Light overcomes darkness

“We’re so excited to have you join us, Mr. Rein. This is Coast Networks’ best deal yet and in no time, you’ll say so yourself. Thank you for trusting us with your visionary work. Your customers, who are now also our responsibility, will be pleased”, the CEO of 21stNet shakes my hand frantically as he speaks. I’m okay with the merge but something else is off about this whole deal. Something bigger than profits and cutting costs.

I shake his hand and keep my eyes on his hand, signaling him to let my hand go. It was all for show obviously; the pleasantries and continual appraisal. It’s all to seal this deal and something else that I can’t quite figure out.

But I’m more than curious at this point?

Mr. Chen, the CEO in question, can’t hold eye contact for longer than two seconds. I noticed that two nights ago when the meetings pertaining this deal commenced. I spoke about the history of my company and its values. By the time I was speaking about the importance of integrity and upholding a customer-centric approach to business, he was looking at everything and everyone else in the room but me. It’s as if I’d agitated or frightened him with my convictions, and yet I’m sure he’s had countless men and women making the same proclamations and requests prior to a signed deal.

I’ve mentioned his odd behavior to my colleague and co-founder, John Meichan, but he brushes it off as jitters or a failed attempt at humility from the titan.

Odd is what it was.

I look at the man who can’t stop fiddling with his suit while our lawyers collect our papers and pack them into their equally dramatic, leather briefcases.

“Now that the deal is signed and we’re partners, I reckon we have a celebratory drink at the bar downstairs before I head back home tomorrow. What do you say, Chief?”

I’m playing him, but he seems genuinely bamboozled by the request and his lawyer rescues him from yet another awkward moment.

“Oh, that sounds like a worthy treat gentlemen. Shall I lead the way?” the young counsel inserts himself in our conversation and walks between us, like an active way to halt the brewing tension.

I nod and raise my eyebrow at the CEO. He looks like he wants to launch himself at me accidentally. I wait until I’m the last man in the boardroom and take a final glance at the high view of the busy city.

“Oh Lord, what are you up to now?” I whisper into the air and walk out to join the corporate clique downstairs.



In the bar, that looks more like a night club – perhaps there isn’t a difference anymore with these things, there’s a sophisticated tone in the air. Or maybe it’s just all the men in suits with their ties too tight and shoes too shiny, making it too serious a scene for a celebration. There are only two women who are customers, the rest are waiting tables and my non-existent mood for this occasion decreases to a negative. What on earth is going on?

I clear my throat to do away with my discomfort and take my seat slowly beside my colleague and friend, John. He seems oblivious to what I’m sensing or questioning but I pick his brain anyway.

“John, you don’t find it weird that this place has no males attending to the tables here? I mean, what is this? A remake of the World War 1 era?” Also, why are these girls dressed like they’re off to a…”

‘Gentlemen! Please, order whatever is to your liking. We’re on a…what’s the American phrasing? Yes, a bottomless tab. Please, take your fill”, Mr. Chen’s lawyer announces cheerfully as he unbuttons the first two buttons of his shirt.

I’m not sure where he left his tie but I definitely don’t want to know where he’s left it. I nod reluctantly as a response to him because he’s staring right at me. These guys are quite the characters. I want to ask John if this is all a prank but I don’t want to be rude to this guy and John is probably sick of my banter at this point.

“Rein. Come on man. I know you’ve been antsy about this and wound up with it going smoothly but now it’s done. Okay?”

John rests his right hand on my shoulder and winks at the waitress who’s handing him a glass of Scotch.

“Just relax and enjoy this new venture, huh?” He tugs at me and smiles that smile that might get him in trouble with the men in this room later.

Sometimes John and I don’t see eye to eye, clearly, but I’ve grown to appreciate his varying perspectives and charm. There are many moments in our friendship that have shown his strengths and importance in our company. Coast Networks was first an idea that I brought to John when we were still fighting for our first degrees, and he’d quickly turned into the father I never had.

There wasn’t a day that he didn’t motivate me to bring it to life. One time, he got himself tipsy enough to courageously approach a video game guru, and ask him to take a chance on me with a huge capital cheque. I honestly had 911 typed on my phone, ready to dial after he’d get knocked over by one of the guy’s bouncers. Instead, he drew out the chair beside him and John took that seat. I dropped my phone and I’m not sure what I did for the next thirty minutes, when John walked toward me with an expressionless face.

I couldn’t read whether it was a drunken state or disappointment so I decided it was the latter and grabbed my phone to walk back to our room with him. And then he showed it to me.

