Arieh’s Mansion.
“Sir, Miss Rina has been reaching out to various banks in search of a loan,” Arieh’s secretary updated him on Rina’s recent movements since she was given the company.
“Why would she do that? The company may be facing some financial challenges, but it doesn’t require a bank loan. And even if it did, why wouldn’t she approach one of the family’s banks for the loan?” Arieh inquired, perplexed by Rina’s unconventional decisions.
“The loan she’s seeking is not for the company but for personal reasons. Moreover, considering the amount she’s requesting, the family banks would require her to provide a clear explanation of how she intends to utilize the funds,” Charlotte clarified.
“How much is she seeking to borrow?” Arieh asked.
“She is seeking a minimum of 5 billion dollars,”
“What does she intend to do with such a substantial amount?” Arieh asked in astonishment, knowing that his sister was not foolish enough to borrow such a significant sum of money without a well-thought-out plan in mind.
“At the moment, we don’t know”
“What leverage is she attempting to utilize? As far as I’m aware, she only possesses the Ally international shares that she can potentially use, and aside from that, she has a few personal shares worth approximately 750 million dollars. However, she cannot use those shares as they serve as her emergency funds,” Arieh asked Charlotte.
“You are correct. She is using the Ally international shares as collateral for the loan,” Charlotte answered.
“Where is the list of banks she is approaching for the loan?” Arieh asked, wanting to know which banks she was contacting and negotiating with.
“Here you go, sir,” Charlotte replied, handing him the folder containing the names of the banks.
After briefly examining the list of banks, Arieh raised his head and instructed, “Contact them and inform them to approve the loan she is requesting. If they express concerns about her potential default, inform them that I will purchase the loan from them in the event of default.” He was devising a scheme to use this loan as his ultimate weapon, intending to deal a devastating blow to his sister.
“Yes, sir,” Charlotte nodded, indicating her understanding and acknowledgment of the order.
Just as Charlotte was about to turn and leave the office to fulfill the assigned task, Arieh interjected, “By the way, how is Terry’s situation progressing?”
“He is expected to be discharged from the hospital and transferred here by next week,” Charlotte promptly responded.
“Call Gerald and inform him that I have a mission for him,” Arieh ordered Charlotte.
“Yes, sir,” Charlotte replied and left the office without seeking further details. Having worked for Arieh for over five years, she had a sense of what he might be planning.
Arieh resumed his work, waiting for the arrival of his Gerald.
A few minutes later, Gerald, Arieh’s head of security, entered the room to respond to the call.
“Sir, you called for me,” Gerald said as he entered the room, having received permission to enter after knocking.
“Yes, I need you to carry out a discrete task for me,” Arieh stated, lifting his head from the documents on his desk.
“I want you to go to the hospital discreetly and visit Terry without being noticed by anyone. Do you think you can accomplish that?” Arieh asked, focusing his attention on Gerald.
“Yes, I can do that, sir,” Gerald responded with confidence.
“Okay, good. Here’s what I want you to do. I want you to…” Arieh began explaining the specific tasks he needed Gerald to carry out during his visit to the hospital.
“Understood?” Arieh asked after he finished explaining the tasks he wanted Gerald to perform.
“Yes, sir,” Gerald replied, demonstrating his understanding of the instructions.
“Okay, you can go,” Arieh said.
Gerald promptly said his goodbyes to Arieh and exited the room, preparing himself to head to the hospital and fulfill the assigned task.
“He should act as a contingency pawn for me,” Arieh murmured, contemplating the role Terry would play. He then shifted his attention back to the document on his desk, resuming his work.
…….
Black site.
Patrick, the project manager of the black sites, could be seen walking to Kassim’s room, visibly sweating and trembling with nervousness.
KNOCK KNOCK Patrick knocked on the door upon his arrival.
“Come in,” a voice from the office beckoned.
Patrick took a deep breath before entering the room.
“Sir, you called for me,” Patrick said as he entered the room and closed the door behind him.
“Yes, I called to know whether you have completed the project or not,” Kassim stated in a cold, stern voice.
“We require a little more time to achieve the necessary capabilities,” Patrick responded, his voice trembling.
“I recall receiving the same response six months ago, and I gave you ample time,” Kassim remarked in a tone that sent shivers down Patrick’s spine.
“Sir, the complexity of the program has exceeded our initial predictions. We have comprehended the majority of it, but there remains a small portion, approximately two GB in size, that remains a mystery.” Patrick paused to take a breath and continued.
“Despite our efforts, we have been unable to fully decipher the code. When we attempted to remove this code from our modified program, the program crashed, indicating that this particular segment is among the critical components of the program,” Patrick explained, pushing himself to finish by providing the reasons for their inability to complete the program despite the extensive duration.
“Didn’t the information I obtained from the DOD’s team not help you in any way?”
“Indeed, it did assist us in expediting our understanding of the program. However, based on the data we received, it appears that even the DOD’s team is facing similar challenges and has been unable to make significant progress,” Patrick explained.
“How much more time do you need?” Kassim asked.
Patrick took a deep breath, preparing to respond, but before he could finish his answer, Kassim interrupted him, saying, “Be cautious with your words. If you fail to meet the timeline, you and your team will face appropriate consequences,” in a chilling tone.
“Four months,” Patrick responded, adding an extra month to the time he would have originally requested.
“Now leave, but be aware that if it is not ready by that time, you will not be given any further opportunities,” Kassim stated to Patrick as he was leaving.
Upon hearing this, Patrick turned to Kassim and bowed, indicating his understanding of Kassim’s words. He then left the office, closing the door behind him, and leaned against it. Taking a deep sigh of relief, acknowledging that he had survived another day.
“We either make it work, or we are doomed,” Patrick murmured to himself before he started returning to the working room where his team members were. He planned to tell them that they have a three-month timeframe, or face dire consequences.
Yes, three months. The extra month will serve as a valuable backup. Individuals commonly tend to plan their tasks based on the time available rather than the actual time needed for completion.
If a student is given forty questions and forty days to complete them, the most ideal solution would be for them to answer one question per day. This way, they can distribute their effort evenly and ensure they finish all the questions within the given timeframe.
(A/N If it were me I would start solving them half an hour before the completion date)
Back inside Kassim’s office, now alone, he reached out and picked up the phone resting on the table. With a purposeful motion, he dialed a specific number and pressed the call button, initiating the connection.
After approximately thirty seconds of ringing, someone on the other end of the line answered the call.
“Is the program ready?” inquired the voice on the other end.
“No, sir,” Kassim reported respectfully, “the team has encountered a significant obstacle, and they estimate that it will take approximately four months to overcome it and complete the product.”
“You are aware that we have been delaying the plan for over three months, with the expectation that the program would be completed and enable us to inflict further damage on the Rothschilds, correct?” questioned the voice on the other end, causing Kassim to tense up.
“Yes, sir, I am aware of that. However, the obstacle the team is facing is similar to the one that has caused a setback for the team at the DOD,” Kassim explained, providing the reason for the team’s inability to meet the given timeline over the past five months.
“Within four months, if the program is not completed, we will proceed without it, and you will be held accountable,” stated the voice on the other end before abruptly ending the call, without waiting for Kassim’s response.
“Patrick, you had better complete your task within the given time, or I won’t be the only one facing the consequences. I will make sure you bear the burden with me,” Kassim exclaimed, directing his anger toward Patrick and his team while refraining from entertaining any negative thoughts toward the person on the other end of the phone.
Kassim was well aware that failing to complete the program within the designated time limit would have severe repercussions. He had witnessed the dire consequences faced by his predecessor in the position, which led to his own promotion.