Revenge of the Heir

First Board Meeting

For two weeks Eric spent nearly 14 hours a day in his office, reviewing all of the businesses under his families control, and slowly expanded the operations of his office sector. The board meeting that was going to happen soon was the heads of the 30 families cramming into his conference room. They had called the meeting as it had been reported to them that he had taken control of the company. They would try and use it to make his life hell, because their expenditures had grown out of control.

He couldn’t believe a family business that made billions of dollars every year, actually had a negative cash flow. The families were about to have a very rude awakening, as he was about to drastically curtail their access to the family money. He looked up when Kevin walked into his office, and closed the door.

“Hope you are ready to be replaced.” Kevin sneered at him.

Eric leaned back in his chair, and studied his uncle for several moments. “Kevin, when will you learn there is nothing you can do to replace me?” he asked his Uncle.

“You have to have the support of the family in order to rule as Lord successfully.” Kevin said with a sneer thinking he had the upper hand.

“Really? What makes you believe that Kevin?” Eric asked as he saw Marcus walk off the elevator and walk towards his corner of the floor.

“History shows what happens when a Lord leads a fractured family, and it is never pretty. Why would they allow it to continue when the family will unify behind me?” he asked thinking he had the upper hand.

“Do you know why Congress added the Military requirement for the Lord’s to serve? Because they learned buffoons like you trying to lead Military personnel is an even worse outcome. Congress rejected you the first time you submitted yourself by a vote of 92-8 against. My vote on the other hand, was 72-28 in favor. Knowing full well it would fracture the family because of what you have done. You think you have the upper hand? Your holding a Pair of twos trying to bluff a royal flush, and you are failing miserably at it Kevin.” Eric told him flatly as if he was bored by the conversation. He had pulled out the official votes if Congress, and when they had occurred for his Uncle. He had been flat rejected a week after his father’s death, even before it was confirmed that Eric himself was still alive.

Kevin looked at the page for nearly a full minute before he crumpled it in his fist, and Eric could tell he was trying to figure out some way he could attack Eric’s position. “You think you have won already? I will show you why fractured families in the Lord’s Council are so dangerous little boy. I have had far more practice at this than you have.” Kevin said tossing the paper into his trash bin.

“I am aware, and would be highly disappointed if you just rolled over and let me win. Just remember that your daddy is no longer here to protect you from the repercussions of whatever it is you attempt.” Eric told him as he could tell he had hit a sensitive spot with that statement.

Kevin spun around and left his office, marching his way to the conference room where the Board met. Eric knew he would be fuming, and hoped it actually made this more interesting. Eric watched him walk into the board room, and was glad he had the security systems upgraded in the entire building in his short time here.

Kevin walked into the Board Room, and knew if he dared sit at the head of the table it would be a major insult to Eric. He resisted the temptation as Marcus entered and glared at his older brother.

“How did you fail so miserably?” Marcus asked.

“It seems it is more difficult than we first expected. No matter however, he will not survive what the plan is now.” Kevin said with a satisfied smile as he considered who would be best.

“What are you planning now?” he demanded.

“Not here, too many eyes and ears.” Kevin said as the rest of the family heads began entering the room.

“Where than?” Marcus demanded as Anthony approached them.

“We have a problem.” Anthony told them.

“What was your first clue?” Kevin asked him rhetorically.

“The investigation that was launched into my airplane repair business for the last 20 years.” Anthony replied with raised eyebrows. The three of them knew that there was enough evidence there to bury them, and failure to comply fully would trigger an even bigger Investigation.

“Shit.” Marcus said as more of the family arrived to the filling conference room. “We need a plan.”

Kevin looked at the two of them, and knew he was going to live to regret letting them convince him it was possible to ever achieve him being Lord. “Maybe it’s time we take the gloves off again.” He said raising an eyebrow.

“How do we achieve it this time? Steven trusted us, I will almost guarantee his son never will.” Anthony said quietly as they waited for this meeting to begin.

“No, Eric is going to take a more drastic approach. Perhaps it is my turn to play.” Marcus said as he rubbed his hands together. He had more colorful friends than anyone else in the family, and his businesses were barely legal enough to avoid scrutiny.

“Perhaps it is little brother, what were you thinking?” Kevin asked.

“Let me worry about that, you just figure out how you are going to gain control of the Trust once he is gone.” Marcus said as they heard someone clear their throat.

Eric had just walked in, and they were the only 3 still standing at the back of the room talking quietly. “Have a seat gentlemen.” He ordered them bluntly. He waited until they did so before he looked them all over again. “Before we move onto the agenda for this morning, let us get one thing clear. You can all vote to remove me from my position all you wish, it will do you lot no good. As Kevin himself was informed this morning, I am the only one in the family currently, with the ability to get congressional backing to be appointed Lord. His vote failed by a vote of 92-8 against. None of you will find the support necessary, as none of you have fulfilled the basic requirements to become a Lord of the United Empire.

