فصل 13

Chapter 13: Castaway

Port of Lima, Peru

Schema and the surviving Elgen board members were about a mile up the Peruvian coast from the Ampere when the Watt exploded. They briefly slowed their raft and watched as a column of thick, black smoke billowed up into the twilight sky.

“It’s the Ampere,” Three said.

Schema turned back. “Andiamo, we must keep going. Once they recover from the attack, the whole Elgen guard and the Peruvian military will be looking to find who did that.” Ten minutes later there was a second explosion. “What was that?” Eight asked. “They got a second boat?” “Hopefully they’ll take out the entire fleet,” Nine said.

“Maybe the first explosion wasn’t the Ampere,” Eight said.

“If it wasn’t, Hatch may have gotten out,” Schema said. He pointed toward the beach. “There. Cut back on power and head to shore.” “Yes, sir,” Four said.

Schema carefully surveyed the beach but saw nothing but sand and a wall of foliage separating the beach from the city. They had to be careful. There were hundreds of Elgen guards around Lima, and six well-dressed foreigners coming ashore in a raft would not go unnoticed. The raft struck sand and the board members quickly climbed out.

“Send the raft back out,” Schema said to Four. “If they find it they might figure out we survived.” Schema hoped that anyone who knew they had escaped was killed in the explosion of the Ampere, but he couldn’t be sure, and a wrong assumption could cost them their lives.

The other board members turned the raft around; then Four started the engine again and sent it, unmanned, back out to sea. The group took cover in a small grove of palm trees while Schema walked to the road alone. After sunrise he flagged down a passing cattle truck.

Schema spoke even better Spanish than he did English, and he bargained with the driver for a ride into downtown Lima, offering the man the only valuable he still carried—his twenty-thousand-dollar Rolex watch.

Schema, who was accustomed to elegant yachts and luxury cars, now sat on the alfalfa- and manure-covered floor of the cattle truck for the twenty-minute ride. But the discomfort and humiliation were not the source of his greatest pain. His love, Two, had died after Hatch had hung her upside down in the Ampere’s brig, taking Schema’s place in death.

The truck reached downtown Lima a half hour later and Schema ordered the driver to stop a half block from the Hilton Hotel. “Wait here,” Schema said to the driver and the other board members. “I’ll be back.” He brushed himself off, then walked into the hotel and up to the concierge desk. A Peruvian man wearing thick-rimmed glasses and a black suit looked up. “May I help you?” “Yes,” Schema said. “What is your name, please?”

“I am Victor Perez.”

“Mr. Perez, my name is Giacomo Schema. I am the CEO of the Elgen Corporation. I have no identification, but if you need confirmation you can verify my identity on the Internet. My associates and I have been the victims of a crime. We were kidnapped on our way into town. The thieves stole everything and I need your assistance. If I could have access to a telephone, I can wire money to your hotel and book a room. I would like your presidential suite or an equivalent.” Even though Schema’s suit was disheveled, Perez recognized it as a twenty-thousand-dollar Ermenegildo Zegna.

“You are of what citizenship?” Perez asked.

“Italian.”

“Shall I alert the Italian consulate?”

“Yes, of course,” Schema said, not meaning it. “But if you please, I will do so later. I am tired and hungry and still a bit traumatized. If you can assist me, I guarantee that you will be properly rewarded.” Schema took a pen from the desk and wrote his name and “Elgen Inc.” Then, at the bottom of the page, he scrawled, $1,000 for your kind assistance

Schema looked into the man’s eyes. “Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Being who I am, there are obvious reasons this is best handled discreetly. If you need verification, check the website.” The man googled “Elgen Inc.,” and then clicked on the website’s Chairman/Board tab. He looked at Schema, then back at the screen. “Yes, this appears to be you. Just one moment, sir. I must speak with the hotel manager, Señor Castillo.” He spoke into his phone and a moment later a tall Peruvian man walked up to the desk.

“Good morning, sir,” he said to Schema. “I am Señor Castillo, the manager of this hotel.” Perez spoke to Castillo in Spanish, not knowing that Schema could understand him perfectly.

“This gentleman claims that he was robbed and is now without money or identification. He says his name is Giacomo Schema and he is the CEO of an international company called Elgen. I looked at the website and there is a picture of him.” “What is it he wants?”

“He wishes some assistance to transfer money. And the president’s suite.” “That is correct,” Schema said. “I would be most grateful for your assistance in this matter.” Castillo glanced down at the computer screen, then back up at Schema. He said in English, “I am sorry for this great tragedy. Our country is usually more hospitable, but in all big cities there are problems.” “Of course,” Schema said.

“Please, follow me to my office.”

Schema followed the hotel manager past the concierge desk to a small back office.

“I need to call my banker in Switzerland,” Schema said. “I will, of course, take care of all expenses.” “Please,” Castillo said. “You may sit at my desk.”

