Shouldn't Have Gone - BOOK III

Chapter 15 - The Gain

Chapter 15 – The Gain

Crawford does not only want huge partaking in the Etheridge business—this Hunter knew from the private investigator he hired to look into this supposed foreign investor. Without Crawford knowing, Hunter and Damien had already devised a plan to stop him from buying anyone or a single percent of share from the company.

"They are behind the turnovers," says Damien, gritting his teeth, as he scans the bulk of paper works on his hands. "Three hundred workers from four of our plantations in the West Coast moved to join him. Promises of higher pay and benefits. Not to mention, Crawford is brainwashing them about the existing tyranny in our company."

It feels unusual for Hunter to be hearing Damien say "our company" all the time when he is nothing but a subsidiary element. He's not legally an Etheridge to claim it as his own.

"Crawford has spies in the company as well, Damien."

"Names?"

Hunter searches through the report but he only sees numbers.

"No names yet. But there seems to be three. All holding high positions."

They could have been bought by Crawford to feed him in important information about the company, or worse they are originally his employees that he sent for espionage.

"What do we do?" asks Damien. "Fire all the middle managers and announce for emergency hiring? We're losing a great number of workers, we can't just sit back and watch Crawford execute his evil plans."

"No, we'll not allow Crawford to do that but we're not reckless decision makers here, Damien," answers Hunter. "The middle managers we'd fire might be innocent. They will lose their jobs and we can't be cruel to them and their families."

"I can't think of a way to eliminate those bastards, Hunter." Damien falls onto his seat as he rakes his fingers through his hair.

"Just think of how we could ruin the lives of so many innocent employees by terminating them over brash decisions. The spies could be nesting in the higher echelons and not where we  think they could be," reasons out Hunter.

"You mean they could be stockholders or..."

"Right! Didn't you say this issue was brought up during the stockholders' meeting?"

Damien nods. He knew of some familiar faces like Harrison and Tilney. They used to frequent their house to keep Dad posted of the happenings in the company. The rest are all strangers to him.

"This won't be pointed out if none of the stockholders knew about this," continues Hunter. "The mole knew of Crawford's plan, and they wanted us to direct our attention to this potential investment Crawford wanted us to believe in, but the truth is he is working his way to the company, stealing employees and product information while we're busy dealing with this so called venture. Diversionary tactics!"

"Harrison!" Damien rises from his seat, all fired up, as memories of Harrison's murderous glares rush through his head like a race car. "Harrison was the one who brought this up!"

Damn that old man!—Hunter curses in his mind. How could that fool try to persuade him to take the family business from Damien when he himself is doing something unlawful? Selling vital corporate information to a hidden rival company, betraying the company's values, and even trying to create animosity between him and his brother by convincing ten thousand employees to gain signatories, which he claims to be gathering support for him. Looks like these ten thousand signatories are just a front for a deeper cause. What? Swaying this herd of workers to leave Etheridges' and work for Crawford.