Master of Time

I am not talking about being customers, but actual members of Chrono Reserves, as illustrated by the Golden Emblem on my cheque book. On any object that have anything to do with the bank, really.

Credit cards for example.

My name, Maximilien Maxwell is also engraved majestically on the emblem itself, just to prevent any impersonators, but of course, there are still plenty of impersonators, considering how privilege as well as prestige it is to be actual members of one of the largest if not already largest bank in the world.

Actually, Chrono Reserves is much widespread and more trusted than most federal banks around the globe, especially in third-world countries. This mostly has to do with the bank's policy on loans.

But for the United States of America itself, the people still trust the dollar more, but that is because it is the currency of choice within Chrono Reserves and all of its subsidiaries and holdings.

Most customers and members of the bank prefer to display their bank account in good old US dollars, as all purchases, special or otherwise, are done in the said currency.

What kind of special purchases? Have a good guess.

Chrono Reserves doubles up as a hidden black market for the rich and wealthy, so there are plenty of illegal deals going on under the table, and it is all done in the dollars. All of it is being recorded as well, just to give me that blackmailing materials.

There is no need to resort to using those materials, but their existence is enough to keep the members in line. They can never get out once they are in, as it should be.

The exchange rate from local currency to the dollars is only slightly worse than actual market rate, but that is to prevent people from abusing the conversation system for their own gain.

It isn't because there is some profit to be had or anything of sort.

Chrono Reserves make it money from better revenues, and it isn't like the bank is actually exchanging any currency within itself. There is no point to, considering it is a global banking system, not to mention the money people have is really just a number on a screen being displayed to them on all the terminals.

As that is the case, Chrono Reserves sometimes lends out money that it doesn't really have or money that doesn't really exist in the first place. It can do that as long as it doesn't get caught doing it.

But just for comprehension, if Chrono Reserves actually calculates all of its assets, it probably has the power to basically manipulate the market singlehandedly.

I mean to say for me to actually manipulate the market because the bank itself is merely a tool. A tool that I have set up to control the world economy.

Or crashing it.

Crashing the dollars or any currency is probably as easy as snapping my fingers, not that there is a real reason to at the moment or in the future despite the requirement to have only one currency.

A universal currency that everyone can agree on. It is necessary for the unification of the human race, allowing them to reach the start as a single entity instead of many conflicting interests.

Easing everyone into a universal currency is already in progress, as Chrono Reserves is prioritizing the United States Dollars regardless of countries any of its branch is based on.

And so far, there is no much complains since it is far more convenience. It also helps that most people trust the United States and its currency. The same currency that will give birth to a new universal one in the future.

When that happens, there will be a lot of chaos and hysteria, not to mention hyperinflation due to the dollars becoming as worthless as the national identity of the United States.

Speaking of hyperinflation, one is happening right now in Yugoslavia with their currency, the dinars is on the verge of collapse. There is a billion dinars note floating around in the economy right now.

To think just a couple of years ago, the highest domination is 50,000 dinars. By the year end, I wouldn't be surprised if there is a 500 billion dinars note. Maybe even a trillion. That is very possible.

While I have absolutely no hand in their hyperinflation problem, I will still take advantage of it. It does happen a bit earlier than the original timeline due to my existence, but regardless, it will allow me via Chrono Reserves to buy out its federal reserves, thus giving me unprecedent economical power in the country.

Taking control of the economy of the country is a lot more complicated than that due to the laws and regulations, but the good men and women of Hydra will take care of the hard work for me.

That is their job while mine is just being cool and troll people.

Needlessly to say, I love my job. It is fun. A lot more fun that I could say.

In any case, Hydra members are actually masquerading as mercenaries in Yugoslavia, inciting rebellion just to take control of the government and install a puppet leader. They didn't start the violent dissent, but they will be the one who finishes it.

And I don't mean a real puppet leader since a high-ranking member of Hydra will take on that political role. It might not even be a high-ranking member.

Still, it is better to have someone who is loyal to the cause rather than some random and probably not very capable person. Some genetic manipulation is necessary to make sure that nobody will raise any kind of question to why there is a black dude being president.

At least in the current present day. People are more tolerate in the future, but that is because no one really want to deal with pesky medias. I have someone working on taking control over the media, and it starts with the media in New York.

