Big Money

by James Hudson

  As for me, I drew up a new plan of action toward my competitors. I love my competitors. They make my heart beat faster.

  I apologize if my video was an unpleasant surprise for someone. I’m alive, I’m back, and I’m ready to keep working.”

  George pressed stop. Everything was an outrageous lie. But he couldn’t tell the world that he’d forgotten everything. He just wanted to blindside his enemies. He named the video ‘The resurrection of George Hartley,’ and uploaded it on YouTube and Instagram.

  Now I’m officially a public figure, he grinned. Most people probably think I’m an idiot joking about death. Or even they won’t believe I’m alive. And besides, ordinary people love exciting, funny videos. Who would ever watch mine? Only people… who are going to kill me!

  George typed his name into the search field. The results of web-searching were scarce. Dozens of websites just duplicated the facts of his biography. There were some short comments regarding the stock market situation.

  According to the information, the financial fund of George Hartley had existed since 2006. That meant that George Hartley was very young when he started his activity – about 25 years old.

  Suddenly he read, “George Hartley has been a major sponsor of the Cancer-Fighting Company. Every year Mr. Hartley donated about fifty million dollars. Without this money, the company would never exist. In 2017, the Cancer-Fighting Company held an initial public offering. Hundreds of investors bought shares of the company. That year, George Hartley doubled his donations. The main goal of the company is to create a cure for cancer.”

  George quickly opened the stock charts and started thinking aloud.

  “That’s the point!” he exclaimed. “For the previous year, the stock prices of the Cancer Fighting Company went up by 200 percent. Just a week ago, an unusually large volume of shares was traded – someone bought a huge amount of stocks. Let’s see… A week ago, the reporters spread the news that the Cancer Fighting Company was about to make a major breakthrough in cancer research. And someone believed and bought the stocks.” George drummed his fingers on the table. “That happened seven days ago, and someone sold the stocks to the new investor… The stocks reached all-time highs. And three days ago, I was poisoned. What can we see?

  Of course! Someone made a huge amount of money, having poisoned me! The lengthy uptrend was violated. The stocks plunged more than fifty percent in two previous days! I had been the main sponsor of the company. And when I was poisoned, it became clear that the Cancer-Fighting Company would be flat broke. And here we are! That means that someone was ready for the high volatility. Someone opened short positions right before my fake death…

  And what else can we see? Yesterday there was a panic selling until 6 p.m. when suddenly there appeared a customer, and the stock started to recover. Another large volume. Was it a short cover? Or someone believed that the company would stay afloat?”

  George wiped the sweat from his forehead.

  “It’s that simple!” he exclaimed. “Someone planned that I’d stay alive! That market player just wanted to deceive the traders, sold the stocks at the peak price, then ‘killed’ me, the shares fell down, now the player wants me to resurrect… Ross! He insisted that I should announce that I was alive as quickly as possible! And actually, I’ve just done it! The traders and investors must’ve seen my video on YouTube and Instagram. If they didn’t, I bet Ross had already ordered the reporters to spread the news around the world. It must be him who’s bought the stocks a couple of hours ago. Tomorrow, when the market opens, everybody will be amazed that I resurrected, the stocks will spike and continue rising, and Ross will make a dozen of millions or even more…

  But what about Walter Schmidt? Is he playing against Ross? If so, he’s definitely the person who doesn’t want me alive. Walter Schmidt must be at cross-purposes with Ross...

  I could make money too. From my own death…” George grinned. “That would be epic! It’s a little bit late, of course. Everything happens tomorrow. If only I could—”

  A sudden knock on the door made him jump. It was weak, but George had a bad feeling about that. He slowly approached the door. The knock repeated.

  28. Ambush

  “Who’s there? I don’t need my room cleaned,” George said loudly. Let’em start speaking.

  “George, it’s me, Sarah!”

  “Jesus!”

  George flung the door open. Sarah, the girl with whom he drank coffee a few hours ago, stood there, embarrassed.

  “Come in, quick!” George ordered. “Are you alone?”

  “Yes!”

  She’d changed her clothes and now looked different. Instead of leather jacket, pants, and biker boots, she’d put on a tight-fitting violet dress and high-heeled boots. Her coat was unbuttoned.

  “I’m glad you’re alive!” she tried to embrace him.

  George felt something was not right. “How the hell did you find me?” he asked coldly.

  She was frightened. “I just wanted to make sure you’re all right. If you want me to go—”

  “No, stay here. I repeat my question. How did you find me?”

  She took off her coat and smiled. “I came back home after… those people abducted you—”

  “They didn’t abduct me!” George barked.

  “Sorry… So, I started searching for information about you. I thought I could somehow help you. And suddenly, I found your Instagram and saw that you’d just posted that video. And there was geolocation data. It turned out I was a few blocks away from you. I called a cab, and here I am, George!

  You know, when I saw you in the coffeehouse, I remembered the time we’d been together. I miss you, George… Do you still hate me for what I’ve done?”

  George frowned. “What have you done?”

  “Did you forget that? I mean, once you stayed the night with me. In the morning, you got up, had breakfast and went to work, but forgot a folder with some documents on my desk. I called you, but you didn’t answer. Then I got dressed and went to your skyscraper. There I asked one of your colleagues to hand over the folder to you.

