Chapter 8 Part 1 – Mergers and Acquisitions 

Claire always woke up ready to start the day.  Since before she can remember, getting up and out of bed was never a challenge.  It was almost as if she woke up knowing what she wanted to get accomplished before her eyes even opened. 

She made a point of keeping a notepad next to her bed as she often recorded ideas that came to her.  Often the minutiae of the morning routine would bring about chances to forget something brilliant.  She never let it go to waste. 

This morning though, she woke with a different thought.  Ben’s first day of the campaign had started.  She sat up in bed, happy to see her note was not missed.  Nothing but a hanger was left on the door.  She had done what she could to show Ben she thought of him, but as they both agreed, they wouldn’t make a big deal out of it.  She still felt slightly guilty sleeping in before he left. 

Claire was one of a kind.  Her intellect and ability to process information was unmatched and she regularly found solutions when others struggled.  The firm she worked for knew she was wasting her talents with them.  Regularly finding ways to incentivize her to not look anywhere else, within just a few years she was managing accounts alongside the owner, who regularly deferred to her when the stakes were high. The owner even considered how contingent the business was on her remaining with the company and even confided it to her, offering anything she wanted.  She was happy where she was.  She accepted a minority stake in the business and it put the company at ease knowing she was invested in their future success. 

Claire had no interest in leaving.  She did not settle for this job.  She chose to have a life with Ben.  In high school and college, she thought she had it all figured out.  She was going to change the world one day, and nothing was going to get in her way. Her resolve was shattered the moment this limping boy from her high school came into math class. She initially refused to accept it, but every moment with Ben was another step away from the life she had envisioned.  She willingly took every step.  Love has an amazing way to tell your brain to sit down, shut up and enjoy the comfort that comes with being with your match.   

This did not stop Claire from pursuing her education to the fullest.  Graduating early, Claire worked quickly through a master’s program, all while staying local to Ben. 

The shower turned on.  Claire discarded her sleepwear to their shared hamper. 

If you could take Claire’s brilliance and represent it with a physical appearance, it would be Claire.  Her physical presence often overshadowed her brains at first blush.  No one expects the total package.  

Her long blonde hair fell to her back.  Pulling her hair forward to her chest, she combed through it with her fingers preparing to wash.  Her breasts were full and heavy.  No matter the support she tried to hide them behind, Claire’s top heaviness was evident no matter the outfit.  She never tried to flaunt them, but the outfits she chose often offered a tantalizing view of her cleavage.  Her hips rounded in a way that balanced her out into the epitome of dream woman.   

Silently appreciating herself for a moment, she got in the shower to begin getting ready for her day. 

Living in a small town, commuting was simply speed multiplied by distance.  It wasn’t an overly long drive and it afforded Claire a chance to mentally prepare for her day.  

As she pulled up to the firm, she noticed there was a lot more activity than usual.  Having checked her phone, she had multiple missed calls from the owner. Sitting in the parking lot, she began listening to the voicemail. 

“Claire, it’s Morty. I need you to come ready to travel today.  We have an opportunity of a lifetime.  Come find me as soon as you get in.” It was all the voicemail provided. 

Planning ahead was often what gave Claire the edge in the morning to hit the ground running. Not often was she caught off guard. 

Heading into the building there was clearly a buzz.  She made her way to Morty’s office.  As she was peaking in, she heard a voice from down the hall. 

“Claire, perfect.  Come down to conference room A.” Morty shouted. 

He was clearly excited.  As she approached, he was waving his hand as if she couldn’t get there fast enough. Claire entered the room to find a computer screen projecting the fact of woman she never met. 

“Hello Claire.  We have heard marvelous things about you from your partner here.” the woman stated. 

She had raven hair on a smooth olive complexion.  She was in her forties by Claire’s estimate.  Claire always sized up people she didn’t know.  Not competitively, but instinctively.  She was always processing her surroundings. 

Suddenly the face disappeared and come complex schematics came up. Every few seconds a different sheet would come outlining the plans for some sort of structure.  Claire quietly watched as she sat down. 

As soon as the pages flashed by, the lady’s face appeared. 

“Well?” The lady asked bluntly. 

Morty had a half stunned look on his face.  He wasn’t exactly sure what he had just seen. 

“Where did you get those?” Claire demanded. Immediately she recognized what was in front of her.  It was a reactor capable of creating energy far greater than that of the current ones employed nationwide. It was her master’s thesis and at the time was theoretical as the materials required to produce it were not a priority and insanely expensive.  

“Wonderful.” It was all the lady said as she jotted down a note.  “Claire.  I want you on our plane immediately.  I have left the details with your partner here.  Welcome to Sterling International.”  The black-haired woman disappeared from the screen and the Sterling International logo was left as a place holder. 

“What is this all about Morty, why do they have my plans?” Claire questioned, completely out of the loop. 

“I got a call this weekend about our company.  While I tried to explain about our business, they kept asking about you.  I began to worry they were trying to poach you when they made an offer we simply could not refuse.  As of today, we can officially be part of their conglomerate.” he responded.  Morty was clearly excited about the prospect of never worrying about keeping the business afloat. 

“Morty, you should have called me.  I am a partner and should have a say.  Why does she need me on a plane, why is it so urgent?” She questioned. 

