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Solstice Publishing
Solstice Publishing
Steve Bederman Web Site
Category:
Action/Thriller
Publisher: Solstice Publishing
ISBN-10: 1452834814
Type: Fiction
Pages: 427
Copyright: December, 2009
ISBN-13: 9781452834818
“The CEO” is a fast paced corporate thriller of loves come and gone, innovation, resilience, corporate philanthropy, vision, and deception. Corporate business leaders are protected by their own small armies of private security whose power will surprise. The story takes the reader behind the scenes and into the back office meetings of both corporations and countries; travelling from Denver to New York to London to Bogota and to Paris.
As Mitch and his team of loyalists’ race against time they are faced with constant revelation of threats against the company and those involved; including the life of the woman that Mitch falls deeply in love with. The depth of the plot reveals a 200 year old secret between two of the world’s most powerful countries. If the secret is revealed it could destroy the balance of power in the world. Though, if the secret stays protected it could crush all that Mitch Jacobs desires.
Although Mitch Jacobs never questions his ability to conquer the current forces against him, it is a race to answer the questions:
•Will Mitch be able to discover who is leading the attack on him before it is too late?
•Is this conspiracy the result of the usual corporate competition or does it emanate from the power hungry executives in his company?
•What interest do certain world leaders have in this plot that will destroy all that Mitch has built?
•Most important Mitch has fallen in love with two women whose essence and similarities (and differences) of character lead him on his mission
Excerpt
Prologue
It was springtime. Early morning cool breeze belaying
the warmth that inevitably blew out of the foothills and into the
city most mornings. Denver, Colorado was a high plain city;
moderate, beautiful, and relatively peaceful.
He walked slowly down the aisle of the Safeway,
stopping to pick up a package of donuts. Turning to his right he
saw the pharmacy. His heart raced, his forehead moist. Time
slowed and his skin prickled, his breathing loud in his ears. A
beautiful day; cool and calm. He saw no one else at the counter.
He knew it was his time. Careful. Be steady, just a young and
affluent market maker, a leader in his own right.
He walked to the counter, to the young clerk,
“Thompson. Mary Thompson,” he said, maybe a bit too loudly.
Clearing his throat, he glanced at his watch and smiled.
She walked to the prescription baskets, “Johnson?”
“No, Thompson. My wife is having problems sleeping
and I thought they had called in something last night. Hold on,
let me call her…” He was not married, divorced for over a year
now, he offered too much information.
“Here it is, right where it was supposed to be!” She was
warm, serious, and young looking. Probably her first job. And
proud. The type that felt she was starting a medical career, not
just dispensing pills and filling jars.
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“Can I ring it up here or are you doing more shopping?”
the clerk asked.
“Oh, if you can take my donuts…eh…no… no more
shopping. That’s it...gotta get to the office.” Reflecting on a
particular thought he brightly continued, “I’m a CEO, have to set
the standard”.
“Do you have insurance? This is expensive. Wow!”
“I didn’t bring my card. I guess we’ll…”
“Oh, I can look it up. Just give me a moment…”
“No, we’ll just send it in to the insurance. I’m really
running late” The pressure to leave …sweat quickly appeared on
his forehead but his face did not betray his impatience. He
needed to get out of there.
“So, cash?” she said “It’s $72.80, you sure I can’t look it
up…the insurance?
“No, that’s fine.” He handed her four twenties then
placed his hand on the counter, waiting, pressing his palm into
the cool surface. He could feel his hand shaking. “Could she
tell?” he thought. “Come on. Jeez, I have to go already.” And he
did, to work, to the people, to safety, to another day and until
tomorrow another store, another counter.
“Do you have a store card?” she asked.
“No. That’s all right. I’ve just got to get going.” He
sounded more patient than he felt; he hoped.
She handed him the change. “Sorry, I only have singles”
“No problem. I’ll spend it either way.”
He grabbed his package and turned, tripping over a cane
placed right behind, knocking an old man back…the old man fell
halfway to the ground…As he reached for him and stood him up
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gently, he dropped his prescription. “You okay?”
“Oh? Yeah...I’m not as steady as I used to be. Thanks.”
The old man pushed the package towards him with his cane
looking at the label, “Don’t forget your prescription. That’s
pretty strong stuff. I take the generic brand. Can’t afford the
name brand. Be careful, don’t drive…” he advised.