Henry Oxford did buy quite a bit of stations. He sells it back to me via Chrono Reserves since he hasn't got a real reason to run them.

I guess I will use it to take over the mind of the people somehow. A lot of people in America still believe what the idiot box in their living room tells them. It hasn't changed even a few decades in the future.

In the upcoming years, Hydra will take over many countries around the world, mostly through violence confrontation, especially the Soviet Union (USSR), which will not fragment into many countries like it did in the original timeline.

That is a not a good thing for world domination.

Having a bunch of smaller countries instead of a big-ass one creates more work for me, so I rather not have that even if it might be easier to annex smaller countries one by one. Also, the USSR already has the reputation for using deadly forces against its membered countries.

In addition, the USSR will serve as a deterrent to the United States of America like it always has for the last few decades, all the way from the Second World War.

The Berlin Wall is still a thing right now in 1990.

It might not be pulled down in this timeline since the USSR will not be dissolved, as I cannot have the United States becomes the only superpower in the world, completely unchallenged by anyone. I mean on the surface.

Allow any country to become a sole superpower is not a good thing, at least for my world domination plan. There will be more than two superpowers soon.

In the original timeline, China does replace the Soviet Union as a superpower, but that is not for quite a few more years. If I have to estimate the timeline, it will be a couple of decades or so due to Chrono Reserves boosting the juggernaut economy of the United States.

It is the side effects of having to fund thousands upon thousands of incredibly successful startups and businesses every year.

Kind of hard to fail, considering Chrono Reserves knows exactly what business will succeed and what businesses will fail thanks to me. I keep them up to date with the possible future and what is trending soon.

Most successful corporations that had started from the 1960s onwards will have something to do with Chrono Reserves. Even companies that Chrono Reserves has no hands bringing to greatness also have something to do with the bank due to their financial being handled by Chrono Holdings and any of its subsidiaries.

Honestly, nobody really has any real clue to how much wealth of the United States of America is being controlled by Chronicle, the parent company, which I am the sole owner.

It is to the point that the US Government is investigating any leads they could find.

Chrono Reserves isn't the only company that the United States Government is investigating simply out of fear, but it is a bit hard to find concrete evidences against any of my companies unless they acquire those evidences illegally, but then again, that would make those evidences dismissible in court.

I am using their own legal system against them because why the hell not?

There are tons of loopholes that I can use in their legal system, not to mention that there are so many places in the United States that act like tax haven for the rich and wealthy.

Not really my fault since I didn't really make the laws and regulations. I merely play by its rules, forcing the United States Government to be stuck between a rock and a very hard place.

Some of their rogue agents even resort to muscling some of my employees through interrogation and threat so national security, but they haven't managed to grab any undercover Hydra agent yet.

But they probably will.

I am not really worry about that since Hydra agents are trained to fabricate convincing lies when being interrogated, at least it is convincing to other members of Hydra. Maybe that might be a problem.

But it is not possible to prepare for that in any capacity until someone who knows anything finally gets caught somehow.

Should be any day now. I am still waiting since it would trigger some dominos. Some huge ass dominos that will definitely crush a lot of people. Senators, mostly.

Being a known member of Chrono Reserves does make me a target for the United States Government, and they certainly have grabbed several members in the past, but only to slap them some fines about tax evasions.

This is because most members of Chrono Reserves are rich and powerful, and I am probably the richest and most powerful. Good target for the United States, all things considered.

It always tax evasions that lands people like me in jail. It never the thing that I did because there is no evidence whatsoever. If there is, they will be dead soon. Or being mind-swiped.

Hydra still kills a lot of people just to make sure, however.

The dead do not talk, at least normally.

Everything is an exception to me with the powers and authorities at my control.

Anyway, wealth and status are not the things that help people becomes members of Chrono Reserves, but it does contribute due to how the invitation system works. One has to be invited to be a member, as there is no other way, normally.

Even so, invited candidates will have to wait in line until there is a spot open within the memberships due to the number of members allowed per country.

Probably more correctly to say continent instead of country since countries aren't really a thing under the domination of Hydra Imperium.

That is the future of the human race, at least in this iteration.

But regardless of which country the members are actually from, there can never be more than a total of 999 members of Chrono Reserves per continent.

