304-305

Chapter 304: The American Iron Triangle

A week later, Lee Fujung finally returned to the San Francisco villa that StarStarStar Group had prepared for her and her brother, Lee Jaeyong.

Of course, before that, she had already informed her family of her safety through phone calls and other means.

After all, if she had been missing for an entire week, even if Lee Jaeyong was wary of her potentially threatening his inheritance, he wouldn’t have gone so far as to completely ignore her disappearance.

Not long after her conversation with Hailey, Lee Fujung had already informed her brother and sister-in-law that she had a pleasant chat with Prosecutor Hailey and that they had become good friends.

She also mentioned that she would be staying at Hailey’s home for a while.

This single statement immediately made Lee Jaeyong suspicious. Since when did Lee Fujung have such close ties with Americans?

Wasn't it supposed to be him who managed their father’s connections and StarStarStar Group’s relationships in the U.S.?

For a moment, doubt and anxiety crept into his mind.

He gathered his advisors, but due to a lack of information, they were unable to provide him with any useful analysis.

In the end, it was his newlywed wife, Lim Seryoung, who softly suggested, "Could it be that Fujung has caught the eye of that gentleman?"

"That gentleman?"

Lee Jaeyong froze for a moment before realization dawned on him. "You mean Milo Black? Ben?"

"Yes." Lim Seryoung nodded. "But this is just a thought—it may not be the case..."

However, Lee Jaeyong’s brows furrowed deeply as he turned to his advisors.

After a round of discussion, they reached a conclusion: Lim Seryoung’s speculation might actually be true.

After all, that man’s reputation with women was infamous—well known for being a playboy and having a penchant for collecting women.

Lee Fujung wasn’t lacking in looks, and considering that before her, there had been Sumitomo Junko from Japan...

With South Korea being so close to Japan, it was hard not to suspect a similar possibility.

When Lee Fujung finally returned, Lee Jaeyong had his wife privately inquire about the situation.

"...So, what you're saying is…"

Faced with Lim Seryoung’s slightly embarrassed expression, Lee Fujung merely chuckled. Her smile carried a hint of mockery, a touch of indifference, and a sense of carelessness.

"This is something my brother wants to know, isn't it?"

Lim Seryoung sighed and nodded.

"Yes."

Lee Fujung didn’t hesitate in the slightest.

"Yes, I am his lover—one of them. You can go back and tell him that."

The uproar that ensued in the Lee family because of this statement was another matter entirely.

Meanwhile, on Milo’s side—

After August had passed, as Schneider’s situation worsened alongside that of the California financial group,

Edward finally came knocking.

"The Wilson family needs your help."

Big Cousin is very straightforward. His greatest strength is knowing his own limitations.

“At the same time, this is also a great opportunity for you to enter the California Consortium and influence it. Dear Milo, I believe you won’t miss this chance.”

He couldn’t have been more direct.

Not a hint of subtlety.

Milo responded just as directly.

With a smile, he got straight to the point: “Dear Edward, that’s exactly why I’m still in San Francisco.”

“Usually, by this time, I would have already headed to New York.”

Edward shrugged in that distinctly American way—almost all Americans love that little gesture.

“So, what are you planning to do, dear Milo? You’ve been around here for a while, so I trust you have a pretty good understanding of the situation.”

Milo nodded slightly. “I do know quite a bit, but I don’t have the full picture. I need more reliable information before I can offer any meaningful advice.”

“For example, I need to know what assets the Wilson family controls, the assets on the California Consortium’s side, how much funding they’ve secured, and the maximum amount they can raise.”

Edward nodded. “That’s reasonable. Let me fill you in.”

“Here are the issues we’ve identified so far...”

As Edward explained the situation in detail, Milo listened quietly.

He compared what Edward said to the information he already had.

He found a 70% overlap.

The remaining 30%, of course, consisted of the Wilson family’s confidential information.

For example, the exact shareholding percentages the Wilson family held in certain companies.

This kind of information couldn’t even be obtained by the CIA.

Naturally, no other intelligence agency could fully uncover it either.

These secrets are crucial to the survival of a family—they’re the trump cards that can turn the tide.

Of course, Milo understood that.

He also knew Edward wasn’t telling him everything. Maybe Edward didn’t know all the details himself.

