The One Billion Dollars Translator

Where is Alex?

“Twenty-four hours?” Alex repeated while Ethan nodded, “That's what your father instructed. You have twenty-four hours to establish your construction company and submit a bid for Eric Stephens's billion-dollar project”

Alex leaned forward in his chair, looking confused “you mean dad wants me to start my own construction company?”

“Not just any company. He wants you to build something that belongs to you, something you won't have to beg anyone to be recognized or show your capacity”

Alex looked at his father, who watched him silently from the hospital bed. Although the older man couldn't speak, his eyes remained fixed on his son, as if waiting for him to understand the significance of what Ethan had revealed.

“But how am I supposed to establish a construction company in twenty-four hours?” Alex asked. “I need an office, equipment, staff, registration documents, and enough resources to convince Eric Stephens that I'm capable of handling a billion-dollar project”

“Your father has made certain arrangements,” Ethan explained. “The location is ready for you but the rest depends on what you do with it” He handed Alex a piece of paper containing an address.

“Where is this?” Alex questioned as he was scanning through the documents.

“Your new office. Go there tonight cos your time starts now” Ethan patted his shoulder.

Alex looked at the clock on the wall. It was already past midnight. He had barely processed the revelation when Ethan added, “Remember, you have twenty-four hours. If you want that contract, you must be ready before Eric Stephens arrives”

Alex stood and slipped the paper into his pocket. He turned toward his father then said, “I don't know what you have planned for me, Dad, but I won't disappoint you”

His father's fingers moved slightly against the bedsheet, which Alex noticed. He moved and gently squeezed his hand before leaving the room.

★★★★★

Alex drove through the nearly empty streets, following the address Ethan had given him. When he finally arrived, he parked outside a large industrial building and stepped out of the car.

He looked up at the structure. The building was old, its faded exterior marked by years of neglect. Several windows were covered with dust, while weeds had grown around the edges of the parking area. A rusty metal gate stood half open. He pushed the gate aside and walked inside.

The smell of dampness and dust greeted him immediately. He managed to use his phone touchlight to switch on the lights but only a few bulbs flickered to life. The warehouse was enormous, with a high ceiling, concrete floors and rows of abandoned shelves and thick cobwebs covered parts of the walls.

There was no reception desk, no furniture, computers and certainly nothing that resembled the headquarters of a company hoping to secure a billion-dollar contract.

Alex slowly turned in a circle. His father might have given him a location, but apparently, the real work was his to do.

He began examining the building more carefully. Despite its terrible condition, the warehouse had potential. There was enough space for offices, a conference room, a document department and a small team of engineers.

The location was also accessible, with enough room for vehicles and construction equipment. If properly renovated, it could serve as a temporary headquarters but first, it needed to be cleaned.

Alex looked at the dust covering the floor and sighed, he couldn't possibly do everything himself. He immediately searched for a cleaning company online and called the first available number.

After several rings, someone answered

“Good evening. How may we help you?” the voice asked from the other side of the phone

“I need a team of cleaners urgently,” Alex explained.

“Excuse me? By this time?” The person asked

 “I have a large warehouse that needs to be cleaned before tomorrow morning” Alex added 

“I'm sorry, sir. Our teams have finished work for the day” the person responded 

“Can you send just a few people? I'll pay extra for the emergency service”

“I understand sir, but we don't have any staff available at this hour. The earliest we can arrange a team is tomorrow morning” the person explained 

“Tomorrow morning will be too late” Alex cut her off 

“I'm sorry, sir but there's nothing we can do tonight” and that's how the call ended.

Alex stared at his phone in disbelief, he couldn't afford to welcome a potential business partner into a dusty warehouse. He called two more cleaning companies but the answers were the same.

Alex lowered his phone and looked around the building again.He could spend the next few hours complaining about his circumstances, or he could start working. He thought for a while and later chose the latter.

First, he called Lucy who answered after the second ring.

