The Last Network - Chapter 37
Afterword
Sonny walked into Rabbit’s office and shut the door behind him. He wanted to have this conversation yesterday, then he saw Rabbit fling a glass tumbler off his window. Rabbit was staring at a printout of the balance sheet. He looked briefly at his COO, waved him into a seat, and went back to the numbers. Sonny waited for an opening. None was coming.
His buzzing phone broke the silence. Omar was looking for the green light to go live. Sonny quizzed him over Telegram then gave the thumbs up. He put his phone away and looked across the desk; Rabbit was still deep in finances.
“Is now not a good time?” Sonny asked.
“Now is a fine time. I’ve been waiting for you to say something.”
Sonny looked at him—his eyes were down on the sheet. He hated Rabbit’s ability to read and have a conversation at the same time. While Rabbit found it efficient, Sonny found it dismissive. Especially for the topic at hand.
“I wanted to update you on our center in Tijuana.”
“Go ahead, update.”
“Well, everything is ready. We have one hundred seats online now. Another fifty are about to complete training and will begin on Thursday. I’ve walked through the rules of engagement with Omar and reviewed the roleplaying sessions the center did with agents. I feel good about their preparation and gave Omar the green light to go live.”
“Excellent. Well done Kumar.”
“Rabbit, can I get your attention for a minute?”
“You have it.”
“I’m sorry, but I need your eyes on me. I can’t talk to you like this.”
Rabbit looked up at him. “Fine. What is so important?”
“When I took this task, we discussed what it would likely do to Peared’s standing in the US and our prospects for acquisition. We had a frank and candid conversation and came to an agreement that it would likely close the door for a quick acquisition of the business.”
“You’re not shaking me down again.”
Sonny shook his head. “No, I am not. However, I am looking for some clarity on what comes afterwards.”
“Afterwards?”
“Yes. Assuming that we achieve our objective and shutter Together and Rizon, there’s the question of what comes next.”
Rabbit put his paperwork on the desk and chuckled. “And you want to know what comes next?”
“Yes.”
“Okay Sonny, here’s the thing. We are getting up on the wire. Do you know what I am talking about?”
“No.”
“The high wire. We are stepping up there right now. It’s a dangerous place with little margin for error. The only people who should go there are the people equipped to handle it. When you are up on the wire, your only focus is the task at hand. You don’t worry about getting groceries later or whether that girl you’re fucking wants a relationship. Those things cloud your judgement. They cost you the edge needed to do the job. So, when I am up on the wire, I don’t think about anything else. My vision becomes singular and focused.”
Sonny looked at him, trying to decide what to say next. “That’s understandable, but I imagine that before you get on the wire you have some idea of what happens once you get off of it.”
“Sonny, a skilled operator, someone really good like myself, knows that it’s important to always leave outs. The future is not a straight path, it’s a branching tree. At every fork you need to be able to read and react. People who get hung up on final destinations get disappointed. People who view it as a journey make the most of the opportunities that present themselves.”
Jesus Christ, he’s making it up as he goes along, Sonny thought.
“Rabbit, you’re a hypocrite. You have a final destination, and it’s King of California. The thing is, Peared doesn’t end when you get crowned the winner. It goes on, but no one here knows in what shape or form. Are you going to sell? Will you run it forever? What’s in it for us when you win? You turned down $350 million a couple months ago. $35 million of that would have gone into the employee option pool.”
“You get a nice fat check twice a month, but that’s not enough huh?”
“I could get that same check from a dozen places in town.”
“Then why are you here?” Rabbit shot back.
“I’m here for the exit. You remember when you said you were going to make Peared a monster?”
“Of course.”
“I assumed that meant the next Google or FriendZone.”
“So, you thought there was a pot of gold waiting for you?”
“You know how this game gets played Rabbit. Paychecks are one thing but cashing out is how all us little people get crowned. Where does Peared go after it ruins the American market and puts its competitors out of business?”
“It goes wherever it wants to.”
Sonny threw his hands up. “There you are with generalities again.”
“If you want someone to tell you they’re going to make you a millionaire, dust off your resume and start making calls. You are a very talented person. I’m sure plenty of people will whisper sweet nothings in your ear and sell you the fantasy you want to hear. What I’m telling you is that we can’t think about a future until we ruin Together and Rizon. If you demand certainty, then get the fuck out of my building.”