was the other key employee on maternity leave. She was expecting a baby any day now along with the anxious father Prince Bobby Tychato from the small kingdom of Mirwint on Jupiter’s satellite Themisto. Judy was smiling because things were once again like the old days when she reigned supreme, before Warica came aboard as partner. It was all up to her to decide on the next targets. This decisive moment was both thrilling and scary. She was now between two candidates: a company whose
employees were no longer abiding by building codes resulting in hazardous structures, or chasing TSZ Laboratories where something was terribly off. It was too important not to do both. She decided then to turn over the building company to Lisa and her “rising star” team, giving them an exciting challenge. She would save the more enigmatic TSZ Laboratories for herself and the “established star” team. She sent an encrypted note off to Lisa with the details on the building company. Now she could put all of her focus on TSZ Labs. Judy reviewed all of the information she had on TSZ Labs. This New England company had 200 employees and developed products with the slogan of “homes of the future today.” They were a private firm founded by the inventor Dr. Drake Bierson. There were once rumors that they were going either public or merging with a private company. But such a thing never came to fruition. The Laboratories were quite profitable for a long time and were very active in the neighboring community. Things changed slowly at first, then more rapidly. Dr. Bierson was no longer seen in public for months. The number of new products then declined. And the participation and funding in the community came to a standstill. Some anonymous notes indicated that the company had undergone massive change, but there were no clues as to the details. As Judy was reading this, a bullet came through the window inches from her head. A few seconds later, a brick was thrown through another window containing an anonymous note in red letters saying: STAY AWAY FROM MY LABS. No further malicious activity took place after that. The police came later that day and showed Judy that the shooter had climbed a 30-foot tree to get a shot at her. They probably had meant only to scare her, not kill her. The brick was thrown by someone that was much closer to her. So, there were at least two people involved. There was something familiar about the phrase ‘My Labs’ in the anonymous note. As Judy recovered from the shock drinking her favorite herbal tea, she suddenly recalled that TSZ Labs was actually the umbrella company of two laboratories that merged a long time ago: BNG Laboratories and T87 Laboratories. An advertisement campaign after the merger used the term: “WELCOME to MY LABS.” No one knew that she was in the process of investigating TSZ Labs. But the threatening bullet and bricks brought a series of questions to mind: Was there a mole in her organization? Was DCRI bugged once again? Was someone watching her employee’s activities? Was TSZ Laboratories THAT paranoid in erroneously thinking that they were already under investigation?
Or was it just some employees or ex-employees of TSZ Labs that were randomly doing this mischief? She remembered what her father said, “If someone is resorting to threats and violence, you have them scared. Keep at it until you get the answers.” Judy was about to go to war against unknown forces. She heard a knock at the door. She opened it and gasped at what she saw.
Chapter 2: An Unexpected Lead Return to Table of Contents Catherine Lemou was an invaluable employee by anyone’s assessment. She worked hard and consistently produced excellent results. She had started in the company as a research assistant and moved up to being Dr. Drake Bierson’s Chief of Staff at TSZ Laboratories. She knew how to guide her boss through the uncertainties of the product lifecycle and how to communicate to him regardless which of his many moods that he was experiencing. She carried a strong sense of quiet assurance that was attractive to those around her. It drew the attention of a young man that had promise of being his Division’s director. They courted for some years and got married. Then about ten years into the marriage, he died from factors contributed by overwork and stress. They did not have any children -- both were far too busy for that. Catherine took it hard but was comforted by the rigors of her job. That was thirty years ago. A series of events had brought her to the door of DCRI. She would retell these events to Judy. The door opened to a gasping Judy Duty because she immediately knew it was Catherine -- it was so unexpected! However, she had presence of mind to invite Catherine in. They made their way to the great dining room where they both drank a welcoming cup of Cranberry Tea. Judy began “I’m sorry that that I was in shock at first. It is just that you were the last person that I expected to see.” Catherine chuckled. “I understand. I love my company and working for Dr. Bierson. But something recently changed. One day he sent me an e-mail that he was going on a leave of absence to work on an amazing invention. He said a Dr. Mekhar would be running the company. Dr. Bierson was the type that would always say important news like this in person rather than by e-mail. He would have come in, hugged me and left clear instructions on what to do in his absence. He’s done that many times before when taking extended vacations. Somehow, things were different this time. Later that same day, a small army of rough looking men came in and took over the company behind locked doors. That
