Billions

May 9, 2020. Two days later.

“Here’s the invite to the Zuboff party tonight,” Tiffany says, passing me a cream-coloured envelope. “And here’s an extra.”

She passes me another.

I tuck both into my back pocket, slipping them under my jacket. We’re in the elevator once more on our way to another three-way meeting between the Simonds, the Rothschilds, and of course, us Najbreits.

“How many invites did they give you to pass along?” I ask.

“About twenty,” Tiffany says. “But I made sure to save two for you!”

“How considerate,” I say, and Tiffany laughs, giving me a quick hug from the side.

“You shouldn’t. There are cameras in here. Don’t look up at them,” I say, staring resolutely ahead, internally wincing at her upwards gaze. “That makes it seem like what you did was wrong.”

Tiffany naturally turns her look up into a stretch and a yawn, a long and relaxed thing that has me yawning too.

The doors open a second later, and we’re soon escorted to Conference Room Pandora again.

This time, we’re not the last ones to arrive.

The Rothschilds are all here, seated in a neat row, as are the other Najbreits, but the executives and representatives of STX haven’t arrived yet.

Nobody stands to welcome us this time around, so I find my seat at the end of our table, thinking over strategy.

I haven’t had a chance to get cozy with Hanna Maria yet, so the goal of this meeting is simple. Keep the deal competitive, keep the deal alive—and certainly, don’t let Lionsgate walk away with anything resembling an agreement in place.

Bob Simonds strides into the room then, the doors swinging open to reveal his bulky frame and the ridiculous orange suit he’s wearing.

“The Board was not prepared to accept either offer,” he says, sliding up behind his chair, drumming both his hands on its back. While his banker and lawyer find their seats, the two other board members who walked in with him stay standing behind their chairs. “We want to hear bigger numbers being thrown around. The standing offer was one billion from Lionsgate, and a billion point four from MGM. I think we can do better. Any offers?”

Blunt guy.

“We’re prepared to do one point one billion,” Edouard Rothschild says, glancing at Hanna Maria, who nods back at him.

Everybody looks back at us.

We’ve talked this over, prepared for this situation. Mandy is eager to close on the deal and wrap this thing up, but I think we can do better. One point six billion dollars is the compromise we reached. It’s as high as we’re going to go today.

“And it would be our pleasure to do one point five,” Mandy says. Mica De Luca, the supposed CEO, nods his agreement.

“I chatted a bit with Giselle and Antony before we came in here,” Bob says, looking at his two standing companions. “We agreed that we would each sit when we heard a figure that was… acceptable. Should either side get all three of seated, they’ll have a STX Board willing to approve their offer.”

He sighs loudly after a moment passes.

“But as you can see, the three of us are still standing. I don’t think I need explain again what that means.”

Mica De Luca clears his throat, and for a moment I’m scared he’s going to raise to one point six, but he stays silent. Good man. There’s no reason for us to tip our hand, so long as Lionsgate stays too. We just don’t want to bring this deal to a close, not just yet.

“One point two,” Hanna Maria says, folding her arms.

Antony Vinciquerra takes a seat then. He pauses, looking up at Giselle and Bob.

“We’re holding out for better, Tony,” Bob says, patting his partner on the shoulder. “But you always fold too quickly.”

“I’ll give you better. One point six billion,” Mica De Luca says.

“That’s not better, all you did was match them,” Bob scoffs.

“We’re paying four hundred million more than them,” Mica says, sounding peeved.

“That’s the price you pay for your company not playing ball with our plans for expansion,” Bob says, rolling his eyes. “Unless you forgot Edouard’s lesson from last time? I could take a piss in your coffee, if you really need a reminder. I wanted better.”

Tiffany gives me a look that says Eric was just like this too.

Hanna Maria taps on her husbands arm, and she falls into a discussion, pulling in the others at her table too.

I look over at my team.

We’re not raising, Mandy mouths to me, even before I can say anything.

“We should discuss options,” I say, nodding at the Lionsgate team. “What’s there to lose?”

“Another hundred million dollars,” Mandy replies snarkily, but she reluctantly pulls her chair around. Claire joins her, and we formed a small circle.

“Come on, let’s see what you guys can come up with,” Bob says, clapping his hands, clearly enjoying this all too much as he gloats over the two huddled squads.

“We agreed one point six was the most we’d pay. It’s beyond reasonable. It’s more than a fair valuation. One point six is the most we’re going to pay,” Mandy says, crossing her arms. “That’s our only option, discussion is over.”

