“What?”
“Her father agreed with that memo. What a bastard.”
Talon’s gut dropped. He knew the fucker was evil, but this solidified it. “How sure are you about these people being involved with the acquisition of raw materials?”
“I’m reading the memos. There’s no doubt. This isn’t a rumor. It’s hard data. You could take this to the World Bank, and they’d salivate.”
“Names. I need them all.”
Ethan rattled them off. “Harlan Shoemaker, Conrad Bains—chief of logistics, Maxwell Grayson—VP operations, Idris M’Baye—regional security head, plus two lower-level compliance officers: Amara Diallo, and Stefan Kruger. Everyone is signing off on nonexistent inventory. I’ll send it to you. Do you have a way to print this off?”
“Yeah.” Talon let out a slow breath. “Riley’s going to love this.” She would love catching the bastards, but taking down her father would hurt. She loved the bastard.
“One more thing,” Ethan added. “That convoy? There’s one message that was deleted. It says it’s heading toward an unregistered airstrip north of Agadez. If that’s true, whatever they’re moving will be in the wind as soon as that convoy leaves the mining site.”
Talon’s jaw tightened. “Send me everything. All the memos, the bank records, the satellite images. Secure channel.”
“You’ll have it in ten minutes,” Ethan said. “And, Talon?”
“Yeah?”
“I’ll keep digging. This goes deeper. A lot deeper. Watch your back. This isn’t petty theft. This is the kind of thing people kill to keep quiet. I’ll also work on that link to the shareholders’ meeting. Just let me know when you want her to be beamed into the meeting.”
“I got it. Thank you.”
Later,at a table in the communications building with Jug, Talon pulled Ethan’s bulleted brief out and glanced at it.
Executive Summary
Independent investigation uncovered a coordinated scheme to divert high-value rare elements from SMH’s Sahel mining site.
The conspiracy involves senior management, logistics, and regional security personnel.
Financial, satellite, and internal communications data confirm illegal exportation to unregistered sites prior to quarterly audits.
Key Individuals Implicated
Harlan Shoemaker – CEO, Shoemaker Mineral Holdings
Oversight responsibility; direct communication with implicated executives.
Conrad Bains – Chief of Logistics (Former Royal Navy Supply Officer)
Oversees material movement; previously dismissed from military service for misappropriation of assets (sealed records, confirmed through international security database).
Maxwell Grayson – VP of Operations
Signed internal memos approving expedited transfers of “high-value units.”
Idris M’Baye – Regional Security Head
Coordinated secure convoy movements without standard documentation or customs clearance.
Amara Diallo – Compliance Officer
Approved falsified inventory sheets matching missing materials.
Stefan Kruger – Compliance Officer
