A story of power, money, and deception.

EXECUTIVE CONFERENCE ROOM, BIDDINGER OIL, DENVER, COLORADO

“Yes, sir,” Anthony Biddinger said into his cell phone. “I will be there in the morning. Good day Mister President.”

As his children heard him say this, they all looked at him, shocked by who he was talking to. After he put his cell phone down on the conference table, he sat back in his chair, looking into the distance. He didn’t say anything, in too much shock about the call he had just received.

“What was that all about?” Doug asked.

Anthony didn’t reply. Instead, he picked his cell phone up and dialed a number. “Maria, I need you to clear my schedule for the next couple of days. I need to fly to Washington tonight. I should be back either tomorrow night or the next day. Either way, I want you to clear tomorrow and the next day for me. Also, get me a suite at the Watergate for tonight and tomorrow night.”

After that call, he called the airport and made sure that the plane owned by Biddinger Oil was prepared for a flight to Washington later that day. Once he had finished making arrangements for the trip, he finally turned to his children.

“The President wants to see me in the Oval Office tomorrow morning,” he said.

“Did he say why?” Elizabeth asked.

“Just that it was important, and that it would have an effect on my career in politics,” Anthony said.

“You think it may have anything to do with what is happening with Ramsdale?” Tony asked, referring to the Vice-President, who suddenly found himself in a paternity scandal.

“It’s possible,” Anthony replied. “Or it could be some other position. I’ll find out in the morning. But, let’s get back to the issue at hand, expanding into other fields. I agree that we need to expand the company. And those companies sound like good prospects. However, I do not want to get into utilities unless we can integrate them into our main company. The only way I would buy an electric company that uses coal would be if it could be easily converted to oil, or if we could also find a coal mine for sale that would give us an unlimited supply of what we needed.

“As for the other companies you have suggested, I think we should get them if we can. Tony, set up some meetings with them, and let’s get the ball rolling. Also, I want you to start looking into other companies as well.”

“Other companies?” Doug asked in surprise.

“Yes,” replied Anthony. “For the last couple of years, I had been considering the idea of expanding the company, but with the duties I have been dealing with as Governor, I hadn’t really put a lot of effort into it. Tony’s report just puts that consideration into words and reality, and I think this will be the first step in making Biddinger Oil a better company in the long run.”

“In other words,” said Doug, “you want to make Biddinger Oil more like Kincaide Industries.”

“There is nothing wrong with trying to be like Kincaide Industries,” Tony said. “That company is doing very well, as we all know.”

“Of course we know it,” Doug sarcastically replied. “Mother never lets us forget that her company is doing so well.”

Anthony looked over at Doug. “Your mother has done a fine job of taking that company from a small chain of boutique stores to the success it is, and I have honestly thought of handing Biddinger Oil over to her to run.”

“What?” Tony and Doug asked at the same time.

“How could you even consider that?” Doug asked.

“Quite easily, actually,” Anthony replied. “When I first decided to run for governor, I knew that I was not going to be able to give this company the same attention that I was able to at the time, so I thought over what to do with Biddinger Oil and one of the scenarios was a merger between Kincaide Industries and Biddinger Oil, but I decided to let my children take over instead. And quite honestly, I haven’t really been pleased with the results of that decision.

“So, this is what we are going to do. Tony, you are going to set up meetings with the companies you listed in your report, except for the electric company, and then do some research to find other companies to buy.

“Doug, you are going to investigate some other ways of reducing the overhead of this company. Particularly, look into our fields and close down any that are not within the top 5% of production.

“Elizabeth, you are going to come with me and get some lunch at Capital Beat.”