Chapter 3

My wife. My wife, my wife, my wife. I never thought I would say those words let alone fall in love with a 16 year-old blond. I don’t suppose you were able to guess where she wanted to honeymoon. No, not Euro Disney; Paris even though she was intrigued by the ad for 2 Disney Parks, 7 Disney Hotels, a golf course and the Disney Village.

Jeannette had opened Michelle’s eyes to the creature comforts of shopping in Paris. She even offered to go with us. I would have to check with my wife to see what I would be making now. If she asked, Jeannette would tell her.

I got the sneaky suspicion that Michelle had subverted Marcel. Our accommodation for Paris were at, you guessed it, Euro Disney. A suite at one of those Disney hotels no less. While Giselle and Michelle went off with Bridget and Monique for a day of those things girls like to do, I went down the yellow brick road with Marcel to meet the new Corporation Master and discuss whatever they wanted to discuss.

Marcel and I chatted along the way. I had this feeling that something was up. It was like the radar or feeling you get in the jungle when you are about to be shot. Was Marcel ‘setting me up’ I wondered.

We went up a moving stairway to the second floor there to the right into a private room. Another set of doors to the left then we entered a smaller room. Marcel sat down I joined him.

“We’re here to meet with the new big boss right Marcel?”

“Yes. He wants to discuss several things with you.”

“When and where will this be? I am getting that nervous feeling like, well, as I had whenever we were on a mission. One never knew what would happen so we prepared for the worse.”

“Mon Ami, the meeting is here and now and you will never have to fear me or be anything but yourself. I will run the Corporation, as you call it; let me tell you a story.

For some time many people felt the Army, especially the Legion was rooted in the past. It served the country well in Algeria but since de Gaulle, there seemed to never be any change. The legion served where no Frenchman would go without trying to take over everything. Uganda changed all that for us. That we could go in, accomplish our mission then walk away without trying to establish a mini-French colony impressed many people. We started to be called more and more after that, even back to countries that had once been opposed to French rule.

So what happens? We are asked to do more and more. Money is no object they say. But what of the men? We must attract the best now, not the worst. If we are to expect them to do their best for us, we too must try to do the best for them.

Plans call for not 500 more men next year but 5,000. Some die, yes we know, but what about those wounded or partially or temporarily no longer fit for duty. Let me get more to the point. We are now a business not just the Army. What you have done is now a model for what we should like to do in many other places. I mentioned the new work for you. The first is to build a medical and an extended care facility there in Rouen. Soon another will need to be built in a remote place.

We have a widow of one of our Officers who we think would like very much to do what Giselle did for you. We will buy Giselle’s home for now. Giselle will join us as an employee too and train Marie there. Meanwhile a new set of facilities, an entire small town if you will, should be built to house and let our people start a life away from the Legion, we will stand that cost. We have found one cannot exist on what the pension is. We want to start something better and now have the funds to do it from someone who is desperate for our help.”

“Let me ask you something, Yes?”

“Gee Marcel, since when have you ever needed my permission to ask or say anything.”

“Yes then. If I told you this which we ask is only a small piece of a much larger much longer term effort would you help me even if we make some mistakes along the way?”

“Marcel, I told you once before. I owe you everything. There is probably nothing you would ask me that I would not try to do for you.”

Start to get ready then Mon Ami. Over the next few years, we are going to be spending $100 Billion on a number of things, not all of which many people should know about. I mentioned that change is not a high priority for some; it will take time to remedy this. My thoughts are that for the next 20 years, you, me and several others here in France will be doing some things that most will not understand nor agree with. If you are criticized, and if in doubt always blame corporate, you are only following orders. Jawhol!”

It was a strange meeting. I felt everything I had was a direct result of what Marcel had done for me. Of course, now I would try to do anything for him. He also seemed to make many things easier for me, like this job and salary. As I said, I never imagined the amount of money I was making. It was also easy to present the opportunity to Giselle. That this Marie wanted to help others would go a long way towards that.

