There Must Be A Mistake Ch. 31

"I just sat down Mister Schneider. It seems to me Mrs. Short is in need of some counseling to control her temper. Would you like to make this a group session?"

"I don't have a temper, ask my husband."

"You mean the man who screamed, dropped his cell phone, and grabbed his ears after you yelled at him?"

"That wasn't my fault. He told me Dycke just trapped me again."

"May I ask you two personal questions?"

"Yes, go ahead."

"Have you signed contract extensions or new contracts in the last 25 years?"

"Yes I have."

"You have an extremely important job. In most of the company's you would be making between $8, and $12 million a year plus bonuses and benefits. What is your current income, including those two items?"

"That's how the bastard keeps me here."

"I don't believe that was my question."

"Would you like me to tell him Fiona?"

"If you open your mouth Dycke, you will find my fist and it."

Bob yelled from the front of the aircraft, "Do you want me to tell him dear?"

"Only if you want to eat 'DEAR' meat for dinner tonight Bob."

"She doesn't have a temper Doctor, she's always that way."

"I'll talk to you in a few minutes Bob. You won't like what I have to say."

"Remember who picks up the mats dear."

"Fuck you Bob."

"Here or at the hotel?"

"I'm going to kill that man; sooner or later."

"Mrs. Short, you were about to tell me what your total income is."

"I hate you Dycke, you sniveling bastard. $39,999,000 a year net income. He won't give me the extra dollar for some reason, and Dycke pays my taxes"

"Say that again?"

"$39,999,000 a year net income, and Dycke pays my taxes.

"Mister Schneider are you out of your fucking mind? 99 percent of CEOs don't make that much money."

"I know, but every time she threatens to quit, she has to think about how much money she's going to lose. If she goes to General Motors, Boeing, or General Electric, and they ask her for her salary requirements, she's not going to know what to say.

When the head of Human Resources asks her how much she made at her last position, and she says $60 million a year, they are going to say you are overqualified, thank you very much for applying for this opening."

"I hate you Dycke, you've ruined my life."

"I ruined your life. The British government put a gun in your hand, when you were 14 years old. You had a double Masters by the time you were 19. They had you fuck men you didn't know, so they could get secret information from them. Then when their budget got tight, they threw you away, like so much garbage.

I'm the one that ruined your life; I don't think so Fiona.

As soon as you became pregnant, Bob, Marty, my father, and I hatched a plan to take the guns out of your hand permanently, and send you for your PhD. Since you graduated, you have been the head of all my companies in the Western Hemisphere. Even though you refuse to live in it, I gave you one of the six buildings in my complex. Why, because it was always you, Marty, our parents, and us together that made my businesses grow. That building is only worth $850 million. I gave each of you one of them for free, because you made me who I am today. I don't believe I ruined your life:

I believe it was fast food."

"Come out of there you bastard, and I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget."

"Mrs. Short, is that the way you always settle your differences with your boss?"

"Keep out of this Doctor Russell. I've known that imp for more than 25 years. I know how to straighten him out."

"If I come out of here Fiona, I'm going to beat your ass to a pulp. For the last seven years, I've been training with François Vallend. I am not the innocent you knock down this morning."

"Bullshit, you're just trying to scare me."

"Doctor, I'm going to have to interrupt our session for about eight minutes. One minute to get out of this thing. Two minutes for my legs to get their circulation back, and another minute to walk outside. When Mrs. Short is ready, it will take me less than one minute to put her on the floor, and end this argument. I will return upstairs, and get into the hyperbaric chamber again. Then we can continue our session. I hope that's all right with you."

"I would say I don't have any choice in this matter Mister Schneider."

"Bob make sure her head doesn't hit the floor too hard. She has a few years left on her contract, and after today's exhibition of hatred for her boss, I'm going to make her sign an extension for 10 more years, with no out clause. Do you still think you are going to beat me Fiona?"

"When I beat you, you will sign a letter releasing me from your employment."

"Agreed."

"Shit, I'm in trouble. That bastard never lies."

Doctor Russell asked, "What do you mean Mrs. Short?"

