Chapter 7 – Runaway Devaluation
"…. What you were doing when working on Pied Piper? Did you do it on Hooli time, using hooli equipment or resources at any time?", My lawyer Ron LaFlamme asked me.
"No and No.", I told him with a straight face sitting on a chair across his desk.
"Great!", he said clapping his hand. "Always tell me that. Always tell yourself that. Because if you believe it, a jury will too.", he told me with excited hand gestures making his point. "We are going to win this right?", I asked him with a straight face.
"Look Rechie, if what you told me is the truth, and don't tell me if it isn't, then Gavin's got nothing here. Now we just need to find you a lawyer and you will be set.", He told me reassuringly. "I thought you were my lawyer." , I asked him running through the script.
"I am your lawyer but not a litigator. You are going to need one. Don't worry Richie. You are my boy, I got you. I know some people. I will make some calls. I will get you the best deal I can. We will get it done in 2 to 2.5 million tops.", he told me. "Isn't that a little high.", I asked him genuinely baffling at the cost.
"Says the guy with the fat term sheets. Look Richie, legal fees are usually worked into deals like this. You have Raviga. Don't worry about.", he tried to reassure me and I just nodded my head.
"Fine. But find me a good deal Ron. I mean it.", I told him getting up and starting to leave. Already knowing Raviga was going to run with its tail tucked behind its legs. Thank god the board seats were at least sorted.
Just as I was about to exit Ron's office, I saw him going for the Guitar on the wall. Probably to play something to relax. As I saw him fiddling with the guitar, I couldn't help but reminisce about missing my previous life, where I was a very good singer but had to leave my passion behind after failing to make it big in the industry and having to get a real job due to financial obligations.
"Hey Richie, do you want something? Do you play?", Ron asked noticing that I was at the door of his office and looking at his guitar with a longing expression.
"Yeah. A little bit. I haven't played since college. Do you mind if I give it a try?", I asked already on my way to Ron to take the Guitar he was offering.
"Sure man, let's hear something. If you are good, maybe we can jam together sometime.", he said encouragingly.
"Definitely.", I said starting to test the tuning of the guitar. Just as I was doing it, I was hit in the face with the voluptuous buxom of insight.
Oh, this is going to be good. Very good.
XxxxxX
As the guys and I were talking about the lawsuit sitting in the Incubator living room the next day, I head a knock on the door. Seeing Monica enter with a "Hey guys", I just smirked. She caught my smirk and thought it a smile and immediately felt guilty turning her eyes away from me.
"Monica.", I called to gain her attention. This also drew the attention of the rest of the guys to her. "It's not going to work you know.", I told her when she came into the living room, getting the confused look on her face. "Wearing the beige ensemble. No matter what you wear, you still look like the most beautiful girl I have seen.", her eyes widened at that, realizing that I was already 10 steps ahead and knew why she came here. Then I saw blush come on her cheeks as she recalled the last part I said.
"How did you know?", she asked. "Like I told you the other day. I studied up on Laurie. She chickened out, didn't she? And sent you to give us the bad news? Was the beige outfit your idea or hers?", I asked her, shocking the other occupants in the room.
"Hers.", she said reluctantly. I just shook my head with a faint smile on my face. "Wait what is happening? Can someone explain to me?", Jared asked. "Raviga backed out because of Laurie's very risk-averse personality," I told everyone shrugging. "You should go, Monica, you have delivered the message," I told her turning my chair away from her. "Richard look, Raviga is a different place right now… And Laurie… Laurie is…" she said trying and failing to form a rational comprehensible reason for Laurie to back out, but I interrupted, "Is a short-sighted idiot that just kicked the golden goose in the balls and she is going to regret it till the day she dies. That is my message to her when you see her again. Tell her that… word for word, Monica.", I said without turning my chair back to Monica.
"Look Richard I am sorry. But you have a stack of term sheets and other VC still want you. You should move quickly when you still have the momentum.", she tried to plead to me to get my attention. "Noted.", I told her still with my back turned, in an obvious dismissal tone.
"Richard…are we?", I could hear crackling in her voice. I audibly signed at that, I didn't want her to cry, "We are fine Monica. I will see you at your apartment tonight. Okay. But please leave now.", I told her without turning back. I don't think it reassured her very much.
