When Likes Attract COLTON I MCRAW Copyright © 2015 Colton Mcraw All rights reserved. ISBN:0986198137 ISBN-13: 978-0-9861981-3-7 This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are the products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Although some places depicted in this work of fiction are real, the events described to have occurred there are the product of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or the acts of persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. DEDICATION This book is dedicated to "Li'l Skeet", who, more than knowing who she is, also endured countless rewrites, always patiently reading and making notes on both errors and incongruities. Without her patience, help and forbearance, as in many, many cases with authors, this work would have never seen the light of day. 1 THE AFTERMATH It was mid January, 1968 and things were not calm for those left behind in San Adolphus Colombia. With the loss of four of the most important people involved in the management of Essential Asset Distribution, when the company airplane crashed unexpectedly, last September, EAD had instantly become a rudderless ship on a choppy sea. One of the most well capitalized, prosperous and successfully managed drug enterprises in Colombia had been, nearly immediately, upon the announcement of the crash, rendered unmanaged and almost unmanageable. The losses of Julio Nicodemus Alfonzos, who preferred to be called Jules, as well as Roberta Petersen better known as Robbie, Juan, the enforcer and the most senior person in management and the only trusted family member, who actually lived in Colombia, Roberto Elias Occidentes, had all but destroyed the company and set the personnel who remained, into a downward spiral that would require a very skilled and powerful person to mend the broken company and set it back on a positive trajectory. Unknown to those who worked at the EAD offices, warehouses and labs in San Adolphus, high level meetings were taking place almost daily in Curacao. Those who managed the company's fortunes, planned the strategies and held the strings leading to the activities of the Colombian managers and who, annually, received huge chunks of the cash 1 Colton I Mcraw generated by the drug enterprise, had been also devastated by the news of the unexpected loss of the front-line management personnel, but for totally different reasons. These reasons related to only one issue........the directors did not want the obscenely huge returns; returns that fueled their opulent lifestyles, to end. As far as the loss suffered by the families of those missing as a result of the crash, or the uncertainty those in Colombia felt about the loss of management and apparent loss of direction, the directors could not have cared less. Loss of life that may have occurred as a direct, or even indirect result of the plans for EAD, made by these directors, just didn't matter to them. Their only concern was that the money machine might come to a halt. Each of the ten directors, who lived in seclusion on the Caribbean Island of Curacao, had invested five million dollars in cash, and, in exchange for this investment, were currently receiving a 20% annual return, as well as a significant appreciation in the value of the assets owned by EAD. Assets, a portion of which included the entire town of SanAdolphus and all of the buildings belonging to EAD there. There had never been any need to increase the amount of their initial investment, since the cash profit generated by EAD had always been sufficient to meet the needs of upgrading, enlarging and constructing new structures as needed by EAD for its distribution and refinement operations, as well as for the purpose of purchasing vehicles, equipment and arms for the company. The cash component of the monies remaining after all expenditures were taken into account, plus amounts set aside as a reserve for special circumstances, had traditionally amounted to one million U.S. dollars annually, coming to them in the form of cash payments. Since the monthly payments, totaling more than a million dollars annually, came to them as cash, unreported to any government entity, these investors had no obligation to pay U.S. income taxes. As a result of this favorable tax situation, the million dollar cash return that each received had the effect of 1.3 million for each of them, in terms ofwhat they would have needed to earn if taxes were paid on the income.This level of return on investment (ROI) meant that each director was very serious when it came to assuring that the accidental loss of the 2 When Likes Attract Company's Airplane, with its precious management crew over the Atlantic Ocean did not slow, or in any way negatively affect the income they received from their investment in EAD. They were very worried that they would not be able to replace the management in Colombia before there was a serious downturn in the fortunes of the company and its involvement in the international drug scene. However, they had no interest in