Chapter Three: Three Contracts, One Second

At four in the afternoon, Lin placed the three groups in adjoining executive boxes at Old Dock. The glass between rooms could turn transparent. Only the chairman's office controlled the switch. He visited the analytics executive first. “If supporters reject the bonds, your data license is worthless,” the man said. “Sixty-two percent subscribed.” In truth, forty-one percent had purchased and twenty-one had merely registered interest. “Decline, and your competitor receives the license.” Then the broadcaster. “Without successful registration, the documentary has no ending.” “Failure is an ending. What you fear is another network filming success.” Lin raised the price by £200,000. “This figure remains open for fifteen minutes.”