by Billy Miner
“Oh, be quiet,” Juan says as he walks away.
He meets Gilbert and Peter next to the containers.
“Thanks, Juan. Now we can take our goods out of the ship. Could you give us a hand?”
“Sure,” Juan says.
Following them, they head up a wooden plank and see the five men hauling away big boxes. Juan doesn’t question anyone and simply starts helping them, lifting a box here, and putting down another one there. The boxes aren’t heavy, but according to Gilbert, they are most valuable.
But then, Peter drops one of the boxes. It slides open and dozens of hundred dollar bills fall out.
“Clumsy imbecile,” Gilbert sneers. “Put those bills back in the box immediately.”
As Peter picks up the bills, Juan is starting to see what is happening here. The bills are fake. It’s fake money that they printed without the government’s permission. It’s easy to see, since some of them are lacking a few complicated artistic patterns you usually see on real hundred dollar bills.
“Finish the job, and you’ll get a share of it,” Gilbert says as he smiles. “Of the real ones, I mean.”
Chapter 4: Theft
Back at Gilbert’s office, Juan sits down and stares at the computer. He is involved now. He is in. He has proven himself. There is no turning back. He might as well keep going with all this criminal stuff.
Gilbert walks in after he returns from the bathroom.
“Juan,” he begins, “you have performed your duty and provided us an excellent service. By the way, the police were called and the guards were released, but only after we had already left the premises, thanks to you. We owe you our gratitude. But before we get into that stuff… are you ready for your next assignment?”
“And what might that be?” Juan asks curiously.
“Theft.”
“Ah.”
Juan raises his eyebrows.
“There is a billionaire up in the hills, Juan. He stole what was rightfully ours. He signed the contract, he broke the deal, and now he won’t return our property. We cannot let him get away with this. We are going to break in and retrieve our possessions. Are you in or not?”
“Of course. What’s in it for me?”
“Ha-ha! I like you, Juan. A share of the money we steal will be yours. How does 10% sound?”
“Give me 20% and I’ll do it,” Juan says.
“Deal. Meet me here at 2:00 p.m. No later. That’s when this rich guy leaves the house. Well, a little bit before that actually, but it gives us just enough time to snatch what belongs to us.”
Juan waits until Gilbert is out of the room and looks at Peter.
“So, Peter, do you know who gives the assignments?”
“Well, Gilbert does of course,” he answers.
“No, no. I mean: Who is above Gilbert? Who gives him the assignments?”
“Oh, his name is Don Dijaun, but we don’t talk about him. Nobody can even see him. I never have. He controls the entire underground organization, that’s why. He doesn’t trust a lot of people, so it’s hard to get close to him.”
“I see,” Juan says.
That afternoon, the trio meets at the same office. They put on hoodies to hide their identity, just in case somebody sees them. From there they head to the hills and enter an expensive neighborhood full of villas and large mansions. Juan has never set foot in this area and marvels at the beautiful yards, the water fountains, fancy statues, and the homes that cost millions.
They pull up on one side of the street, after which Gilbert tells them to walk across the street.
“Never park your car on the same side of the street of the house you’re going to break in,” he teaches.
The house looks huge. Pillars, golden ornaments, and sophisticated shapes in the hedges make this home a little paradise for anyone who can afford it. A large swimming pool becomes visible as they go around the back and try to open the back door.
Gilbert seems to have it easy with all his tricks to break in. Some tools from his backpack, a little drill, and a mirror are sufficient for them to simply open the back door without the alarm going off.
“Spread out,” Gilbert says. “See this? This is what we’re looking for.”
He shows a photograph of a diamond helmet. It looks shiny and expensive. No doubt this item costs millions.
“And this,” Gilbert adds.
Another photograph portrays a golden pickaxe.
“Is that pure gold?” Juan asks.
“Yes, so now you understand why it’s worth so much. But keep your voice down, please. We are assuming there is nobody in the house, but you can never be sure.”
The three of them split up. Juan goes upstairs, Peter descends to the basement, and Gilbert remains on the main floor. Each of them searches the house thoroughly. Juan finds the pickaxe in a drawer hidden in a walk-in closet. Peter finds the diamond helmet in a chest somewhere deep in the basement. Both of them meet on the main floor.
“Good,” Gilbert says. “And guess what, guys… I found a few thousand bucks in the closet. This guy is loaded. Money is just coming out of the cracks in this house. Anyway, let’s get out of here. We are done. We got what we needed, so let’s not stay here for another minute.”
They leave the house and softly close the door, giving the owner the impression that nothing has changed.
“Watch out, the owner is back,” Gilbert says.
Juan and Gilbert dive into the bushes, but Peter trips and falls into the swimming pool.
SPLASH!
The owner noticed. It’s clear. He looks up as if he heard the sound coming from the yard. He walks to his home but takes a detour to find out what is going on in the swimming pool. Peter stays under water.
“We’ve got to help him,” Juan says.
“There’s nothing we can do,” Gilbert says. “It would be better to leave. His fate is unfortunate, but we’ve got to go or we’ll all be in trouble.”
