Free Troy Rising 1 - Live Free or Die by John Ringo Page B

two thirds barrels. He dropped that for bid onto the hypernet to see what
     happened.
    ***
    “This is a rather unusual request Mr. Tyler.”
    Robert Lyle was a senior associate with Bertram, Bertram, Hudson and Slavens, a Boston law
     firm that had fought its first tort case in British court. He wasn't quite sure about his
     newest client but when the CEO of Verizon calls and suggests that you arrange a meeting it
     was considered wise to do so. The conditions and subject, however, were bothersome.
    “While we do sometimes have clients who might have accidentally bent one of the numerous
     laws and regulations of the United States or international courts, we prefer...”
    “I'm not trying to break or bend the law,” Tyler said. “And I'm not sure I'm talking to
     the right person if you can't even get my name straight. Tyler
    
    
     Vernon
    
    
     . All I want you to do is arrange some perfectly legal purchases. I simply don't want
     those purchases to be reported as associated with me until they have all or mostly been
     completed. And they need to be distributed so as not to be obvious.”
    “This is quite a bit of land, Mr. Vernon, pardon me,” Lyle said. “And a large number of
     operating businesses. And you simply wish that... the owners be unaware?”
    “I need for
    
    
     everyone
    
    
     to be unaware,” Tyler said. “
    
    
     Totally
    
    
     confidential. I'm talking to you. You don't even tell
    
    
     your
    
    
     people who is doing the buying. We'll figure out some way to slush the money quietly.
     It'll probably have to be through shell companies. As long as it is eventually reported to
     the IRS it's no problem, right?”
    “Bit more than the IRS for
    
    
     this
    
    
     level of transaction,” Lyle said. “And we're talking about a good
    
    
     bit
    
    
     of money.”
    “Yeah,” Tyler said. “Money's not an issue. And your firm can't make the purchases
     directly. I chose you because you work some very big deals and you can probably cloak the
     purchases. Three or four other firms, brokers, etc. All behind proprietary layers.”
    “If the government isn't the issue...” Lyle said, looking puzzled. “Why are you cloaking
     these purchases?”
    “Oh, the problem's the Horvath,” Tyler said. “It's the
    
    
     Horvath
    
    
     we need to not associate these purchases with me. At least for a while. As long as
     possible.”
    “Now you are getting completely out of my field,” Lyle said. “Anything involving the
     Horvath has national,
    
    
     international
    
    
     , security issues.”
    “The government is generally aware of what I'm doing,” Tyler said. “And not against it to
     the point that they can find a policy with both hands. All I'm doing is engaging in honest
     trade. Now are you going to take the job or not? Obviously the commissions are going to
     be...”
    “Quite remunerative, yes,” Lyle said, musingly. “I'm sure we can manage this. As long as
     we are not in jeopardy of violating bar regulations. But I have to ask. Why do you want to
     own... how did you put it? 'Every single square inch of land that can produce maple
     trees?'”
    “
    
    
     Sugar
    
    
     maple,” Tyler said with a smile. "That is, as they say, proprietary. And there are some
     qualifiers on it. Anything that is currently on the market, buy first. Then concentrate on
     things which have been traded in the last ten or fifteen years and corporate holdings. Get
     as many of the new crew out of the area as possible. At that point the price is probably
     going to be running up pretty solid and we'll be hitting diminishing returns so the old
     families might start to sell. But try to keep other corporate entities out of the area.
    “Most important of all, I want you to buy one
    
    
     particular
    
    
     piece of property for the absolute best price you can get it. Which means it should be one
     of the first properties bought. Put the best person you can find on it.