Valkyrie AGR Team Headquarters
Valkyrie Training Facility
Alexander was grateful to be out of his office and finally able to start the actual work in motion. He was on his way to the training center where he was meeting with the pilots, the entire medical team, and the training team. The medical and training team had spent most of Thursday reconfiguring the training center to build, modify, and install the changes to the equipment that were going to be needed. Alexander was impressed that the new simulator was already ready. The board members with the European Union Space Agency had come through by donating a base training rig they use for training astronauts. The engineers, mechanics, and training technicians had already reconfigured and added the rig components to build the new simulator the way they wanted.
The Medical Team was excited to be able to integrate all the monitoring systems for pilots that they wanted. New medical sensors provided by another board member with Biomatter International will give more detailed and live readings about what was going on with the pilot’s bodies as they experienced. The new sensors were developed for augmentation technology and included measurements for neural activity, kidney function, and toxicity levels with more sensitive readings for heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and glucose levels. Alexander knew these changes would have taken more time without the board members' support. The only catch to their help was that they had to share the research and data with them. Alexander felt that was a fair trade. It had been worth the time he had taken to win their support and his restraint. He still wanted to punch a few of them but he was glad he had tamped down on the urge to do it.
Alexander was looking around at the changes to the area. He hadn’t been here since they started since he had been busy doing other things. Besides, he needed to show his team that he trusted them to get the work done. They didn’t need him hovering over their shoulder micromanaging them. He was surprised to note that the space felt more open. It took him a moment to figure out what had changed. The training section had modular features to facilitate changes as they came up. The gym section had been opened up a little to include some new medical monitoring systems. The new simulator was larger and was set into some steel braces on a platform with steel scaffolding on it with steps leading up to it. There was a bank of 4 computer workstations built into the side opposite the stairs. Alexander could see the open framework design with hydraulics and electric motors that would drive the system. The interlocking gyroscope design with gimbals looked like something you would see at an amusement park or in a science fiction movie. Alexander knew that would allow the simulator to make the pilot feel like they were actually moving in any direction.
Alexander smiled as he approached the crowd of people with Paul and Dorian at the center. Paul and Dorian were in the new training suits with embedded sensors in them. They looked like they were wearing the bastard creation of a space suit and a diving suit. They were ugly and not very pretty to look at but hey fashion could take a back seat to quick and practical.
Everyone was chatting and there was a sense of excitement in the air. No one had noticed Alexander’s entrance yet. The pilots looked amused as the medical and training personnel around them were trying to share all the details with them but were using trade jargon that they didn’t understand. The pilots were the superstars of the team and their coworkers wanted to impress them. Alexander was satisfied to note that the air of anxiety and uncertainty was gone. He had sent out an email detailing the restructuring changes and how they would work yesterday after the board meeting. There was some expected confusion as details were hammered out and clarifications made. So far the changes were being embraced by the majority of the staff. There were a few older hands unhappy about the changes who grumped there was nothing wrong with the way they had been doing things.
Alexander was amused to note that it was Dorian who spotted him first. Dorian gave him a wave of his hand in greeting. Alexander waved back but the motion had people turning around to see who Dorian had waved at. The excited murmur got louder for a moment as everyone turned towards him before quieting down.
Alexander smiled as he addressed the group.
Alexander: “Good morning. Today we start getting ready for Africa. We are making changes as fast as we can to shift to the needs of the season. The first thing we are going to do is some research with the help of our pilots.” Alexander nodded at Dorian and Paul who looked interested.
Alexander: “The team has developed a new simulator with the help of those snazzy new suits you are wearing that will give the medical team some new information on what happens to pilots during a race. The new simulators will allow you to run any track virtually like you would in your ship. The new rigging will put your body through the same forces and movements you would experience in the cockpit during the race. It is as close to experiencing the real thing as we can get without putting you on the track. The medical and training team will be working in conjunction to support both of you as they put you through some new training regimes. These will include what our team is calling cognitive reflex training which is a method used to strengthen neural chip reaction times and cognitive speed. A new physical training component that will take place in the swimming pool. They will be teaching you freediving techniques to help strengthen your lungs and expand its capacity. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy will be utilized to increase the amount of oxygen you can hold at one time.All of these training techniques will work to strengthen your natural talents and your ability to use your augmentations with the focus of increasing your reflex reaction speeds and active decision making. Oh and the nutritionist will be working with Chef Jacques to ensure that you are getting targeted micronutrients to strengthen eyesight, reflex speed,and cognition. These techniques will make the most of what you already have. Do you have any questions?” Dorian looked puzzled: “I thought we were already doing a lot of this. I mean we already eat incredibly healthy. How is changing our diet supposed to help?” Dr. Thorkelson stepped forward to answer that question.
Dr. Thorkelson: “Dorian you are correct. But there are changes we can make to your diet to ensure you are getting nutrition that specifically benefits the health of the eye for example to ensure eyehealth. Likewise there are specific foods that can help maintain cognitive function. Any benefits you see from these changes will take time. While we can’t guarantee you will see any benefits from these foods, you might. Isn’t it worth it to try?” Dorian looked thoughtful.
Paul looked unsure and confused as he asked: “Freediving techniques but I am a pilot not a diver.” Volkova stepped forward to champion her idea.
