by Darin Gibby
They all burst out laughing. “You’ll figure it out eventually,” Quinn said. “But I guess I should quit dancing around the edges and tell you why we’ve asked you here.”
“By all means,” she said.
“Okay, here’s the deal,” Quinn began. “As I mentioned yesterday, we at WTG do a lot of inventing. Our company’s intellectual property is the key to our success. If we can protect it, we’ll be another Apple. If we can’t, life will be difficult. Our investors have insisted that we do everything possible to make sure our patents are solid. And because America is our most important market, we’re interviewing US patent attorneys to see who can best protect our ideas.”
“I’m happy to help out,” Addy said.
“That’s music to our ears,” Jeyhu said. “We haven’t had much success with big US firms, and so we’re looking for a different model. The reason we like you so much is that you ‘get it.’ I can’t tell you how much we envy your marketing savvy. Hindy is brilliant. When our technology hits the market, we could use a fleet of a hundred Hindys. We’re going to be the green of all green companies, and we want you on board to guide us through.”
Addy wondered when the probing questions were going to start. Didn’t they want to know about her experience? About her clean-tech clients? How much she knew about hydrogen? Her outrageous billing rate of six hundred an hour? That was usually the first question any potential client asked.
“I’ve worked extensively on several fuel cell portfolios,” Addy broke in.
“Yes, we know,” Quinn said. “We did a search of the Patent Office database. We’ve looked at every patent application you’ve ever touched. You do great work. That’s a given.”
Addy scrunched her nose. “Then?”
“There’s a little twist,” Quinn said.
Addy sighed. So it was too good to be true. Her assailants weren’t just handing out empty threats.
“We need an independent law firm, one devoted just to our matters.”
“My firm couldn’t commit to that,” Addy said.
“We had something different in mind. We want to set you up with your own law firm,” Quinn quickly responded. “That way there would never be any conflict issues with other clients. We’d give you all our US work and, trust me, you’d have more than enough to keep you busy.”
Addy set down her fork and folded her arms. If this offer had come four years ago, she would have seriously entertained the idea. She’d always wanted her own law firm. But now it was too late. She’d made a giant personal investment with Wyckoff & Schechter, and she couldn’t jump ship for such a risky venture. The only way she could possibly walk away from Wyckoff would be if Quinn had a technology so important that it would change the future of humanity. Hadn’t that been her dream all along? Perhaps, but now the stakes were much higher. It was one thing to join forces with a start-up company as a first-year associate, completely another after making partner.
“You should know that I just made partner the day before I came to Vietnam,” she said.
Quinn scooted his chair closer.
“Hear me out. I know that becoming a partner at a major law firm is a huge deal, but what we’re offering can’t compare. It will be more than worth your while to start your own firm and join with us.”
“More like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Jeyhu chimed in.
“And you’ll love our new office space,” Kin added.
Quinn leaned in closer, until his elbows were resting on his knees. “I’m sorry for being so evasive yesterday, but once you hear what we’ve discovered, I know you won’t turn us down. I know you’re a dreamer, because you’re just like me.”
The vice president stood and made his way around the table, going down to one knee on the other side of Addy. “We love you as a lawyer, and even more for the concept of Hindy. You have this sense of excitement about using hydrogen to fuel a car that we haven’t found in anyone else. You’ve created the perfect platform to advertise the importance of green technologies.”
Addy looked up to the ceiling, struggling with what to say. During her first few years at Wyckoff, her dream had been to find just this kind of opportunity. That was exactly why she put up with the inconvenience of a hydrogen balloon tethered to her car. It was why she held her annual high school inventor competition to crown the best young inventor in the state. It was why she spent hours updating her blog on current issues facing fledgling inventors.
And now, right when her opportunity was staring her in the face, she had been resigning herself to the belief that being a partner at Wyckoff was the wisest career choice.
“Aren’t you all just a little bit worried about my safety? Because I certainly am. You personally observed what happened to Hindy, and then, the first day of the conference a strange man warns me to stay away from you.”
The men in the room sat erect. Quinn looked deep into her eyes. “WTG takes security issues very seriously. We’re looking into what happened with Hindy, as well as what’s been going on here in Hanoi. We’ll make sure you’re protected, even if that means I am personally assigned as your bodyguard.”
Addy bit her lower lip, trying not to smile. “I don’t think that will be necessary.”
“Then you’re ready to sign up?” Quinn persisted.
“I just don’t know. The timing of this whole thing is all wrong.”
Quinn smiled. “Remember, this is the chance of a lifetime.”
“Maybe, but I’ve already committed to my firm. Are you sure Wyckoff can’t take you on as a client?”
They nodded in unison, faces intent.
Addy leaned back, trying to distance herself from Quinn to separate herself from his engrossing charm.
She noticed the half-eaten quail on their plates. Such a lovely dinner, ruined.
Her life lessons had come with a heavy price. Trust. It was always the issue. Her gut told her she couldn’t trust them. And the two threats were striking evidence that this wasn’t about fun and games. Risking her career was one thing; risking her life was quite another. Addy knew she couldn’t accept Quinn’s offer. It was time to go back to America, where she’d be safe, where she could go to Wyckoff and do what she’d always done.
