Eight o'clock in the morning. Manila time.

Hana stepped into Timothy's office carrying a fresh batch of documents when her earpiece buzzed with an urgent tone reserved only for VIP-level calls. She paused mid-stride, pressed a finger gently to her ear, and listened.

Her eyes narrowed.

"…Sir," she said slowly, "Fluor just called."

Timothy looked up from his monitor, the faintest smirk forming on his lips. "Already?"

"It's their Executive Vice President for Corporate Strategy," Hana clarified. "He wants a call within the next hour. He… sounded tense."

"Of course he is." Timothy leaned back in his chair. "The moment NuScale shows even an ounce of unusual activity, Fluor panics. They're too big to move fast, too bureaucratic to pivot smoothly. They rely on predictable patterns, and we're breaking the pattern."

Hana stepped closer. "Do you want to take the call?"

Timothy tapped his pen thoughtfully for a moment. "Yes. But let them wait thirty minutes. Giants should never think we drop everything for them."

"Understood," Hana replied, already messaging their comms team.

Thirty minutes later, the call began.

The wall-mounted screen flickered to life, revealing a conference room somewhere in Irving, Texas. The Fluor corporate logo gleamed on the frosted glass behind three sharply dressed executives.

In the center sat a man in his late fifties, silver hair perfectly combed, expression controlled, the kind of expression that only broke during billion-dollar emergencies.

"Mr. Guerrero," he greeted. "Thank you for accepting this meeting. I'm Daniel Offerman, Executive Vice President of Fluor Corporation."

Timothy offered a polite nod. "Pleasure."

"We've heard," Offerman continued, "that you or someone associated with your companies made contact with NuScale's leadership. Specifically, Dr. Jose Reyes."

He leaned forward slightly.

"Would you care to explain the nature of this contact?"

Hana, seated off-camera beside Timothy, raised an eyebrow. They're opening with suspicion, not courtesy.

Timothy rested his elbows lightly on the table.

"Helios Strategic Holdings, a U.S. firm, initiated communication regarding investment interest," he said calmly. "As far as I know, NuScale responded positively."

Offerman's jaw tightened. "Mr. Guerrero… Fluor owns over fifty percent of NuScale. Any discussions about large-scale transactions should involve us directly."

"And they will," Timothy said, tone even. "But first contact is always with the people who built the product, not the people who own it."

The other two executives exchanged quick glances. Fluor wasn't used to being spoken to this bluntly.

Offerman cleared his throat. "Mr. Guerrero, allow me to be frank. NuScale is a sensitive asset. We cannot simply allow third parties to approach without oversight. And certainly not foreign entities."

"Helios is American," Timothy corrected.

"On paper," Offerman countered.

Timothy's smile was faint, almost amused. "On paper is what U.S. regulators recognize."

Silence pressed into the room for a moment.

Offerman shifted tact, adopting a more diplomatic tone. "Look, Mr. Guerrero… we're not dismissing your interest. We're just trying to understand what you want."

Timothy leaned back, eyes steady. "I want NuScale. Entirely."

The temperature in the room dropped several degrees.

One of the executives, a woman in her forties — leaned forward with disbelief. "You're saying you want to acquire all of NuScale? As in… a full buyout?"

"Correct."

Offerman's expression softened into something he clearly rehearsed: a mix of corporate patience and thinly veiled dismissal.

"Mr. Guerrero," he began slowly, "NuScale is a U.S. nuclear technology firm. You can't simply buy it, especially not from outside the U.S. The regulatory processes are—"

"—manageable," Timothy interrupted. "If you know what you're doing. And I do."

A beat passed.

Offerman exhaled. "Before we even consider your proposal, we need to understand the scale of your intentions. Are you offering a minority stake? A partnership?"

"No," Timothy said plainly. "I'm offering an exit."

All three Fluor executives stiffened.

"An exit?" Offerman echoed.

"Yes."

Timothy clasped his hands on the table. "Let's not pretend you're satisfied with NuScale's performance. The Idaho project ballooned beyond control. Municipal partners pulled out. Your shareholders keep asking why you're still pouring money into an asset that hasn't delivered any commercial revenue in over a decade."

He tilted his head slightly. "You don't need a partner. You need a way out without reporting a loss."

Offerman inhaled slowly. "And you think you can provide that?"

"Yes. Helios Strategic Holdings is prepared to offer a buyout for your entire majority stake."

He tapped his tablet.

A document appeared on the screen: $1.1 BILLION — BUYOUT PROPOSAL (PRELIMINARY)

Offerman froze.

The female executive whispered, "That's… above market valuation."

"It is," Timothy said. "Because I pay for value, not your stock chart."

The third executive, a tall man with dark hair, finally spoke. "Mr. Guerrero… NuScale isn't just numbers. It's nuclear technology. You cannot just—"

Timothy raised a hand calmly.

"Fluor has carried NuScale for twelve years. I understand that. But your shareholders are bleeding. Your patience is thin. And you know that the U.S. nuclear sector is not moving fast enough to recoup your investment."

He let that sink in.

"I'm giving you a chance to recover cleanly."

The conference room in Texas went silent.

Finally, Offerman leaned back, eyes calculating.

"And what exactly do you gain from acquiring NuScale?"

Timothy didn't hesitate.

"A future where my country and the rest of Asia has affordable, stable, scalable nuclear power. Something no one else is offering."

Offerman's eyes narrowed. "And if U.S. regulators block the acquisition?"

Timothy smirked. "That's the beauty of Helios. The structure is already compliant for initial approval. And by the time final review happens, we'll have a joint venture fallback ready."

He tapped Hana's tablet.

"Worst-case scenario, NuScale stays American, Helios remains the controlling owner, and TG Energy Systems becomes the exclusive licensee for SMR deployment across Asia."

Offerman blinked.

"You've already planned the entire backdoor route."

Timothy's expression didn't change. "I always plan the entire route."

The tall executive leaned forward. "What happens to NuScale's scientists and engineers?"

"They stay," Timothy said firmly. "No layoffs. No dismantling. No stripping. Only expansion."

"And Dr. Reyes?" Offerman asked.

"Chief Scientific Officer with full autonomy," Timothy replied.

The three Fluor executives looked at one another, and for the first time, doubt cracked in their confidence.

Timothy rested a hand on the table.

"Gentlemen. Ma'am. I'm not your enemy. I'm your solution."

Offerman exhaled slowly, defeated but not yet conceding.

"We… will need to review your preliminary terms."

"You'll have them within forty-eight hours," Timothy said.

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