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Three enforcement vehicles braked hard at the curb.Several officers in uniform got out quickly.The sergeant leading them walked up to David and unfolded a warrant with a photograph on it."David Ashford, you are suspected of forging and distributing materially false information, soliciting investors to copy your trades on the basis of so-called inside information, and collecting commissions through a brokerage sign-up link."You were already under review. The video posted today and your conduct at the scene have further documented the case against you."You also attempted to move a vehicle that may be subject to a collateral claim, and you attempted to flee the scene."Come with us."Two burly officers stepped forward and hauled David up off the ground.Cold metal cuffs clicked shut around his wrists.David's face was ashen, his legs dragging on the ground."It's over... it's all over..."I don't want to go to prison, I don't want to go to prison..."The retail buyers who had been de
Marcus stopped at the driver's window of the supercar, bent forward, and inclined his head."Boss, the unwind is complete. We locked in a net gain of about thirty percent."Every order was a real fill and the exit followed the compliance plan. No fake orders, no spreading of unverified information."David sagged in the seat of his convertible.At those words his whole body went rigid.He shoved the door open and half fell, half crawled onto the pavement."Boss?" David pointed at me, his finger shaking beyond control."That huge position that kept selling. That was yours?"Sarah sat in the dirt of the planted strip with her hands over her face.She stared in disbelief at the oil-stained coveralls I was wearing."This isn't possible... you're just a mechanic, where would you get that kind of money..."You had nothing when we divorced!"After the divorce I put everything I had into the markets.What Sarah never knew was that the years she spent looking down on me were the years I rose the
David looked down at the red number flashing on the screen and went white as paper.He picked up the phone with shaking hands and swiped to answer."I'll raise the money right now! Please don't touch my account!"The voice on the other end was cold, and loud enough for every retail buyer around us to hear."Mr. Ashford, your margin account has been frozen and the remaining positions have been liquidated under the agreement."The account currently carries a substantial negative balance. Under the margin agreement, you are personally liable for repayment."We have begun recovery against the assets you previously registered as collateral. For your other assets, our legal department will seek court orders to freeze them."Any attempt to hide or move collateral may expose you to far more serious legal consequences."Every word from the phone struck David like a hammer blow.The retail buyers who had been shouting fell quiet and stared coldly at the man who had seemed untouchable only minute
David pulled out his phone and stabbed at the screen."I'm having the authorities dig into your background. You definitely took a customer's car just to put on a show!"Trash like you couldn't afford a single tire on this thing! When the officers get here, you'll be going straight to prison!"I put out a finger and tapped the electronic registration code in the lower right corner of the windshield."Look into it any time you like. While you're at it, ask them who the registered owner of this car actually is."The fingerprint lock and backend owner authentication can't be fooled just by stealing a key."A few people in the crowd who knew cars edged closer without thinking.Beside the electronic registration code, the factory certification mark was lit, and the owner's initials matched mine exactly.Only then did the municipal patrol officer take another look at the vehicle registration I had handed him.In the registry system, the owner field showed my name in plain text.The swagger on
David lunged at the lawyer like a madman.He put out both hands and tried to rip the black briefcase away."Give me that waiver! I need it for a rush mortgage application!"If I cover the negative balance, I won't face more serious collection action!"The lawyer stumbled from the impact, hugged the bag to his chest, and backed away."Mr. Ashford, calm down! Seizing legal documents by force is a crime! Touch me again and I'm calling security!"I stepped in, caught David's wrist, and threw him clear.He lost his footing and slammed back-first into the door of the convertible with a heavy thud."You think you still have a share of that house?" I looked at him and brushed the dust off my hands.Sarah rushed over screaming and threw her arms wide in front of David."That was joint property we set aside in the divorce! Half of it is mine! What gives a mechanic the right to sit on it!"You can't even cover next month's groceries. Hold onto it and it just gets auctioned off anyway! Sign it and
A piercing electronic alarm rang out high above the street corner and cut off every cheer in the plaza.The rising curve on the financial screen turned over.At the same moment, the screen switched to an official statement from the company."The company has no pending merger agreement. The so-called internal email circulating online is not a company document. Claims regarding an exclusive technology license are seriously misleading."The instant the clarification appeared, the heavy bid vanished like a tide going out.The stock plunged from a gain of nearly ten percent into negative territory.Automated stop-losses, forced selling out of leveraged accounts, and our own unwind orders all hit the market at once.The digits after the decimal spun wildly.Up five percent.Flat.Down ten percent.The crowd went silent.The young man with the coffee had his mouth open, the paper cup crushed out of shape in his fist."What's happening!" he screamed, his voice shaking."It's already down more







