Brotherhood Beyond the Yard (The Simon Trilogy) Read online

  There were only three months until the election.

  3

  THE HARVARD YARD

  To grasp the enormity of how these events unfolded, one must dial back to the beginning, to October 1995, thirteen years before that crucial meeting in Chicago.

  La Fratellanza then sat around a different round table, this time in Simon Hall’s apartment on Irving Terrace in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was the table where they gathered for their study group sessions. Simon was the only one at the time who could afford to live off campus, and his apartment was located just a short distance from Harvard Yard.

  The Yard was located on the southern edge of “Cow-yard Row” when the land was first purchased in 1638, hence the name. The Yard now houses the buildings for the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. The wide, grassy area surrounded by these buildings is the geographic center of the campus of Harvard University.

  It was the site where the members of this diverse group would earn their various degrees.

  When the group first entered apartment #2B on the second floor of Simon’s three-story building, they walked into the dining room with its large picture window overlooking the street below. There was an archway on the left with an entrance to the kitchen and a sizable living room to the right. Between the living room and the dining room, on the side farthest from the street, there was a small hallway leading to two doors: one to the bathroom and the second to the only bedroom.

  Modestly decorated, the apartment normally had two large sofas centered on opposite walls in the living room facing a square coffee table. No one was allowed in the bedroom, so all that remained to the eye was the round dining room table and six chairs.

  But that was before.

  Each of them individually had visited Simon’s apartment on several occasions, but at their first official gathering, something was different. The changes Simon had made to his small one-bedroom apartment surprised them. The round dining room table was still in place, encircled by its chairs, but he had turned the living room into what resembled a computer lab.

  Simon had removed one of the sofas and in its place was a long table. Alongside the adjoining wall was another table abutting at a ninety-degree angle. Three computers were set up on each table, with a large black box in the center where the tables joined.

  “What’s with the new decor?” Hank probed.

  Simon explained that each of them would have his own computer and that all the computers had a connection to a server. As he pointed to the black box in the corner, he said, “Think of the server as a large hard drive that will contain—and more importantly, secure—your data.”

  Sensing they were still puzzled, he pointed out how distracting it was to work in the labs on campus, and that having to back up their data each time to floppy disks was cumbersome.

  “The wired computers have unlimited access to the campus system and the Internet, and I’ve configured them to run much faster than the campus computers you are accustomed to using,” he casually mentioned. “Most important, you won’t have to back up your data every day.”

  Simon averred that because the other members would be spending so much of their time at his apartment for their study group, it would be advantageous for them to have the freedom to prepare for their other assignments as well. He then presented each of them with a key to his apartment, reminding them, “The bedroom is off-limits.”

  As they sat around the round table, Simon studied their faces intently and glowed in self-satisfaction at his choice of members. In turn, his new recruits also seemed pleased to have been included, especially with open access to his apartment and the computer lab.

  The shape of the table never lent itself to recognize formally a group leader to assume the leadership role, but by consent, the others in the group elected Simon to that position. After all, Simon had established the study group and recruited each of the members. Clearly, it didn’t hurt that it was also his apartment.

  At that first meeting, Simon recommended some ground rules for their study sessions, “I suggest we meet every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at five o’clock in the afternoon.” Having full knowledge of their schedules, he knew there would be no conflicts. “All of us can take one hour to discuss any issues we are facing with any of our course assignments and the other team members can offer solutions,” he suggested. “The timing can be flexible, and any one of us can yield his time to support the others when deemed necessary.”

  After some discussion of various alternatives, they collectively accepted Simon’s proposal.

  He then went on to propose that each of them take the opportunity to do a brief show-and-tell to become better acquainted. “Let’s talk about what we’ve been doing for a living, what coaxed us to get another degree, and what we enjoy doing in our leisure time. Things like that,” Simon put forward, “Mostly, a get-to-know-you session.”

  Actually, he had already acquired intimate knowledge about his fellow members and knew most of what they were about to say.

  Simon, giving them no time to object, was the first to volunteer.

  He began with how he grew up in San Francisco and attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he obtained a master’s degree in psychology. “I was fascinated with how a person’s mind operates and thought it would be helpful in whatever career I’d eventually select.” He told the group that he had no desire ever to work for a corporation, or even a small business, unless it was his own. He saw himself as a freelance consultant, but was unsure in what area of business, given his wide range of interests.

  Then, as one member of the group remembered, he appeared to have strayed in a moment of reverie. Several of the others believed he was referring to a romantic interlude in his life, which explained the restricted access to the bedroom. In a short time, however, they realized he was talking about the Internet. It was riveting when Simon spoke of how the Internet, and yet-to-be-discovered technology, was going to change the world forever.

  He continued to elaborate on how the arrival of Microsoft Internet Explorer, a few months before, had already changed the way people gathered and utilized information. However, he thought the users of the Internet had not yet realized its full potential, and he wanted to be on the leading edge of that discovery and any other advances that followed.

