Jul. 31, 2023
It was a warm summer night, the kind that lingers with a sultry breeze that can't shake off its secrets. The city skyline was painted in shadows, hiding a million stories in its darkened alleys. In the heart of this metropolis, a man in a trench coat walked the dimly lit streets, his fedora casting a sharp shadow over his eyes. He was a detective, not the kind you'd find on the silver screen, but the real deal. His name was Jack Malone, a private eye with a nose for trouble and a taste for justice. As he strolled down the deserted sidewalk, thoughts swirled in his mind, and the night was a smokescreen for a different kind of intrigue – the SEC's proposal to tighten the leash on the wolves prowling the market. The proposal was a bold move, aiming to slice the reporting window for disclosing ownership positions from ten days to five. But Malone believed that was only scratching the surface of the darkness that loomed. His footsteps echoed off the tall buildings as he weighed the matter. Taking a drag from his cigarette, he exhaled a cloud of smoke that danced in the dim glow of a flickering streetlamp. His gut told him that a mere five days wouldn't be enough to truly protect the innocent from the predators out there. No, they needed something sharper, faster, more decisive. He muttered to himself, "Two business days, that's what we need." His gravelly voice was a whisper in the night, blending with the distant wails of sirens and the low hum of traffic. "Two days, and we might just have a chance." Malone knew the game well. A shorter reporting window would force those sneaky investors out of the shadows, shedding light on their murky deals before they could slink away with their ill-gotten gains. Two days would put pressure on the schemers, making them think twice before dipping their greedy fingers into the market's cookie jar. He clenched his fists, feeling the weight of his convictions. A fight for fairness and transparency, that's what it was. A battle against those who thought they were above the law, manipulating the system to their advantage. He continued to walk, his mind set on the mission ahead. There were dark corners to explore, secrets to uncover, and justice to serve. Two business days, he repeated the words like a mantra. It might seem like a small change, but in this city, small changes could mean the difference between the innocent walking free and the guilty slipping away. As the night deepened, so did his resolve. Jack Malone was determined to see this through, to push the Commission to embrace a deadline that could make a real difference. In a world shrouded in shadows, he'd be the beacon of truth, piercing through the darkness with the light of justice. With the moon as his only witness, he disappeared into the noir tapestry of the city, ready to take on the fight for a two-day reporting deadline that would keep the wolves at bay and give the market a chance to breathe again.