“And this way, if there is international scrutiny, which there sometimes is, the parties can honestly say that they do not have possession of these people. ‘Come and check our prisons. See, they are not here.’ From a moral perspective it is abominable. From a business angle, it is brilliant, and Lord is paid enormous sums to keep those people there.”
“So I guess you’ll soon be able to start a new chapter of your life.”
Steers stopped and turned to him. “This is only the first step. A critical one, but still only the first.”
A startled Nash asked, “Then what comes next?”
“For that, we shall both have to see.”
CHAPTER
68
STEERS AND NASH FLEW BACKhome the next day. After they arrived at the estate Steers went directly to speak with her mother.
“I do not like you galivanting off without a word to me, Daughter,” said Masuyo irritably. “It shows disrespect to me.”
“I believe you already know where I went and for what purpose.”
“How could I possibly?”
“Because you are my mother and you know all,” replied Steers evenly.
Masuyo studied her daughter for a moment. “And what has come of all thisactivity?”
“The sale has been agreed to and the legal documents are in the process of being completed. The official closing of the transaction will take place in a matter of weeks. And, with Mr. Lord in full agreement, you will once more be running the empire that you created, with Mr. Lord as, hopefully, your silent partner.”
“I do not care for others negotiating on my behalf. I would much prefer to do it myself.”
“Well, as the result ofmynegotiations, you will receive six hundred million dollars, to start. And I trust that you have kept some of your previous fortune and not given it all back to your masters in Beijing. It was quite a large sum, and they hardly deserved all of it.”
This earned Steers a hard, vicious slap to the face from her mother.
“The mouth you have acquired, Victoria. It shames me that you speak to your mother in such a way.”
Steers didn’t touch the growing red spot on her cheek. She simply stared at the woman until Masuyo broke off eye contact and rubbed her wrinkled hand.
Steers continued on as though nothing had happened. “The deal also includes substantial sums for my partners. That will appease them when they learn I have stepped away. I came up with a new proposal for running things that I presented to them and which they subsequently approved. I would encourage you and Mr. Lord to go over it, and then implement it if you agree with the protocols I developed. It will save you large amounts of money and make the operation far more productive and efficient, and also safer from prying eyes.”
“We will of course look at anything that promises to do such things,” said her mother. “Regardless of thesource,” she added spitefully.
“And I trust you have ingenious plans to facilitate more drug deaths in America.”
“It was not just your eliminating fentanyl and other lethal opioids from the precursors, Daughter. It is this Narcan. It has saved many lives and we will have to somehow deal with that. Perhaps pay off the manufacturer or take over the company, or line the pockets of politicians willing to impede its availability and distribution. There is always a way forward with Westerners. All they care about is money, especially the Americans.”
“I take it you have no issue working with Mr. Lord?”
“I am aware that he has the full confidence of Beijing. I do not need to know more than that. I haveneverlost sight of my duty or where my loyalties lie. I wish others could say the same,” she added bitterly, giving her daughter a piercing stare.
Steers said, “He has the full confidence of a great many people. But it makes one wonder which direction he will go when a conflict occurs. Because a man can have too many masters, can’t he?”
“You can now let me worry about that, Daughter. Unlike you, I expect Mr. Lord to listen to what I have to say.”
“I hope your expectations pan out. But one never knows.”
“And what will you do now that you have stepped away from all that I have given you, worked my fingers to the bone for, shed blood for?”
“You shed no blood, Mother. It wasIwho shed the blood. And it was my father who shed the most, before he died.”