Volkova: “Free divers in Japan have been trained to retrieve pearl oysters from the seafloor long before scuba diving technology was available. They trained their bodies to be able to hold more air and developed techniques to help their bodies oxygenate and enrich their bloodstream so that they could dive deeper for longer. Their techniques will help you strengthen your lungs so they work better, expand your lung capacity so you can breathe in more oxygen, and combined with the hyperbaric oxygen therapy, should give you a significant gain in performance. Your body will be developing more red blood cells which means more oxygen. Your body will be training to gain more oxygen and hold it longer under pressure. This will help you in the race when your body is experiencing g forces which puts pressure on your lungs. You should handle the forces better without a loss in cognitive function or reaction times.” Paul looked surprised as he looked over at Dorian who was looking just as surprised.
Dorian grinned. He had been worried that Knight was going to focus on Paul and ignore his needs for this season. It was not an approach that Dorian had never thought about. There were so many small subtle things. Could they really add up to an advantage on the racetrack? He could see now what Alexander had meant when he said their new approach was going to be focusing on the needs of the pilot.
Dorian: “Well what are we waiting for? Let’s get started!” Paul laughed and slapped Dorian on the back.
Paul: “I will race you to the pool later. What’s first?” Alexander laughed and shook his head. Pilots were always about speed and competition. He couldn’t help but laugh at Paul’s characteristic response of challenging Dorian. It reminded him so much of his father. It brought back memories of Audrick’s smiling face as he challenged him to race wherever they were going. He pushed away the sadness that came with the memory and focused on the here and now.
Alexander: “First the simulator. You are each going to run the Auckland race again to establish a baseline for the staff to work from. Then you will be at Volokova’s tender mercies. If you have any questions about anything, they are here to answer your questions. We are a team and support one another. They know the answers better than me. Come find me after you are done today if you have any more questions about the new training regime. The Engineering Team is working to make the ships faster before Africa without sacrificing our edge in handling and stability. Once those changes are worked out and tested, you will test the changes first in the simulator and then on the test track. I want those ships dialed in before Africa. You will be spending a lot of time in the cockpit next week as they work to get the ships ready for Africa. Dorian you and Paul will need to be honest and share what you are experiencing with the team so they can help adjust the ship or the training to better support you. So be honest about your challenges. If you need something and aren’t getting it for whatever reason, you come talk to me about it. We will work on it to see if we can get it. Understood?” There was an eager anticipatory feeling in the air now with an undercurrent of excited energy. Alexander smiled as that is how it should feel around here.
Alexander turned to the support personnel in the room to address them.
Alexander: “All of you are part of this team. Their success in the cockpit is due to your success here in this room. You are important to the work we do here. If you see something, have a thought, then speak up. Valkyrie will work best as a team. So bring your passion and your ideas and share your knowledge with everyone. We succeed or fail as a team, not individuals. Understood?” Alexander gave Dorian and Paul a serious look as he met their eyes.
Alexander: “Dorian and Paul never forget that while you pilot the ship you are supported by a team. You are not alone in this. Listen to their guidance. Make your own decisions but understand they are here to help you. All of the changes being made and implemented were proposed by team members already working here. These approaches were suggested and discarded by previous leadership. Everyone has their area of expertise and deserves your respect. You both already show a great respect for your colleagues but they need to hear from you not me. Make sure your words and actions reflect that.” Alexander lightened the mood as he gave them a brilliant smile full of warmth.
Alexander: “Now all you miscreants get back to work. We have races to win!” Alexander was rewarded by loud cheering and laughter by the excited bunch. He left them to get started. They would perform better and bond easier without him there. Besides, he had a meeting with the marketing team. Katherine had some stuff to go over with him.
Alexander had made it back to his office and was attempting to get another cup of coffee when Mabel gracefully intercepted him by taking the empty cup out of his hand and hip checking him away from the coffee machine. She put a decaf pod in and then started the machine. Alexander put his hands on his hips and glared at her.
Alexander: “Mabel I am perfectly capable of making my own damn coffee.” Mabel gave him a sickly sweet innocent look and crossed her arms.
Mabel: “Alex, I know for a fact that you have already had over 4 cups of coffee this morning. I also know you have been averaging about 4 hours of sleep a night. You need a solid night’s rest. No more caffeine for you today. No arguments.” Alexander gave her a glowering look.
Alexander: “Mabel I love you but I am a grown ass man. If I want to drink coffee then I can have a cup of coffee.” Mabel patted him condescendingly on the shoulder.
Mabel: “Don’t sulk Alexander. It is not a good look for the boss.Besides you are getting coffee. Decaffeinated coffee.” Alexander threw his hands up in the air and gave up walking back to his desk. He began logging into the computer. All at once it dawned it on him that she had known how many cups of coffee he had so far today. Alexander narrowed his eyes as he paused and looked up at her as she brought him his coffee.
Alexander: “Wait a minute… How did you know how many cups of coffee I have had so far today?” Mabel sat down in one of the plush black leather chairs across from his desk for visitors. She gave him a sly smile and a wink.
