Page 50 of Savage Ruin
Her eyes light up. “That’s an excellent idea.”
My phone chimes. “It’s time. Ready to go?”
“Lead on, Mr. Santos,” she says excitedly.
CHAPTER25
HENLEY
The minute we arrive at Epic, we’re greeted by the director of research and development who immediately escorts us to a boardroom on the top floor. Unlike VRDeck, this is not a fun, casual atmosphere. It’s big business. People move with purpose here.
When we step into the room, all discussion ceases. A tall, good-looking man with a charming smile strides over and introduces himself. “You must be Henley Night. I’m Beauregard Whitman, but you may call me Beau.” He shakes my hand and turns to Thiago. “Thiago Santos, I presume?”
Two wolves in a cage—an apt description. Beau might look charming on the surface, but the intelligent glint in his eye says differently. Ignoring the other most powerful man in the room, even for a second, is a bold move. I glance at Thiago and watch his lips curl in anticipation.
Spreading his feet apart, he immediately expands his presence in the room and shakes Beau’s hand. “Yes, Thiago Santos,” he says, nothing else. He simply waits for Beau to invite him into his domain.
Beau tilts his head. “Unfortunately, we’ve only got a half hour to discuss this opportunity, but we’re intrigued by the potential. Let me introduce you to everyone, and we’ll get started.”
Thiago’s face tightens, but he nods. “This is Henley Night. If you have any questions on the tech, she’ll be able to answer them. I’m Thiago Santos, CEO of SEI.”
Beau introduces his executives. Every single one is at the director or vice-president level, which tells me he’s at least got the right people in the room.
“Would you like refreshments?” Beau’s PA points to the drinks and food on the buffet beside the table.
Thiago clears his throat and all chatter and movement ceases immediately. “I’d like to be respectful of your time,” he states smoothly, but the sardonic gleam in his eyes tells me he’s irritated with the thirty-minute limitation. “Our deal is very simple. If you’re interested in hearing it?”
Beau leans back in his chair, his demeanor casual, but his eyes hold a hint of their own irritation. “We’re not entirely sure. Who developed this code? Who owns the rights to it?”
“My uncle Marcos developed the code, and he left it to Henley in his will. It’s all completely legal and binding,” Thiago informs him.
“How do you know if the code even works? Our team has been working on a solution for years, and we haven’t managed to get a dual unit operating yet,” Beau returns.
“We’ve used it to enter the metaverse, and we’ve tested it against new AR software we’re launching soon. I’ve sent proof to your email,” I assure him.
He picks up his phone and finds the email. “Forwarding.”
Beau’s team immediately responds. Opening their computers, they start to hit play.
If I don’t do something, we’ll be walking out the door in eight minutes without putting the deal on the table. I take a deep breath. “Stop. The video is roughly an hour and twenty minutes long, and we only have six minutes left.”
Beau raises his hand.
I pause to gather my thoughts. “We’re talking about a lot more than a pair of AR/VR glasses here. While that is the only deal on the table, the true impact won’t be measured by a single product. It’s an accessory, but an invaluable one. We’ve developed a product that’s going to revolutionize the medical field, and it’s going to happen fast. The exposure Epic Entertainment will receive from being tied to this project is immeasurable. It will open a whole new industry for your company.”
Every eye turns to stare at me. Thiago grunts, but he doesn’t say anything. Guess he approves of me taking point. “We believe in this project so much we’ve drilled the deal down to two terms, which is probably unheard of, especially by two industry giants like Epic Entertainment and SEI. Are you interested or should we leave?”
Beau abandons his pseudo relaxed position and leans forward. “Let’s hear it.”
“In exchange for the code to the AR/VR glasses, we’d like one million units delivered to us within the first six months and thirty percent of the profits for the first three years,” Thiago says, presenting the offer.
Silence continues to reign, but the expressions on his executive’s faces range from disbelief to outrage. Beau’s face never changes.
“What are you planning to do with the glasses?” Beau asks casually, but the one question tells me he’s intrigued by the offer.
“Donate them to any surgeon who asks for one,” Thiago replies. “We have no interest in producing or selling this product. As Henley said, it’s only an accessory to the software we’re releasing soon.”
“What is this revolutionary product?”
