Tatsu - The Threat

Chapter 32 - Change is Painful

On June 15, 2006 Brian had a meeting with his partners to present the latest HEG business plan and the new company direction.

"My dear friends and colleagues. People are easily swayed by a dream or an idea so much that they lose their common sense. I say it's time to stop building. We have built more than enough and are driving the value down. The cup is now overflowing. The bubble's about to burst and the economy of this country will be brought to its knees.

It is up to us to bring the US and the world up and running again after the crash. It's time to find a new cup to pour our riches and our influence. And I say innovation is where we want to invest. We have practically drained real estate and we are already the masters of distribution, and I hear all this talk about the future being automation, robotics and artificial intelligence." The group was paying close attention.

"The days of technology are here and though we have been on-board, we need to make innovation rather than technology, HEG's core. I will have Dr. Luke Saad from StartEnd Technologies, one of our most recent acquisitions, present to you our business plan for the next 10 years. Dr. Saad, the floor is yours."

Brian worked tirelessly on getting the business plan together to start driving the company away from crime. The last time he did something of this magnitude he had Mr. Walker leading the way. Brian missed him so much and he felt guilty for not setting up a shrine for him the way he did with his four friends. He should have built one. But he had a business plan to execute and the only way to do it was by himself and with the burden of the world on his shoulders.

And as if life wasn't stressful enough, Brian purposely did not invite the Original Four to the HEG Business Plan presentation. He kept them from joining the committee which was set to review the plan for the next 10 years at HEG. In fact, HEG would cease to exist and transform into StartEnd Technologies. It would be the only way to uproot any connection with the Original Four. The four men who helped Brian become the emperor of the underworld.

Brian continued to get impatient riding the slow transition, but at the same time the months were going by so quickly that time was not enough. His black ops termination phase was nearing the 10 month mark as he was growing StartEnd Technologies and solidifying its presence as a legitimate business. Secrecy in never sustainable though. Information is always leaked, stolen somehow. People for the most part succumb to greed and sell secrets. Brian understood very well that the consequences of his actions were coming, and they were going to come harshly. He had to be ready to defend what was his, a beautiful family.

Sitting in his PFM office one day, Brian decided to go to the PFM central warehouse to take a walk and see for himself that the transition to legitimate business was taking place as it was being reported. As he walked through the loading area, he unintentionally heard a supervisor yelling at one of the operators.

"This is the third time this week that you're three minutes late. Is there a problem?" asked the irritated supervisor.

"No sir, there's no problem. I won't do it again." replied the operator.

Brian took note of the operator's name from his name tag – Ryan Jacobs. He looked up his file when he returned to the office and noticed the employee was exemplary and was transferred to the loading area by recommendation from his former supervisor. Brian asked his black ops team to provide him with banking information for Ryan and noticed that three days ago charges for doctor visits and medicine had been processed.

That same day, Ryan put in his immediate resignation and started at a higher paying job with a competitor.

Brian asked his secretary to call in Ryan's former boss Jerry and the supervisor who got on his case, Johnny.