Murray McDonald - Assassin

Tom took a deep breath and walked into shot of the camera and took his seat. Lela had decided to remain out of sight but would participate if required.

“Good morning,” said Tom.

“Good morning Tom,” they all responded.

“Are we missing somebody?” asked Tom looking at an empty seat.

“Alan, the new CFO, is on a call. He said he’d be along soon,” replied Jonathan.

“You told him we were holding an emergency meeting?” asked Tom slightly agitated.

“Yes,” replied Jonathan.

“Would somebody mind telling him to get his arse in here, right now!” said Tom firmly and shocking a few of the Alba execs who looked at the screen in surprise.

“Gladly,” offered Jonathan.

As he stood up, the door burst open and a very cocky Alan almost shouted, “So Johnny-boy what’s up now? What’s the big emergency that can’t wait?”

He was almost in his seat before he noticed the screen and its lone figure. The silence was almost deafening, nobody dared speak. Tom had only met the new CFO once, he hadn’t liked him then and certainly liked him even less now. Jason, the previous CFO was on compassionate leave and had insisted that Donald fill his role permanently. He didn’t want the pressure of knowing that he had to get back. Donald had pleaded for him to take time, there was no pressure. He could hire an interim for 10 years if he had to. But Jason had been insistent.

Alba was the largest and most profitable corporation in the world, there were probably only five accountants up to the task but unfortunately Alan was the only acceptable candidate to have come forward and so was offered the position by default.

“Hi Tom, how you doin’ mate?” asked Alan as if nothing were wrong.

Tom took one disgusted look at the man before completely ignoring him.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I’ve called you here today to inform you of some important news. My father recently asked for a special condition to be placed in the company’s statute book. I won’t bore you with the legalise but basically it states that, in my father’s absence and with the approval of available stated family members, any Kennedy can take control as Interim Chief Executive. Said individual will take full control and act with the complete authority of Donald Kennedy. Stated family members are Rachel Kennedy, Saki Kennedy, Lela Kennedy and Tom Kennedy.”

All the executives looked at Jonathan who nodded that this was correct, apart from Alan who was too busy choking on his coffee.

Tom continued.

“With that in mind, I spoke to Jonathan last night and invoked the condition. We agreed that my parents and Saki were absent as defined by the condition and therefore, with Lela’s approval, I took control of Alba International with immediate effect.”

“Congratulations Tom,” they all said at once, except Alan who wanted added clarity.

“Wait a minute, are you seriously saying that you are the new boss?”

“Yes. So less of the mate and the Johnny-boy if you don’t mind.” He was really annoying Tom now. Alan’s face dropped. This was certainly not what he had expected.

“I have some more news,” continued Tom. “As CEO, I made my first corporate purchase last night. We have bought the Global Media Group.”

“What?!” blurted out Alan. “But I wasn’t told about this! How can you have bought it without my involvement? I’m the Chief Financial Officer and I don’t know anything about this! Jonathan, what the hell’s going on here?” shouted Alan.

“Don’t you get it Alan, you don’t need to know. If Tom wants it to happen, it happens,” replied Jonathan who was enjoying putting Alan in his place.

“But how much did you pay?” Alan couldn’t stop himself.

“Too much,” replied Tom, “and just enough. It depends on what you are buying.”

The initial phone call had caught Max Marshall by surprise. He had obviously not expected a fourteen-year-old to want to buy his company. The second call had been more productive. Max had had a call from Jonathan confirming the funds were in place and could be transferred that evening. When offered $15 billion dollars to just walk away with no headaches and no hassle, $2 billion of which was a sweetener, it had not taken long for Tom to get the answer he wanted.

Moments later, the story about Donald was quashed and all front pages reprinted calling on the British Government to help Donald Kennedy. Tom knew it would only buy them a couple of days before the story leaked elsewhere but that may be enough to get his parents and Saki out of prison and back to the UK. It was worth a try, $15 billion was not a lot of money to Alba.

Beaumont was sitting in the oval office at 7.00 a.m. It was going to be another bad day, he could already sense it. The news had not broken and he still didn’t know why.

“Well, Mr Genius, what disaster awaits us today?” asked the President as he entered the office with the General Powers incident still on his mind. Although not enjoying Beaumont’s failures, he did like to see him taken down a peg or two.

“I take it you’ve seen the news then,” said Beaumont. “Or more correctly, the lack of it.”

“Yes, what the hell happened there?” asked the President.

“I have no idea. The news was scheduled to break this morning, the evidence is rock solid and irrefutable, we planted it ourselves. I just don’t understand it.”

The phone rang exactly on time. Beaumont hit the speaker button.

“Good morning Mr Chairman.”

“Less of the good I think. I believe we have failed spectacularly AGAIN gentlemen. This is becoming a very bad habit.” The Chairman was not impressed.

“We’re just trying to find out what happened,” explained Beaumont.

“I know what happened, you fool. Alba bought Global and killed the story. It’s all over the business news. They purchased them late last night.”

“But they can’t have, our man would have told us?”

“He didn’t know, nobody did. The son bought it for cash just like that. Spent $15 billion on it.”

“The son? But he’s only a kid?”

“Anyway, don’t worry, the story will break tomorrow. I’ve sorted it. And gentlemen, no more mistakes. Yesterday’s cock-up cost us more than you know. However, I do congratulate you, framing Donald Kennedy for the assassinations is a stroke of genius but only if it works. I suggest that after the story breaks, you arrange a very quick accident. Afterall, dead men can’t talk…”

“Consider it done Mr Chairman,” replied Beaumont.

The Chairman hung up and left the two men looking at one another.

“What did he mean more than we know?” asked Beaumont.

“I had my suspicions but he just confirmed it. Walker was a committee member. He was useless, never deserved the post but he was a useful useless if you know what I mean.”

“Yes I do,” replied Beaumont as he walked back to his office. He immediately called Smith.

“We need to finish the job tomorrow,” Beaumont explained.

“Any specific time?” asked Smith.

“As soon as possible after the story breaks. It’ll dampen the outrage if Kennedy dies as a suspected assassin.”

“No problem. Everything here is set. I’ve organised a full-blown prison riot, hundreds will be injured and killed and unfortunately Mr Donald Kennedy will be one of the dead.”

“His wife and the other guy?” asked Beaumont.

“Does it matter?”

“No, not really…actually, on second thoughts, probably best they go too.”

“OK, by tomorrow night they’ll all be history,” confirmed Smith.

Beaumont ended the call. Things were getting back on track. But he had to be careful, he had to plan for the unexpected. He called Jones and told him what he wanted him to do, better safe than sorry.