Having Marie here now had an added benefit. Not only did Marcel buy her old house, he hired her, with a salary to set up and establish a sort of halfway house where those slightly injured had a place to go. It became a domino chain. Marcel could not buy enough houses. One day I got a call from him. “I called to make certain we are getting our money’s worth from you now. If I hear you have taken up golf, I will become worried. How is that wife of yours doing? I know your mother-in-law must have three clones that is why I am calling. How is that village coming along?”

“Fine. I have people from both of the other projects working there also when they are not needed at the seaport or Chateau so we are ahead of schedule. They know it is for a good cause and do not complain. Michelle looks after adjusting their timesheets each week so their pay comes from two sources. Why?”

“Built two more. I told Giselle she could start using the first. If we have to, we can mix the people, indeed that may even be better, more normal. Oh, I almost forgot, I am sending you some people to look at, train and see if they can make your life easier.”

“Why Marcel? I know you too well. You just do not give me anything without some hook. By the way, thank you for the house.”

“We owned it anyhow; think of the lack of a mortgage as a bonus. OK, a small favour then. I will need you at some other places, at least for a start up. See if any of these new folks can be used in Rouen to replace you or will travel to do the new ones? I hate to pressure you Mon Ami but there are some big things coming up and, well, you and Michelle may have to move. Maybe, or you travel more. Is the house large enough or will Michelle have more than triplets?”

“Marcel, what you are doing is called ‘The carrot and the stick’. A little good mixed with a little not so good. If I might guess, is the travel to sand or water?”

“Yes, maybe both. Things are almost going too quickly. Can you clone yourself five or six times?”

“These new people you want me to look at, see if you can send me a few more. For a while Jeannette can handle here or send Pierre back occasionally to help her. Michelle is not going to have any children right now but she is not going to be very happy if we have to move Marcel.”

“Oh, did I tell you, she is getting a promotion and more salary, tell her.”

“Carrot and Stick; Marcel!”

Hey, it could be worse, you could have my job. Wait, that gives me an idea. Maybe you...”

“Goodbye for now Marcel!”

After hanging up the phone I knew would have to face my new bride that day. What should I tell her, that Marcel feels guilty so she is being promoted so she should put up with a few things? I had an idea.

Now Giselle gets her new space, Michelle will soon have her own domain and I need to steady Jeannette before we get the flood of new people.

Telling her seemed too easy. “Jeannette, almost love of my life after Michelle and Giselle, how are you?”

“You must really want me to do something illegal or really hard, or both.”

“Jeannette have I ever, ... wait don’t answer that. You need to build two more villages like the one underway. Next month would be best even. Set up a new account to build them and Corporate is sending us a few more people so see what they will need to stay here. Michelle has some new work now so find, hire and train your replacements. You will manage all the office now. My old job now becomes yours. That means anything I forget you get to do. Yes, before you ask you get a better salary too. Schnell!”

“What is this ‘Schnell, we are now a German army?”

“Maybe you and your husband should take Holiday on the company. There are some things coming up which will take more time and effort than we have had to do before. I am sorry dear but I will need to ask a lot more of you soon.”

“You know this is not normal. I don’t suppose you can tell me what is going on, right?”

“Remember when you first took Michelle away from me. You and her wanted to ‘take over the world’. You are going to have your chance soon. I don’t know the details but if you can find a dozen or more good, trustworthy people you can put them to work here to expand our little empire.”

“And Corporate will not complain?”

“No. It is easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask permission anyhow. Maybe write up a report each month to me and copy Marcel only. Maybe get with Giselle and Michelle as to their plans and what you will be doing to expand the office. Oh, I almost forgot, find us another entire staff or two willing to move to another location and open up what we have here, at least for building a hospital, the care facility and a village compound or two. If you need to go to Paris for them just let me know if you can have them find more people there for you. It will be easy. We won’t need them until next month so you have plenty of time, although I don’t know where it will be. Bye Love.”