the Colombian staff learning of their concerns, so the Company's official position was that all was well with the organization and the loss of the plane, pilots and the four managers would have no significant negative impact on the fortunes of the company. The timing of the loss of the management team could not have been worse. Although EAD had made tens of millions of dollars through the production and distribution of Marijuana, the Mexicans had begun to cultivate and distribute this crop to the United States, traditionally the most stable and lucrative market. Therefore, EAD could see the handwriting on the wall. It was time to make the investment in the change from marijuana to Cocaine. While the production of Cocaine powder was much more involved, the revenues were much higher and a greater value of Cocaine could be smuggled in smaller packages. Additionally, Cocaine was addictive. Its market was considered to be inelastic. That is to say that, increases in price brought no reduction in the demand. Once addicted, customers would do anything to continue getting their Cocaine. Men would steal and kill and women while both stealing and killing to get their next hit, either in powder form or in crack Cocaine, would also prostitute themselves. Cocaine was just the money machine that the Directors in Curacao were looking for. The problem with this was that EAD had lost its reputation for its nononsense approach to competition. The guidance brought by Jules, with the ruthless ability that Juan had to carry out any plan he concocted, made EAD feared and respected in the countries of Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. With Jules at the helm, Juan providing the muscle and Robbie acting as the face of the organization, EAD was able to keep the relationship with the coca producing countries under tight control. 3 Colton I Mcraw However, in the past several months, there had been three attacks on the couriers that carried the coca leaves from Bolivia and Peru, across Ecuador and into Colombia, for the purpose of further production into Cocaine Powder. Carried in the open and with little scrutiny from the authorities in either Peru, Bolivia or Colombia, trucks carrying coca leaves, as well as barrels of the cocaine base, already pre processed, made the trip across the borders with little disturbance. Although there was little consumption of either Cocaine powder, or the leaves from which it was refined, in the country of Ecuador, Ecuador became a key player in the movement of the drug into Colombia, since it was necessary to move the product through Ecuador to get it from Peru or Bolivia to Colombia. However, in the three attacks, the authorities in the three countries provided no problem. No, the attacks were planned and carried out by the newly established drug gangs, starting up in both Medellin and Cali, Colombia. Gangs that started due to the apparent weakness of EAD and the perceived ease with which these gangs could steal the raw materials and convert them into finished Cocaine. Since the demand for the product was just beginning to ramp up, these gangs were able to feel their way into establishing the transport, smuggling and delivery systems they would need as time went by. They could move upward in their learning curve as the market for the highly addictive drug grew. So, in these early attacks, the unsuspecting EAD employees, with little firepower and even less alertness, were slaughtered and the drugs were stolen from them with little resistance. In one attack, the most daring yet, the goods, seven tons of coca leaves, along with cocaine base, carried in eight, fifty five gallon drums, being delivered from Peru, was stolen from EAD, not fifteen kilometers from the EAD base in San Adolphus. In this attack, as two stake trucks belonging to EAD drove toward the North, along highway 25, a group of attackers formed a roadblock with their vehicles and using Russian Made Kalashnikov Automatic weapons, stepped in from the side of the road and slaughtered all of the personnel aboard the two trucks. Not 4 When Likes Attract only did the attackers kill any who resisted, but, after stopping the trucks, they threw all of the bodies onto the pavement and any who had survived the initial attack were killed....their heads severed from their bodies by the attackers, using machetes in order to finish them off, before they were able to either protect themselves, or to seek cover. As soon as the defenders were killed, the attackers removed the trucks to a hiding place that was never discovered and the vehicles were never found. The authorities, most of whom were recipients of bribes from the EAD managers, were unable to find the vehicles. Believing that the trucks and cocaine materials were stolen, and the brutal murder, with the beheadings committed so that the new group could establish itself as more brutal that EAD, the local police secretly began a search for the new group in an effort to make a more lucrative deal with them. However, several weeks after the