Bab 626: Chapter 626: What a Mess Over There
I recognized that man.
Unlike others in the Bechtel family who shunned media exposure, he often conducted interviews with the press.
He was also set to inherit the position of Chairman of Bechtel, following in his father's footsteps.
I believe he's still in his early twenties… Had he already started his training as a successor?
"What are you doing here?"
Riley Bechtel frowned when he saw Brend Bechtel.
"I came to see Father, but I heard he's in an important meeting. I wanted to greet the names of those inside the conference room after such a long time."
"If you've greeted everyone, it's time for you to leave. You're not qualified to be here yet."
Riley Bechtel spoke coldly.
Something felt off. It seemed to me that Riley Bechtel was trying to keep Brend Bechtel in check.
"Brend! Long time, no see."
Ignoring Riley Bechtel's cold reception, George Shultz welcomed Brend with open arms.
"Mr. Shultz, it's great to see you again after so long."
"I can hardly believe how tall you've gotten in the meantime. So, what have you been up to lately?"
Contrary to how he addressed Riley, George Shultz's voice was warm and inviting.
"I graduated from college last year."
"Oh really? You graduated already?"
Caspar Weinberger also greeted Brend Bechtel warmly.
"Was it when you were 14? I remember you were interning at the headquarters, laying cable. Can you believe how fast that little kid has grown? Time flies, doesn't it?"
"Haha, that was ten years ago already."
Brend Bechtel replied with a lighthearted tone, observing Caspar Weinberger's expression closely.
Then he asked, his voice filled with concern.
"Mr. Weinberger, you don't look well. Is your health okay?"
"It's about time. I've lived long enough."
"Please don't say that. You need to live long enough to see Bechtel grow even more!"
"Haha. Is that so? If you say so, I guess I must take your word for it."
Unlike Riley, everyone seemed genuinely friendly toward Brend Bechtel.
What was this discrepancy about?
Was it the incompetence of Riley Bechtel? Or was there something about Brend that I didn't know?
I definitely need to find out.
"You can head out now."
Not happy with the scene unfolding before him, Riley Bechtel coughed lightly and spoke to Brend.
"Yes. I'll be on my way now. I'll come back next time."
Despite being dismissed, Brend Bechtel only smiled good-naturedly.
Just as he turned to leave, George Shultz stopped him.
"Brend. I'd like to hear your thoughts on something."
"Mr. Shultz! Brend hasn't even received proper management training yet. Don't you know the rules of the Bechtel family?"
"I know them well. But can't we at least hear the opinion of this young fellow? Why take offense? After all, isn't Brend going to take your place? This is an innocent question."
"Still…"
While Riley Bechtel hesitated, Brend turned back to face them.
"Did you want to hear my thoughts? May I ask what the question is?"
George Shultz asked him the same question he had posed to Riley.
"Hmm…"
Brend closed his eyes momentarily in thought, rubbing his chin.
But it wasn't long before he gave his answer.
"Does that mean all the projects not allocated to others will solely belong to Bechtel?"
"Most of the rights will indeed be retained by Bechtel."
"So, isn't it, then, something we must pursue? This involves direct engagement from the U.S. government."
"Is that your answer?"
"Yes. I believe we must absolutely do it."
George Shultz glanced at Riley Bechtel.
"He says yes. Do you still not change your mind?"
"…Brend simply doesn't know much about management yet."
At that moment, Brend interrupted the conversation.
"Does Father oppose this?"
Riley Bechtel glared at Brend.
"Yes. This is a matter of pride for Bechtel. It's not just about money."
"My father always tells me… A businessman only sees money. Nothing else matters. But right now, what you're saying is entirely contradictory to what you've taught me. Isn't our family's first principle purely about money?"
"Why are you bringing that up?"
"Your choice may put our family in jeopardy. If this situation becomes known, both you and I could end up in a tough spot. This isn't solely your decision to make."
Now, I finally understood the sense of déjà vu I had felt.
It was a conflict between father and son. I couldn't help but smirk slightly.
Unlike Riley, Brend understood the heart of the matter.
The U.S. government had already made up its mind, and if they refused out of pride, it seemed likely other competitors would seize the rights Bechtel ought to have.
"Brend! What on earth are you saying?"
Riley Bechtel raised his voice. But Brend Bechtel continued calmly.
"Father, the moment you refuse this project, Bechtel will inevitably clash with the U.S. government. Before Grandfather passed away, he told me… A businessman only sees money. Yet sometimes, there are projects we must undertake despite losses. This is precisely that case. It's not even a losing proposition; it's one that benefits us greatly."
"You little brat! Get out now!"
Riley Bechtel shot up from his chair, pointing to the door.
'What a mess over there.'
The father and son were at odds.
Yet, George Shultz and Caspar Weinberger, watching this unfold, didn't intervene.
Their hearts were probably leaning towards Brend Bechtel.
"If the only reason you oppose this agreement is due to your pride, then that's a grave mistake. Or do you believe you'll lose to an unheard-of investment firm? Father, this is no longer the era you lived in. Today, those with money hold power equivalent to that!"
Riley Bechtel grimaced, grinding his teeth, glaring at Brend.
"Do you think Wall Street's power is weaker than Bechtel's? Absolutely not. They are stronger and more formidable than us now. Father, face the truth."
Riley Bechtel's face flushed even more. Just as he was about to say something,
"Enough!"
George Shultz intervened between the two, asserting authority as he firmly rejected the ongoing dispute.
