The Minoan Cipher

CHAPTER FIVE

The office that took up the entire top floor of the thirty-six story Auroch Industries tower was a unique space. Instead of tinted glass windows offering a spectacular view of the city and the river Manzanares below, the walls were solid. Every square inch was covered with a wrap-around panoramic photograph of soaring earthen terraces. Anyone sitting in the office would have the uneasy feeling of being stuck at the bottom of an open-pit mining operation.

The effect was exactly what Viktor Salazar had intended. As Auroch’s Chief Executive Officer, Salazar wanted subordinates and visitors who entered his domain to be reminded that the company’s wealth and power rested on its ability to remove vast amounts of solid and liquid material from the untouched locations on Earth. Auroch had grown into a conglomerate that made it one of the biggest players in the fossil fuel industry, but the company’s roots were in mining.

Photographs from one Auroch mining operation were spread out on his large steel-top desk. The photos, taken from different angles — at ground level and from the air — showed a village, or what was left of it. Most of the corrugated metal houses were at the bottom of an enormous sink hole. Twenty-three people had been killed when the mining operation had weakened the ground under the village to the point of collapse.

Salazar was on the phone with Jared Spaulding, chairman of a consortium of environmental and humanitarian groups that had banded together, forming an international organization after a series of highly-publicized disasters near Auroch mines. The corporate public relations department had folded under the weight of wide-spread criticism. Auroch had come under increased media scrutiny. No such company with a worldwide reach can remain invisible, but Salazar preferred a low profile. When the coalition’s president asked to talk to him directly, he agreed.

The conversation had been one-sided, with Salazar listening to Spaulding lay out in detail the damage done to people and planet from Auroch’s undertakings.

“I understand your concern,” Salazar said when Spaulding had paused for a breath. With his large bald head and wide shoulders, Salazar looked like a Turkish wrestler, but he spoke in a mellifluous alto voice that was surprisingly high for a man of his size. “I take full responsibility for everything, good and bad, that this company does.”

“That’s certainly a refreshing admission of culpability,” Spaulding remarked.

“We are painfully aware of the unfortunate side effects that come with providing fuel for power plants that benefit millions of people, and minerals for our machines and electronic devices.”

“Those villagers might object to being labeled as unfortunate side effects, Mr. Salazar.”

“Of course, which is why we have provided restitution to the villagers and will help them rebuild their houses. Furthermore,” Salazar said, “if you have suggestions as to anything else Auroch can do to make amends and prevent further disasters, I’d be glad to listen.”

Spaulding presented Salazar with a list.

Salazar’s reaction was amiable. “Nothing you have asked for is unreasonable,” he said. “A huge corporation is always in danger of being unmindful of the hazardous, but unintended consequences of its work. If you present your points in writing, I will attend to them personally and assign staff to carry out my wishes. You can be assured of that.”

Spaulding said, “Also, we’d like your cooperation in providing access to information about your mining operations.”

It was a clever strategy, even if somewhat disingenuous, Salazar thought. They would make sure his acquiescence went public, thereby putting pressure on him. “Yes, of course. Anything else?”

“That’s it for now.” Spaulding chuckled. “You’re not exactly what I had expected.”

“And what did you expect?”

“That you’d deny having anything to do with the disaster. Instead, you’ve been quite accommodating. More like someone’s uncle than a callous businessman.”

“I am happy to have broken the stereotype. Please give my assistant all the contact information we will need. We’ll get in touch with you in, say, a week. If you have any problem, you will have a direct line to me. The advantage of being head of a large corporation means that, while you are blamed when things go wrong, you also possess the tools to put the pieces back together. Let’s talk again.”

He hung up. As his gaze fell on the photographic walls, the genial smile faded from his lips. The greenish-yellow eyes under the prominent brow glowed with anger. The muscles hidden under the dark blue suit seemed to ripple as he picked up the photos and tore them to shreds.

“Fool,” he muttered.

He would keep his promise. The company staff would carry out his wishes. There would be no restitution or cooperation. He had another plan for the coalition that had already been set in motion.

The phone on Salazar’s desk blinked; he picked up the handset.

“You had a call while you were in conference,” a voice said. “It’s from our friend in the government. He said his superiors are going to allow the expedition to proceed.”

“Impossible! He told us that the government had denied the permit.”

“They changed their minds at the higher level after they learned that the American had agreed to join the project.”

“What American?”

“A scientist from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. His name is Matt Hawkins.”

Salazar’s thick fingers clutched the phone as if to crush it. Sweat beaded on his bald head. “Find out everything you can about this Hawkins and get it to me within the hour.”

“Yes, sir.”

Salazar slammed the handset down in its cradle. He was furious at the change of heart. When the ancient vessel was first found, he’d used his influence in the government to make sure no permit was issued. After that, it seemed as if the whole thing would simply go away. Then this blasted Greek woman appeared on the scene. And now an American.

Taking a moment, he breathed through the anger. In a way, he mused, the government turn-around had made his job easier. Rather than depend on unreliable government sources, he would see that his wishes were carried out directly. He reached for his phone again and called the number that would be the first step in stopping the shipwreck survey and permanently ending further interference from the troublesome Greek and her American friend.