Chapter 152 Stock Exchange
A surge of confidence coursed through Jacob. His smile widened, tinged now with a hint of smugness.
"Take this sky screen, for instance," he began, gesturing towards the breathtaking spectacle above. "It's a marvel of engineering, the most impressive technological feat I've ever witnessed."
He paused, letting the weight of his next words sink in.
"But," he continued, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "I imagine the technology behind it is incredibly complex, the projection system massive, unwieldy."
He shook his head as if sharing a secret. "As impressive as it is, it's not commercially viable, not in its current form. It needs refinement, miniaturization, optimization."
Elbert, his expression unreadable, simply nodded, encouraging Jacob to continue.
"Mr. Perry," Jacob pressed, his voice taking on an earnest tone, "Meta Platforms has everything you need to take this to the next level. Talent, funding, distribution channels, influence… we have it all."
He leaned closer, his eyes gleaming with a potent mix of ambition and desperation. "Mr. Perry, I want to propose a collaboration."
Elbert finally turned to face him, his gaze steady and unwavering.
Jacob, sensing a flicker of interest, hurried to clarify. "Don't misunderstand. I'm not talking about an acquisition or even a controlling stake."
"Then what are you suggesting, Mr. Russell?" Elbert asked, his voice betraying no hint of his thoughts.
Jacob took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to propose. "I'm willing to exchange 10% of Meta Platforms' shares, held by myself and a few key shareholders, for an equivalent stake in Creator."
Elbert's eyebrows shot up, a flicker of surprise momentarily breaking through his composure. "You're offering 10% of Meta Platforms, in exchange for 10% of Creator?"
Jacob nodded, his expression a mixture of determination and inner turmoil. Parting with 10% of Meta Platforms was akin to parting with a limb. As founder, he himself only held 8%, a stake that nonetheless placed him firmly among Veridiania's wealthiest individuals.
Meta Platforms was a behemoth, a sprawling empire with tentacles reaching into every corner of Veridianian society. Tens of thousands of employees, hundreds of subsidiaries, a market capitalization that dwarfed most nations. Compared to Creator, Meta Platforms was a skyscraper, while Elbert's company was but a fledgling sapling.
And yet, here he was, offering a piece of his empire, on equal terms, for a stake in a company barely a year old.
The truth was, Jacob had no choice. The Gemini App, with its relentless innovation and uncanny ability to anticipate user needs, represented an existential threat to Meta Platforms' dominance. If he didn't act now, he risked being swept aside, his legacy reduced to a cautionary tale of disruption and obsolescence.
But by securing a stake in the Creator, he could turn a potential adversary into a powerful ally. They would share in each other's successes, their destinies intertwined.
Besides, 10% of Meta Platforms, even at a conservative valuation, were worth billions. It was a king's ransom, an offer few could refuse.
As if sensing Elbert's hesitation, Jacob doubled down. "Think about it, Mr. Perry. With Meta Platforms' resources at your disposal, imagine how quickly you could scale Magic Gemini. Our business development teams, our connections, our expertise… we can open doors you didn't even know existed."
His voice took on a feverish pitch, fueled by a potent cocktail of desperation and renewed hope. "And your inventions, Mr. Perry, those technological marvels… imagine the possibilities with our research and development capabilities, our access to the brightest minds in the industry."
He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "The truth is, Mr. Perry, you're moving too slowly. The world is changing faster than ever, and opportunities disappear in the blink of an eye. You don't have time to build everything from scratch."
"But together," he continued, his voice rising in triumph, "together, we can shape the future. We can create something truly extraordinary."
Jacob finished his pitch, his chest heaving, his eyes fixed on Elbert, searching for any sign of agreement.
Elbert, however, merely smiled faintly. "Mr. Russell," he began, his voice calm and measured, "you mentioned the importance of a strong business development team, correct?"
"Yes, of course," Jacob replied, a touch of impatience creeping into his voice.
"Well," Elbert continued, "I happen to have one. In fact, I have an entire investment company."
Jacob blinked, momentarily speechless. "You… you have an investment company? Since when?"
Elbert gestured towards the bustling streets below. "It's called Witness, and their headquarters occupy the three floors directly beneath us."
Jacob's jaw dropped.
'This nondescript office building, dwarfed by the Skyrise Tower across the street, housed Elbert's secret weapon?' he pondered.
"But… an office doesn't mean anything," Jacob sputtered, grasping at straws. "Do you even have a team? Experienced professionals?"
Elbert, his smile widening, simply extended his arm, gesturing towards a figure standing discreetly behind Jacob. "Allow me to introduce Ms. Elowen, CEO of Witness."
Jacob spun around, his eyes widening in disbelief as they fell upon a strikingly beautiful woman with flowing auburn hair and piercing blue eyes.
"Elowen?" he gasped, recognizing the woman instantly. "But… you're the Director of Investments at Catalyst Capital! The Investment Queen of Veridiania! You're legendary for your… independence, your unwillingness to answer to anyone."
Elowen, her lips curving into a knowing smile, met Jacob's gaze with an unflinching intensity. "Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Russell. And yes, I do value my autonomy. But even queens," she added, her gaze shifting towards Elbert, "sometimes encounter emperors."
Jacob, his mind reeling, suddenly recalled a recent upheaval in the venture capital world. "The exodus… all those top analysts, fund managers… they left to join a promising startup. It was you, wasn't it? They joined Witness."
Elowen's smile widened. "Indeed. And they're all downstairs, working tirelessly with over a hundred emerging tech companies."
Jacob felt a wave of dizziness wash over him.
'Half of Veridiania's top financial minds, all working for Elbert?' he thought.
"Mr. Perry," he stammered, his voice barely a whisper, "when… how…"
"The day after you declared war on me," Elbert replied, his voice devoid of malice but laced with an unmistakable steel.
Jacob felt a chill run down his spine. While he had been busy plotting his attack, Elbert had been assembling an arsenal of his own, a network of talent and resources that dwarfed anything Meta Platforms could muster.
"But… what about research and development?" Jacob asked, his voice hoarse with desperation. "Surely, you don't have the capabilities…"
"You're right," Elbert interrupted, his tone almost apologetic. "I don't have a research and development team."
Jacob felt a surge of relief. There was still a chance, a glimmer of hope in this rapidly darkening landscape.
But before he could fully savor this small victory, Elbert continued, his voice devoid of any discernible emotion. "I don't have a research and development team because I don't need one."
He gestured towards the sky screen, his eyes twinkling with an almost childlike wonder. "The core technology behind this spectacle? It came from a college student. A junior, to be precise. I merely helped refine it, polish it, unleash its full potential."
He turned back to Jacob, his smile both disarming and utterly terrifying. "And that, Mr. Russell, is just the tip of the iceberg. I have a warehouse full of inventions, each one more revolutionary than the last. A thousand ideas, waiting to be unleashed upon the world."
Jacob stared at Elbert, his face ashen, his mind struggling to process the enormity of what he had just heard. He had come here hoping to strike a deal, to salvage some semblance of control.
Instead, he had stumbled into a whole new reality, one where the rules he had played by for so long no longer applied. He had spent his life building empires, crushing competitors, amassing unimaginable wealth.
And yet, in the face of Elbert's quiet genius, his relentless innovation, his sheer audacity, Jacob felt like a relic a dinosaur facing extinction.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
