He wasn’t exactly reaching for the stars, and perhaps that was why his career had stalled. His parents were ordinary clerks, and he hadn’t inherited from them any useful connections or capital that could have changed his life for the better. The bank valued him, but no one was in a hurry to move him up the ladder. Stephen brought in steady, reliable income, but he couldn’t leap beyond himself and land one of those mind-blowing deals for a huge sum of money, the kind his friends seemed to pull off so easily.

For a long time, he couldn’t understand why, until he got involved with Eugenia, who worked as a secretary for his boss. She managed to hint at something that might help his career.

It happened by chance, at a corporate party. Despite her stunning looks, no one seemed eager to approach her, and she sat bored and aloof, a strange sight for such a dazzling girl with a knockout figure.

Stephen offered her a drink, and she agreed. They spent the evening pleasantly enough and discovered they had many acquaintances in common. They amused themselves by recalling the various flaws and quirks of their relatives, friends, and colleagues. Those without position, wealth, or connections got it worst of all. It was funny, and somehow that cruelty delighted her. She laughed with him freely, almost giddily.

Afterward, they exchanged numbers and agreed to call each other. Stephen offered her a ride home. During the drive, Eugenia asked whether he was a member of a Masonic lodge, as was customary in their circle.

The fact that he wasn’t, in her opinion, was a serious flaw, one she could help him fix. Apparently, Stephen had made a good impression on her, and she intended to continue their acquaintance.

From what Stephen gathered, membership in a Masonic lodge opened new doors, including financial ones. It allowed its initiates to form close ties with the “powers that be,” which, unsurprisingly, led to rapid career advancement.

For some especially ambitious young men, that ascent was so fast it inspired both envy and admiration. Eugenia mentioned several names, young men who belonged to the secret fraternity. Of course, he knew them all. They were the stars of TV reports, the ones ordinary people envied. Those poor souls would never have such money or influence.

But the rich boys, their story was different. Each had earned not only a fortune but a name, one that opened doors to high politics. Naturally, this information intrigued the young, ambitious manager who was eager to climb another rung on the career ladder.

Stephen believed neither in mysticism nor religion. He believed in the power of money, and in a way, that belief had become his personal creed. His attitude toward people was defined entirely by their financial status. Nothing else interested him. Money was his idol, and he would probably have been ready to commit a crime if it meant advancing his career or securing his future.

After that conversation, Stephen became fascinated by everything connected with the Masons, their symbols, their history, and their secret rituals. As he learned, joining the fraternity required a personal recommendation from an existing member. That wasn’t easy, because the sponsor bore full responsibility for the new initiate, who, once accepted, became a Mason himself.

And that could turn dangerous. Apostates were punished severely. Every so often, Stephen came across newspaper reports about mysterious murders of once-successful young men who, judging by all accounts, had belonged to these secret societies but had somehow betrayed the trust placed in them.

Such murders were never properly investigated; it was practically impossible to trace the people behind them. But those who remained within the order always had money and protection. That was why these secret societies continued to thrive, exerting immense influence on both society and the state.

Still, Stephen’s interests weren’t limited to money. He began seeing Eugenia more often, especially when their boss was away, spending as much time in her company as he could. Their relationship developed quickly, and soon everyone around them, friends, coworkers, noticed. Eugenia apparently had no boyfriend, and it was about time she married. Stephen, too, was ready for something serious. He felt a kindred spirit in her. She was just as calculating as he was.

It was Eugenia who told him that his boss, the junior partner of Goldman Sachs, was one of the lodge’s prominent members. She promised to speak to him about Stephen, hinting that she might get something out of it herself. And she was right, Stephen had begun to think of her as his other half, and if he managed to increase his fortune substantially, he would certainly propose.

But for now, it was too soon. He didn’t have enough money, not for raising children in an elite private school, nor for buying an apartment downtown, where the wealthy lived. Eugenia seemed to understand this well, and so she didn’t rush him.

Chapter 3

To think that someone else can make you happy or unhappy is simply ridiculous.

Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)

After Stephen Kubrick met Eugenia, his life took a sharp turn. And to him, that turn felt irreversible. It was as if fortune, long asleep somewhere in an attic, had finally noticed the hapless manager. The most unlikely projects he’d long forgotten suddenly began to come together. Clients started finding him. His phone wouldn’t stop ringing, and that, most likely, was why even his boss began to take notice, though before, he’d done his best to ignore Stephen altogether.

The boss summoned him to his office and invited him to play a round of golf at a private country club some twenty miles outside the city. Stephen wasn’t much of a golfer, but it would have been both impolite and unwise to refuse, so he agreed. Besides, Eugenia had promised to speak with his boss in advance about his intention to join the Masonic lodge and become an active member.

It’s believed that golf originated in Scotland, invented by shepherds who used wooden staffs to drive stones into rabbit holes. Over time, those staff evolved into golf clubs. Their shape changed, and they became metal. The rules changed as well, simpler now than before, and took their final form in Scotland in the early nineteenth century. From there, the game spread rapidly across the world, reaching even the most remote corners.

Mostly, it was a game for aristocrats, since it required large plots of land that had to be specially prepared, something the poor couldn’t afford. By the late nineteenth century, golf had finally made its way to the United States, which at the time was in the midst of explosive economic growth. The country was full of wealthy men eager to revive the traditions of their ancestors.

In America, golf became a setting where the nation’s richest and most powerful men gathered: bankers, insurers, financiers, businessmen, merchants. That’s why so many private, exclusive golf clubs appeared across the U.S., places where these people could meet to discuss the most important and confidential matters affecting both the country and society. Most of them were excellent golfers, and sometimes they even played for money. Belonging to such a club was prestigious, but admission was by recommendation only, an invitation extended by a current member.

Stephen’s trip to the country club exceeded his boldest expectations. It turned out his boss wasn’t only a strict manager but also a man with a fine sense of humor. He greeted Stephen warmly and introduced him to the small circle of their community, all smiles and courtesies, even toward strangers he barely knew.

Some of the invited guests Stephen recognized. They were the so-called “cream of society”, people who held in their hands not only the fate of that city but, in a sense, of the entire United States.

They spoke to him as an equal, showing neither arrogance nor condescension. After the round of golf, in which Stephen didn’t perform particularly well, the host invited him to the bar. On the second floor were small booths designed for private conversations. That’s where they sat down to talk while the other club members continued their game.

“Tell me, Stephen,” the boss asked after they’d raised their glasses to the meeting and the fine day outdoors, “you did know that Eugenia is my illegitimate daughter, didn’t you?”

Stephen’s look of complete bewilderment was genuine. He had no idea. Eugenia had never mentioned that her boss was her father. Had he known, his life would have taken a very different course. If Stephen had learned the truth earlier, he never would have approached her at that event where they met. But it was too late to turn back now.

“Eugenia’s told me a lot about you,” the boss went on, “and I tend to agree with her. You could have a remarkable career and rise quickly, if you don’t make any foolish mistakes and if you listen to my advice, as well as to the counsel of the men who are members of this club.”

He paused briefly, then added, “And I can even help you with that.”

Stephen took another shot of whiskey and nodded. He knew better than to interrupt his boss once he started talking. Being no fool, Stephen had learned the value of listening to people, an instinct that had served him well in his line of work, which demanded not only knowledge of financial and legal matters but also a keen understanding of the people who were his clients or interlocutors.

“To begin with, I want to entrust you with a matter of a personal nature,” the boss said, fixing his eyes on his golf partner. “If you handle it well, a brilliant future awaits you. This could be the perfect start to your career, and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you succeed.”

He smiled faintly. “Especially since you might one day become part of my family,” the banker added.

“Of course, I’ll do my best to help,” Stephen replied. “But could you fill me in on the details of this upcoming… operation?” He was intrigued by the mysterious tone in which the man spoke; his boss had never addressed him that way before.

He couldn’t wait to hear what Aaron Schleiter, his direct superior and now his confidant in this private conversation, was about to tell him.