Tatsu - The Threat

Chapter 18 - Year One

The group, driven by bottomless ambition, worked tenaciously with Mr. Walker to make the plan work. The bad news for Brian was that, other than John Samson, none of these criminal investors acknowledged Brian's value to the operation. In their eyes this was Mr. Walker's genius idea and Brian was a parasite.

John Samson and his friends were named the Original Four by Mr. Walker. These billionaires operated legitimate enterprises in various industries already, but funds produced from all their illicit businesses were now managed under the new guidance from Mr. Walker's selected team.

Working long shifts and generating new ideas through innovation, the team was creating a universe of opportunity. So much that Mr. Walker was convinced they could technically monopolize selected goods and services through their client network in such a manner that they could even manipulate inflation to help with their laundering operations. A concept he did not share with the Original Four. A lucrative opportunity for him and Brian to gather funds to help them spearhead the effort to save America.

Eight months down the road structures were built, systems were put in place, teams were formed and operations began. And of course, just as expected, customers began to try their services, especially their banking services.

"Mr. Walker, I keep seeing stealth inflation in your notes. Why?" asked Brian. The loud machines in the potato chips factory could be heard.

"I see potential use of this method for our benefit and have a little experiment going on right now. I explained this to you before. It's stealth because consumers can't see it. Take that bag of chips you're eating. If we use the same bag, but fill it with more air and less chips, and sell it to the consumer at the same price, that's stealth inflation. Remember?" said Mr. Walker.

"Yeah, I remember what it is, but why do you have it in your notes?" asked Brian.

"Oh, it's because I'm really using chips. Less chips, but the same amount of bags. No one knows we are using less chips to save money. Jason Motola won't mind. In fact, he'll never know! The amount of money we save from buying less raw material for chips is equal to the amount we can launder because in the books, it's money that we have already spent on raw material for chips. We just wire that specific amount to a different account and document why we had to buy a fraction of the raw material for the chips from that vendor, but that vendor would really be us and those chips we didn't make. Clean money baby! Lots of it! Oh and wait till we make the price for every bag of chips go up. Even more money for us!" said Mr. Walker laughing and removing Brian's hard helmet to kiss him in the forehead.

The first year Brian and Mr. Walker made a modest $90 million dollars each as they helped numerous mobs clean their dirty money while flawlessly carrying out transactions in the US and even other parts of the world. That didn't even include their stealth inflation stash. Life quickly began to change.

With a new role in society, Brian's persona transformed. He had to refine his manners, his posture, his walk and elevate his vocabulary and overall repertoire. He was already a scholar, but his continuous interaction with some of the most successful business people in the world, forced him to dress like a successful business man. Brian turned eloquent and elegant.

"When you came to my apartment that night, and you told me about your stupid plan, I was ready to throw you out. I didn't want to see you destroy your life" said Mr. Walker. They were at a small bar where he usually had one or two drinks.

"I was afraid you wouldn't listen to me. I think your biggest problem is that you don't know how valuable you are," said Brian.

"Value is a difficult thing to gauge when it comes to people. Today, you are worth the world and tomorrow, you're just another bum. Don't ever turn into bum Brian."