The Swiss days go by quickly and before I know it, the time has come.
I leave for Los Hellas in a few days. I notice from Twitter and a few things Amy Huang, the fake techie running for Los Hellas city council bashed me online, luckily it made her look crazier than she is and did not do much against me; from what I can tell.
I still had lingering thoughts: what was the motivation for me being a threat? I know that millions, I mean BILLIONS of Swiss money was being funneled to Los Hellas and mostly into the hands of bad actors. Why should I care about this?
How does it exactly relate to my job or technology?
There is one thing I know in my heart: time to go back to Los Hellas. I need to solve this puzzle.
My “romantic” weekend with Nicolas, who is from Los Hellas, ended up with me in an Italian hospital was enough to realize that, something needs to change. Whatever this is, whatever is going on, I know that I am a target. But to who? Billionaire Mary Poros… why?
Why would Los Hellas care so much about whatever data I’ve seen?
Surely the world is filled with lots of data.
It made me want to dig deeper into WHO my actual enemies were. At the same time, there was no point is digging too hard from across the world, I needed to get local, to the source.
Time for Los Hellas.
God Bless America
With medical clearance, a flight to Los Hellas and all my things packed I was ready. Chibuzo already texted I had an apartment, his former Airbnb, to live in. That’s a start.
On the intelligence front, or whoever was tracking and looking into me, things felt eerily silent. Until Vivian and Luca FaceTimed me:
Vivian: heyyyyy Ella? How is your head?
Ella: actually pretty good. I’d like for my hair to grow back in one spot, but what can you do?
Vivian: Okay, okay. I know you are healing and we do not want to stress you even more…
Luca: never! no stress. C’est la vie!
<Vivan makes an annoyed face at Luca who has mostly been absent for all the hard things and now shows up to the university lab like he helped her all summer. Her PhD is in six months so she looks at him annoyed but not enough to changed Advisors>
Vivian: Okay, so some guys came to our lab yesterday and did, an investigation of sorts
Ella: investigation?
<Vivian mumbles in German to Luca, they go back and forth on words>
Vivian: a raid?
Ella: of what? for what?
Vivian: That perhaps we were storing and allowing American data to flow through our servers which is not allowed.
They asked for copies of our hard drives etc. We do have a bunch of your reports here. Sorry to say that but Luca saved a few as downloads onto a server here
Luca: I wanted to make sure we didn’t lose them!
Vivian: Anyway, weird guys…
Ella: Were the “guys” Swiss or American?
Vivian: Swiss. They said they were with an electronic commission. Only after did Luca and I try to google and look them up from their business cards and it appears their agency doesn’t exist.
Luca: We should call the Polizei!
<Vivian sighs, she has clearly not told Luca much>
Vivian: I’m telling you this Ella because, be careful. Whoever these guys are know we have the money spreadsheets and you used the code “LH” for Los Hellas so that will take some time, however a ledger is still a ledger you know?
Ella: got it. Well I am sorry for that. Can I send something as a thank you / sorry / thats messed up?
<Luca tries to say something, Vivian shoves her arm into him>
Vivian: Alles Gut. Take care, message me whenever you can. We are back in academic mode here.
As much as I seem not important, having two friends offices raided in the same week raises alarm. One in Los Hellas with Chelsea, the other in Switzerland with Vivian and the data scientists. This had to be expensive.
The investor in me starts to calculate the cost to sending a team to Italy to steal my laptop from a hotel WHILE I WAS IN A COMA, the other on these raids. This isn’t cheap. Whoever my enemy is, is more scared than I am knowledgable.
Freedom of Information… Act
What I can piece together so far from my dramas and spreadsheets it this:
American politics particularly in the tech capital of the world, Los Hellas, has gotten messy. The Swiss who have lots of money, instead of using public funds for startups are sending it to Los Hellas. So far we know the Swiss money is going to the wealthy Poros family and maybe others.
What’s the motivation?
Besides the obvious of taking public monies and using them for other things, it’s essentially like stealing candy from a baby. How would the Swiss public ever know if every year money was reported as being spent?
But why Swiss money? The Poros family alone is richer than most countries. Did they even need Swiss money? And why would the Swiss administrators or whoever, release the funds AND be motivated to send out to OUTSIDE of the country?
There were still a lot of questions to be answered.
I called my childhood best friend Kelly for some answers and normal human relief…
<kids screaming in the background>
Kelly: hey girl, what’s up? Normal disasters here
<kids screams they want a certain candy>
Ella: all good, I’m headed back home tomorrow
Kelly: oh from like a conference or what
Ella: No. home home. Los Hellas
Kelly? What?! No way. Like here here
Ella: There there
<more kids screaming and running around Kelly>
Ella: I got an apartment from a friend. I will probably needs a few days but I can come by or….
Kelly: Um no. I’m leaving these animals
<stop it Nathan!>
…with Hubby. We need a girls night out. And by out I mean, we need to be drunk by 8pm thanks
Ella: I can’t really drink alcohol right now due to my…
<Ella realizes that Kelly doesn’t know about Italy, the coma, friends offices being raided etc>
Kelly: You pregnant?!? Dammit I knew you would just a sperm daddy
Ella: No… I…
…I am on this this diet, sorta fasting without alcohol extra fish
<Ella eyerolls at herself for mentioning fish wtf>
... I can eat at night but not alcohol I dunno trying it for a month
Kelly: Oh, some techie shit I’m sure. Makes sense. Well hit me up! I need <kids screaming again> an actual reason to get out
<Nathan! Put the scissors down, that is not funny!>
Ella: Okay talk soon
Kelly hangs up likely to deal with one of her four offspring. She’s one of friends Ella has had most of her life, almost as a reminder of how opposite their lives had become despite both going to one of the worlds top universities.
