"Well, tell you the truth, the man did buy me lunch."
"I'll bet that's not all he did, you opportunistic son of a bitch."
I examined Noda. "How does it feel to have Japan about to be sole owner of IBM and AT&T and GM and . . . guess I could just check the supercomputer out there for the full list."
"Certain strategic corporations." Noda smiled benignly. "It had become the only meaningful direction to proceed, Mr. Walton. I'm afraid our other measures were clearly too little, too late."
"Why bother with the small fish, right? If you're going to buy up American technology, do it right."
"Mr. Walton, we both know it is inevitable. Neither you nor I can alter the tides of history." He sighed. "Perhaps Japan can provide the management guidance required to save America's industrial base, but it cannot be achieved merely by dabbling. Stronger measures, much stronger, were required. I finally came to see that. The problem was how to do it without a major psychological disruption of the market and more Japan bashing. Then by the greatest of good fortune, you solved my problem for me." He nodded toward Tam. "Your new trading program, Dr. Richardson, which allowed us to operate anonymously, was ideal. Why not make use of it? Particularly since Mr. Henderson had the personnel to render it operational."
While digesting that, I returned my attention to Jim Bob. "Let me guess some more. Ten to one you bought 'call' options on the Big Board issues he was planning to take over."
"Well, they were bound to go up." He flashed a reptilian grin as he adjusted the Uzi, now a bolt of black against his rumpled white suit. "If you're standing by the road and a gravy bus comes along, what are you going to do?"
"Terrific. Be a pity for this insider windfall to go to waste. Just wanted to make double sure you got a piece for yourself."
"Does a bear crap in the woods?" he inquired rhetorically, then tipped back his head and drained the champagne glass.