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June 3rd, 1960, Salisbury, Rhodesia
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Wind tore at Henry Cornell as he roared down Fourth Street in the heart of Salisbury in his open top [i]Melsetter[/i] offroad car. The vehicle was large, with tires mostly seen on military vehicles, painted a deep green, and providing only a small windshield for the driver which required Henry to wear goggles and a scarf when on the dirt roads. The vehicle turned heads, White and Black alike, as it roared past. A couple of black police officers eyed it enviously as they leaned against the hood of their Riley Pathfinder patrol car in its distinctive white and blue colouring. One even waved and Henry waved back.

Fourth Street was the largest street in the city and housed many of the corporate entities, local and international, that had sprung up, attracted by low commercial taxes. The Cornell building was the largest of the all, matched only the Rhodesian Bank of Commerce. While Henry sold tobacco, cigarettes and cigars, the RBC ha carefully been investing across the world through shell corporations to ensure maximum investment opportunities and the building itself was even more heavily guarded than the Presidents mansion. 

Henry rolled up in front of his building and stopped at the entrance to the underground parkade. A uniformed footman stepped from a booth, saluted, and activated the electric gate that ground open to allow access into the cool darkness below. Henry rolled the vehicle forward and down the ramp. His parking space was immediately in front of him and he let the vehicle weight carry it into place before shutting down the big engine and tossing his travel goggles onto the passenger seat. He climbed from the car as the gate behind him began to grind close again. He pulled a brown leather briefcase from the back seat and strode towards his nearby private elevator. The footman inside, warned of Henry's arrival by the gate guard, was already opening the metal cage as Henry approached.

"Morning sir." The Footman smiled, his teeth white against the honest black face. Like the footman outside, this man was carrying a semi-automatic pistol at his waist. 

"Morning Dani. How are the wife and kids?" Henry was rich for a variety of reasons, but the loyalty of his employees was right up there. Regardless of colour, he paid them equally, treated them equally, and never forgot their names, no matter how low on the totem pole they might be. 

"Good, thank you sir. Moreshah had to take the girls to school today. Our car was hit by a garbage truck last night so I rode my bike to work today." Dani laughed as he told the story. The image was amusing to Henry as well. Dani was a big man, nearing 6'4 and two hundred pounds, the only bike he owned was meant for someone far smaller. The last time Henry had seen him ride the bike, the big mans knees had almost touched his ears.

"I am glad you're staying healthy Dani." Henry replied with genuine concern. Dani was a valuable employee. Not only was he the size of a small Rhino, but he was highly intelligent and was being wasted as a Footman. "See you in a few hours Dani." He said he stepped off the elevator onto the sixteenth floor, his own personal space, which included an apartment, a library, massive board room, and of course his office.

The elevator opened right into the receptionist desk and his personal secretary Sandra Van Hell smiled at him. He smiled back, knowing full well that she had her hand on the double barrel shotgun that could cut him in half at the waist. She was a stunning beauty, long blonde hair and blue eyes that smiled out sweet innocence, cloaking the cunning mind behind them. She had worked for him the last three years after he lured her way from a shipping company in the Netherlands. No one got to him without going through her.

"Morning Mr. Cornell." She purred as she saw him, her hand releasing the shot gun as she stood and, with  wave at Dani, she placed a stack of folders on the counter in front of her. "All for your attention. It seems the French markets are not as open as we had hoped. You may have to, how do you say, find another way?" She winked and he smiled.

"I'll take a gander at them then." He picked up the files. "But, we must find something better suited to Dani's talents. Do we have a reliable man to take his place?"

She thought for a moment then nodded. "A couple of Security Forces veterans names have come up looking for work. Two would be better suited to on-site protection but the third would be an excellent fit for your private staff. As for Dani, we have an opening for a shift supervisor at the Maputo docks?"

Henry thought for a moment. "Have the Security Forces chap you're thinking of come in today and I will speak with him. If he works out, we will get Dani transferred right away. Also, buy him a bike that would fit him would you?"

A smile shot across her pretty face and she laughed. "Of course sir, he does look a bit silly riding that child's bike around. I'll see to it at once."

Henry nodded his thanks and pushed open the big heavy oak door that led into his office. It smelled of leather bound books, rich mahogany, and very faintly of expensive cigars. The window behind his desk was one huge plate of glass, disgustingly expensive, but very much worth it as he looked out over the city of Salibsury. Life was good, very good.