“Alex? Do you know what time it is?” she asked 

“I do but I need your help” he replied 

“What's wrong? Is it a matter of emergency? Are you okay” She bombarded him with questioned 

“Nothing is wrong but I'll need you to come to the address I'm about to send you right now and bring your laptop if you can” he said 

“Right now? Alex, it's past midnight” Lucy sounded worry

“I know, Lucy but I'll explain everything when you get here”

She hesitated briefly before asking again, “Is this about Elite Construction?”

“No, it is about us” he immediately cut her off

That answer appeared to settle something in her mind, “ okay, I'll be there”

Alex ended the call and contacted James, another trusted colleague who had worked with him on several projects concerning translation related jobs. 

James answered sleepily, “Alex? Is somebody dead?”

“No! Why would you ask that?”

“Because normal people don't call me at this hour unless there's an emergency” James muttered sleepily 

“Then consider this an emergency” Alex scoffed 

James groaned before asking, “What happened?”

“I'm starting a construction company, and I need you here immediately” Alex answered almost immediately 

“Have you finally lost your mind?” James asked, raising his voice a bit in shock 

“Possibly, Are you coming?” Alex asked

“Gosh! Send me the address but if it is not what you said, I'll deal with you” James uttered then hung up the call.

Alex did as told by sending the address to him. He walked around the warehouse again and found a broom in a storage corner and began sweeping the main entrance. It wasn't much, but at least he could clear a path into the building.

By the time Lucy arrived, Alex had already gathered several bags of rubbish.

She entered the warehouse and stopped.

“Alex Miller, what on earth is this place?” she uttered

“My new office” Alex let out a weak smile as he replied 

“Your what?” Lucy stared at him 

“My construction company's headquarters” he repeated which sounded a bit unreal.

She looked around at the filthy floor, the broken shelves and the cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, then she looked back at him, “You resigned from Elite this afternoon, and now you've decided to start a construction company before sunrise?”

“That's the plan” he said, adjusting his rolled sleeves.

Lucy placed her laptop bag on an old table, looking around the office.

“Why did you call me sooner?” She asked

“I didn't know about it until a few hours ago” he responded 

She studied his face, apparently realizing that he was serious “Fine. So what do you need me to do?”

Alex pointed toward the far side of the warehouse, “Help me identify an area we can turn into an office. We'll need somewhere clean to work, a conference table, chairs and internet access. We also need to organize the documents for tomorrow's bid”

“Bid? You are unbelievable. Well, let's get started” Lucy rolled up her sleeves

James arrived shortly afterward, carrying a toolbox and wearing the expression of a man who regretted answering his phone. He took one look inside the warehouse

“You've got to be kidding me” he yelled 

Alex walked over to him, patting his shoulder, “I'm glad you're here”

James pointed at the floor, “Did you bring me here to start a construction company or to excavate an archaeological site?”

Lucy laughed while Alex managed a tired smile, “Make all the jokes you want but by tomorrow, this place needs to look like a functioning business”

“You seems serious!” James carried out while Lucy burst into laughter. 

“Completely” 

Something changed in James's expression. He dropped the toolbox beside the wall.

“Then tell me what to do and how it happened” he demanded 

Alex explained the situation. His father had provided the location, and he had less than twenty-four hours to establish the company and prepare a bid for Eric Stephens's project. When he finished, neither Lucy nor James spoke for a moment, then Lucy opened her laptop.

“We need to start with the bid documents. A billion-dollar project isn't something we can win with a company name and a clean floor”

“Exactly. We definitely need a proper proposal, an organization structure, evidence of our capabilities and a realistic execution plan” Alex replied. 

James nodded toward the back of the warehouse, “I'll see what equipment and materials we can salvage. We can clear the rubbish while Lucy organizes the documents”

Alex picked up the broom again, “And I'll handle the company setup and the proposal”

Nobody complained about the hour again. For the few hours, the three of them worked under the dim warehouse lights. 

James cleared the abandoned shelves and gathered rubbish, Lucy used her laptop to organize the necessary documents and research the requirements for the project bid while Alex contacted suppliers, prepared an initial business structure and began drafting a proposal that would demonstrate how his company could handle a construction project of such magnitude.

