Kituo cha huduma za kampuni kilikuwa kwenye jengo la serikali lenye madirisha marefu na viti vya plastiki vilivyofungwa sakafuni. Daudi alifika mchana baada ya kuchukua namba ya foleni kupitia portal ya public registry.
Hakuwa anatafuta siri.
Alitaka kujua Nova Crate ilikuwa nani.
Registry printout ilikuwa fupi. Nova Crate Ltd. ilikuwa imesajiliwa miezi miwili iliyopita. Anuani yake ya posta ilikuwa ileile inayotumiwa na Kifaru Pack kwenye invoices za zamani. Namba ya simu ya office ilikuwa tofauti kwa tarakimu mbili tu. Director mmoja alikuwa mtu ambaye Daudi hakumjua. Company secretary alikuwa law firm. Contact person kwenye filing ya service alikuwa Leonard Mushi.
Daudi alisoma karatasi hiyo polepole.
Hakuthibitisha ownership ya mwisho. Hakuthibitisha uhalifu. Lakini ilithibitisha uhusiano.
Kwenye corridor, alikutana na Amani ambaye alikuwa ametoka kununua bearing kwa mashine ya corrugator.
“Umenifuata?”
Amani akaonyesha box ya bearing. “Mimi nina kazi halali pia.”
Waliketi kwenye bench.
Daudi alimpa registry printout asome.
Amani akasema, “Kwa hiyo kampuni mpya ni yao.”
“Usiseme ‘yao.’ Hatujui beneficial owners wote. Tunajua Leonard ni contact, address ni ileile na customer amepokea instruction kutoka kwake.”
Amani akamrudishia karatasi.
“Ukiendelea kuweka kila sentence ndani ya fence, watu watachoka.”
“Fence ndiyo inafanya sentence isimame.”
Amani akatabasamu kidogo.
Aliitoa business card aliyopata kwa supplier wa spare parts asubuhi.
**NOVA CRATE LTD. — ASSET & FULFILLMENT SERVICES.** Chini yake kulikuwa na jina la manager wa zamani wa logistics wa Kifaru Pack, ambaye alikuwa “amejiuzulu” wiki tatu zilizopita.
Daudi akasema, “Hii umeipataje?”
“Shopkeeper alinipa kwa sababu aliuliza kama spare yetu itakuwa billed kwa Kifaru au Nova. Hakujua sisi hatujaambiwa.”
“Unaweza kumuomba aandike alipewa card na nani?”
“Naweza.”
Hapo ndipo waliweka rule yao.
Hakuna password za watu wengine. Hakuna ku-copy customer database. Hakuna kuiba papers kutoka drawers. Kila evidence lazima itoke public registry, record ya kazi ambayo mtu ana access halali, au shahidi anayetoa taarifa yake mwenyewe.
Amani akasema, “Na ukipoteza access?”
“Tunabaki na records ambazo already zimehifadhiwa kwa utaratibu.”
“Na nikifukuzwa?”
“Hatubadilishi rule.”
Walikwenda cafe ndogo chini ya jengo. Daudi akafungua email ya Yusuf kwenye simu ya kazi. Amani alisoma subject tu, si attachment za customer confidential.
“Payment direction kwenda Nova,” Daudi alisema. “Mteja amethibitisha timeline.”
Amani akaweka bearing box chini.
“Basi tunahitaji kujua machines zinaenda wapi.”
“Kwa nini?”
“Kwa sababu maintenance nilipata quote ya forklift replacement part jana. Quote ilikuwa addressed kwa Nova Crate, lakini serial number ni ya forklift yetu.”
Daudi akamwangalia.
“Serial number?”
“Ndiyo.”
“Una maintenance log?”
“Ndiyo. Kazi yangu.”
“Kesho tunaangalia tags kwa procedure ya inspection. Hakuna kuchukua original log.”
Amani akakubali.
Daudi na Amani walitoka registry na kwenda kwa supplier wa bearing ili kuthibitisha business card bila kumuomba taarifa ya watu wengine. Shopkeeper, Bi. Chausiku, alisema manager wa zamani wa logistics alikuwa amefika wiki iliyopita.
