Chapter 40: A Business Proposal
Brian and Louis both turned toward the voice and saw a man seated on the wingback armchair of the room. From the deep voice, they could tell it was a man, though his entire body was concealed in sleek black armor, including a black face mask. The only visible part of him was his eyes... cold, sharp, and fixed on them.
He sat with one foot planted firmly on the floor and the other leg casually slung over his knee in a figure-four position. His hands rested confidently on the armrests, giving off the impression that he owned the place.
Both men were visibly shocked. They hadn’t noticed anyone entering the room and had no idea how or when he got in.
Breaking the silence, the black-masked intruder spoke again. "Mr. Morgan, why the rush? You crossed the Atlantic to do business here. There’s no need to return empty-handed. Miss Li has a business proposal for you. The Langford family will provide the land you wanted. In exchange, you’ll build a small park with modern facilities accessible to the public for free. The rest of the land will be developed by you. Langfords will hold 51% of the shares, Miss Li 19%, and you will retain 30%."
"If you agree," he continued, "submit a detailed plan to Miss Li at Heimdall Technologies in Manchester. Don’t worry... Miss Li will invest according to her share. You won’t lose. But if you don’t wish to do business with her, you’re free to leave the kingdom... after I leave your room."
He paused briefly before adding, "Oh! I almost forgot. I have an important message for you. Mr. Morgan, Miss Li said she loves the Mission Blue Butterfly. And Mr. Turner, your friend Juan David is currently having breakfast at his home in Usaquén, Bogotá, Colombia."
A chill ran down both men’s spines. Despite the room’s air conditioning, sweat beaded on their foreheads.
The masked man looked at them playfully and said, "Gentlemen, please look at your window."
Involuntarily, they turned to the window. There was nothing there... no shadow, no figure... nothing suspicious in or outside. The room fell into an eerie silence.
Suddenly, Brian jolted at the sound of his phone ringing. He grabbed it from the bed. "Hello?"
His secretary’s excited voice echoed from the other end. "Sir, all the airplanes suddenly became available. You can come to San Francisco anytime. Should I book a private or public flight?"