  In an hour, you called me, and you were very, very angry, having heard that. You decided… to leave me after that. I’m… very, very sorry, George.”

  George was stunned. His mouth went dry. “What kind of documents were in that folder?”

  Sarah shrugged. “How do I know? I’ve never been interested in financial markets. It’s so boring! I ride motorcycles. This is much more engaging.”

  “But… how did you know that I’d been working in that skyscraper?” George asked nervously.

  “I can’t believe you don’t remember that!” Sarah fluttered her eyes open. “It was another night we’d been together. You called me in the late evening. You were drunk. You said you’d just returned from a big trip. You wanted to relax. And I’d just purchased a Ducati motorcycle. Gosh, I was so excited! I drove up to the skyscraper. You invited me in. And we started making love in the elevator.”

  George shuddered. That elevator that didn’t go down…

  “You were crazy that night. You tore apart my leather jacket!”

  “All right! Stop it!” George grabbed her by the waist.

  Sarah moaned as expected.

  “Listen to me! Concentrate!” George cried. “You said that you’d found me knowing my geolocation.”

  “Yes!” she nodded. “It’s quite precise. This hotel!”

  “But the receptionists don’t know that I live here! One girl rented the room for me!”

  “A girl? Is she pretty? All right… They didn’t find your name. But I described your looks. They watched the footage from the security cameras and gave me your room number. Come on… stop interrogating me!”

  “I don’t believe you! The hotel receptionists would never disclose the information about the guests.”

  At the moment, somebody kicked the door, that it almost blew off the hinges.

  “Fuck!” George hissed furiously, grabbing Sarah by the n
eck. “You betrayed me!”

  “No! How could I?” she cried out. “I told you the truth! Everyone can see your geolocation! I would never do anything to harm you!” she pursed her lips.

  Someone kicked the door.

  “OK, listen!” George said rigidly. “I have another folder with documents and some money. I would never give it to you, but I have to. I guess it’s a life-or-death situation. You must leave this place right now. By any means. If I stay alive, I’ll find you, OK?”

  Sarah nodded. She was pale.

  George gave her the documents and the money. She tried to hide it in her purse.

  “If they break the door open, tell them you’re a whore. You know nothing about me.”

  “Yes, George! Trust me. I’ll save you.”

  George chuckled. “Save me? I doubt it. My life is so complicated…”

  “Open up, Hartley! Or you’re dead!” the male voice roared.

  George sighed. “The same shit every fucking day!” He smiled, looking at amazed Sarah. “Look, I think that we should throw the documents and the money out of the window.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “As you wish. But what if somebody picks it up?”

  “Actually, the papers are of little consequence. I bet they are after me. But anyway, I would save money. I bet they are after me. But anyway, I would save the money.”

  Sarah nodded. George didn’t avert his eyes from her. She looked a bit disappointed.

  Is she hunting for the same information too? George thought.

  They opened the window. The street was quiet – almost no pedestrians, cars were passing from time to time.

  “Do you have a ride?” George asked and threw the folder on the sidewalk.

  “A motorcycle!” Sarah exclaimed. “What about money? Maybe I could hide it?”

  “No!”

  “How much is there?”

  “About 200 grand.”

  “What?” she gasped. “I can hide it in my panties!”

  George grinned. “Well, they might rape you.”

  “Who?”

  George ignored her question. “As soon as you get out of here, you must drive away as fast as you can. You understand?”

  She nodded.

  “Don’t try to find me. Tell me your phone number now, and I’ll call you.”

  She repeated her number three times.

  “Don’t be afraid,” he stroked her hair. She sparkled with joy when he touched her.

  “Remember, you’re just a whore.”

  She swallowed saliva and nodded.

  “You look slutty, by the way. Did you drive the motorcycle in this short dress?”

  “Yes,” she said tremulously. “Actually, I prefer wearing sports clothes.”

  “So, why did you put this on then?” George grinned.

  She was confused. George felt that he liked her now.

  They heard a loud crack behind their backs. The door fell off its hinges to the side. Five armed guys broke into the room, aiming assault rifles at George.

  29. At the Edge of Doom

  “Everybody get down! Eyes on the target!” one of the guys ordered.

  “Wow!” George grinned. “What a nice surprise!”

  “On the floor!”

  But George chuckled and sat on the couch. His heart was pounding, although he wasn’t scared to death. There must’ve been much scarier to talk with armed Houthis in Yemen.

  “Guys, I’ve been to places where you would never go under any circumstances,” George said calmly. “Take off your helmets, put your guns aside, let’s talk business.”

  “We came here to find something,” one of the guys said. “Give it to us!”

  “You won’t kill me because you are interested in alive George Hartley, right? If I’m alive, you can speculate in the stock market.”

  The guys didn’t move, but one of them said, “Walter Schmidt sent us. He’s interested in your death. And always been.”

  George grunted. “He doesn’t know my secrets. He’s a shitbag, full of jealousy. He’ll never be able to rule the company.”

  “We have an order to get the document and disappear.”

