Two days after Fluor's acceptance, Manila felt different.

Not louder. Not quieter.

Just… sharper.

As if the city itself sensed that something monumental was underway behind the tinted windows of TG's headquarters.

Inside Timothy's office, the blinds were drawn halfway, letting in slanted morning sunlight that cut across the floor. He sat behind his desk reviewing a progress chart on his monitor—Helios's capital mobilization, the NuScale transitional roadmap, and Fluor's draft exit memorandum.

Everything was moving.

Too smoothly.

He didn't like it.

Hana entered without knocking, tablet in hand, expression tight. Not stressed. Not panicked. Just… tense.

That alone made Timothy look up.

"What happened?"

Hana exhaled once. "Sir… the call came."

Timothy leaned back slowly. "Which call?"

"The one we were expecting."

She paused.

"CFIUS."

The room cooled.

They both knew this moment was inevitable.

No nuclear acquisition involving a foreign-linked entity ever escaped the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

Still, the timing was fast—faster than their lawyers predicted.

Timothy nodded. "Bring it in."

"They want a meeting in thirty minutes," Hana said, already swiping her tablet. "Audio only. No video. They insisted."

"Good," Timothy said calmly. "Let's see how friendly they pretend to be."

Thirty minutes later.

Executive meeting room.

The lights dimmed. A secure landline on the table blinked green.

Timothy sat at the head, Hana to his right, the IT team off in the corner monitoring encryption status. The air conditioner hummed softly, but it couldn't mask the quiet tension settling in the room.

Hana pressed the button.

A click.

Then a voice.

"This is Special Counsel Rebecca Hart, calling on behalf of the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment. We understand you are the representative for Helios Strategic Holdings?"

Timothy rested an elbow on the table. "Yes. This is Timothy Guerrero."

Another click.

Another voice joined, older and harder.

"And this is Deputy Director Alan Rutherford. Mr. Guerrero, we've been informed of your firm's attempt to acquire a controlling interest in NuScale Power."

Ah.

There it is.

The watchdogs smelled something.

Timothy didn't flinch.

"Helios has submitted a notice of intent," he said. "A standard pre-acquisition filing."

"Standard?" Hart repeated, tone sharpened. "You are attempting to obtain influence over a nuclear technology company, Mr. Guerrero. Nothing about that is standard."

Hana typed notes silently.

Rutherford spoke next. "We are calling to express preliminary concerns. NuScale's reactor design is classified as sensitive technology. Its exportability, research data, and strategic implications require strict review."

"Of course," Timothy replied. "And Helios is a U.S. company."

Hart's tone cooled. "A U.S. company barely one week old."

"So?" Timothy asked. "New companies aren't automatically suspicious, are they?"

Silence.

Then Rutherford said, "Helios is funded by foreign capital."

Timothy smiled faintly. "Quite a number of U.S. companies are funded by foreign capital. Wall Street doesn't seem to mind."

Hart didn't appreciate the jab.

"Mr. Guerrero," she said slowly, "our concern is that Helios appears to be a shell."

Here we go.

"I assure you," Timothy said calmly, "Helios has substantial capital, legal compliance, and U.S. oversight. You have our filings."

"We have," Hart replied, "but your structure raises questions."

Rutherford added, "And those questions must be answered before we allow any continuation of this acquisition."

Hana subtly glanced at Timothy—waiting for his cue.

He nodded slightly.

"Then ask," Timothy said.

A rustle of papers on the other end.

Hart spoke first. "Who are the beneficial owners of Helios Strategic Holdings?"

Timothy: "Helios is majority funded by private clean-energy investors."

Rutherford: "Names."

Timothy smiled. "You'll receive that during Stage Two review. Not before."

Hart's tone tightened. "That is not optional."

"It is," Timothy countered. "Your own review process outlines the timeline. Helios is fully compliant with Stage One requirements. You don't get Stage Two disclosures until we reach Stage Two."

Silence again.

He'd caught them pushing beyond protocol.

Rutherford cleared his throat. "Fine. Next question. Why is Helios attempting a full controlling acquisition rather than a minority or joint-venture stake?"

Timothy didn't hesitate.

"Because NuScale doesn't need another partner to slow them down. They need capital and direction. I intend to provide both."

Hart: "You're not concerned this raises national security implications?"

Timothy: "A bankrupt nuclear company raises more national security implications."

Even Hana blinked at that one.

Hart sounded irritated now. "Mr. Guerrero, let me be direct. CFIUS is concerned that Helios may be acting under the direction of a foreign corporation."

Timothy: "Helios acts under my direction."

Hart: "And you?"

Timothy paused.

"I'm an investor."

"Based where?" she pressed.

"Everywhere," Timothy replied.

Rutherford: "That is not an answer."

"It's the only one you need right now."

Silence again.

Longer this time.

Hana sensed the shift—CFIUS wasn't used to resistance.

Finally, Hart spoke.

"We will be initiating a full review of Helios and its acquisition attempt. You are required to submit expanded documentation within ten business days. Failure to comply will result in a formal investigation."

Timothy remained unmoved.

"Then we'll comply."

Rutherford added, "And Mr. Guerrero… you should know that if we find any discrepancy, any undisclosed foreign influence, we will block this acquisition entirely."

"Then don't find any."

The line went silent.

Then—

Click.

The call ended.

The room exhaled collectively.

Hana placed her tablet down slowly. "Sir… that was…"

"Expected," Timothy finished for her.

She nodded. "CFIUS already sounds suspicious. They'll dig deep. Very deep."

"They'll dig," Timothy said, standing. "But they won't find anything. Because Helios is clean."

"On paper," Hana corrected.

"And paper," Timothy said, "is what governments obey."

She couldn't help smiling. "What's the next move?"

Timothy walked to the window, overlooking Manila's skyline.

"We're sending Stage Two documents," he said. "But not too fast. Let them sweat."

"And NuScale?" she asked.

"Reyes stays calm. Fluor stays silent. Helios stays American."

Hana nodded slowly. She could feel it—the gears turning, the stakes rising.

"And us, sir?" she asked.

Timothy's reflection in the glass was sharp, composed, unshaken.

"We prepare," he said quietly. "Because that call wasn't a warning."

He turned to her.

"It was the opening shot."

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