Chapter 47

Who knew what that man was hiding. Salter prowled the building wearing his beatific smile saying little other than hello. He invited only his chosen few to his grand suite of offices for special meetings. They then clutched files close to their chests and all had the same smug expression as they scuttled away.

A large enterprise needed cooperation from all the ministries. At some point the inner cabinet would have to communicate with Eric and his colleagues. The Ministry of Logistics received enquiries about transport to South America. This caught Eric's attention and he considered asking someone in the know for details. He decided to bide his time and wait for them to come to him.

Alistair Barton, Salter's, right hand man, sidled up to Eric as he walked to his offices.

"I wanted to give you a heads up Eric. The next meeting will be very important and we will need your backing to help us move forward with our plans. Obviously, what we are doing is for the good of everyone."

And no doubt for the good of Salter and the inner cabinet. Eric smiled nodded and shook the hand of this man that he loathed.

"Something is in the offing. I think it is going to happen in South America. I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything." Eric told Dan.

Ryan confirmed what Eric had said. "Troops are being moved around. It looks like there is going to be a large deployment abroad. That tallies with your info. I wonder what it is?"

The special cabinet meeting was scheduled with instructions to attend at all costs. Many of the ministers had been approached and asked to ensure that they voted with the inner cabinet. Salter, who usually stayed in his office and ordered people to come to him was seen in the hallways shaking hands and attempting to smile. He looked more like he was in pain than happy.

Tension was high as the ministers gathered around the huge table ready for the discussion. Nicholas Salter sat at the head and produced his rictus smile. Things must be desperate Eric thought.

"Gentlemen, we have a situation which is most urgent. The purpose of this meeting is to present the details to you and debate our response."

No one doubted that the response was already planned and in motion.

Nicholas Salter was the head of the inner cabinet. It was not a formally recognised position, but everyone knew that he was in charge. His ancestors had been in the first One World Government and were part of the British aristocracy. He was the epitome of the word entitled. He was the head of the world and he thought that was perfectly appropriate for him.

His, silver grey hair was swept back in an effort to cover his bald patch. He mainly wore a black pin striped suit with plain dark coloured ties. There were small clues that Salter was not the dour politician that he seemed to be. He had diamond studded cufflinks and a solid gold watch. He had a brief case, usually carried by an aide, made from crocodile skin which matched his shoes.

He lived in a massive house. His wife had died many years before and that left just him and his son. The ten bedrooms plus staff accommodation was excessive to say the least. The home was stuffed with treasures from around the world. Art, jewellery, China and glass. Everything was plundered from abroad and then delivered to him.

His heritage and wealth contributed to his ascent to the top. Salter's guile, determination and ruthless actions had also played a part. A difficult minister, he removed them. Someone who could embarrass him or one of his close colleagues, they would disappear. A wife who was not really wanted?

There were committees, action groups, special advisers, and hundreds of civil servants. The wheels of government turned slowly. Salter suggested the inner cabinet as a way of ratifying new laws or acts quickly when the need arose. They were supposed to make small decisions, but they had grabbed more and more power until they ruled on whatever they wanted to.

He gathered a group of people around him who shared his ideals and would help him to achieve his goals. They were from old families with a good pedigree. The men would follow wherever Salter led. That was the most important factor in his choice of colleagues.

Alistair Barton had been a friend since childhood. Overweight, loud and volatile, but fiercely loyal. It was like having a hyperactive child. Barton would shout, wave his arms around and turn purple when he felt strongly about a subject, which was often. He was excellent when Salter needed back up, but could be a liability at times.

He was the bully boy of the OWG. Chasing ministers along the corridors and browbeating them into voting for a particular cause was his speciality. Barton knew everyone's business and reported everything back to his boss. He would bellow a name and then arrive puffing to bend their ear. Some would try to get away, but he was persistent. If he wanted to talk to you there was no escape.

James Rutherford was a small mouse of a man. Mouse coloured hair and a small moustache, like whiskers. He had a sharp mind, but found it hard to get himself heard. He had seen a way to put his ideas to the cabinet. Salter was a powerful force who was going to, effectively, run the OWG. If he supported him and became one of his acolytes, he could put forward suggestions.

He saw some of his recommendations enacted. The members of the inner cabinet paid attention to him. He walked around the government building with his head held high. He tutted at people who got in his way. Okay, he had to sanction some of the group's wilder and riskier schemes, but it was worth it for his improved status. He was James Rutherford of the inner cabinet.

Dennis Parisi was from a noble Italian family. Dark hair, tanned skin, slim and athletic he was exceedingly pleased with his looks. Any mirror or reflective surface made him pause to admire his classically handsome features. The inner cabinet were the ones who appeared on television or were featured in the, OWG Times, newspaper. Of course, he wanted to be at the centre of the action.

There was an ambitious man behind the veneer. Parisi liked the way things were and he wanted to fight alongside Salter to prevent anything which would change his personal circumstances. He liked good food, stylish clothes and beautiful women. He had a wife, but that did not stop him from making new conquests whenever someone caught his eye. He did not want to share the riches with others.

Sven Helland was a man in striking contrast to Parisi. His wispy blonde moustache and beard hardly stood out from his pale skin. His light blue eyes supplied the colour in the, washed out palette of his face. Unkind members of the government had suggested that he was some sort of alien.

He was a numbers man. Complex calculations could be done in his head. He could quote statistics on a huge range of subjects. Enquire about a project and he could make a guess at the costing which would prove to be quite accurate. Did he consider each of the propositions which was put before him? Not really. He was always too preoccupied with some mathematical calculation to care.

The final member of the group was Charles Davies. He was the elder statesman of the inner cabinet. The bearded, grey haired, man was old fashioned in every way. He wore hand made suits with dark coloured silk ties. He was usually wearing horn rimmed glasses which he would remove and wave around to punctuate a point.

It was not just his appearance which was from the past. His attitude dwelt in Victorian times too. He believed that there should be an upper class and a lower class and never the twain should meet. He thought that a woman's place was in the home. He did not like anything which was modern.

Davies did not socialise with the other members of the cabinet because of his age. He did not want to go out to a party to drink and eat too much and goodness knows what else. He had backed Nicholas Salter because he thought that he was the man most likely to keep the OWG and, therefore, the world, unchanged.

They were a mature, well dressed gang of thugs. The inner cabinet followed their own agenda, often not sharing what they did with the rest of the government. Salter had a squad of ruffians run by a man named Morris who did any dirty work. They beat people up, blackmailed and murdered. At least they admitted what they were. This was the viper's den which Eric would have to become a part of.