July 2071. La Fortaleza. San Juan, Puerto Rico. Unincorporated Territory of the United Nations of America.
The Puerto Rican governor Edgar Carrasquillo sat in his stately office at La Fortaleza, the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere. His expression was a mix of concern and determination as he delved into the reports detailing the struggles of his beloved home.
One report caught his eye–a detailed account of a new company named Apex Industries. As he read through the document, his interest piqued. The company had purchased vast territory on the island, often for prices that were twenty-five to thirty percent higher than their appraised value.
Carrasquillo normally chalked that discrepancy up to foreign investors having no clue about the island's condition. They all hoped to create another tourist attraction to compete with the others. The Americans, for Carrasquillo, didn’t consider himself one, were all the same. More credits than sense with a hefty helping of arrogance.
Maybe during the days when Puerto Rico had been the most competitive economy in Latin America, their investment would’ve worked out. But the island of decades past barely resembled its current state. Even in those days, his island had been the poorest state in the United States. Now, even with the addition of Mexico and Canada to their contiguous empire, it wasn’t even close.
The global MERS pandemic had disproportionately gutted the island even more than the mainland. Of course, not in absolute deaths. As an island, they were relatively sheltered from the international travel that bore the deadly plague. Their losses stemmed from the complete dissolution of their economy.
Their main export, pharmaceuticals, had dried up overnight as their primary target market died off over the course of a year. They still had manufacturing capacity, but with no markets to ship goods to, their unemployment rate effectively quintupled. After that, their service industries also failed, and the economy imploded. Deaths of despair became the number one cause of death in the commonwealth.
Still, Carasquillo’s people were prideful and determined. The government enforced martial law and put the population to work, tearing down manufacturing facilities and empty housing and converting them into farms. They needed to become as self-reliant as possible because they knew that help wasn’t coming–certainly not from the UNA.
That’s what made this new company so attractive to the governor. The American firm hadn’t built another hotel or shopping mall. Instead, they’d contracted every construction company on the island and put them to work on a corporate headquarters, advanced manufacturing facilities, and numerous drydocks.
Construction worker wages skyrocketed even though every laborer had a brother, cousin, or friend who needed work. So extreme was the company's need for labor that practically nothing on the island without an Apex logo was getting built.
Not just credits were flooding the economy, but food and medicine, too. Apex had imported enough food to feed its growing workforce, and several floating greenhouses added local production to the equation.
Large field tents had sprung up around Apex construction sites staffed with doctors and nurses. They provided free health services for their contracted employees and their families. They cared for more patients than la Reforma had managed in a decade.
Even crime, a problem that had plagued the island due to poor economic conditions, had started to abate. Credits and work had made the younger male population too busy to even consider crime, and many of the local gangs and crime lords found themselves out of power when their members realized there were honest credits to be made.
Further, Apex security forces, garbed in black uniforms with Apex’s white chevron emblazoned proudly on their shoulders, patrolled their purchased territory. Carassquillo had even received reports of the guards stepping into situations outside their purview to de-escalate situations. To this date, not a single Puerto Rican citizen had died where an Apex employee was involved.
Though he'd never admit it, the governor was thankful for their assistance. His police force was little more than a gang itself. They frequently shook down his people for protection fees, the meager salary the government could afford, doing little to support their families. He had intentionally turned a blind eye to the corporations stabilizing private security. If there had been any deaths, then his people would demand the government do something about it.
In all his years of public service, Carassquillo would never have imagined his people would see such a windfall–that’s what made his next meeting so challenging. The CEO of Apex Industries, Liam Ward, had requested to sit down and talk. The governor had granted the meeting but wasn’t looking forward to it.
His people were proud, and no matter how positive Apex’s influence had been over the last half year, they wouldn’t look kindly on him or his administration for bending the knee to an American capitalist. The mainland abandoned them for almost thirty years, and that kind of insult could not be smoothed by work and a doctor’s visit.
“Governor, he’s here.” his secretary announced in Spanish.
Carasquillo jumped in his seat. He had been so engrossed in his study of the documents that he hadn’t noticed when Gabriella knocked on the door or poked her head in to check on him.
“Sorry,” he told her. “I was wrapped up in work. Please, show him in.”
