After claiming all of Australia as ours, the phone call descended into bedlam. Chairmen were shouting at me and each other, Alphas were trying to speak, and the European Council members were outraged. "Nice way to drop the bomb on them," Nicholas said as we sat patiently.

"And it's just beginning." I watched as Chairman Carver banged his gavel, trying to bring the meeting back to order. Flanking him on the table, I saw Midwest Regional Chairman Lewis Wolfe hold up his glass in a toast to me. I smiled back; he was a friend, and he respected the way I threw down that little nugget like it was nothing....