Chapter 44 - Surprising surfacing of a friend (1)

27 December, City K Military Base

While he was waiting for the coffee to be brought in before his meeting Matthew picked up one of the administrative papers on his desk and started reviewing it. He was aware that the next few days would be painful as there was so much to be gotten through before his official start on Monday.

Matthew knew that this was simply the price he had to pay to pursue the career he wanted. While he hoped that it would be what he did until he stopped working, given Phillip's cancer diagnosis he knew it would eventually come to an end no matter what he wanted. If Phillip died there was no way he could leave it to his parents, who despite having lack of care for their children would grieve the death of their first born, to step back into the company they had retired from.

Before he could get too far into the papers, there was a knock on the door, and not only was his coffee brought in, but a police officer followed her in. Before Sergeant Yi could say anything the face, he was looking at was familiar, and he heard "Matthew Rong, as I live and breathe. I heard the new Colonel in charge of the special forces group was a Colonel Rong, but I never expected it would be you."

The voice immediately resonated with Matthew. "Damn it, no one told me that my liaison with the police department would be you John Nang. The last thing I knew was that you were going to go into the family business, and if I remember rightly you were the most vocal of everyone on our High School Graduation Day, about me joining the military. Yet I find you in public services as well."

Matthew looked and realised that both Warrant Officer Wang and Sergeant Yi were still in his office "You are dismissed. Shut the door behind you, and I am not to be disturbed."

With that they both turned and exited the room, shutting the door. "Take a seat John."

"I was only talking to you brother this morning who was convincing me to go to TJ's tonight for this dinner that Andrew is organising. Phillip failed to tell me that you were back, let alone as a colonel or being in the special forces."

Matthew realised that he had to shut John up, before he told everyone what he really did in the military. "John, you cannot tell anyone that I am special forces. The last time that got out, I had to dodge assassins after a successful mission I was on for twelve months. You know how close we are to the border here. By the way, I know what the liaison role includes. You train with us, and where there may be a policing aspect you or a subordinate are assigned to accompany us. Does your family know what you do?"

"Matthew, you play dirty. No, they do not as I do not want them to worry, and I guess that is the reason your family do not know."

"Right and given Phillip's new cancer diagnosis it is the last thing that they need."

"It has come back again?"

"Yes, this time they are giving him a fifty-fifty chance to recover but I suspect the odds are worse than that. Selfishly I hope he does as it will mean that I can continue with my military career, but he does not, my superiors know that I will resign and move to the company."

"Is there not anyone else?"

"You forget how that Phillip and I control the company with our joint shareholdings. Phillip is purchasing twenty percent for him and I owned by cousins, and if he dies I am likely to inherit his shares as well meaning that I will own potentially as much as eighty percent of the company. It therefore makes it difficult for not me to step in. And before you ask, while I have been progressing my career, I have earned through to a Master of Business Administration, specialising in Business Management and Human Resources Administration. Both key thing for my job now."

"Matthew, how did you fine the time?"

"I made the time, plus the military paid for it, so that was something I have been grateful for. Now, we are getting distracted there is a reason that you wanted a meeting with the new head of special forces. What is it?"

"Do you know I was fearful that that idiot Major Hung was going to get a promotion and take the role. He has wanted it for at least six years from what my predecessor indicated to me. He is a horror to work with, demeaning of police, and demands that we provide all our intelligence but only provides us with minimal intelligence."