"That was intense.", Jared said.
"That was stone cold. I respect that.", Gilfoyle chimed in.
"You know what Fuck Raviga, Fuck Laurie and Fuck Mo….", Erlich started saying but I interrupted him in between, "Don't finish that sentence Erlich. ", to which he promptly shut his mouth.
"What now?", Gilfoyle asked.
"Now Jared and Erlich will go back to the other VC's they met. And when they reject us, you will tell them the same thing I asked Monica to tell to Laurie.", I said getting back to work.
"Wait why would they reject us?", Jared asked.
"Because with the lawsuit and Raviga pulling out, we are radioactive. But I want you guys to try anyways.", I told Jared and Erlich.
"Fuck that. Richard, I promise will get you a sweet-ass deal to fuck. If I can't I shall change my name from Erlich.", he exclaimed as he got up and went to his room to get ready. "I will make some calls and arrange meetings with the VC's.", Jared said taking out his phone and moving to another room to make those calls.
"The rest of us are getting back to work.", I told Gilfoyle and Dinesh.
XxxxxX
When the day was finally over a defeated Jared and Erlich arrived back at our house.
Then the thing with Jared analyzing our burn rate happened. With the 50k we won from Tech-Crunch included wouldn't last us very long. With the whole Dinesh thing following.
The next day Jared told us that another VC has reached out to him, "A guy from Branscom ventures just texted me. They want to sit down for a meeting."
"Brandscom? That's a solid shop.", Erlich commented. "Yes. And do you know the best part, I told them about the Lawsuit. You know what they say? Bro's disclose. And they still want to meet us anyway. All of us. Engineers included.", Jared told us excitedly.
"That only happens at a second or third meeting. Technical due diligence. That's good. Very good. This means they are serious about funding us. Set up a meeting Jared.", Erlich told Jared and the rest of us excitedly.
"I will get right on it!" Jared said.
"No, you will not.", I interrupted for the first time in the conversation. "Why would they want to sit with the engineers in the first meeting. It's like what google did to yelp. Steve Jobs did to Xerox. They want to mind rape us. That's why they want the engineers there. We are not taking that meeting. We are not taking any meetings.", I told Jared.
Then the realization set in with everybody that we would have been seriously fucked if we took that meeting and didn't realize what was up, till it was too late.
"Aren't you being a little paranoid.", Dinesh asked, still not quite believing fully my reason for not taking the meeting.
"Maybe I am. But all my hunches had paid off so far. So I am going with my gut on this one.", I told Dinesh and the rest of the people in the group.
"Richard please, think about what if you are wrong? What if they are genuinely interested in investing with us?", Jared pleased with me still not believing that his 'Bro' would betray him like that.
"Ok Jared, you are my board member and my friend. I trust you. So if you insist we take that meeting, we will. All of us.", I told him sighing and smiling.
"Thank you, Richard! You will not regret it." He said going to another room to make that call.
"Guys, when we are there be on the lookout for brain rape. Till the issue with Gavin is solved the algorithm patent and copyright are in limbo. So our algorithm right now is our biggest asset. Do not take anything with you to that meeting that has it. And in no way shape or form disclose it during that meeting. Understood?", I told Dinesh, Gilfoyle and Erlich. "As the dark lord wills.", Gilfoyle gave his snarky commentary. He had started calling me Dark Lord from time to time because of the recent manipulative and cunning streak. I don't think old Richard would have ever expected admiration to come from Gilfoyle.
XxxxxX
"Fuck!", Erlich screamed and raged as he barged into through the front door of the house. The rest of us followed with Jared with his head hung low being the last to enter.
"Richard was right.", Dinesh was mumbling incoherently.
"Of course he was, He is the Dark Lord, the master manipulator! No one can out manipulate him.", Gilfoyle said going back to his work station and starting his computer.
"Richard I am so sorry. I should have realized…."Jared started to say with a face near tears.
"Forget about it, Jared. Shit happens and people fuck up. And there was no harm done, we got out as soon as it became obvious about what they wanted. And they didn't get anything. So we have nothing to worry about.", I tried to reassure Jared.
