Chapter 124

The 2000 US presidential election was bitterly contested.  Accusations of election tampering had begun long before Election Day, from both sides.  However, in the wake of the tragedy of 8.11, the former Democratic Candidate, who had begrudgingly accepted his loss after the court decisions, was on the news, calling for national solidarity, and asking for all Americans to support the Commander in Chief.

North Korea quickly announced that they had nothing to do with this act of terror. If things had gone wrong even just a bit, the Korean peninsula would have been ablaze with the wrath of the American people, not caring about the difference between North and South Korea in their rage and fury.

New York’s financial system was paralyzed. The stock market closed down, and the mayor spoke on air asking everyone to stay home, stay indoors, stay off the streets. This tragedy meant EVERYTHING had changed, and while I did not know why it happened a month earlier, I needed to act quickly.

I started what I could do in London. Jillian’s office was still bustling when I returned, and Jillian brought me a list of the investors who had come to our group’s hedge fund with their pockets bulging with oil money. I set up meetings at the salon I had gone to yesterday with those who still remained in London.

The man I met was a close confidante of the most powerful Saudi family. The most important man in Saudi Arabia was Prince Walaman, the next in line for the throne. This man, a prince low in rank, had to be close to him if he was a board member of the Walaman Foundation and on the board for an oil company owned by the Royal Family. He held the ‘Keys to the Kingdom’.

I introduced myself, and the man looked at me with contempt at first.

“I thought I was meeting with Jillian alone.”

“Ethan represents the major shareholders of our group.” Jillian spoke to make my position clear.

The man now stared at me with different eyes, as it was well known that Jillian’s firm was owned by someone else.

“I am Alid.”

“Thank you for meeting with me on such a day.”

“I should say the same thing. I also thank you for meeting me.”

We both spoke obliquely about how yesterday, the entire world had changed.

“Things are unpleasant for us. We have pledged 10 million dollars for relief funds, but America seems to equate us with the terrorists. They refused.”

“I have set up this meeting to talk about that. How do you evaluate Jillian?”

“He is excellent. We value him over Jonathan and a.s.sociates as his profit rate is better. What do you mean by this is your reason for setting up this meeting?”

I knew that the Islamic nations that had investments in America would be afraid of the US government freezing their a.s.sets, or in the worst case, of the US government coming up with some pretext to directly seize their funds. Therefore, the Arab nations had already pulled out over 200 billion dollars from America. The remainder would be moved quickly, and I estimated that over one trillion dollars remained in America. Therefore, this man could be the starting point of those funds coming to us in London and the Isle of Man, instead of to Switzerland and the other havens.

Jillian looked at me with amazed eyes after I wrapped up all of the scheduled meetings. He seemed to have realised that I was also a financier like him.

“You’re not still thinking of going solo, right?”

Jillian only smiled, and I knew that the possibility of him going solo had significantly decreased. The moment oil money came from America to Jillian, his firm would be richer than Jonathan Investments. Who could resist that?

**

Jillian had worked hard to attract the rich to his firm, working even on weekends (to Jessica’s displeasure), to beat Jonathan and become the biggest and best Hedge Fund Management firm. Therefore, he could not take his eyes off Sunhoo as the man went on his way. Sunhoo had succeeded, where Jonathan had failed, bringing in the majority of the Saudi funds formerly in America, within the s.p.a.ce of a SINGLE day.

‘How did he think of going for the oil money right at this moment?’

Jillian had been astonished at Ethan’s speed, boldness, and decisiveness.  Likewise, he had been astounded at the audacity of the investment proposal Ethan had brought with him yesterday, which led to all this. The only thing Jillian had done in the meetings was to show his face. He felt dizzy trying to understand it all, and after he came to his senses, he placed a phone call.

-This is Jillian. How are things?

Jillian had originally not been interested in the real owners of his firm, as his long term plans had always been to wait to receive the promised investment funds and go solo. However, things changed last year, and Jillian hired private Financial Investigation companies to pursue who the real owners were. He had given the names of the five firms that had funded the Isle of Man and what (little) he knew of the routes that the funds traveled through. It had been a difficult task.

-Because of the attack?

-Just what have you guys been doing for the past year?!

However, Jillian was not surprised as chasing after paper companies was like searching for ghosts, and the group owners had hidden themselves almost impossibly well.

-Then, search for a man. He uses the name Ethan and is in London now. He looks to be in his early twenties, about six feet and muscular. I will send you a picture from a CCTV camera as soon as I go back to my office.

-Don’t disappoint me this time.

Jillian’s group was already managing 600 billion dollars, and its owners had two other firms in the Isle of Man. Jessica managed 150 billion and Daniel 500 billion. If oil money came to play…

This was why Jillian had begun his search. He had to know whose money he was investing, as he felt like he was stuck in the middle of a ma.s.sive conspiracy. The only thing he knew was that Ethan had been there at the very beginning, and he thought of the meetings with the Arabs again and shuddered.

‘It can’t be. No individual could have written such a proposal.’

Jillian shook his head as he went back to his office. When he opened the door he froze in shock. He saw that Ethan had been waiting for him in a chair. Jillian hid his surprise before opening his mouth.

“Did you leave something behind?”

“You can just tell me if you do not like your position. We will release you so you can  go solo and secure your management rights.”

Jillian’s heart plummeted. How did things get so complicated and twisted just in the last ten minutes?

“What do you want me to say to my bosses? Write here.”

Jillian looked at the blank piece of paper and pen and went limp inside. He could not give up his chance of besting Jonathan and his position as a major financier in London. Jillian imagined what would happen if he went solo and saw that there was no glory there.

“Write, and I will report your exact words.”

Jillian closed his eyes as he could not raise the pen. His self-esteem had plummeted. However, he heard someone writing. Jillian opened his eyes to read two sentences.

[I have the ability to manage the oil money well, and I hope you see fit to extend my contract and increase my authority level.]

“Ethan…”

“I have written it for you. Wait patiently until things start moving faster, and the oil money will come to you.”

The office became silent after Ethan left, and Jillian felt absolutely devastated as he sat down. However, he stood up again immediately and began to go through his office. The fact he could not find an electronic  listening device chilled him. How had Ethan listened to Jillian’s call and come into his office without anyone noticing him? (EN: Because he used “psychic” powers, D’uh. ^_^ )