"We're ff..fffuucked," Birch stammered, high as a jet liner.
"Yeh bruv I know, I know," Temi sighed with exasperation, "I'm on it,"
The two flatmates sat slumped on a disintegrating sofa in their small two bedroom flat.
"Is like, how many months behind are we on the rent? I... can't even remember, but... s'alot,"
"Six months... but I tole you, I got this. You just gotta help me out, alright?"
"Man. Man - if we get the landlord round he's gonna kick our asses out. Jus like... that," Birch slurred, "I don't like how that mu fu works, y'know."
"Jus shut the fuck up, put out yo gange and sleep - get out ma face," Temi snapped at him.
"Aigh, aight!" Birch shambled to his feet, stubbing out a spliff into the ashtray on the arm of the sofa, "jes - tell me what you want, an I get on it, yeh?"
"Yo coulda got a job, like, a year ago like you said you would - but I got this now. Go sleep bruv - ya mashed pile," Temi trailed off, trying to not lay into her flatmate too much.
Temi was pretty buzzing herself, as she lay back on the sofa staring into the stained ceiling. She had made a plan, and Birch was going to help. They had to make bank, and fast. There was no way she was getting a loan - way too many missed payments and debt. Her retail job barely made enough for her to live, and Birch... well she had no idea where his income came from but it sure wasn't a lot.
She had contacted someone one of her old dealers from back home told her about years ago. It was sketch as fuck - but she knew they could sort out their problems fast. And when she texted, the got back instantly. They offered an upfront advance, paid back in night time labor over the first month. Doubled it for both of them. It was enough to cover the rent. But she was strictly not allowed to tell anyone about the arrangement. They were emphatic about that point. They said the work they had was easy, and as long as they turned up and did it, they'd be compensated cash in hand after the first month.
She agreed - and the first they'd need to do is complete the welcome pack they sent, and they'd get texted the location of their first shift. Somehow, this contact knew her local dealer and said they'd deliver it by him. Temi had asked her dealer for a eighth - which he was just about to deliver.
It's going to be fine - Temi told herself - it might be shady but so is our landlord, if it gets him off their back, it's got to be good.
She spaced out, overthinking this, staring at the ceiling, until a familiar pattern of knocks at the door. She slid up from the uncomfortable flattened cushion on the sofa to the door.
"Aigh," said the wiry man with a motorcycle balaclava half on his face at her door, "these dudes think I'm a courier now man, the fuck," he mumbled handing over the plastic wrapped eighth and a small box before turning around and walking away with the cash pulled from Temi's hand, to a moped parked just outside.
Temi slipped the weed into her pocket, and looked at the box - also wrapped with black plastic. It had no markings on it, other than a label requesting it be opened on a specific date - tomorrow. She looked at it confused... but then closed the door, put the box on the table in front of the sofa and slunk into her room before collapsing and passing out on her bed.
---
"Temi. Oi Temi. The fuck's this?" Birch called from the lounge.
Temi stirred, picking herself up from her smoke impregnated sheets. Levering herself up out of the duvet, she dizzily walked into the lounge.
"It's... the thing. The thing I said I'd sort. I think," Temi blearily explained walking into the room.
Birch rattled the package.
"It's heavy. What you buy, a new phone?" Birch proffered.
"No man, no. It's our ticket out of debt. It's a job. An easy job. For us," Temi started to explain. Birch looked unimpressed.
"A job? For both of us? What? In here?" Birch asked in confusion.
"No - that's the welcome pack. We have to complete it and then they give us the work. They're going to give us an advance today. Eight G's, Birch, eight. We'll pay all our rent, today. I tole you I got this," Temi revealed, to Birch's increasing delight.
"Yo yo yo! Tem! Yo!" Birch exclaimed, "I'm in for this mate, IN for it. Lets gooooo!"
"OK OK, look we have got to do this thing first. Let me open it," Temi grabbed the package off Birch and sat on the sofa, pulling open the plastic wrapping on the box. She opened the lid of the internal carboard box, and the first thing they saw was a stack of cash.
"Hooolaaaaa is that it? Is that our advance?" Birch leaned in.
"Ummm... no. It's only a couple hundred," Temi analysed the contents further. Under the stack of notes, which she placed on the table, was an envelope. Beneath the envelope was a cardboard divider - she removed this - to reveal an old smartphone, an LED light and a tiny tripod with a phone mount. Temi looked confused.
"They said this was the welcome pack. Maybe they're going to text us on the phone for where to go for the work?", Temi tried to explain. She decided the envelope may offer further answers.
Temi opened the envelope, inside which was a letter, which Temi began to read.
"
Dear Prospective Freelancer(s),
We thank you for your interest in joining our enterprise. Please find enclosed down payment on your requested advance - no strings attached. This welcome pack will allow us to start engaging your services, providing it is correctly completed and submitted on time. Enclosed you will also fine a cellphone, which you will use to complete the pack, as well as acting as our secure communication method with you regarding your engagement.
In order to release the full advance payment to the Bitcoin wallet of your choice, we must first establish a collateral for the loan, which you will provide us with today. "
"Uh, what do they mean?" Birch interrupted. Temi shushed him and carried on.
"You will record a video with the cellphone using the app which starts as soon as the the device is turned on. We will keep this video securely for the duration of your engagement, providing that you continue to obey the terms set out overleaf. It is vital that you record this video correctly, otherwise your engagement may not commence and your advance will not be released. If you do not comply with the terms, the video will be published online to a number of sites on the dark web, after which we have no control over it's distribution. "
