The 'Cousins'

Part NInety-Two (Echo): A Resolution-Of Sorts!

 Dedication:  There are so many accomplished writers publishing on this site and it seems a shame when their works do not receive the reads the quality of the writing deserves. This chapter is dedicated to @Fakedeadgirlfriend with one of his several engrossing stories in mind - Catching Bigfoot. It's a hoot from start to finish - well written, of course, and with some scintillating dialogue!

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Part Ninety-Two (Echo)

A/N: This chapter concludes the argument and discussion between Wayne and Greg in the motel room and follows on directly from the last chapter. Now read on:

   “Fer Chrissake Wayne, I can understand that.” Greg waved his hands around in front of his face in exasperation.  “It’s a common enough ambition to want to run a major, successful company and be the next Steve Jobs, you see it everywhere. You don’t have to become some ogre figure to accomplish it. What I don’t understand is why it’s only me that’s being lied to and left out in the dark. I don’t understand why my business methodology and acumen doesn’t suit this model of yours to the extreme that I have to be shut out of all knowledge of it. Me! Without me you’d still be washing car windshields at Walmart.”

  “You don’t get it Greg because you wouldn’t understand it and until I can be sure you could see the whole thing from my point of view I prefer to keep it from you.” Wayne yelled, shaking his clenched fists in front of him in his anguish. “It’s not about the business or the money we can make. That’s important, of course, but only a part of it. It’s only the means to the end I want to achieve. It's what I want to do and be famous for. I want to do something for the planet and its people before it’s too late. I want to give them a better life, in a cleaner environment and take away a lot of those fears about future energy needs and costs. We can do it. We’re nearly there and when we get this rolled out commercially don’t be surprised if we get to be the richest men on earth. But that’s of secondary importance and it’ll take time and money to complete the research before we can get a commercial model out to the market. That’s what Fishers and this IPO is really all about.”

  Greg was speechless. His jaw dropped in shocked amazement at Wayne’s vehemence and passion. A twinge of guilt passed through him as Wayne stood with a heaving chest and flames in his eyes waiting for Greg’s response.

  Greg shook his head and spoke softly. “Well I’ll be hanged for a lamb thief. I never for a moment took you for a humanitarian pioneer Wayne. I feel quite humble and moved by the ardour in what you have just said and I can tell you that I respect your aspirations. And I would like to help you achieve them – if only you will change your mind and tell me what it is all about?”

   “And are you prepared to commit wholly to Fishers?”

  “Yes I am; in principle.”

  “What does ‘in principle’ mean?”

  Greg shrugged. “Let me put it to you this way. It’s not about you or me or what we did before, that’s in the past and this is now. You need me to make a success of Fishers so you can fulfil your deeper ambition. I need a job, a meaningful one that puts me back on top of the heap; one that will challenge me and bring me acclaim and the rewards that go with it.  Dean Halburton has sold me on the intrigue behind the post you are offering. But at the end of the day this will be just a job to me, nothing more, no more buddy-buddying. I’ll be just like any other Chief Exec you could hire. That way I can reconcile my principles by separating Fishers out from you. It’s a job I’ll do to my best abilities, but in my own way and on my own terms. I’ll need briefing on the usual business details before I start. For example, let’s take this IPO. When we set up Fishers originally we registered it as a Delaware Corporation for tax purposes. Is it still that and, if so, is the Delaware branch of Everly, Peabody still the legally required agent there?”