...Resist Hostile Takeover Bid by FBN Associates".
Agitated, Muffy snatches the Barron's from the old man's feeble grasp. What need has he of it? She must discover what, and how much, was known of their Plan! Was the USAW board just playing games? If they simply wanted a better price, Muffy's own group might well be unable to make an adequate counter-offer. Damn! The last thing they needed was a bidding war!
Quickly skimming the article, her eyes light on the fifth paragraph:
At an early morning press conference, FBN spokesperson Janice Shell declined to answer reporters' most pressing questions. "I am unable to comment at this moment on the Company's plans for the immediate future", said Shell evasively. "We are, however, in acquisition mode. It is well-known that USAW, specialized as they are in the manufacture of non-Y2K-compliant embedded chips that they still succeed in selling to unwary Third Worlders, would be a perfect fit with FBNA. The synergies of such an alliance are obvious to all. Thank you. Perhaps we will have concrete news to report in the coming days".
Muffy, angry and perplexed, rereads Shell's statement. Could this be the same Janice she'd met only a few days earlier? The woman in the bar? Kevin's whip wielding "old lady"? Why had she been working at the bar, or pretending to do so? It must have taken up a lot of her time. What was her hidden agenda, her sinister motivation?
Muffy thinks about it, remembering finally to bite her lip.
Suddenly Jeff, whose presence she'd nearly forgotten, moans pitifully, and touches her arm... |
