Dark Tidings

Chapter 2 - A Not So Humble Opinion

Michael was proud to be self-taught. He loved researching, learning and experimenting with computers and the Internet. Unlike most folk, to him technology wasn't an unfathomable annoyance to be avoided, to him it was a wondrous mystery, there to be explored and savoured like an exotic travel destination.

Today, however, was a very special day in his journey because today was the day he'd kick off his plan to take down one of the planet's most immoral financial institutions. He was starting a new job in the computer department of a major international bank based in the heart of the city. Big bank, big city, big salary. In reality, the salary was of little interest, all that mattered was the fact he'd be working in a bank, and in particular, this bank.

The International Investment Bank of Europe (IIBE) was the richest bank that had ever existed. Its wealth far outstripped the combined assets of the United States Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and the National Bank of China and, as if that wasn't enough, it owned the principal banks in most of the world's developed countries. More banks than the Mississippi River, Michael liked to say, although that was possibly unfair to the Mississippi, because IIBE was much murkier and its banks were much slipperier.

IIBE also had a tangled web of commercial links to virtually every major financial organisation on the planet and, in his not so humble opinion, it cheated and exploited every single one of them. Give a man a gun and he can rob a bank but give a man a bank and he can rob the whole world. IIBE and the men who ran it illustrated that sentiment perfectly.

It was time to go. One last check in the mirror confirmed that he looked exactly how he wanted others to see him. Most of his reflected image pleased him: the neat black hair, grey suit, crisp white shirt and dark purple tie definitely worked. The beard and moustache were the only thing he disliked about his appearance even though they did give him an air of maturity, and older know-it-alls were more acceptable than younger ones.

Overall he was happy. The reflection screamed confidence, capability and knowledge. He looked good, he looked the business.

He was ready for anything the world could throw at him. Most people's best laid plans were destroyed by their first contact with reality, but he wasn't most people and, as far as he was concerned, his plan was indestructible.