CHAPTER 76

CHAPTER 76

JULIUS GERMAINE EXAMINED the grinning Italian-American banker opposite him.

— Let me get this straight, are you interested in transferring your core business to the European Union?

— Yes — agreed Bernardo Scolla — the management of my bank is willing to offer a considerable sum for the patent.

— I believe so — considered Julius —, the cost of authorizing a new banking establishment would be extremely high. Now, tell me something sir, Scolla, what are your true intentions?

Scolla swallowed hard. How could that man suspect her intentions?

— As well? I'm not understanding. My true intentions?

— Your true intentions — continued the Banker. As bankers, we will not be naive enough to hide from each other the reality that we all know: the Euro will soon supplant the Dollar as the dominant currency in commercial operations. If your bank is seeking authorization to establish itself in Europe, I need to know how its board and major shareholders will behave towards our unified currency. I hope you understand that the establishment of the Euro is a great European achievement, and we cannot allow any financial institution here to undermine that process.

— I understand perfectly — replied Scolla relieved — you can be sure that our intentions are the best possible.

— And, naturally — continued Julius — an initial deposit of fifty million Euros from your bank to the Central Bank of the European Union will be required as collateral. And this deposit shall be made in gold.

— In gold? Scolla was surprised.

— Exactly — he confirmed —, as an experienced banker that you are, you will agree with me that the days of the Dollar as an international currency are numbered. The most powerful nation on Earth is mired in an unpayable debt, a large part of the world's production converges with its country, which however, instead of offering a sustained counterpart in goods and services, thus equating its trade balance, offers the world only paper: the Dollar. This will not go on for long, and you know it. The euro will be the new world currency. And unlike the dollar, which today is issued practically without backing, the Euro will be issued with the guarantee of gold.

— Do you believe, then, that the European Union will assume the position that the United States has today?

— This will be a natural consequence, Mr. Scolla, whoever holds the strongest currency will have control of the world!

— Control of the world? — Asked Scolla, noting the strange glint in the banker's eye.

— Yes, control of the financial world — corrected the banker.

FERNANDO DANTE LEFT THE BANK BUILDING. His plan worked, and his brilliant performance as a banker gave him the opportunity to install a state-of-the-art listening system under the banker's desk. Now whatever the connection was between the Brotherhood of the Serpent and the Central Bank of the European Union, Greg would know about it.