Or maybe he was deliberately withholding certain information he thought wasn’t necessary to share.

Regardless, the information he did provide was already extremely valuable.

When Edward finally finished, Milo shook his head and sighed:

“It seems others believe that after dear Schneider fell ill, no one in the Wilson family can hold the fort anymore, and they’re free to carve it up.”

According to Edward, every company controlled by the Wilson family was experiencing turmoil, except for those under absolute control. The only difference was how obvious the instability was.

If that was the case for the Wilson family, then the entire California Consortium—centered around the Wilsons and supported by other families and shareholders—was in even worse shape.

The Wilson family was the trunk of the towering tree that was the California Consortium.

Now that the trunk was on fire in several places, it was only natural for the branches to be in disarray. Some might even willingly or unwillingly seek new alliances.

The current state of Litton Industries was the most typical example.

On the financial front, the Wilson family had urgently raised $38.3 billion, half of which came from bank loans.

According to Edward, the Wilson family was still scrambling to gather funds, so $38.3 billion was definitely not the limit.

“Milo, that’s the situation. What do you think we should do now?”

Facing Edward and the expectant gaze of Paul Wilson behind him, Milo didn’t hesitate:

“There are fires everywhere. You don’t have enough funds to save every company. You must abandon some and focus on stabilizing your core assets.”

“Otherwise, you’ll lose control of most of your companies, and the Wilson family will be reduced to merely collecting dividends, losing all high-level influence.”

“Hmm... kind of like the Mellon family now.”

What was happening to the Wilson family now was eerily similar to what happened to the Mellon family over twenty years ago.

Back then, the Mellon family wasn’t voluntarily stepping down from the core of the Mellon Consortium.

It all started when Richard, the key figure of the Mellon family, suddenly passed away.

The family’s influence within the consortium was swiftly eroded.

Just like the Wilson family now.

The difference was that the Mellons didn’t seek outside help, so they were eventually pushed out of the core and became a marginal family.

Even though the consortium still bore the Mellon name, the family’s role was reduced to little more than that of a mascot, aside from receiving dividends...

Perhaps the Mellons’ experience was a cautionary tale.

The Wilson family didn’t want to become the second Mellon family.

That’s why Paul Wilson was willing to let Edward seek Milo’s help, even at the cost of giving up some core interests.

This perspective was now the prevailing one within the Wilson family.

However, this led to the next problem:

Which companies should they abandon, and which should they keep?

“Milo, we understand the principle, but which assets should we give up?”

“Edward, it may seem complicated to decide which companies to abandon and which to keep since the California Consortium holds so many companies and shares.”

“But actually, it’s quite simple. Once you categorize the assets into different tiers, the course of action becomes clear.”

Milo finished speaking with a faint smile, and both Edward and Paul Wilson perked up, eyes fixed on him with intense curiosity.

“You mean dividing them into core assets, backbone assets, and investment assets?”

Paul Wilson, who wasn’t as familiar with Milo, couldn’t help but ask.

Milo shook his head and said, “Not just the usual categorization. In this special period, you need stability, but you also have to consider the next few years.”

“So, you should also classify them as healthy assets, risk assets, and severely impaired assets.”

“And there’s one more thing—you should separate value and financial investment assets and not include them in the three tiers.”

This was a deeper strategy, and Milo patiently waited for Edward and Paul Wilson to digest the idea.

After a long while...

The older Paul Wilson finally connected the dots.

He frowned and asked Milo, “Are you saying that even if a core asset is impaired or risky, we should still abandon it?”

Milo responded, “Exactly. That’s precisely what I’m saying.”

After receiving a definite answer, Paul Wilson’s frown deepened even further.

Milo understood why he was hesitant, so he gently reminded him, “Dear Paul, you have to realize that times are changing. Every industry goes through cycles—none can remain a sunrise industry forever. If you don’t seek change, you’ll only be weighed down, putting the entire family at risk.”

“Of course, some industries aren’t necessarily declining, but the Wilson family’s companies in those sectors are struggling. If they don’t show promising results in the short term, it’s better to let them go. There’s no shame in that—what’s more important is securing liquidity to protect the family.”

“For you, at this moment, you simply don’t have the luxury of waiting for these risky or underperforming assets to recover.”

Hearing Milo’s words, Edward and Paul Wilson immediately thought of several companies—ones that perfectly matched Milo’s assessment.