"Of course there is something to worry about. No VC in town will touch us. We will run out of capital in weeks. Without an investor, Hooli will beat us to CES in January. And once they beat us they will set an industry benchmark and we will be irrelevant. Let's face it, we are dead as a company.", Erlich raged.
Looking at everyone's depressed face I snorted and said, "Did you guys forget about the 4 million dollars I scammed from Gavin Belson?" I said bringing them out of their despair.
"But you said you spent it all.", Jared said. "No, I said 'It's gone', you guys just assumed I spent or lost it all. I was, however, making investments.", I told them bringing hope to their eyes.
"So you still have the 4 million dollars?", Dinesh asked with hope.
"No.", it was amusing to see his face fall so quicky from hope to despair again.
"I now have 14 million dollars.", I told them. Bringing a check out of my back pocket and giving it to Jared.
"I am funding our Series A round", I told them while Jared just stood there in shock.
"5 million dollars!", Jared exclaimed. "5 million dollars. That should be enough to last us till we build a prototype.", I said plainly. Then I was ambushed in a hug by Jared, which was soon joined by Erlich, with him saying, "Oh Richard you magnificent beast."
Dinesh joined in soon after.
"Get in here!" I called Gilfoyle opening space in the hug. "You will have to gut me like a fish and then salt and spit roast me on fire alive before I go anywhere near that.", he said in a dry voice turning around and going back to work. But as he turned away from us I caught a glimpse of a smile emerging on his face.
Then my pocket started vibrating. "Guys, guys my phone.", I said excusing myself from the still on-going hug.
"Oh is it? I just thought you got excited because of me.", Erlich said sarcastically which had me laughing.
Then I was bringing the phone to my face, I thought it must be Gavin if cannon is supposed to play out. Umm no… it was Monica. I never did go to her apartment to talk to her two days ago. I just texted her I was busy trying to save my company. And I will call her when I have time.
And I was busy. I had invested almost the whole 4 million dollars as soon as I had received it. I had invested 3 million in coin when it was going for 200 dollars per coin, at that point. Buying me roughly 15,000 coins. Right now I had cashed out 10,000 of those coins at the rate of 832 dollars per share, Giving me roughly 8 million in liquid cash. I was pretty sure in two months if I remembered correctly the price was going to go below 100 dollars. I planned to reinvest the rest of the 3 million I had on hand in it again when it happened.
The other million that I hadn't invested in coin, I was using to bet on games I knew the outcome of but being safe enough that I lost enough times in small amounts that no one would get suspicious. I had also shorted the companies I knew were going to blow up but no one saw coming. In fact, this turned out to be more lucrative than initially imagined, as I had converted the initial 1 million into 6 million. But I was constantly playing with that money, leveraging my future knowledge to make myself a hell of a lot of dough.
I had also planned to invest in companies like WeWork and get out before it blew up in a few years. And as far as coin goes, I planned to invest most of the money I had in it and get out by 2029, when the governments all over the world will ban coin and all crypto-currencies to save the global financial infrastructure and markets. But they will do so after coin reaches its peak value of 1 million in 2028.
But those are all plans for the future. For the past couple of days, I was scrambling to sell off coins and cash in other investments I had made so that I could scrounge up the 5 million I needed to put into Pied Piper.
That was one of the reasons I was had neglected to talk with Monica for the last 2 days. The other was...the other was... I was having feelings for Monica, that I had no business having so soon. They weren't and couldn't be rational. But something in the back of my mind was telling me they were. That pissed me off, as my rational side fought with it. This lead to me ignoring Monica, as I needed to get my head straight before I talked to her. I didn't want to lose her but I couldn't verbalize the feelings I was having for her as well. I just... I just couldn't.
Anyways, I once again rejected her call telling her with a text that I was busy. I know I was being petty, but I wasn't perfect. I wanted to see where this goes.
Then I heard a knock on the door. As the door opened in came Monica, when she saw me I cringed at being caught in a lie, well kind off. As the others guys greeted her she greeted them back cordially enough, but throughout it, her eyes were on me. When she found out about the cheque, here eyes went wide. I didn't say anything, just waited for her to come to me from across the room and begin the dialogue.
"Richard can we talk alone for a second?", she asked me. Not at all ready to accept no as an answer.
