A funny feeling hit him just then. That regardless of
today's outcome, the act of finally revealing his compulsion felt
like a great weight off his shoulders. At least his original plan
was no longer a secret.
"Why weren't we told of this?" Hank demanded.
"I didn't seriously think it would be something any of us would
want," Matthew said. "Harrell knew he couldn't acquire us without
our consent, so I never feared a hostile takeover. An attempt to
create a monopoly would be prevented by the FTC, and more
seriously, the employees would rally against it, and our culture
would be lost."
"But that's just it, Matthew," Hank said. "Without any real
future products in the pipeline our culture is essentially
doomed. You've succeeded in convincing the employees that
coexisting with ICP was the right thing to do. No one has given
back their profit-sharing checks, for crying out loud."
"Hank, this is business, not a fraternity. Business is sales, and
we're finally making them, big time. Why not go all the way with
it? We're a grown-up company now, in with the big boys."
If Wallaby were to merge with ICP, no one seated around the table
would have a financial care in the world. Their stock options
would stack additional millions upon the millions most of them
had already accrued. And looking around the room, at the
calculating faces, he knew that that was exactly what each was
thinking.
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