The University’s crew

There is a saying that money follows money. For Anna Maria Schumacher this phrase was part of her childhood, growing up next to her multi-millionaire father. The only descendant of the Schumacher dynasty still hears that phrase echoing in her ears. Even now, as a mature businessman, having doubled her family property and displaced her father from the management of the family business group, on the sidelines of his enrichment. But never satisfied, never full. That’s why she chose not only the management of the Schumacher business, but also to take over the administration of the University of Berlin, which the group is well financing. Thus, she shared the time between business lounges and academic halls. Tough as she could be in the negotiations and financial investments, Anna Maria had a very simple rule: if I am to pay for something, I want to get back three times its value. As in her business, she ceased all funding for unprofitable research, dismissed staff that was not productive in numbers, and put everything that could be sold in the hands of companies and investors. From the results of an investigation to the copyright of works created on behalf of the university.

Continuously in argument with the staff, there were many times when Cleopatras Kipselis, the Professor of Archeology, was in conflict with her. Outspoken by her systemic approach, threatening to end a multi-year research, older than Anna Maria herself. The professor, on the one hand, knew that he could only push her to continue funding, and did so often, by publishing the findings of his excavations in Star’s newspaper. Anna Maria, on the other hand, felt her wrath overflowing within every time she saw an article praising the professor’s work and the cosmetic comments that accompanied her “grandness” to fund unprofitable researches.

Bottom line, the possible loss of an internationally recognized scientist would drive investors away. She was thinking of him as a stupid old man, nonetheless she wanted to know everything associated with the excavations research in Greece, since the world – the media and social networks were buzzing with Kipseli’s disappearance, exactly in the same location where the late Greek Archeologist Theocharis had discovered the cave Sarakinos, also known as Timpano. First, she dismissed the dean of the Department of Archeology because he allowed the professor to take a leave for personal reasons, as he had invoked, and then she unleashed hell to learn whatever possible regarding his disappearance. She even recruited a private eye who, on the pretext of being a fellow professor from the University of Heidelberg, formed a group of students to visit the excavation area on Mount Pelion. The command was clear: “…find and bring Kispelis back, and whatever he may have discovered should become property of the university no matter the cost.”

Invitation

Esteemed Colleagues,

I am contacting you without hesitation, as time is of great essence. You are all familiar with Professor Kleopatras Kipseli’s work, if not the man himself. I must bear the news to you, that he has been reported missing since yesterday, and it seems that the local authorities are not willing to co-operate. I am deeply worried that our head of Archaeological Studies department might have been abducted or even worse. As you already know, we are assembling a team to undertake the continuity of the excavation in the research area of mount Pelion, around the village Kissos. Dealing with authorities is not an easy task, therefore I need to inform you that I have decided to include an undercover investigator along, Mr. McCormack, to be introduced as a fellow scientist from the department of Archaeology of the Heidelberg University. We have provided Mr. McCormack with any information that’ve acquired from the professor’s research diary. Nonetheless, I beg you of not revealing to anyone his true identity and thus I ask from you to treat him like any of us. Your destination is Greece where Professor Stavrianidis and professor Kipselis were researching evidence about the possible existence of the legendary Centaur Chiron. His disappearance brought the possibility of larceny of his research to light. Of course, this danger comes second to the personal interest for his wellbeing. I will personally supervise your field expedition and use any force in my disposal to make it successful in order to restore our institution’s image. Last but not least, I want once more to remind you the significance of your mission to ensure both the safety of Kipseli’s research as well as to collaborate with Mr. McCormack in his effort to learn what happened to our dearest professor.

Warm Regards
Anna Maria Schumacher
Head Master of Berlin University