attack, the group in Medellin chose to announce to those at EAD that they were waiting for a counter attack, planning to kill any who tried to retaliate. In these first three attacks, the killers used weapons provided by the Cubans, who had been manufacturing the Kalashnikov Automatic Rifle copies in Cuba since the late 1950's. Although the Cubans will not become involved in the smuggling as a country until the mid 1970's, the route around Cuba, to the U.S. East Coast has been around for a number of years now. Starting around 1975, the Government of Cuba will begin to extract large sums of money (as much as $800,000 per mother ship) for the use of Cuban Waters and will even provide the use of Cuban Ports for the purpose of fueling, servicing and repairing Drug Trafficking vessels, as well as to provide Cuban flags for any participating vessel. It was believed that the Cubans had turned against EAD because the new drug gangs had promised them a better deal, when the time came, for Cuba permitting the Drug Boats access to Cuban Waters so that it would be convenient and profitable to import Cocaine into the East Coast of the United States. These gangs were proving to be a very capable adversary for EAD and had chosen EAD as their target, using similar, if not more brutal tactics that even Jules had commanded Juan to commit. 5 Colton I Mcraw The result, however, was that the upstart gangs could convert the stolen materials into powder Cocaine, selling the finished product through their fledgling dealer network in the Eastern U.S., using the cash they generated to turn themselves into legitimate (sic) drug organizations, with enough cash to purchase the materials for their next round of Cocaine sales in the United States. The plain truth was for EAD, that the available pool of qualified management skills, needed to counteract the activities of the Medellin and Cali gangs was thin and those in Curacao knew it. While EAD had been able to recruit Señorita Petersen by holding the welfare of her family and loved ones hostage, they knew that what had been done in that case was a one-off, meaning that a person with the skills that Robbie brought to the table and who possessed just the right set of vulnerabilities came along only once in a career. Although they would continue to try to cultivate another with the same skills as Robbie and who had similar family who could be compromised, the Directors in Curacao knew that there was little likelihood that they would be successful. No, EAD needed to recruit new management talent and needed to do it quickly, before the company fell any further into directionless drifting, losing its focus and its revenue streams. There remained only a small window of opportunity before both the suppliers of raw materials, in the neighboring countries of Peru and Bolivia, who exported Cocaine Base to Colombia to be turned into the finished product by EAD, found the traffickers, developed the skills needed to make the final conversion and put the final pieces of the distribution puzzle together, forcing the network of distribution to fall apart and move in directions that could never be brought back together. The rumblings of this change were already being felt, as the newly formed gangs began their attacks on the disorganized EAD. Although the plot to influence the Venezuelan Presidential election, scheduled for later in the year of 1968 had failed, when the insurgents that EAD had hired failed to complete their assigned duties, there was still plenty of time and many mechanisms still existed with which to 6 When Likes Attract resolve the issues that remained there. Although the plan was to create the illusion that two of the candidates, in the Primary election, Barrios and Caldera had accepted bribes totaling 1/2 million US Dollars each and had received a written greeting from a person purported to be Fidel Castro, this had failed. However, there would be many opportunities during the next several years, where EAD could make the inroads into the Venezuelan political system and subsequently gain control of the Venezuelan economy. This plot, was designed to form the next move EAD needed to take, knowing that the Cuban solution for transshipment to the U.S., would eventually change, as the Cuban Government undertook an active role in the smuggling. However, shipment to the U.S., using the Windward Passage between Cuba and Haiti was still intact, making the urgency of creating the environment needed for the next step less than dire. No, this foiled plot was not the problem for EAD. In the end, even though Luis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa (the candidate that EAD had decided to assist in his run for the Presidency) had received between 65 -70% of the vote in the Venezuelan Primary Election, held on September 3rd of the previous year, the LR party quickly decided that his politics were too far to the left for them and moved to nominate Gonzalo Barrios. This was done amid accusations of dirty politics and as a result, Señor Figueroa