"You, more than
anyone else in this room, know what Wallaby means to me." He
drummed his chest with his palm. "You and I, Hank, we made
Wallaby everything it is today. Didn't I agree with you a few
years ago that we needed someone to run the company? And wasn't I
supportive when we hired Matthew? We made a mistake is all, and
no one gets it. But you do. I know you do."
Hank sat perfectly still, but Matthew could see that Peter's
words were having an effect on him. And on some of the others.
Sounds of sniffing and little coughs, throats clearing, filled
the room.
Matthew's pulse quickened. Although everyone else in the room had
voted in his favor, Hank could essentially persuade them all to
compromise in Peter's favor, dissolving Matthew's ultimatum. If
Hank did that, the plan would be off.
"Hank, you have to trust me on this one," Peter implored.
"Matthew isn't right for Wallaby. If you let him have this, he'll
turn Wallaby into a second-rate company. All I want is for us to
be number one, Hank. It's all we've ever wanted, right?"
Matthew sweated to read Hank's expression. Had he been kidding
himself into thinking he could lure Hank's loyalty away from
Peter.
"Damn it, Hank, look at me. Don't you see what he really wants?
He wants us, the renegades, to connect to IC-fucking-P's
computers! If that's not selling out, man, what is?"
Matthew held his breath, for Peter's assessment was ultimately
the motivation behind his entire secret plan.
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