The company episode 3

The company 3

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Before Stanley could reach the door, the managing director had done a quick mental calculation and stopped him. He saw the fire and resolution in Stanley’s eyes while he made the threat, and he knew he was not blushing. He also knew that something was giving Stanley a strong heart, thus he needed to tread cautiously. “Mr Stanley, I have known you to be a very good team player and a subordinate employee. I wonder what made you want to throw all that away at this point, but whatever be the case, I’m sure we can work out something. Name your price. What do you want? Money or promotion?”, the managing director asked trying to bribe Stanley.

The thought that his boss could only see his concern as something money could change made him angrier. He stepped closer to the managing director, looked closely into his face and said “sir, it is very disappointing that money is all that matters to you. But here, try and let something more precious matter for once. Human lives cannot be purchased”. Immediately after saying that, he turned and walked coolval stories away leaving his boss momentarily confused. Before he could get to his office, the security men are already there at the order of the managing director. He had been suspended indefinitely. The security men were there to make sure he took only his very personal belongings and nothing more. That was to stop him from having any doc-ments to back him up in case he decided to hurt the company in any way, and it worked. Stanley left the office without the file containing the doc-ments that could prove that the fluid was substandard.

Having lost the doc-ments which would have been his only means of proving his claims, Stanley felt helpless. He started regretting taking up the case knowing how little his reach was when compared to that of his opponent. But each time the shreds of regret came to his mind, the scenes from his dream flashed through as well, assuring him that he did the right thing. But how he was going to complete his mission and stop the distribution of the fluid became a resonant question in his mind.

Also, immediately Stanley was let out of the company’s building, the managing director ordered that every doc-ments pertaining to the production of the fluid be brought to him. The production department rounded up all they had and returned them to him. The quality control department now led by Raphael did the same. In place of the doc-ments, new ones were created and backdated with the required signatories appending their signatures. These signatories were all in the dark concerning what the wh0le exercise was about except for Raphael who was in the know from the beginning. With the completion of this plot, there was no way Stanley was going to win the case anywhere without some contradicting and authentic evidences.

Back at home, Stanley told his wife that he was suspended from work, but lied to her about what the cause was. He told her he was suspended because of a physical altercation he had with a colleague. He feared that she might have an outburst if she learned the truth. From then henceforth, Stanley sought for ways to lay his hands on the doc-ments and plotted how best to use them in stopping the distribution of the fluid. He called Raphael and asked him to get him the doc-ments. When Raphael told him what the managing director did, Stanley knew he had almost lost. But to be sure, he further asked Raphael if he made photocopies of the doc-ments before handing them over. Raphael answered negatively. With that, Stanley knew his efforts had hit the rock.

The reality of the moment gradually dawned on him. He remembered his days of unemployment. He remembered how difficult it was back then even though it was just him. Now, he had a wife and kids to take care of. How was he going to give them the good life he promised himself? With the situation of the country, getting another good job would be a difficult task. Not that he didn’t have the qualifications or experience, but employment in the country was basically through personal connections. His heart sank when he realized he had lost his means of livelihood while fighting against something that may not affect him directly. He wished he never did. He thought of going to the managing director and apologizing for his insubordination. But a part of him kept telling him he did the right thing and urged him not to give up.

Again, he started thinking of how to stop the distribution. He thought of leaving anonymous tip for the Consumers Protection Council or Standard org-nization of Nigeria, asking them to verify the quality of a certain product in a certain company. He also thought of going to the press with what he knew, but the fact that he didn’t have any evidence to back his claim deterred him. After long hours of conceiving and discarding ideas, he decided to play his last card and hoped it would help his cause. In the serenity of the night, he brought out his laptop and sent an email to the chairman of the board of directors of the company. The only set of people the managing director answered to.

“Sir,

My name is Edeh Stanley Chika. I worked as the head of quality control department until I was recently suspended. I discovered a crime against the entire human race which the company is about to perpetuate.

If nothing is done about it in the next twenty four hours, I will go to the press with evidences. I pray you use your good office to avert this impending doom.

Best regards
Edeh S. C.”

The next morning around 9:00 am, a team of three policemen came to Stanley’s house and took him away. They said he was needed at the police station for questioning.

What happened next?

TOCHUKWU ANOZIE

Find out!!!