The leaders of nationalist and separatist movements from several European countries arrived around noon after flying into the small Umea airport via Stockholm. With their cross country ski equipment they blended in with other tourists. Some of them travelled alone, others brought their spouse but, as instructed by the courier, none of them brought their bodyguards. Most of them were not recognized by the public and did not know each other as the real leaders preferred to keep a low profile in order to avoid unwanted attention from the local press and police forces. A few of the well-known men, not to say infamous ones, who had other priorities, sent their second in command. A minibus with the prearranged sign saying "Elk tours" waited at the exit from the airport building. At 14:00, after checking the list of participants, the minibus left on the 65 km trip to the Bjurholm where rooms were booked in a small bed-and-breakfast place run by one of Andreas' supporters. The participants were welcomed by the proprietor and Andreas who offered them schnapps and some elk meat sandwiches and told them that the meeting would convene at 19:00 over dinner. All vocal or visual recording devices were banned from the meeting and the participants were asked to leave their cellphones in their rooms.
The dinner was held in the small dining room and two tables were arranged next to a wood burning fireplace. Andreas started by introducing himself and presenting Ollie as his chief strategist. Introduction of the participants was according to the preset rules of the low profile meeting therefore each of leaders introduced himself by his first name or nickname and country so that their true identity was known only to Andreas. Although there were conflicts between the declared objectives of some of the different movements the leaders came to hear the proposals and ideas that Andreas hinted at in his cryptic message and all differences of opinion were put aside for the duration of the meeting. After all of them had enjoyed their dinner, once again based on elk meat, and were sipping their digestive drink consisting of Andreas's favorite cognac, Ollie stood up and presented his plan for constructing an unconventional weapon, preferably an improvised nuclear device, that would be used to blackmail the government into accepting the demands of each movement. The leaders applauded the brilliant idea but then some questions were raised. The leader of the paramilitary extension of the British National Socialist Party (BNSP), a ruffian with a thick neck and low forehead, asked if fission materials could cause brain function impairment. The leader of the Flemish separatist movement, an intelligent looking thin man with round eye glasses, answered him that he personally should have no fear of that. This caused a short burst of laughter that was wasted on the Briton who raised the question. The Hungarian representative asked if Gypsies would be affected by nuclear radiation because he had heard that low life forms, like cockroaches, were not affected by it. This comment brought smiles to the faces of those few representatives who understood the cynicism of the comment.
Some more serious questions were raised including the means required to acquire the fissile material and Andreas asked if anyone had an idea about obtaining the materials needed to implement the plan. Andreas estimated that a considerable sum of money would be needed to acquire fissile material on the "black market" if there were any sellers and even more for manufacturing a crude improvised nuclear device. He proposed that they should all establish a fund for that purpose and that each organization should contribute to the joint venture. The leaders did not want to make any financial commitments on the spot but they all consented to go home and consult with their financiers and wealthy backers. Andreas now realized that disclosing the plan to so many people with conflicting interests could lead to a disaster and wondered if the whole idea should be aborted when help came from an unexpected quarter.
The Catalan representative, known to his colleagues by the name of Delgado (thin man) despite his impressive girth, stood up and declared that he may have the answer to their problem. Everybody paid attention as Spain was not one of the countries that possessed the knowledge, far less the actual means, for producing fissile materials. Delgado said that one of the dedicated members of his support group was a professor at Barcelona University and in one of their clandestine meetings he claimed that he had developed a novel technique for producing a fissile material. The professor tried to explain the scientific principles underlying his invention but Delgado, who had finished his schooling at the age of 14 when he was sent to help his father in the field, did not understand anything beyond the fact that this material could be used to make an atomic bomb. This revelation changed the dynamics of the meeting and the leaders that had already stood up and prepared to leave the room returned to their seats. Andreas and Ollie suggested that they all meet again after some background checks were carried out about the technical details of the invention. The specifics of that meeting would be delivered once again by courier to the representatives who were willing to contribute financial aid and technical support in return for gaining access to the nuclear device and permission to use it against their governments in order to further their specific cause.
Ollie was relieved that the idea of approaching the Catalan professor did not come from him, as that may have given the whole plan away. So, pretending to be surprised by Delgado's suggestion, he asked him to stay after the meeting adjourned and obtained the name and address of Prof. Modena. With the help of Delgado a meeting was set up for the middle of April. Delgado said that he would arrange the meeting and that his representative would be in the Travel Bar on April 18th. When Ollie asked who would meet him Delgado said that he would be met by Ramona, a graduate student of the professor. Ollie asked how they would recognize each other to verify their identity and Delgado said that she would say "all other seats were taken" when he will invite her to join him by saying "please be seated and I'll buy you a cool drink".
Once again the leaders of the separatist and nationalist movements convened after receiving a message from Andreas. This time they met in Corfu Town, a bastion of the Greek Golden Dawn movement that provided the security for the meeting. They all posed as early season vacationers that wanted to take advantage of the low prices and yet enjoy the sunshine, beaches and good food. They took over a small hotel located just above a popular restaurant and close to the town center and the pedestrian streets. Andreas and Ollie were glad to get away from gloomy Stockholm especially as they felt that they had achieved a breakthrough for obtaining fissile material and were anxious to share the good news with their like-minded colleagues and to start carrying out practical steps towards their goal.
The delegates checked in and were offered a refreshing cocktail of Ouzo and mint flavored red grapefruit juice. They all gathered in the small breakfast room on the second floor and waited for Ollie's presentation. Ollie, who thus far had managed to hide the fact that he had a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a better understanding of the physical principles on which Professor Modena's idea was based, presented the idea in very simple terms so that everyone, except the British delegate of course, could understand. The participants discussed the matter and tried to decide on a safe place in which to establish the laboratory. Delgado, the Catalan separatist, proposed that they use a remote semi-deserted village in the Pyrenees Mountains. Other delegates each suggested some uninhabited area in their own country, hoping to control the production of the fissile material and thus have priority access to it. The debate had gone on for half an hour with each delegate feeling that he had to make his own claims until Ollie, who had anticipated this, stood up and waved his hand. Everyone fell quiet waiting for his words. He proceeded by asking them a rhetorical question: "Where is the best place to hide a book?" Books were not the forte of most of the delegates so he had to give the obvious answer: "In a library or a bookstore, of course". Not seeing looks of comprehension he asked them "Where would you hide a stolen car?" This time, smiles lit up their faces, and in unison they said "In a crowded parking lot". So Ollie said "We'll hide the production laboratory in an industrial high-tech park where people come and go at all hours and trucks carrying scientific equipment are a common sight". Once again every participant offered their local facilities but Ollie and Andreas overruled these suggestions and said that northern Italy would be ideal due to the fact that it was centrally located in Europe, had advanced high-tech companies and the local authorities could be easily steered away from the site. The delegates accepted this decision and the Italian delegate promised to make the necessary arrangements as quickly as possible. Before he could name the locality of the site Ollie told him that from now on they would all operate on a-need-to-know basis and the exact location was not to be mentioned.