Surprisingly Chibuzo calls, even though as the proud man he is, he rarely initiates a call:
Chibuzo: Ms. Taylor. I am ready for your arrival. Is your spirit packed?
Ella: Yes, sir
Chibuzo: Also, no need to stress but some weird looking gentleman came to my office today asking about you and asking for random files and threatening me
Ella: ugh not you… too… I mean wow what?
Chibuzo: it’s fine, I don’t know what they wanted but nothing here. Besides I’m a law office they couldn’t take or have much due to “attorney-client privilege”
Oh I guess that makes you a client now
<laughs in African>
Besides, I am Nigerian. If they want to scare me, they must first come in better clothing.
Ella: Do you have pictures of them?
Chibuzo: I like women. Why would I take a selfie of these men?
I am not THAT Los Hellas…if that’s what you are referring to child.
Ella: No, like your Ring camera or office video. Pictures of the guys who came… in the bad clothing
Chibuzo: Oh, that. Sure I didn’t even think of that. I will ask my assistant to take some screenshots and I will text you what we have. Typical white boys trying to shake an African man down
<Chibuzo has a tone in that he KNOWS they are for Ella and tries to convey a sense of calm because he is not afraid to stand up for her, or anyone. A silent code is agreed between them>
Ella: alright, see you tomorrow then, King.
Chibuzo: with bells on me lady!
As I start the journey back to Los Hellas, three friends have had their offices raided: first Chelsea in Los Hellas, then Vivian in Switzerland, now Chibuzo in Los Hellas. Whatever enemy I have is putting on a full on project. This has to been worthwhile for the cause…
Again… but why? Why am I so important?
The Enemy of Better is Done
As I landed at Los Hellas airport with a few bags and breezed through American customs I was shocked at how uneventful it was. Outside the airport was Chibuzo who had the keys to my new Los Hellas apartment (his former Airbnb side property) and flowers, of course:
Chibuzo: It is with grace I accept your presence Ms. Taylor
<Chibuzo bows and hands her flowers, taking her bag form her hand immediately>
Ella: Thanks Chibuzo. That was a long flight do you have a…
<Chibuzo bows again and points to inside to his car>
Chibuzo: water? Of course only the best for your highness. Let’s go child. Èṣù likes to follow you…
We get into the car and drive quickly towards the city. Chibuzo listens to gospel music while trying to NOT talk about the obvious. “Anyway you bless me… I’ll be satisfied… you can wipe the tears from my eyes… and put joy inside…”
Arriving at the cute, old victorian style townhouse, Chibuzo takes my bags for the front steps and hands me a single key:
Chibuzo: As a man I take the bags. As the Queen you do the honors with the key
They key despite looking 100 years old works perfectly and smooth. I enter the cute, old style, Los Hellas smelling apartment a short walk from the water.
Chibuzo: for now don’t worry about the cost. Next month is low on tourists anyway as you know Los Hellas is cold during the summer
I show you the things. Then I leave.
Ella: Chibuzo wait!
<Ella opens her bag that Chibuzo brought into the apartment to pull out a very special and pricey chocolate box>
Ella: I come bearing gifts!
Chibuzo smiles, nearly embarrassed to accept such a gift from his Goddaughter.
Chibuzo: As you please
I wish you the best. Call me if you need anything, we can get lunch at the law firm this week
There is so much this man does not know and yet deep inside I feel that he wouldn’t care anyway. There is an element to Chibuzo where he seems to know everything, without wanting to know anything.
Mind your business, now is time to mind mind.
As I unpack my bags and make a couple small meals in the kitchen of my temporary, yet new apartment in Los Hellas a sense of calm overcomes my body.
This WAS part of the plan, this is part of MY PLAN. I take a shower in the Los Hellas apartment, look around at the cute apartment with the flowers Chibuzo gave me now in a vase in the kitchen. Home?
My brain starts running background scripts. I’m happy. My body is beaming with energy. This all feels so right even if how it happened was very wrong. I sense a life of new steps, maybe something predestined.
My phone rings, its Chelsea on Facetime
Chelsea: I figured it out! Holy shit this was meant to be
Ella: Hello, how are you. I am fine. Thanks for asking. Well thats good, family is good, thank you for…
Chelsea: Stop. Stop talking. I googled your address and all the local laws…
Ella: Um, thanks city council welcoming committee
Chelsea: Exactly! Exactly that!
Ella: Exactly, what?
Chelsea: You still have time. If you register in the next week to vote with your new address… you can run for city council
Ella: Huh?
Chelsea: It gets even better…. YOU ARE IN AMY HUANGS DISTRICT! Yo can sweep that two faced whore
It takes a minute for me to register what Amy is saying. I was just glancing at the beautiful flowers from Chibuzo, the fresh ocean salt air, getting settled, the life coming back into my physical body…
Chelsea: Do it Ella. Run for city council.
This is your moment.