"I'll try my best to keep you out of it, but that may not be entirely possible."
"Michael, I've handled my part of our bargain. I've set up the dialogue." Nogami's voice was barely audible above the din of traders. "What about yours?"
"I'm still working on it."
"There isn't much time." His brow wrinkled. "Some kind of preliminary offering has to be scheduled tomorrow, the day after at the latest."
"Well, why not get rolling? Doing that should help smoke out an answer for you. For everybody."
"What do you mean?"
"If the bonds are really—but first let's see what Tokyo's got to say. Is there a deal or not?"
"Perhaps his reply will give you some idea." He removed a shiny sheet of paper from a manila envelope and passed it over. "It's why I rang you so early. It was telexed here, using our secure lines, during the night. See what you make of it. I must admit I find it a trifle cryptic."
As Vance took the sheet, it reminded him fleetingly of the 'paper' Alex Novosty had given him that morning atop the Acropolis. The heading was exactly the same. Yep, he thought, we've hit paydirt. Across the top was one line of type, bold and assertive.
THE DAEDALUS CORPORATION