Mr. North was charged with examining and influencing northern hemisphere economics. Russian by birth, this former national president mysteriously retired after his first term. Privately, during his presidency, he had seized oil and gas companies that supply all of Europe and parts of Asia. His wealth needed full-time management so he abandoned the public life of government.
Mr. South figuratively threw gasoline on their flaming discussion. “President Clinton severely crippled our efforts with his conversational remarks to the United Nations in 1994. Even our progressive United Nations supporters were taken aback when he said, “We are on the verge of a global transformation. All we need is the right major crisis.”
Mr. East shook his head in disgust. “How many wars do we need for the ‘right major crisis’? War is ugly and I hate supporting it. We have to get more imaginative.”
“Let’s monitor the reactions to our Silicon Valley calamity. We may be on the right track. Getting another of our puppets elected U.S. President is the solution.” Mr. North encouraged.
Mr. West laughed a guttural, enlarged-belly laugh. “That last puppet president couldn’t tie his shoes without that bossy wife. Unfortunately for us she couldn’t accompany him into those critical hostage negotiations. With one urging from her at the right moment, we could have had a containable nuclear crisis for FEMA to act. Idiot boy couldn’t follow our simple instructions. At that moment he gave up the ghost when General Warrens prevailed with his Seal Team rescue.”
Mr. North’s complimented Mr. West on the precursor to his Project Florida election scheme. “The Silicon Valley EMP (Electrical Magnetic Pulse) strike was a magnificent diversion from the contents of the recently passed Clean Plastic Bill. I understand our media outlets are giving it wall to wall coverage. The usual congressional bill monitoring and election campaigning has all been removed from the front pages.”
Mr. East asked Mr. West, “How's the kidnapping situation progressing?”
Mr. West said the situation was stable and moving to completion. “Mr. Bianca knows not to mess with our allied Brighton Beach Russians. They have cut out an entire beach area in Brooklyn from the mob’s local gangs. He’ll do as we tell him to do. Mr. South’s stickers will be attached during the voting machines transport to Florida’s polling places.”
Mr. South, rubbing the large facial burn scars on his right cheek, wonders, “What are our chances of the Project Florida being discovered?”
Mr. West answers, moving slightly to hide his lazy left eyelid from Mr. South’s judgmental gaze. “The Russians are playing at frightening off the Fair and Free organization and the lawyer group they hired. But, for some reason these people don’t scare easily. The Russians have our blessing to hurt anyone trying to interfere with Project Florida.”
Mr. East looks at Mr. South. “Your turn. Explain how our vote tampering ruse works."
Mr. South begins. "To the best of my understanding we have a two component voting machine strategy."
"One of these components is in the works." Mr. West says.
"Exactly!" Mr. South. “Once we have access to the modified voting machines, we need to attach a sticker to the side of the display monitor."
Mr. North questions, "What does this sticker say?"
"Glad you asked." Smiling through a face full of wrinkles, Mr. South was ready for this question. "The sticker reads - Authorized Component of the Florida Elections Commission. The Florida State seal in superimposed over these words. Who could question the seal and such eloquent words?"
Mr. North raised his thick, brown eyebrows and continued, “What does the sticker do?”
Mr. South bobs his head. “The sticker is imprinted with nano-particles. Once activated by removing the sticker’s clear covering, the particles organize to form a WiFi receiver/sender. The sticker is now ready to receive signals from our central WiFi carrier. The nano-particles then communicate with the modified, nano-particle impregnated motherboards. Once communication is established we divert votes to our candidates.”
Chapter 21
The Foundation’s video meeting refocused as Juan’s said, “Hey, anyone remember that Dom is missing?” As he said this he reflected on any possible connection to their clients, Fair and Free’s actions.
“Are there any leads?” Mac asked.
Juan said, “I did get a call from my soon to be father-in-law. He said not to worry about Dom. That he has the situation under control. Now that could mean anything.”
Jimmy having lived on the edge of the Seattle mob as a young adult, he empathized with Juan. “He’s telling you its family business. I hate to speculate, but here goes. Do you think she’s been kidnapped to get her father’s attention?”
Juan sprang out of his chair. “Why would anyone kidnap Dom to get her father’s attention? If she was kidnapped, no one’s contacted me.” Juan mussed.
Kitiona stepped in. “That’s the point. You’re important to Dom, but not the kidnappers. They must want something from her father. What does he have of value to them?”
Carol immediately spat out, “Money, daah!”
Mac laughed when asking, “Besides money, what business is Nicholas Bianca NOT into?”
Juan scratched his head. “Dom and I have rarely discussed anything specific about her dad’s businesses. But you can imagine all the mob’s businesses. She did mention, when she was around four or five years old, that he brought her to the trucking company escrow signing. She remembered because of her practicing writing her name. He told her that the company may be hers someday, and that she needed to sign lots of papers as a business owner. So, she practiced while her dad signed the escrow’s paperwork.”
Ben clarified. “So Nickolas bought a trucking company. Does he own more than one? In any case we can assume he’s running the trucking company, now.”
Carol asked. “Where’s the company?” Thinking of any easy connection to their F&F situation, she followed with, “Is his company in Florida?”
“No, I think it’s in Boston or Providence. It’s headquarters are in the northeast for sure.” Juan said.
Jimmy, thinking like a mob guy said, “I’ll bet he has ties to the truckers union. There’s no way he could operate a trucking company without being involved with the unions.”
Juan nodded his head. “I remember Dom having to go to some trucker’s union get-together when we first started dating. I’ll bet he has lots of trucker union officials in his work contacts.”
Mac was getting confused. “Let’s sum up what we know. F&F hires the Foundation to essentially watch their legal backs. Some nasty people take an interest in scaring them and us off this case. Election machines get funded for refitting in China. Dominica gets kidnapped and her father is into trucking. Is anyone connecting the dots yet?”
Ben adds. “We need to know if Nicholas Bianca and the kidnappers are negotiating for Dominica’s release. That could start to explain this situation.”
Carol’s deduced, “Let’s say that Bianca has ties to east coast trucking. This Fair and Free group is investigating election fraud in the upcoming Florida election.” After a slight pause she asks, “Where are the voting machines now?”
Nobody answered. Ben suggests to everyone, “Let's find the whereabouts of those machines. Volunteer anyone?”
Carol pops, “That sounds like something Carl and I can check into.”
“Good,” chirped a satisfied Ben. “You work with Carl. Find out all you can about where the Florida election machines are warehoused. While you’re at it, get as much information about this