They had no large team, no impressive office or established portfolio under their new company name but Alex had five years of experience, a thorough understanding of the construction industry and a determination that had only grown stronger since leaving Elite.

★★★

Four hours later, it was already dawn and the main floor was considerably cleaner, a section of the warehouse had been cleared for temporary offices, and Lucy had assembled the first set of documents.

They were exhausted, but the work had begun.

Alex looked at his two companions and murmured, “I won't forget this”

James wiped sweat from his forehead, “Don't thank us yet, win the contract first then you can buy us breakfast”

Lucy smiled without looking away from her screen, uttering “Make that a proper breakfast. We're not working through another night for a cup of coffee”

For the first time since leaving Elite, Alex laughed. They still had a mountain of work ahead of them, but he no longer felt as though he was facing it alone.

★★★★★

In the morning, Henry arrived at Elite Construction looking as though he hadn't slept at all. Dark circles surrounded his swollen eyes, and his hair was barely holding its shape. He carried a thick folder under one arm and a cup of coffee in the other.

Derrick, who was waiting near the reception area, took one look at him, “Did you sleep at all?”

“I couldn't” Henry shook his head 

“Oh sorry! But are you ready for the meeting?” Derrick inquired 

“Of course” Henry smiled 

Derrick studied him, trying to real his expression for a moment before asked, “Henry, I need an honest answer. Do you understand the construction terminology in those documents?”

“I understand enough” he replied confidently 

Before Derrick could question him further, Gracias approached them, cutting him off.

“My son is ready. As you can see, he has been studying all night and I have a complete confidence in him” she declared

Derrick glanced at Henry's tired face, “Confidence is good, Gracias, but we need to be certain he can handle the negotiations”

“He speaks German fluently. What more do you want?” she snapped at him 

“Construction experience would be useful” Derrick sounded a bit worried

“Are you still thinking about Alex?” Gracias asked, yelling at Derrick 

Derrick didn't answer and only watched as she adjusted Henry's collar

“Don't listen to anyone trying to undermine you. You've earned this opportunity, and today is your chance to prove it” she assured her son who also nodded, although his grip tightened around the folder.

“Let's go,” Gracias announced.

They left for the airport shortly afterward.

*****

By the time they arrived, several representatives from Elite Construction had gathered near the arrival terminal. Gracias stood at the front, wearing a welcoming smile. Derrick remained beside her while Henry repeatedly checked his notes. He had memorized several opening greetings and practiced introducing the company in German. He hoped that would be enough to get him through the first few minutes, then a man in a tailored dark suit emerged from the arrival gate, it was Eric Stephens.

He carried himself with the confidence of someone accustomed to commanding attention. His assistant, Elena, walked beside him, holding a tablet and a slim document folder.

Gracias immediately stepped forward, “Mr. Stephens! Welcome. It's an honor to have you here”

Eric acknowledged her with a polite nod, “Thank you”

Henry moved forward before anyone else could speak. He straightened his jacket and greeted Eric in German.

“Guten Morgen, Herr Stephens

Willkommen. Wir freuen uns, Sie bei uns begrüßen zu dürfen”

His pronunciation was acceptable, and he managed to deliver the sentence without stumbling but Eric didn't respond. Instead, he looked past Henry and his gaze moved across the waiting representatives, searching their faces as though he expected to find someone among them.

Henry waited, his smile becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

“Mr. Stephens?” He tried again in German but Eric ignored him.

He turned toward Gracias, then looked at Derrick. He spoke in clear German, asking 

“Where is Alex?”

They were all rendered speechless and Henry's smile vanished. Gracias stared at Eric, unable to understand why he had ignored her son's greeting.

Derrick's expression changed as the meaning of the question registered. Eric Stephens had just arrived to discuss a billion-dollar project and the first person he wanted to see was the man they had forced out of the company.

“Ehmmmmm, Mr Eric Stephens…” Gracias stuttered, trying to say something when Elena cut her off.

“Find Alex Miller. He is the only one Mr Stephens is interested in” she dropped them bombshell