"Many years ago, he did the same thing to the head of our security force. He bet Marty that he would beat her and the rest of our security team by 10 minutes, in a marathon. We had several people on our team, who were accomplished marathoners. As far as we knew, he never ran more than half that distance.

He bet Marty she had to wear dresses to work for the rest of the time she was employed by him, and only he could fire her. She had never worn a dress before. She was a warrior, and dressed the part.

She bet him that he had to keep our entire team employed for a minimum of 10 years, with appropriate raises, and he would have to call her 'your Majesty' for the rest of that term.

She was warned not to take that bet because Dycke never lies. NEVER! However, Marty took the bet.

He won the marathon by more than 10 minutes, and for the first time in her life, Marty wore a dress. She wore dresses for the next 13 years and she looked wonderful.

Dycke commented on how good she looked every day she walked into work. Seconds afterwards, he would have to duck away from a flying missile."

"Did you inherit your temper from this woman?"

Dick was sitting at the edge of the hyperbaric chambers bed, with his legs hanging off, when he said, "No Doctor, Marty bred Fiona's temper into her, along with a friend and business partner of mine, His Lordship...."

"Leave him out of it, he's my son's godfather, and he's like a father to me."

"I'm missing a session with my psychiatrist. Can we go downstairs and get this over with now please?"

"I'm going to break your neck."

"I'm going to get even with you for the first day we were in the hospital with Payne. You are going to hurt for a week."

"Bob help!"

"You opened your big mouth, not me. I'll tend to you as soon as it's over."

"Thanks a lot dear."

"You're welcome."

They walked down the rear stairs of the 767, and Dycke started loosening up.

Since no rules had been established, Fiona attacked him, while he was doing a handstand. She went for a disabling kick to his left kidney.

When her foot reached him, he wasn't there.

He inverted his position, and his legs were around her chest trapping her arms. He forced her backwards over her legs, and she was defenseless.

His left hand pushed her neck backward, and his right fist was back, ready for the kill.

He said, "Yield, or die."

Fiona said, "No."

Dycke's fist started coming down amid yells, and screams of, "No, and don't do it."

His fist missed her throat by a millimeter.

He looked into her eyes. "I am not a murderer. Get me a piece of paper and a pen. If you want to leave my employment so badly that you are willing to die for it, I'll sign it, and be gone from my life."

He stood up turned, and saw Doctor Russell standing there looking horrified at him.

"Doctor do you have a prescription pad?"

"Yes I do."

"Would you mark the front of one page 'void', so I can write on the back of it."

Russell did as he was asked.

Dycke wrote, "Fiona Short is Fired. Dycke Schneider." He signed it, and asked Doctor Russell to countersign it.

He walked over to Fiona, who was in Bob's arms, and threw her the piece of paper.

"I wish you all the happiness you seek." He handed her the piece of paper.

"Thank you boss."

"I am no longer you boss. I'll order a private jet to take you home. Bob the choice is yours. You can stay employed with me, until Fiona decides what to do, or you have enough years in to retire now. Let me know what you decide."

"I'll take a week off, and tend to her. I'll let you know after that time."

"That'll be fine Bob."

****************

What went on around the Schneider Boeing 767 was the talk of the tarmac. It seemed that everyone, from the police, mechanics, baggage handlers, and food service personnel knew that two top executives from the Schneider corporation fought outside their aircraft, and the chief financial officer was fired on the spot.

Normally, this would not make any difference to the people in the Swedish government. It did to three particular people, with larceny on their minds, when they found out the names of the two combatants.

Why should they settle for a few million Deutschmarks, when they could have more than $70 million by not having the appropriate documents and stamps brought to the aircraft, along with the Vanadium?

I don't think it will come as any surprise to you that as you approach the third week in November, Sweden only has three, or four hours of sunlight per day, as the Earth continues rotating on its axis until the sun reaches 23.7 degrees south latitude. The sunlight that reaches the northern latitudes in mid- November does not rise until after 10 o'clock in the morning

At 4 AM, the phone rang in Fiona's suite.

"Hello."

"Mrs. Short, I have been told your aircraft has arrived, and is refueling now. It will be ready to leave in 90 minutes. You must go through customs before you leave. Have a safe flight home."

"Thank you very much."

