An Escalating Situation
Things started out at an agency but quickly escalated from there. He was phoned by his "so-called" friends who wanted a piece of the action. What was he going to do?
It even escalated to the gangs that were trying to break in and steal what he had found. He had no idea what he was going to do. How did things get so bad?
Big Dreams
Carlos always dreamt of being the head of a big mining operation. And to think his passion started with him finding a pearl on the ocean floor just off the coast of Brazil, his hometown.
Everything in his life was simpler back then. Now he had an operation that took all of his effort and time. But he had no idea what was waiting for him around the corner.
Inspecting The Damage
Carlos had many years of diving under his belt and he loved it. He loved uncovering hidden treasure in the ground that had never been uncovered before.
But on the day that one of his most profitable tunnels was flooded he was ready to put on his gear and go check it out in the murky water. He just hoped that the tunnel wouldn't be beyond repair.
Discovery
Carlos frowned behind his scuba mask when he got to the end of the tunnel. There was a cave-in that had sealed the end of the tunnel shut. The rocks were too big to move.
He knew that this tunnel was an important one. But as he looked over at the rocks he noticed something strange among them. On the floor, there was another strange rock.
A Souvenir
He grabbed the rock to take back with him to swim to the surface. He told his employees to seal of the flooded part of the tunnel and went back to his office to examine the rock.
He looked at the pearl on his desk with pride and put his new rock next to his. He then took photos of it without a second thought. But he had just put something into motion that he had never suspected.
Innocent Photo
He took the photo and put it on his Facebook, the caption on the post was: “Proof that in life we find diamonds as well as duds. Might make a good doorstop?”
After a couple of days he saw that a few people had seen his post. But after using the rock as a doorstop for two years he finally got the answer he was hoping for.
The Message
You see, Carlos' rock picture had been seen by NASA. They contacted him and informed him that they wanted to see it.
Carlos couldn't believe it. He asked the only thing that was on his mind. He asked if he would be compensated for his help. But the answer was beyond his expectations.
Dollar Bills
Nasa informed him that if the rock was what they suspected it might be, they would pay him for it. He couldn't believe it, it would pay off.
He thought of all the things he could do once they paid him. He could get his wife a car, send his kids to a good school. Finally he'd have his big break. He sent a small fragment of the rock to NASA.
The Real Deal
NASA took the sample and after testing the rock in their lab told Carlos that it was what they suspected - a meteorite! They also informed him that it was a valuable artifact.
He had no idea that the doorstop he had was worth a fortune! It also meant that the larger rock still in the mine was worth something unbelievable. He needed to get the rock to the surface something. But it wouldn't end how he had planned.
Enlisting Help
First, Carlos had offered his workers some decent overtime and hazard pay if they agreed to help bring the rock up. He also brought in extra oxygen tanks so he could oversee the operation personally.
The only thing he told people was the tunnel needed to be opened and samples inspected. After weeks of toiling and danger, it finally reached the surface.
Thrilling Operation
It was like something out of an action or spy movie – and Carlos enjoyed every moment of it. He secretly moved the large meteorite to a safe room and locked it up.
According to NASA, he read that some space rocks had living bacteria on them. In a way, this thing was alive. Several days later, a new problem surfaced.
A Problem Arises
Somehow, news of the find had leaked out and the story spread like wildfire. And it wasn’t just America that wanted a piece of the discovery.
He was now getting calls from China, Russia, and other countries around the world. Everyone wanted it. …The workers also found out … and they weren’t happy at all.
Protests
Rage-filled masses stood below his office, screaming that they should have been paid more. Carlos tried to argue that they had already been paid handsomely.
Since he was the one who originally found the meteorite, and it was his mine, his equipment, and his company, it belonged to him – as did the forthcoming money. Right?
It Gets Worse
Everyone was seeing green. Workers threatened to quit, locals insisted that the money should be shared, and his family sat huddled and afraid in their home because people showed up on their own doorstep.
As if things couldn’t get any worse, an intimidating man with far too many tattoos barged into his office and demanded the meteorite.
Standing His Ground
Carlos mustered all of his courage and said, “No! You can’t have it. Get out now, before I call the police.”
Despite the gang member leaving without a word, Carlos still knew something was very wrong. He immediately hired a security team – it was a decision that would pay off a few days later.
In Flames
As he sat at his desk and mulled over the many generous offers, a loud BOOM shook the office. Smoke billowed into the night air and wisps of fire bounced off part of the storage building.
The security guards rushed to put out the flames. The gang had set off an explosion and tried to steal it. Things were getting out of hand. Then, the FBI got involved.
Out Of Control
In less than a few months, Carlos and his family’s life had been turned completely upside-down.
Lawyers need to speak on his behalf, his family had to go into hiding, and the meteorite needed to be shipped to various secret locations. The situation was getting way out of control. Also, the gang wasn’t about to give up so easily.
Getting Rid Of It
As much as Carlos wanted to draw out the bidding to get more money, the top offer was already in the millions. He sighed. “It will have to do.”
He picked up the phone and called the first people that had contacted him - NASA. At this point, he just wanted it gone. But he did have one more question.
Sealing The Deal
“Can you name it after my son?” he asked. The rest was just precautionary steps – the official news would be a “donation” but the payment would be discreetly put into a new bank account.
The last thing he wanted was criminals to keep sniffing around. He leaned back and reached into his pocket.
Filthy Rich
Carlos pulled out the pearl – the thing that had started him on this path. He was now a multi-millionaire. He could do anything – diving expeditions, treasure hunts, maybe even another mine.
Despite all the drama, the “itch” he had since he was a boy had only grown stronger. What other life-changing finds would appear in his future?