Success, Opulence and Power Hebru Young (ebook reader online .txt) 📖

“I need a favour, though. I need to get rid of everything I’m wearing when we leave this place. I have brought some extra clothes and shoes to change into. I also brought a lighter and a can of lighter fluid. On our way back, I’ll need to stop somewhere to burn everything. I would like to get rid of this gun myself as well. I plan on taking it apart and depositing the individual parts across Miami,” Eddie said.

“You know how to dismantle a gun? Damn kid, what are you, some kind of professional hit man? Not to worry, we have a spot not too far from here. We will stop there on the way back. It’s a bakery that we control. They have an incinerator; you can toss all your garb there. It’s also hot enough to melt that piece you’ve got. We had the incinerator installed for this very reason. Is that thorough enough for you?” Hector asked.

“Yes, sir, thanks. Please give me a couple of minutes to get changed,” said Edwardo.

“You see boys, this is what I’m talking about. A real pro!” Hector said with a smile on his face.

Edwardo wasn’t taking any chances of having the two murders pinned on him. He would have to change clothes because of the gun powder residue. Along with the extra clothes, shoes, lighter, and lighter fluid, he had a trash bag. He made sure he was wearing gloves when he handled the trash bag. An over-the-top precaution but one that would put his mind at ease.

“I am truly impressed with you, kid. From this point on we will call you Soap, because you like to keep things clean, leaving no loose ends. You hear that everybody? From now on, we call him Soap. Kid, welcome to the family. No one touches you or your family, you have our full protection. You now have full control of your dad’s restaurant, and to Honour your dad, we will offer you all the opportunities that are available to members of this family. Everyone, welcome Soap to the family!” Hector said.

Just like that, Edwardo was a bona fide member of the cartel. As long as he stayed in line, the cartel would not only allow him to operate his restaurant, they would also provide means for him to earn more if he wanted to. Most importantly, he now had cartel protection, an invaluable relationship to have with the crime family that dominated the most significant parts of Miami.

Edwardo got changed, and tossed his clothes, shoes, beanie, and gloves in the trash bag. He clenched the trash bag, guarding it as if his life depended on it, and it did. Once Edwardo had finished getting dressed, Hector ordered a couple of guys to clean up the mess. Then he signalled it was time to leave. All but one of the SUVs drove off in a convoy. Hector asked Edwardo to ride with him, as he had a few other things he wanted to discuss. When they got in the car, Edwardo sat in the back with his new boss, Hector.

“So young Soap, I have plans for you. You’re brave, and even more important you are smart, you are very smart. I believe you can go far in this line of business; we need more people like you to take the family to greater heights. We need the next generation of cartel leaders to have the qualities you have displayed today. With the people we have started to partner with, we will need individuals with a certain level of panache and eloquence going forward. So, I will definitely need you to stay in school. I want you to attend college and get a degree. This is the direction we are taking with our senior members. You stick with me, and I will make you a very rich man. Are you ready for this, are you on board?” Hector asked.

“I am ready to learn everything you are willing to teach me, Mr. Gallegos. Believe it or not, after we spoke the last time, I decided I would get a degree in business and entrepreneurship,” Edwardo said.

“Again, I’m impressed. I won’t be going into details with you now, but consider this the start of your journey as my protégé,” Hector said.

“Thank you, sir.” replied Edwardo.

Edwardo’s mind was racing. He never really thought that he’d one day become a gangster, let alone a leader in a crime syndicate. He had always wanted to be rich and successful, but those dreams were materializing a lot quicker than he’d expected. It didn’t bother him much that he was becoming a criminal—any sense of good morals had been diminished by the death of his father. All he cared about now was financial success, and he was already on his way.

Chapter 18

Online Racketeering

Where: Edom Group, The United Nations of Europe and Americas, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

When: 1222 hours, Tuesday, November 5, 2041

Currency: UNEA credits

One of our other lucrative businesses was online racketeering, which generated a ton of credits for us. It was only a matter of time before online racketeering became law enforcement’s main focus. It all originated from ransomware. The first recorded ransomware attack happened in 1989. However, the attacks didn’t become prominent until the mid- to late 2000s, when hackers were consistently using stolen data as leverage. Reports show companies across the globe have paid billions and billions to ransomware attackers. Those figures are likely to remain consistent, because hackers will always find a way to bypass data security.

We took ransomware to new heights. We hired the best hackers in the Americas, got them whatever software and hardware they needed, and paid them very well. Their only job was to do what they did best—hack into systems and retrieve valuable data. The rest of it was left to our data analysis team. They