Julian took two aggressive steps forward, grabbing the chauffeur’s shoulder. "Listen to me, driver! There’s been a mistake! This man is an unemployed ex-programmer! He doesn't own a bicycle, let alone a three-hundred-thousand-dollar Rolls-Royce!"
James took a slow step toward the open rear door of the sedan. He turned, looking at Julian with a quiet, penetrating gaze that felt colder than the midnight breeze.
"There is no mistake, Julian," James said smoothly. "You bought sixty percent of Aegis Quantum's common stock last week, didn't you?"
"Yes!" Julian barked. "I own the firm! Which means I own your patents!"
"You bought the shell company, Julian," James corrected softly, leaning against the polished roof of the vehicle. "You bought Aegis Public Corp. But the underlying quantum encryption algorithms—the ones your father’s firm needs to secure their government defense contracts tomorrow morning—were never owned by Aegis."
Vanessa gasped, her eyes darting between James and Julian. "James... what are you talking about?"
"They were licensed," James explained, reaching into his brown corduroy jacket and pulling out a sleek black digital tablet. He tapped the screen twice. "Licensed on a revocable eighteen-month lease to Aegis by Vance Global Holdings. And that lease expired at midnight."