Mabel: “I have my ways. Now shall we get to work?” Alexander shook his head. He would never learn how she found out all she did. She never ceased to amaze him. He nodded and finished booting up his computer. He absentmindedly grabbed the coffee cup and took a sip. He winced and set it back down. It just didn’t taste the same. He sighed and pulled up his schedule.
Mabel: “Next on your schedule today is the meeting with Katherine to go over marketing and public relations issues. The only other important meeting you have today is with Wulfric and Leopold to discuss the investigation into Maier and Zimmerman’s activities. I have already prioritized your inbox for you. You can work on clearing up those details in between meetings. Let me know if you want me to weed out any more of the insignificant stuff for you. I can handle the logistics details if you want me to. This frees up more of your time from dealing with approvals on the number of screws we order and the supplier for the toilet paper.” Alexander nodded. “Thank you Mabel. I am fine with you handling the standard purchase authorizations with my authority. Send any unusual purchases to me or anything over say $10,000 euros. Is there anything else we need to discuss? Katherine should be here any minute.” Mabel: “I will Katherine fill you in on the latest gossip. Do you want me to stay for the meeting?” Alexander nodded. “Yes, because your wisdom is always helpful. I value your insight.” Mabel just smiled fondly at him and nodded.
Mabel: “Great! Because I can’t wait to see your face when she tells you what is on the agenda.” Alexander didn’t have any time to try and figure out what Mabel went as he called out come-in. He was pretty sure the knock on the door was Katherine as it was time for their meeting.
Katherine opened the door and shut entering Alexander’s office. She was dressed more casually today in nice tan slacks and a flowy tank top blouse in a blush color and brown leather flats. Her hair was down around her shoulders in soft chestnut waves. She was carrying her tablet with her. She moved quickly to take the other chair in front of Alexander’s desk.
Katherine smiled at Mabel greeting her.
Katherine: “Good Morning Mabel and Alexander. Thank you so much for your help yesterday Mabel. I never expected the press to ask you a question. You handled it well though. My thanks.” Mabel’s eyes sparkled merrily as she chuckled remembering yesterday’s press conferences.
Mabel: “Good morning Katherine. It was good to remind them that older people are still in the workforce too. Shame on them for assuming.” Alexander smiled at Katherine and nodded in agreement.
Alexander: “Hello Katherine. I agree Mabel handled it well. Even if it was at my expense.” Katherine just chuckled. She was more at ease around Alexander now that Mabel was here. Mabel’s information and help had been invaluable to her in understanding Alexander’s triggers where the media was concerned. Katherine opened her tablet and gave them both a smile.
Katherine: “Are you ready to start the meeting?” Alexander nodded: “Let’s get to work. What do you have for me?” Katherine: “Yesterday’s press conference was a success. Valkyrie AGR Sport was at least mentioned on most of the major news outlets globally. Some of the questions asked by the journalists have started some rumors you need to be aware of. I am not sure how we are going to address them just yet. So far they sound like the typical conspiracy theory nut jobs focused on your appointment at Valkyrie. However, I need to know from you if I need to be concerned.” Katherine gave Alexander a serious face as she continued. Alexander raised an eyebrow and waited for her to continue.
Katherine: “The EUGossip is a notorious celebrity gossip news outlet. They are just as likely to make up news if it's a slow week as they are to actually have a story that has facts behind it. It has enough plausibility that it is staying alive so far on social media. They posted a story that while you were personally cleared by investigators that your former racing team had the investigation into Audrick Mulder’s death shut down. What can you tell me about what happened, Alexander?” Mabel looked concerned at the information Katherine shared.
Alexander looked surprised and then thoughtful and angry as he tried to decide what he could share. He worded his answer very carefully. Alexander allowed the pain and sadness he felt about his friend’s death to show as he spoke. His voice was laced with remembered pain and shame.
Alexander: “Audrick Mulder was a fellow competitor and also my best friend. I met him when I started racing Formula AG. We were friendly rivals. We often pranked each other on the track. We hung out and spent time together socially in between races. His team was my team’s biggest competition back then. Please understand that there are things I am not allowed to tell you. I am bound by nondisclosure agreements to my former team.” Alexander paused for a moment and had a confused look as he looked at Katherine.
Alexander: “Or are nondisclosure agreements voided if the team they were signed for has dissolved? I will need to have the team counsel check on that.” Katherine was looking worried now. She sat forward on the edge of her chair. Nerves and worry threaded through her voice.
Katherine: “I understand the need for secrecy. I want to help you but I need to know what you know.” Alexander looked at Katherine once more, debating how much he could tell her.
Mabel reached across the desk and put her hand gently on his arm. Her voice was soft as she told Alexander.
Mabel: “Alexander she will need to know all of it if she is going to help get you through the shit storm I feel brewing on the horizon.” Alexander looked over at Mabel surprised. He had told her everything once. He had been feeling down about something and had gotten drunk. She had managed to get the whole story out of him. So she knew the truth. Alexander bowed his head and took a deep shuddering breath as he began.
Alexander: “Katherine you will need to keep this information between us three. No one else can hear any of these details until I have checked with the legal department about the non-disclosure agreement with my former team.” Katherine gave Alexander what she hoped was a trustworthy look.
Katherine: “I am already bound by my NDA for Valkyrie. I won’t disclose any details that could hurt the team.” Alexander sighed as voice was filled with grief, pain, embarrassment, and guilt most of all as he began to tell her what happened.
