Ransomware (8)
(Excerpt)
O'Connor: What do you think about the view that this crisis will put the brakes on digital transformation?
Taylor: The best way to strengthen security is to make digital transformation more complete. Even in the worst crisis, we protected our customers’ information. That will remain true going forward.
O'Connor: What are the company’s plans from here?
Taylor: This experience has reminded us once again that the customer is what matters most. As part of our innovation efforts to keep pace with the evolving needs of consumers, we plan to expand into travel and shared lodging.
O'Connor: If Blackwood enters shared lodging, how will it distinguish itself from existing players?
Taylor: First, we intend to showcase the finest homes and castles in the United States and Europe. That way, even in destinations without large hotels, Blackwood customers will still be able to enjoy the highest level of service.
O'Connor: What does the system rollout look like?
Taylor: To make that happen, we’ve decided to work with Snow Crash. Blackwood International will no longer remain merely a hotel company. Our new goal is to evolve into a comprehensive travel-tech company and deliver a better experience to our customers.
This article was another shock.
The world’s largest hotel company announcing its entry into shared lodging and travel was more than enough to shake the entire industry to its foundations.
A move into a new sector didn’t automatically make a stock rise; in many cases, fears of fiercer competition and higher investment costs actually dragged the price down.
But this time was different.
Investors expected the partnership between the two companies to generate powerful synergies, and the stock began punching straight through the ceiling.
Shareholders cheered, while the hedge funds that had gone short were left utterly stunned.
When Michael Preston saw the share price exploding in real time, he muttered without meaning to, “What the hell...”
As expected, the stock soared after the announcement.
Within moments it had broken above $350, setting a new 52-week high. That was a full 50 percent increase from before the crisis.
The market capitalization also jumped by $26 billion, bringing it to the brink of $80 billion.
The reason the stock surged like that was simple: the hotel sector and the tech sector are judged by very different standards in the market. On top of that, Chairman Taylor had presented a clear vision and concrete plans.
All of it was something I had made happen, of course.
David said,
“That’s unfortunate.”
The firm said to have suffered the biggest losses was Shark Management.
It was the very place David Lockhart had worked during my first life. If I hadn’t pulled him out, he would have ended up there again this time too.
I felt a little bad for him, somehow.
If they’d bought when I told them to, they’d be sitting on gains now.
By contrast, Continue Capital had made a tremendous profit. We started scooping up shares when they fell to $120, and we’d also bought some call options.
The shares we purchased alone amounted to more than 10 percent of the company. Before anyone realized it, we’d become a major shareholder. Selling them right away would be difficult.
Snow Crash had made a name for itself with the general public, signed partnership agreements with the FBI and NSA, and brought in Blackwood International, the world’s largest hotel company, as a client.
More than Blackwood’s own stock price, the value of Snow Crash had increased.
Existing clients, as well as other companies, were beginning to show serious interest in Snow Crash’s enterprise infrastructure solutions.
The problem was...
So this was how painful it felt to not have our own data center. It only made me want one even more.
Either way, it looked like an already bad relationship was about to get worse.
“That won’t happen, so relax.”
As always, the one in a weaker position was the one who had to yield.
Now that everything had been handled safely, there was no reason to stay here any longer.
I decided to head back with Syd. Unlike when we’d shown up with no plan at all, this time we were given a proper send-off.
I exchanged farewells with Investigator Reed and Investigator Wilton. Since the investigation was over, the two of them were leaving as well.
“You both worked hard. Thank you for all your efforts.”
Investigator Reed smiled.
“Thanks to you, we were able to make major progress on the case. We’ll be counting on you again in the future.”
Investigator Wilton also said, “I hope we get the chance to meet again someday.”
Come to think of it, it was a strange experience.
How often in life did one get to help the FBI and NSA on an investigation?
Chairman Taylor handed me and Syd an envelope each.
Surely it wasn’t a carefully written handwritten letter, was it?
When I opened mine, I found a black card inside.
“What is this?”
“A JRB Card. With this card, you’ll be given a suite or better at any Blackwood chain hotel anywhere in the world.”
“Oh! Really?”
The card, named after John Ronald Blackwood, came with incredible benefits.
First, it allowed unlimited use of all 5,300 Blackwood hotels. On top of that, it even covered penthouse access up to five times a year.
Some penthouses apparently cost as much as $100,000 a night, though that was only for the JR Blackwood Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland; most of them were around $10,000.
Even that alone was astonishing, but the card also granted access to all sorts of events held by the hotels and their ancillary facilities.
The validity period was five years. After that, they said it would be reviewed annually for eligibility.
“The company will cover all expenses, so use it to your heart’s content.”
“Really? You’re sure that’s okay?”
“What can we not do for the benefactors who saved the company? If the company says it can’t pay, then I’ll tell them to take it out of my salary.”
I had money coming out of my ears, but old habits from my salaryman days must still linger, because I found myself automatically doing the math in my head.
Say the daily room rate was $1,000, and I used it every day. That came to $365,000. Add another $50,000 for penthouse use and $100,000 for restaurants and other facilities.
So that was roughly half a million dollars a year?
