𝐀 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐔𝐬

𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈 - 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐫 𝐍𝐨 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥

"Sure," I shrugged. The beatdown. Sean told me to expect this. They'll knock my shit off before offering the lowest price, a basic ass tactic that wasn't boutta fly wit me.

"Well, you should know that I specialize in machine learning and AI strategy. I've spent a few minutes on your website before finding a backdoor, so I gotta say: I'm simply unimpressed with your security system," Clyde continued.

"Oh, wow. You don't say?," I sighed, shaking my head in exaggeration. "Welp, that's prolly why I'm not selling my security system here, huh?"

Doug choked on a chuckle across from me while Clyde reddened just a lil'. Chin stayed ... chinny.

"That's a good point. I just wonder how excellent your algorithm is, if anyone can hack into your website. Wouldn't they be able to run away with it?," Clyde pressed on.

I sat forward and looked Clyde straight in the eye before tellin' him, straight up, "Since we bein' honest here, you couldn't run away wit my algorithm if I gave it to you. You wouldn't know what to do wit it. Came here witcho' music big boys and showed me how small you stay thinkin'. Lemme tell you some'. This algorithm can be applied to music, movies, dating websites, shopping websites, whatever. Anywhere people show a preference or anywhere data can be collected and then exploited, is an opportunity. Stop talkin' 'bout my security, man."

The room was quiet for a moment. An ambulance passed by and the siren played out until it faded.

Clyde looked down at the binder he brought with him. I'll bet he had a few things listed to talk about but they all seemed irrelevant now.

Chin was lookin' at me with big ass eyes, freaked out that a nigga would have the nerve.

And Doug, he just sat quietly, rubbin' his hands like Birdman, assessin' me carefully in his mind.

Just then, Sean came rushin' to the glass door of our meeting room. He was red as hell in the face and out of breath, holding a stack of fat booklets in one hand and a briefcase in the other. The contract. His timing wasn't it, but when you gave the guy a job, he got that shit done.

Comin' into the room, he rushed out quickly, "Good evening and please, excuse the tardiness. I'm Sean Taylor, Mr. Jackson's manager. Pleasure to meet you all." He went around the room and shook every man's hands as well as handing them each a contract.

"I'm currently passing around Mr. Jackson's contract. It's been drafted by yours truly but edited and revised by an exceptional contract attorney. This contract is what Mr. Jackson calls 'the standard'. Meet it. We won't go lower, so it's a deal or no deal."

He paused before lookin' at Clyde and adding, "Please, do keep in mind, we have a 10 figure written offer from Apple's biggest competitor: Microsoft."

At that point, I think the room got too quiet for Doug. He let out the loudest laugh of the night, before saying, "These two. They've got chutzpa. For sure. I love it." He picked up the contract and started leafing through it as he urged Sean to "please, have a seat". Sean sat to my right, dappin' me up below the table before grinnin' like The Grinch.

The others followed his lead, humming in some areas, frowning at others. There was a short and dry ass laugh from Chin at some point, but I wasn't trippin'. Doug and Clyde were the big shots at the table and in a power grab contest, my money was on Doug, who, for the most part, hasn't been a problem.

Chin was the first to speak, of course. "So, I'll tell you straight up, Michael. This is a load of bullshit. I need to see your company's financial history and, I guess, remind you that many of us at Sony still believe that we can sue you for copyright infringement.We're choosing not to, because, well, like I said, we think you're a reasonable guy. This contract isn't reasonable."