Chapter 2: The Beginning

And there we were, all tact up inside a lab, sitting next to each other figuring out how to begin this massive project. Hmm...I don't have a laptop I thought. Everyone else did have one and I felt a bit out of place. That was soon taken care of, as I went and bought one. The first out of three laptops in the course of this project. The other two were stolen right out of my living room at home...

Hera has guided us well from Day 1 and all through the rough course that was going to follow. Hermes was hired to work with us at a later stage. A move that proved later to be destructive for the team. Hermes had in his mind to start anywhere, just to get in and then climb his way up stepping over dead bodies (our bodies). He was so kind and willing at first, Hera went out of her way to help him so many times. So this two face, blood sucking, little man played his role all along and misguided all of us. He is now the Director of Academic Affairs of Intercollege. Big title ha?

I had a "secret" meeting with Hermes in the Summer of 2009 at Bennigan's. He was so eager to eliminate his boss Hades that provided me with a business card of a relative of Hades doing "fishy" business. He also gave me so much information about Hades that it could throw him of his throne. Hermes never mention this meeting to his superiors in the time to follow. He thought that I was the only one who knew about it and it was my word against his. Well, sadly for him, a high ranking official at the University of Nicosia knew about this meeting, as he was the one who sent me there to collect information. I guess I neglected to mention this to Mr. Director of Academic Unfairness. This is one the "facts" of this story that will come back at a later stage. Let's leave Hermes for now. He does not deserve more than one paragraph anyway.

Hades, what a dark name. But, well justified to be used in this story. Hades was the one who offered the earnings of Aladdin, the titles of a lifetime and the best of all, free studies. Hades is the one who did cross project payments, Hades is the one who paid himself for services rendered (funny).Hades was the one who kept us working for free while he profited out of it. Hades was the one who finally got to Hermes and covered him with his wings of darkness. I guess a person can change that much. Did I mention " Tartarus "? How could I forget about him... Tartarus and Hades were and still are, best buddies. Comrades in war and in foul play. Tartarus is the Director of Professional Studies, where professional is the last word I would use to describe him. Yes, yes, another director. Many of them in this story, so get used to it. Tartarus and Hades, although rarely seen together, are bonded with that... how they call it... blood connection I think. Although a share holder, Tartarus is working closely with Hades in devising scams to get more and more money out of Intercollege AND the University of Nicosia. And for those who read this and start to get offended... I have to tell you that all this information came from Hermes, in that "secret" meeting at Bennigan's. So don't complain to me about it, take it up with the Director of Academic Unfairness.

Hades was begging us to sign a contract for a long time. Very clever move that none of us foreseen. A contract with a 2 year expiry date and so carefully planned, was placed in front of us and no choice was given but to sign it. Big mistake No. 1. That contract gave us entry to the payroll, a very big plus... BUT... NOTHING ELSE. That contract also added a timer to our career. Expiry date: 10/2010 just like a credit card... get it... use it... get rid of it.

Chapter 1: The Introductions

This is the first part of many more to follow. I will tell you a story about a group of people that were used and abused by the almighty University of Nicosia & Intercollege and then thrown in the street.

Our team was a bunch of people that devoted their lives to the EKT02/06 Project. Intercollege won 5 out of 13 subjects of the Ministry of Education EKT02/06 Project. Our task was to create digital education content.

It all began in August 2007, when a bunch of people gathered to prepare the samples that won the 5 subjects. I was one of them. I was also picked afterwards to take part in the team that was going to develop those 5 subjects.

The team was lead by a remarkable woman, which for the sake of this story I will call "Hera". A senior developer, which I will call "Hephaestus ", a young developer, which I will call "Apollo " and myself, a do-it-all man called "Dionysus ". All Greek mythology God names that have lots and lots of meaning.

Residing atop of Mount Olympus (University of Nicosia) was "Zeus" the almighty. His role in this story was not significant in the years to follow but only at the end, as Zeus role was to have the last word.

Somewhere in between Mount Olympus and our team was "Hades" the Ruler of the Underworld (Intercollege), a double faced, jealous creature that could not accept that our team was actually doing a good job.

Scattered around were other creatures that did not yet decide what their role is. "Hermes" was the most evil, jealous, little man which as the name suggests, he started as a messenger but finished as a director of whatever, as long as the word "director" appeared somewhere in his title.

So that's all for the introductions...