"Touche."

"Hello, Peter. How are things on the other side?"

"The other side?" Sprecher chuckled. "Of what? The Maginot Line? Damned busy, actually. A sight too much activity for these weary bones. And you, no fear of heights? My, my, the Fourth Floor. All this time I thought you were a worker bee."

Nick missed his colleague's lazy patter and his dry sense of humor. "I'll tell you about it over a beer. You'll have no trouble affording one now."

"Agreed. Keller Stubli at seven o'clock."

Nick scanned the pile of work on his desk. "Make it eight, and I'll see you there. Now, what can I do for you?"

"You mean you can't guess?" Sprecher sounded genuinely surprised. "I'm looking to buy a packet of your bank's shares. Wouldn't happen to have a couple thousand lying around your desk?"

Nick played along with his friend's joke. "Sorry to disappoint you, Peter, but we're fresh out. Saving for a rainy day, you might say. As a matter of fact, we're shorting Adler shares."

"Give me a few weeks and I'll be happy to personally cover them for you. I've been looking for the means to buy a new Ferrari."

"Good luck but…"

"Can you hold one second?" Sprecher interrupted. "I have another call."

Before Nick could answer, Peter cut the line. Nick picked up a pen and tapped it on the desk. He wondered what Sylvia was up to right now. No doubt fretting over her all-important employee retention rate. Or better yet, dreaming about her trip to the States after the general assembly.

A faint squawk and Sprecher returned. "Sorry, Nick, an emergency. Always is, eh?"

"Since when are you on the trading desk? I thought you were hired to help start a private banking department."

"Things change quickly around this place. You might say I'm following the Neumann plan. I've been jacked upstairs onto Konig's acquisition team."

"Jesus Christ," said Nick. "So you're not joking. You're a point man on the USB deal? Scouring the market for our shares."

"Don't take it personally. Konig thought I might know where I could dig some up. You might say he's making the best use of the tools at his disposal. As a matter of fact, we hustled a few thousand shares from your own boys yesterday."

"So I heard," said Nick. "I wouldn't count on it happening again."

The story was that several United Swiss Bank portfolio managers more eager to lock in a double-digit return on their clients' investments than see to the security of the bank had sold shares of USB, which were trading at an all-time high. Word of their behavior quickly reached the Fourth Floor, enraging the Chairman. Kaiser stormed their offices, personally firing each on the spot.

Sprecher adopted a serious tone. "Listen, chum, some of our guys want to talk to you… privately." He let the last word hang in the air. "They'd like to suggest some sort of an arrangement."

"What for?" Suddenly, Nick recalled the Chairman's warning that Sprecher would be quick to exploit their friendship. At the time, he'd found the idea ridiculous.

"Must I be so obtuse? Guess."

"No," said Nick, his disbelief turning to fury. "You tell me."

"What I asked you about earlier. Blocks of shares. Preferably, big blocks. We want to put this deal on ice before the general assembly. You know who's holding the largest stakes. Tell us their names and we'll make it worth your while."

Nick could feel the nape of his neck flush. First Schweitzer pawing about his desk for the list of shareholders, and now Sprecher. "You're serious?"

"Deadly."

"Then I'll say this once, Peter, and please, don't take it the wrong way. Go fuck yourself."

"Easy, Nick. Easy."

"How low do you think I'd stoop?" Nick asked.

"There is no honor in loyalty," said Sprecher earnestly, as if disabusing a child of a foolish notion. "Not anymore. At least not to corporations. I'm in this game for a paycheck and a pension. You should be too."

"You worked at this bank for twelve years. Why are you so eager to see her go down?"

"It is not a question of one bank dying so the other can live. This will be a merger in the truest sense: United Swiss Bank's strength in private banking combined with the Adler Bank's proven trading skills. Together, we can control the entire Swiss market."

Nick didn't find the prospect so thrilling. "I'm afraid the answer is no."

"Do yourself a favor, Nick. If you help us, I can promise you a position here after USB's been swallowed. Otherwise your head will be on the chopping block with everyone else on the Fourth Floor. Get with the winner!"

"If the Adler Bank is so awash in cash," Nick demanded, "why don't you just make a bid for the whole company?"

"I wouldn't believe every rumor you hear. Hold on a second, chum." He cupped a hand over the mouthpiece, but Nick could still make out the muffled words. "Hassan, throw me that price sheet. No, the pink one, you bloody wog. Yes, yes, that's it." Sprecher released his hand from the mouthpiece. "Anyway, Nick, think about our proposition. I'll tell you more tonight. See you at eight, right?"

"I don't think so. I only drink with my friends."

Sprecher started to protest, but Nick had already hung up.

At 12:35, Nick headed to the Chairman's office with a final copy of his letter in hand. He sauntered lazily down the quiet hallway. At this hour even the biggest grinds were eating lunch. The floorboards squeaked under his lolling step. Suddenly, he felt the presence of someone behind him.

"Tired or drunk, Neumann?" Armin Schweitzer barked.

Nick was sick of being afraid of Schweitzer. Shaking the papers in his hand, he turned and said, "I couldn't get the words to flow right, so I took a wee taste of Scotland's finest. A dram of single malt does wonders for finding the muse."

Schweitzer smirked. "A smart-ass, no less. Well, on this floor we keep our backs straight and our step spirited. You can wander in the park, if you like. What do you have there?"

"Some ideas the Chairman had for whipping the bank into shape. It's a letter to be sent to the shareholders." Nick handed Schweitzer a copy. Why not extend an olive branch? He still wanted to find out what the bastard meant by his father's "embarrassing behavior."

Schweitzer skimmed the letter. "Dark days, Neumann. We can never fit Konig's model of a bank. He prefers machines. We still like the living, breathing variety, thank God."

"Konig doesn't stand a chance. He'll need a mountain of cash if he wants to take us over."

"Yes, he will. But don't underestimate him. I've never met a greedier man. Who knows where he's put his mitts? He's an embarrassment to all of us."

"Like my father?" Nick asked. "Tell me, what exactly did he do?"

Schweitzer pursed his lips, as if considering how to answer. He sighed and put his hand on Nick's shoulder. "Something you are much too intelligent to even contemplate, my boy." He handed the letter back to Nick. "Run along now. I'm sure the Chairman is eager to see his puppy dog."

Nick rose on his toes, flushed with anger. He bit his tongue but couldn't resist a parting jab. "My office is open if you're interested. Help yourself. Never know what you might find there!"