Gant was wearing his most congenial façade as he sat in his office talking to Irving Sacker, a middle-aged man with jowls and thinning black hair. With their manicured fingernails, respectable haircuts and conservative suits, Sacker and the other three attorneys from his influential Washington law firm looked as if Georgetown Law School had punched them out of legal dough with a cookie cutter. Although they differed in facial features and physiques, they all had the sharp-eyed expressions of hunting raptors ready to swoop down on a legal technicality.

“I see that you've brought along the casework and disks as I requested,” Gant said.

Sacker handed him an attaché case. “Normally, we would keep a backup of our files at the office, but since you've paid so generously for privacy we have cleaned all the data from our computers and files. It's all here. It's as if we never handled your case.”

“On behalf of the Global Interests Network, I'd like to thank you for all your hard work. Thank you for keeping this entire project a secret.”

“We were simply doing our job,” Sacker said. “It was an interesting challenge. What we've created on paper for you is a mega-corporation that would control every possible means of electronic communication on the planet. Cell phone networks. Satellites. Telecommunications. The whole enchilada.”

“You'll have to admit that this is the way that things have been heading, with all the buyouts and mergers in the industry.”

“Those arrangements are like lemonade stands compared to the entity we've set up for you.”

“Then you've done exactly what you've been asked to do.”

“In that case, I hope you'll retain us for any antitrust suits that arise,” Sacker said with a grin.

Gant chuckled. “You'll be the first on our list.”

“Would you mind if I asked you a question, Mr. Gant?”

“Not at all. Fire away.”

“These agreements and contracts would, under a highly unlikely set of circumstances, position someone to assume control over the major communications systems of the world. Correct me if I'm wrong, but your foundation is at odds with what you see as oppressive world trade, market system and capitalism.”

“That's right. GIN is pro-democracy and nonpartisan. We agree that free trade can be beneficial to developing countries and the promotion of peace. But we're campaigning against the current free-trade model. We're concerned when corporate interests are put above safety standards, and environmental regulations are seen as barriers to free trade. We're against a concentration of power in the hands of a few multinational corporations. We oppose the spread of investments across corporate boundaries, allowing them to evade local laws. We see the World Bank, the WTO and IMF as superseding local government.” He picked up a red-white-and-blue brochure and handed it to Sacker. “You can read all about our Freedom Project campaign in this handsome little pamphlet.”