Alexander: “The team I was driving for had hired a new crew chief and engineer. The team owner had been hungry for a win. They were putting pressure on me to drive more aggressively. They wanted me to use shady tactics on the track that skirted safety rules. I refused to drive dirty for them. The night before the championship race I had gone to wish Audrick good luck before the race. When I left, I saw one of my team mechanic’s coming out of Audrick’s team garage. The next day a few laps into the race, I saw Audrick’s ship jerk hard to the right and it lifted off the track. The ship began to tumble and bounce down the track. On the fourth bounce, the ship exploded into a fiery ball. The explosion was big enough they had to stop the race. Parts from the ship had been launched into the crowded grandstand. There were injured people everywhere. I lost my best friend that day. I don’t have any proof they tampered with his ship. I can’t help wondering if I have said something to Audrick that he might still be here. I had no idea why the mechanic was there. It was common for teams to borrow a tool or shoot the breeze together. Competition was more friendly back then or so I thought. But I somehow knew in my gut when I saw Audrick’s ship explode that they had something to do with it. I confronted the team owner and crew chief. They had an ironclad NDA and forbade me to say anything. I quit. I refused to race any more. They sued me for breach of contract. They massacred me and vilified me using the press. Alicia Mulder knows what I do. I couldn’t withhold the truth from her. She didn’t blame me for Audrick’s death but I was also a reminder of who she had lost. We were almost inseparable back then. I spent a lot of time at their house when Paul was just a toddler. I can’t tell you if the racing team had managed to shut down the investigation. It wouldn’t surprise me if they bought off investigators or somehow influenced the outcome in their favor.” Mabel was watching Alexander with a compassionate expression on her face. She knew that he still beat himself up for what happened to his friend. Katherine had a horrified look on her face. She looked shocked and surprised. Mabel couldn’t help wondering if it was because she was still a nice person. Katherine seemed very kind and naive for a professional her age who dealt with public relations. She wondered how she had managed to avoid the dark underbelly in racing so far.
Alexander managed to pull himself back together. He gave Katherine a serious look.
Alexander: “Katherine you absolutely must keep this information absolutely secret. No one can know. At least not until the legal department and I have a conversation about it. You now know the worst of it.” Katherine had tears running down her face. Mabel handed her a tissue. She used it to wipe her face. She sniffled a few times as she got herself under control. Mabel patted her comfortingly this time on the hand.
Katherine: “Alexander, I am so sorry you went through that. I can see why you want it kept silent. Especially with all the allegations that you had something to do with Audrick’s death. That must have hurt so much.”Katherine’s resolve strengthened as she scooted back in the chair relaxing her posture once more.
Katherine: “Thank you for trusting me with this Alexander. At least now I can get ahead of it, and know where to focus my investigation if these rumors persist. I think you should have a talk with Wulfric as well. This might be important to your security in the future. He will have different questions than me. I am sure he would appreciate at least a list of names of people you suspected had been involved. That way we can keep potential spies out of our camp.” Alexander nodded, feeling emotionally drained. He tried to put his focus back on the business of running the team. He only sounded slightly grumpy as he told her.
Alexander: “I have a meeting with Wulfric and Leopold later today. I will speak with them personally about it. Do you have anything else for me?” Alexander missed the anticipatory gleam in Mabel’s eyes.
Katherine smiled and had to admire his ability to push such a deeply emotional topic back into the past and move on with business. Katherine looked down at her tablet.
Katherine: “After yesterday’s press conference, we were approached by a new potential sponsor. I have forwarded the contract to you for review. It is a men’s fashion company and they are offering an endorsement deal of $10 million euros. There is only one catch.” Katherine grinned at him and Mabel looked suspiciously like a cat playing with a mouse.
Alexander: “Okay so what is the catch? So far it sounds like a typical sports wear type of sponsorship.” Katherine chuckled as she informed him of their requirements.
Katherine: “The catch is that it is a line of formal wear for men in business that cater to older men. They want you and Dorian for models. The stipulation is that there is no deal without you. You both would have to agree to model for them in at least one fashion show at fashion week in London and at least one major photo campaign.” Alexander’s mouth fell open in shock. When he had been in racing he had done the obligatory commercials and photo shoots for sports drinks and alcohol and cars. He had never been asked to do anything with high fashion. His job was now behind the scenes. He could understand them wanting Dorian since he was billed as the gentleman’s racer. Alexander had always been the bad boy of racing and the wild card.
Mabel was laughing her ass off. She pointed at Alexander and confided in Katherine.
Mabel: “Do you know how hard it is to surprise that man? This is priceless!” Mabel slapped her knee and just laughed before wiping the tears out of her eyes. She turned to Katherine with amusement in her eyes still as she asked her.
Mabel: “Well bless their hearts. They don’t know what they are asking. Do you really think Alexander can pull off high fashion?” Katherine was amused at both of their reactions. She winked at Mabel.