“Alisema orders zijazo za spare za baadhi ya serial ziwe Nova,” alisema.
“Alikupa list?” Amani akauliza.
“Alinionyesha kwenye simu. Sikuichukua.”
“Usijaribu kuitafuta sasa,” Daudi alisema. “Unaweza tu kuandika kwamba ulipewa instruction ya future billing na card hii?”
Bi. Chausiku aliandika statement fupi kwenye invoice copy yake mwenyewe. Aliweka tarehe na saini.
Nje, Amani akasema, “Hata shopkeeper ana piece.”
“Ndiyo. Hakuna mtu mmoja anayejua whole plan.”
Hilo liliwafanya wabuni log ya ushahidi wa aina rahisi: item, source, date, what it proves, what it does not prove. Registry: Nova exists and Leonard is service contact. Business card: former logistics manager represents Nova. Customer email: payment instruction exists. Maintenance quote: Nova is requesting part for Kifaru serial. Hakuna line iliyosema “fraud.”
Daudi akasema, “Tukiweka conclusion mapema, kila evidence mpya tutailazimisha iingie.”
Amani akajibu, “Na tusipoweka conclusion kabisa, tutakaa tukihesabu mpaka gate ifungwe.”
“Ndiyo maana tuna deadlines.”
Wakaweka deadline yao ya kwanza: kabla briefing ya jioni, wa-confirm kama Nova imeanza kutumia asset serial za Kifaru. Amani angefanya kupitia maintenance log kesho, si kwa kuingia office ya procurement usiku.
Uhusiano wao ulikuwa umekuwa wa kawaida miaka sita: payroll officer aliyekuwa anahesabu overtime na foreman aliyekuwa akipinga hours zilizokosewa. Leo walikuwa wameingia kitu kipya. Si conspiracy club. Si whistleblowers wenye drama. Timu ndogo ya watu wawili waliokuwa wanajaribu kutenganisha kampuni yenye matatizo na kampuni iliyokuwa ikihamisha thamani.
Daudi akasema, “Nataka kitu kingine.”
“Nini?”
“Ukiona nimeanza kusema ‘wanaiba’ kabla record haijafika hapo, unizuie.”
“Na ukiona nimeanza kutaka kufunga gate kwa hasira?”
“Nitakuzuia.”
Walishikana mkono bila ceremony.
Saa tisa alasiri, Miriam alipiga simu.
“Daudi, kuna all-staff briefing saa kumi na moja.”
“Topic?”
“Investor update.”
“Payroll?”
“Leonard amesema itashughulikiwa.”
“Reserve?”
Miriam akapunguza sauti.
“Usiulize kwa simu.”
Daudi akamwangalia Amani.
“Tutafika.”
Kabla hawajaondoka, Daudi alipokea email mpya kutoka IT: **Your treasury dashboard access will be reviewed after today’s briefing.**
Amani akasema, “Hapo ndiyo wameona.”
“Labda ni routine.”
“Daudi.”
“Sawa. Si routine.”
Lakini Daudi hakuharakisha ku-download kila kitu. Alifungua tu payroll batch records ambazo zilikuwa sehemu ya responsibility yake, aka-confirm archive yake ya ndani ilikuwa complete, na akaacha system kama ilivyo.
Saa kumi na dakika hamsini, walipofika ukumbi wa briefing, projector tayari ilikuwa na slide kubwa:
**48 HOURS TO STRATEGIC INVESTMENT CLOSE.**
Chini yake, kwa herufi ndogo, kulikuwa na maneno:
**No unauthorized discussion of liquidity, payroll or asset restructuring.**
Amani akamnong’oneza, “Saa arobaini na nane.”
Daudi akatazama payroll calendar.
Ikiwa investor funds hazingeingia kabla ya Ijumaa jioni, payroll ingekuwa imechelewa siku mbili.
Lakini kilichomsumbua zaidi ni kwamba company mpya ilikuwa tayari ikipokea payment directions kabla “deal” haijafungwa.
Countdown haikuwa inaelekea kuanza.
Ilikuwa tayari inaendelea.