Read the story about Robin and what’s behind the Outlaw Squirrels and the mission driving the project. The story will continue to unfold in the coming weeks and months – as we work diligently to fulfill our mission.
Chapter I
Robin Locksley, a young woman in her mid-twenties, works in Sheffield as an employee of a smaller investment bank specialized in ecological investments. She is very fulfilled by her job and maintains a good relationship with her boss Richard, who has become a real friend over the years. One day, however, the bank falls victim to a hostile takeover by an investment bank that has no interest whatsoever in pursuing its ecological orientation, but rather displays a philosophy that despises humans and animals, and is run by Richard’s evil brother John, of all people.
The first weeks are still relatively peaceful and it almost seems as if the initial concerns will be dispelled. But one rainy evening, Richard unexpectedly appears at the door of the small apartment Robin lives in with her boyfriend Marian. Richard is very upset and talks so fast that it is difficult to follow him. He tells Robin and Marian about highly secretive and extremely dubious plans of the company, according to which the network is to be flooded with software that deliberately feeds false information to small investors to rob them of their money – and to divert money from ecologically sensible projects into projects that promise exactly the opposite.
Robin is as appalled as Richard. They share the philosophy and firm belief that investors must be protected from misinformation and deserve full transparency. They decide to take action against these machinations. Together they confide in their long-time colleague Ivan, who shares their considerable doubts about the company’s practices. Ivan is the bank’s technical security manager – but has a not entirely legal past as a hacker. Together with him, they break into the bank’s headquarters the following night and succeed in stealing parts of the software and much of the related records and incriminating emails. Under the pseudonym “The Merry Men” they leak everything on various internet platforms the same night.
While Richard and Ivan remain undiscovered for the time being, Robin’s cover is blown. During the break-in, they had inadvertently failed to deactivate one of the surveillance cameras, through which Robin can be clearly identified. Ivan, who as head of security has access to the security logs, can warn Robin at the last moment the following early morning but does not manage to delete all copies before the police arrive. Robin hastily says goodbye to Marian and flees the city to Shrwd Forest at dawn with the bare essentials and a tiny camper. Before doing so, she asks Marian to contact Robin’s old school friend John and to make him the only one to reveal her hiding place.
By midday, almost all the media are already reporting on the break-in and the leaked footage. And Robin’s face is everywhere. While some people celebrate Robin as a heroine, the sheriff of Nottingham puts together a special unit. Robin is henceforth wanted as an outlaw and leader of an organization called “The Merry Men”. In the meantime, Marian has tracked down Robin’s friend John Little, who is called “Little John” by everyone because of his remarkable size, and tells him what Robin has told her to do.
Robin, meanwhile, sits alone in her small camper in the forest, which she has covered makeshift with twigs, branches and leaves to camouflage it. Her mind races, fear and a strange euphoria alternate, bundled with fierce tiredness that is surely due to the sleepless past nights and the exciting flight. She doesn’t realize she’s fallen asleep until she’s awakened by a persistent and annoying little squirrel. She thinks she heard a “Robin wake up” when a moment later the squirrel bumps wildly against her arm. Robin startles and listens. Yes, someone seems to be out there – and this stubborn little squirrel seems to have warned her! Was it actually talking to her? But she has no time for these thoughts.
Escape is no longer an option. Terrified, she pulls her blanket up to her chin and freezes. She hears footsteps on the dry leaves, coming closer. Somewhere a branch cracks. She is certain: she is about to be discovered and arrested. She has to suppress a scream as a head appears on her car window, and then she recognizes the face and calls out, “Little John!” “Finally!” the latter says calmly. “I have found Robin of Shrwd Forest”. And then his large face shows a row of huge bare white teeth and he begins to laugh heartily…
The next chapter is soon to be revealed…