A short moment later, two large men entered the esteemed office of the Governor. Both were dressed in matching matte black suits and bright white dress shirts. Both walked with the languid grace of a predator that caused a spike of adrenaline to surge in Carrasquillo’s body. He had spent his younger years in the Marine Corps when the country was still the United States and knew potential danger when he saw it.
The feeling was lessened as the older Caucasian man with black hair and a salt-and-pepper beard smiled warmly at him. Carrasquillo couldn’t help but notice Liam’s impressive frame as he towered over the shorter governor by a good five inches.
“Governor Carrasquillo, thank you for taking the time to meet with me,” Liam said as he approached the governor’s heavy wooden desk while holding out a hand the size of a bear palm.
The governor shook the man’s hand while noting his other guest. The bald-headed and clean-shaven Hispanic man stood by the door, his gaze roaming the office's interior. Unlike his boss, the man wore a tie, tightly clasped, and a pair of dark sunglasses.
“Welcome to La Fortaleza,” the governor replied in Spanish before gesturing to a chair in front of the desk. “Please, make yourself comfortable.”
The CEO of Apex blinked before replying back in Spanish. “Thank you, Governor.” He gestured toward the man at the door. “I hope you don’t mind my bodyguard, Oskar. He takes his duties far too seriously. I keep telling him to relax, but apparently, signing his paychecks only goes so far.”
The American’s accent was strange, as was the slight delay before he replied. Being bilingual himself, Carrasquillo understood the need to ‘switch brains’ before using another language, but this felt different. Not only that, but the accent was strange enough that the governor couldn’t place it. If he hadn’t known better, it would’ve seemed like the CEO had simply been repeating what someone else told him.
The governor chuckled at the other man’s joke. Despite his misgivings, he was impressed with how the American smoothed over any perceived slight of having a bodyguard while communicating in no uncertain terms that the man would remain. It was an elegant solution to a potentially thorny situation.
“You have me at a disadvantage, Mr. Ward,” the governor switched to slightly accented English. “I should have stationed a couple of my own so they could stare menacingly at each other while we chat.”
“I’m sure that’s not necessary, Governor,” the American replied with a slight smile.
“Can I offer you some coffee instead?” the governor asked.
“Please,” Liam nodded. “Ever since I tried some, I haven’t been able to resist.”
The governor asked Gabriella to bring the pair some coffee, and the two men exchanged small talk while they prepared their drinks the way they liked them. After each had sampled the fragrant beverage, the conversation turned to business.
“So, Mr. Ward, what brings you to my office?” the governor asked pleasantly.
“I merely wished to express my appreciation for your island’s hospitality,” the American shrugged. “And see if there was anything my company could help you with?”
Edgar frowned at the question. It was seemingly a simple query, but it carried a potential trap. Were there things the company could help with? Of course. The territory was in dire need of what Apex was already providing. The CEO had to know that by now. The question centered around how much the Governor and his people would have to pay to receive that help?
“From what I can tell, your company has been a tremendous help to the island already,” Edgar sidestepped the question. “I’m not quite sure what you’re implying.”
The American shook his head, “You’re misunderstanding me, Governor. I’m not implying anything, I’m genuinely asking.”
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The man placed his coffee carefully on the desk between them before continuing. “My intention is to stay in Puerto Rico for the foreseeable future. Apex is a technology company and we have the means to radically change the conditions on the island, but I want to be careful in doing so without disrupting the delicate balance you’ve worked to maintain.”
“I see,” the governor said, mind racing to find the American’s angle. “What kind of changes are you worried about?”
“Demographics, for one,” the American shrugged. “Apex is a fraction of the size that I need it to be. I have multiple areas of research I need to conduct, and virtually none of the talent I need lives on the island. I’ll need to immigrate hundreds to thousands of people from around the UNA and beyond.”
“Normally, I’d be worried that we didn’t have the food to feed our new visitors, but you’ll be taking care of that, I presume?”
“Of course,” Liam nodded. “We’ll also house them, give them medical care, and anything else they need. We have no desire to be a drain on the local resources–quite the opposite, in fact.”
Edgar raised an eyebrow, “Meanwhile, you’ll set up your own little walled colony, and Puerto Ricans will only be allowed inside to pick up the trash or cut the grass?”
The American paused, unsure how to respond. “Again, I think you misunderstand why I’m here today.”
“Enlighten me,” Edgar said cooly.