For instance, Litton Industries, Newport News Shipbuilding, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, California Steel, and California Railways.

These core companies were classified as risky or underperforming assets, yet they were also at the heart of the consortium.

Litton Industries, for example, had a net profit margin of just over 5%—shockingly low for a defense contractor.

That’s precisely why so many shareholders supported Litton’s restructuring efforts.

The shipbuilding and steel companies, while ranked tenth and fifteenth in their respective U.S. sectors, operated in both military and civilian markets.

However, the civilian shipbuilding segment had been consistently unprofitable, and securing military contracts wasn’t easy.

If the California consortium weakened, these companies would struggle to win government orders.

Their massive payroll expenses alone could drive them into losses—or even bankruptcy—within a short time.

Thus, these two companies had to be categorized somewhere between risky and underperforming assets.

When everything was considered, the truly irreplaceable core assets of the California consortium and the Wilson family boiled down to just two institutions: Bank of America and Wells Fargo.

“If we really make moves on these core companies, the family will strongly resist,” Edward said with a pained expression.

Milo smiled. “That depends on how well you persuade them—and on their ability to distinguish between good and bad decisions.”

Edward and Paul Wilson exchanged a helpless glance before sighing, “We don’t have much of a choice.”

“But there’s still a critical issue.”

“If we go through with this, the combined value of the risky, underperforming, and investment assets would be enormous. It’ll be difficult to find buyers in the short term.”

“And given the current market climate, even if there are buyers, they’ll aggressively push prices down. Our losses will be significant.”

Milo didn’t mince words. He responded bluntly:

“If you compile a full list of these assets, let me take a look first. Depending on the situation, I may buy a portion myself or bring in other partners to help the Wilson family.”

“As for pricing, I won’t intentionally drive it down. I’ll ensure transactions happen at fair market value—you have my word on that.”

The moment Milo finished speaking, Paul and Edward exchanged another look.

So this was his plan all along.

Milo, unfazed by their scrutinizing gazes, chuckled and said, “It might seem harsh, but personally, I believe this is the best option for the Wilson family. After all, we’re family.”

Paul Wilson’s first cousin, Schneider King Wilson’s younger sister, was Milo’s grandmother.

Technically, Milo was one-quarter Wilson by blood.

Better to keep valuable assets within the family than let them fall into the hands of rivals.

If Milo—or the powerful Boston consortium backing him—acquired these assets, future collaborations with Wilson family businesses would be far easier.

“I have no objections,” Edward said firmly. “When the family convenes, I’ll put this forward.” Then he hesitated before asking another question.

“By the way, Milo, once we liquidate these assets, what’s the best way to use the funds for maximum impact?”

“How should we allocate the Wilson family’s capital and the consortium’s resources?”

This was the key strategic question for handling the crisis.

After a long moment of contemplation, Milo replied, “If we had more time, a cross-shareholding structure—like the one used by Japan’s Big Six keiretsu—would be ideal. But our adversaries won’t give us that luxury.”

“So, I recommend fully leveraging financial platforms.”

“The Wilson family should reinvest its reclaimed capital into Wilson Financial, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and California Reinsurance—even if it means paying a premium to increase ownership or injecting funds through targeted stock issuances.”

“As long as these four financial platforms are firmly controlled, the available capital pool will be massive.”

“The assets held by these financial platforms can then be managed using the earlier strategy—sell off excess, reinvest the proceeds, and increase stakes in the businesses we intend to keep.”

“As long as these four financial companies remain stable, we can get through this crisis smoothly. After that, we'll have time to gradually restructure things,” Milo said.

“Of course, from then on, the influence of the Wilson family and the entire California consortium will start to consolidate in the hands of the leaders of these four financial companies.”

Edward and Paul Wilson exchanged a glance, a series of thoughts racing through their minds.

“Milo, thank you!”

“I know what to do now. Please wait for our news.”

Edward expressed his gratitude to Milo sincerely.

“No need to thank me. We’re family,” Milo replied with a casual wave and a gentle smile.

After that, Edward and Paul Wilson hurried away.

Milo tapped his fingers lightly on his desk, lost in thought for a moment.

Then, he picked up the red phone on his desk and pressed a button.

“Please connect me to Lawrence’s office. I need to speak with Ed.”