“Now, for the first order of business, we have an issue to address. Before me, I have familial expense reports that are so bloated, we are actually losing money as a whole. Who would care to explain to me, how a Family Corporation that makes $25 Billion profit per year is actually losing money?” Eric demanded as he displayed the reports on the screen.

All of them looked at it, and it was clear most of them were shocked. All but 5 of them began murmuring angrily, as the Heinrich Family Trust was supposed to always be profitable. None of them dared to say anything however, as none of them could explain it. Eric even waited in silence for several minutes giving them the chance before he took drastic action.

“Very well, than from this moment forward all families are hereby notified that the family trust is hereby frozen. Until such time as the Trust is profitable, and has recovered the losses incurred by your actions. I will be launching a forensic audit of the Trust, in accordance with the rules of the Trust. All families in violation of their expenditures, will have their access frozen until they have repaid the trust the money they have taken from us all.

“Second order of business, the family investiture meeting has not been held in 2 years, and none of the families have performed your annual tributes. Until this issue has been rectified, each family is hereby stripped of their vote in accordance with the rules of the trust. This year’s meeting will be held in one month, and any family wishing to correct their tribute payments may do so at that time.” He told them before he stood and left the room.

They all sat there looking like they had been destroyed by what he had done. Kevin had assured them he wouldn’t have the power, and with a short 10 minute speech he had stripped them of everything thing them to the Heinrich family. It was than that each of their phones began going off, informing them that their trust accounts had all been frozen. They watched one by one as their trust accounts were drained if they had money in them, so none of them would have access to the Heinrich Family Trust.

Most of them were beyond pissed, as none of them had known just a few of the families had been responsible for this travesty. The reports however were unquestionable, as were his actions to prevent the hemmoraging.

"Who the f**k is responsible for this?" Amanda Greene asked from her seat. She was one of the cousins of the lower seats in the family.

The sentiment was shared by all of the lower seats, and Kevin could tell that this action would cause them to abandon him. They had not benefited from what was happening, but now they were paying the costs for it.

After a few minutes of increasing anger apparent towards the ones responsible Kevin stood up. "Everyone, calm down. We will be getting reports about who is responsible for this." he said trying to diffuse the situation.

"As soon as we do, I say this Board votes now that any Family found to have benefited from this be cast out forever." Amanda demanded making the 3 men extremely nervous. They were the ones who had done it all, and they were using it to increase their own power and influence.

"Let's not get-" Kevin began when Jessica stood up.

"I second the motion." she said angrily. "Stealing money from the Trust is tantamount to stealing from each member of the family. We all know the rules well enough that stealing from the family is punishable by banishment."

Before a vote could even be called for 24 hands were in the air, showing support for it.

"No vote can be cast when the Lord is not present-" Kevin began when Eric entered.

"My vote is Aye, and the measure passes." Eric said as he looked at Kevin. "Never assume you can speak for me. This meeting is still very much in session, and any vote can be cast. If I am not present it will be given to me by the Secretary, for my vote to be cast later. It is time the lot of you reacquaint yourselves with all of the rules and what is expected of you as members of this family. Those of you who have been violating those rules will be given one opportunity to bring yourselves back into compliance.

"The results of my investigation will be released the day after the Investiture Conference in 3 months. Any family that still has a balance received in excess of the amounts they should have at that time, will find themselves banished from the family forthwith. Any family that fails to pay the full tribute for both years, shall find themselves stripped of their vote until they have paid those tributes and maintained it for 7 consecutive years." Eric said as he retook his seat.

"If there is no other business, I will take my leave." Kevin said as he stood up.

"Take a seat, as we have not concluded the meeting. This will be your one opportunity for each of the families responsible to escape the fate if they are unable to repay all of the money they owe above what they should have received." He knew that most of them had only received exactly what they should have, and it was the others one and only chance to come clean about what they had done.

Exactly as he predicted, not one of them was willing to come forward in front of the others.

"Lord Heinrich, what will become of us that have not been involved with this?" Amanda asked nervously.

"Those not involved with this incident will be made whole. The exact amount of money that was seized was recorded properly in accordance with Forensic Standards. Those accounts with negative balances are being investigated at this moment, as well as the rest of the review of the entire trust." Eric told her.

"What about those of us who rely on those funds to maintain our households?" David asked. "Not all of us have the benefit of having the funds that the main seats have access too."

"That will be handled on a case by case basis." Eric told him bluntly. "None of the families however should be in a position that those funds are so critical to the success of your families for a few weeks."

"How long is this Audit going to take?" Kevin asked.

"It will be completed by the time the Investiture meeting is supposed to be held in 8 weeks time." Eric answered as a few of the families had actually been cleared already. "In fact the Audit began several weeks ago." he said surprising them all.