Schema looked down at his wrist before remembering he’d given his watch away. “I forgot that my watch was stolen. What time is it?” “It is just past nine.”

“Good. It is not closing time in Switzerland yet.”

“I will give you some privacy,” Castillo said, stepping toward the door. “I will be right outside my office if you need me.” “Thank you,” Schema said. He sat down at the desk and dialed an eleven-digit number. “Please put me through to Florian Wyss. Tell him this is Giacomo Schema.” A moment later a man answered in stilted English. “Giacomo, I have been trying to reach you. You missed our dinner party. My wife was so disappointed to not meet you.” Schema ignored the pleasantries. “Florian, I am calling with urgency. There has been a mutiny. Our director, James Hatch, has commandeered the company and the Ampere. He has murdered two board members and imprisoned the rest of us. It was by sheer fortune that we have managed to escape.” “Mon dieu!” Wyss exclaimed. “Now I understand. There was an order from President Hatch to immediately transfer eight hundred million dollars into an account in the Cayman Islands. Of course I would never make such a transfer without personally speaking with you.” “When did that order come?”

“Just a few hours ago. I have been trying to reach you.” “Then Hatch is still alive,” Schema said. “This is most unfortunate. You did the right thing, Florian. I am in Lima, Peru. I need you to make arrangements to wire money to this hotel and move money to this account.” “Have you contacted the authorities?”

“The authorities of which country, Florian?”

“My apologies, Giacomo. What else do you require?”

“Send a jet for us. We will meet with you in Geneva to discuss our next move.” “How many will be flying with you?”

“There will be six, including me.”

“Shall I freeze the Elgen accounts?”

Schema thought for a moment. “No. Hatch doesn’t know we’re still alive. Let’s let him keep his false sense of security until I have determined a course of action.” “Where shall I wire the money?”

“I am at the Lima Hilton. Let me have you speak with the hotel manager.” Schema walked to the door. “Señor Castillo, my banker would like a word with you.” While Castillo and Wyss worked out financial arrangements, Schema found some paper and made a list of everything he needed, including two changes of clothing. A few minutes later Castillo said, “Mr. Wyss would like to speak with you again.” “Gracias,” Schema said, taking the phone.

“Everything is taken care of, Giacomo,” Wyss said. “Our bank has opened a line of credit with the hotel, so all your expenses will be covered. In the morning you will be delivered five thousand American dollars from the Banco de la Nación with a new credit card. The jet will take me a few more minutes to reserve, but it will be sent for you at the first moment possible and will reach you, at the latest, by the day after tomorrow. Señor Castillo will arrange transportation to the airport.” “Thank you, Florian. I look forward to seeing you, and meeting your lovely wife.” “I will be most pleased. I will see you soon. I look forward to helping you put an end to this mutiny.” “Indeed,” Schema replied. He hung up the phone and turned to the hotel manager. “Thank you for your assistance. I will need my suite and four other rooms for my board members.” He handed Castillo the list he had made. “Also, I will need these things delivered to my room as soon as possible.” “As you wish, sir. Is there anything else you will require?” “Please have your finest wine, cheese, and fruit sent to my room. Also, your best steak with a cheese-and-mushroom omelet.” “Yes, sir.”

“And one more thing. Give yourself a thousand-dollar tip. You’ve been most helpful.” * * *

By the time Schema retrieved the other board members and got to his own suite, there was a bottle of Peruvian wine waiting for him, along with a selection of crackers and cheeses, dates, apricots, and honey, as well as a T-bone steak and an omelet.

Schema examined the bottle of wine, poured himself a glass, then took a sip. “It isn’t Château Margaux, but it will do.” He drank the glass, then wolfed down his meal. He hadn’t eaten for nearly twenty-four hours and he felt it.

When he’d finished eating, he took off his clothes and lay back on his bed. Now that the danger and hunger that had filled his mind were gone, his thoughts turned to the man who had caused him such pain. Hatch had taken everything from him—his company, his love, his future. Now that he knew Hatch was still alive, he wanted revenge. He will pay, Schema thought. I will use every last dime, every means available to me, to make him pay for what he has done. I will destroy Hatch if it’s the last thing I do.

The question Schema struggled to answer was: Just how desperate is Hatch? Schema could employ a mercenary army to overthrow Hatch and his Elgen guard, but that could take weeks or months to organize. In the meantime, Hatch had full access to all the Starxource plants. He could destroy every Starxource plant in a matter of hours. Or, worse yet, he could release the rats into the countries they inhabited, causing mass destruction. Schema had no doubt that the attacked countries would destroy everything Elgen, leaving nothing for Schema to recover.

However he proceeded he had to be careful. Underestimating Hatch was a mistake he couldn’t afford to make again.