Katherine: “Evidently the fashion designers were inspired by the press conference. They want to make a whole new line based on Alexander and call it the Knight Collection. They are going to call the line inspired by Dorian the “The Distinguished Gentleman Collection. I know Dorian can handle his bit in this. He will still have to review the contracts and sign them along with Alexander. I didn’t want to send it to him without checking with Alexander first.” It took Alexander a moment or two to get over the shock. He knew securing sponsorships was going to be a part of his job. He just didn’t think he would be the one in front of the camera again.
Alexander was confused as to why a high fashion company would want racing sponsorships. They were outside the norm for the industry. Alexander shook his head and smiled ruefully at the women.
Alexander: “Help me out here Katherine. Other than the use of Dorian and Myself as models, what does the fashion house want out of the sponsorship in terms of the team?” Katherine smiled and looked down at her notes before answering.
Katherne: “They want to be named the team’s official designer. They have offered to make all the suits the guys might use for things like charity events, award ceremonies, that kind of thing. Anytime you or they are in public or in a situation that calls for formal wear they want a contract that you will be wearing their designs. They are hoping to attract a new demographic of clients, active middle aged and older men. Their current demographic and target market is conservative older men. They don’t want to compete in the high fashion market for young wearers. They are hoping to attract a demographic somewhere in the middle. They also want to design the team's new racing suits. That is the other mandatory part of the contract.” Alexander leaned back in his chair as he thought about it. It was certainly different. He didn’t really relish being in the spotlight again but he didn’t really have much choice this deal was too good not to explore it. He winced before he gave a decisive nod.
Alexander: “I will review the contract. It will depend on timing. The appearances at Fashion Week and the photo shoots must be scheduled around the team’s schedule. Races and training come first. They can design the new suits but they will be subject to adhering to racing commission rules and they will have to incorporate the necessary items and materials we require into their designs. They will have to be open to modifications on their designs. Valkyrie retains the right to reject designs that don’t meet our high standards. We have a reputation to maintain. Before I sign the contract I want to see what kind of stuff they design. I am not going down a runway in neon blue feathers!” Mabel just laughed again and made some notes on her tablet. She knew who would be doing the research for Alexander. Mabel’s voice dripped innocence as she told Alexander.
Mabel: “I don’t know Alexander, you might look very dashing in feathers.” Katherine was the one laughing now. She made some notes on her tablet as she chuckled.
Katherine: “I don’t know Mabel. I don’t think neon blue is Alexander’s color. Maybe neon green.” Alexander groaned and growled at them both.
Alexander: “Please don’t encourage her! She will find a way to plant that idea in the designer’s head.” Mabel glared at Alexander and gave him a look of injured innocence.
Mabel: “Alexander you know I have better taste than that. I would suggest black feathers or white if it was formal wear.” Katherine just gave up and laughed. She had to admit she was getting to love working with Mabel. She never failed to make her laugh at least once each time she interacted with her.
Alexander just gave up and tried to move them along.
Alexander: “Is there anything else we need to discuss?” Katherine gave Alexander a serious look before she shook her head no.
Katherine: “That’s all I have for you right now. I will keep monitoring those strange comments on social media. You can count on me Alexander. I will send the contracts to legal for review with your notes. I won’t send them to Dorian and Paul until the contracts are signed. I am working on some good will public relations material for charity and some new potential experiences for race fans. I hope to have the details hammered out for you to review next week sometime. Do you need anything else for now?” Alexander smiled and shook his head.
Alexander: “Not at the moment. You are doing a great job Katherine. If I think of anything I will reach out.” Mabel snickered and winked at Katherine.
Mabel: “He means he will ask me to reach out for him. Don’t hesitate to come to me if Alexander is busy. I know where all his skeletons are buried. I helped him hide the bodies after all.” Alexander groaned knowing Mabel was joking but the look on Katherine’s face said she was not sure how to take that comment.
Katherine: “Umm…..” Mabel hooted with laughter before winking at Katherine.
Mabel: “Gotcha! Girl you are too easy. I meant you can trust me. This is Alexander’s darkest secret and we both know that. I am here to help Katherine.” Mabel softened her voice and regained a serious expression.
Mabel: “Seriously though, you two need to lighten up before you both have a heart attack.” Alexander sighed and just smiled.
Alexander: “On that note, I think our meeting is over. And Mabel… behave. Poor Katherine thought you were serious!” Mabel just rose gracefully to her feet grabbing her tablet and tucking into the crook of her arm.
Mabel: “Alexander if you wanted me to behave you should have left me in retirement. You should know by now that I am too old and stuck in my ways to change now.” Mabel gave Katherine a saucy wink before turning and leaving the office.
Katherine was smiling as she left right behind the older woman. Katherine thought she had a new role model in life. She wanted to be like Mabel when she was older and wiser.
Alexander wondered if he was going to survive the women at work who seemed to take great pleasure in surprising him.
Wulfric Gunderson’s Office
Wulfric had arranged to have Leopold and Alexander meet him in his office. He knew his office was secure and bug free. He swept the room daily for listening devices, mini drones, and hidden cameras. The walls of his office had electronic countermeasures built into them to secure conversations. There was a white noise generator and circuits that interrupted any kind of electronic transmission when activated. Wulfric hoped he was just being paranoid but one could never be too careful.
Wulfric had greeted Leopold and Alexander and invited them to have a seat on the small couch in the conversational group that was on one half of his office. He took the chair across from them after pouring them each a glass of aged whiskey. Alexander looked at the glass and then at Wulfric.