afternoon, almost all two hundred employees including myself were thrown out on the street with no clear reason why. I came to you because you are so successful in getting to the truth about any corporation and I know that something is very wrong with Dr. Bierson. Can you help me?” Judy looked serious and said, “Of course I will.” Then, Judy told her of research so far into the company and the recent shooting attempt. Judy said, “This is important. Can you tell me anything about Dr. Mekhar and the others?” Catherine smiled, “There isn’t much to tell. But, I did secretly snap his photo. He also gave me a business card before his stooges booted me out the door. Please study them a bit. Judy scrutinized the card. Then, she saw the photo of Dr. Isha Mekhar. Here was a tall, fit, angry middle-aged man. He had a face that appeared to lack compassion. This was not the kind of adversary that she wanted to take on, But this was a fight that she could not walk away from. Catherine and two hundred other ex-employees were counting on her. Judy then tried to look at his card. It was a black and white card with no logo on it. It just said. Dr. Isha Mekhar, President, Triberian Supply Company with a contact number in Portugal. Judy asked for Catherine to join her in her office. She started to do some searches and was greatly surprised. Triberia was a mythical land that existed somewhere between Spain, France, and Portugal during an unspecified previous time. A terrorist organization TAS – roughly translated as Triberian Alliance for Solidarity had formed to create Triberia “again.” But this time they wanted to form it on a yet to be determined moon of Mars. TAS was headed by a Dr. Rida Sjecku . He had many nicknames including Dr. Isha Mekhar. “ Judy said, “This is serious and needs to go to National Security.” Catherine firmly shook her head. “I tried them, and fifteen other federal, state, and local agencies. There is no interest since they think Dr Bierson is on vacation and no laws have yet been broken. They all laughed at the idea of Triberia. I understand. I would do the same if I were in their shoes. Still, Dr Bierson is missing under mysterious circumstances. Something is very wrong at the Labs. You are my best and only hope,” Judy said, “I’ll do what I can.” Her mind was racing just as it always did when an investigation was about to take off. She needed to get started now. [To find out what happens next, visit https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/327637. And after that, learn if DCRI will survive brushing directly against the treacherous Core. For more information, please read the exciting Corporate Intent #3: Missing Company. To learn more about this and other writings of this author, please visit -https://sites.google.com/site/hallettgermanfiction/]
.v22f June 21st, 2013 Copyright 2013 Hallett German Written by Hallett German Illustrated by Alessandra R. German This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Works by Author: Amazi Chronicles: Story #1: How I Overcame My Inventor’s Block Book #1: Automatons for Peace Corporate Intent Story #1: Missing Profits? Book #1: Missing Employees? Book #2: Missing Owner? Book #3 Missing Company? Olivia Plymouth, International Traveler and Fashion Consultant: Story #1: Joyous Travel with the Wrong Suitcase Book #1: Brazilian Quest Book #2: Misadventures in Boston Non-Series Books Combustible Networks: Year One Ghosts vs. Robots! Available on Smashwords, Amazon, Kobobooks and other e-book seller locations.
More details at https://sites.google.com/site/hallettgermanfiction/
Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1: Understaffed Chapter 2: An Unexpected Lead Chapter 3: First Steps Chapter 4: Brainstorming Session Chapter 5: Setback Chapter 6: Some Progress Chapter 7: What Happened to Judy? Chapter 8: Case Review Chapter 9: Strong Sense of Urgency Chapter 10: Unauthorized Access Chapter 11: Picnic and an Old Flame. Chapter 12: What Happened to Judy: Part 2? Chapter 13: Light Dawns on Marblehead Chapter 14: Closing In Chapter 15: A Helpful Detainment Chapter 16: Getting Evidence Chapter 17: Brotherly Meeting Chapter 18: Awakening Chapter 19: Last Gasp Chapter 20: Aftermath Chapter 21: Bonus Original Opening to Missing Owners?
