March 21th, 2028 — TG Tower, Bonifacio Global City

9:20 AM

The skyline outside Timothy's office was sharp and clear, the kind of blue Manila only pulled out after a night of rain. Down below, BGC moved like clockwork—cars, people, deliveries—but up here, the world felt quiet.

Too quiet, considering what Hana had just told him.

"Her campaign wants to finalize the details before the rally this afternoon," Hana said, standing in front of his desk, tablet in hand. "They're asking if you'll attend in person or keep your involvement discreet for now."

Timothy leaned back in his chair.

On his main screen, a document was open—draft points titled:

NATIONAL CLEAN POWER ACCELERATION FRAMEWORK — WORKING PROPOSAL

Under it, bullet points:

— HyperCore SMR pilot plants in three regions

— Nuclear Energy Development Act amendments

— EV manufacturing incentives tied to local content

— Fast-track permits for TG Energy facilities

He exhaled slowly.

"So they're really going to run with it," he said.

Hana nodded. "Len's policy team already integrated your draft into their platform outline. They're calling it a 'Green Industrial Philippines' agenda."

Timothy's lips twitched faintly. "Catchy."

Hana tilted her head. "You don't sound convinced."

"I am," he said. "I just know how politics works. Campaign promises are cheap. SMRs are not."

Hana smiled faintly. "That's why you asked for a written commitment, remember?"

She tapped her tablet and slid a file display toward him. A digital scan of a signed memorandum appeared on his secondary screen.

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

Between: Len Obredo Campaign Committee

And: TG Energy Systems / TG Mobility Holdings

Timothy skimmed it even though he already knew what was in there. He'd personally dictated half of it.

— If elected, administration will:

Form a Presidential Task Force on Nuclear Integration within 60 days.

Endorse TG's Subic HyperCore pilot as National Strategic Energy Demonstration Project.

Push for updated nuclear regulatory framework, including SMR-specific licensing.

Align EV subsidies and infrastructure with TG Motors' rollout schedule, provided TG invests at least ₱400 billion over six years in domestic facilities.

In return:

— TG will invest, build, and deliver.

— And, yes, "support" the campaign.

"Has the transfer reflected?" Timothy asked calmly.

"Yes," Hana replied. "Your ₱5 billion donation hit their campaign account at eight fifty-seven this morning. Legal and compliance teams signed off. It's declared, clean, and within allowable caps using your corporate-affiliated PAC."

"Good," Timothy said. "Last thing I want is COMELEC breathing down my neck for a technicality."

Hana hesitated for a moment.

"Sir… are you sure you want to be seen at a rally? That's… different from quiet support."

Timothy paused, thinking.

He'd met candidates before. Governors. Senators. Some lawmakers. Most came with smiles, promises, and spreadsheets full of tax incentives for "job creators" like him.

But this was the first time a frontrunner for the presidency of the Philippines had asked him to stand near a stage.

"Is Duerte holding an event today?" Timothy asked.

Hana nodded. "Yes, sir. In Cavite. Big one. They've been teasing a 'major endorsement' from an old political dynasty."

Timothy snorted. "Of course."

He tapped a knuckle lightly against his desk.

"I'm not interested in being the anti-Duerte mascot," he said. "I don't care about their color wars. I care about who will let me build ten HyperCores without drowning in red tape."

Hana looked at him seriously.

"Then… what's your move?"

Timothy's gaze shifted to the TG logo etched in steel on his office wall.

"I'll attend," he said. "But not on stage. Not yet."

"Backstage only?" Hana clarified.

"For now," he replied. "Let's see if she can sell the platform without using my name as a crutch. If she can, she's worth the bet."

Hana smiled slightly. "I'll inform her team."

She turned to go, then paused.

"Sir?"

"Hmm?"

"You do realize most billionaires avoid politics in public, right?" she said. "They fund from the shadows."

Timothy smirked.

"I'm not 'most billionaires.' And if the next administration is going to shape nuclear and EV policy for the whole country, I'd rather be in the room… than outside hoping they read my email."

Hana's lips tugged up.

"Understood, sir. I'll have the car ready by eleven."

Same Day — Quezon City Memorial Circle

5:10 PM

By the time Timothy arrived, the rally was already in full swing.

Quezon Memorial Circle's south quadrant had been turned into a sea of pastel flags and banners. Volunteers handed out fans, bottled water, and neatly printed leaflets with slogans about honest governance, green jobs, and "a Philippines that works for everyone."

TG's logo was nowhere in sight.

Good.

He preferred it that way.

From behind the stage, the sound of the crowd was a controlled roar—distant enough to be noise, close enough to feel. Timothy stood just beyond the curtain line, arms loosely crossed as he watched staff coordinate program flow.

Hana stood beside him, tablet in hand but eyes mostly on the stage.

"This is… a lot of people," she said quietly.

"That's mid-week," Timothy replied. "They'll pack ten times this before May."

Onstage, a local councilor was delivering a short speech about healthcare reform. The crowd cheered at the right beats, waved flags, then settled again.

Len Obredo stood a few meters away, talking to her campaign coordinator. Up close, without podium lights and camera angles, she looked… normal. Petite, composed, a bit tired around the eyes—but sharp.

Her gaze shifted.

Their eyes met.

She smiled genuinely and walked over with no hesitation.

"Mr. Guerrero," Len said, offering a hand. "Thank you for coming."

Timothy shook it. Her grip was steady.

"Ms. Obredo," he greeted. "I figured it's only fair I see what I'm investing in."

She laughed lightly. "Then I hope we put on a good show."

Her campaign manager, a man in his forties with glasses and a stack of folders, stepped back discreetly to give them space.

Len clasped her hands in front of her.

"I read the framework your team sent," she said. "HyperCore, SMRs, EV industrialization, grid reform… it's ambitious."

"Ambitious is the bare minimum at this point," Timothy replied. "We're years behind where we should be."

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