split from the LR party and founded an opposition party that would, through a series of renamings, mergers and other changes, become the party of Hugo Chavez, some years later. It was clearly a case of losing a battle, but staying around long enough to win the war. For EAD, time was on their side, as far as the politics of controlling the Venezuelan economy went. As far as the changes that could ruin EAD's chances of being in business when the war was won, these were the immediate concerns of the directors in Curacao. Far more important was the need to quickly fix the management problem and install a stable, strong management team in Colombia, once again. Unfortunately, the ten directors in Curacao understood that their problem presented itself as a two headed snake. One head of the snake required that the new management team, selected by Curacao, 7 Colton I Mcraw take a very aggressive approach to getting the company back under its control, while the snake's other head brought with it the specter that a new management team might just take control of the company and, wresting the ownership of the venture from Curacao, keep the monies generated in Colombia, for themselves, effectively interrupting the profit stream flowing back to the directors. After consulting daily for several weeks, and after looking exhaustively at the résumés of those in the organization, worldwide, it was decided that it would be necessary to pull a team together from all corners of the world. Not only would it be necessary to find ruthlessly aggressive individuals, but it would become equally necessary to assure that those chosen for the new Colombian management team could be trusted to maintain their loyalties in the face of the huge cash flows anticipated. What was most interesting was, that in many cases the individuals most seriously considered by the Directors in Curacao had résumés that had been compiled by law enforcement organizations the world over, and not by conventional employment agencies. The better suited they were for their anticipated role at EAD, the more violent and corrupt, and therefore potentially unmanageable their résumés showed that they were. What was necessary and what was not common to find among the ranks of the criminals already working within the growing EAD network was the mix between ruthlessness, loyalty and knowledge of personnel management and business acumen. Although there were many people in the EAD organization who dealt with both suppliers and customers in a ruthless manner, often times resorting to torture or brutal murder to force associates to fall in line, the murders only serving as lessons to those merely thinking of failing to toe the line, they all too frequently lacked the knowledge of how to manage a successful legitimate business...... just what EAD was trying to create. Therefore, the Directors decided that since it would be improbable to find one person with all of the necessary skills, it would be necessary to divide the duties among several individuals with skills that served the needs of each area within the Colombian Operation. 8 When Likes Attract Around the table, located on the fourth floor of the Bank of the Islands, on Abraham de Veerstraat in Willemstad Curacao, sat the ten directors, managers and investors of EAD. The Directors consisted of: 1. Bengt Bryngelson (Sweden) 2. Hans Zobel (Germany) 3. Humberto Elias Occidentes (Mexico) 4. Teofilo Elias Occidentes (Nicaragua) 5. Morton Smithson (USA) 6. Yves Quintaine (France) 7. Roberto Rebelló (Spain) 8. Antonio Arrudo (Portugal) 9. Ibrahim Uddin (Iran) 10. William Pemberton (Canada) The Chairman, at the head of the table, was William Pemberton, a Canadian, who had made his fortune in petroleum investment. However, to say that he had pulled himself up by the bootstraps was a bit of a misrepresentation. His wife, Edie, brought a dowry to their matrimonial union of more than $10 million U.S. dollars, when they married in 1947. Upon the death of her father Myron J. Oligarski, in 1955, Edie inherited another 67 million. William, then used this initial capitalization to create more wealth for he and Edie and their four children. Although William liked to say he made his fortune in Petroleum investments (the investments not coming to fruition until about five years ago), he really created most of his wealth as an underground smuggler, running an organization in Canada that imported illegal pharmaceuticals from Europe. As a result, he was the group's foremost specialist in running two businesses simultaneously... one that appeared legitimate, and the other hidden from view. Additionally, he was the founder of this board, having formed the group that ultimately became EAD, seven years before, as a means to generate a steady income from drug production and distribution, in Latin America, with the intent to capitalize on the growing U.S. demand for illegal drugs. Needing to find birds of the same feather, he began a 9 Colton I Mcraw search that would ultimately pull together ten of the worlds