  Simon casually mentioned, “I also have a BS in computer science from UC Berkeley,” which explained his expertise in setting up the computer lab. He then went on to clarify his approach, utilizing this new age of information management, from a different angle. He wanted to focus more on the business-related challenges of the technology.

  Simon believed it was essential for him to earn a master’s in science, technology, and management from Harvard, to fulfill his long-harbored dream.

  “As for my spare time,” he said, “I use it to hone my programming and research skills.”

  Simon, with a self-satisfied smile, turned to Chase Worthington, who picked up the cue.

  —

  Chase stated his main interest was in the world of economics and finance. His desire was to one day be the CFO for a major national bank. “Frankly, I was looking for an opportunity to leave Dorchester, my hometown, and move to the financial capital of the world, New York City,” he said gleefully.

  He described his work as the bank manager of a small community bank in Boston, and alluded to the fact his career had stymied. While he had a bachelor of science degree in the field of finance, Chase was convinced a graduate degree would provide him with more opportunities, and certainly, a master’s degree in business economics from Harvard would provide him with a platform to advance his career.

  In terms of interest, Chase was not an avid sports fan and preferred mind games over sporting events. He loved reading business books, although from time to time he would unwind with a novel. “For example, I just finished reading Ludlum’s The Scorpio Illusion. The story line was about a beautiful terrorist determined to kill the heads of state of several major co
untries, including the United States. It was vintage Ludlum. I liked the fast-moving thriller elements and the international intrigue,” he confessed. Chase let slip that it was so different from his life, where he tended to play it safe; occasionally he needed a vicarious “benign” pleasure. It was his fix.

  “I’m single,” he further acknowledged, “but hope someday that will change, although I’m not currently dating.”

  Simon’s selection of Chase was a natural.

  Their relationship started long before they arrived at Harvard, under circumstances that became a determining factor. They met several years earlier when Simon set up a sizable account at Chase’s branch in Boston. Transferring upward of a million dollars was an astronomical amount in those days, and Simon immediately became one of the bank’s highest net-worth clients, a relationship that Chase treasured and nurtured. For the first time in his career, it had moved him into the limelight.

  Eventually Chase and Simon became trusted friends.

  In their early days, Simon convinced his new friend he had a lot more to offer. He admonished Chase for having already spent so many years as the bank manager, all the while knowing there was little future in sight. Simon recognized Chase’s intellect and desire for something more. He persuaded Chase to return to school to further his education.

  Shortly after Harvard accepted Simon, he was able to convince Chase to apply. Simon worked hand in glove with Chase to help him complete his Application for Admission and compose his Statement of Purpose—but two obstacles had remained.

  First, Chase had already missed the deadline for taking the GRE, the Graduate Record Examination. So, with a little of his “magic,” Simon entered the Harvard University computer database and recorded Chase’s GRE score of eight hundred, the highest score one can receive. It was of little importance to Simon that he illegally recorded the score, but Chase was uneasy.

  “If you had actually taken the test you would have attained that score,” Simon offered convincingly. It would be the first of several times Simon would need to entice Chase.

  The second obstacle had been Chase’s inability to give up his job to return to school, so Simon agreed to loan him the necessary funds from his sizable bank account. Moreover, he wrote Chase’s Statement of Financial Resources, indicating that he had the ability to pay tuition and housing for the full two years. Chase was then able to produce a bank statement from the account he set up as an educational fund, underwritten by Simon.

  Chase was low-key, overly conservative, and had an impeccable record. He was a natural with numbers and understood all aspects of the banking system. So there he was, attending the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, satisfying a lifelong dream, as was Simon.

  Simon had his man in tow and was relieved. Thank you, Chase, for not acknowledging our prior relationship to the group. He was acutely aware that Chase was indebted to him and he could rely on Chase to follow the rules without challenge.

  —

  Paolo Salvatore picked up the nod from Simon and followed Chase by explaining that his plan was a career in some area of public service. He had earned an undergraduate degree from New York University in law and society, its pre-law program, but was uncertain as to how he would apply his knowledge. There was no doubt he loved to talk, to write, to preach, and most of all, to spin anything political.

  “I’m amazed at the gullibility of people,” he proclaimed. “I’ve witnessed firsthand how words can turn the most committed into the uncommitted, lies into truths, virtues into scandals.” His belief was enough to motivate him to enroll in Harvard, to broaden his knowledge and study to attain a master’s degree in political economy and government. Paolo punctuated his desire for a firmer understanding of the full impact of politics on the economy. He believed that the economy was most influential when it came time to vote, votes he hoped his words would persuade.

  “After all,” he boasted, “Harvard is where many lawyers turned politicians. If it was good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me. Someday these politicians might even need my help if they want to be elected.”