“I want to work with you,” the CEO clarified, stressing the word “with.” The American emphatically gestured along with his points. “I don’t want Puerto Ricans to cut the grass or take the trash out–I can automate that. I want to train them to be scientists, mechanics, engineers, and doctors.”
Seeing no response from the governor, the head of Apex sighed and stared him in the eyes. “I’ll be frank. You’ve been abandoned by the UNA. My company came here to build a sanctuary away from the prying eyes of the nationalists. I want to build schools, hospitals, and research facilities here. I want to prove the worth of my company and then export our success to the rest of the world.”
“Bold plans,” the governor said dryly. “It doesn’t sound like you need my help at all. You’re asking for cover to set up your own little fiefdom. Do you know the history of Puerto Rico, Liam?”
“Very little,” the American said apologetically. “For most of my life, I’ve looked at nations or territories through the lens of their potential threat. Anything deeper was a distraction, but that’s no excuse. I should know the history of the place I intend to live.”
“Let me give you a summary,” Carasquillo bit out. “In 1898, the United States came to my country. They promised to help us throw off the shackles of our Spanish oppressors. They said we would have our freedom after four hundred years of subjugation. Yet, in a quiet ceremony in this building, Puerto Rico changed hands from one empire to another.”
Edgar pointed a finger at his desk for emphasis. “They took political control over my people and appointed American leaders to govern the island. They didn’t speak Spanish–they knew nothing about our culture or heritage. Instead, they treated the people like an investment. They funneled public funds into American-backed companies and filled the government with their supporters.”
“Then the financial parasites descended on the island, issuing predatory loans to steal the land right from under my people. They cut off the island from the rest of the world by mandating that any goods entering the country had to be from American ships with American crews. They devalued and then outlawed our very currency. We lost half our money overnight.”
“Then they came for our culture. They banned Spanish from the schools and public buildings and called us an unincorporated territory,” the governor scoffed. “We could fight in their wars, but we didn’t look enough like them or act enough like them to vote against them.”
“By the 1930’s, foreign investors owned practically all of our businesses and infrastructure. While my people were starving and dying, they turned a blind eye and built military bases. They tested thousands of bombs, not caring about the lives of my people or the nature they sought to poison.”
“And of course, we resisted, so the U.S. government flooded the island with FBI agents. They jailed dissidents and turned my people against one another. Families were asked to spy on each other and report everything they knew to the federal government. By the end, one hundred thousand Puerto Ricans had intelligence files on them. The FBI knew what cars they drove, the people they slept with, and the friends they kept. They left my people scared, distrustful of each other, and paranoid they would disappear next.”
“When the resistance turned violent,” anger suffused his voice, and he almost shouted at the American businessman, but Edgar didn’t care. “They murdered the defenseless and jailed our leaders in rigged trials made up of juries from the same population that sought to exploit us.”
“But that wasn’t the worst,” Edgar’s voice dropped to almost a whisper. “The American government flew their warplanes over my island, and in the only time in U.S. history, they bombed their own citizens.”
The governor slapped the desk with his hand. “The world didn’t come to our defense. They remained silent while the President of the United States washed his hands clean–calling it a small incident. Meanwhile, they mass arrested three thousand Puerto Ricans and jailed them.”
“But let’s fast forward,” Edgar raged. “By the time the global pandemic burned its way through the world population in forty-four, the UNA forgot about their unincorporated territories. They forgot my people's sacrifices on their country's behalf, withdrew the bulk of their forces, and left us to degrade, starve, and die.”
“So tell me,” he finished. “Why would I let you do the same thing? Why would I trade one empire for a weaker, worse one? Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.”
“Thank you for telling me that. It helps me understand the challenges here, and I could see how you would resist my offer. You have every right to be,” the American admitted. “But Apex has no desire to rule over Puerto Rico. We want the island to be independent and for Apex to operate alongside it extraterritorially.”
The governor finally realized what the other man wanted. Apex wanted the time to develop into a country with no territory. He wanted to be the Order of Malta in Italy. And now that Edgar understood the request, it changed the calculation. In fact, Edgar was fully willing to play both sides. He could use Apex to strip away the little control the UNA had left and then play them against one another. It was down to the deal he might strike.”
“Now I understand,” Edgar took a deep breath to calm himself and nodded. “You need protection. You need the space to build up your assets and grow your influence until you’ve built up enough political capital to make their interference from the UNA too costly for them to bother. But what are you willing to pay for my discretion?”