wealthiest and most unscrupulous men. The interesting fact about this group was that, if they were not so interested in securing their fortunes through the pursuit of illegal means, any of them would have been successful in a range of many legitimate businesses. However, none of them were willing to wait as normal profits built their wealth. They wanted the meteoric growth that only illegal means could generate. Although they were from many different countries and backgrounds, they all shared one common trait. They were all united in their indifference to the suffering of others and were interested only in creating, by any means, legal or otherwise, wealth for themselves. Each of them had come to the realization that illegal pursuits created a bar to entry of potential competitors, were it not for the fact that there were only a few men in the world who had no aversion to illegal pursuits. Since each of them came from a different country, William had chosen them not only for their wealth and personal traits, but for the fact that, since each of them maintained a network of associates in his country of origin, the logical countries where EAD would expand its domination of the drug trade had been determined at the outset. To say they were concerned about the safety of their investment would be an understatement. They knew that two things must happen to stem the tide of decline, resulting from the loss of the key Colombian Personnel. First, it would be necessary to appoint an interim manager, from one of the employees currently located in San Adolphus who had an intimate knowledge of the facts on the ground there. Second, it would be necessary to find, recruit and bring up to speed, a new manager, dedicated to running the entire operation that made its headquarters in San Adolphus. Third, it would be necessary to nominate one of themselves to move to San Adolphus to monitor the operations there. Therefore, it was decided, after several long and acrimonious meetings, that the first of two orders of business, in order to make the directors in Curacao comfortable, would be the appointment of Jorge Chirinos, a 10 When Likes Attract long time employee at the Colombian facility and close associate of both Robbie Petersen and Julio Nicodemus Alfonzos as interim manager of the Company's operations in San Adolphus, Colombia. The second order of business would be the decision as to which one of the Directors, currently living in Curacao, should move and take up residence in Colombia, for the purpose of watching the daily dealings and to audit the revenues, expenses and profits. These two actions, on the part of the Directors, would buy enough time for them to find and employ an enforcer to manage the day to day relationships and the day to day production and distribution of their product....a product that nearly guaranteed the misery and subjugation of millions of people the world over. Although each of the directors, very successful in his own right, had skills that spanned all areas necessary for the proper management of the business, the most highly qualified in areas of business management, as well as accounting and macro economics was the American, Morton Smithson. Not only did Morton have the skills needed in Colombia, but he spoke and wrote the Spanish language with an FSI (Foreign Service Institute) level of 3. Additionally, Morton had prior experience with the BDAC (Bureau of Drug Abuse Control, which fell under the supervision of the Department of Justice, which was destined, in 1973, to become the DEA). As a legal consultant to the agency when it was first established, Morton was probably the singularly most qualified person, both by his training and his experience to head the EAD business in Colombia. As an additional benefit, Morton still maintained many contacts within the fledgling Drug Enforcement Community in the U.S., which proved very useful when it came to knowing where the enforcement activities of agents assigned to try to interrupt production and shipments would be directed next. So that he maintained the illusion of professional integrity, a law office was maintained in Washington DC, with just enough staff so the practice looked prosperous and appeared as if it was still engaged in business in the U.S.. Through a series of back door cash transactions, the directors had seen fit to continue to fund the Law Office used by Smithson as a front in Washington D.C. and as a result of his ongoing contact with the 11 Colton I Mcraw Washington Drug Staff, any challenges EAD had encountered in their smuggling operations were minor, short-lived and of little consequence. The name of the Law Firm was Smithson and Associates. It was owned, rather than by Morton Smithson, who merely permitted the use of his name and therefore the illusion that he was the Managing Attorney, by a Delaware Corporation, owned by EAD in Curacao, of which the registered owners were the two brothers, Teofilo Elias Occidentes, using his brother's address in Colombia and the deceased brother