“No, no it’s for my wife,” as he reached down, grabbed
the bag and turned to leave. “You sure you’re okay?” to the old
man. He nodded.
“Have a great day. It’s beautiful out!” he said to the
clerk.
“Thanks Mr. Thompson. Don’t forget to send in your
receipt.” She called after him.
As he walked out the door, the cool breeze blew on his
face, his Armani sticking to his chest, still moist.
As he walked to his car he clicked his key and remotely
started the engine. He drove a BMW. Not too pretentious. Just
enough to say he was a success. Tan leather seats, white pearl
body, waxed. Always clean, vacuumed, leather treated.
As he got in, he reached for the bag and immediately
opened it. He was already feeling better as he unscrewed the cap.
He counted out ten of the thirty in the bottle. He put them in his
right palm, then into his mouth. They stayed on his tongue and
melted. The taste was disgusting to most, but calmed him. He
gently chewed and they broke apart. He let them sit for a minute
under his tongue as he reached around for the bottle of water that
was in the cup holder. Through the back window he saw a police
car sitting behind him.
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Was it trying to park? Was it blocking him? He
swallowed the pills, his heart thumping through his chest, his
shirt instantly soaked again. He turned around and grabbed the
bag and the pill bottle; quickly shoving it under the driver seat.
“What do I do? Should I get out or just sit here? Oh shit! Damn!
This can’t happen now,” he thought.
This afternoon he had an interview with the Business
Journal. The story was “The fastest growing private company in
the city.” Wasn’t he a star?
He opened his door, not yet getting out, and in his side
view mirror noticed the police car pulling into the spot across the
lane. Pausing, he carefully shut his door. Reaching and turning
the key, he instantly heard the grind. His car was already
running. “Oh yeah, already running.” He sighed.
Backing out very slowly, he put the car into drive. He
nodded to the cops as they walked past his door. They nodded
back, slightly, and he carefully drove away. No stopping for
anyone, anywhere. He had survived and now he would succeed.
Everyone knew it, didn’t they? They’d all be proud of
each other and of him. They knew him as their leader. They had
never met anyone like him. He couldn’t wait to get to the office
and inspire them, tell them to “embrace the moment!” Nothing
was more important than that moment; building upon the next
and the next. His charge was to drive them; to implement his
new model, a new way to challenge the old standards and to
recognize him as the visionary, the CEO!
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Part One
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Chapter One
Denver, Colorado
“…no, not really. I don't understand and I'm not gonna
accept that. I'm sick and tired of always doing the proper lawyer
thing. This guy is attacking me…attacking this company…our
dream… and if you can’t find a legal approach then I will take it
and …I will tell you this: there is no way he is ever gonna win
this. He apparently doesn’t know me very well. As far as I’m
concerned he’s stepped over the line and I’m gonna stop him
once and for all!”
Mitch Jacobs was incensed. He was tired of feeling put
down and attacked by arrogant Wharton and Yale boys from the
East Coast. They thought themselves superior, but he couldn't
figure out why. He had fought for everything he had. Nothing
had come easy and now people were always looking to reap the
benefits of his hard work.
Mitchell M. Jacobs had beaten all of the odds. He was
42, fit, tanned, brown hair cut perfectly just above the collar, and
a youthful curl or two hanging on his forehead. He was a
gentleman, or better yet, at times, gentle. He had a way about
him that people trusted. He had not finished college but no
matter, he was definitely street smart. He had struggled:
mightily! He had grown into himself over the years and finally
had learned “the formula” as he liked to say. Everywhere he
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went these days people recognized him. They didn’t really know
him, but they thought they did. He was a surprise in the business
world. Often charismatic, but prone to the occasional burst of
anger, this was one of those times.
Andrew Friedman had simply gone too far today.
Years ago when Mitch took over management of the company
from the founders he had convinced Andrew Friedman to “carry
him” until he could gain some traction. Friedman was the owner
of a New York City based software company that provided a
product that Mitch’s tech company, Symbiotic Technologies,
depended upon.
At that time, Friedman had “called” his loan to
Symbiotic. He wanted his money. $400,000 was something he
could lose sleep over. Not knowing Mitch except as a Symbiotic
sales guy, Friedman believed that when Mitch took things over,
his money was at risk. “I’m not gonna waste my time with some
piss ant little company from Denver, Colorado with some guy
that has no idea how to run things.” He yelled at that year’s
CFO.