A cheque with digits almost as long as my bank card number on it. John got us our first sponsorship, and he likes to deny it when we tell the story but he literally made this happen for us. I had the idea but he had the guts to tell others and get us meetings. He sealed the most essential deal that set us up for all of this. So, although that fateful day completely turned me away from the joys of Scotch and partying, I still have respect for my party-loving friend who believed in me. I can’t really repay him for what he did, not with money and things. But such as I have, like the apostles said to the man begging at the gate Beautiful, I surely pray the Lord in heaven will give to John. He deserves, in my opinion, a full life with Jesus in it. He’ll do amazing things when he gets on the boat with Jesus. I just know. I can already hear and see the effect of his testimony when that time comes. What a time that will be.

I’m in my thoughts when the petite waitress nudges me to take my drink order.

“Oh, a glass of water for me. Thanks”, I tell the young lady and ignore her flirtatious gestures.

She walks away and I drop my shoulders.

Mr. Chen shows up in casual clothes and I almost lose the impression I already had of him. He looks like a high school teacher who just got a raise, following a ten-year tenure.

The afternoon celebration extends to late evening hours and John and the gents are on the verge of blackouts on these fancy, white couches. The conversations are less interesting than they were five hours ago and I’m ready to call it a night and a done deal, but I’m still curious so I decide I’ll give it another hour and explore the grounds.

I whisper to John that I’ll be back and he nods but I’m certain he didn’t catch what I said. The room looks so much smaller than it did earlier, but I convince myself that more people have arrived so it will seem that way.

I walk passed a wall with expensive looking artworks that probably cost an arm and two legs, but they fit the place. Mr. Chen has taste, I think to myself, although I doubt he had anything to do with the interior design. I keep walking and decide I want the restroom, then I’ll go back to John so we can leave. I almost ask one of the bartenders where to go when I notice John and the gang heading out.

I want to run after John but something at the far end of the building catches my eye. A man keeps appearing to open a camouflaged door for people and then disappearing again. I try to trace John and the gang, but they’re not in sight anymore. This is my chance to satisfy the itch I’ve had since I got here.

Who are these people really?

I pace in the direction of the mysterious door and disappearing man.

“Sir. Restricted access. Do you have a pass?” he asks me, with his finger tips pointed at my belly.

His build resembles that of a seasoned marine soldier, so picking a fight is not an option. I ponder and quickly resort to charm.

“Listen, I was just with Mr. Chen discussing and closing the big merge. I’m sure you’ve heard he’s linking with a company, Coast Networks… Anyway, he promised me a tour but he’s just stepped out with our business partners and I’m not sure I’ll be as bold tomorrow for a tour.”

I cross my fingers in my head, hoping the big guy bites my story.

“Oh. Mr. Rein? Please, come in. You have unlimited access to our best offers. Number 4 and 7.”

I look at him with confusion, which he’s clearly used to because he smiles as he pushes me into what looks like a rated R video game. My heart’s racing as I look around the red-lit room. There are shut rooms to my left and right, and a main area with a pole that extends from the ceiling into the ground.

I’m not sure I want to know what’s going on anymore, but the giant has closed the door and I know if I don’t look now, I’ll probably not get this chance again. Chen already knows I’m onto him and now I’m convinced that he is NOT who he presents himself to be.

I walk to my left and look at the closed-door frame. There’s a number 1 on it, a 2 on the next one and so on until I see 4. I swallow air and open the door slowly. There’s a bed, a side table with alcohol and what looks like a packet of tablets. I step inside and catch a fright when a young girl walks out of a door to my right, in the same room and smiles at me.

I can tell by her attire what she’s planning to do. I hold out my hand, prompting her to be quiet and not move another inch. With my other hand, I pull out my phone and tap the camera icon.

“I knew it”, I whisper to myself and start taking pictures. I snap the drugs. The sex toys laid out along the walls of the room and finally turn to her. I won’t shame her with a photograph but I have to ask her what this all is.

She’s shaking and crying, I’m thinking she suspects I’m law enforcement undercover. I place a finger on my lips to shush her and kneel just two feet away from her.

“Listen. I won’t hurt you. You’re not in trouble. I need you to tell me what you’re told to do here. I won’t let anything happen to you, but if the men who put you here are bad men, I have to report this so you get help and go home. Okay? Please talk to me…why are you here?”

She looks like she’s about eighteen or nineteen but underfed, probably to maintain light weight. I’ll wait for her to settle down so she can talk to me, but I already know. This merge is about to be the quickest in history to be annulled.