OPPORTUNITY SYSTEM: THE RISE TO FAME

Chapter 8, R.J. Black

“Thir…. thirty million?” James stuttered. “Thirty million dollars?”

“Yes. Thirty million dollars.” The opportunity system replied.

“And I don't need to ……. spend it all in three days or anything?” James asked.

“No. It is yours to spend as you wish.”

James stared at the opportunity system and then looked at the floor. Thirty million dollars! That was probably more than all the money he had ever received in his lifetime combined. If he got that amount of money he would never be poor again. He could move his mother from the old slum of a house she was living in. He could give his brother all the help he needed in his business. He would have all the cars and houses he had ever wanted but never had. He would be rich. 

“What job do you need me to do?” James asked. His voice was surprisingly calm and clear. His fear had evaporated, replaced by a grim determination.

The opportunity system brought out something from within his cloak and threw it to the ground.

“Pick it up,” he said.

 James stooped and picked it up slowly. It was the picture of a man, a tall, black man with a scarred face, gray hair, and a bushy, white beard. In the picture, a cigarette hung from his mouth and he wore a gold chain on his bare chest. He looked strangely familiar. The more James looked at the picture, the more convinced he was that he knew this man. He was not just able to place his finger on where and how he knew him.

“Who is this?” James asked, looking up at the opportunity system. “He looks familiar to me like I know him somewhere…...”

“He is known to many as R.J. Black.” The man replied.

James looked at the photograph again. He had definitely not met anyone named R.J. Black anywhere. Perhaps it was just his imagination.

“What do you want me to do with him?” James asked.

“I want you to tail him.” The opportunity system said.

“Tail him?” James asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Like I should follow him around and stuff?” 

“Yes. Follow him for three days. After that, tell me everything you have observed about him.”

“That's all? I get to follow a random guy around and I get thirty million as a reward?”

“Exactly.” The opportunity system said. “I need as much information on him as I can get. It is very essential.”

“Where do I find him?” James asked. “I mean…… I don't even know where he stays or anything.”

“Do not worry about that. You will find him.” The opportunity system said.

“How?”

“Don't worry.” The man insisted. “Just trust me, you will find him.”

James was still looking confused, but the opportunity system turned and made for the exit door. James watched as he shuffled towards the door and he could no longer restrain the question that had been bugging him for days.

“Wait!” James shouted and the man halted.

“Yes? Anything else?” The opportunity system asked.

“Just one last question,” James said. 

“What is your question?” The opportunity system asked.

“What exactly are you?” James asked.   

 “I mean, you…….you are not solid. I tried to hit you with a mop earlier but nothing happened. Are you a hologram? Are you a spirit? Or is all this just happening in my head?”

The opportunity system looked at James for a few seconds. James imagined he was smiling under that cloak of his.

“Trust me James, the information about my identity is not something you need right now.” The opportunity system said. James could hear the amusement in his voice. It made James slightly annoyed.

“What you need” the opportunity system  continued. “ is to concentrate on the task I have given to you.”

With that final word, the opportunity system turned and walked out of the room.

******************************************

James woke up late the next morning to the ringing of his phone. It was Scott, the man he had met at the pub yesterday. James picked up the call.

“Hey, good morning, am I on to James?”

“Yeah,” James said, yawning. “This is James Jackson.”

“Oh sorry, did I disturb your sleep?”

“Never mind,” James said, groggily. “This is Scott, right?”

“Yeah, it's me. I want to know if you'd be available next week on Monday, so we can finalize everything about the shares.”

“Yeah, yeah no problem. Monday's fine.”

“Okay then.”

James cut the call. He stretched and got off the bed. It seemed strange that it was only yesterday he had met Scott at that bar and bought shares worth two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. So much has happened since then.

He turned to walk into the bathroom when he noticed a picture of a tall, black man on his bedside table. James stared at it, feeling a little confused for a moment then he remembered. Of course. The opportunity system had given him a mission yesterday to tail that man.

He picked up the picture and examined it. Once again, that inexplicable feeling that he knew this man before, R.J Black, as the opportunity system had called him.

He put down the picture. He didn't even know where the man was and when he was supposed to start tailing him. The opportunity system had assured him that when the time came, he would know.

He took a bath, dressed up, and took his car key from the bed. He wanted to go to the gym today, to work out. He took the picture the opportunity system had given him from the table and stuffed it in his pocket before walking out of the house.

He got to the gym and got out of the car. He remembered that just around two weeks ago, he had come here to make a delivery. It was here that he met his girlfriend cheated on him with Randy, got into a fight with him and ended up in the hospital with a head concussion.

He walked to the entrance of the gym. As he was about to walk in, another man coming out from the gym bumped into him.

“Sorry,” James said, turning to face the man. The man however said nothing but gave James a contemptuous look and walked away towards the parking lot.

James stood, staring at the man, a little annoyed until something clicked in his brain. He brought out the picture in his pocket and stared at it. He looked up at the man who was now standing beside a black jeep in the parking lot. He looked at the picture again. It was him! R.J black. He had bumped into him.