"Yeah sure, Let's go to my room.", I told her reluctantly, leading her to my room and once we were inside, she closed the door. Then before I knew it, she pushed me with all her might in anger, though I was able to catch myself for falling I had moved back quite a few steps in surprise.
"What do you want from me?" She said hitting me on the chest trying to push me back again, but this time I didn't move as I was prepared.
"Monic…", I tried to calm her down but she didn't let me. "I told you I tried. I really did. It wasn't my decision to not fund you.", she screamed at me.
"I know, okay.", I tell the now crying girl trying to get her into a hug, but she pushed both my arms away with all her might. "Then why are you punishing me? Why are you pushing me away?", she cried giving herself a hug with both her arms, standing a few steps away from me.
"Come on Monica! Punishing? You are talking as if I have had you whipped in the town square. I was busy. I told you. I sent you multiple texts. Do you think gathering funding after the company you trusted, shafted you, is easy? All of us have been scrambling for the last 3 days to get the funding. Look, Monica, like I told you I am not angry with you. In fact, I am not sure how I feel about you.", I told her which brought her tearing gaze up from the ground to me with a wide-eyed fearful gesture.
"I just needed time to get my feelings sorted," I told her looking at her in the eyes. But she withdrew into herself, looking around ready to bail out. "I…I think I should go.", she said turning back to me and moving towards the door to leave the room.
Shit! Shit! I think she misunderstood!
I didn't let her, however, catching her by the wrist. "Look hear me out, after this, I am not sure you would ever want to see me. But let me just get it out please.", She didn't turn to face me as I was holding her wrist, she kept looking at the door. But at least she stopped struggling to get her wrist out of my hand. Though I could feel her crying increase, silent though it was.
"Look, the day I met you I thought it was an amazing day. The day you convince me not to sell Pied Piper, I thought it was the best day of my life. But I was wrong. You proved me wrong on the day you kissed me for the first time. I thought that was the best day of my life. Then you went and proved me wrong again, the day I asked you to be my girlfriend. That night, when you were snuggling next to me in your room I though, no something I didn't know was missing from my life just clicked. Since that day…. You have driven me crazy. When I am working I think about you. When I am sleeping I think about you. Even when I am with you I think about you. I felt I was going growing crazy. I just needed a few days to sort my feeling about you.
I never knew I was a risk taker before I met you. Since then I have taken so many risks that it has completely upturned my life. I am about to take the biggest risk now. I know this could be the end of our relationship and everything we could have had. In a way, it might be even good for me if it ended. But I still desire from the bottom of my heart it never would.
Monica…Monica, I know its reckless and stupid and we have been going out less than a year…. But I think I am in love with you.", I said that and let her arm go, giving her a chance to walk away. She didn't move, I think she didn't even breathe for a few seconds when her face was hidden from my view. But then she turned around and collided into me trying to kiss the life out of me.
Outside my door, I could hear shuffling of feet. Guess the guys heard everything. Fuck it. Before I knew it both our clothes were on the floor. And we were lost in each other.
I didn't think she was ready to tell me the words but I was wrong. By the end of the night, she had confessed those three magical words. "I Love You"
The next day when I checked my phone and I was blown away. With the stuff with Monica, I had completely forgotten about Gavin Belson. I had forgotten that he would call Richard to meet up at the Mexican restaurant and vaguely threaten him to sell Pied Piper to Hooli. Looks like cannon happened and I wasn't here to play my part and butterflies flapped their wings.
I found three miscalls from Gavin Belson. Ohh but that wasn't what caused my shock, apparently as I wasn't there to pick up my phone, he took it as an insult. I am guessing there must have been some alcohol after that, as he left me messages. Messages in the form of Audio, Video, Text, and Pictures.
I opened the pictures first and apparently, he sent me everything from a pic giving me the middle finger to actually sending me a dick pic with the caption, "I am going to rape your Pied Piper's Ass with This!"
Then I opened the video file he had sent me, "You want to ignore me. You want to fight me. I will kill you and bury you, you mother fucker and no one will ever find your body."
The audio message in comparison was quite benign telling me that I made a mistake in ignoring him, who the hell he thought I was etc.
Text messages were varied but many of them contained worlds and letters threatening me with bodily harm.