“I’m afraid I’ll have to decline, then. Being a partner at Wyckoff has also been a dream of mine. And they’ve been so good to me. I can’t simply walk away.”
“Can we go for a walk?” Quinn said after an uneasy silence.
Addy scooted back her chair and gently laid her napkin over her half-finished entrée. Quinn escorted her out into the empty street.
Addy scanned the shadows.
“We’re safe,” Quinn assured her.
Addy hesitated. Quinn took her hand and led her onto the cobblestone sidewalk. She felt her resolve fade and ventured after him.
The warm, moist air was so different from the cool evenings of the South Bay. They walked several blocks in silence. When they reached the lake, Quinn slipped off his jacket and slung it over his shoulder.
“Aren’t you at least curious to know what we’ve invented?”
She spun to face him. “Of course, but can’t you understand? This is all so odd. The day after I realize my dream of becoming partner, I’m shooed off to some strange place with a culture I barely understand, and in the middle of all this, some really good-looking guy, who just happens to be a world-class athlete, starts creeping on me and says he has an offer I can’t refuse. And my life is threatened—”
Quinn studied the gravel walkway. “Yes, I can see your point. I suppose I’d feel the same way. I should apologize. I get so excited; I just assumed you’d see everything through my eyes. In so many ways, I feel we’re very much alike.”
“This has taken me by complete surprise. I need some time to process what is happening. Besides the punches I took at my MMA gym while in college, I’ve never had someone try to attack me.”
“Fair enough.” He looked into her eyes. “I admit I was a bit presumptuous, but ther
e is a good reason. As an attorney, you’ll understand. We’ve invented something that is earth-shattering; I liken it to the discovery of atomic energy. We’ve got to move quickly to protect our rights. I can’t trust a big law firm. Yes, we did some diligence on you, but we had to find someone we could trust to protect our interests. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”
Trust. There was that word again. Addy bit her lip, the way she always did when she was uncomfortable.
“I’ll let you in on my secret—at least at a high enough level that you can understand the stakes, and why people want to stop me. I’ve invented a technology that will allow a car to run on water. Not like Hindy. Real water. I can convert water on demand into hydrogen. You can literally fill your gas tank with water and run it through the fuel cell. And I want you to be the one to clear the legal hurdles so everyone can have a water-fueled car.”
Addy could feel her smile begin, in spite of her best efforts to maintain a neutral face. “Should I remind you that a water car would violate the laws of thermodynamics?”
Quinn kicked the dirt. “You’re good. But you’re wrong. And I was wrong. I thought the same thing, but I’ve found a way to do it.”
Addy’s smile grew. For decades, novice inventors had claimed to be able to economically extract hydrogen from water, but none of their claims had turned out to be true. It took so much energy to break the hydrogen-oxygen bond that formed the water molecule that it wasn’t worth using hydrogen as an energy source. You might as well pump oil out of the ground—it was much cheaper. That’s why nearly everyone still drove gasoline-powered vehicles.
“No, I’m not kidding. This isn’t like one of the cold fusion scams. I’m an engineer, a scientist, and I know what I’m talking about. This is for real.”
Grin intact, Addy shook her head.
“It’s for real,” Quinn insisted. “Ever heard of the Manhattan project?”
“Come on. This is nothing like developing the atomic bomb. That took billions of dollars and a world war as the catalyst.”
“We’ve got some wealthy backers. This isn’t some idea scratched on the back of a napkin. We have real scientists who have been working on it for years. You should see our facilities.”
Addy nodded. “Okay, now you’ve piqued my curiosity. How did you do it?”
This time Quinn shook his head and waved his finger. “Nope, I can only tell you that after you commit. I need you all in. And you’ll be required to keep everything in the strictest confidence. All information will be communicated to you personally. Nothing goes over the internet, not even if it is encrypted.”
Addy noticed she was chewing on her lip again. What if Quinn is right? What if he really has invented what he claimed? It was a technology that could change the course of the world. It was an invention that people would kill to acquire—or to make disappear.
“The clock is ticking,” Quinn continued. “We need to act quickly to secure our rights. I know we’re putting an immense amount of pressure on you, but if you want in, we need to have your answer before you leave Vietnam.”
Addy gasped. “That’s tomorrow.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s a race to the patent office, and it’s a race we can’t afford to lose. We have too much invested.”
This time Addy studied the gravel path. What if Quinn was telling the truth? Would she leave Wyckoff for that? Would she risk her life?
“I don’t know,” she said, shaking her head. “I’ve got so much invested in my law firm. What would I do with all of my clients? They’re almost like family.”
“I understand. If it makes your decision any easier, we could let you bring on your existing clients after you’ve secured our first round of patents. It’s just that for the first few months, we need you totally dedicated to WTG’s patents.”
Addy sighed. “Tell me more. I need to know more details about the arrangement. I’ve never run my own firm. I’d need office space, secretaries, paralegals, computers. You don’t just set up an office in a day.” She began rambling. “And my clients. And how could I possibly keep this a secret? I mean my secretary would see all the documents. And how would we handle security?”
