By the latter half of the meal, Ambrosio herself realized there wasn't enough food. So after dinner, she didn't ask for help with the dishes and instead suggested William take Brian and the other four up to the rooftop to grill some meat themselves.
Carrying some food and beer, William and the group headed to the rooftop. As they entered, William said, "Alright, guys, whoever is the best at grilling should step up. Honestly, I only ate about half of what I need."
"Haha," Sam, Bernie, and the others all looked at Brian, who shrugged.
William laughed, "Looks like everyone agrees you're the best at grilling. Well then, Brian, I'll take mine medium-well. Thanks."
Sam chimed in, laughing, "I have to admit, I didn't eat enough either. I'll take mine medium-rare."
Bernie added, "Though the portions were small, I have to say the flavor was really good."
Casey and Clarence nodded in agreement, praising the food as well.
"Alright, alright, looks like I've got work to do," Brian said with a grin. He stood up, grabbed the beef, seasoning, and utensils, and headed to the grill. After a moment of inspecting the setup, he asked, "Boss, can you help me with this grill? Why doesn't it have a switch?"
William shook his head. He knew Brian wasn't clueless—this was just an excuse to have a private conversation. "Okay."
As expected, when William reached the grill, Brian had already started placing the beef on it. He handed William a USB drive. "I got this earlier today when I met with Abram Tarasov. Also, boss, don't you think it's time to patent this little device? I've noticed the USB drives you give me are far better than the ones on the market."
William took the USB drive, tossing it lightly in his hand with a grin. "I'll get to it."
"Good," Brian replied without further comment, focusing on grilling the meat.
William walked back downstairs, plugged the USB into his laptop, and a minute later, Sunday reported, "Sir, the data has been copied. However, I noticed additional information about Vigo Tarasov and Abram Tarasov."
"Haha, it seems Mr. Abram Tarasov is more sensible than his brother, Vigo. He knows what he should do. Delete their files from the USB, and tell me—has this device been accessed by anyone else?"
A few seconds later, Sunday replied, "Sir, the files have been deleted. The only copy now exists on my main server. The USB contains an encrypted program, and there's no trace of any attempts to read the data."
"Excellent," William said, pulling the USB drive out. He went back to the rooftop and handed it back to Brian, who gave him a puzzled look.
William explained, "The contents will help with your campaign, but they could also be risky. If handled poorly, they might bring trouble. Whether or not to use it, and how to use it, is entirely up to you."
"Trouble?" Brian carefully pocketed the USB, then paused for a moment, thinking. In a low voice, he asked, "Is it really okay to be working with the Tarasov brothers?"
"Don't worry. I have no interest in their criminal enterprises. My dealings with them are purely for information. We need a reliable source of underground intel in the future. Still, try to avoid dealing with Vigo Tarasov whenever possible. Abram, on the other hand, seems more suitable."
"Understood," Brian nodded in agreement.
"I looked into the USB patent situation. Turns out someone filed for it back in November of '99. There are five teams worldwide who simultaneously cracked the USB technology. Expect plenty of patent lawsuits in the future.
"If you're interested, you could take advantage of the current patent uncertainty to get involved. Worst case scenario, when the dust settles, you'll end up in a lawsuit. Drag it out for a few years, and at most, you'll pay a few million in damages. But you could make a lot of money in the meantime."
Hearing this, Brian immediately shook his head. "Nah, I'm not touching that. Haha, boss, without you on board, a tech idiot like me wouldn't dare enter this industry. Besides, it sounds like the profits might not be that great?"
"It's not that the profits aren't great. The USB market will probably boom for the next 15 years or so. In the short term, if you secure the patent and go public in the U.S., the company's value could hit a billion dollars within a year or two. But the original patent holders are a team from China, and you can imagine the political complications. Certain people in the U.S. and Europe won't let a project like this take off in Western stock markets."
"Can't we buy the patent? After all, the USB you gave me is more advanced than anything currently available. Since we're in a patent gray area, we could partner with a Chinese company, buy the patent outright, or get a licensing agreement. We could even help them with the patent litigation."
Brian took the USB out of his pocket again, growing excited. "Boss, if we secure the patent rights, with your technology, we could easily dominate the market. Even if we just corner the U.S. market, how much could we make once the company goes public?"
"Haha," William laughed, shaking his head. It seemed that the lure of profit could sway anyone, even an old warrior like Brian. "So, how much of the company are you planning to give me?"
"Seventy-five percent," Brian replied without hesitation, which surprised William.
"You guys would split the remaining 25%? So, you're basically offering to work for me?"
"Working for you is just making money for ourselves. It's not like I wouldn't have a stake," Brian laughed, tapping his head. "Boss, I know my limitations. From where I'm standing, the knowledge in your head is the most valuable asset in the world. As long as you're willing to join, I believe our company won't be limited to just USBs. You can leave us the scraps you don't care about, and I'm sure the company's future will be just as bright as any of the big tech giants making waves today."
"Hahaha," William laughed heartily, surprised by Brian's sharp wit. "I didn't expect you to be such a smooth talker."
"Heh, I'm just telling the truth. In our line of work, besides being skilled, you've got to know how to read people. If an opportunity comes along and you don't seize it, you're an idiot," Brian said with a bright smile, confident that he had piqued William's interest.
After all, this venture wouldn't require William to waste any time on management. All he had to do was provide ideas and a few unused technologies. If the company succeeded, William stood to gain the most, and if it failed, he wouldn't lose much.
________________________
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