himself; Roberto Elias Occidentes. Not only was the law firm owned by the Delaware Corp, but several other companies, management firms and the Corporation that had owned the EAD Jetstar, named Airflights Unlimited, domiciled in San Antonio Texas, came under the same umbrella of ownership. It was to this Company, Airflights Unlimited that the Insurance Carrier paid the sum of $1,764,237.50 upon the proof of the loss of the aircraft, based upon the Colombian Aeronautical Authority's radar reproductions, showing the disappearance from Radar and the reports of passing aircraft, sighting the debris of the aircraft, floating on the surface of the Atlantic ocean, in the area where the Jetstar was reported to have gone down. This payment, when added to the cash required for the acquisition of another Jetstar, with Colombian Registration Number HM-2244-X, made the full payment for the new Jetstar Airplane. This plane was delivered to EAD in July of 1968. However, an interim Jetstar was leased by the company, starting in late January of the same year. It was available, and provided the transportation for Mr. and Mrs. Smithson to the airport in Berástegui, Colombia, from Hato International Airport, in Curacao. There was only one problem with the Morton Smithson assignment. Morton was married to Ashley, about twenty years his junior, who loved the life she led in Curacao. She looked upon the new assignment to Colombia as a step down and she did not take such reversals kindly. She knew a bit about San Adolphus and, although the town was quiet, safe and all-in-all, a good place to live, it was located about three and a half hours by car from Medellin, the nearest city of any size and with any social life, and where she could go shopping to purchase the stylish 12 When Likes Attract clothes she had become accustomed to in Curacao. Of course, it was no good to merely purchase these clothes, since she could always make the occasional shopping trip to New York, Miami, Chicago or Los Angeles, if there were no place to "See and be Seen" in them. While San Adolphus offered no such venue, Medellin did. Additionally, Ashley was not inclined to rub elbows with those whom she deemed to be inferior, or lower on the social scale. She wanted to be at the center of social activities and felt that movers and shakers were her peers, wanting to associate herself with business owners, politicians and artists. Additionally, Ashley knew nothing of her husband's business interests, nor just how illicit his income was. Morton had never shared the true nature of his sources of income, so Ashley remained convinced that Morton could make just as good a living anywhere in the world he chose to live. Not realizing that he had an obligation to EAD for his level of income, Ashley had the mistaken luxury of being a bit more independent in her thinking, and blamed Morton for the move to this God Forsaken backwater called San Adolphus. What Ashley couldn't know was that, when the group of ten men came together to form EAD, they agreed that if the majority determined that any of them ever needed to move to Colombia, or any other country for the purpose of resolving any problem that arose, requiring their expertise, they would do so, without further discussion. There had never been any need to invoke this part of their agreement before, but it was understood that if the situation ever presented itself and, by a majority vote among the directors, it was determined that one of them needed to go anywhere to lend a hand to resolve an operational problem, it would be done. Therefore, as soon as the meeting during which the vote to require Morton and Ashley to move to Colombia was finished, two things happened. First, Morton set into motion, the plan that would get them in San Adolphus within three weeks. The projected date of Morton's first day at the EAD offices in Colombia would be Monday, February 5th, 1968. 13 Colton I Mcraw There was much to do and Ashley would find herself in charge of making the decisions of what was to be moved, what was to be stored and how best to get what they needed into Colombia as quickly as possible. Morton did not have the time necessary to supervise the move, as, needless to say, he was occupied with business preparations for assuming oversight of the Colombian operation, so Ashley was left to her own ingenuity. Although, only their arrival in Colombia would verify how well she had done at the preparation, she gained a large amount of self confidence while making the arrangements and learned some things she had never known. Taking it upon herself, she decided to rent a home in Medellin's Poblado barrio and executed all of the contracts, including the three year lease on Morton's behalf, without consulting with him, to see if it would be possible for him to cover the seven hour round trip daily. As far as Ashley was concerned, if Morton couldn't make the seven hour trip daily, he would need to rent a small apartment in San Adolphus, making the trip to Medellin on the weekends. She