Hollow

Seven | Storm

I am currently seated in my office reading a book that was recommended to me by Herman Weiss, one of the members on the board of directors. He sent it to me a few days ago saying it would change my life.

A pen lands in the middle of the page I'm on making me look up from the book to glare at the culprit.

"What's so interesting about that book anyway?" Alex asks, a smirk on his face as he stares at his laptop screen. "You've been reading it all morning."

"I'm looking for answers."

"In a book about warfare?" He snorts.

"Do you have a better idea?" I retort and he shakes his head. "Anyway, listen to this. I think I found something."

"I don't want you to fire me, so please shut up and let me work."

"I'll fire you if you don't listen to me."

He smirks. "We both know you won't fire me either way but okay, go off."

"In 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte humiliated Austrians in the battles of Ulm and Austerlitz. In the subsequent treaty, he carved up the Austrian Empire, taking over its lands in Italy and Germany. His ultimate goal was to make Austria an ally —a weak and subordinate ally, but one that would lend him weight in the courts of Europe, since Austria had been a central force in European politics.

As part of his overall strategy, Napoleon requested a new Austrian ambassador to France: Prince Klemens von Metternich, at the time the Austrian ambassador to the Prussian court in Berlin. Metternich, then thirty-two came from one of Europe's most illustrious families. The presence of this polished aristocrat would add a sheen to the imperial court that Napoleon was creating. More important, winning over a man of such power would help in his grand strategy of making Austria a grand satellite. And Metternich's weakness for women would give Napoleon a way in.

The two men met for the first time in August 1806, when Metternich presented his credentials. Napoleon acted coolly. He dressed well for the occasion but kept his hat on, which in the mores of the time was rather rude. After Metternich's speech-shirt and ceremonious, Napoleon began to pace the room and talk politics in a way that made it clear he was in command. (He liked to stand up to talk to people while they remained seated.) He made a show of speaking pointedly and concisely, he was not some Corsican rube for the sophisticated Metternich to play with. In the end he was sure he had made the impression he wanted."

I pause to look at Alex who is looking back at me with a frown on his face.

"What? I'm following, now please continue." He urges.

"Over the months to come, Napoleon and Metternich had many more such meetings. It was the emperor's plan to charm the prince, but the charm ran inescapably the other way: Metternich had a way of listening attentively, making apt comments, even complimenting Napoleon on his strategic insights. At those moments Napoleon would beam inside: here was a man who could truly appreciate his genius. He began to crave Metternich's presence, and their discussions of European politics became more and more frank.

The two became friends of sorts. Hoping to take advantage of Metternich's weakness for women, Napoleon set up his sister, Caroline Murat, to have an affair with the prince. He learned from her a few pieces of diplomatic gossip, and she told him that Metternich had to come to respect him. In turn she also told Metternich that Napoleon was unhappy with his wife, Empress Josephine, who could not bear children; he was considering divorce. Napoleon did not seem upset that Metternich knew such things about his personal life.

In 1809, seeking revenge for its ignominious defeat at Austerlitz, Austria declared war on France. Napoleon only welcomed this event which gave him a chance to beat the Austrians more soundly than before. The war was hard fought but the French prevailed, and Napoleon imposed a humiliating settlement, annexing whole sections of the Austrian Empire. Austria's military was dismantled, its government overhauled, and Napoleon's friend Metternich was named foreign minister-exactly where Napoleon wanted him.

Several months later something happened that caught Napoleon slightly off guard but delighted him: the Austrian emperor offered him his eldest daughter, the Archduchess Marie Louise, in marriage. Napoleon knew that the Austrian aristocracy hated him; this had to be Metternich's work. Alliance by marriage with Austria would be a strategic tour de force, and Napoleon happily accepted the offer, first divorcing Josephine, then marrying Marie Louise in 1810. Metternich accompanied the archduchess to Paris for the wedding, and now his relationship with Napoleon grew still warmer.

Napoleon's marriage made him a member of one of Europe's greatest families, and to a Corsican, family was everything; he had won a dynastic legitimacy he had long craved. In conversation with the prince, he opened up even more than before. He was also delighted with his new empress, who revealed a keen political mind. He let her in on his plans for the empire in Europe.

In 1812, Napoleon invaded Russia. Now Metternich came to him with a request: the formation of an army of 30,000 Austrian soldiers at Napoleon's disposal. In return Napoleon would let Austria rebuild its military. Napoleon saw no harm in this step; he was allied with Austria by marriage, and rearmament there would help him in the end.

Months later the Russian invasion had turned into a disaster, and Napoleon was forced to retreat, his army decimated. Now Metternich offered his services as a mediator between France and the other European powers. Centrally placed as it is, Austria had performed that task in the past, and anyway Napoleon had little choice: he needed time to recoup. Even if Austria's role as a mediator allowed it to reassert its independence, he had little to fear from his in-laws.

By the spring of 1813, negotiations had broken down and a new war was about to break out between the badly damaged France and a powerful alliance of Russia, Prussia, England, and Sweden. By this time the Austrian army had grown considerably; somehow Napoleon had to get his hands on it-but his spies reported that Metternich had entered into secret agreement with the allies. Surely this had to be some sort of ploy: how could the Austrian emperor fight his son-in-law? Yet in a few weeks, it became official: unless France negotiated a peace, Austria would drop its mediating position and join the allies.

Napoleon traveled to Dresden for a meeting with Metternich, which took place on June 26. The moment he saw the prince, he felt a shock: the friendly, nonchalant air was gone. In a rather cold tone, Metternich informed him that Austria was obligated to defend its interests and the stability of Europe.

Suddenly it occurred to the emperor: Metternich had been playing him all along, the family ties merely a ploy to blind him to Austrian rearmament and independence."

Alex hums in agreement. "You think the enemy might be among us."

"I know the enemy is among us." I close the book and place it on the desk grabbing my phone in the process. I send a quick text to Bryce telling him to come to my office.

To my surprise, it's not Bryce that walks in but Miguel, one of the chief engineers. He settles in the chairs in front of my desk.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you but where's Bryce?"

"He's with Dr. Fields for some psych evaluation so he sent me instead." Miguel replies.

"Oh, okay. Anyway, I need you to check for wires and cameras in every inch of this office." I tell him before averting my gaze to Alex. "Any update from Mila?"

"Yes, General Sanders confirmed reception. Mila is heading back as we speak."

I nod. "So what's this evaluation thing and why haven't I heard of it?"

"I had mine earlier today." Alex groans.

"Am I required to have one too?"

"It's company policy for every employee here." A new voice replies.