  Paolo was a quick study with raw intelligence, but his charm alone, delivered with that sophisticated Italian accent, was almost enough to assure him a bright future. Surprisingly, Paolo had no immediate plans for any serious relationship. “There are so many women and so little time.” He laughed.

  His only other passion besides women and politics was calcio, which is Italian for football, but is actually the game of soccer. Paolo, like every other Italian, worshipped his football team and never missed a game. His VCR was forever recording, because unfortunately, the games were played across the pond, six hours ahead of eastern daylight time.

  Simon met Paolo when they were seated next to each other at the complimentary dinner in Dudley Hall for newly admitted students. Paolo, who took enormous pleasure in conversation, would happily talk to anyone, especially about politics. He was perfectly comfortable starting a tête-à-tête, even with complete strangers, and no matter what their political bent was, he could spin either way.

  It just so happened on that night he struck up a conversation with Simon, complaining, “Can you believe the problems brewing at the White House over this Lewinsky scandal? The definition of is, was rather a lame riposte coming from the president.” There was no doubt in Paolo’s mind it would have been better for the president to come clean sooner rather than later.

  Simon, not caring either way, had taken the defense. He suggested it was a personal matter and should not be of any concern to the American public.

  Paolo, fully prepared, utilizing the myriad of information he had acquired from the governors and the senators for whom he had written speeches, challenged Simon’s premise, and their debate continued. Feeling he had sufficiently made his argument and not wanting to engage any further, Paolo diverted from the subject, shrugged, and said, “They should fire whoever is writing the president’s material. I could have done so much better.”

  Simon loved listening to Paolo, his arguments, and his passion. Most of all, he admired his extensive knowledge of the questionable activities inside the Beltway. He had previously vetted Paolo, so sitting next to him at the dinner that night had been no coincidence. A few more planned encounters were all that were necessary before asking Paolo to join his study group.

  True to form, Paolo had accepted without hesitation.

  —

  Hank Kramer’s love was social policy. He loved pulling groups of people together to fight a cause, believing the more voices heard, the more strength would be given to the issue. It didn’t matter what the rallying cry of the moment was, so long as it was tackling what he conceived to be a social injustice. He felt there were an endless number of issues to address.

  “To be effective I have to be more knowledgeable than the other people in my field,” he rightfully admitted.

  Hank had solid experience, but needed more structured knowledge that would ideally come from a master’s degree in government and social policy from Harvard, to supplement his bachelor’s in sociology from the University of Illinois. He understood that credentials alone wouldn’t carry all the weight, but he felt that in conjunction with his experience, it would be a formidable combination.

  “While I want to fight for the poor against injustice, I’m not fighting to be poor.” He smiled. He had intended to start his own foundation that would allow him to follow his vision, and at the same time provide him with a comfortable living. He spoke with such an air of confidence; the others knew it would unfold exactly the way he planned.

  “I am also a member of Mensa, which in Latin means table,” Hank managed to slip into the conversation. “Coincidently, it is a round-table society, specifically an international high IQ society. In order to qualify for Mensa, one must score above the ninety-eighth percentile on the standard test for intelligence.”

  What may have seemed like boasting to some seemed natural and innocuous to those in the r
oom.

  Hank was also proud of the fact that he was a chess master, as he made clear. “I love the strategizing, setting up the long-term goals, and then achieving them, the basic premise behind the game. The board is my mental battlefield,” he boasted, and then continued to brag, “Other than chess, I don’t have much time for extracurricular activities, except I can find time for an occasional rendezvous with my female acquaintances.” One would hardly describe Hank as good-looking, but his gift of gab evidently attracted the opposite and attractive sex.

  A week after settling into his new life on campus, Hank had met his first new friend. It was at the Widener Library. Hank had been reaching for a large book, titled Housing Finance: Expanding Capital for Affordable Multifamily Housing, from one of the stacks. It was a report to the congressional committees from the United States General Accounting Office, dated October 1993. The 136-page volume slipped from his grasp, only to find Chase on the receiving end.

  Chase couldn’t help but notice the hefty title and thought it an odd choice. “Rather weighty, no pun intended,” he said, “especially for the first week of class. What’s the interest?”

  Hank pontificated for several minutes about how every citizen had the right to own a home, and that the United States was failing miserably at providing that entitlement, among others.

  Chase in turn had argued that it wasn’t necessarily a right, but more a privilege, and a discourse followed.

  Amazingly, at the end of an hour, the consummate conservative Chase and the hopelessly liberal Hank struck up a friendship that continued for years.

  Chase relayed to Simon his encounter with Hank.

  Actually, Simon had already checked into Hank’s background and had suggested that Chase befriend him. He asked Chase to spend time with Hank and ferret out whether he would be interested in joining their study group.

  Hank had proved he had the talent to be a formidable organizer, and fortunately, for Simon, he wanted to enhance his education at Harvard.