Chapter 6
Dillon and Robert walked into the hotel and took note of the hustle and bustle of the lobby, finding people running around frantically with bell boys carrying their luggage. “It looks like everyone is in a hurry,” quipped Robert with a smile.
“Looks like it,” he replied back. “Have you already checked us in?”
“Of course,” Robert said with a grin. “I’ll go get our keys to our rooms from the concierge.” He walked over to the concierge and immediately acquired the keys, turning back and tossing Dillon his card, which he caught without much of a struggle. The two men were in the best of spirits after their rail trip through Europe. They experienced a fantastic meal, followed by four hours of sleep in their private quarters to allow them to relax and recover after their previous evening in Monte Carlo. With a pep in their step, the two were going to finish the night preparing their business plan before waking up to conquer the meeting tomorrow, giving everything they had for the sake of their success.
Dillon stood in the lobby of the hotel on his phone, looking at the several text messages he received while they were in transit to the hotel with Robert standing at the concierge’s desk, finding out about the meeting with Sulagna Patel and other accommodations. “Robert, I think there’s something you need to know,” Dillon announced as the concierge walked out to address Robert.
“Your meeting with the executive committee is in three hours during their late dinner gathering,” stated the well-dressed concierge. “Should I let them know you will attend?”
Robert looked at the man with a completely dumfounded look. “The meeting was supposed to be tomorrow. Are you sure that’s when they scheduled it?”
“Yes, sir. I made sure to double check,” replied the concierge. “Can I alert them that you will be attending?”
Without much of an option, Robert nodded his head. “I guess I don’t have a choice,” he said, conceding that he would lose a great deal of time for preparation. “I will just have to make this work.”
“Absolutely. Is there anything else I can get for you while you are here?”
“No, that’s quite alright,” he replied. “Thank you.”
Robert turned around and walked over to Dillon who stood bewildered. “What’s up?” asked Robert as Dillon tilted his head slightly to look up from his phone.
“Something isn’t right,” claimed Dillon as he handed his phone to Robert for him to read the headline that the Australian Oil and Trade Corporation was saved by two women from the United States. Robert’s expression went from positive to negative within the span of a couple of seconds. “In the last hour, before filling out the petition for financial protection, these two women swooped in and saved a sister company within the Consortium.”
Robert shook his head in disbelief as the words on Dillon’s phone sunk in. “Mina did say that every company within the Consortium will take care of one another no matter what is at stake, and that loyalty to the overall body is second to none,” he said as he returned Dillon’s phone. “I was under the impression that the Australians were left for dead.”
“I was as well,” replied Dillon. “Every piece of data that I received from our accounts said the company was done for.”
“Well at least your investment in them is saved,” replied Robert. “I think I’m going to need a moment before our meeting in three hours.”
Dillon’s jaw dropped. “Our meeting is in three hours?”
“Yes,” replied Robert. “We are going to be meeting during their evening dinner, and I have yet to really figure out what we are going to be talking about since the whole basis of what we were trying to achieve is now completely out of reach.”
Dillon looked around the lobby as Robert fumed over his entire plan falling apart. “I think I’m going to head to my suite and take a few moments to myself,” stated Robert, trying to calm himself down. “I’ll meet you down here in the lobby before dinner.”
“I understand,” replied Dillon. “Clear your head. This isn’t over yet.”
“It definitely seems that way.”
Robert stepped away from the lobby and walked toward the elevator, pressing the button and immediately walking onto it. He rode it for nearly a minute before it stopped at his floor and he walked over to his room, inserting the magnetic key and walking in to find his luggage waiting for him in the entryway. He wheeled his luggage into the bedroom and placed it on a rack, opening it up to pull out the two bottles of wine he brought with him before setting them inside the small refrigerator in the room. With too much crowding his mind, Robert walked around the suite and found a couch positioned in the center of the room for him to contemplate what to do next.
The presentation and discussion with the executive committee took a much different tone with the news that the Australian company was saved by two American women. Though upset, Robert held it in as he sat alone in his hotel room, hoping for clarity and inspiration for his next move. This was not a position that Robert was used to occupying, as he was normally an aggressive businessman instead of one that relied on sitting back and reacting. This was not playing to his strengths.
He leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees with his hands directly underneath his chin, looking straight ahead at his bed. “Maybe I should just go to bed and forget about all of this,” he said to himself, as crippling negative emotions started to fill his mind. He replayed the events in his mind from the past two days of the peaks and valleys, with the successes and pitfalls. He was able to make it into the stadium to talk to Sulagna Patel where she turned him down, but then offered him a lifeline. He met an amazing woman whom he enjoyed spending time with without getting sick of her presence. He sighed dejectedly as he thought about the meeting that was still going to happen, though now was going to take place during a small dinner.
Robert shook his head again as he heard a knock at his door. “I told Dillon to leave me be,” he said as he stood up and walked over to the door, closing his eyes and placing his right hand on the door knob. With a soft sigh, he turned the door knob and pulled it open to see two Indian women standing in front of him.
“Oh good, you’re wearing pants,” announced Mina Patel, standing with her mother in front of a very confused Robert.
“Are you coming to personally tell me that the meeting is cancelled?” asked Robert dejectedly.
Sulagna laughed as she shook her head. “No, not at all Mr. Acostis,” she said with a warm tone. “May we come in?”
Robert nodded and opened the door for the two women to walk in. “And you are fortunate that I am wearing pants,” he said in a sarcastic tone. “Typically, I bare all when I’m in a hotel room sulking.”
“Why are you sulking?” asked Sulagna. “Are you upset that the Australian company was able to save themselves?”
“They didn’t save themselves. The Americans saved them,” retorted Robert. “My vision for my company was destroyed once I heard that news.”
Sulagna shook her head. “So shortsighted Mr. Acostis,” she said with a sly grin. “Mina told me about your conversation on the train and what you and your partner are trying to do, and I must admit, I’m impressed with your dedication and how far you’re willing to go to get into our organization.”
“Well I must not have went fast and far enough,” he replied again in a cynical tone. “Now I’m debating what I can do to help preserve and grow the company.”
“You should always think about that, but perhaps you’re giving up too soon,” countered Sulagna. “The Consortium is still on the table for your company to grow and expand in.”
Robert tilted his head a bit. “How?”
“It’s going to take time for Australia to be back at full functionality,” she explained. “Your company is ready, willing, and able to fill the distribution networks right now, correct?”
“Yes, absolutely.”
Sulagna paused and looked over at her daughter. “I think I remember him saying something to me about trying some of his wine,” she said slyly, changing the subject to heighten Robert’s curiosity.
“I believe he did,” replied the younger Mina, wearing a gorgeous red dress for the dinner later. “I could use a drink as well.”
Robert grinned as he sunk his head down and walked over to the small refrigerator in his room, pulling out a bottle of wine. On the bar, he pulled down three glasses and filled each, leaving just a bit in the bottle and placing it back in the refrigerator. “You’re in luck, because I brought two bottles with me.”
He turned and handed a glass to each of the ladies as they walked over and sat on the couch in his room while Robert stood up in front of the small bar. “Mr. Acostis, Mina told me about how you’re trying to organize and all of the work that you’re doing to make your company profitable and sustainable. She told me about how you gave someone a percentage of the company with an option to buy more shares so that he could help steer the company in a more stable direction. Is that true?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied politely, sipping on his glass while the other two ladies did the same. “I want this company to be successful, because I believe in it more than any other company I’ve ever been involved in, apart from my family’s winery.”
“I can tell,” she continued. “And this wine is absolutely incredible. If you put as much time and effort into a company that you are in for the long haul, just like creating a fine wine, will you be just as successful?”
Robert shrugged his shoulders. “I honestly don’t know because I’ve never held onto a company long enough to find out, until now that is.”
Sulagna smiled. “I think I want you to find out as well,” she said. “Mr. Acostis, I’ve spoken with the rest of the executive committee, and they are all in agreement that we would like for you to apply for admission to the Consortium of Oil Traders. Your acceptance will be pending on two things. The first, you must sign an agreement that you cannot sell any of your shares to anyone outside the Consortium or within your own company. If you do ever decide to take your toys and leave, you must sell to someone who is already involved in our business. Second, you must appoint someone to be a liaison to the COT to serve on your board of directors. They will be paid a fair salary and will be a director of your company with the responsibility of the day to day communications with COT. They will hold an office in Dubai, as well as an office in New Zealand.”
“Do I get to select this person or has it been chosen for me?” he joked.
“I think you know the answer to that, Robert,” she replied. “I want my daughter to take that position so that she can learn, grow, and forge her own career. She also has a network within the Consortium that will allow her to help you all succeed.”
