Death Angel

Chapter 22: Things get Interesting

I raised my hand.

“Yes, Miss Wellington?” Gordon Beckett asked. When I wasn’t present to preside over board meetings as I normally did in the past, Gordon typically stepped in as moderator at many of these board meetings. An older gentleman in his seventies, he had graying hair, horn-rimmed glasses and a tough demeanor. He had been a tough guy in his older days and the glasses were an almost contradictory component of his physical appearance. A distinguished face framed intense gray eyes. He was the perfect moderator and one of Vanessa Hunter’s strongest allies in the Hunter Robotics board. There was still a lot of fire in the old man.

“I really don’t think it’s a good idea for Mr. Grim to be present at this meeting,” I said.

“Why, Ms. Wellington!” Death exclaimed with a smile. “I’m hurt.”

“I agree with that observation,” said Stephen Rutherford. “Richard Grim has no reason to be here. He is not a stakeholder.”

“I am looking after my client’s best interests,” said Death, the smile still on his handsome face.

I could only imagine how distracting it must be for others to have someone like him in the room. Beautiful to look at, but completely  annoying when he wanted to be.

I scanned the boardroom, looking for signs of agreement or disagreement but  the rest of the faces remained impassive. Robert sat there with a bemused expression on his face. I looked to my mother but her face was emotionless. Astrid Hunter had her game face on. Besides, as Steven’s wife, she really didn’t have much of a say in the matter. Steven had managed to bring her in as a matter of convenience, but like Death, she did not have a real seat at the table, so to speak.

“Mr. Grim,” said Gordon Beckett, “unless you can prove otherwise, it appears your client does not approve of your involvement at these proceedings. This is a matter for majority shareholders as well as those who we perceived are threats to the organization…” Gordon’s voice trailed as he trained his intense eyes on me.

It was a rather unnerving situation, to be playing at opposite  ends to Gordon. He had been a powerful ally for many years. Today, he was a terrible adversary. Still, he wouldn’t be for long. I knew how to use this to my advantage.

I smiled sweetly at Gordon. “This is business, gentlemen,” I said. “I profited from shorting the company, it isn’t a crime. Besides, we have yet to settle the matter at hand,” I finished pointing to Death.

“You’re not going to make this easy on me cherie,” he whispered and winked at me.

“Not unless you tell me what you have planned,” I muttered under my breath.

Death lifted a finger. “As it turns out, I do have a perfectly valid reason for being here, other than my client’s best interests.”

“And whatever could that be?” asked Gordon Beckett.

Death sighed, and smiled again. “Well, as it turns out, I have a small controlling interest in Hunter Robotics.”

“That’s bullshit, Grim, and you know it.” Steven exploded in anger. I saw my mother gently tap him on the shoulder to restrain him.

“I’m afraid not,” said Death.

“This is absurd,” I said.

“Yes, quite so,” said Robert Mayer. “We know who our large shareholders are. Richard Grim has less than  a.02% ownership stake. And we made sure to keep it that way.”

Death smiled in his affable, easy manner. If he had the fedora on I was sure he would have most certainly tipped it toward the group.

“Yes, as matter-of-fact, you are all correct.”

“Mr. Grim, the board tires of your theatrics and you are wasting everyone’s time. Unless you can prove otherwise, please step out of the boardroom.”

“Ah, Gordon, always the charmer,” said Death. “Be that as it may, you will find,” he said, turning to Robert with a smile, “that a certain institutional investor, Reaper Holdings, Inc., possesses an 8.63% ownership stake in Hunter Robotics. And if I'm not mistaken,” he paused snapping his fingers. "Oh that's right, that's about the same size as the ownership stake Mr. Rutherford has accumulated during his recent buying spree."

“Reaper Holdings, Inc. is an offshore investment fund headquartered in the Caymans. We are well aware of who they are.”

“Reaper Holdings is under my ownership,” said Death. “A shell company, so to speak.”

“Reaper Holdings, huh,” I said with a smile, “you are just so creative with your names.”

Death coughed and cleared his throat. “Umm… well, you see, cherie,” he started.

“Nevermind,” I said, cutting him off.

“Mr. Grim, we are going to validate your claims, so for the time being you may stay. Be that as it may however, that also means you just betrayed your client by betting against her. That is in very poor taste.”

“He does that a lot. And he does do many things in poor taste,” I said. The look on Death's face was priceless.

Death lifted a finger again. “You’ll find that everything I say checks out perfectly. And that despite what it looks like, I am still looking after my client’s best interests.”

