John Regan's Vengeance

2. Friendship Buildup

Atticus Regan loved the post of the head auditor of Riverstar Bank Headquarters since the first day he took the job. He felt something different unlike other jobs he has been doing, I felt like his life was undergoing an upgrade. He has been working at the bank for one and a half months now without any issue. His first pay was five hundred thousand Ravs and there were incentives included during his employment. His salary will be increased after a year if all his accounts balance and there is no loss of funds.

He was doing some accounts in his office when he heard someone knocking, he invited the person in, it was one of his colleagues but he does not recognize him.

"Good morning Mr. Atticus, I am Jeremiah Beckman the financial analyst of this prestigious organization, it will be nice to know you," said Jeremiah Beckman.

"Nice to meet you too, how may I help you," Atticus Regan asked.

"I heard you have been working here for over a month now, I have not been around that is why you do not know me yet, well I want to introduce you to the investment business, investments is the only assurance of a better future." "I monitor and analyze the stock market, I am an expert in this area, I will show you some businesses and stocks you should invest in currently" Jeremiah Beckman replied.

"That is good, I am interested in investments, I am the son of an expert investor, some of my father's investments are still making money for me till date, I will appreciate it if you show me what the stock market currently says," said Atticus Regan.

Jeremiah Beckman then started to show Atticus some companies he could invest in and some stocks he could buy. Atticus just knew that he would have to be friends with Jeremiah because the stock market is not something you will just look at in a day and find a company that will yield profit or stock that will surely rise. He started asking him more questions.

"So how long have you been monitoring these companies and stocks you showed me," Atticus Regan asked.

"Well I know you are also good in this area so I will not lie to you, all the companies I show you normally fluctuate before anytime it rises the profit is always much while the stocks are doing well, less profit is derived from them," said Jeremiah Beckman.

"I trust you will have an investment that is currently yielding funds for you," said Atticus Regan.

"Yes, I own some shares in an automobile company and some other companies, if I mention the name of the company you will know how long I must have purchased the shares" Jeremiah Beckman replied.

"Well don't let me disturb your work activities, we can talk after closing hours, there will be a meeting in the hall after closing hours to top positions holder, I heard you have never attended it, I will like to see you there." "You will meet some other experienced investors there" he added.

When it comes to investments, Atticus Regan is always interested because his father told him before dying that he should always invest. After all, investments are the only assurance of a better life after retirement. He was reviewing the financial situation of a branch of Riverstar Bank before Jeremiah Beckman entered his office so after he left, Atticus continued.

After Atticus was done with all the branches financial files were dropped on his desk. It was few minutes from noon, which is their break. Atticus Regan was very hungry he wanted to go and have something to eat at the Bank's canteen. On his way out he ordered his secretary to bring all the loan files of the company and drop them ok his desk before he returns from the canteen. Harley Regan normally prepares lunch for her husband so he would take it along with him when going in the morning but she was too tired to cook today, Atticus understood the stress she normally passes through so he told her he would be buying something to eat at his company's canteen.

It was exactly twelve-thirty when Atticus Regan returned to his office, he met few files on his desk. Just from looking at it, he could tell that it was not complete, so other files were missing. He first ate the vegetable noodles he bought from the Bank's canteen, that is the only thing he could eat from the canteen without purging. After eating he started checking the files Helen dropped on his table, he had done through about three files before he heard a knock on the door of his office. Like the person earlier, it was not a familiar face like earlier but this person was carrying some files also.

"Good day Mr. Atticus, I am Sam Morrison the loan officer of this organization," said Sam Morrison as he drops the files on the table.

"Welcome sir, I would have sent for you if not that you have arrived, are these the remaining files?" Atticus Regan asked.

"Yes, I wanted to bring them myself that is why your secretary did not bring them," said Sam Morrison.

"I bet you have some explanations to give on the files you are just bringing," said Atticus Regan.

"Yes, it is not much of an explanation, the file I just brought is salary loans taken by some staff of the bank," said Sam Morrison.

Atticus Regan then started to go through the file Sam Morrison just brought abandoning the ones he was formally checking. He told Sam Morrison to wait so he would answer some questions he would most likely ask. After going through some of the files, he found out that it was bad debts already. The staff who took the loan has been sacked or they resigned without paying even part of the loan. Atticus Regan asked Sam Morrison but his explanation was not good enough, even the current staff who took loans have not started to pay part of it.

Immediately Sam Morrison left his office, Atticus Regan gathered the files and headed to the office of the general manager.

"Sir I have something to show from all these files, I think this is why the financial situation of the bank is not that good," said Atticus Regan.

"What is in the file that you feel I need to know," the general manager asked.

Atticus Regan then started to open the files in front of the general manager. He showed him all the issued loans without any repayment scheme.

"Sir, it is because there is no repayment scheme included in the agreement of the loan, it will be hard to recover or would never be recovered like the ones I showed you," said Atticus Regan.

"So what do you suggest I do to make sure the loans are recovered," the general manager asked.

"Well it is nothing hard, any staff who applies for salary loan will no longer take his complete salary at the end of the month, the higher the loan the lower the salary they collect and they will sign to never walk away from the job if not they will serve a jail term if caught," said Atticus Regan.

"That is a good idea, so like how many percent of the salary do you think we should be taking to repay the loans," the general manager asked.

"It will be good if we constantly take fifty percent out of any staff salary who want to take a salary loan, it will discourage most people from taking the salary loan for an unnecessary thing," said Atticus Regan.

"I will work on it with immediate effect, there will be a meeting after closing hours, you must attend I will discuss this there," the general manager said.

"What will happen to the current loan debtors, what will happen to them," he asked.

"The law will also apply for them too so the bank will quickly recover all its funds," said Atticus Regan.

After Atticus Regan finished discussing with the general manager, he left for the office with the files he brought. The Bank's financial status was declining already, if they do not recover the majority of the loans they were running on debts and this could cause them to fold up.

Six o'clock in the evening is the closing time of everyone working in the bank, they would have stopped answering customers since two o'clock. Other branches will then bring their daily accounts from four o'clock. All Atticus Regan's work of the day was finished, all his mind was at home already but he had to wait for the meeting the general manager and Jeremiah Beckman told him about. Few minutes after everyone necessary was complete in the hall for the meeting, they started. They discussed a lot about the financial status of the bank, Jeremiah Beckman suggested some stocks to invest in to raise funds for the bank while Sam Morrison said he has ordered his team to not take in any loan offers again.

After hearing what everyone said, the general manager concluded that in the meantime no loan should be released until the released ones are recovered. He then said that those who had already taken salary loans or those who want to take will not take their complete salaries, he said fifty percent only will be paid to them while the other fifty percent will be used to repay the loan gradually.

"Make sure you all inform your team about the update on the salary loan, anyone who has already collected the salary loan must report in my office from around seven o'clock in the morning," the general manager said.

Everyone was dismissed, Atticus Regan raced to his car and drove on a high-speed home in order to meet his son still awake. When he got home, his wife and son were just eating dinner, he happily joined them. After the meal, he discussed the friends he made at work who are also living in the same neighborhood as them.

"If you remember the movie we watched, be careful with the friends you have in your workplace, it is for your good and our happiness," said Harley Regan.

"Daddy, please do not be like the man we watched in the betrayal," said John Regan.

"I will be right back, let me put John to bed, he is sleepy," said Harley Regan.