  “Oh, I see… Sorry, I can’t help you,” George spread his hands. “I have to talk to Walter Schmidt. Maybe he would convince me to give him the document.”

  The guys hesitated. George noticed that. “Call him!” he ordered.

  A moment of silence. Four of guys turned to the fifth.

  He must be a commander, George thought.

  The commander pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number.

  “Yeah! What’s up! Are you there?” a nervous male voice asked from the phone.

  “Walter! It’s me, Hartley! I’m still alive!”

  “Where’s the fucking document? Don’t tell me you have no idea what I’m talking about!” Walter Schmidt shouted.

  “Where’s your hospitality, Walter?” George inquired. “Actually, I’m not surprised you can’t communicate with people. They don’t like you because first, you should show people you’re friendly. And then you can order them to do something for you.”

  “Give my guys what they need!”

  “First, answer my questions. And then—”

  “Go ahead!” Walter Schmidt barked angrily.

  “When did you start digging up dirt on me?” George asked.

  “About a year ago. One girl left some documents in the lobby. The security guards sold me those documents.”

  George cast a withering look at Sarah. She lowered her eyes and blushed red.

  “Then, I bribed your system administrator. He gave me another piece of information.”

  “The stocks of the Cancer Fighting Company plunged by twenty percent in two days,” George said. “You need me alive, Walter—”

  Walter Schmidt laughed. “No! Ross bought the stocks! And I need you dead, man! I sold the stocks, and I need them to fall and fall endlessly!”

  Sarah shuddered and hid her face in her hands.

  “The head of the Cancer-Fighting Company is a fucking liar! He said that they were about to make a breakthrough. Bullshit! They haven’t invented anything.”

  “You’re just jealous, crazy idiot!” George said scornfully.

  Walter laughed again. “Anyway, Ross needed you alive… yesterday! Ha, ha! Actually, a few hours, he agreed to my conditions!”

  “You’re lying!” George exclaimed, stunned.

  “No. He made a decision to let the stocks fall. So, he wanted you to make a video on YouTube and tell everyone that you’re alive. Tomorrow, the stocks will gap up as the gullible traders and investors will buy them. Ross will sell the stocks he has now, and he will open the short positions. Because we’re gonna show the world your real dead body. Tomorrow, after lunch, I’ll upload the picture of your cut-off head.”

  “Jesus!” Sarah moaned quietly.

  Walter Schmidt went on. “You don’t believe that Ross betrayed you for money? Actually, Ross sold your geolocation. He called me an hour ago and asked for ten grand. Well, I told him that was too much. He asked for five grand. And we agreed on the price. When we paid the hotel receptionists one thousand, they agreed to let my armed guys break into your room.”

  George sighed heavily. “Everyone is corrupt,” he muttered.

  “Yeah, man,” Walter Schmidt grinned. “Only business.”

  “I can’t believe you did all that just ‘to sell’ my death twice!” George shouted.

  “No, this is not the only point. We’re tired of you, Hartley. Your success was endless. We needed to stop it. After your death, Ross is going to give a lot of money to charity. That means he’s ready to kill one man for the sake of a thousand.”

  “You consoled me,” George grinned. “You hate your job, Walter. I never betrayed people. I deceived them, giving wrong information. But I’ve always dreamed up new speculation, a new reality of the financial world.”

  “Shut up, Hartley! You’re gonna die right now! Tell me what’s on your mind!
Tell me the main secret!”

  “What secret?”

  “You know what I’m talking about!”

  “No. Actually, you abducted my employees. You must’ve found out everything.”

  “They’re morons! They know nothing!”

  “I know nothing too. God has always given me clues about how to live.”

  Walter Schmidt chuckled. “I count to three, Hartley, and my guys will shoot!”

  “We’ll shoot the bastard,” the commander nodded and aimed the gun at George.

  “One… say it! Two… say it, idiot—”

  Suddenly, the door to the room opened, and the Pakistani maid appeared. She pointed at George. The police officer holding his pistol went into the room after her. That was totally unexpected. Everyone was stunned for a second.

  “Drop your weapons!” the policeman ordered and fired into the ceiling. It was deafening.

  Instantly one of the guys turned to the officer and fired twice in his head. The policeman fell dead. The Pakistani maid squealed and ran out of the room.

  “Get down!” George ordered Sarah, and they both lay down on the floor.

  Three more policemen broke into the room, shooting into the armed guys who were actually wearing body armor. They weren’t injured. All police officers were killed at once.

  George squeezed his pistols in the pockets. He broke a sweat. He couldn’t kill anyone. But he had to do something.

  “You must leave the place,” he whispered to Sarah.

  She nodded.

  “Just do what I told you.”

  “Commander!” George suddenly cried out.

  “Yes!” one of the guys looked at him.

  “There’s something on your helmet!”

  The commander quickly put it off.

  At the moment, George jumped up, grabbed him behind the neck, and put the pistol to his head. The four guys instantly aimed their rifles at him.

  “Calm down! Just listen to me!” George said in a thunderous voice. “Your commander will live only on one condition. You release this girl right now!” George pointed at Sarah. “She’s a fucking whore! She’s innocent. And she will leave this place! That’s it!”