Chapter 527 Martin Lends a Hand
Alan refused to give up. Furrowing his brows, he asked, "Isn't there anyone else besides him?"
Luke shook his head. "The Langley Group has always been at the forefront of the internet realm; our team is top-notch on a global scale. There are plenty of talented folks out there, but they need to be at our company's level. So, instead of looking outside, we should promote from within and focus on development. It might yield better results."
Alan knew Luke had a point, but they didn't have the luxury of time to train novices. Cosmos Electronics Corp., the Robinson Group, and Max would give them a hard time.
That night, Patricia and Alan tossed and turned in their beds, sleepless. Come dawn, they decided to shift strategies and make another run at the Robinson Group. Since Carter's wife, Lassie, was the daughter of the Robinson Group's CEO, Patricia resolved to seek her help in getting a meeting with her father. Lassie agreed without hesitation.
Just as Patricia and Alan were about to head back, they were unexpectedly hit by a call from Andrew Roberts.
"A meeting?"
"What, you're not willing?" Andrew asked half-jokingly.
Patricia rapidly shook her head. "No, no. We welcome it."
"When are you free?"
"I can make time right now!"
"Then come find me. I'll be waiting by the pool where we were yesterday."
Patricia was breathless after hanging up, feeling like she was living a dream.
She hopped and tugged on Alan's arm. "This is amazing; Andrew Roberts is willing to see us. Does this mean there's still a chance?"
Alan smiled. "It looks like it."
"Then let's go!"
After checking her appearance in the mirror, Patricia and Alan made their way to the poolside from yesterday.
Andrew had just finished his swim, his body glistening with moisture. He wrapped a clean white towel around himself and settled into a lounge chair, taking a couple of sips from a glass of juice.
Patricia and Alan took their seats across from him.
"Mr. Roberts, have you decided to give us a chance?" Patricia said. "Rest assured, although our chief engineer and a few others have left, our core technology is still top-notch. Further, there's a whole team of highly skilled dozens in the R&D department. You won't be disappointed."
Andrew's demeanor was noticeably more amiable than the day before. He slid the two other glasses of juice across the table to Patricia and Alan. "I apologize for yesterday; I was in a bad mood over having my vacation disturbed by work-related matters. I hope you can forgive that."
Patricia and Alan exchanged glances.
What was going on? Despite Andrew's explanation, the sudden and drastic change left them wary, hesitant even to touch the glass of juice in case it might be poisoned.
As Alan deliberated whether or not to accept the juice, his phone buzzed in his pocket. After reading the message, his face relaxed, and he picked up the glass of juice with a smile. "The intrusion was our fault; we didn't seek your permission first. We hope you can overlook our impudence and let bygones be bygones."
Seeing Alan at ease, Patricia's guard dropped, and she lifted her glass. "We're truly grateful, Andrew, for this opportunity."
Andrew let out a hearty laugh and clinked his glass against theirs. "Let's toast with juice instead of wine and consider the matter settled."
Alan and Patricia nodded, tilting their heads back and finishing their drink in one go.
After the glasses were empty, Andrew spoke again. "While I'm willing to give you another chance, there are conditions. I can't put the company at risk over a personal sentiment."
Patricia glossed over the mention of 'personal sentiment' and quickly responded. "Please state your conditions. We will do our utmost to fulfill them."
"You all know that chips are the heart of what we do in the smartphone and computer industry. If the chip doesn't cut it, our reputation built over all these years will crumble overnight."
"I get your drift," Patricia said.
Andrew continued, "I'm not going to terminate our partnership with the Langley Group just yet. However, I can only give you one month. Six months from now, we're launching a high-end phone that requires a cutting-edge smart chip the market hasn't seen yet. If you can't meet my demand by then, our deal is off. Please understand I can't put personal relationships above the company's interests."
Patricia, not well-versed in chip development, looked towards Alan.
Alan's brow was furrowed, his expression troubled. "You must realize that developing a new chip takes a considerable amount of time, including various trials. One month is too brief. Can't you extend the deadline to three months?"
Andrew shook his head. "I know this is tough on you, but it's no easy decision for me either. I must keep my company's future in mind. If we're not satisfied with the chip you deliver in three months, we'll only have three more months left before our new phone hits the shelves. By then, there won't be any time to make amends."
'Amends' was putting it mildly. They'd need help finding another supplier.
Alan clearly understood, but one month was extremely short. Even if the lab team worked around the clock for the entire month, he feared they couldn't meet such a requirement. Yet, it was their only shot. If they didn't seize it, they'd lose their only chance to turn things around.
After some deliberation, Alan said, "One month it is. On behalf of Mrs. Watson, I promise you the surprise you're looking for in one month."
Andrew nodded, pleased. "I like that can-do attitude. Here's to your success and a continued partnership. Honestly, if it weren't necessary to consider other options, I'd prefer that we keep working together."
"We won't let you down."
Returning to their accommodations, Patricia could tell from Alan's face alone that something was up. She said, "One month... how are we going to pull this off?"
Riley, curious, chimed in, "Pull what off? Some wager?"
Patricia furrowed her brow, a touch of distress coloring her voice. "We need to deliver a brand-new, highly intelligent chip, surpassing all others currently on the market, to Cosmos Electronics Corp in just one month."
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