If the American offered to bribe him, Edgar would throw him out of the office and report the conversation to the nearest UNA base. He wouldn’t be a governor who betrayed his people just like what had happened so long ago. However, the businessman surprised him.
The American nodded. “Like I said, I’ll build you the world's best schools, hospitals, and food production facilities.”
“You’ll build them, but they’ll be owned by the State,” the governor countered. “You’ll lease the buildings from us for your own use. The only territory you’ll be allowed to own is the square mile surrounding your headquarters.”
The CEO shook his head immediately. “That’s too little.”
“The Vatican City is less than a quarter that size,” the governor noted.
“And look where that got them,” the American shrugged. “Last time I was in Italy, it had broken down into organized mafias and innumerable city states fighting for food.”
Edgar winced. The point was a good one. The UNA soldiers and sailors stationed on the island had only saved Puerto Rico from the same fate. They had needed to navigate the MERS-44 pandemic independently, but at least they hadn’t devolved into anarchy like so many other countries worldwide. It was just about the only benefit the UNA had provided them.
“Fine, I’ll allow you ten miles and diplomatic immunity, but you’ll need to purchase that land from the people you wish to displace.”
“Fifty, and we’ll have a deal,” the American shrugged.
“That’s bigger than San Juan,” Edgar said, shock coloring his voice. No matter how brazen their ambitions were, he simply couldn’t believe any company needed that much space. He thought he had been more than generous with ten square miles.
“It’ll be my headquarters for the whole world, the other man explained. “I need to build an airport, training facilities, shipbuilding docks, and other infrastructure.”
The governor imagined there was a lot more included in “other infrastructure” than the businessman didn’t wish to disclose. If he wanted that much land, then Edgar would get the best deal possible for the locals.
“Fine, but only if you provide free education, basic medical care, and agricultural goods to citizens of Puerto Rico.”
“I can’t give the goods away for free, but I can give them to you at cost, with a small markup to cover the labor. As for your other conditions…” the American trailed off. “...I had already planned to do that, so it’s no loss for me.”
Edgar laced his fingers, deep in thought. This was a good deal for him. Apex's food and medical care would help stabilize the country and his governorship. After that, the new hospitals, schools, and job training would secure their future. He still needed one thing.
“What about the military bases on the island?”
“I’ll help train a self-defense for Puerto Rico. We have some of the best military trainers in the world in Apex. I recruited them from my friends in Delta Force. Your defense force can police the streets until you declare independence. After that, Apex will assist you in removing the UNA troops–hopefully, bloodlessly,” he added.
“And the equipment?”
“We’ll lease you the equipment until you declare independence. At that point, you can purchase the items from Apex just like any other country.”
“So you do plan to produce weapons of war,” Edgar said with a smile, knowing he had extracted information the American had likely wanted to remain hidden.
“Clever,” the businessman acknowledged with a smile. “Yes, I prefer they merely be weapons of peace, but I’m not a fool.”
“Then I agree with the basics of the terms you outlined. I’m sure my people will talk to your people, and they can figure something out more concrete. However, this will need to be done in phases. I won’t be making a press conference announcing I sold out my people to the highest bidder.”
“I wouldn’t ask you too,” Liam agreed. “Once your people’s basic food and medical requirements are supplied, I’ll expect a show of support and an announcement of our relationship in general terms. Once you’ve declared your independence and I’ve declared mine, I expect your nation to be the first to recognize us and grant us extraterritoriality.”
The governor smiled. That arrangement would work to Puerto Rico’s benefit. If Apex didn’t fulfill the particulars of their contract, he could notify the UNA government and wash his hands clean. There was little risk and enormous potential should things proceed as planned.
The governor rose from his seat and extended his hand. “Then, Mr. Ward, it sounds like we have a deal.”
The American stood and shook his hand. “It was hard-fought but a pleasure nonetheless. Meeting a political leader who cares for the people he’s sworn to protect is refreshing. I sincerely wish nothing but goodwill for you and the rest of Puerto Rico.”
After the two men left, Edgar sat back in his chair and stared at the ceiling above. He couldn’t hope but feel a measure of hope for the deal with Apex. If things went well, it would usher in a new age of freedom and prosperity for the tiny territory. He gave a short prayer for the wisdom to see his people through.