Robert looked over at Mina and smirked. “Okay,” he replied. “I don’t have a problem with that, so long as we are able to have a great, long, and incredibly fruitful relationship with the Consortium. However, I do have one condition of my own.”
Sulagna turned her head with a confused glare, perplexed that Robert wasn’t overjoyed but was initiating a counteroffer. “Alright,” she said. “What is it?”
“There will never be a COT entity in the Philippines or anywhere else in the Pacific that isn’t already there so long as New Zealand is in business. We will service the entire area, and if we are unable to fill any orders, Australia can pick up the slack.”
“Deal,” she said without hesitation. “However, Indonesia does receive the third option to fill the orders, and if they cannot, it will go to another country that we see fit to fill the orders.”
“I can go with that,” replied Robert. “So my company is now in the Consortium and your daughter is now my…” he paused briefly, thinking of a title for her. “Director of Communications?”
Mina chuckled. “I prefer Executive Director of International Relations.”
Robert nodded, affirming Mina’s creativeness. “Yeah, that’s much better.”
“I know,” she replied with a great deal of arrogance. “Robert, I don’t want this to seem forced, even though it partially is. I want you to know that I will do my absolute best because I want my career to be beneficial, fruitful, and incredibly lucrative. I promise I will give you and the company everything that I have, and if I cannot get the job done, then we will find someone who will.”
“I know you will,” he stated astutely. “I know that you have far too much pride to let yourself fall short, and we are in great hands with your care.”
Sulagna smiled as she stood up from the couch and walked up to Robert, extending her hand in friendship. “You may want to take this time to call your friend so the three of you can all discuss the strategies going forward.” She placed her empty glass on the counter behind Robert and walked toward the door, leaving Mina sitting there on the couch. “I look forward to introducing you to everyone at the dinner in an hour.”
“I look forward to it also,” replied Robert with a genuine smile, closing the door behind her and turning back to look at Mina. He pulled out his phone and texted Dillon, requesting that he come over to his suite so that he could talk to him about the meeting that just took place. Dillon was quick to oblige, knocking on his door in under a minute. He walked in already dressed for dinner, wearing a nice black suit with a white shirt and a light blue tie. “You look awfully dapper,” stated Robert coyly as Dillon walked into the room with his hair perfectly styled and his appearance tailor-made to impress the executive committee.
Dillon smiled as he saw Mina sitting on the couch in the center of the room. “Thanks,” he said, turning and looking back at Mina. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Likewise,” she replied courteously. “How long has it been?”
“About two hours,” he quipped. “Way too long to be away from you.”
Mina smiled. “Oh, you sure know how to make a girl feel special.”
Dillon walked over to a chair positioned beside the couch and sat down, looking back as Robert walked up, still holding his wine glass. “Dillon, I’d like you to meet our new…” he paused, trying to think of the title Mina gave herself.
“Executive Director of International Relations,” she finished for him.
“Right. That,” said Robert. “Meet our liaison and representative for the Consortium of Oil Traders.”
Dillon’s eyes opened wide as he gazed at Robert with a confused look. “Why do we have a liaison?” he asked. “We only need a… no way.” With the realization of what Robert had yet to tell him, he stood up from his chair and walked toward Robert, opening his arms and embracing his friend. “I don’t believe it.”
“Believe it,” said Mina from the couch behind him. “The work the two of you have done to make this company seem reputable, stable, and potentially profitable in two days is mind boggling and something that the COT appreciates. Though Robert’s reputation is a stumbling block, his actions have shown that he is prepared to dedicate himself to the success of his company, as well as the success of the Consortium. My mother said that anyone on the board would be foolish to deny the company entrance.”
“So, what did you tell your mother?” asked Dillon, trying his best to get to the bottom of what all happened.
Mina grinned as she adjusted her position on the couch. “I told her what our conversation was like on the train from Milan and how the two of you really impressed me with your vision of stability and professional control,” she began. “We spoke about what was best for the COT and what was best for the region, and even though you carry a bit of a negative stigma, it was easy enough for her to look over once she knew the direction of the company and could see that it would be beneficial to let you in.”
“Right, and you get a pretty important position it sounds like,” quipped Dillon, prodding a bit.
