Adrian Quincy said impassively, "A billion is a trifle."
Orion Osborne's thin lips parted. "Where did you get that kind of money?"
"From a friend," Adrian Quincy said.
The words had barely left his mouth when he raised his paddle again, his voice low. "Seven hundred million."
The auctioneer cried out, "Seven hundred million from gentleman number one!"
Orion Osborne followed suit, raising his paddle. "Seven hundred and fifty million."
"Gentleman number two bids seven hundred and fifty million!" the auctioneer announced.
Adrian Quincy raised his paddle as well...
In the blink of an eye, the bidding war pushed the price to nine hundred million.
The next benchmark, one billion, would be the limit for these two.
Orion Osborne was the first to act. He raised his paddle, skipping the smaller increments past nine hundred million and calling out, "One billion."