"Brend, I understand your thoughts well. That's enough for now. Ultimately, the one who makes the decision is Chairman Riley."
"Yes."
Brend Bechtel nodded and obediently went silent.
It was somewhat amusing to see him align more with George Shultz than his father.
"Now, Chairman Riley, it's time for you to choose. Will you accept this agreement, or will you refuse it?"
George Shultz issued an ultimatum. Riley Bechtel glared at Brend Bechtel before saying.
"I'll accept, if you fulfill one condition."
"Condition? What is it? Let's hear it."
"If you employ Brend Bechtel as a regular staff member in the consortium led by Dream High, then I will agree."
"What?"
George Shultz asked in surprise. Riley Bechtel shamelessly reiterated.
"Please hire Brend Bechtel as a regular staff member."
"Well, that's unexpected. Are you serious, Chairman Riley?"
"Yes, I am serious."
Riley Bechtel said firmly. Then George Shultz carefully turned to me and asked.
"Charlie, can you accept that condition?"
I laughed, looking at Brend Bechtel's face.
"I'm fine with it. In fact, it's great! If we can hire such talent, why wouldn't we? But will that guy accept?"
I intended to further provoke their argument by shifting the decision to Brend Bechtel.
Brend Bechtel, catching my eye, grinned as he replied.
"I'm okay with it. I'll do as you say. As you might know, our family members must work as regular employees in another company for two years before joining Bechtel. If I can start working as an employee for the company undertaking the Iraq reconstruction contracts, I could learn a lot."
Brend Bechtel finished speaking smoothly, bowing his head toward Riley Bechtel.
"Father, thank you for this great opportunity."
Riley Bechtel seemed displeased with Brend's gratitude, further furrowing his brow.
George Shultz lightly clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention.
"Alright, let's start wrapping this up. The energy infrastructure project rights will be led by KBR, the housing and transportation infrastructure rights by the consortium formed by Dream High, and finally, all other projects will be headed by Bechtel. Can we all agree?"
Everyone, including me, Tim Burton, and Riley Bechtel, nodded in agreement.
"The agreement we reached today is absolutely unbreakable. Due to the nature of the matter, it can't be documented, but any company that breaks this agreement will face the full force of the U.S. government. Keep this in mind."
Finally, after warning everyone, George Shultz turned to Caspar Weinberger.
"Now you should get going. You need to return to the hospital. You've overexerted yourself."
Caspar Weinberger nodded and stood up.
"It was great meeting everyone. I hope to see you again."
With Caspar Weinberger leading, people began leaving the conference room one by one.
The last ones remaining were Henry Kissinger, the Bechtel father and son, and me along with Han Gyeong-yeong.
"Chairman Bechtel, are you genuinely entrusting your son to us?"
I once more posed the question to Chairman Riley.
"Why would I make empty promises? Please take care of him and give him a rigorous education."
"Well, if Chairman Bechtel insists, we must do so."
Did you think I wouldn't do what you asked? I smiled, raising one corner of my mouth.
Riley Bechtel seemed displeased with my smile and stood up brusquely.
"Then I will take my leave as well."
After Riley Bechtel exited the conference room, I turned to Henry Kissinger and asked.
"Aren't you leaving, Doctor?"
"Why, are you so eager to chase me away? Don't worry, I'll know when to leave."
Henry Kissinger replied tersely. I sighed deeply.
"Doctor, this is stalking, stalking. Why are you following me around like this?"
"I've clearly stated that I find you interesting. I'll just observe without interfering, so don't let it bother you. And, after all, I've been helpful today, haven't I? I haven't obstructed anything I've said, have I?"
Of course, Henry Kissinger was quite helpful.
I nodded reluctantly.
"Well, I can't argue with that."
"Then that's fine. A businessman only needs to judge whether it's beneficial or not. Isn't that right, Charlie?"
He was quite the smooth talker. I shook my head and asked.
"But do you know why the plan suddenly changed like this? I heard it was due to the EU and UN, but I don't quite understand everything."
After pondering for a moment, Henry Kissinger shrugged and replied.
"Iraq is stabilizing more quickly than expected. So, the EU has already begun discussing reconstruction efforts. That's why things have advanced so rapidly. If it hadn't been an election year, it wouldn't have moved this fast."
"The Democrats have no chance of winning, right?"
"Politics is always unpredictable, isn't it? The Neocons are afraid they might miss out on the benefits from the Iraq war." Did that make sense?"
Henry Kissinger's response didn't completely answer all my questions, but I nodded in acceptance.
Lastly, I looked over at Brend Bechtel, who was quietly standing.
"Brend Bechtel, are you alright? I doubt you can compare to Bechtel. You may find it lacking. Still, are you willing to come work here?"
Brend Bechtel flashed a bright smile at my question.
"Wherever I go, I must work for two years. So, I would like to work at Dream High. I want to learn the techniques behind this sudden growth and how America got involved in leading the Iraq reconstruction efforts."
Brend Bechtel confidently declared his aspirations.
He was completely different from Riley Bechtel. I nodded and stood, extending my hand.
"Though it's a short time together, let's do our best while you're here. If we can build a good relationship with Bechtel through you, it's a win-win for us."
Brend Bechtel took my extended hand and replied.
"Absolutely! Bechtel also aims to form a good relationship with Dream High. I'll make that happen."
Brend Bechtel beamed with confidence. I was curious to see if that smile would hold up once he actually started working.
I intended to utilize Brend Bechtel effectively.
To bring such talent on board just to leave him sitting idly in the office would be foolish.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone