Binary Hearts

45| A Storm in Lagos 🤖

The familiar hum of the city greeted Tunde as he stepped out of the taxi in front of the garage his previous Spark Technologies company that has become his temporary home. The air was thick with the scent of petrol and the distant noise of bustling traffic. Despite the uncertainty ahead, Tunde felt a strange sense of comfort in being back in Lagos—a city that was chaotic yet familiar.

As he entered the garage, he was greeted by the sight of Sam, who was busy working on a PCB board in his table. Sam had been staying with Tunde for the time being, his loyalty unwavering even during these tumultuous times. The garage, though modest, had become a sanctuary for them both—a place where they could regroup and plan their next moves.

Sam looked up as Tunde approached. “Boss, welcome back,” he said with a grin, wiping his hands on a rag. “How was the trip?”

“Long,” Tunde replied, setting down his bag. “But productive. We have a solid partnership now with ZenithPay in Singapore.”

Sam nodded, but his expression grew serious. “That’s good to hear, but we have some problems here, Tunde. Investors are starting to lose confidence. I heard that some of them have been meeting with Paystack.”

Tunde’s jaw tightened. Paystack was their biggest rival in the fintech industry, and the thought of investors jumping ship was alarming. “How many investors?” he asked, his voice tense.

“Quite a few,” Sam admitted. “And from what I’ve heard, several have already sold their shares.”

The news hit Tunde like a punch to the gut. He could feel the weight of the situation bearing down on him, the pressure mounting with every passing second. But before the anxiety could fully take hold, he forced himself to focus. “Let’s talk more over lunch,” he said, needing a moment to collect his thoughts. “Get me some Amala and Gbegiri soup from that place down the street.”

Sam nodded and quickly headed out to the nearby restaurant. As Tunde waited, he couldn’t help but think about the challenges ahead. The partnership with ZenithPay was a significant step forward, but the situation with the investors was a ticking time bomb.

When Sam returned, he brought with him the comforting aroma of freshly cooked Amala and Gbegiri. Tunde sat down at a small table in the corner of the garage, the simple meal before him providing a brief respite from the chaos of his life.

As he ate, Sam continued to fill him in on the latest developments. “I tried talking to some of the investors myself, but it seems like they’ve already made up their minds. Paystack is offering them a better deal—at least that’s what they think.”

Tunde frowned, his mind racing as he considered their options. “We need to counter that,” he said between bites. “If they think Paystack is a better option, we need to show them that Spark Technologies is still the leader in fintech. The partnership with ZenithPay should help, but we need more.”

Just as he was about to take another bite, Tunde’s phone buzzed on the table. He glanced at the screen and saw a message from the board members of Spark Technologies. As he read the message, his heart sank.

“It’s an urgent meeting,” Tunde muttered, more to himself than to Sam. “They’re planning to dethrone me as CEO tomorrow.”

Sam’s eyes widened. “What? They can’t do that, can they?”

“They can try,” Tunde said grimly, setting down his fork. The food had lost its appeal. “But they don’t know about the partnership with ZenithPay yet. That might be our ace in the hole.”

Sam nodded slowly, understanding the gravity of the situation. “So, what’s the plan?”

Tunde leaned back in his chair, his mind working overtime. “First, we need to get through this meeting. I’ll reveal the partnership, but we have to be careful. They’re going to come at me from all sides. After that, we’ll start working on getting a new place. I can’t keep operating out of this garage forever.”