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Arriving at the convention center, Colby looked at the crowd inside and felt out of his depth.
Griffon Resources carried some weight in the northwest, but at the end of the day, he was a coal man. Many of the people here today were industry giants worth tens of billions, which left him distinctly uneasy.
"Hey, friend. Why aren't you heading in?"
While Colby stood there stalling, a young man in a mask and sunglasses stepped up beside him to make conversation.
"Ah, don't laugh at me, friend, but this is the first time I've seen a scene this grand. Can't help feeling a little timid."
Colby sized the young man up. He couldn't place him, but he had a mental file on all the CEOs of the ten-billion and hundred-billion firms, and none of them matched. Plus the man looked so young that whatever energy company he represented was probably smaller than Griffon.
"You seem pretty calm, kid. What company are you with?"
Colby decided to test the waters.
"Ha. Just a newly opened outfit. Nothing worth mentioning."
That put Colby fully at ease. Not every startup was a freak of nature like New Future.
"Hey, don't sell yourself short, friend. Look at New Future. Founded less than two months, and already leading the whole industry. One invitation, and look around, is there a single energy company in the country that dared not show up?"
The young man nodded.
"Fair point."
Seeing the man 'humbly taking instruction,' Colby's talkative streak flared.
"A person's got to have dreams. Without them, what's the difference between you and a houseplant? I've missed my shot, but you're still young. Since you picked this industry, you carry on with the conviction to knock New Future flat on the ground."
The young man stumbled slightly.
"Cough. Cough. Friend, you think too highly of me. Me? I'd count myself lucky just to scrape out a living. The energy business isn't easy to survive in these days. With New Future turning up this year, we'll be lucky not to go under."
At that, Colby opened right up.
"Tell me about it. It'd be one thing if New Future just took the lion's share, but they won't even leave us the scraps. But don't worry, friend. Over the years, the companies in this industry haven't been completely scattered. The hundred-billion giants have their frictions, sure, but faced with a life-or-death moment like this, they'll take the lead and unite us. To jointly shut out New Future's monopoly."
A strange glint crossed the young man's eyes as he pressed on.
"So these companies are in contact privately?"
Colby glanced around to be sure no one was listening, then leaned in with an air of secrecy.
"Of course. 'United, both benefit' is no idle saying. For our shared interests, the industry set up a very private organization long ago, built specifically for a day like today."
The young man's interest visibly deepened.
"Oh? There's such a thing? How have I never heard of it?"
"Ha. Little brother, never mind you. Even I'm not qualified to join that organization. It's only thanks to a relative of mine, the CEO of a well-known energy firm, that I know about it at all."
Colby wore a proud look. The young man, by contrast, looked crestfallen.
"Ah. The Hidden Dragon program is coming on strong. I really don't know how the big players plan to handle it."
Colby felt a pang of sympathy. He stepped over, clapped the young man on the shoulder.
"Don't be so down, friend. I'll let you in on a little something. If that Ethan Mercer refuses to back down today, we shut our doors for a full day tomorrow. And if he still hasn't backed down within half a month, then there'll be hundreds of thousands of unemployed people across the Republic."
The young man opened his mouth to ask more.
But a voice cut in.
"Chairman. Almost everyone's here. We can get ready to start."
Seeing the newcomer's face, Colby froze solid.
Marcus Reyes. New Future's Project Department Manager, the man in charge of the entire Hidden Dragon program. Add his relationship with a certain senior brother, and it wasn't an exaggeration to call him the third-ranking figure in all of New Future.
With a heavyweight like that walking straight toward them, how could Colby not be nervous? What terrified him more was the word Reyes had just used. Chairman.
Wasn't his Chairman the recently unrivaled Ethan Mercer? Why would a man like that be turning up back here, in the cheap seats?
His identity revealed, Ethan dropped the act. Taking off the sunglasses and mask, he addressed Reyes.
"Got it. I'll head up in a moment."
Then he turned to the stunned Colby beside him.
"Friend, I've got things to handle over there. Let's talk again when there's time." He looked up at the reception staff nearby. "Arrange a seat further forward for Mr. Colby here."
And with that, Ethan left without a backward glance.
Coming to his senses, Colby caught the murderous glares from his colleagues around him and wished he could slap himself twice. How could his big mouth run so loose?
---
Ethan walked briskly onto the stage. Looking at the seats below gradually filling, and folding in the intelligence he'd just gathered off Colby, he already had a rough plan for the day.
Once the last person was seated, the meeting that would decide the future direction of the Republic's energy industry officially began.
"Good day, seniors. I am Ethan Mercer, Chairman of New Future. I'm grateful to all of you for granting me the courtesy of attending today. Thank you."
As the brief opening ended, only the dozen or so New Future employees in the audience applauded with any vigor. Every other energy CEO watched coldly, waiting to see what Ethan had up his sleeve.
Ethan wasn't embarrassed. This was all within expectations.
"You're all busy people, and your time is precious, so I'll get straight to it. As you know, the nuclear power developed through New Future's Hidden Dragon program is already being applied across many aspects of the Republic's daily life. Against traditional energy, nuclear power is lower-cost and cleaner, so it's naturally favored by both the public and the government. But by the same logic, where some enter the market, others must exit. And for your companies, apart from those developing new forms of clean energy, it is time for the curtain to fall."