Organic Sprouts Inc. - Squalo DiTerra (bookstand for reading TXT) 📗

devised a new method of production that required the building of two new rooms and many new rules for the staff. Now, the production staff will have to be covered in protective coveralls and can not enter different rooms unless they change those coveralls as each product will now be made in it's own room.
The method of waste disposal will also have to be significantly altered. No longer will everything be thrown in a single bin out back. Now there will have to be a seperate bin for general waste, one for recyclable materials and one for organics. This service will cost a lot more.
Days later still, the fat man arrived with his crew of contractors. Once again the boss refused his band of misfits as they had tattoo's and reeked of alcohol. She hired a Chinese company instead.

After a month, with the renovations complete, the waste disposal system in place and the staff all passing their tests, the certificate was granted.
The Chinese company was paid in full and the first payment to HACCP was made. They accepted an installment plan. Now it's time for the next level.

4.

Production has increased as the fat man was true to his word and made the products available in the major supermarket. The sales were not good, though, and some franchises were already starting to scale back their orders. But with HACCP the possibilities are endless and there are many more big chain stores to pursue.
One day while working with the head of marketing making calls and appointments with some big franchises, the boss had a most unexpected guest.
An officer from the Ministry of the Environment wanted a word with her.

 

"There is flooding not far from here due to massive amounts of garbage having clogged the river. An obscene amount of plastic containers with the label Organic Sprouts Inc. were found at the site. Do you know anything about this?"

 

Once again she was in disbelief and insisted to see the site.
Sure enough there were plastic containers with their label as well as cans of oil and bottles that they use. There were also countless empty bags of organic soil and seeds.
A crane had already begun scooping the garbage from the river and soon a bulldozer started pushing it and creating a mountain of trash.
She was handed a heavy fine and apologized to the officer.
Upon returning to the office she called the greys immediately.

     As it turns out, to reduce overhead, the greys were dumping all excess garbage by the riverbank and in to the river itself rather than renting another bin. She told them about her fine and that they owed her the money back. The only issue is they don't have any money. They spent it all on rent for their 400 sq. ft. bachelor apartment that they share.

The boss had an idea. Due to the high cost of the renovations and the HACCP certificate, alongside slumping sales, she proposed that the greys work for free and she will let go of her current employees who replaced them. That way they can work off their debt.
The greys agreed, on one condition. That they be allowed to live in the production facility in the space above the new rooms and warehouse.
She agreed, and soon fired her employees who thanked her for the opportunity.

 

5.

 The greys are back but under strick regulations. They no longer have purchasing power, all calls are to be on speaker and every decision has to be approved by the boss.
Things are running smoothly though, and every order is met. Sales, though, are not going as smoothly and payments to HACCP are now late.
Daily phone calls to remind of high interest charges are getting more threatening by the day. The State is owed their pay.
To add to the financial burden, with their heightened exposure to the masses, Organic Sprouts Inc. has caught the attention of a communist organization masquerading as vegans. It is noticed that their own certification label is not on the packaging and a call to one of the local leaders is made.
The leader wastes no time in calling the production facility to arrange a meeting. The next day he takes two apprentices with him to the facility and meets with the bewildered boss.
The leader wears glasses and has facial hair styled like Trotsky. He wears drab clothing, mostly earth tones and plaid, but all brand name from corporate stores. He also wears expensive Birkenstocks. Most people see him as a pseudo-intellectual as soon as he starts speaking.
His two apprentices look like mentally ill drug addicts. One has a nose ring and the other has a tattoo on his face above his right temple. Both smell like rancid urine.

But make no mistake, this is a dangerous organization. It's top boss is a retired university professor who spent decades poisoning the minds of the youth and was instrumental in lobbying the city to destroy it's historical buildings in favor of brutalist architecture. He was also featured on TV many times to promote his political views.
The local leader and his two apprentices arrive.

 

"We have noticed that you are selling a vegan product but don't have the certification label. You are part of the collective and have to pay".

 

"I have never heard of such a thing".

 

The leader pulls out a catalog and shows her all the brands that use the label.

 

"We use the funds to further the movement and accelerate social change. You will only have to pay $500 per month".

 

The boss knew she was being extorted. "Please leave now. I am not interested".

 

"If you don't comply we will turn the public against you. Your image will be ruined and you will never sell another salad in this town again. You will be better off moving back to China".

 

"I am Japanese".

 

"You have until the end of the week to pay and next time we won't be so nice when we come back". And then they walked out the door.

 

The boss sat there alone, put her head in her arms and gently wept.

 

The driver saw the entire meeting through a hole in the floor and felt sad.

6.

 The boss decided to pay. She felt there was no choice as she was in a foreign land and had to follow foreign rules. Also, anything other than success was not tolerated, not by her or her parents so going home a loser was not an option. But she was feeling sadness and deep regret at having left her homeland.
There was a rumor circulating amongst the production staff that the fat man had tipped off the communists about a new product being on the market and that he would earn a one time commission. The vegans would get $1000 for an audit and then monthly payments of $500.
By now an agent at HACCP had demanded an in person meeting so the boss arranged for him to come tomorrow and that he would be paid upon arrival. She also contacted the vegan gang leader and told him to come tomorrow as well. She would take a well deserved spa day tomorrow and not even think about these payments. The head of marketing would make the payments for her.
By mid-morning the government HACCP agent had arrived. As soon as he got out of his car he was confronted by the driver as if from out of no where.

 

"Can I help y..."

 

Before he could even finish the driver grabbed him by the tie and strangled him with it. His face went from red to purple then finally to pale white. His lifeless body then slumped to the ground. The driver then headed inside to meet with his colleagues.

Later in the day the leader and his two apprentices arrived. Before heading inside they stopped for a quick smoke where the leader promised he would stop for heroin on the way back. Once inside they were instructed to go to the back by one of the production workers.
As soon as the door closed behind them they were immediately confronted by the three greys as if from out of the shadows. The three radicals were dumbfounded, but before they could even react the greys pounced. The driver and head of marketing each landed a roundhouse kick. The latter's kick breaking the jaw and neck of the tattoo faced apprentice.
The production manager grabbed the leader by the shirt and launched him towards the warehouse. As the leader got to his feet the three greys grabbed him and threw him head first through the glass door of one of the industrial fridges causing a bang that sounded like a gunshot. The manager pulled him out and left his body on the ground. There were shards of glass and blood everywhere.

They then saw the apprentice with the nose ring standing and disoriented. The driver requested a samurai sword that the boss kept for decoration. He ran to the apprentice and nearly split him in half with a single swing. From the trapezius to the mid stomach.
With three bodies on the warehouse floor and one in the parking lot, they knew the boss would be quite upset so they left the premises.
The next day when the boss arrived to work she was greeted by a swat team and soon the parking lot was full of police cars with lights flashing.
She was taken to the station for questioning and was released later in the day.
Earlier, that same day, after spending the morning moving products on the corner of the old historic building, the fat man had to appear in court on charges of fraud due to writing bad cheques throughout the city. After a few hours of waiting he finally saw a judge and had the case postponed in less than five minutes.
He soon walked out of the building where