Pauline gathered a stack of documents, organizing them neatly before bringing them to James, who was reviewing other paperwork.
"Sir," Pauline began, "here's a summary of Charles' activities over the past two months. First, he purchased a motorcycle factory and quickly developed a sidecar model. Next, he acquired a tractor factory, which led to the 'Mark I' tank. After that, he bought an aircraft factory and flying club…"
James paused, looking thoughtful, then interjected, "...which brought about the unbeatable 'Machine Gun Avro' and the First Flying Squadron?"
"Yes," Pauline continued, her tone growing more serious. "Now, he's sent someone to England to negotiate the purchase of Aston Martin."
"A car company?" James raised an eyebrow, flipping through the documents until he found the profile on Martin Automotive. He frowned slightly.
After a moment's thought, James gave an order. "Get in touch with our British office immediately."
"Yes, sir," Pauline replied, promptly making the call.
And thus, the price war began.
"Sir, Charles has offered 1.2 million francs," Pauline relayed a few minutes later from across the room.
James responded without hesitation, "Raise it to 1.4 million."
"1.4 million," Pauline repeated, passing the message along.
James got up and walked to the window, a pensive expression crossing his face. Why was Charles so determined to acquire this automotive company? Was he even aware that Schneider was his competitor? It seemed like a battle he should have abandoned by now.
Then Pauline called again, "Charles has raised it to 1.7 million!"
"Two million," James said with a hint of irritation. The nerve of this young upstart.
After relaying the new bid, Pauline paused, thoughtful. "Sir, Charles must know by now that it's Schneider he's up against…"
The remark struck James. A sudden realization crossed his mind, and he quickly issued another order. "Cancel the bid! Pull out immediately!"
But it was too late—the bid for 2 million had already gone through to Martin Automotive. Charles, however, did not respond further.
James raised his eyebrows, smirking slightly. "Looks like we were outplayed."
"Not entirely," Pauline replied. "He did initially plan to buy, but once he realized we were involved, he started inflating the price intentionally."
A worried expression crossed her face as she added, "He might have been aiming for something far more important."
James nodded slowly. Charles' move wasn't just about exhausting Schneider's finances; for a company of Schneider's scale, a mere 2 million francs was insignificant. Instead, Charles had used this ploy to divert Schneider's attention, making them focus solely on the automotive company.
Pauline's eyes widened as she exclaimed, "The technicians! He's after the automotive company's technical staff!"
Pauline immediately grabbed the phone and ordered, "Hire Martin's technicians—now!"
James shook his head, sensing it was already too late. "It won't work. Those people are difficult to find."
Sure enough, the calls came back with the same response: all attempts to reach Martin's core staff had failed.
At 3:40 in the afternoon, just over half an hour after the bidding war ended, Pauline confirmed the inevitable, reporting to James with a resigned expression. "Charles secured contracts for 29 of their core staff members at a monthly salary of 200 francs each. Only a few declined due to family obligations; the rest are all key personnel."
James sank into a nearby chair, chuckling to himself. "It seems the young man is using his tactical skills against me now."
"Shall we try to contact the technicians and make a counteroffer?" Pauline suggested, still hopeful.
While they could lure the technicians with higher salaries and even cover their penalty fees, James shook his head, halting any further pursuit. "Some of these people understand what's going on, Pauline," he said, a hint of weariness in his voice. "They know we're only interested in them as a way to pressure Charles. But Charles values them for their actual abilities."
Pauline nodded, though disappointment was evident in her expression. Indeed, talented individuals often sought out places where they felt they would be fully utilized, aiming for long-term growth and the chance to maximize their potential. While Schneider could offer them money, they'd likely be treated as tools—kept around only for as long as they were useful in undermining Charles.
But Charles, on the other hand, would likely tap into their skills directly, providing an environment where they could genuinely thrive. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novᴇl(ꜰ)ire.ɴet
What intrigued James now was what Charles intended to do next. Lighting a cigar, he pondered aloud, "What could he be planning?"
Pauline, who had been observing him thoughtfully, ventured, "I believe it's something to do with aviation, sir. He sent Eric, who heads his aircraft manufacturing operations, to negotiate."
"But…" James coughed lightly through a cloud of smoke, "his 'Machine Gun Avro' is already unmatched. No enemy could counter it, and no one else can compete with it."
This was James' main point of confusion.
"Perhaps," Pauline suggested, "he's competing with himself."
In fact, neither James nor Pauline was entirely correct. Charles was preparing for potential future threats. Developing advanced engines required time and technical expertise, and waiting until a crisis hit would be too late. By then, rivals and enemies would have left him in the dust.
When Charles finally heard back from Steed, confirming that 29 technicians were secured, he felt his anxiety ease.
With skilled personnel in hand, the rest would fall into place. Equipment and machinery could be purchased, even if Schneider tried to interfere—Saint-Étienne could serve as an intermediary if needed.
Lt. Colonel Fernand, noticing Charles' sense of relief, leaned in and quietly advised, "You'd best have everything in order, Major, because when wartime conditions intensify…"
"I understand, Colonel." Charles nodded gratefully.
Lt. Colonel Fernand was right. The military command center was no place for private matters, especially during wartime—that was the strict discipline of the army.
Then again, Charles thought with a wry smile, his work wasn't entirely personal. As the captain of the First Flying Squadron and a strategic advisor, securing the future of French aviation was, after all, part of his duty.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my .
Read 15 Chapters In Advance: .com/Franklin1