Introduction Return to Table of Contents. Some corporations are real and some exist only in the mind. This is a story about the latter, presented both as a fantasy and a mystery. Nothing more than that. HG
Chapter 1: Understaffed Return to Table of Contents It was a wonderful summer day on the Many Miles River. The boats were steadily going up and down the river. The many beachgoers were enjoying the waves and the sun. And Judy Duty (yes that is her real name) was happily working in her executive office on a cliff overlooking the river. She worked as CEO of the Dysfunctional Corporation Research Institute (DCRI). The Institute’s purpose was to investigate those companies that endangered public welfare. This was allowed under the Harmful Corporation Elimination Act which permitted non-governmental investigations of suspected companies without punitive recourse. This was sorely needed since Earth had become a battleground of galactic conglomerates fighting with each other and encroaching on worker and customer rights. It had been three short years since successfully investigating Inscrutable Consulting (see Book #1 Missing Employees) in which Judy and the Institute were personally and professionally tested. But at the end she had gained a new employee, Warica Arcane, whose brothers had ironically run Inscrutable Consulting (IC). It also let the world know that DCRI would go to great lengths to serve the public interest through unrelenting investigations. Two key employees of DCRI were now on maternity leave. This included Warica (COO and business partner) who was taking time to raise her son Victor (named after her mother Victoria). Fellow DCRI employee Johnny Lemay was her devoted husband and actively shared in childrearing duties. Laura Garfield, the head of research, was the other key employee on maternity leave. She was expecting a baby any day now along with the anxious father Prince Bobby Tychato from the small kingdom of Mirwint on Jupiter’s satellite Themisto. Judy was smiling because things were once again like the old days when she reigned supreme, before Warica came aboard as partner. It was all up to her to decide on the next targets. This decisive moment was both thrilling and scary. She was now between two candidates: a company whose
employees were no longer abiding by building codes resulting in hazardous structures, or chasing TSZ Laboratories where something was terribly off. It was too important not to do both. She decided then to turn over the building company to Lisa and her “rising star” team, giving them an exciting challenge. She would save the more enigmatic TSZ Laboratories for herself and the “established star” team. She sent an encrypted note off to Lisa with the details on the building company. Now she could put all of her focus on TSZ Labs. Judy reviewed all of the information she had on TSZ Labs. This New England company had 200 employees and developed products with the slogan of “homes of the future today.” They were a private firm founded by the inventor Dr. Drake Bierson. There were once rumors that they were going either public or merging with a private company. But such a thing never came to fruition. The Laboratories were quite profitable for a long time and were very active in the neighboring community. Things changed slowly at first, then more rapidly. Dr. Bierson was no longer seen in public for months. The number of new products then declined. And the participation and funding in the community came to a standstill. Some anonymous notes indicated that the company had undergone massive change, but there were no clues as to the details. As Judy was reading this, a bullet came through the window inches from her head. A few seconds later, a brick was thrown through another window containing an anonymous note in red letters saying: STAY AWAY FROM MY LABS. No further malicious activity took place after that. The police came later that day and showed Judy that the shooter had climbed a 30-foot tree to get a shot at her. They probably had meant only to scare her, not kill her. The brick was thrown by someone that was much closer to her. So, there were at least two people involved. There was something familiar about the phrase ‘My Labs’ in the anonymous note. As Judy recovered from the shock drinking her favorite herbal tea, she suddenly recalled that TSZ Labs was actually the umbrella company of two laboratories that merged a long time ago: BNG Laboratories and T87 Laboratories. An advertisement campaign after the merger used the term: “WELCOME to MY LABS.” No one knew that she was in the process of investigating TSZ Labs. But the threatening bullet and bricks brought a series of questions to mind: Was there a mole in her organization? Was DCRI bugged once again? Was someone watching her employee’s activities? Was TSZ Laboratories THAT paranoid in erroneously thinking that they were already under investigation?
Or was it just some employees or ex-employees of TSZ Labs that were randomly doing this mischief? She remembered what her father said, “If someone is resorting to threats and violence, you have them scared. Keep at it until you get the answers.” Judy was about to go to war against unknown forces. She heard a knock at the door. She opened it and gasped at what she saw.
