Gold 2 Dust by Brian Terry

Author:Brian Terry
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
Published: 2017-10-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 25

London, Japan and Beijing

Annabel’s nightclub was the last place on earth anyone would expect to find the governor of the Bank of England and the chairman of the Federal Reserve carousing on a Friday night; indeed, any night. By contrast, Sebastian’s office was only across the square and he knew the venue very well indeed. He had been an active member in the ‘old days’, and had even taken Lyn there once or twice, but this was his first visit since his return from Asia. He doubted very much that there would be any dancing on the tables tonight, unlike on the last joyous occasion.

Lewis had been the first to arrive around eight. He politely asked one of the waiters for a discrete corner banquet and ordered a very large Bourbon and a magnum of anything red. Ever conscious of the impression such a visit would make on the outside world if the paparazzi alighted upon them, Sir David was praying no one would recognise either of them. He had made up his mind to resign next week and take the flack for the latest banking catastrophe; it was just a question of smoothly organising the succession process and writing his resignation letter.

When Seb arrived twenty minutes later they were deep in conversation.

“Ah, good to see you Seb; here, have a glass of wine. Sir David tells me that he’s going to fall on his sword next week. Do the honourable thing, and all that. I’ve told him that under no circumstances must he do any such thing.”

“Absolutely, Lewis: we are all in this together. This is no time to divide the troops, quite the opposite. Circle the wagons and pass around the Enfield rifles; as you cowboys often say.”

“It’s not that easy from my seat at the B of E gentlemen. If there is even the slightest whiff of a run on a UK bank then, let’s face facts, I’m finished. If, God forbid, one goes bust then it’s on with the blindfold, find the nearest plank and throw myself to the circling sharks.”

“I’ve a far better idea Sir David; why don’t you instead decide to appoint our good friend Sebastian here to be your deputy. The Federal Reserve will wholeheartedly and very publically support it. He has the credentials from his time as Financial Secretary in Hong Kong, he still retains a reputation on the world stage from the Dark Pools days; and you can delegate him to go to the Chinese and negotiate on our collective behalf’s. All we need to do is give him the ammo!”

Seb’s brow furrowed at this suggestion as he could not immediately decide whether this was an opportunity of a lifetime, the proverbial poison chalice, or the ultimate hospital pass.

“I think I will need more than ‘ammo’ Lewis. You are going to have to dream up a remarkable story to get the Chinese to alter their plans. So what’s the deal?”

“As Sir David may well have said, were he not too occupied in his own morbid thoughts: ‘that’s sub rosa old chap’.

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