“But that’s not the point,” I say. “If my plan works, it doesn’t matter what the price today is.”

“It’s a good point,” Claire says, “but I think we should exercise caution. There’s no guarantee that what you’re suggesting will succeed, Claude, and I’m sorry, but… we’re not risking everything on your scheme.”

“But surely we can push the envelope a little,” I say. “One point six is the price we’d pay in a world without my plan. But since we do have my plan… let’s go for one point seven. That at least reflects the risk of upside.”

I glance over at Lionsgate. Hanna Maria is talking quickly, scribbling on her tablet to demonstrate. They look like calculations.

“One point seven would be reasonable,” Mica De Luca tentatively says, and I’m glad to have the CEO at my back, but he’s not the one who calls the shots around here.

“I like it,” Tiffany nods.

Amanda Najbreit shakes her head.

“We do this the right way, or not at all. You, Claude, are only here because of your connection to her,” she says, eyeing up Hanna Maria. “What do you know about business?”

But Claire leans back and sighs.

“I think he’s right,” she says reluctantly. “I’d even raise the price further, if I was more confident in his plan. But one point seven isn’t far off the mark anyways. We should do it.”

Mandy growls out her “Fine” reluctantly, but she does say it, and we disband, returning back to our original spots by the table. A minute later, Lionsgate wraps up their aside too.

“So?” Bob asks looking at each of us in turn. “What’s the news?”

“One point three billion dollars,” Edouard Rothschild says. “That’s a big number, no?”

“Big enough for me,” Giselle Pritzker smiles.

She sits, elegantly resting her plum bottom on the soft leather chair, and then it’s only Bob left standing.

Mica De Luca looks at Mandy nervously, and then at me.

I nod my support.

“One point seven billion,” he says. “That’s as high as we’re going.”

Bob smiles, shaking his head.

“One point four,” Edouard instantly says, and Bob smile cracks into a big grin.

“Bingo! I always knew you had it in you, Eddy,” he says, and he pulls back his chair and slides into it. “Ah, that’s cozy. Now, the only question… are MGM still interested in beating that offer?”

Mica De Luca shakes his head, even though inside, I want him to keep raising the price. But I don’t get to make that decision today.

“Two billion dollars,” Tiffany blurts, out of the blue, and Bob turns to her, his eyes wide open.

“Two. Billion. Dollars. I like the sound of that very much,” he says, slowly nodding.

“No, we’re not paying two billion,” Mandy says, glaring at Tiffany. “We withdraw the offer. We might consider one point eight.”

“Well now, I don’t think that’s right,” Bob says, shaking his head. “I heard two, and I want two now. You give me an offer for a dollar less, and…” He swings his gaze over to Lionsgate. “Those friendly folks are gonna get it.”

“We need time to sort this out,” Mandy says. “Give us two months to find the money, work out the details.”

She’s trying to buy time for me, now that Tiffany’s gone and blown it.

Bob shrugs. He looks over at Giselle.

“How much time should we give them?”

“One month to ink the contract?” she replies.

“Three weeks,” Bob says. “In the meantime, I think we should go talk to the rest of our board. I think they’ll be happy with how today went.”

With that, he gets up, and struts out of the conference room, his team following in his footsteps.

The Lionsgate team gets up to leave.

Mandy whirls on Tiffany.

“What the fuck are you thinking?” she breathes, voice so scathing I want to jump to Tiffany’s defence.

But I can’t. Even I don’t know why she was willing to go for two billion. It’s crazy, and now we’re either stuck with paying far, far too much money for the company, or giving the game over to Lionsgate. Surely this isn’t craziness caused by the AMA, her thinking she’s supporting me, right?

“Father has a back-up plan,” Tiffany says simply, but she looks away, off to the side, at Edouard and Hanna Maria, instead.

That’s right.

I get up out of my seat.

“Hanna Maria, do you have a second to chat?” I call out.

She, in the midst of leaving the room with the rest of Lionsgate, turns to look at me. Edouard walks on by.

“You’re heading to the Zuboff party tonight?” I ask, stepping closer to her.

“How is that your business?” she asks, looking over at the Najbreits. “You’re not looking to jump ship, now that your team’s on the sinking one, are you?”

“I’ll see you there, then,” I say, slipping her the invite that Tiffany passed me earlier.

She wordlessly accepts it and leaves the room, an undecipherable smile colouring her face.