Chapter 29: World Expo Part 2

Lockheed Corporation Booth at the Expo

While George was lost in thought, absorbed in the photographs and blueprints on the display board, a voice called out behind him.

"Hello, sir. How can I assist you?"

Turning around, George recognized the young man who had smiled and nodded at him when he first entered the booth. Now free from his earlier conversation, the young man stood ready to help.

George returned the smile and handed over his business card. "You can call me George. I'm here to discuss some business with the Lockheed brothers."

"Certainly. Please wait a moment." Upon noticing the names of George's companies on the back of the card, the young man refrained from asking too many questions. Instead, he walked over to two men who had just stepped out from the side of the booth.

From their similar features and demeanor, George immediately deduced that they were the Lockheed brothers.

He watched as the young man relayed George's message. After glancing at the business card, the brothers exchanged a few words before walking over to greet him.

The one slightly ahead extended both hands for a handshake and introduced himself warmly. "Mr. Orwell, pleasure to meet you. I'm Malcolm Lockheed."👀

Then he motioned to the man behind him. "And this is my younger brother, Allan Lockheed. John here tells us you're interested in discussing business?"

"I am," George replied, glancing around the modest booth. "But perhaps we should find somewhere more suitable to talk."

Indeed, the booth was bare and cramped, with no designated area for meetings.

"Of course," Malcolm agreed with a nod. With a sheepish smile, he led George toward a refreshment cart at the far end of the exhibition hall, where a few empty tables and chairs offered some privacy.

The three took a seat, and soon a waitress came by. They each ordered coffee. Once the drinks arrived and they had reintroduced themselves, George leaned forward, setting the tone for a candid discussion.

"Gentlemen, I hope you won't mind my directness, but I'd like to know—what is the current financial status of your company?"

Allan smiled awkwardly. "Well, to be honest, the situation isn't great. Still, we're in talks with several film and television companies. May I ask why you're interested?"

In truth, the company's condition was worse than "not great." With the U.S. government flooding the market by offloading military planes at bargain prices, Lockheed Corporation hadn't been able to meet payroll for the last two months. The only reason they'd managed to attend the expo at all was that the brothers had borrowed money to give the business one last shot. The funds had been loaned by John, the young man who'd greeted George.

George didn't mince words. "I'm aware your company is struggling. I have contacts in the military, and judging by what I've seen around this expo, plane prices have plummeted. That said, I'm still very interested in your company's design capabilities. Despite your financial woes, the F-1 aircraft is impressive from a design standpoint."

The Lockheed brothers exchanged a glance before Allan replied, "Thank you for recognizing our aircraft, Mr. Orwell. So—what kind of partnership are you proposing?"

They had spent the last several weeks searching for investors with no luck. George's interest gave them a glimmer of hope, and they were eager to hear his offer.

George smiled. "I'll give you $100,000 to acquire the entire company—assets, design team, and aircraft patent included."

Allan's smile faded slightly. "That seems a bit low, doesn't it? You know as well as we do that the F-1 is an outstanding aircraft."

"But you also know planes are selling for just $300 each now. To recoup $100,000, you'd need to sell over 300 units. Is that realistic, given the current glut in the market?" George paused, sipping his coffee. "And with so many aircraft manufacturers competing for attention, customers have endless choices. My offer reflects the current value of your aircraft's reputation."

"It's still low," Malcolm pressed. "Surely, the patent for the F-1 alone deserves a better valuation."

George gave a small nod and leaned forward slightly. "Alright. I don't like dragging things out. Here's my final offer: $150,000 for Lockheed Corporation. I'll take on all existing debts and commit an additional $100,000 as R&D investment after the acquisition. What do you think?"

The brothers were visibly taken aback. Allan finally stammered, "Mr. Orwell, are you serious?"

"Absolutely," George said confidently. "And if you like, I can have someone come over to sign the preliminary contract with you today."

"That would be fantastic," Malcolm said, barely containing his excitement.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," George cautioned. "I'm investing not just in your company, but in your design team. I want all key team members to sign long-term contracts. If they breach the agreement, they'll face steep penalties—including a ten-year prohibition from working in the aircraft industry."

The brothers looked at each other, their earlier enthusiasm now tempered by concern. Malcolm replied, "Mr. Orwell, to be honest, our design team is mostly just the two of us—and John. We can agree to your terms, but we need to speak with him first."