“Ed, it’s Milo. If you’re free, I’d like you to come to California sometime soon.”

“Next, connect me to Claude from Lowell.”

“Claude, it’s Milo. In a couple of days, how about joining me for a round of golf in California?”

“Now, get me Arthur from Adams.”

“Arthur, it’s Milo. Peggy mentioned she’d like to see you in California. Could you make the trip?”

“...”

After finishing the calls to Boston, Milo paused for a moment.

Then, he picked up his personal cell phone.

“Hey, Grandpa. Did you miss me?”

“Haha, I’ve got something to discuss. Are the Texans interested in tasting some California oranges?”

“Oh, I have a big plan. A super big plan. Want to hear about it?”

He made a few more calls to people in California before finally letting out a breath.

They say a triangle is the most stable shape.

Maybe, just maybe, the iron triangle will come together this time.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 305: A Plan That Started Three Years Ago?

*San Francisco International Airport*

Claude Lowell had just stepped off his private jet when he spotted his buddy Ed Lawrence standing on the tarmac, grinning at him.

“Surprised?” Ed said with a smile. “I actually got here half an hour before you did.”

Claude raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, a little. I thought Blackburn had some secret mission lined up for me or something.”

Ed chuckled. “And guess what? Arthur’s swinging by later too.”

Claude shook his head, smirking. “Okay, now I’m really confused. I figured Blackburn wanted to keep this hush-hush. What’s going on? Is he dragging us Boston folks out to California for a dinner party or something?”

“Oh, come on, Claude,” Ed said, still grinning. “Don’t play dumb. We both know what’s up.”

“Alright, fine,” Claude laughed. “So, are we waiting here for Arthur, or heading out?”

“Let’s wait.”

“Cool.”

About an hour later, the heads of the three core families of the Boston Consortium—Claude Lowell, Ed Lawrence, and Arthur Adams—emerged together from the VIP lounge at San Francisco International Airport.

“So, our new leader actually pulled it off with the Californians?” Claude mused aloud.

“Looks that way,” Ed replied. “He’s got Wilson family blood in him, after all. And with California in the state it’s in, he wouldn’t call us out here for no reason.”

Arthur chimed in with a dry laugh. “Unless, like Claude said, he just wanted us to come hang out and vacation with him.”

“Yeah, but what’s the real trigger here?” Claude wondered.

Arthur Adams—son of the former Boston Consortium leader and father of Peggy Audrey Adams—sounded almost hopeful. “Could be big.”

The last time the Boston Consortium expanded was over thirty years ago, when they managed to push Kennedy into the spotlight. But that backfired. The other consortiums hit back hard, Kennedy flopped, and the Boston group went down with him. Not only did they lose their gains, but their own strength took a major hit too.

Since then, they’d been holed up in New England, clinging to their old-school traditions and regional clout to survive. But even with that, over the decades, they’d been slowly chipped away at by the likes of the Wilsons, Morgans, and Rockefellers. Little by little, those giants encroached on their turf.

It’d been years—decades, even—since the Boston Consortium could do more than just barely hold their ground. And now, out of nowhere, an opportunity to expand?

They all knew the California Consortium was in trouble. Every power player in America knew it. So when their de facto new leader suddenly summoned them here, it had to be about California. They saw it as their shot to grow again.

“Hey, did you guys notice something?” Claude said suddenly.

“What’s that?” Ed asked.

“No one from the Lodge family showed up.”

“Hm? Maybe they’re just late. I’d expect Ryan to come, at least,” Arthur said.

“Not sure,” Claude replied. “I haven’t heard anything about Lodge sending anyone.”

The three of them fell quiet for a moment. By then, they’d reached the curb outside, where their cars were waiting. Without a word, they each climbed into their own vehicle—a tacit rule among them. Never ride together. If something went down, like an ambush, they wouldn’t all get taken out at once. Plus, as consortium bigwigs, they didn’t trust anyone else’s wheels.

Conversation over—for now.

But the second Claude settled into his car, he dialed Ed.

“Why isn’t Lodge here? Does Blackburn not want them in on this?”

“No clue,” Ed said. “Maybe Milo’s got beef with them?”

“I thought he and Redes got along, though. Didn’t they work together in Africa or something? Textron and United Global, right?”