Quinn reached out and rested his hand on her shoulder. “Easy. We’ve thought all this through. We’ll take care of all those details. All you’ll need to do is concentrate on protecting our ideas.”
Addy moved enough that his hand slipped off her shoulder before sauntering down the path around the lake, watching the reflected light from the lamps shimmer off the still water. “I’ve got a loyal secretary and a loyal, skillful paralegal. I couldn’t just leave them. And Perry’s been so good to me.”
Quinn followed behind, careful to give her space. “You’ll be a part of the most significant technology breakthrough in the last century. And did I mention that there will be stock options?”
She walked in silence, listening to his feet crunch along the gravel path. She didn’t go into law for money, but her mind raced with how much a company like this could be worth. It would dwarf Microsoft, even in its heyday. But would she live long enough to see that kind of money? For all she knew, she might never make it back to America.
“We’ll also give you a bonus for each patent you can secure, and that amount goes up exponentially, based on how fast you can push them through the patent offices. And we will even help you fix Hindy, make her so she can run on water.”
Addy spun around, her ponytail whipping over her shoulder. “You’re not going to give up easily, are you?”
“We’ll even let you use Hindy to make our grand announcement—after we’ve secured our patents.”
He knew how to tempt her. “And my safety?” she asked.
“Nobody’s going to touch you. If you want a bodyguard, just say the word.”
Quinn seemed to have an answer for everything.
He held out his hand. “Let’s go back and finish that dinner with my colleagues.
9
STILL IN HER nightshirt, Addy chomped a bite of an Asian pear, savoring the sweet, white flesh. It was about the only breakfast she could stomach after a late night dinner with far too many courses.
In spite of the tensions and emotional highs and lows of yesterday, she’d been so exhausted that eight hours of sound sleep came easily. She should have felt refreshed, but her mind felt cluttered and her chest was tight. She reflected on the previous night’s events, trying to feel confident that she’d made the right decision. She couldn’t give up her career on a mere whim. She congratulated herself that her will was strong enough to overcome Quinn’s charisma.
Addy tried to convince herself she was ready to take on the rest of the conference, the real reason she’d come halfway across the world. The day’s agenda included meetings with two more Japanese firms, an Australian associate of Perry’s, two attorneys from New Zealand, and dinner with a British colleague.
She sighed. Once the focus of her foray to Vietnam, these stuffy interviews now seemed meaningless. Once again she second-guessed her decision. Maybe she would enjoy working with Quinn. She looked down again at her agenda. If she left her legal practice, none of this business development would matter.
She looked into the mirror. Her eyes looked worried, and her mouth drooped. Nearly every meeting came with a drink or an appetizer, or both. With no exercise and a continuous smorgasbord of finger foods, she felt like she’d already gained ten pounds. The pear would be more than enough for breakfast.
She scooted her chair up to the mahogany writing desk and powered up her laptop. While she’d been asleep, her US clients had been busy at work. She watched as the emails loaded up, a continuous stream of dozens of messages. The scrolling stopped after 249 messages. She breathed deeply. She had a decent legal practice. No, a superb practice, one that 95 percent of attorneys could only dream about. For most lawyers, the practice of law wasn’t glamorous. Work was hard to come by, as evidenced by the hordes of annoying legal commercials on daytime TV.
Addy h
ad more work than she could do by herself, and clients who paid her full billing rate. That almost never happened for the rest of the legal profession.
And now she had been asked to give it all up for something she’d always believed was impossible. Since last evening, she’d told herself a hundred times that she couldn’t walk away from her practice. Everything in her life, from a missing father to a drug-dependent mother, had been so unstable. With partnership in hand, she’d finally felt secure. She’d even mused about a future relationship. Marriage was still too painful to contemplate, but was she ready to take the first step toward a close relationship with a man?
Quinn’s ultimatum less than twelve hours ago had thrown all that into a tailspin. Why do I have to decide before I leave Vietnam? She felt more hounded and pressured than she had when she decided to buy a used car years ago.
She needed to talk this through. But with whom? She’d kept her distance from close personal relationships to protect herself. Now she wished she had a confidante. Most people had a mother or father they could run to for advice.
Addy felt her pent-up anger beginning to swell. Her mother was probably passed out on her latest boyfriend’s filthy floor. Her estranged father died last year after a short bout with cancer. Addy had protected her heart ever since middle school. The one time she’d let herself down was in high school, when Seth Montgomery asked her out to prom, only to discover it was a practical joke, a dare from his football teammates.
There was Perry, but that was pretty much a non-starter. He might listen for a few minutes, but then he’d start into a lecture on why leaving Wyckoff would be a terrible mistake. And if he knew she’d been threatened, he’d be on a plane to personally bring her home. There was no way he’d approve.
Even asking him about it would be a slap in his face after he’d secured her partnership with the firm. Addy played out the conversion with her mentor: Thank you for making me partner and sending me on an exotic venture, and I did just what you asked. I found a great new potential client. The only problem is that they want me to start my own firm. She couldn’t do that to Perry.