"Of course. What's John's full name? Is he here?"

"He is. His name is John Northrop. He's the one who greeted you earlier."

"Then go ahead and bring him over. I'll speak with him directly."

Allan nodded and returned shortly with John.

"Hello, Mr. Orwell," John said, slightly apprehensive.

"Hello, John. Allan should have explained the situation. I'd like to hear your thoughts."

John hesitated. "That penalty clause sounds a bit... extreme."

George studied the young man closely. He was the real brains behind the F-1's design. In his previous life, this same John—John Knudsen Northrop would go on to become one of the most visionary aircraft designers in the world.

"I understand your concern," George said calmly. "But the penalties are just one part. Let me tell you the full offer."

All eyes turned to George.

"In addition to a 20% salary increase across the board, I'm offering performance incentives. If a design your team creates enters mass production, I'll allocate 10% of the profits as bonuses, divided among the R&D team based on contribution. Even if the design doesn't go into production, as long as it qualifies technically, you'll receive a $5,000 bonus. These terms will be in the contract."

George understood a simple truth: if you want top talent to perform, you must treat them well. He wasn't being generous out of sentiment; he simply recognized their value. The Lockheed brothers were competent, but John Northrop was exceptional—a once-in-a-generation innovator.

Born in 1895, John "Jack" Northrop would later go on to found Northrop Corporation and co-found Lockheed. He pioneered the flying wing design, which the aviation industry dismissed for decades as unworkable. It wasn't until the B-2 Spirit's flight in 1988 that his visionary ideas were vindicated. Today, flying wing configurations are a cornerstone of stealth and unmanned aircraft design.

Looking at the brothers beside John, George couldn't help but feel they were holding the young genius back. In the future, once John struck out on his own, his talents would flourish.

After hearing the full proposal, the three men lit up with excitement. Even John, only 25 years old, was impressed. A single qualified design could earn him a $5,000 bonus—more than a year and a half's salary in that era.

Without hesitation, all three agreed to the conditions.

Satisfied, George invited them to lunch. Afterward, he told them to return to their booth and pack up, as they wouldn't need to remain there. He informed them that someone named Paul would meet them shortly to coordinate next steps.

George then made his way back to his booth. It was now lunchtime, and a few visitors remained seated on the nearby sofas, chatting with Paul.

Upon seeing George return, Paul stood up and hurried over.

"Boss, you're back! A few folks have been waiting all morning to speak with you."

He introduced the guests: two were patent holders—one for the sulfuric acid battery, the other for the nickel-iron battery. The others represented BMW, Ford, and two investment firms. George barely glanced at the investment companies; he wasn't interested in outside funding.

He and Paul moved into the reception room, where he warmly greeted everyone. Then, turning to the investment representatives, George said, "Gentlemen, thank you for waiting. But I must be upfront—I'm not seeking funding at this time. I appreciate your interest and hope we can collaborate in the future."

Understanding his position, the two investors stood to leave but left their contact information, hoping for opportunities down the line.

Next, George addressed the representatives from BMW and Ford. "You've seen what our battery can do for the automotive sector. I haven't finalized a partnership model yet, but once I have, I'll be in touch. Sound good?"

Seeing the door close on immediate collaboration, they, too, took their leave—though with less optimism. Once George's new battery technology hits the market, these two legacy automakers might struggle to compete. Luckily for them, neither was publicly traded yet, or their stock would've plummeted today.

Finally, George turned to the two battery patent holders. Their nervousness was evident.

"Relax," he said with a reassuring smile. "I planned to reach out to you anyway, but this expo saved me a trip."

He handed them each a detailed technical document. "Here's a full analysis of our battery. It includes more data than what's available publicly. Share it with your leadership. Once you've reviewed it, let's talk again."

Both men nodded eagerly, promising to respond soon.

After they left, George could finally take a breath. Paul summarized the agreed-upon terms with the Lockheed team, then contacted a lawyer to draft the contracts. Once George reviewed and approved them, the documents would be signed. He also instructed Paul to organize lunch breaks for the staff—including Paul himself—and to follow up with Lockheed Corporation after eating.

—End of Chapter 29—

Translator's Notes:

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