had thought long and hard and had decided that for her to live in Medellin was more important than her remaining beside Morton as he worked to resurrect EAD. Besides, if Morton stayed in San Adolphus during the week, she would have more freedom to do those things of which Morton often disapproved. Since Ashley loved dancing and party going, she felt that what Morton didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Indulging herself in some delicious fantasies of hot blooded Latin Lovers, Ashley also looked forward to Medellin and freedom. Ashley truly felt that she was about to embark on a lifestyle that had the two things that were most important to her.....Money and Freedom....and perhaps an occasional good hard drilling by someone other than boring Morton. The fantasies she had about sex made her wet whenever she thought about them and she seemed to be thinking about them more each day. She remembered back to the days before Morton, when she was married to her first husband, Mitch Wellspring. Although she divorced him because he failed to provide the things she felt she deserved, he was younger and stronger and possessed of much greater sexual energy 14 When Likes Attract than her current husband. Their couplings were much more satisfying for her and she couldn't forget how she was overwhelmed with the feeling that he was so much more powerful than she was and that he just took what he wanted, when and where he wanted, making her feel overwhelmed....a feeling she missed. She remembered taking her husband in her mouth and bringing him to close to the point of no return, only to stop for the purpose of making him a bit crazy. He would become so aroused that he would finish by taking her with all the force he could muster, drilling her like a rag doll. It was a feeling she had not felt for many years and one that she missed. She knew that she would be looking for that same feeling as soon as she moved into the new house and Morton's schedule had stabilized, settling him onto the weekends only visitations to Medellin. For the purpose of providing lots of money to fuel their expensive lifestyle, Morton was just the ticket. However, for the purpose of a good time in bed, there had to be someone else who could fill that bill. Ashley planned to find him if she had to work her way through the entire male populace of medellin. Having no idea what Morton did for EAD and more importantly, having no idea as to the nature of EAD's business, Ashley had no idea that there was danger inherent in her association with Morton and even more danger in Morton's association with EAD. She had no idea that living three and a half hours from the little town of San Adolphus, while giving her the freedom to pursue her life as she wanted, also put her at great risk from those who would be the enemies of EAD. The second event to take place was a telephone call between William Pemberton and Jorge Chirinos, advising Jorge that he was to be the Manager for EAD in Colombia. Although the telephone call was fairly lengthly, where William described in some detail to Jorge, the duties he would be responsible to perform, the call, in the main was made for the purpose of advising Jorge of his appointment and to forestall any further slide in the morale and therefore any further decrease in the efficiency of the personnel in San Adolphus Colombia. William made certain that Jorge knew that his duties as Manager began as soon as 15 Colton I Mcraw they ended their telephone call, at about 3:00 PM on Wednesday, January 10th, 1968. There was no mention that this appointment would be temporary, as William thought to let Jorge know that he was going to be replaced as soon as a suitable replacement was found, would serve to limit Jorge's enthusiasm and blunt the purpose for which the appointment was being made. At the end of the call, Morton wished Jorge..."Good Luck". After saying good bye and ending the telephone conversation with William Pemberton, Jorge sat for a few minutes and collected his thoughts. He knew he was being given a huge opportunity and knew that he needed to choose a few capable Lieutenants with absolute loyalty, both to EAD and himself. The EAD organization was vast, with tentacles extending the field of influence to every continent on earth. If he didn't make wise moves, EAD would continue to lose influence and therefore revenues. Additionally, he knew that to fail to take action, leaving things as they were, would signal weakness to those who wanted to step in to take over the EAD successes. Knowing how huge the responsibility for righting the foundering ship was, Jorge began to create two lists: 1. A list of personnel he needed to tap for his team. On this list, Jorge created a crude tree with the duties and responsibilities of each department and person heading it. 2. A list of moves the company needed to make, in order of importance, for the purpose of becoming a relevant supplier of illegal drugs once again. BACK TO WEBPAGE 16
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