The Darkness - Jason Pinter [51]
aren't comfortable with the first part, you won't be right
for the rest of it. Ready? Here goes. You will make money.
You will also file a W-2. You will do everything a good
taxpaying citizen of this great country does, including
paying state and federal income tax...only what you will
be doing to earn that money will not be legal."
"The money is illegal?" Nikesh said.
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"Money itself is never illegal," Leonard said. "It's how
you obtain it that determines the legality."
"So what will we be doing, exactly, that determines the
legality?" the black guy said.
"It's actually very similar to what you've all done
throughout your entire adult lives," Leonard said. "What
is finance? What is the stock market? It's a drug. It's
gambling. It's doing something that feels so right, that can
change your mood, change your mind, change your
outlook on things. Just like a drug, the stock market can
either expand your mind, or make you lose it. It all
depends on who's doing it and how responsible they are.
You're all pretty responsible guys, it's not your fault you
found yourself on the sole of God's shoe. So you'll be
doing exactly what you've done, and what you're good
at. Selling people things that make them feel good."
"Drugs," Morgan said.
Leonard cocked his head. "That's right."
Nikesh said, "I don't understand. If you sell drugs, how
can you file taxes on it?"
"That's for us to know and you not to worry about.
Once you come on board you'll file your taxes just like
anyone, and through our company, 718 Enterprises,
you'll be just like that waitress on the corner. Nobody
looks at her tax return, and nobody will give yours a
second glance either."
"What do we need to do?" Nikesh said.
"Simple. Every morning, you will arrive at a predetermined location at eight o'clock. You will be given different items in different quantities. You will dress the same
way you did today--like a businessman. You will carry
on you a cell phone that will be given to you on your first
day of work. Throughout your shift, you will receive calls
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on your cell phone, alerting you to the location of your
next customer. We will also tell you what the customer
requires, and how much. You will go to the customer's
location, exchange money for goods just like anyone,
and leave. At the end of each day, you go home. Eighthour days. None of the ten, twelve, fourteen-hour crap
you're used to. The next morning you'll come back, drop
off all the money you received the previous day, fill up
your bags and start again. The faster you are, the more
runs you'll be given throughout the day, the more money
you will make. Those of you who prove that they can
handle a lot of runs will be promoted to later shifts. More
action, more money. At the beginning you will work with
a partner. This is for trust. You are your partner's eyes,
and vice versa. But you are also our watchman."
"Watchman?" Chubby asked.
"This business is built on trust," Leonard said. "Because of the sensitive nature of our business, we cannot
take risks. We thoroughly check out every single person
before we bring them here. We know everything about
you. Your background, your families, brothers, sisters.
Your son, Greg."
The black guy swallowed.
"If you do your job, you will make money. If you
decide you do not want to continue, that is your prerogative, provided you give us the customary two weeks'
notice. But if you decide that you suddenly want to, say,
alert anyone outside of our employ as to your job activities, you will be reprimanded. Severely. There are no
second chances, no third strikes. You are not in kindergarten. If you make your bed, you lay in it, and your first
offense is a punishable one."
"Punishable by what?" Morgan asked.
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Leonard stopped. Looked at Morgan. "Let's hope I
never have to answer that question for you." Morgan said
nothing. "If you agree to be a part of our company, you
will start this Monday. You each came here with a
sponsor,