“We’ll let it slide for now Richard,” said Gordon Beckett. “For the moment, we will now continue with the matter-at-hand.”

The entire room now turned its attention toward me. I felt all the angry stares and the hostility toward me.

“Did you start the rumors about Hunter Robotics, Ms. Wellington?” asked Gordon Beckett. “Are you responsible for the damaging leaks to the media, all of which, by the way, are baseless?”

“No,” I said.  I wasn’t lying anyway. It was my mother’s doing, but no one would suspect Steven Rutherford as the source of the leak. He was betting against me after all, and buying instead of selling.

“Hard to believe, Ms. Wellington, considering your first short order came just a few days before the rumors began.” It was Cheryl Donahue, speaking.

Cheryl was a high-powered attorney and named partner at Donahue, Harding and Gibson, one of the most prestigious law firms in Chicago. She acted as Legal Advisor for the Hunter Robotics Board. A smart, prim and proper woman in her early forties. She was an overachiever and a climber. A terrifying combination of ambition, intelligence, beauty and ruthlessness. Her blonde hair was tied neatly behind her in a bun. She was wearing a black shirt with the two front buttons unbuttoned provocatively. This was a woman who got what she wanted and was not afraid to do whatever it took to get it.

Cheryl was flipping through a long bound document. It was a list of transactions at Hunter Robotics.

“If I really wanted to maximize my profit,” I answered, “I would have timed my first short order after the rumors were in the paper.”

“Perhaps, you did that to throw us off your scent,” Cheryl answered.

“Still,” Death intervened. “The fact that she didn’t means it’s tough to find wrongdoing on my clients account.”

“Is she still your client, Mr. Grim?” Gordon Beckett wondered aloud.  “After all, you are, betting against her are you not?”

Death chose not to answer that one.

The room was quiet all of a sudden.

“Well,” said Robert Mayer, breaking the silence. "Unless there are any objections, I believe that in light of the threats we have here, we have few options.”

Robert stood up in that moment and began pacing the room. “We are caught between two opposing forces.” Robert gestured toward me. “A powerful investor who has shaken the value of this company to the core,” he stopped and motioned toward Death and Steven Rutherford, “and the two opportunistic gentlemen across me, who are seeking to mount a hostile takeover.” Robert pursed his lips and put both his hands on the table as a show of power. “I think it’s clear we need to take defensive measures.”

“Indeed, Robert,” said Gordon carefully, “your words bear merit. But as members of the board, we must carefully evaluate article sixty-four paragraph three and decide if that is worth it.”

“Article sixty-four, paragraph three,” said Death with a smile as he addressed Robert. “Might that be where you take control of Hunter Robotics for a short time as majority shareholder?”

“You’d best not be so flippant with the board, Mr. Grim,” said Gordon Beckett. “We  are not yet done with you.”

Death bowed with a smile. “As you wish, Mr. Beckett.”

“Does anyone in the room have any objections to Robert Mayer’s proposal?” asked Cheryl. “I, for one, believe this is in our best interests, at least temporarily. It would have been what Vanessa Hunter wanted.”

I was touched. I was always distrustful of Cheryl in the past. I always believed she didn't feel I earned my spot as Chair. I thought she looked down on me because of my youth. Still, to know that she had given me a vote of confidence was comforting.

Gordon raised his hand. “All in favor of Robert Mayer’s proposal, raise your hands.”

I looked around at the room. With the exception of Death, myself, and the Rutherfords, all hands were in the air. The decision was unanimous.

“I guess that settles it. Robert Mayer is now majority shareholder with a full controlling interest for temporary time.”

Robert smiled at the room.

“Thank you everyone, for your faith in me,” he began. “As my first act as majority shareholder, I move for a buy-back of all available shares outstanding,” he said.

Gordon nodded. “That makes a lot of sense.” he said.

“I also recommend that we sell majority ownership of the company to another buyer.”

The room was in an uproar.

“What do you mean by that Robert?” Cheryl demanded.

“I move to sell majority ownership of Hunter Robotics to Tanaka Pharmaceutical and facilitate a merger between the two companies.”

The door opened just then, and Rina Tanaka entered the room, her powerful presence filled the room as it always did. She was as beautiful  as ever, dressed sharply in a tight, form-fitting black suit her dark eyes, cold and glittering as she surveyed the entire room, before she finally rested her eyes at me.

“Hello, Haley,” she said with a smile. “It’s been a while hasn’t it? Shall we play a game?”

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