Creating an Industrial Empire in 19th Century Parallel World

Meanwhile, on the same floor, at another conference room, Poul was detailing the proposal of a power plant that would be built in Washington D.C to Mr. Winston. But in the middle of the proposal, something unexpected happened.

*Bang…Bang…bang bang bang bang!

A sound of gunshot fired rang consecutively outside the conference room. Poul and Winston were startled, jolting in their seats as they whipped their heads to the source of the sound.

"What was that?!" Winston demanded, standing up from his seat. It was clearly evident on his face that he was shaken and confused. Poul, too, was visibly concerned and was already getting up from his chair.

"I'll check it. Please remain seated, Mr. Winston, there is nothing to worry about," Poul assured.

"Nothing to worry about?! Mr. Nielsen, are you out of your mind? That sounded like a gunshot and you are telling me not to worry? I'm going to leave…"

"I'm telling you to remain calm, Mr. Winston," Poul raised his voice, stopping Winston from moving. He continued. "Exiting this conference room without having to ascertain the situation would be dangerous for you. So let me check it, and once I have identified what was going on, I'll inform you."

"But what if your office was filled with…I don't know, armed robbers."

"There is no such thing, Mr. Winstons, this office is guarded by professional security guards who are stationed in the entrance," Poul said. "Look, just stay here for me will you?"

After saying that, Poul exited the door and headed towards the source of the gunshot sound. He had determined it already from the start that it came from where Jonathan was having a meeting.

"Don't tell me…that man fired the pistol," Poul muttered under his breath. As he arrived in front of the door of the conference room, he opened it up and saw Sherman signing a contract, overseen by Sherman, Amelia, and Jonathan.

Poul glanced at Jonathan's hand and saw the pistol. He rubbed the back of his head and spoke.

"What the heck happened here?" Poul demanded.

"I knew you would come after hearing the gunshot," Jonathan said, raising a hand seemingly trying to calm him down. "Mr. Sherman asked for a demonstration and said that he can't wait to see it. So I did what he said and fired the pistol to the floor. No one was hurt so you can rest assured."

"And you didn't even consider the fact that I'm also having a meeting in the opposite room? Really Jonathan? Mr. Winston was terrified by the sound that he thought that armed robbers had entered the building," Poul reprimanded.

"Mr. Nielsen," Sherman put the pen aside and stood. "I would like to apologize in his stead. I requested a demonstration because I wanted to see the capabilities of the pistol that your company created. I was pleased by the result and therefore have signed a contract with your company."

"Is that so?" Poul sighed. "Mr. Sherman, as much as I was pleased to hear that you are doing business with us but your request is way out of line. You have scared my client and now his impressions towards my company will be affected."

"I will talk to Mr. Winstons and asked for an apology," Sherman said. "I understand that what happened was inappropriate, and I take full responsibility for it."

Poul took a deep breath and looked at Jonathan, who was now avoiding his gaze. "Jonathan, I was this little into getting Mr. Winston signed an agreement with us and you almost ruined it…Almost ruined it? I don't know because we haven't gotten to that part. Nevertheless, that was a bad move. If Sherman is our only client of this day, I would have overlooked it."

"Look, Poul. I get your point but can you stop with the condescending attitude. I don't know but you speak so haughty as if you are the only one who is the boss of this company…"

"Okay, gentlemen!" Morgan stepped in, trying to avoid a fight between two founders. "Before we get into a fight, why don't we settle the problem on your end, Mr. Nielsen? Sherman and I will go with you and speak with Mr. Winston," he suggested.

Poul nodded in agreement.

The three of them walked towards the room where Mr. Winston was waiting, hoping to smooth over the situation and salvage the business deal. As they approached the door and entered it, they saw Mr. Winston who was still frightened. But as soon as Winston saw Morgan and Sherman, it disappeared.

"Mr. Morgan. Mr. Sherman. You two are okay? What happened earlier? I heard gunshots."

Sherman walked forward and placed a hand gently on Winston's shoulder. "Mr. Axelsen, Mr. Nielsen's partner, performed a demonstration of their pistol product. The result was remarkable but I have heard that it disrupted your meeting. For that, I would like to apologize and ensure that nothing serious happened," he explained.

"Ah…I see, so that was it huh?" Winston nodded, seeming relieved that it wasn't something more serious.

Poul stepped forward, "Mr. Winston, I would also like to apologize on behalf of our company. We take your safety and comfort seriously and what happened earlier was unacceptable. We hope you can forgive us and still consider doing business with us."

Winston thought for a moment before nodding his head. "As long as it won't happen again during our meeting."

Poul smiled. "Of course, I can guarantee it. So, returning back to our meeting, what do you say? Do you want to sign an agreement with us where we, the Axelsen & Nielsen Electric Manufacturing and Distributing Company, exclusively build a power plant and electrify the whole of Washington D.C and its nearby cities?"

Mr. Winston hummed, deep in thought. The offer was certainly tempting, but he needed to consider it carefully. After a few moments, he spoke up.

"I must say, that is a very ambitious proposal, Mr. Nielsen. But before I agree to anything, I have some questions."

"Please, feel free to ask," Poul replied, eager to address any concerns.

"Well, first and foremost, how long will it take to complete the project? And what kind of budget are we looking at?" Winston asked.

Poul leaned forward, ready to explain. "We estimate that it will take approximately two years to complete the power plant and infrastructure, with a budget of around two million dollars."

Winston raised an eyebrow at the figure. "That's quite a substantial investment. How can you guarantee a return on that investment, especially considering the current economic climate?"

"Well, the rising demand of electricity from domestic and factory uses is soaring every year. If you are thinking short-term, that two million dollars might sound a lot but in the long term, that two million dollars would be a small fraction of the profits that this project can generate. With the power plant providing reliable and affordable electricity to the entire region, businesses and households will be able to expand and thrive. So you can be assured that your investment will be well worth it," Poul explained confidently.

"In that case I think it's best for Washington to select your system."

Poul smiled. "Thank you, you won't regret your decision."