It was an absurd benefit.
Couldn’t someone live without a house at all if they had just this one card?
Then again, the company had nearly gone down in flames like a dog, and now it had been brought back to life. If they couldn’t do even this much, what was the point? In any case, they were only giving away rooms that would otherwise sit empty, so it wasn’t much of a burden for the company.
Unlike me, who was delighted, Syd looked indifferent.
“I don’t think I really need it.”
“Still, take it.”
If nothing else, maybe it could be sold for a million dollars.
Of course, that wasn’t actually possible, since no one but the cardholder could use it.
On the way to the airport, Chairman Taylor even provided a Rolls-Royce Phantom and a chauffeur for us, the same kind they used to transport VIP guests.
There’s no need to refuse kindness when it’s offered.
We rode comfortably to the airport.
When we arrived, I said to Syd, “Go back to Silicon Valley first.”
“What about you, hyung?”
“I’ve got somewhere I need to stop by.”
“Okay.”
Still feeling uneasy, I asked again, “You can get there on your own, right?”
Syd nodded absently.
“Of course. I’m not a kid.”
“......”
But what was this feeling? It was like I was sending a small child off on a plane alone.
Syd burned with passion when it came to the things he liked, but for anything else, he was thoroughly indifferent.
If I left him by himself, wouldn’t he get distracted and end up wandering around the airport?
Too worried to ignore it, I put Syd on his flight first and asked Snow Crash to have a staff member meet him at the airport.
Then I boarded a plane myself and headed to Seattle.
Seattle was already a second visit for me.
By the time I arrived, evening had already fallen.
People were gathering in restaurants and cafés in small groups. Wherever I looked, the city was packed with life, full of energy.
That too was surely thanks to AMZ moving in.
Still, since I’d come all the way to Seattle, I decided to stop by the first Starbucks. But when I got there, the line was too long, so I just walked into a café nearby instead.
As I sat there drinking coffee, I caught the conversation of the people beside me.
I wasn’t sure if they were AMZ employees or staff from some related IT company, but they were talking about the recent incident nonstop.
“Snow Crash tracking down Great Net and taking them out... I never would’ve imagined it.”
“How on earth did they do it?”
“I’m more shocked that they joined forces with Blackwood. Doesn’t that mean they beat ZWS in the service competition?”
“Seriously. Was Snow Crash really that big?”
“After Rolf Buchi was exposed as a fraud and the founders sold out and left, I thought it was finished.”
“Looks like CEO Lucas really is a genius.”
I heard similar talk from other tables too.
From the way people were chattering about it, it was clearly a major industry event. Then again, it had been splashed across the world’s media.
Anyway, I figured I should at least get a place to stay first.
Just as I was about to search for a hotel on my smartphone, I remembered the card I’d received earlier.
No reason to spend money if I didn’t have to, right?
I hailed a taxi and headed straight for the JR Blackwood Hotel.
The JR Blackwood Hotel in Seattle was operating normally.
Judging by the people moving through the lobby and the staff bustling around, everything seemed to be running without a hitch.
I walked up to the front desk.
“Welcome. How may I help you?”
“If the penthouse is available, I’d like to check in.”
I handed the staff member my JRB Card and passport. After checking the card, he looked startled and flustered.
“Please wait just a moment.”
“Sure. Take your time.”
After a short wait, a middle-aged man approached.
“Good evening, sir. I’m Matthew Hollander, the manager of this hotel. It’s an honor to have you with us. Right this way, please.”
I was shown to the penthouse on the top floor.
Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, Seattle’s night skyline spread out below me at a glance. On the tallest building across the way, the AMZ logo was shining brightly.
The manager said to me, “If you need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“I haven’t eaten dinner yet, so could I get room service?”
The menu had everything from Asian food to vegetarian dishes and halal options.
I ordered calamari and lamb steak.
Before leaving, the manager said, “We are sincerely grateful for what you did for Blackwood. We’ll do our utmost to take care of you whenever you need us.”
“Not at all. I’m just glad operations are back up and running.”
Hearing him say that, I couldn’t help wondering what they had written about me in their internal system.
After the manager left, I took a look around the suite.
By floor area, it was roughly 5,000 square feet. There were five rooms including the bedroom, three bathrooms, and separate dining and dressing rooms.
It was far too large for one person.
I had wondered who on earth would sleep in a place like this, and now it turned out to be me. And for free, no less.
When you can enjoy something, you should enjoy it.
After wolfing down the room-service dinner, I flopped onto the bed.
Fatigue crashed over me all at once.
“I can finally catch my breath.”
Truthfully, though I hadn’t said much about it, the past few days had been nothing but tension.
I knew Syd could handle it, but I’d still been on edge, terrified that something might go wrong. Thankfully, everything had ended well.
But it still wasn’t all over.
There was one important matter left.
The next day.
After eating the free breakfast, I called to check out.
That was excellent service.
When I came out with my luggage, an S-Class Maybach and a chauffeur were waiting at the front entrance.
As I slid into the back seat, the driver asked, “Where to, sir?”
I pulled a tie from my pocket and started knotting it as I said, “Please take me to ZWS headquarters.”