She turned on the light and said, "Bob get up our aircraft is here. We have a lot to go."

When he didn't answer her, she turned, looked at his side of the bed, and he wasn't there. She jumped out of bed, went into the main room, and saw him looking out the windows."

She walked over to him, put her arms around him, and she asked kindly, "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I'm waiting for sunrise."

"You asshole, that won't be here until April."

"I can guarantee you one thing; I won't be here in April."

"You are a wuss Bob."

"I didn't get beaten in eight seconds yesterday."

"Did you know he was taking lessons from the Vallend?"

"I had no idea who he was taking lessons from, but I knew he was taking lessons to let off steam. I don't think I've ever seen that move before, and he was lightning quick with it."

"The worst part about it Bob is that he baited me with it. He knew I would come at him, because he was in what looked like a disadvantaged position. He ate me up with it. He's always at least one-step ahead of me."

"Let's get dressed, and get out of here."

***************************

As they were being driven out to their aircraft, the Schneider Boeing 767 was lit up with floodlights, and people were milling around waiting for their baggage to arrive. Fiona asked the driver if she could say goodbye to some of her friends before proceeding on to her aircraft.

With a $100 bill in his hand, he said, "Yes," even though it was against the rules. He stayed in the warmth of the cab, while Bob and Fiona went over to their friends, and colleagues to bid them goodbye.

The baggage handler bringing the luggage for the 767 stopped beside the other driver, and yelled, "What are you doing? You were not allowed to stop here."

"Those two are saying goodbye to their friends. She is the one that was in the fight yesterday, and lost. I'm giving her a few minutes, and then taking her to her aircraft to leave."

Fiona and Bob turned, and started walking back towards their cab.

"Look, here they come now. It didn't take them two minutes."

"You owe me a drink, otherwise I'll report you."

"I'll buy you two drinks for what they gave me."

"You bastard, you are always lucky one."

As they reached the cab, Bob asked the driver if he got in trouble.

"If he reports me, I'm in trouble."

Bob handed the other driver $100.

"If you say one word about this, I will report you to your supervisor, and tell him I smelled alcohol on your breath."

"We are friends; there will be no disharmony between us."

"Thank you gentlemen enjoy your long night. I'm going to where the sun is."

Bob got into the cab and snuggled up to Fiona.

"If the engines don't start, I'm going to cry."

"Did all go well?"

"Yes I saw Tom and Deke slip away from our cab."

They climbed on-board, and the stewardess closed the door behind them. They heard the starboard engine start, and Bob kissed Fiona.

"I don't care if it's raining at home, it will still be 70 degrees or above, and the sun will be shining.

"I can't take you anywhere can I?"

"As long as it's below the Mason-Dixon line, I'll go with you. If it's above it, it depends on the time of the year."

"Fasten your seatbelts please, we are first for departure."

A moment later, the engines roared, they were forced back into their seats, there were a few bumps, and then all became quiet as the landing gear came up and locked into position.

It's weird to fly northwest at the beginning of your trip, when your destination is to the south. However, that is the way the great circle route makes your trip the shortest. If you were to fly in a straight line from Stockholm to Charleston, you add 800 miles and nearly 2 hours to your flight.

The passengers on the 767 boarded the aircraft, and Dycke returned to the hyperbaric chamber.

Suddenly, the aircraft was surrounded by police vehicles, and officers boarded the aircraft. They ordered Dycke to come out of the chamber, because he was under arrest.

He came out of the chamber, and asked what the charges were.

The officer said, "You are attempting to smuggle radioactive material out of our country, without the appropriate permits."

Dick replied, "Our request for the Vanadium was denied by your government. Who is charging us with this crime, because we did not have access to the Vanadium, without their approval? You have my permission to search this entire aircraft, from nose to tail, from top to bottom. You have my personal guarantee there is no contraband on it."

"We're going to search everyone's luggage, and the entire inside of the aircraft. No one is to leave."

"Commander, you still have not told me who has charged me with this crime. I will make sure the papers know about this abomination in the morning."

"The Foreign Minister has charged you with this crime Mister Schneider."

"Oh, the woman I told to go fuck herself, because she was uglier than Medusa."

"That would be one way to get her angry with you Mister Schneider."