Alexander: “I take you think we are going to need this?” Wulfric just nodded. Leopold watched the interaction and downed the whiskey and motioned for Wulfric to pour him another glass.
Leopold: “Okay rip the band aid off Wulfric.” Alexander just nodded in agreement as he took a fortifying sip of the smoky flavored whiskey. It was smooth but burned all the way down.
Alexander: “Okay now I am worried. This is a very nice whiskey.” Wulfric looked serious and laid out what he had found so far.
Wulfric: “First the security guard Ivan who had tried to block Mabel’s entry into the building was doing so as a favor to Miss Guyon. He indicated that Miss Guyon had recruited him with sexual favors and had convinced him that he would be working on the orders of a board member and therefore his ass would be covered because they were your boss. That the board was sending a message about who really had the power here at Valkyrie. Interestingly enough, Ivan never thought to question her on which board member.” Alexander looked a little disgusted but was not surprised.
Alexander: “I hope you schooled him on how easily he was manipulated by her?” Wulfric blanched a little with embarrassment since it had been one of his men who had made the mistake.
Wulfric: “Oh yes and then we held an emergency training session for all guards to review the incident. What proper protocols are to follow. We also included additional training on how to spot these kinds of manipulations in the future. Their orders are to call and seek clarification from me even if their orders are from a board member.” Alexander nodded appreciation in that clarification of how he had worked to resolve the issue and prevent it from happening again.
Leopold looked a little surprised at Wulfric’s choice but couldn’t deny that it made sense to make him the security lynchpin. The man seemed to know the political undercurrents within the team
Wulfric moved on to his next person of interest.
Wulfric: “Miss Guyon was wholly Maier’s creature. From what I can tell she made herself an easy target for his manipulation by sleeping with him for a promotion. She then helped hide Maier’s abuses. If he said bury a complaint, the paper trail disappeared and the staff member was let go. She was Maier’s cutout for a lot. She did a lot of his dirty work for him. It is her name on most of the paperwork I found. I then found emails from him to her telling her to handle it. Maier had developed a code that he could insert into the email and once it was read, it would delete itself from the main system. He had given her the promotion and was paying her additional bribes under the table telling her they were thank you gifts from appreciative board members. He made an error in choosing her. Miss Guyon was not very bright and didn’t hide her digital tracks very well. Neither one knew about the backup servers that are located in my office. No one has access to them but me and the board president. We are the only two who even know about them. She did manage to erase the files from the main system but forgot to check the memory cache and temporary files. She was a nasty vindictive piece of work. I have managed to recover video from her interacting with employees in meetings and in the hallways that substantiate her being fired.” Alexander’s lip curled in disgust he had hated the woman on sight. He had really wanted to turn Mabel loose on the woman but he felt Mabel had enough revenge after seeing her escorted from the building in disgrace.
Leopold looked concerned. How had all this happened on his watch? He had not been paying close enough attention. Or was his attention deliberately being focused elsewhere. He contemplated that as Wulfric continued.
Wulfric looked smug as he admitted to them both.
Wulfric: “I won’t lie. I took great pleasure in escorting them both from the building.” Wulfric had a satisfied look on his face with the memory. Wulfric sighed and looked worried as he moved on.
Wulfric: “Bernard Maier was smart and clever. He had set up Miss Guyon to take the fall for his actions. Maier was taking bribes from someone. I have his bank account information to prove that. The bribes to Miss Guyon were taken from company accounts. He was embezzling funds from the payroll. Instead of embedding fake employees, he kept the employees who had been let go for filing harassment and discrimination complaints on the books and funneled their paychecks into an account controlled by him. Reviewing Miss Guyon’s accounts showed the activity. When I investigated the other account, it was owned by Bernard Maier. Maier’s bribes are coming from one of those countries where banking account information is privileged and you need to be God to get it. I can’t find out who owns the account. I don’t know who was bribing him.” Alexander looked concerned at how complex this conspiracy went and wondered how long it had been going on at Valkyrie.
Leopold looked poleaxed by the information. He had expected Maier had something to hide. The embezzlement was more what he was expecting. He had not expected a complex set up that included bribes. He wasn’t surprised that there was a high placed spy or mole within the organization. The fact he was taking bribes though suggests he answered to someone else.
Wulfric: “I don’t like the implications of that but I have no way to move that part of the investigation forward. Dr. Zimmerman’s abuses are well documented in the files that Maier and Guyon thought they had deleted. I will send a summary of findings to you. Interestingly enough, Dr. Zimmerman had been hired and came in on recommendation from former board member Amantas. I didn’t find evidence that Dr. Zimmerman was being bribed. He was just an asshole who had someone powerful covering for him. I wish I knew why. It could be that Dr. Zimmerman was smart enough to keep the account he received bribes in away from all his doings with Valkyrie. I can’t track what I don’t know about. I can hire a private investigator to look into his property holdings but that is all I could find on the good doctor. Dr. Zimmerman avoided social media. He doesn’t have much of an online presence at all. So again that is all I could find out from our systems. I can tell you that Dr. Zimmerman met for lunch once a month with Amantas. I am willing to bet that Amantas was who Dr. Zimmerman was reporting too and who was bribing him. Again I have no idea why.” Alexander tossed back the rest of the whiskey. It sat sourly in his stomach. He didn’t like the implications from what Wulfric had found out but what could they do?
