Sullivan looked over at them. “Ransomed Baldwin?”
“Yep.”
Sullivan appraised Jack in a different light and then turned once More
to the window.
61 Our window of opportunity, however, is growing more narrow by the
day,” Lord continued. “We need to firm up the players and make sure Kiev
knows what the hell the are supposed to do.”
“Can’t you handle it?”
Lord looked at Jack and then back at Sullivan. ,Of course I can handle
it, Walter, but don’t assume you can abdicate right now. You still have
a major role to play. You sold this deal. Your continued involvement is
absolutely necessary from the Point Of view of all sides.” Sullivan
still did not stir.
“Walter, this is the Crowning glory of your career.”
“That’s what you said about the last one.”
“Can I help it if You keep topping yourself?” Lord shot back.
Finally, almost imperceptibly, Sullivan smiled, for the first time since
the telephone call from the States had come to shatter his life.
Lord relaxed a bit, looked over at Jack. They had rehearsed this next
step several times.
“I’m recommending that you fly over there with Jack.
Shake the right hands, pat the right shoulders, let them see you’re
still in control of this tiger. They need that. Capitalism is stiff a
new game for them.”
“And Jack’s role?”
Lord motioned to Jack.
Jack stood up, went over to the window. “Mr. Sullivan, I’ve spent the
last forty-eight hours learning every aspect of this deal. All the other
lawyers here have just been working on a piece of it. Except for Sandy,
I don’t think there’s anyone at the firm who knows what you want to
accomplish better than I do.”
Sullivan slowly turned to Jack. “That’s a pretty big statement.$’
“Well it’s a pretty big deal, sir.”
“So you know what I want to accomplish?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well why don’t you enlighten me as to what you think that is.” Sullivan
sat down, crossed his arms and stared expectantly up at Jack.
Jack didn’t bother to swallow or catch his breath.
“Ukraine has massive natural resources, all the things that heavy
industry around the world use and want. The issue becomes how to get the
resources out of Ukraine at minimal cost and minimal risk, considering
the political situation over there.”
Sullivan uncrossed his arms, sat up and sipped at his coffee.
Jack continued. “The hook is you want Kiev to believe that the exports
your company will be making will be matched by investments in Ukraine’s
future. A long-term investment, I gather, you do not want to commit to.”
“I spent the bulk of my adult life being scared to death of the reds. I
have about as much belief in perestroika and glasnost as I do in the
tooth fairy. I consider it my patriotic duty to strip the communists of
as much as I can. Leave them without the means to dominate the wodd,
which is their long-term plan, despite this latest hiccup of democracy.
Jack said, “Exactly, sir. ‘Strip’ being the key word. Strip the carcass
before it self-destructs … or attacks.” Jack paused to check both
men’s reactions. Lord stared at the ceiling, his features unreadable.
Sullivan stiffed. “Go on. You’re getting to the interesting part.”
“The interesting part is how to leverage the deal so that Sullivan and
Company has little or no downside exposure and the maximum upside
potential. You’ll either broker the deal or you’ll buy direct from
Ukraine and you’ll sell to the multinationals. You sprinkle a little of
those Proceeds around in Ukraine.”
“That’s right. Eventually the country will be almost cleaned out, and
I’ll walk away with at least two billion net.”
Jack again looked at Lord, who now sat straight in his chair, listening
intently. This was the hook. Jack had thought of it only yesterday.
“But why not take from Ukraine what really makes them dangerous?” Jack
paused. “And triple your net at the same time.”
Sullivan stared intently at him. ,How? “IRBMs. Intermediate-Range
Ballistic Missiles. Ukraine has a shitload of them. And now that the ’94
Nonproliferation Treaty fell apart, those nukes are a major headache for
the West again.”