5 Home Office
A short time later the ´mobile approached a Controlled structure, drew up at a portal where the vehicle was admitted efficiently and the portal closed behind it.
A short distance inside, the ´mobile settled in front of an office building that looked rather more like a comfortable residence, with a patio and plenty of large windows. Its relaxed air transmitted itself to Pru, who began to get out then had to unfasten the unfamiliar seat belt then stepped out onto the grassy surface that seemed to characterize the entire area.
“Very nice, Terry,’ she said as they walked into the building. Inside, the relaxed feeling continued as she observed wide halls, high ceilings and comfortable appointments throughout.
“Well, Pru, you had the good luck to see the first incident in about four months. It really doesn´t happen often. I´ve tried to make this compound a really pleasant place for our people to live and work. I think that´s important.’
Terry showed her around the lower floor of the building, and then took her into a suite of rooms where a few men and women were working at coms. He led the way through to a large office.
“This is where I work, when I´m here. Please take a seat.’ He gestured to a comfortable set of chairs and tables, and Pru settled into one of them. Terry stopped at a credenza, brought a tray of water and juice bottles to put on the coffee table and sat down opposite her. With a gesture, he offered drinks, but Pru declined with a small shake of the head.
“Terry,’ she said, “there´s something I want to clear up right away. You´ve told me a little about Neo-Tantra, and I can see where you could, in theory, make a business of it. I accept – provisionally – your statement that it´s a going concern. But, I have a feeling that Neo-Tantra isn´t what you´re really doing. There´s no earthly reason for your head office to be out here in OC territory. There´s no obvious reason for your ´mobile to be armored and your driver armed, even with a stunner. I think you need to talk straight with me, or take me back to Yonkers.’
Terry´s face betrayed his surprise. He began to respond, then sat back in his chair, looking at Pru with a level, considering gaze. A little nonplussed, Pru busied herself pouring a glass of water she didn´t really want and sipping at it. She watched when Terry lifted his hand in a gesture that said ‘I´ve made up my mind; please wait´, rose, and went behind his desk. He opened doors in the paneling that concealed a large com screen. He returned to his chair and took his remote from the holster at his side, and keyed a sequence. He looked back at Pru.
“Right. I´d planned to go into this much later this afternoon. However, you´ve seen it already; so, I owe you an honest answer.
“Neo-Tantra is a legitimate business. I can show you the numbers, and I can prove they´re real. We do have offices in 15 countries; in most of them we have multiple offices. There is a real, high-level opportunity for someone with your abilities and experience.
“But, you are also right that Neo-Tantra isn´t our only focus. It is, to some extent, a front for something else. We are also a contract agency of the Office of the Secretary General. Our ‘consulting´ work is gathering and evaluating intelligence from around the world.’
As he spoke, the com screen came to life with an image of the seal of the Office of the Secretary General. The United Nations, founded more than 300 years before, had given the Secretary General increasing powers to enforce UN decisions around the world. Once, that had been joint national peacekeeping operations against or within different contending countries. Now, OSG was an administration and enforcement agency in addition to supervising a variety of other activities the UN was charged with.
The change had not been easy, nor had it been quick., It had, however, eventually become clear that ‘sovereign´ nations really didn´t have a place in a world that had become economically unified. The issue had not been settled without bloodshed, but surprisingly, the violent opposition had not come from the traditionally warring European, Asian and North American powers. Not surprisingly, countries like France and Great Britain had been vociferous about their rights to sovereignty, but being democracies, the change – when it finally came – was made peacefully. The violence occurred in the remnants of failed states in Africa, Central and Southeast Asia where dictatorships or oligarchies simply could not give up the idea that they were ordained by whatever gods or demons they believed in to oppress their people.
The result had been a significant increase in the standard of living of the oppressed or poor people of the world. Moreover, with healthcare discoveries that provided cures for diseases like malaria and the panoply of sexually transmitted diseases, everyone – or nearly everyone – benefited. To no one´s surprise, however, the common cold had yet to be conquered.
In any case, the Office of the Secretary General was now the international police force, as well as the administrator of UN programs everywhere, while local governments dealt with local law enforcement, social issues, sustaining culture and the local economy.
In Terry´s office, across the bottom of the screen on which the OSG´s seal appeared, was a bold, red banner that read, “Unauthorized Personnel Detected’.
Terry continued, “If you want to continue our discussion, I will need you to register a non-disclosure agreement. Otherwise, I´ll have Eddie take you back to Yonkers Portal. Before you commit yourself, Pru, let me say that you appear to be an outstanding candidate for the position I have in mind. I´d really like to have you on our team. Your language skills, your experience in OC areas, and above all, your penetrating intelligence would be very valuable. Can we continue?’
Pru was not particularly surprised by any of this, though the connection with the Office of the Secretary General was unanticipated.
“I guessed you had something to do with security, Terry, but the OSG is more than I had expected. And yes, I´ll commit to non-disclosure. I´d like to see what you´re offering. On the other hand, I don´t know how you know that I´m eligible for clearance at any level.’
“I´ve already run your profile, Pru. You´re eligible for anything I know of.’