In fact, Friedman had gone through a lot of CFOs. Truth
be told, he had gone through a lot of managers, period. He was
difficult to work for. He was self indulgent and completely
“Andrew centered” as his wife had said in court.
He believed that he was what was important and he
wanted all the monies and attention for himself. He was such a
stubborn guy that when his wife had walked out on him, because
of that same very arrogant nature, he sued her! Not because he
really wanted the kids, but because he wanted to keep everything
his that was his. He’d planned to teach the kids what life was
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really about, and he’d show them the kind of woman that their
mother was, too.
He sued her in New York state courts for emotional
abuse. He answered honestly, when asked by the judge, that he
wasn’t even sure how to manage the kids alone and would need a
nanny. After all, she had destroyed his confidence and
denigrated his character for so many years.
A real sad story! It would be hard but, “Judge, I will do
much better than she would. She will need to go earn her own
money. She has never earned a penny of mine. She has never
taken on any responsibility.”
He wanted to add, but thought the better of it, “She
thinks I’m arrogant? Just wait until she’s all alone without me,
the kids, and the dog. Even her parents will stop having anything
to do with her. She’ll wish she never left; mark my words. You
either support me or you are against me.”
So he got the kids, got the dog, and she was almost
alone. Last he had heard from his private security she was dating
some mid level manager at some half baked company. Money
talked. He’d never let anyone forget it!
None the less, back when Mitch became the CEO,
Friedman had finally agreed with Mitch to extend him credit and
to do the “helpful” thing. “Everybody needed a chance.” he had
said.
Though, the contract was one sided and gave him lots of
control if anything went wrong. It was a bet, at high interest
gained, but high risk for the both of them. Well maybe a little bit
more risk at that time for Symbiotic. Friedman got a long term
agreement that ensured that every Symbiotic sale included his
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software.
If Symbiotic grew the way Mitch suggested it would
then, “We’ll all be successful. If it isn’t, then I can’t pay you the
$400K anyway, and you’ll take my assets; which are more than
the note.” Mitch recalled saying all of that to Friedman that day
when together, they had saved the life of Symbiotic.
It worked perfectly…for both companies! Not only had
Symbiotic paid off the $400,000 in that first year but they were
now spending tens of millions of dollars with Friedman each
year, and growing. This had turned into the best investment
Friedman could recall ever having made.
In fact, nothing had actually ever gone wrong. Yet, for
some reason, out of the blue, Friedman had decided today to try
and enforce the small print on the contract. No more “helpful”
for him. Over an hour ago, at exactly 9:00am, he had had a team
of lawyers walk into Symbiotic and hand papers to the in-house
counsel, Lou Stanton.
Essentially, it gave Symbiotic 72 hours to figure out how
to save their company from Friedman’s attempt at take over.
“How in the world can he live with shutting down his
software on thousands of clients?” Mitch asked Lou, more a
statement than a question. “He’s gonna kill a lot of businesses.
That is just wrong. People are not there for his pleasure or his
convenience! Just because he has found a way to use his contract
to steal our company is not a good reason to…”
“Mitch, Mitch! Hang on a minute,” pleaded Lou. “We
signed that contract with our eyes open. I think our mistake was
putting it on the back burner. Getting around to re-negotiating it
wasn’t on our radar. We’ve been intoxicated with our massive
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growth and attention. In all due respect, you’d rather be in D.C.
speaking with the Secretary of State or in Pakistan telling them
their “needs are interdependent with ours” than planning out the
daily details of this company.”
In truth, Lou thought Mitch was more concerned with
his own fame than his ideals or even fortune. “I love ya Mitch
and I'm amazed at what you’ve…we’ve…accomplished. It’s just
that when you’re out of the office there isn’t that same focused
attention to detail that there is when you are here, that there used
to be; that made us different, that changed the “model” as you
always say.” Lou was passionate in his own right.
Mitch frowned and turned towards the west facing
windows. The white capped Rocky Mountains in view, he
carefully formed his words and without looking back at Lou he
said, “We are not going to lose this company and I need you to
please have a plan by tomorrow morning! Or…I will!”
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