“Yeah, but Redes isn’t exactly a heavy hitter in the Lodge family,” Ed pointed out.

“So you’re saying…”

“No idea. Guess we’ll find out later.”

“Fair enough.”

Later that evening, when Adams, Lowell, and Lawrence finally arrived, they were surprised to learn Lodge did have someone there. Not Ryan Lodge, the family head, but his cousin Redes—the guy running Textron for them. He’d apparently beaten them all to California.

Ed and Claude exchanged a quick glance. So much for their phone theories.

Meanwhile, as the Boston Consortium’s key players—and some unfamiliar California Consortium faces—gathered, the Wilson family was holding its seventh internal meeting of top brass. After a lot of digital haggling and arguing, they finally hashed out a plan everyone could stomach.

At the meeting, Edward—backed by his great-uncle—stole the show. People were impressed. With Paul Wilson’s support, most of the room agreed to back him fully, though a few held back. Even James Wilson, the chairman of Lytton Industries, caved under pressure and agreed to let go of the company.

Edward had taken an early lead in the Wilson family power struggle. Whether he’d clinch the top spot depended on how he handled this crisis.

The next morning, Edward briefed Milo, telling him to rustle up cash fast and bring in some friends to trade on parts of the Wilson family’s assets. To speed things up, the Wilsons promised full cooperation—no funny business with the assets or numbers. Speed was the priority.

It worked like a charm.

In just two days, while Lytton Industries was still reeling from internal chaos, a bombshell dropped. Blackburn Financial announced it now owned 38.6% of Lytton Industries’ shares, with voting rights still held by Chairman James Wilson. The Wilson family had offloaded all their equity—no price disclosed.

If that wasn’t shocking enough, what came next floored everyone—including Jim Chanos from United Fund, who’d been fishing for leverage.

James Wilson called a board meeting and said he’d follow the shareholders’ wishes: split Lytton Industries in two. Half the assets and revenue would go into a new “Lytton Trust,” while the other half—plus the whole production, shipping, and sales chain—stayed with Lytton Industries. And to sweeten the deal for investors, Blackburn Financial, the biggest shareholder, offered to trade most of its Lytton Trust shares for more Lytton Industries stock.

The board voted yes..

After the news broke, investors brainwashed by United Fund Company’s perspective were over the moon.

They even started feeling a lot friendlier toward this new player, Blackburn Financial, that had popped up out of nowhere. But only a tiny handful of people knew the real story: United Fund had totally screwed up! Once Blackburn Financial swapped all its equity into the newly formed Lytton Industries, their ownership percentage would skyrocket to over 60%.

If you stripped out the scattered shares held by small-time investors, Blackburn Financial would easily command more than two-thirds of the voting power at shareholder meetings and board discussions.

At that point, Lytton Trust would basically be at the mercy of Lytton Industries.

On top of that, Wilson Financial dropped another bombshell: they were selling their 36.96% stake in Chevron Oil to ConocoPhillips.

That news hit way harder than the first one.

A lot of folks had no clue what Lytton Industries even did. I mean, their main products are cruise missiles, arresting cables for aircraft carriers, high-precision radar for destroyers, missile engines, and fuel for space shuttles—stuff that’s got nothing to do with regular people.

Your average Joe might buy a rifle or some ammo, maybe mess around with an RPG if they’re feeling wild, but cruise missiles and aircraft carriers? Come on, that’s not happening.

Oil companies, though? That’s a different story—those matter to tons of people.

At the very least, Chevron gas stations are everywhere across the western, central, and south-central U.S. Probably one in twenty cars in America is a regular at a Chevron pump.

And then there’s ConocoPhillips, which just restructured last year after Phillips Petroleum and Conoco merged. It’s already the seventh-biggest energy giant in the U.S. and ninth in the world.

So, the idea of Chevron Oil getting swallowed up by ConocoPhillips? That’s something regular folks actually care about.

And since people care, the media’s all over it. The Wall Street Journal, for instance, said that if ConocoPhillips pulls off this acquisition, the restructured company could leap to the fifth-largest energy firm in the U.S. and sixth in the world. In the motor oil game, they’d even climb to number two globally.

The Los Angeles Times took a different angle, looking at it from the perspective of Chevron and its parent company, California Oil. They pointed out that if ConocoPhillips succeeds, they’d suddenly become the natural gas and propane supplier for half of Southern California’s population, plus the electricity provider for a third of it. Chevron and California Oil don’t just deal in oil—they’re also a major source of industrial power in the region.