"It's the truth is in it? I told her that just after she refused my request for the Vanadium. I went to the defense minister, and the finance minister, and got the same answer from them. I have a team headed for China to make a deal for the Vanadium with them. Why would I have to steal from your country, when I'm making a deal with another?"

"I don't know Mister Schneider, but I do have my orders, and I have to follow them."

"I would expect you to follow them to the letter of the law. My people will do anything that you ask, as quickly as you ask it, and so will I. The flight crew will follow your orders also. Please begin."

After searching each piece of luggage, sealing it with appropriate documentation, searching the belly, and luggage areas inside the aircraft they found nothing. The final search was with Geiger counters looking for traces of radioactive materials, and none was found. After the exhaustive search, police commander called it off.

"I am sorry for delaying your departure Mister Schneider. Now I have to investigate why the three ministers accused you of stealing this material when you did not. I should get some very interesting answers."

"Here is my card commander. I would appreciate hearing what those answers are. If they are criminal answers, I'm sure my attorneys would love to come to this beautiful country of yours to find out why they picked me as a person of interest."

"You can be guaranteed I will be in touch Mister Schneider."

As soon as everything was replaced inside the aircraft, and everyone was buckled up, the starboard engine was started.

Before Dycke returned to the hyperbaric chamber he said to Sistina, "You know what to do."

"Dycke if you don't return to normal when we get back to Charleston, I'm going to beat the shit out of you every day. While you are lying on the floor bleeding, you will have a session with Doctor Russell. Do you understand?"

"I could fire you too."

"You haven't fired anyone yet."

"Yes, but everything went well, didn't it?"

"Get into the chamber before I start hitting you now."

"Yes mommy."

As soon as the aircraft was in the air, the lights in the forward section were turned off, and only the lights over the hyperbaric chamber were left on.

Doctor Russell sat down, and said, "Dycke what are we going to do about your major problem?"

"Doc, I have a plan afoot, and if it doesn't work everything is lost."

"Why don't you tell me about it, and I'll give you my opinion."

"In all my life, I have never lost a bet. Regardless of how big or small, I have never lost one. I am about to bet everything I love on this bet, and I want to lose it with all my heart."

"Okay, you have me totally confused; keep going."

"My best friend, and chief antagonist, Even Luck said to me a long time ago I should bet him the most precious thing I own except for Payne, and he would bet me the most precious thing he owned, excepted Jennifer, on the size of his cock. He said it reached the top of his knee, and always has to strap it there to keep it under control. I said bullshit. He told me to take the bet. I looked into his eyes, and for some reason or another, I couldn't take the bet. Doctor, no one has a dick that long. I was tempted to check online to see what the record was, but I've never done that before. It's like cheating and I never cheat, because it's like lying, and I never lie. I was caught in a trap so I never took the bet and he never mentioned it again.

On the way here, he was antagonizing me again, when it hit me. I wouldn't be betting Payne. I would be betting Zoie. I would be giving him Zoey if he won, and I wasn't worried about what he would give me. It would be perfect if he weren't lying to me. I yelled, "Do you swear to me you are going to win this bet?

He said, "It's strapped to my knee right now. Are you sure you don't want to see it in action, while I use it on Jennifer?"

"I told him the church frowns on pornographic movies."

"He said it would be instructional."

"I like your friend Even Luck. I'd like to meet him before he goes away."

"Why don't you come with us, as an expert witness to the length of his monster? That's what his wife, Jennifer, calls it."

"I would consider it in honor. It would also make me feel insignificant, in comparison. What is your fallback plan?"

"There is none. If I kidnap Zoey, and put her on the spacecraft, Payne will never forgive me. She will file for divorce, and my heart will be broken."

"Can your daughter keep the secret, and I mean a very big secret?"

"I can't get near my daughter alone. My wife is always inches away from her when I am at home."

"Does she go out by herself at all?"

"No, she is always guarded."

"Have her guard give her a letter from you telling her exactly what you are going to do, and see if she approves. All you need is a one-word answer, yes or no? She will give it to the guard, and the guard will get it to you. You can continue communicating with her that way. Don't let her use her cell phone, because her mother will probably check to see if she's called you or not."