BLOCK-CHAINS | A Conspiracy Writing Contest IV for @v4vapid

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The Year 2008 - Somewhere in the middle of the Arabian sea on a very large vessel called the Disharmony of the Seas.

Two men sit in what can only be described as opulent thrones. They are dressed head to toe in jet black suits, and despite the fact that it is evening they are both wearing sunglasses whilst sipping martinis, on the rocks, in the corner of a large and empty bar. Everything is lined with gold, and the word ostentatious does not even begin to describe the grandeur of this vessel. Classical music plays just loud enough to be heard, and the two men are engaged in an intense conversation.

"You know Mark, I think you did a great job this year. It's not every day that we get to sink the biggest ship in the world. When you came up with this idea of crashing the global stock markets I really thought you had bitten off more than you could chew. I remember us sitting on this very ship last year, and you told me that you would manage to openly screw everyone over, even the top dogs, and that they would not only KNOW you did it, but would even bale you out with trillions of dollars. I mean how the fuck did you pull that off, I really would love to know that! Did you really know things were going to play out like this, or were you just willing to bet your whole life on a very large gamble?"

The corners of Mark's lips turned upward. He took a sip of his martini, and several long drags on his cigar.

"Well, let me tell you this Piers. It's not what you do, it's how you do it. You know, when I came up with this idea I had a few favours to call in, and the guys that helped me engineer this plan were some of my most greedy friends. They all know that NO ONE will screw with me, and when I proposed to them that they could start loaning out more money than they have ever dreamed of, to the most risky clients, with every likely hood that they would foreclose, they looked pretty perplexed! I assured them that they would make an absolute fortune on the loans, and even more on the sale of properties and assets of their poor unfortunate clients. More importantly, they also knew to sell all their stocks just before the crash happened, and bought back in when I told them to. It was a win-win-win situation. They all know that when Mark says it's OK, its OK. I'll never forget Obamas face when I told him that he had no choice but to bail us all out, it was priceless. He had no choice, because if he didn't I assured him that things would get much worse, and I made no secret of disclosing that we would simply trash the markets even more by a co-ordinated sell off.. It would have put the USA back in the stone age!"

Piers looked at Mark as a disciple would his Guru. He was SO impressed that he almost wanted to get down and kiss Mark's feet.

"You are a God Mark, the most powerful fucking man on the planet. There's just no stopping you! If this hadn't had already happened I would swear you had lost your mind! So explain something to me then. Now you are richer than the entire 1%, how are you going to do this again. I mean everyone KNOWS it was you who did this, including most of the hierarchy, and from what I hear they are not very impressed. I get it that they are fearful of you, but how can you ever pull this off again?"

"Well Piers, the secret is never pull the same trick off twice! Those guys are so narrow minded that they would never in a million years guess what my next trick is! I had the top dogs of Singapore, Switzerland, China, Russia AND even the whole UAE tell me that if I tried anything like that again they would collaborate and find a way to stop me. They were so scared of me! I laughed with them, and joked"

"Don't you think that a few Trillion dollars is enough for me guys!? Even I don't need more money than that!"

"I can't believe they bought it!", Mark boasted.

Piers just looked on in amazement. He was the only person that Mark confided in about anything, and Piers always knew that he was in a very privileged position. He had no idea why Mark had chosen HIM to be the one to know it all, but it was what it was, and Piers relished in being the right hand man of the most powerful man on the planet.

"Jesus Mark, what are you saying? You mean you still want more?"

Mark liked being challenged by Piers, he was the only one who was allowed to do so without being removed from his body. He smiled broadly. Then he laughed with a very loud cackle that just got louder and louder until he was uncontrollably screaming out aloud, martini spilling over the sides of his glass and onto the $250,000 carpet.

"You still don't get it do you Piers, after all these years. It's never enough, I will always want more, because I just enjoy the challenge! Once I had pulled off the biggest heist in history, it just gave me more desire to get one up on myself. I have no one left to compete with except myself. I don't care about the fucking money, it just fun for me!"

Piers took a few seconds to let that sink in.

"I get it Mark, you know I always get you. Who gives a shit anyways, this whole planet is full of stinking complaining assholes, we may as well give them something to complain about."

This was one of the VERY rare occasion when Piers actually didn't get it, but lied because he could tell this was a line he had better not cross.

"SO whats next then Mark? How the fuck are you going to pull the next super heist off when EVERYONE knows it was you who did the last one?"

Mark's face became serious for a moment. He had an all knowing look in his eyes, and displayed an unshakable and piercing gaze.

"It's already started Piers. I had this one planned out before I had even finished the 2008 job. This heist is going to make the last one look like child's play. Haven't you wondered why I keep going to Japan?"

Piers adjusted his position and crossed his legs. He had a slightly concerned look on his face.

"Mark, are you SURE? I mean how the hell are you going to do this again? You know they wont stand for it this time? At some point don't you think you are going to go too far?"

Mark just laughed out even louder. He couldn't contain himself and blurted out:

"This time its going to be even easier! You can always count on the greed of the world to ensure success. No one is going to know it was even me until it is too late. And even then they wont know for sure!"

Piers scratched his head, and downed the rest of his martini

"OK, now you have my full attention Mark, I godda admit, I think this time you may well be deluded. How can you possibly do this AND not be discovered?"

"Well Piers, let's just say that they won't even know its happening until its way too late.. they won't even suspect its me because its too easy to hide with this plan. Even if they do they wont be able to touch me, or stop me because the money will be locked up with unbreakable computer keys.. Nothing like we have now. If they try to stop me they will never get access to the wealth of the world, and they will know it. This is just pure genius if I do say so myself! Once they realise what has happened, they will come begging for me to help them, and when that time comes YOU will be the one who I put in control. That is why you are here Piers, you are going to be the guy who takes over from me. You will be untouchable, and you will hold all the wealth with a few digital keys. No one will be able to touch it except you, and when that time comes you will finally learn what it feels like to have ultimate power. I can't tell you much more right now, but all you need to know is that ALL the wealth of the world won't even really exist. I will get rid of money as you know it Piers, within 10-15 years there wont be a scrap of paper money left in the world. Gold will be dirt cheap compared to what I am creating, almost worthless in comparison. Everyone will be holding nothing but numbers in a computer, but it will be me who controls it all. It's so easy it's laughable, and there is NO one who can stop me. Once I crash this bubble of epic proportions, and buy it back for peanuts, I will have it all! It's pretty technical Piers, so just wait and you will see!"

Piers's face went white. The blood literally left his head and he stopped breathing for a good 10 seconds.

"Then what Mark, what will you want me to do? What am I supposed to do when I am in control of it ALL?"

Mark shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't give a fuck Piers, I'll have had my fun and will probably end my own life. There will be nothing left for me to do, there will be no greater achievement than this. You can give it all away to poor people for all I care!"