You have to give credit to Tom for one thing. He might be a fund-siphoning corporate criminal, but he knows how to perform under pressure.

This morning the moment I started telling him about the SEC investigation he stopped me. He told me he already knew something was happening. He has been talking to Dominic secretly this last week. Tom said he was afraid we were already running out of time. Apparently he has been expecting this FarmersCard investigation for months. He was hoping to transfer enough funds from Lederman to LLTLF and then through to his account before the investigators ever came to London. He asked if I had information of SEC fellows coming to London.

I told him about the insider in London who is leaking information. Tom’s face turned became pure white. For a moment I thought his heart had failed. And then the colour came back to his face. Tom took a deep breath and then said that we have now officially run out of time.

While a part of me was dying slowly, the other part was impressed with his focus. In 15 minutes he drew up a plan. Tom would immediately sanction the next monthly instalment into the LLTLF account. If we suddenly stop people might wonder why. I had to transfer everything except half a million to our SPV account on the Isle. After that I had to immediately invest it somewhere. Tom told me that the investments had to happen as soon a possible. The more time we waste the more our actions will look suspicious. I told him I was happy to do this but had no idea what to invest in or how to do it. He gave me the phone number of someone in Isle of Man who’d take care of the transaction. But I would have to do all the legwork first.

After that I had to submit a report to the CSR sub-committee stating the nature of this investment and giving a full account of all LLTLF finances. But I should do this casually and not reflect any panic.

Tom gave me 3 days to carry out the investment. Beyond that, he said, things are going to raise eyebrows. We wished each other luck. From now on, he said, we operate independently. No more meetings, emails, SMSes or phone calls.

As he walked away from the cafe I felt a surge of energy running through my body. That commando feeling was coming again.

But then I realized that I may soon be arrested for international corporate crime. And I got depressed and afraid again.

No time. How to invest. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. I have a lot of reading to do today.

Should have taken more finance electives in college. Rahul Gupta could probably help.

But I would rather go to jail than take his help.