“No, we can’t just leave him,” Juan argues.
“Then get him if you want. I have the helmet and the pickaxe. There is no point in helping him.”
“Just give me two minutes,” Juan insists.
“Okay, but no longer,” Gilbert says. “We have to leave as quickly as we can. If you’re not back within two minutes, I will leave without you.”
“That’s not gonna happen,” Juan says.
He checks if the coast is clear. It isn’t. The millionaire is standing close to the water now, suspicious that someone has trespassed and is hiding somewhere not too far away from him. He looks to the right and to the left. Then he looks down into the swimming pool.
“Hey!” he says.
At that moment Juan dashes at him and pushes him into the swimming pool.
“Come on,” he says to Peter as he stretches out his hand.
Peter grabs his hand and Juan pulls up the deserted criminal. Together they run as fast as they can, reaching the car before the rich owner of the house even realizes who that was and what just happened to him. The duo gets into the car and tells Gilbert to drive. As fast they can they drive off, happy with the two valuable objects they just stole.
“Thanks for getting me,” Peter says. “I don’t know what would have happened if he would have found me first.”
“You’re welcome,” Juan says.
“You’re a funny guy, Juan,” Gilbert says. “You are a tough negotiator, you don’t care about breaking the law, but you do everything to secure the safety of another crimi… uhm… coworker.”
Juan smiles. He didn’t do this without a good reason. It’s not that he cares if a dumb criminal like Peter gets arrested, but he has other motives… motives they will soon all find out about.
Chapter 5: Scams
“We have another job for you,” Gilbert says as they arrive at the office.
“I’d like to see my 20% first,” Juan says.
“Oh yeah, ha-ha! I almost forgot. I really did.”
“Right,” Juan says skeptically.
Gilbert pays Juan.
“That’s 20% of what these objects are worth if we sold them. We will work on it, but this is just a payment in advance, also to keep you on your feet for the next assignment.”
“Go ahead,” Juan says.
“It’s simple,” Gilbert says. “Have you heard of multi-level marketing companies?”
“Remind me,” Juan says.
“Multi-level marketing companies let you in if you give them a sum of money and promise you that you can make a lot more if you sell their product. Let’s say that their product is oils… you know… those oils you can sniff or put in your drink for health. A company would ask for $100 of your money and tell you that you can make $100,000 in a year back if you sell their oils to customers, like friends, family, and acquaintances. If they sign up underneath you, you get a percentage if they sell something. This way, if you get to the top, you’ll have all those people working under you and you can make money without doing anything. Get it?”
“Sure. Sounds familiar. But are you trying to tell me that you have a company like that?” Juan asks.
“Similar. What we have is called a pyramid scam. It’s the same concept, except there is no real product to sell, so they will think they can make their money back, but before they know it, it’s already too late and you’ll be gone with their money. All you have to do, is convince people how much they can make back if they only invest a little.”
“I can do that. Where can I find these people?”
“We already prepared a list of potential customers who showed at least some interest,” Gilbert answers. “It should be easy. Go to their doors, talk to them, and for every person who signs up, you get 50%.”
“Give me that list, and I’ll show you how it’s done,” Juan says.
“That’s the spirit! You have a week to complete this list. Work hard, and you’ll be a lot wealthier by the end of the week. Any questions?”
“Not really. All the information is on there, isn’t it?”
“Exactly. Now go get them.”
The first door. It took a while to get there, and Juan hasn’t knocked on doors since a few years ago when he was selling knives and had an even harder time making ends meet. He walks through the gate and knocks. It takes a minute before the resident opens up. It’s an old man with glasses and a dark blue shirt. His belt looks way too high and his expression is very naïve to say the least.
“Hi there, young man. What can I do for you?”
“How would you like to make a $1000 extra?” Juan asks.
“Well, uhm…”
“Let me introduce myself. My name is Mick. I have been in this business for only a few years now and I am already making six figures.”
“You are telling me that you already make $100,000 each year?” the old man asks.
“Hey, don’t take my word for it. Just enroll in the program. We have hundreds of people who are making a similar amount of money each year and have barely started. All you have to do, is invest $100, which you can make back within a few weeks. Once you’re past that point, it’s all profit and you can buy that beautiful home you always dreamed of, take a vacation to a tropical paradise, or donate some money to a charity provide education for those in need. Just think of the possibilities!”
Juan says a lot more to convince the old man and collects his $100. After another door, and another, and another… he is exceeding his own expectations. This is too easy! All these people are easily falling for this dumb scam. All he has to do, is keep up the smooth talking and put a few convincing reasons out there and they sign up, handing him their money.
For a whole week, he works as hard as he can. He visits people in the morning, the afternoon, and even in the evening. He knocks on door after door, sometimes running to get it done faster. Some people don’t want to hear it and don’t fall for his deceiving words. They have already been conned out of their money too many times. But most of the people on the list are open and willing to invest a little, gullible as children, believing that they will get rich by investing into this pyramid scam.
