The same afternoon at five o'clock, Canada, Vancouver, Archaeopteryx Global Headquarters.
In Marcus Weber's office, the atmosphere was so stifling it was hard to breathe.
He and his top legal, financial, and PR teams sat like prisoners awaiting final judgment, anticipating Matty Singh's arrival.
The sky beyond the large windows had begun to darken, as if foretelling an impending storm.
This septuagenarian, not very tall, dressed in a well-tailored dark suit that made him look like a retired university professor.
When he entered the office with three equally expressionless and sharp-eyed young lawyers, Marcus did not feel the slightest relief.
Marcus knew that the most dangerous beasts often wore the most unassuming disguises.
"Mr. Singh, hello." Marcus broke the silence first, maintaining a sincere posture.
"We have prepared a new three-year global brand ambassador contract, valued at 24 million US dollars (post-tax). This should demonstrate our sincerity."
