Alicia Jones 4: Enigma Read Free Page A

let’s wait to see what Daniel says.”
    That was pretty much my thoughts as well, we came down right
outside of Denver a few moments later, and then drove in from there.  It
just didn’t seem like a good idea to fly around in a major city, not until
flying cars were common and new laws were established.  Less than ten
minutes later we pulled up in front of one of the buildings and parked, the
shuttle hovered just a foot over the pavement.
    When we got into the building, we had to sign in with
security before going up to the sixteenth floor where the law offices
were.  Security must have called ahead, because Daniel already waited for
us as we got off the elevator.  He shook our hands and welcomed us, and
then escorted us back to a large conference room.
    Daniel asked, “Does anyone want a drink or anything before
we get started?”
    “No thanks, we just came from lunch.”
    Kristi and Caroline shook their heads no, and we all took a
seat.
    “So what are we looking at?”
    Daniel replied, “New inventions, especially ones that
completely change the business terrain like these new nanites can cause a
little upheaval.  Right now, the lawsuit is a tactic to get you at the
table, and to try and force you to share the new technology.”
    Caroline interjected, “So they don’t have a case?”
    Daniel waved his hand uncertainly, “Not yet no.  They’d
be kicked out of court.  However, in a couple of years, if this new
technology takes over the landscape as seems likely, they will have a
case.  Especially if they close down all their repair depots, then it
really will be a monopoly and they’ll come at you again.”
    I frowned, “So what do you suggest.”
    Daniel replied, “That’s up to you, but here are the
options.  We can just fight this, and make it go away.  When it comes
around again in the future, we can try to settle it out of court, but the risk
in waiting is you’ll lose the leverage to force settlement out of court, and
the judge may order a solution that isn’t weighed in your favor at all. 
It’s a gamble.
    “Right now you have most of the power, so this second option
might be better in the long run.  You can sit down with them at the table,
and work something out now.  License the tech itself so they can form a
company competitive to yours, yet they’d still owe you royalties for each one
they make as well as a large yearly fee for the rights to make it.”
    I frowned in thought, “What if we take the middle
road.  Offer it exclusively first, so we’re seen as a competitor when we
go to the table.  If we license it right off, they’ll have the advantage
of the customer base.  People think fabricators when a repair comes up, so
they’ll go to those places first even if we have an alternative.”
    I was also thinking it would give us time to get contracts
with the car companies to offer the nanites as an extra.  I felt like I
was being greedy, but honestly I was just looking out for Caroline.  Not
that she wouldn’t become a multi-millionaire at the very least, no matter what
path we took.
    Kristi shrugged, “It’s also a limited market.  Once the
initial rush is finished, new nanite packages will only be sold when new
buildings and houses are built, not to even mention space ships and cars. 
Waiting like Alicia said, seems like the smartest business decision.  The
only question is, for how long?”
    Caroline interjected, “How about a couple of months?”
    “I can agree with that.”
    Kristi nodded.
    Daniel replied, “Alright, I’ll respond to this and do my
best to make it go away for now.  If they’re smart they’ll cancel, but
just don’t miss the court date if they do go forward.”
    We all smiled at that.  Not a chance.
     

Chapter 4
    “Kristi, you got a minute?” I asked through the intercom
between our offices.
    A couple of days had passed, and I had my prototype ready to
launch from our battle cruiser lab ship, which still hung way out in the void
above