Meanwhile, the New York Post went off in its own direction, highlighting that Milo Blackburn personally owns 27% of ConocoPhillips. His investment firm, Paladin Investments, holds another 10%. So, in reality, ConocoPhillips is basically Milo Blackburn’s company.

They claimed Milo’s no longer content with being Silicon Valley’s godfather or a media mogul—he’s gunning for titles like “global oil titan” now. Of course, the Post always writes with that over-the-top, rabble-rousing flair. The article’s packed with passion, making you feel like Milo Blackburn might take over the world by tomorrow.

Then there’s the media under Paladin Media, Milo’s own empire. Since it involves their boss and they’ve always played the “neutral” card, they kept it restrained. They just explained the big deals shaking up California lately, laying it out for the public in a straightforward way.

But the truth is, the recent flurry of transactions among California’s elite isn’t just about Chevron and Lytton Industries. Behind closed doors, there’s been a nonstop frenzy of stock swaps and sales these past few days.

In the ritzy neighborhoods around San Francisco, inside those sprawling estates and villas, the parties haven’t stopped. Outsiders and original members of the California elite have been gathering separately, trading info and cutting deals like there’s no tomorrow.

Here’s the deal: once Schneider went down, the California Consortium pretty much ceased to exist in anything but name.

Thing is, the consortium only came together under Schneider’s leadership in the first place. Back when he was in his prime—those couple of decades after World War II—Schneider “King” Wilson used his incredible skills, the Wilson family’s platform, and help from his buddies to build it.

But after those allies and friends started dying off, and Schneider himself got old, the consortium turned into a loose mess again.

Now that Schneider—the “plate” holding this pile of sand together—has fallen, those grains are naturally scattering in every direction.

And honestly, Washington and the other big players are happy to see it happen. California’s just too strong.

Unlike Texas, which has its obvious flaws, post-WWII California’s been like a flawless country on its own. Heavy industry, energy, top-notch agriculture, a huge pool of working-class folks and elite talent, the most advanced media culture in the U.S., the best weather and climate—name it, they’ve got it.

Plus, those massive mountains in the east give it a naturally defensible layout. If the U.S. ever had another civil war, Texas going solo would face pressure from every direction. California? They’d just need to guard the coast and fortify the Sierra Nevada and Cordillera ranges.

A place like that, if it were run like Texas by its own people, would be unstoppable. The California Consortium’s always been a mess partly because of its own issues, sure—but also because outside forces keep meddling.

Still, Chevron losing 36.96% of its shares to ConocoPhillips in one swoop? The ones most ticked off about it aren’t just anybody—they’re the Rockefellers.

Inside the Rockefeller family, David Rockefeller couldn’t hide his frustration once he pieced it all together.

“Boss, should we keep buying up Chevron stock?” asked Rex Lawrence, Exxon Oil’s chairman, looking conflicted. “Even if we do, it’s hard to top ConocoPhillips’ 36.96% now.”

“Keep buying,” David said, his face dark. “We’ve got to step back a bit, but grab as much Chevron stock as we can.”

Lawrence Rockefeller, standing nearby, smirked. “That’s the Boston kid you had your eye on, huh? And now he’s hit us where it hurts.”

David waved Rex off. “We had a contingency for this. We saw it coming as a possibility.”

He sighed. “I just didn’t expect that Wilson kid to move this fast. Doesn’t he care that Schneider might still wake up? Doesn’t he care about the consortium’s collective interests?”

“David,” Lawrence said softly, “what if there’s another angle here?”

“Hm?”

“Intel says Milo Blackburn and Edward Wilson haven’t always been tight.”

“What’re you getting at?”

“Three years ago, Blackburn and that Wilson kid weren’t really buddies. But that same year, Milo paid a visit to Schneider Wilson. Ever since then, he and Edward have been thick as thieves—deep ties, tons of intertwined interests.”

“From Silicon Valley to the Asian financial crisis, even when his media company went public, Milo’s always had Edward Wilson right there with him.”

“So what if,” Lawrence said, eyeing his brother, “that Boston kid you liked so much has been setting this up ever since he met Schneider three years ago?”

(End of chapter)