“I did get something out of it, but mother and I have been discussing ways of getting me involved with a company for the past few years and making sure we waited to find the right opportunity,” she explained cordially. “She feels that it will be beneficial for me to work with two smart and aggressive businessmen, and that I could potentially learn a great deal to help further my career, assuming I ever need to.”
Robert smirked. “Dillon, she’s a part of the team now, and she’ll be one of the many reasons we are going to succeed. We’re going to embrace this right now and not look back.”
“Oh, I’m not fighting this appointment,” he defended himself. “I fully support it, one hundred percent. I think she is and will be an incredible asset to us.”
Mina smiled as a light knock from the suite door emitted through the room. “Who the hell could that be?” asked an annoyed Robert, who immediately turned and walked to the door. He placed his hand on the door knob and opened it up, swinging the door open quickly and preparing to berate whoever was on the other end for disturbing him when the ‘do not disturb’ sign was clearly posted on the door. “Oh,” he said softly, changing his entire demeanor once he saw who was on the other side of the door.
“I’ve heard you’ve had a rough go of it, love,” said an energetic Camille with her thick accent, standing in front of a bundled-up Marisol. “Dillon wanted this to be a surprise.”
Robert smiled as he held the door open, motioning for the two ladies to walk in with both immediately walking toward Dillon and hugging him. “Glad to see you two made it to Zurich in one piece,” he stated joyfully. “I was worried the airstrip was going to freeze over and they were going to have to divert the flight.”
“Well it was an interesting landing, but we’re here,” said Marisol with a sense of relief. “I didn’t know what room you were in, so Camille and I left our luggage with the concierge.”
“That’s fine, we can ring for it in the next few minutes if need be so you can get ready for dinner,” replied Dillon. “It will be in about an hour, so you should have enough time to get ready.”
Camille laughed heartily as she slapped Dillon on the shoulder before walking over to the chair he previously occupied and sat down. “I’m sure it’ll take the two of us at least an hour and a half to get ready after that flight,” she joked. “I do appreciate the charter service, Dillon, but did you really have to put the two of us next to livestock?”
“Excuse me?” asked Dillon. “Livestock?”
“Yes, dear, there happened to be a man with a chicken in a kennel on the plane with us,” explained Marisol. “It was an awkward experience.”
Robert and Mina both laughed as Dillon tried his best to suppress it. “Camille, Marisol, I’d like for the two of you to meet Mina Patel, our new…whatever her title is.”
“Executive Director of International Relations,” she finished for him again. “I swear, eventually you will get that right.”
Camille smirked as she shook her head at Robert, stretching her hand out to shake Mina’s. “Pleasure to meet you,” she said with Marisol walking up and doing the same.
“So, what exactly will you be doing?” asked Marisol, getting straight to the point and avoiding any awkward conversations.
“I am the direct liaison with the COT and its members,” she explained. “My position will involve the procurement of supplies, transfer of materials, and overall relationship management within the Consortium.”
Marisol nodded slowly. “Isn’t it a bit premature to bring her on board?” she asked. “You have your meeting in an hour to discuss even getting in. Isn’t this getting a bit ahead?”
Dillon and Robert both chuckled as Mina shook her head. “Marisol, we were accepted in right before you got here,” stated Robert, prompting a look of genuine surprise from both Camille and Marisol. “Our dinner tonight is more of a welcome dinner where we will meet everyone and discuss policies, procedures, to start building and crafting relationships within the organization.”
“That’s incredible!” exclaimed Camille as she leapt up to hug Robert. “So tonight is more of a celebration?”
“Absolutely,” he replied. “Tonight, we meet the members of the Consortium, schmooze with them a bit, and then perhaps enjoy our next couple of days here in Zurich before we get to work.”
“That would be amazing,” said Mina. “The executive committee will be here for a few days anyway, so that will give me enough time to get some networking in before I head to Dubai and get set up there. Robert, Dillon, the two of you may want to consider making an appearance there before long.”
The two men nodded. “I’ve always hated Dubai,” said Dillon.
“Why? It’s an amazing place,” retorted Mina. “It is one of the most fabulous places in the world.”
“Mina, no disrespect, but if I want amazing beaches and a great night life, I can just go home to Miami,” he replied. “Dubai offers nothing that I cannot get back home.”
“That’s fair,” she replied as she stood up from the couch and walked toward the doorway. “I will see the four of you in about an hour for the dinner. I can’t wait to get started.”
“Neither can we,” replied Robert. “We’ll see you soon.”