"Henderson, all that could be about to change."
"Says who?" He leaned back. "Looks to me like Noda's going all the way."
"Bill, let's talk one of those hypothetical scenarios you like so much. What if Dai Nippon suddenly had a change of plans? Switched totally? And instead of buying, they started selling?"
That pulled him up short. He even set down his glass. "Come again?"
"Call it a hypothetical proposition. I'm asking what would happen on the Street if Dai Nippon decided, unannounced, to make a significant alteration in its portfolio? All of a sudden started divesting? Massively."
"When'd this happen!" He squinted. "How much action we looking at?"
I didn't want to say it for fear he might need CPR for his heart. Finally Tam set down her drink and answered him. "All of it."
"Christ." He went pale. "What's that add up to, total?"
"We figure it'd run to several hundred billion," I answered.
He sat there in confusion. "Over what kind of time period?"