“Claire, I know you should have been consulted.” Morty started. “You also know this firm is nothing without you.  The deal still requires your approval but I think you should go hear what they have to say first.  This could be life changing for you. Heck, for all of us.” Morty knew how lucky he was to have Claire working with him. 

Knowing they had just purchased the land next to their house, Claire had hope this wouldn’t mean any sort of relocation for her.  That combined with the curiosity she had about her plans being brought up, she agreed to go. 

“I’ll just need to head home to pack...” she started. 

“No need.  They provided a generous stipend for clothes and food.  They said they couldn’t wait to get you on the flight.” Morty handed over a folder with “Welcome” written under the S.I. logo of Sterling. 

Claire quickly flipped through the folder and realized the last page had the contract ready for signature. A yellow “Sign here” sticker pointed to her name with Mortimer’s name already penned in. 

Claire having not even settled into her office, stowed the folder into her briefcase and headed back out to her car.  As she exited the building there was a black SUV waiting for her.  The driver simply held a sign saying “Welcome Claire.” 

With no exchange, the driver opened the door and ushered her into the car.  Claire moved to the middle seat, and was accosted by a bright flash from the TV across from her.  The raven hair woman appeared. 

“Hello Claire.  I look forward to meeting you in person.  We purchased the firm not because of financials or prospects of future business.  We wanted you.” she said matter-of-factly. 

Claire was not often stunned.  She hadn’t considered that her work had that much of a reputation. She began to move her lips when the lady cut in. 

“Our driver will take you to the airport.  You will be flown to our west coast site where you will meet with some of our brightest minds. Over the next few weeks, you will help bring your reactor to a reality. On the plane we will provide you with why we need your assistance.” the lady was not waiting for an answer.  As soon as she finished what she had to say, she looked down ready to end the conversation. 

“May I ask a question?” Claire chimed in. 

Looking up, the lady waited. 

“What will happen to the firm if you no plans to work with them?” Claire was concerned about her colleagues. 

“Look at the page of the contract sealed inside your welcome packet.  It’s a generous monetary amount enough to set the entire staff of the firm up for life.”  The screen cut out and the woman was gone. 

Claire sat silently in the car as it drove off.  She had gotten up ready to go to work this morning.  Before she could get into the office everything had changed.  She began to strategize about her next move. She took comfort in knowing that Morty and the company would be financially secure.  

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Claire got to the airport in late morning.  She wasn’t driven to the regular departure’s terminal, but took a subtle off ramp that led behind a large building. Continuing around she could see a private jet being prepared for takeoff.  The SUV came to a halt parallel to the plane.  As the car lurched into park, she saw the driver get out and the door to her left opened.  The driver, saying nothing, tipped his cap and got back in the car driving off. 

“Hello Claire.” The steward said.  Offering her a champagne flute filled with orange juice.  

“It’s a tad early for a drink.” she protested. 

“It’s simply orange juice ma’am.  We have a breakfast set up for you inside and a place for you to conduct your work.” he responded, handing her the glass. 

Claire boarded the plane.  As noted, there was breakfast laid out for her on the table.  Eggs Florentine, garnished with spinach.  Her absolute favorite.  She sat down excitedly when she paused, wondering why of all dishes was this what was prepared for her.  She held the fork in her hand when a screen popped on. 

“It’s your favorite, correct?” The persistent black-haired woman asked. 

“Yes... how did you know?” Claire asked, now very aware this required much more planning than she previously considered.  

“We know a lot about you Claire.  We took note of you in college and have kept tabs on you ever since.  You are a once in a generation mind, and we believe the world needs your brilliance to truly make the next step.” she gushed.  It was the first letdown of the woman’s demeanor.  It was as she was Claire’s biggest fan. 

Claire took it in stride.  She remembered the college days of people being pulled into projects.  She had wondered why she was never poached away from a firm. She now had an idea it wasn’t just a coincidence. 

“As you finish your breakfast, please see the layout on the table across from you.  It is what our team has completed based on your plans from college.” a light washed over the table as it became the focus. “Please become re-acquainted with your plans and see the notes our team have put into them.  They also provided their current hold up.  Enjoy your flight Claire, I look forward to meeting you.” 

Claire opened her mouth, but before she could say a word. 

“Amalia.” The women said. “My name is Amalia.  See you soon.” The screen went dark. 

Favorite meal or not, she couldn’t stand the idea of sitting to eat knowing her original plans were not only appreciated but actively being worked on.  Before she got there, she knew the reason they couldn’t get it to work and wanted to see what they had come with. 

The engineers had gone through multiple prototypes, trying different metals and materials.  None could withstand the heat generated by the reactor. Claire smiled; she had seen all she needed to see.  Her breakfast still warm, she sat down and enjoyed her breakfast.  It wasn’t every day you got to fly in a private jet eating your favorite breakfast. 

This was her first moment not being rushed when she realized she had not let Ben know she was about to leave area so abruptly. She tried calling Ben but after a few failed attempts settled on a voicemail.  

The plane was now taxiing out to the runway, and after a brief assurance from the captain they were leaving, Claire finished her breakfast quickly and fastened her seatbelt, wondering what was to come as she got off the plane.