Leopold leaned heavily back into the couch. He felt like he had been punched in the gut.
Leopold: “Amantas was one of the board members that had pushed using drugs to artificially enhance pilots through chemical means. Amantas was the representative from Brimex Corporation. Chemical manufacturing is one of the things that they are known for. After the altercation with Knight, he stepped down. He said he couldn’t work with Knight. That he was an asshole. So he stepped down so the company wouldn’t suffer.” Leopold shared what little news he might have to add to the mix.
Wulfric shook his head in aggravation. “Well you can bet there is a connection there. I just don’t have a clue what it is though.” Alexander sighed and looked down.
Alexander: “Well now I get to add to your bad news. Katherine and Mabel talked me into sharing this story with you both.” He looked up and met both men’s eyes with a serious expression. His tone was hard as steel as he continued.
Alexander: “I need your word you will not reveal what I am going to share with you. I have been under an NDA and have not been able to talk about this. I will remind you of your NDAs to Valkyrie as well. I mean not one word till hear more back from legal.” Leopold blanched as the color drained from his face. He was not sure how much more bad news he could take today. Leopold sighed before he responded.
Leopold: “You have my word. No one will hear about it from me.” Wulfric just nodded as he told Alexander.
Wulfric: “You know the more people that know about a secret the more likely it is to get out right?” Alexander flinched but at the same time, this was a secret that needed to come out. It was a thorn that had gotten infected. Maybe if it came to light he could finally begin to heal from those events all those years ago. Alexander’s voice was once more full of pain, sadness, and anger today as he recalled the events from his past.
Alexander: “Leopold I know you are aware of part of the story but you don’t know this piece. Audrick Mulder and I met on the racing circuit. He was my competition and my best friend. We were almost inseparable off the track. The year that Audrick died he and I were in the top 5 contenders for the title. Audrick and I were neck and neck taking one and two consistently. The team I was racing for back then had hired a new crew chief and engineer at the start of the season. The team owner was hungry for a win. He seemed desperate for it. They had pressured me to drive more aggressively. They wanted me to shirk some of the safety protocols to go faster. They wanted me to use dirty dangerous tactics on the track. I told them no. I had gone over to Audrick’s team paddock the night before the championship race to wish him luck. When I was coming out, I saw one of my team’s mechanics coming out of Audrick’s garage. I didn’t think anything of it at the time. Mechanics back then would often borrow a missing tool from a friend on another team or a part they needed. The next day a few laps into the race Audrick’s ship jerked hard to the right and lifted off the track. On the fourth bounce the craft exploded. I can’t prove anything. But I know in my guy the team owner and crew chief are somehow responsible for what happened that day. I confronted them about what I saw later that day. They cited the NDA and told me I couldn’t talk to anyone about it. I quit right then and there and refused to race anymore. They sued me for breach of contract. Katherine shared with me that rumors are surfacing on Social Media that while I was cleared of any wrongdoing that there is evidence out there that the team I raced for had the investigation into Audrick’s death shut down. She felt that you both should know what is going on.” Leopold was staring at Alexander. He looked angry.
Wulfric looked contemplative but not surprised.
Alexander sounded so pain ridden and guilty.
Alexander: “Leopold there is nothing you can tell me that I haven’t already thought of myself. I still think what if I had said something to Audrick. Would he have had them double check his ship? Would he still be here? You should know I told Alicia the truth, She deserved to know. She was sworn to secrecy about it. She was worried they might target Paul to keep her silent.” Leopold looked even angrier than before as he raged at Alexander.
Leopold: “You should have come to me. I could have helped you Alexander. What you are describing is outside the legal bounds of the NDA. The investigation would have taken legal precedence over the NDA.” Leopold softened his voice and put a comforting hand on Alexander’s shoulder.
Leopold: “I don’t think for a minute that you had anything to do with Audrick’s death. I saw the way you two were together. He was like a brother to you. You loved him. That explains a lot to me about why Alicia was so afraid to let Paul race and why she insisted you be his crew chief.” Wulfric looked from one man to the other and looked confused.
Wulfric: “Wait a minute. I thought you recruited Alexander. What does Paul’s mother have to do with this?” Alexander sighed and gave Wulfric another look.
Alexander: “This is another secret you need to keep Wulfric. Paul must never know. Paul’s mother Alicia had tried to keep him from racing because she was afraid that he would be manipulated into severe augmentations, the bad kind you can’t back from. Or that his crew chief would try similar dangerous tactics with him putting his life at risk. So she undercut his confidence by withholding her blessing on the grounds that she didn’t want to lose him like his father to racing. Paul was determined to become a racer like his father. This is his rookie year in the pro circuit. She felt safe letting him come to Valkyrie because she trusted Leopold. She didn’t trust Dominic Ricci. Her refusal to give him her blessing was affecting Paul’s performance. She explained to Leopold that she would only give it if I was his crew chief.” Leopold looked at Wulfric who was looking more pole axed.
Wulfric had thought he was already dealing with secrets but they just kept coming.