Chapter 6: Cops
The last day of the week, and coincidentally the last door Juan knocks on, a cop pulls over. He has been following Juan for a few hours now, trying to pick up some of the things Juan says to the potential customers on the list. He doesn’t trust it one bit.
Juan comes back after talking to the woman at the door. He avoids the tiny barking dog that seems more courageous than its size.
“Hold on, young man. I’m Officer Mill. Can I please see your business license?”
“Yeah, I got it right here,” Juan says as he digs into his back for paperwork.
He doesn’t really have a business license, but he is pretending to get it. A few seconds later, he takes out a paper and throws it at the police officer. The officer tries to catch it, startled by the sudden movement of this guy. He grabs the piece of paper on the ground and looks up, realizing he has been duped. Juan is already a hundred feet away, taking the opportunity to abscond.
“Come back here!” Officer Mill yells.
He gets his walkie-talkie.
“Request for immediate backup. Suspect is running away on Third Street and 21st Avenue.”
He steps into his car, puts on his siren, and chases after Juan. Wait a minute. Where did he go? He must have gone into that alley. Other police cars are approaching, but they have completely lost sight of him.
“What the…? He can’t be too far. Search the area!” Officer Mill commands.
But it’s no use. Juan has already jumped into a sewer and is patient enough to wait for days if he has to. It stinks, and he is a little annoyed that he got caught, but he got away and that’s what counts. Night falls, and the officers are slowly being called off duty. They’ve given up. They think he left. Juan waits for another hour after he sees all the cop cars leave, and then climbs out of the sewer. He goes to Contra’s office and reports.
“Oh my, you stink, man,” Gilbert complains.
“I got into trouble. There were some cops following me.”
“Wow, and you dove into the sewer? I gotta tell ya, you got commitment, dude.”
“Thanks. Here is the money I earned.”
Gilbert counts it and gives Juan half of it.
“I’m impressed,” he says. “In fact, I’ve been talking to my supervisor and he is willing to see you. He’s heard of your accomplishments and wants to meet you face to face.”
Juan tries to control his excitement.
“Ah, good,” he says calmly, though exuberantly jumping up and down on the inside.
“You’ll meet him tomorrow,” Gilbert says. “Now go home and enjoy your money.”
Juan walks home past the familiar streets in his neighborhood. He knows what he’s done. He has scammed hundreds of people out of their money. He’s not proud of it, but he has a goal. When he comes home, he counts his money again and is glad that he can pay the rent in advance, just so he doesn’t have to worry about it for a few months. He sits back and meditates for some time, relaxing and getting ready for the big day that he can meet Don Dijaun.
“It’s about time,” he thinks. “A criminal mastermind like him should show their face every once in a while.”
Chapter 7: The Boss
Juan is on time. He is sure of that. He doesn’t want to miss this appointment. He is blindfolded. Gilbert and Peter made sure that Juan would know nothing about the location of the big boss, Don Dijaun.
Juan doesn’t care. All he wants, is to meet the man. He has been looking forward to it for a while now and understands that he has gotten to a level that the boss finally started trusting him.
The car arrives. Juan is pushed out of the car. Peter takes off the blindfold. Juan looks around. They are inside a garage of some warehouse. He doesn’t recognize it, but it doesn’t matter. He just wants to know where Don Dijaun is. Peter pushes him towards a door.
“Take it easy,” Juan says.
�
�Hey, just because you got me out of trouble once, doesn’t mean you can have a big mouth,” Peter says. “So shut up and keep walking.”
“Thanks for nothing,” Juan complains softly.
They walk through a luxurious hallway, with red carpet on the floor, expensive mirrors on the walls, and authentic paintings on each side. The chandeliers must have cost a fortune, Juan figures.
A little later, they arrive at a wooden door, carved with patterns and extravagant images of lions, tigers, and other ferocious animals. They knock. For a moment, it’s silent on the other end.
“Come in,” they suddenly hear.
Juan is pushed inside and stands face to face with Contra’s influential leader. Don Dijaun is a big guy in a suit, with the same expensive sunglasses as Juan is wearing. He has a red tie and leather shoes. With an arrogant little twirl in his step, he approaches Juan and observes him, walking around him and trying to be intimidating.
“So,” he begins. “You must be Juan. I heard a lot about you. Do you know why I called you here?”
“You wanted to congratulate me for my performance, sir?” Juan asks while pressing a small, secret button on the back of his suit.
“That too,” Don Dijaun says. “I have to admit I am impressed. You exchanged important tax papers, took out ten guards at the docks, helped smuggle fa… uhm… some real money into the country, retrieved stolen objects from a corrupt minister, flew to the rescue when one of our coworkers was stuck, and spent a whole week signing up more people for our pyramid sc… uhm… multilevel marketing company than anyone else has.”
“For Contra I’d do anything, sir,” Juan says.
“Yes, I noticed, which brings me to the following: Our data say that you signed up 246 people this week. Is that correct?”
“Uhm… I-I believe so,” Juan stutters.
Don Dijaun comes closer and gets a little in Juan’s face.
“You little snake, did you think I was stupid? That I wouldn’t notice?” he suddenly asks.