I'm The King of Business & Technology in the Modern World

Matthe glanced quickly at Saimon and Leo, both of whom looked equally dumbfounded. He adjusted his headset slightly, trying to process what he had just heard.

"Excuse me?" Matthew said, cautiously. "You're agreeing to three hundred million dollars—just like that?"

Harrington's tone was calm but assertive. "Yes. We've analyzed the risks and potential benefits on our end. This partnership could revolutionize our entire cyber defense infrastructure. With the stakes as high as they are—nation-state threats, cyberterrorism, and espionage—we can't afford to drag our feet. The President has authorized this budget increase to secure Sentinel Systems' cooperation."

Mathis added, "To put things into perspective, the amount we spend annually on classified cybersecurity operations runs in the billions. Three hundred million dollars, while substantial, is within reach for this kind of initiative."

Matthew exhaled slowly, his mind racing through possible implications. "Alright. If that's the case, we'll need to clarify the terms before I even consider moving forward. I want this agreement to be airtight—on both sides."

"Agreed," Mathis said. "We anticipated that. Our legal and contracting teams are already drafting a proposal. You'll have full oversight on key clauses, including the protection of your intellectual property and liability limitations."

Harrington continued, "We're also prepared to provide additional non-financial support. You'll have access to U.S. cyber intelligence networks, which will significantly enhance your threat detection capabilities. We can also arrange expedited security clearances for key members of your team, enabling smoother collaboration with our experts."

"That's fine for us too, but are you sure you'd want us to get in on those? I mean I am not an American, I am a Filipino."

Harrington responded without hesitation. "We're aware, Mr. Borja. We've vetted both you and Sentinel Systems thoroughly. Your nationality is not an issue. In fact, that's partly why this partnership is so valuable. You're not tied to the internal politics of our intelligence community, which gives you a degree of operational neutrality that we find advantageous."

Mathis added, "We've worked with international partners before in high-security projects. The critical factor is trust and mutual benefit. Based on your track record with Facebook and other tech leaders, you've proven capable of handling large-scale cybersecurity operations under strict confidentiality."

Matthew nodded slowly, absorbing their words. "Alright, but understand that any classified access we have will be on a need-to-know basis, and we'll expect similar respect for our internal operations. I want zero interference in how Sentinel Systems runs its business outside this contract."

"Of course," Harrington assured. "Our proposal will specify that Sentinel Systems retains full autonomy outside of the agreed scope of work. You'll have control over your non-government projects, and we'll only require collaboration on areas directly related to national security."

"Very well, send over the contract."

Harrington replied, "We'll have the preliminary agreement delivered to you within the next 24 hours. Once you've reviewed it, we'll schedule a follow-up meeting to go over any revisions or concerns."

"Sounds good," Matthew said. "But I want full transparency moving forward. If there are any changes or new requirements, I expect immediate communication."

"You'll have it," Mathis assured. "This is a strategic partnership, not a one-sided deal. Both sides need to stay aligned if this is going to work."

The call ended shortly after, leaving Matthew, Saimon, and Leo in stunned silence. Saimon was the first to break it.

"Three hundred million dollars," he repeated, shaking his head. "I can't believe they just agreed to it."

"How much is that in ph?" Leo asked.

"Let's see," he said, pulling up a currency conversion app on his phone. He quickly entered the amount. "That's… roughly 17 billion pesos."

"Seventeen billion pesos," Leo whispered, eyes widening. "That's a fucking huge amount of money! I mean. Seventeen billion pesos! That money is life changing!"

Matthew crossed his arms. "Yeah, but this isn't some lottery win. We're taking on serious responsibility. With that kind of money comes scrutiny, both from the U.S. government and other countries. We're basically becoming a high-value target overnight."

Leo sat down, rubbing his temples. "It's insane how fast things escalated. We just offered the software to Facebook and got a lot of money from it, and then we got another copious amount of money from the US."

"Crazy times," Matthew agreed. He leaned back in his chair, momentarily lost in thought. "But this is also our chance to redefine the global cybersecurity landscape. If we do this right, Sentinel Systems can become one of the most influential tech companies in the world."

"And if we screw up?" Saimon asked, raising an eyebrow.

Matthew sighed. "If we screw up, we could lose everything—our reputation, our clients, maybe even our safety. But I didn't build this company just to play it safe."

Saimon nodded slowly. "Alright. So, what's the next move?"

"First, we wait for the contract to arrive," Matthew replied. "We'll have Daniel and the legal team go through it with a fine-tooth comb. I want every clause, every condition, scrutinized. We're not giving them a single inch more than necessary. And let's keep this deal under wraps for now. The last thing we need is a media frenzy."

Later that evening, Daniel Martinez arrived at Sentinel Systems' headquarters, his expression serious but curious. He walked into the conference room where Matthew, Saimon, and Leo were waiting. A stack of legal briefs and notes rested under his arm, and his laptop was already out as he took his seat.

"Alright," Daniel began as he opened his notes. "Matthew, you mentioned something about a finalized offer from the U.S. government. I assume this is the same three hundred million-dollar deal you hinted at earlier?"

"Yeah," Matthew replied, leaning forward. "They didn't just agree—they authorized it on the spot. The President himself gave the green light. They're sending over a draft contract within 24 hours."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "That's unusually fast. Government contracts of this scale usually take weeks or months to secure high-level approvals."

"Tell me about it," Saimon added. "We were expecting negotiations to stretch on for weeks, but it seems like they've prioritized us."

Daniel nodded thoughtfully. "It makes sense. If the stakes are as high as they say—nation-state threats, espionage, cyberterrorism—then it explains their urgency. However, this also means you'll be under heavy scrutiny moving forward. Agencies like the NSA and CIA don't just throw around three hundred million without expecting full compliance."

Matthew crossed his arms. "Which is why we need you to go over the contract thoroughly. We're not signing anything until we're sure Sentinel Systems remains independent. I'm not giving up control of our technology."

"Good," Daniel replied firmly. "We'll be negotiating on several fronts. Intellectual property rights, operational autonomy, and liability clauses need to be airtight. They'll likely push for as much access as possible, but we'll set clear boundaries. I'll also prepare an amendment for emergency revisions if any unexpected conditions arise."

Leo chimed in, "They also mentioned offering us access to classified intelligence networks and expedited security clearances."

Daniel leaned back in his chair. "That's both an advantage and a risk. Classified access could boost your threat detection capabilities, but it also ties you closer to their security apparatus. We'll need to define exactly what your team can access and how that information can be used."

Matthew nodded. "Exactly. I want transparency and mutual trust, but I'm not letting them dictate how we run our business outside this contract."

"I'll make sure that's clearly outlined," Daniel assured. "Another point to consider is how this deal might impact your reputation with other clients. Once word gets out that you're working with U.S. intelligence, there could be backlash, especially from governments or corporations in other regions."

"We are aware of that," Matthew replied.

Alright, I'll get my team working on this tonight. Expect updates as soon as the contract arrives. Until then, be cautious with external communication. We're playing on a very large chessboard now."

"Understood," Matthew said. He stood, shaking Daniel's hand. "Let's get to work."