Inside the Room

"No," Ethan said. "I am tired of being the only person in every room expected to apologize for wanting leverage." That landed. Priya's anger receded into something more dangerous: agreement. When Margrave returned, the chief risk officer looked older. "Mr. Cole, we will accept escrow if the pilot includes a termination right." "Mutual termination," Ethan said. "Fine." "And Daniel Ross leaves the diligence process." The chief risk officer's jaw tightened. Daniel Ross smiled. "That is unacceptable," the lawyer said. Ethan reached for the button to end the call. "Then we are done." "Wait," the CRO said. For a moment, two futures hung in the room: the one where Atlas stayed hungry and clean, and the one where it got paid and owned.