Finding Myself

Chapter 13

He pick up his phone and calls Stiles. She comes on screen looking sleepy. "I'm sorry to wake you up."

"It's okay I'm glad to see you have arrived safely. Make sure to show assertiveness when you speak to the two guys."

"You say two guys like they're not in control of their country."

"They maybe in control of their country but you're in control of them. Remember they mustn't know about the organisation. You're just a go between to them nothing else. Make sure to listen to what they aren't telling you. You're in charge in that room don't forget it. You will be meeting them in a divided room you will be able to see them but they can't see you. It's how we keep the secret of who we are. If people knew who we really were can you imagine the carnage and destruction they would bring to our families door."

"I understand what you're saying. Tomorrow morning I'm going into  the office. I'll make a start on the file of the two men I'm going to be speaking to before then."

"I know you're there for work but try to have some fun and bring me back some Jaffa cakes and some earl grey teabags."

"Send me a list and I'll make sure to get the items. I want to speak to Paul in person."

"Send him a text message and he will make sure he's in London for tomorrow morning."

"I want to see him after I speak to the world leaders."

"Just tell him the when and where and he will be there. I have to go I'll see you in a week."

"Bye Stiles."

Derek walks down the stairs of the mansion and make his way to the kitchen. "The housekeeper has cooked meatloaf with vegetables if you're hungry sir."

"Is there mash potatoes to go with that Danvers?"

"Yes there is Mrs Hale told me it was your favourite meal so I got the wife to make it for you."

"Thank you."

"So how long have you worked here for?"

"In this house ten years but I grew up here. My family owes your family and the other families a debt. We have been repaying it for over a hundred years."

"That's a very long time."

"The debt can never truly be repaid so it's not really that long sir." He plates up his dinner and places a pot of tea on the kitchen island.

Derek takes a bite of the meatloaf, "This is very good. I'm very surprised an English woman made meatloaf so well."

"I'll tell my Pamela you enjoyed her cooking sir."

Derek looks at the 5'11 white man in his late thirties. He takes another bite of meatloaf and surveys him. "I would like tickets to the a ballet while I'm in town.   I also want a private capsule on the London eye."

"I can arrange that for you sir just tell me which ballet you want to see and when you want to go to the London eye."

Derek looks on his phone and sees what's performances were being played at the royal opera house. He tells Danvers the show to book."I'm not sure when I want to go to the London eye yet. I don't know what my schedule will be like for the next few days."

"Let me know when you're free and I'll book it for you sir."

After finishing his dinner Derek goes to bed. He looks over the first file. He could see that the sweet beloved president of a country was taking money under the table and was into some very shady things. He makes some notes on his phone he looks at the clock on the bedside table. It was quarter to ten. He turns the light off and goes to sleep. He was woken up by a noise he sees Danvers drawing the curtains back and letting light in the room. He checks the time it was after six.

"Good morning Danvers. You look like a John to me."  Danders looks at him in surprise.

"I wasn't trying to be offensive."

"I didn't think you were sir. I also didn't think you read my file as yet."

"I haven't."

"John is my real name Danvers is my station."

"Interesting."

"The car will be here in an hour to take you to the office. Is there anything particular you would like for breakfast?"

"Porridge with fruits and nuts and some toast with jam. I would like your wife to fix me a hot meal for lunch. Surprise me her cooking was amazing yesterday. I can't wait to taste her meals for the rest of the day."

"I took the liberty of laying out your suit for you sir. Your valet will be in your room when you come out the shower."

"What's that?"

"A gentleman's, gentleman sir he will help you get dressed. One must look the part of a CEO not just be one."

Derek goes into his bathroom and brushes his teeth before using the toilet. He steps in the shower and soap himself up. "A gentleman's gentleman," he says out loud to himself. "British people are crazy."

Derek finds a man in a sharp suit waiting for him when he finishes his shower and steps into his bedroom. "Good morning sir I'm Crispin your valet. I have chosen a black suit for you to wear today. If you don't like the tie I picked out for you I can change it."

Derek looks down at the pale yellow tie. "I like it."

"Very good sir."

Crispin opens a door and Derek sees it was a dressing room. He follows Crispin inside. It was a men's dressing room filled with different colour suits and shirts and clothes. He looks through some of the clothes. He chooses a black pair of jeans and white shirt with a blacker jumper. "I'll wear this later."

"Very good sir."

When his car pulls up to his new office Derek throws his head back and laugh. It was a fourteen story building with a butchers taking up the whole ground floor. He understood the joke now. He walks into the butchers shop and a small stocky gentlemen walks over to him.

"Good morning sir I'm William the story manager. It's nice to meet you Mr Hale."

"And You William how is business?"

"Very good sir the cold weather is making every one want to have stew. We are running out of stock at the end of the day."

"That is excellent news I'm going to sent someone down shortly for the last four weeks sales figure."

"I have them here sir."

My predecessor ran a tight ship notes Derek. "Thank you for this."

He takes the sales reports from him then say hello to everyone in the shop. He smiles politely and make a note to remember everyone's name. Erica walks into the shop and say hello to everyone. "I'm just going to show the boss to his new office William."

"Make sure you come right back afterwards. It's going to be a very busy morning Erica."

"Yes sir."

Derek follows her to the side of the building where they walk through a door and see a corridor in front of them. Erica points out the administration office. The accounts department and the PR department.

"Seriously?" Ask Derek.

"Yes."