Chapter 2: An Unexpected Lead Return to Table of Contents Catherine Lemou was an invaluable employee by anyone’s assessment. She worked hard and consistently produced excellent results. She had started in the company as a research assistant and moved up to being Dr. Drake Bierson’s Chief of Staff at TSZ Laboratories. She knew how to guide her boss through the uncertainties of the product lifecycle and how to communicate to him regardless which of his many moods that he was experiencing. She carried a strong sense of quiet assurance that was attractive to those around her. It drew the attention of a young man that had promise of being his Division’s director. They courted for some years and got married. Then about ten years into the marriage, he died from factors contributed by overwork and stress. They did not have any children -- both were far too busy for that. Catherine took it hard but was comforted by the rigors of her job. That was thirty years ago. A series of events had brought her to the door of DCRI. She would retell these events to Judy. The door opened to a gasping Judy Duty because she immediately knew it was Catherine -- it was so unexpected! However, she had presence of mind to invite Catherine in. They made their way to the great dining room where they both drank a welcoming cup of Cranberry Tea. Judy began “I’m sorry that that I was in shock at first. It is just that you were the last person that I expected to see.” Catherine chuckled. “I understand. I love my company and working for Dr. Bierson. But something recently changed. One day he sent me an e-mail that he was going on a leave of absence to work on an amazing invention. He said a Dr. Mekhar would be running the company. Dr. Bierson was the type that would always say important news like this in person rather than by e-mail. He would have come in, hugged me and left clear instructions on what to do in his absence. He’s done that many times before when taking extended vacations. Somehow, things were different this time. Later that same day, a small army of rough looking men came in and took over the company behind locked doors. That
afternoon, almost all two hundred employees including myself were thrown out on the street with no clear reason why. I came to you because you are so successful in getting to the truth about any corporation and I know that something is very wrong with Dr. Bierson. Can you help me?” Judy looked serious and said, “Of course I will.” Then, Judy told her of research so far into the company and the recent shooting attempt. Judy said, “This is important. Can you tell me anything about Dr. Mekhar and the others?” Catherine smiled, “There isn’t much to tell. But, I did secretly snap his photo. He also gave me a business card before his stooges booted me out the door. Please study them a bit. Judy scrutinized the card. Then, she saw the photo of Dr. Isha Mekhar. Here was a tall, fit, angry middle-aged man. He had a face that appeared to lack compassion. This was not the kind of adversary that she wanted to take on, But this was a fight that she could not walk away from. Catherine and two hundred other ex-employees were counting on her. Judy then tried to look at his card. It was a black and white card with no logo on it. It just said. Dr. Isha Mekhar, President, Triberian Supply Company with a contact number in Portugal. Judy asked for Catherine to join her in her office. She started to do some searches and was greatly surprised. Triberia was a mythical land that existed somewhere between Spain, France, and Portugal during an unspecified previous time. A terrorist organization TAS – roughly translated as Triberian Alliance for Solidarity had formed to create Triberia “again.” But this time they wanted to form it on a yet to be determined moon of Mars. TAS was headed by a Dr. Rida Sjecku . He had many nicknames including Dr. Isha Mekhar. “ Judy said, “This is serious and needs to go to National Security.” Catherine firmly shook her head. “I tried them, and fifteen other federal, state, and local agencies. There is no interest since they think Dr Bierson is on vacation and no laws have yet been broken. They all laughed at the idea of Triberia. I understand. I would do the same if I were in their shoes. Still, Dr Bierson is missing under mysterious circumstances. Something is very wrong at the Labs. You are my best and only hope,” Judy said, “I’ll do what I can.” Her mind was racing just as it always did when an investigation was about to take off. She needed to get started now. [To find out what happens next, visit https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/327637. And after that, learn if DCRI will survive brushing directly against the treacherous Core. For more information, please read the exciting Corporate Intent #3: Missing Company. To learn more about this and other writings of this author, please visit -https://sites.google.com/site/hallettgermanfiction/]
