Lessons in Betrayal (Chapter One)

Chapter 1


Michael Anthony Haxton, (Hack) was broke. But he was always broke. His spontaneous buying habits, and poor financial management led him to this very second of his life; walking to work at six in the morning to another thankless day of laboring for a local carpenter.
Although a skilled carpenter himself, Hack took on this position out of necessity. The company that employed him previously, let him go on account of the extended weekends and the frequent mid-week sick day. His current boss, Jim Anderson, worked with him on occasion in the past on projects that his former employer subcontracted. Jim and Hack hit it off and became fast friends. Although Jim was rigid and stern, Hack's quick wit and humor made Jim warm to him almost immediately. It didn't take much persuading to get Jim to hire him.
When asked, Jim said, "I'll hire you under two conditions. One; work on your attendance!
Two; you'll have to start as a laborer since I already have two carpenters who have worked for me for a long time.
I know you're as good as any of us, but I can't afford anything different at the moment."
"Thanks Jim. I'll do what I can. When do I start?"
"Start tomorrow. And be on time... 7:00."
"Ok Jim, see you tomorrow. By the way, did anyone tell you how wonderfully handsome you were?"
"Get out of here Michael, before I change my mind."

Jim was one of the few people in Hack's memory that called him by his given name. His own mother even called him Hack. His father died in a car accident when he was three. His mother raised him on his father's generous insurance policy and her part time embroidery business. If asked, Hack would say that most of his inability to manage his finances came from his mother's extreme frugality. Even with over eight hundred thousand dollars sitting in the bank, his mother would pinch every penny. He seldom had new clothes or anything new for that matter. Almost everything he ever owned was handed down from his mother's sister Janet. Aunt Janet had two boys (twins) that were a year older than he was. Hack was determined that one day he would own his own clothes and never again go to bed half hungry.
Mostly, it was Hack's own fault he was always broke. He tried to get rich quick with a lot of different schemes. He didn't want to scrounge and save to get where he wanted to be. If he wanted something he would spend whatever he had in his pocket to get it. Regardless of where the money was supposed to go. His latest venture cost him his truck payment, which was already ninety days past due. The bank repossessed it and offered him sixty days to pay the remaining $3500 he still owed. Twenty of those days have passed.
And that inadvertently led him to where he is standing this very moment, half way to work, staring over the guard rail into a wooded stream about twenty feet below the road surface at a black soft leather briefcase.
When Hack climbed over the guard rail and started down the bank, he kept picturing the briefcase revealing stacks of hundred dollar bills. "Shoot," he said as he slipped and slid on his backside down the muddy bank. He hardly noticed as he stood and brushed the mud from his pants. His eyes were fixed on the briefcase at his feet. By the way it was setting in the mud, it looked like it was thrown or pushed into the ground because of the indent it left as he pulled it out. Fortunately the mud was not saturated to the point that it soaked the bag and ruined the contents. At this point Hack realized his hopes of finding a payday in cash were indeed a daydream. The solidity and weight told him almost at once that he was holding a laptop computer. Still curious, he set it on a dryer piece of ground and pulled the zipper to examine the contents. He could hardly believe his eyes when he saw the three letters inlayed in blue on the cover of the computer. ADA. The acronym stands for Advanced Designer Assistant. The only reason he knows this is because his close friend Dave has been saving for one of these for the last few years.
An ADA is a very rare and therefore; a very expensive piece of equipment. The ADA was designed by and exclusively for, Architectural Designers. The software compiles load distribution, current market and material prices, suggested materials lists, and countless other features that can accomplish tasks in minutes that would otherwise take days. It is not hard to understand why Dave is determined to own one. Being a very good designer, Dave makes a decent living, but has to turn down big jobs because he cannot afford help and can only do so much on his own. The ADA would put him in the fast lane and in a matter of weeks he would be hiring help at nearly the wages he is earning now. Dave promised Hack that he would oversee the building of some of his designs. That would solve a lot of his financial problems as well. But the real problems are only a day away.