Point of Contact

“Please call me Jack. As much as we’ll see each other, there’s no point in being formal.”

“Okay. So tell me, Jack, can you tell us your opinion of Mr. Rhodes and Marin Aerospace Systems?”

“In what regard?”

“Are you of the opinion they still want to go through with the merger?”

“I’m confused. Why would you ask that? If they weren’t interested, we wouldn’t be here, would we?”

“Humor me, please.”

“We’re a neutral third-party examiner. I don’t think my opinion is worth much.”

“But as a neutral third party, you are in the best position to form an unbiased opinion about the two parties in question.”

Jack glanced at Paul. You wanna help me out here?

Paul shrugged. You’re on your own.

Jack dove in. “As far as I can tell, Marin Aerospace is very eager to proceed with the merger. And while our job is to provide a thorough and unbiased analysis of your firm’s net worth and operations, my impression is that Mr. Rhodes is hoping that we will be able to sign off as quickly as possible.”

“That’s good to hear,” Dr. Fairchild said. “When Mr. Rhodes canceled the audit, I was concerned Marin Aerospace was reconsidering their offer.”

“Not at all,” Jack said. He didn’t feel comfortable revealing that Rhodes and his team had simply screwed up.

“Your visit is pro forma. That’s the term of art, I believe,” Yong said.

“As per the contract of intent,” Paul countered. “Signed by both parties.”

“Do you have any questions for us, Mr. Brown?” Dr. Fairchild asked.

“Call me Paul, please. Just one for now. From what I’ve read, your company has been extremely successful. Why do you want a merger with Marin Aerospace? Most companies prefer to remain independent.”

“Beyond the obvious advantages that additional capital will provide, the fact remains that the world marketplace is terribly competitive. We won’t survive for much longer without a strong infusion of liquidity and the global resources that a company like Marin Aerospace can provide.”

Jack watched Yong. The man’s gaze shifted around the room and his mood darkened.

“You don’t fear losing your autonomy as a company?”

“If we’re wiped out by competition, we won’t be autonomous anyway,” Dr. Fairchild said. “The reason why I chose to merge with Marin Aerospace was Senator Rhodes’s promise that we would remain an independent entity under their corporate umbrella.”

“What else would they say?” Yong asked. “You wouldn’t have agreed to the proposal otherwise.”

Dr. Fairchild stiffened in his chair. It was clear to Jack the two men had had this conversation before.

“I trust Weston Rhodes and the board.” He turned to Jack and Paul. “Barring any unforeseen mishaps, the merger will be going through shortly, and that’s my final decision.”

“My understanding is that the agreed-upon stock purchase price is substantially higher than the current market price,” Jack said, trying to drain the tension out of the room. He looked at Yong. “Your family will be very rich.”

Dr. Fairchild nodded. “My legacy to my children. What else is the duty of a father than to provide for his heirs?”

So that’s the real reason you’re doing this, Jack thought. He wondered if Dr. Fairchild had some health issues. Something to look into later.

Lian checked her watch. “Excuse me, Father, but it’s late and our guests are probably tired. I should get them to their residence.”

“Of course. How thoughtless of me.” Dr. Fairchild stood. The others followed suit. “I’ve enjoyed our conversation very much, gentlemen. I hope you’ll be my guest here again soon.”

“We look forward to it. Just as soon as we get our work done.”

The Dalfan CEO smiled. “Excellent.”

16

Lian and Park, her South Korean bodyguard, pulled inside the electric gate and into the driveway of a newly constructed two-story home in a newer and more crowded neighborhood. It was much closer to the Dalfan corporate headquarters near Changi Airport than Dr. Fairchild’s mansion was. The rain had stopped.

Lian’s bodyguard helped Paul and Jack unload and carry their luggage into the foyer.

“It’s a modest house,” Lian said, “but it has all of the modern amenities. We keep it available for visiting guests like you.”

“We’re honored,” Paul said.

Lian pointed at the umbrella stand. “Feel free to use those. It’s monsoon season now, you know.”

Jack had checked the weather before packing, but clearly Paul hadn’t, judging by the stunned look on his face.

“Yes, we know,” Jack said, covering for Paul.

Outside, the home was mostly stucco and glass, with a sloping red-tiled roof — obviously influenced by the architectural style of traditional homes like Dr. Fairchild’s. He had laughingly described the style of his home as “tropical Tudor-Elizabethan.”

Lian gave them a quick tour of the place, including separate bedrooms with private bathrooms, a fully stocked kitchen, satellite television, and high-speed Wi-Fi.

She opened the back door and led them to a detached garage. She activated the automatic garage door opener and handed Jack a set of keys.