"3 Star Brothers" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bova Ben)

"Which means," Hsen replied, "for as long as you control

your board of directors Some of them are not as pleased with your IIA as you seem to be "

Kruppmann nodded "This is true Many of the directors dislike your infatuation with those environmentalists and Third World beggars "

"Do you want to put the matter on the agenda of our next board meeting, Wilhelm " Jo asked, the sweetness of cyanide m her voice

Kruppmann glanced at Hsen, then evaded with, "But the IIA is just the tip of the iceberg These are merely preliminary steps They mean to form a world government and to tax us into the poorhouse I know this"

"Who means to start a world government" asked Jo

"They do The Third World The Greens The Arabs and Africans and Latin Americans I am certain of it "

"But who in the Third World?" Jo insisted "Which nations I haven't heard anything at all "

"It is not a nation that is fomenting this idea," said Hsen "It is some small group of special people Some elite organization, some hidden force that works through the Third World nations and organizations such as your International Investment Agency We can see them at work in Brazil, and India, and elsewhere These so-called 'Great Souls' are nothing more than the front men for the real organization working against us "

"Aren't you confusing a few random events with some international scheme?" Jo countered "There's no movement to create a world government That's pure paranoia "

"There is such a scheme afoot" Kruppmann slammed a heavy fist on the padded armrest "And it is extremely dangerous for us "

"It must be stopped "

As calmly as she could, Jo answered, "But our companies are still profitable None of this has harmed us very much "

"We have lost billions'" Kruppmann snapped

"And made billions elsewhere," Jo pointed out

"Pah You'll think it's a necklace when they come to slip the noose around your throat "

"Perhaps you don't understand the long-range implications," Hsen protested "A world government would be dominated by the overpopulated nations of the southern hemisphere--including, I must add, several Asian nations above the equator, such as India and the Philippines "

"And China," Jo snapped

"Their first order of business will be to squeeze taxes out of us until we go bankrupt," Kruppmann grumbled "And then they will take over all our factories and other facilities They want to control everything, the entire world They are dangerous"

"And your IIA is helping them," insisted Hsen "Perhaps you do not realize it, but the International Investment Agency is part of our problem You have supported the IIA blindly, and this must stop "

Jo fought to keep her face from showing her thoughts You little yellow bastard, you don't like what the IIA is doing, so you're threatening to push me out of Vanguard if I don't play the game your way She knew that Hsen had his own little clique on her board of directors, including Kruppmann If I don't do what they want, he's going to try to muscle me out Very neat

Almost, she relaxed Handling her board of directors was not frightening to her They had even elected her chairman, unanimously, two years earlier

"Still," she said softly, "I think the IIA has been a net gam for us We're in no real trouble "

"We will be if this keeps on" Kruppmann grumbled

"Then what do you propose to do about it "