Mr. Whitmore looked around his study, an ornate and well furnished room that was filled with memorabilia and keepsakes from past journeys. The last of the surviving Atlantis crew had just gone home after having dinner with him. only a few hours earlier he had just gone over everyone's cover stories for the trip to Atlantis. They had all left an hour ago and he had spent that time alone- reminiscing of all the effort that he and his late friend Thadeos had gone through to get to Atlantis, if only he were here to see it. He walked to his desk to place the picture Milo gave him into a drawer for safekeeping, he would have to frame it later.
He was glad for the team and what they had found. They could now live their dreams they had worked on for years, Milo especially, that boy had better visit or he'll be hearing from him. It was just a shame that this story will never see light of day. Mr. Whitmore didn't brag often, but something this big is just begging to be told and retold to the world.
Interrupting his thoughts, his personal butler Jenkins, a short middle-aged bald man briskly walked through the study doors towards him, Mr. Whitmore looked up and, judging by the worried look he wore, he could tell something was wrong.
"What is it Jenkins?" he asked.
Jenkins, slightly out of breath and with a nervous look, said "I tried to stop him, but he was… persuasive"
Mr. Whitmore was about to ask him to explain what he was talking about but just as he was about to, a tall slim man with jet black hair who seemed to be in his thirties walked right in as if he owned the place. He was outfitted in a tailored black suit with matching tie. His shoes, which were black as well, were shined to a brilliant polish. The outfit was not flashy, but one got the feeling some serious money stood behind it.
He looked Mr. Whitmore in the eye and said, "Good evening Mr. Whitmore, my name is Charles Raimondo, how do you do?"
"I was doing good, but now I don't know" he replied with suspicion.
Jenkins, looking between the two, quickly offered "Shall I fetch Benedict from his room?" referring to the mansion's head of security.
"That won't be necessary, nor advisable" Raimondo cut in, "I am merely here to pass along a message from my boss: Dante Burke."
Though this made Mr. Whitmore frown and not really put him at ease he turned back to Jenkins and dismissed him, "Thank you Jenkins but I will be alright, all we need is the room."
With a worried look, Jenkins said, "Are you sure sir?"
"Quite sure."
"Very well sir, I will leave you to it."
With that, he left and shut the study's doors behind him.
Mr. Whitmore without saying a word sat and motioned for Raimondo to do the same in the chair opposite of him, all the while wondering what this was all about.
"I will be as brief and clear as possible," Raimondo opened, addressing Mr. Whitmore's unspoken concerns, "Mr. Burke as you know led the U.S. government away from its investigation into Whitmore Industries after it's unfortunate hiring of the criminal Joseph Baker and his crew."
He referred to the time in 1899 that Mr. Whitmore needed a group of thieves to steal back a freighter he owned which had been hijacked by pirates. The counter raid had gone off without a hitch, however, it turns out that shortly after that Joseph Baker and his men then, on their own, went and robbed several federal banks. They were caught but the government during their search for them began looking into their past and current employers. Had they made a connection between them and Whitmore Industries it could have ruined Mr. Whitmore. Seeing an opportunity to give himself a rare resource Burke decided to lead the investigation away from the company if Mr. Whitmore was willing to owe him a favor.
"So, now he has come calling?" Mr. Whitmore asked apprehension growing
"Exactly, but not to worry, this is a totally legal endeavor and after this is done Mr. Burke says that the two of you are square."
"Really?" The skepticism was clear on Whitmore's face.
"Yes really, though the two of you may not see eye to eye on many things he does have a deep respect for you and wishes to deal honorably with you," Raimondo replied.
"Well, what is it?" Mr. Whitmore asked, wanting to get this over with.
"They're rapidly growing concerned about the war in Europe, and being a member of the State Department Mr. Burke has been assigned to furnish subject matter experts to assess the viability of new experimental strategies should war be unavoidable." He said.
"So, he's actually doing his day job?" Mr. Whitmore asked with sarcasm.
Mr. Burke had a job at the State Department but he also ran his own criminal organization based in D.C. He was a man that seemed to have a finger in every pie when it came to criminal activity. While Mr. Whitmore did his best to avoid him, unfortunately, he still had to brush shoulders with him or his underlings on occasion.
"Yes, and he knows of a few he would like to offer to the army for a period between eight and twenty-four months to act as instructors in a special department at West Point Academy." He said.
With suspicion of who he may be referring to Mr. Whitmore asked, "Those people being?"
"It is our understanding you, through the company Reynar Solutions, have attempted an expedition to the lost city of Atlantis?" seeing Mr. Whitmore nod in the affirmative Raimondo continued, "Mr. Burke would like to recruit a number of them and your specialists you added to use them in the program at West Point."
"If I say no?"
Raimondo seemed totally prepared for this and said, "Mr. Burke was quite clear to me on what to do in that matter. He is on a short deadline and for each contact I see of his that refuses to pay up, I am to exact payment, in your case the very person that was the lead into Mr. Baker's case will 'find' some new evidence that will shortly lead him back to you."
Scowling Mr. Whitmore replied, "I guess I'll volunteer while I still have the choice."
"Excellent" Raimondo replied, "Where is their contact information?"
Mr. Whitmore sighed and, reaching down to the bottom drawer of his desk, pulled out six case files and handed them over to Raimondo.
"That's all?" he asked, eyebrows raised, "It was our understanding you sent just over two hundred on the expedition." His expression hardened, "If this is a trick-"
"I did, sent two hundred and six. I have a half dozen dossiers for you, the others won't be able to do much teaching let alone anything else" Mr. Whitmore stated simply, letting the other man read between the lines.
Shock quickly came and went off Raimondo's face, he took the files. "What happened?
"Catastrophic failure in the submarines' boiler room, took nearly all of the crew with it. After that lost the rest to other mishaps that ended at nothing but a damp hole in the earth."
"For what it is worth, I'm sorry for your loss."
Mr. Whitmore merely grunted in response.
Mr. Whitmore could tell Raimondo was reworking his approach, shortly after he mentally collected himself, he asked, "Those that made it, would they happen to be the experts from the Iceland expedition?"
A little surprised that he knew of the trip Mr. Whitmore hid his reaction, "Yes they are."
"Are they able to travel?"
"Yes"
"Then I will pass on to Mr. Burke we have our team."
Mr. Whitmore nodded, growing tired of the conversation he said, "Fine. You must excuse me I've had a long day"
"Of course," He stood up and with a brief nod farewell, he left.
Mr. Whitmore stayed seated while Raimondo left, he absentmindedly began fiddling with his crystal given to him just hours ago and wondered to himself what he had just agreed to just to save his company.
Here we go! The story I promised, it's later then I'd like but procrastination plus 2020 happened, so there's that.
Any way it's all written and it will be published a chapter a week (maybe sooner if I'm impatient) so it will be have an end.
The main reason that it has an end is thanks to the wonderful efforts of my Beta Reader ghostFACER95, her work transformed what was a hot mess into a story that I hope entertains and excites as it is read.
This I plan to be just a part much bigger epic world to come, so please, tell me what you like/dislike, or if you have any questions.
Disclaimer: Atlantis is Disney's and all other things recognizable go to their respective owners etc. etc. Original story and characters are mine.