North America does have exactly 1000 members due to me, but I am not really considered a member technically. I haven't met a single member so far because there is no reason to, at least not previously.

I have to now since Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are members. They don't know that yet, so it will a good surprise for them. Members should help each other, especially in time of need.

"There is no need for that, Mr. Maxwell."

George speaks up and gestures his hands despite really wanting to take my money, but that big brain of his cells me my friendship worth a lot more. It certainly is.

Priceless actually, but that is not what on his mind.

It is due to my wealth, as all members of Chrono Reserves have unlimited funds at their disposal. But unlike me, they will have to pay everything they borrow back with some interest. Nevertheless, being able to invest in anything and everything without having the funding in the first place is very generous.

Extremely generous to people who can use their brain even if a little. Someone like George.

Too bad, I don't like him very much since he values money above everything else.

A complete contrast to me, who see money simply as a mean to an end, not that I will spend it without a single thought. I try not to whenever possible.

"No, I insist, Mr. Collins. I recall reading somewhere that it is $2,700 per student. Adding on things like foods, uniforms, events and amenities, I think $5,000 should suffice."

I response and wrote the number on the cheque before signing it with a simple signature M.M.

Despite its simplicity, no one dares to forge my signature within Hydra or Shield or at any organizations that is aware of who I am. Doing so is basically asking to be tortured.

The same goes for Terra Entertainment, but I am not sure since I do sign a lot of document every single day. Like hundreds of them, as everything actually requires my approval, at least for now.

I just want everything to run smoothly or as smoothly as possible.

George accepts the cheque before making sure it is valid. He is actually more busy checking the Golden Emblem in the corner of the cheque itself since it is the first time that he has seen it so clearly.

"Oh, before I forget, Mr. Collins. Your daughter passes me an envelope earlier in the hallway. I believe it is a letter from your wife."

I interrupt his thought by handing him the envelope. I didn't open it to see what is inside, but from its weight and size, it is probably a letter. A divorce letter mostly likely from what his history.

"I apologize for my daughter using you a courier, Mr. Maxwell. She shouldn't have."

George accepts the letter with a smile and puts it in his desk. He also put my cheque into there to have a look at it later. It should be good, considering it is from me. He can cash it anywhere, not necessarily at Chrono Reserves itself.

"No need to apologize. I was taking her to school alongside with a few of her friends."

I response with a smile.

"Is that so? Her mother is probably too busy spending my money to take her herself. At least you don't have a wife to deal with, right Mr. Maxwell?"

George comments before chuckling.

I purse my lips, telling him that I don't like him insulting my wife. My very dead wife. My very fake and very dead wife. Still, it is the principle.

"I shouldn't have said that. Sorry. Anyway, there are some forms to be filled for your daughter to enroll here at my school, Mr. Maxwell. I can fill them out for you if you liked. Of course, I need some personal information from you for that."

George speaks up and place a form in front of me.

I look at the form for a moment before time comes to a standstill. I have a quick look through the form before deciding it should be fine.

"Very well, Mr. Collins. What do you need to know about me?"

I question, humoring him.

"Nothing out of the ordinary, Mr. Maxwell. It is all standard stuff, just a bit of information about your family and where you work."

George responses and takes out a notepad.

Since the form is quite long, he wouldn't have time to do it right now. The same as me since I do have a company to run. Well, not really since I could just send a clone for the job since Lexi wouldn't try to screw it during work hours.

"Unfortunately, I don't have time. It is a working day after all, but no worry, I have filled out everything that you need to know to fill that form for me. It isn't the first time someone fills out form for me, Mr. Collins."

I tell him before handling over another envelope. I had Legion wrote it up for me, perfectly mimicking my handwriting. I did have a look before giving it to George just in case, but Legion did a good job with Selene.

"Well, that is easy then. I will have a look and if there is anything else, I will contact you, Mr. Maxwell."

George responses and accepts the envelope.

"Please do. My phone number is on the front. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice."

I response and get off the seat.

"No. No. Not at all."

George responses before picking up the phone to talk to the receptionist outside. The woman is more like his sex-assistant from my understanding. Strange. It feels oddly strange. Something amiss here.

"Emma. Mr. Maxwell will be heading out now. Please send in the next person."