‘However,’ Donnelly continued, ‘I want to add an important caveat in dealing with Mr Haut. He has already set up an American corporation of his own, which I shall be investing in. That way he will be better able to control his products. It will avoid all the fatal pitfalls, no disrespect to any of you here, which have occurred with similar solo inventors in the past.’ There was silence. ‘We owe Mr Haut that much since he has given us the technology to build our energy reserves to our current dominant position in very quick time. He has asked for not a cent for this huge advantage to our nation. His corporation, American Empire Minerals, is the pay-off for that extreme generosity.’

There was more applause.

At the close of the meeting, Admiral Ingram leant across to Haut and Donnelly and asked quietly: ‘What did you mean by “fatal pitfalls”?’

‘Some inventors have been bought off or screwed financially,’ Donnelly replied.

Haut added: ‘Others have been murdered.’

*

Navy chief Ingram organised that his department draw up a press release concerning Haut’s US company offering the navy 5.5 billion barrels of oil annually once his Tasmanian oil operations were underway.

‘In today’s world of political instability,’ the release said, ‘the US naval petroleum reserve no longer adequately provides the navy with a stable source and price of fuel.’

The release was pointed enough, saying Haut’s ‘oil fields in Tasmania may satisfy the US Navy’s needs … particularly in the Western Pacific’.

This was a telling message to the Chinese and Bleulance. The US’s strongest military arm regarded Haut as an asset. This was without even considering his plasmoid inventions, which the navy knew were underway.

45 PLAN B

45

PLAN B

Two weeks later, a big front-page story appeared in the Wall Street Journal headlined: ‘Putin takes control of $80bn Gas Project’.

It was ‘by a special correspondent’ and began:

Conquer has been forced by the Russian government to hand over its controlling stake in the world’s third biggest liquefied gas project. After months of pressure from Moscow, the European giant company has had to cut its stake in the $80bn Sakhalin III scheme in the far east of Russia. It is believed that the state-owned Gazprom group has taken it up.

It is also believed that another Western oil producer was invited by Putin to take over the interest. But industry insiders say the offer was rejected because the company concerned was working with the US government on another oil and gas project …

‘You realise they may work out who was behind the piece?’ Haut told Cavalier over the phone.

‘I’m prepared for that. They may be many things but they’re not stupid.’

‘Have you good security at your homes?’

‘Melbourne is a fortress. I’m beefing up Chiang Mai.’

‘You have firepower?’

‘It’s my business.’

‘I’m picking up stuff on my radar. We must be extra vigilant now.’