Oh, mother fuck if there ever was a jackpot! But, but could I use this. Yes, I could use this to sue Gavin and it might work too or I could use this to make Gavin drop the Lawsuit against me, but was I ready to take that route? I had already started skirting cannon, but this…this had the potential to upturn the whole chessboard. I needed to stick to that chessboard for a little while longer as it made the game predictable, and thus in my favor. So if I go after Gavin using this, he will act like an animal cornered and lash out, thus making him unpredictable. Decisions. Decisions.
XxxxxX
"Thank you for coming to meet me," I told Gavin as he slid into the booth I was sitting in of the same Mexican restaurant in which we were supposed to meet last week.
"It's not like I had a choice!", he replied snarkily.
"Hey chill man. I am just being polite. So last night huh!", I left it hanging. The threat was implied. He didn't say anything as he didn't want to implicate himself even more. But from his face, I could see that he was seething with anger.
"Look, Gavin, first let me apologize for not picking up your call. My phone was on silent and I was busy and I didn't check my phone till morning, when I found….you know." I told him. That got an incredulous expression on his face which again turned to simmering anger. I wager, he thought either I was lying or telling the truth and I had no part in his self-destructive behavior last night. I think contemplating the second option, pissed him off more.
"Oh yeah. What were you doing?
Tell me, Richard, what were you doing that was so important that you ignored Gavin Belson's call?", he asked snarky, though I got the impression he didn't really want to know.
"You see since you sued me, VC's shit the beds in terror running away from Pied Piper, me and my girlfriend were having a rocky time in our relationship. Last night the simmering blow up happened and we fought but fortunately made up later and ended up having make up sex, all night.", I told him, taking a nacho and dipping it salsa and taking a bite. "Umm.. this is good. You should have some."
He didn't touch the nachos. I could almost feel the anger both self-directed and directed towards me come off in waves through the air after he had gotten over the shock from my explanation.
"What is it going to take to make this go away? And before you say to drop the lawsuit, I can't. I had to convince the whole board to go along with it and I can't pull it without the board's authorization. And they are not going to drop the suit, believe me, I know." Gavin told me. I was pretty sure, if he really tried he could convince the board, but the suit was in my favor anyway, so I will let it go for now.
When he told me this, I didn't react. I folded my hand and sat as far back as I could and tried to mimic a contemplation gesture.
"Is that right?", I asked him. "Yes, it is. Now what is it going to take to make all of those videos and messages go away?", he asked me again, trying and failing to be intimidating from a disadvantageous position.
"You are making this real hard Gavin. That is the one thing I really wanted. I am afraid I will now have to go talk to my lawyer.", I said pretending to get up and walk away.
"Wait, wait… Please. Tell me what else can I do to make this go away. You want money? I will give you more money than you can dream.", he said trying to convince me. He had also grabbed my hand as I was pretending to get up trying to stop me from walk away. At that, I gave him a shark-like smile and sat back down, "I dream of billions Gavin. Now let's find out what's this worth to you."
Oh, I had him over the barrel fucked. He knew and so did I. But I didn't need him rattled or else he might do something drastic. "5 million dollars and I will sign a non-disclosure agreement to never talk about the messages again on any legal platform and will also, of course, delete them. Get your lawyer to call mine and make sure its remains hush hush, and I will do the same.
"And once again, I apologize for not picking up your call. But I thank you very very much for calling me. ", I said with a laugh, getting up and walking away leaving behind a very angry and fuming Gavin Belson.
It was amusing to think, Gavin Belson somehow managed to fund Pied Piper after wanting nothing more to destroy it and me.
XxxxxX
It took a week for all the paperwork to be signed. And I had to write an affidavit stating that I hadn't shown the pictures or videos to anyone from the time they were sent to anyone who wasn't me till when the agreements were signed. Then in front of Gavin's lawyer, I deleted everything. All in all, it was a very interesting and amusing way to make 5 million. I also made sure to put a clause in the agreement that if I died in accidental or mysterious death or was assaulted parties unknown, my lawyer will take everything and go to the police.
That was a fun week.
XxxxxX
AN: Happy new year guys. I know its late but I edited and added a lot to this chapter making it twice the size it originally was. Also I have been really busy this week. I will try to update either on sunday or by tuesday. Till then enjoy and let me know what you think.
~Till The Next Time