Author's note: This story is primarily a continuation of "Paradise Obtained", but also includes characters from "The New Neighbours/The Good Master" and "The Friday Night Games Club".
This is the culmination of my 'Haller universe' stories, so is not the best place to begin. I would recommend reading the other stories first; doing so will add depth of character background and make various things clearer.
All characters are over 18.
A Serpent in Paradise: Chapter 03
Geoff Mills had been looking forward to this. No mere phone-call for him; he wanted to be able to see Haller's face when he took him down. This would be a video conference call, and he had made sure that his backdrop was suitably presidential. Fortunately, Hawk Castle rather lent itself to this. He had found an oak panelled room, into which he had moved a desk and the largest, plushest chair he could find. Behind him, were shelves of historic books, doubtless unread by anyone in decades, but giving a note of gravitas.
The finishing decorative touch was provided by Ilse Hoffman and Nicoleta Paulescu. Beautifully made up, their hair artfully arranged, each woman wore an elegant dress contrasting strangely with the slave collars Matthew Mitchell had given them. Geoff had them stand behind him, looks of obedience and adoration for their new Master etched on their faces. It would be nice to have been able to add Svetlana Bondarenko as well, but that time would come; locked in the castle tower she wasn't going anywhere.
When Mills had arranged his call to Haller the telling point was that the German businessman had agreed not just to take it but also to the time he had proposed. Geoff recognised that it was an indication that he had a measure of control over the situation that few had ever achieved with Albrecht Haller.
At the appointed time Mills made the connection and Herr Haller appeared on the computer screen. He was in his office in Hamburg, a room Mills had last seen when being sent into disgraced exile in Switzerland. "Ahh, Haller. I see you came at my bidding," said Mills, enjoying the moment. "I take it that by now you know where I am?"
"Yes Mr Mills," Haller replied, seemingly as calm and in control as usual. "You are at Castelul Soimulu in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania. 'The Castle of the Hawk' in your native tongue, although it sounds better in mine, I think: 'Schloss des Falken'."
"Stop prattling, Haller, this is a business call," said Mills harshly, relishing the look on Haller's face; he was not a man used to being interrupted. "Now I don't doubt you are planning something against me, but before we get to my demands, let's discuss why you're going to call your dogs off. I could mention that I have hostages -- three of Mitchell's women, including the two bitches you see here -- but I know you don't give a damn about them. So instead, let's try blackmail."
Haller said nothing, his face an impassive mask, but Mills knew him well enough to know that underneath the German was both angry and worried, and also that those were emotions with which he rarely had to deal.
"As you know I managed to get access to a lot of your files while in Switzerland ..." Mills continued.
"Yes, " Haller interrupted, "thanks to your control of the unfortunate Mdm. Favre. I know you won't care that the poor woman is currently under sedation in a private clinic in Switzerland, broken by your abandonment of her."
"Oh, don't worry about that," said Mills airily, "maybe when you have given me everything I want, I may have you send her to me. She was older than I prefer, but very, very willing. Come to that, I might insist you return all the sluts I left in England with that imbecile Roberts. Because the reality is, Herr Haller, you are going to give me whatever I want, unless you fancy spending the rest of your days in prison."
Haller's calm appearance still didn't change, but his voice was icy as he said, "Very well, Mr Mills, let me hear your proposal."
"Firstly, I know what you're trying to do -- you want to stand behind the governments of the world and guide the destiny of mankind. You certainly think big, Haller, I'll give you that. More importantly, I also know why you want to do it."
"If you truly know my reasons, then you will also know that there is nothing dishonourable about them," said Haller. For the first time there was a note of emotion in Albrecht Haller's tone. The idea that Mills might have discovered the secrets of his past appalled him. Those matters were personal and certainly not meant for the warped mind of someone like Geoff Mills.
"Possibly so, but the methods you used to pursue those goals are highly illegal. You have supported and financed Mitchell, those two Americans and, of course, myself to develop mind control techniques and you haven't cared a jot what we did with that power. Just think about all those enslaved and abused women, Haller. Were the authorities to get hold of the evidence I took from your files you would go to jail for so long they might as well throw away the key. And that would be the end of all your weird hopes and dreams, wouldn't it?"
"I cared more than you suggest, Mills," Haller said, a note of bitterness in his tone. "When you went too far, I helped bring you down and I have kept an eye on Mr Mitchell to ensure he doesn't do any significant harm; his ladies are not badly treated. Besides, you can hardly give the police evidence about all that without incriminating yourself."