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THE MAINTENANCE MAN IN THE BOARDROOM
THE MAN THEY ASKED TO LEAVE
At 9:10 on Tuesday morning, the executive boardroom on the forty-second floor of Harrison Global Tower was already full.
Twelve directors sat around a polished walnut table.
Three attorneys occupied one side of the room.
Two representatives from an international investment group sat near the windows.
At the far end stood a wall-sized screen displaying the words:
EMERGENCY ACQUISITION REVIEW
Nobody in the room was smiling.
Harrison Global Industries was facing the most dangerous financial crisis in its history.
For three months, several major infrastructure contracts had collapsed without warning.
A transport project in Chicago had been suspended.
A technology partnership in Seattle had been terminated.
Two government contracts were under investigation.
And that morning, the company had discovered that one of its largest banking partners was preparing to freeze a credit line worth nearly two billion dollars.
If the board did not act quickly, Harrison Global could lose control of several subsidiaries within days.
Ethan Harrison stood near the screen.
At forty-two, he had been chief executive officer for almost six years.
He looked exhausted.
“Let's begin.”
The board chairman, Charles Rourke, adjusted his glasses.
“We have one realistic option.”
Ethan already knew what he meant.
“Sell the energy division.”
“Not only the energy division.”
Charles pushed a folder across the table.
“The acquisition group wants infrastructure, energy, logistics, and eighty percent of our engineering patents.”
Ethan stared at him.
“You call that an acquisition?”
“I call it survival.”
“You're asking me to dismantle the company.”
“I am asking you to prevent bankruptcy.”
Across the room, one of the investment representatives leaned forward.
His name was Marcus Vale.
He was calm, elegant, and unnervingly confident.
“We are prepared to move immediately.”
Ethan looked at him.
“How immediately?”
“By the end of today.”
Several directors exchanged glances.
That was too fast.
Ethan noticed.
“So you knew this crisis was coming.”
Marcus smiled.
“We prepare for opportunities.”
Before Ethan could respond, the boardroom door opened.
A maintenance worker entered carrying a metal toolbox.
Everyone turned.
The man was about sixty.
He wore gray work trousers, a faded blue shirt, and a company maintenance badge clipped to his chest.
His name was Samuel Boyd.
He had worked in Harrison Global Tower for seventeen years.
Most executives had seen him before.
Almost none knew his name.
Samuel looked around.
“Sorry to interrupt. I was told there was an electrical problem in this room.”
Charles Rourke frowned.
“Not now.”
Samuel pointed toward the ceiling.
“The lights on this circuit were flickering.”
“They're fine.”
“They may not stay fine.”
Charles sighed.
“We are in a confidential board meeting.”
Samuel nodded.