Sirius Zero: Building A Corporate Kingdom After Being Expelled
Chapter 29: Getting permits, And an Enemy emerges

Chapter 29: Getting permits, And an Enemy emerges

Michael sat nervously in the small office that Aaron now practically lived in.

It had been just a short year since Aaron had wrestled a lead mining permit and water rights from him, and he could barely recognize the abandoned mine and languishing industrial parcel he had sold to Aaron.

The perimeter was surrounded by an absurdly high and thick concrete wall, topped with barbed wire and electric fencing.

A nearly 400 meter long concrete robotic assembly plant had been built, and a steady stream of delivery trucks with shipping containers were moving in and out of a large warehouse that had been built next to the assembly plant.

A few smaller trucks loaded with lead ore were leaving the mine complex, and a couple of cement trucks were parked near a new construction site.

The truck checkpoints themselves had retracting spike strips to prevent unauthorized entry and exit, as well as multiple massive sliding gates.

"If you’re here for campaign funding, I’m afraid I don’t have the cash to spare. I’m reinvesting almost everything into my enterprises," said Aaron as he entered the office.

"Fortunately for you, I’m not here for that. I just came by to drop off a couple of things that you might find appealing," chuckled Michael, handing Aaron a thick folder of documents.

Excitement flashed in Aaron’s eyes as he flipped through the documents.

They were an amendment to his lead mining license that granted him mineral rights to any additional ore that was found in the mine, including Uranium and other radioactive ores.

A heavy water import and production license, and a Federal nuclear reactor construction and operations license.

"These are all signed and approved by the Feds. I had to grease a few palms, but it was worth it," said Michael, looking at Aaron with a satisfied smile.

"Excellent! I will have my lawyer look over them, but why the change of heart?" said Aaron, looking at the documents with excitement.

"Let’s just say that the enemy of my enemy is now my friend. Your moves have pissed off a lot of my rivals and opponents, while giving me some upwardly mobile and very happy constituents. So, if I can get more of the same stuff out of you, then this will be the start of a wonderful relationship," chuckled Michael wryly.

"I’m glad to hear that, Michael. I was a little apprehensive about being shut down," said Aaron.

"You’ll still need to hold off on building the reactors, at least until I can get enough clout to get the Feds to greenlight a reactor in my jurisdiction, but I foresee no further difficulties," said Michael.

"That’s fine for now. I can focus on building the heavy water processing facilities for now," replied Aaron.

"Well you managed to blitz through the first battle, but America’s ideological and cultural war is far from over. So be on your guard OK?" warned Michael, getting up to leave.

"I will, and thank you, Michael," said Aaron, shaking his hand.

----

Natasha Parker walked briskly into Senator Monica Goldberg’s office. "You wanted to see me Senator?" she asked.

"Take a look at this." replied Monica sliding a stack of satellite photos over to Natasha.

Natasha surveyed the photos.

They showed a large land parcel that had a thick concrete wall with watchtowers, a few structures either completed or under construction, along with an access road that showed a convoy of shipping trucks.

There were large thermal signatures, indicating either power generation or heat dissipation, yet very little electromagnetic radiation due to a lead mine.

"It looks like a fairly normal industrial park development" she said cautiously.

"It is an eyesore and a blight on the map of Massachusetts! I had thought that that lead mine had been sealed off for good.

But that idiot Congressman DuPont sold it off, and now its new owner is building this monstrosity on it!" replied Monica.

Natasha fought down the urge to roll her eyes at the all too familiar feeling of déjà vu.

Keeping her voice steady, she asked: "What would you like investigated Senator?"

Monica tossed another report onto the desk.

"Despite efforts to obfuscate it through a set of different LLCs, that industrial park belongs to a single entity, Sirius Software, and a single individual, Aaron Zakhrov.

He’s barely 18, so it’s probably a poorly disguised front. Infiltrate it and find a way to crush it." she instructed.

"Yes, Senator." replied Natasha, struggling to keep her emotions under control. She picked up the file, and left the office.

Monica pulled out a small face compact and checked herself in the mirror after Natasha had left.

The cosmetic surgery procedures she had undergone had made her barely recognizable from the pudgy girl that was Emily Clarke.

"Aaron Zakhrov. You are going to pay for what you did!" she whispered, her eyes gleaming with hate.

----

After she had ensured that her apartment was secured, Natasha’s knees gave way, and she sank to the floor.

Aaron Zakhrov was not a name she expected to encounter again.

The last time, was when he had run afoul of Sarah Clarke’s infiltration plans for St. Ignatius Academy, and had protected Daisy Eddington from Emily Clarke’s hazing.

All that had done, was got him expelled and disowned, and he had basically dropped off the grid after those incidents.

"What the hell has he gotten himself into this time?" she muttered to herself.

----

"Harry, James and Andre. I’m starting to lose both trust and confidence in Mario," said Aaron, as he sat in his office, looking over the camera feeds from the lead mine.

"The guy just converted to Islam, that’s all. He’s still a good guy," replied Harry, as the feed showed Mario praying in the makeshift control room of the lead mine.

"I don’t care who or what he prays to Harry, did you check the welds on those reactor tubes?

They are beyond sloppy!" snapped Aaron, looking at the feed with a frown.

"So what? You think he’s out to sabotage us?" demanded Harry.

"It’s a possibility that I have to consider," replied Aaron.

"Mario’s also been spending less time with us, and has been hanging out with a couple of other guys," said James.

"What do you suggest we do Aaron?" asked Andre.

"I suggest we keep a closer eye on him. I’m beefing up security around the mine, and have already put out job postings for our own security guards.

With the heavy water processing plant now finished, we can’t afford to have that stuff stolen or sabotaged," said Aaron, as he looked at the camera feeds again.

"I’ll look into Mario’s activities, and I’ll personally keep a close eye on him," said Andre, as he got up to leave.

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