Wulfric: “I understand the need for secrecy. I am the chief of security for crying out loud. Damn Knight, can you bring me any easy issues to solve?” Leopold was deep in thought but he parroted Alexander’s sentiment.
Leopold: “Wulfric, Paul can never know. It would hurt his relationship with his mother.” Leopold paused before he shared his thoughts aloud.
Leopold: “Why are these rumors surfacing now? That wreck was one that changed safety regulations but it hasn’t been talked about for years. The only reason it is being talked about now, is your return to racing. So why these rumors about the investigation being squashed? We have seen the rumors resurfaced that you had something to do with the crash too. Wulfric keep your ear to the ground about these rumors. Discreetly hire a good private investigator you can trust. Put them under an ironclad NDA. I want them to investigate Maier, Amantas, and Zimmerman. If they find anything on Audrick’s death and that investigation, I want that too.” Wulfric tossed back his whiskey.
Wulfric: “I will check into it. I will call a few veterans I trust who might be interested in the work. Would it be okay if I put them on the payroll?” Alexander nodded before Leopold could answer.
Alexander: “Yes, hire them as a security guard so they get a paycheck. Give them a company card for expenses but tell them to keep the receipts. If I see anything extravagant or out of the ordinary, he better have a damn good explanation. When this is over, you can always use a second in command around here.” Leopold was startled that Alexander had beat him to the punch but he liked his solution.
Leopold: “I like it. He is right. If something happens to you, I am not sure I can trust in the guards.” Wulfric looked thoughtful. He did have some mid level guards but no one with as much authority and access as he did. They had a point.
Wulfric nodded. “Okay I can do that. Do you have any more bad news to lay on me?” Leopold laughed and pointed his finger at Wulfric.
Leopold: “I agree with Wulfric. Do I need any more of his fine whiskey?” Alexander looked grumpy as he confided in the two of them.
Alexander: “Yes you can talk me out of accepting this new high fashion sponsor that wants to dress me up in a monkey suit to strut down a runway for them. I am the crew chief damn it not the pilot!” Wulfric held up his hands back away laughing shaking his head no.
Wulfric: “No sir, I suspect Miss Mabel Brown had something to say about this. I am not angering that woman. I would be afraid to lose some precious body parts.” Leopold just laughed his ass off amused at Alexander’s expense. His voice was full of laughter as he told Alexander.
Leopold: “Nope sorry I can’t do that. Do you have any more good news for me?” Alexander glowered at Leopold as he answered Leopold.
Alexander: “Company morale is up. The pilots started the new training regime today. The new simulator is already up. They are taking baseline testing today on it.” Leopold looked at Alexander with pleased surprise.
Leopold: “Well that was more good news. I didn’t expect them to get the new simulator up for at least another few weeks. How did you make that happen so fast?” Alexander grinned at Leopold as he explained.
Alexander: “Board members from the European Space Union donated a training rig for the techs to cannibalize and new medical sensors were donated by Biomatter International by Steindl. The only catch was we had to share the research data with them. I thought it was a win-win. So I accepted their help.” Leopold smiled at Alexander.
Leopold: “That is good news to hear after Tuesday.” Wulfric just laughed at the two of them.
Wulfric: “Well if we are done with our super not so secret meeting. I have some recruiting to do.” Alexander set his tumbler on the coffee table. He grumbled good naturedly at Wulfric.
Alexander: “I think that is our exit cue. Keep me in the loop as you find things out Wulfric. Remember not a word to anyone. This shit is need to know only. And those who absolutely need to know… know.”Leopold rose to his feet and followed Alexander’s lead towards the door.
Leopold: “Thank you for the whiskey Wulfric.”The two men left the office leaving Wulfric to his work.
Vogue Europe: Vogue has heard unsubstantiated rumors that the Enigma Lux Fashion House is seeking a sponsorship and endorsement deal with Valkyrie AGR Sport. Insider sources at Enigma Lux state that the contracts would include the new crew chief Alexander Knight. OfficeDrone#12: What the hell? Isn’t Enigma Lux a high fashion mens wear brand?
SuperfanAGR54: I have never heard of a crew chief being part of an endorsement deal.
DantheMan: NO! You are ruining AG Racing! Fashion does not belong in racing!
Superfan2075: I am confused. Suits and tuxedos?.
DadBod89: I agree with superfan high fashion does not belong in racing. No monkey suits for me!
Hater101: This is proof! No self respecting man wants to wear a (censored) tie!
Papabear34: I may have to stop watching racing.
Nana2050: purrs I would like to see Knight in a suit.
GeorgeFly: I have no words.
ValkyrieFan56: I wouldn’t mind seeing Dorian and Paul dressed up in tuxedos.
Weedhead81: Knight my man…you are truly (censored).
SexyM@m@5: Oh this is great news. Oh yes please. Dorian in a suit!
Paulmulder4eva: Can your sources tell us where the photoshoots will be?
Britball12: Suits in racing? What the hell!
BatDave: My alter ego Bruce Wayne wears suits.
!YouSlow!: This is a sure sign of how the times have changed.
xImFasterthanUx: Maybe it is time to take up a new hobby. Like fishing!
AGInthusiast: @xImFasterthanUx Maybe i will join you on the lake.
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