Once upon a time in the city of San Francisco, lived a hardworking individual named Jack, whose whole world turned upside down with a single pink slip. He had just been fired from his dream job at Everlasting Inc. due to company-wide layoffs. Feelings of frustration and confusion overwhelmed him as he wandered through the streets, contemplating what the future held in store.
Days turned into weeks, and Jack struggled to find employment in an unforgiving job market. Each night, he found comfort at local café, hoping that a cup of warm coffee would rekindle his dwindling motivation.
One seemingly ordinary afternoon, as Jack stared out the café window, lost in a sea of thoughts, his phone rang. Startled, he picked it up, only to discover that his former boss, Mr. Hamilton, was on the other end of the line. An immediate surge of resentment flowed through Jack's veins as memories of the abrupt termination replayed in his mind.
"Hello, Jack. I hope this call finds you well," said Mr. Hamilton with a trace of uneasiness in his voice.
"What do you want?" Jack snapped, trying to conceal the lingering hurt.
"It's about some important documents that seem to have vanished. We desperately need them for an impending audit. I remembered you were involved in that particular project, and I was wondering if you knew anything about their whereabouts."
Jack took a moment to compose himself, his mind racing. Vengeance tugged at his heart, but his conscience guided him toward a more creative approach.
"Interesting that you'd reach out to me, Mr. Hamilton," Jack replied, feeling a little bit of a casual indifference. "These documents are of immense value, and locating them won't be easy. However, as you know, my expertise deserves to be rewarded accordingly."
A silence filled the space between them, punctuated by the hum of the café's espresso machine and people talking.
"How much?" Mr. Hamilton eventually asked, his voice betraying desperation.
"For each document, I believe a fair price would be $1,000," Jack responded, his heart pounding with mischief.
"But that's extortion!" “Are you crazy!” Mr. Hamilton exclaimed, struggling to control his voice.
"Well, it's no less than what you did to me, is it? We reap what we sow," Jack retorted with a calm confidence, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
There was another silence on the line, a moment that hung heavy with both the past and present consequences of their choices.
"Fine," Mr. Hamilton eventually replied, his voice filled with defeat. "Where can I meet you?"
Jack's mind raced as he considered the best way to proceed. He decided on an unassuming park bench where the audacious transaction would unfold, symbolic of their crossed paths. There, under the protective shade of an ancient oak tree, Jack would hand over a neatly wrapped package containing the important documents and he received $10,000 in cash for his cooperation.