Tenchant nodded and with exaggerated concern said, “Her people told Admin to take it down. For some reason they can’t do it.” He shrugged. “Computer glitch, what I heard.”

“Jesus,” Klay said, studying him. “The talents hidden in this crew.”

“No Jesus in that story,” Erin said. “Speaking of, I heard Terry Krieger’s making an appearance.”

Fox chucked his straw into the aisle and sat up straight. Klay heard his name and looked up. The row in front of him had turned around. “Shit,” he said.

Sharon was squinting into the audience. “Is he here? Tom?”

Timothy appeared, looking down at Klay with disapproval. Klay sighed and followed him to the stage.

“Okay, now stand there.” Sharon pointed to a small red sticker on the stage. “And voilà!”

Lights flickered, and suddenly Terry Krieger rose from the floor and was standing on stage. “Hello, Tom.”

Krieger wore a sweat-stained Chadwick Elephant Orphanage T-shirt, cargo shorts, and sandals. The billionaire was fit, five ten or so, tan, with a short Ollie North–style haircut. “I’m sorry we can’t actually shake hands, Tom. Soon, I hope . . .”

Hologram Krieger turned and faced the audience. “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I’m sorry I can’t be with you in person. But I’m pleased to have this opportunity to say a few words, using Perseus Group technology, to offer a hint of what we have in store as the new owners of this amazing institution. But first, I have someone with me who wants to congratulate Tom Klay on his recent work.”

Hologram Krieger stepped back, and a baby elephant bounded across the stage, its little hologram trunk swinging loosely with joy. The baby stopped at Klay’s feet and reached its trunk toward his face.

“Awww!” Sharon clapped. The audience clapped and marveled with her. Then the tiny elephant turned to the audience, waved its trunk farewell, and vanished.

“You are doing unparalleled work saving elephants, Tom,” Hologram Krieger continued. “Thank you.”

Klay stood motionless until he realized this fiction, and his colleagues, were awaiting a response. He nodded. The hologram nodded back and then turned to the room. “Now, Tom, let me demonstrate how the Perseus Group family of companies can take your work and the work of everyone at The Sovereign to a whole new level . . .”

A large movie screen descended at the back of the stage. Timothy appeared at Klay’s elbow and quietly led him offstage. The room grew still.

WE HEAR: Deep tribal drums.

WE SEE: Tall grass, endlessly lush—day.

VOICE-OVER (deep male bass, James Earl Jones–like): “Dungu, an ocean of green in the heart of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ancient home to . . .”

FADE IN: Elephants.

“. . . ELEPHANTS!”

A herd of elephants walking through tall grass transitions to giraffes running, hippos yawning, storks rising. Then an African village, shot from above, its red clay alleys swept smooth.