Enron by Prebble Lucy

Author:Prebble, Lucy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: A & C Black
Published: 2010-07-31T16:00:00+00:00

Act Two

Opening

Enron commercial with ethereal voices singing ‘Why?’

Scene One

Fastow’s lair where LJM has been fully and complexly constructed, like a large, supportive web.

Among the shadows there are strange movements going on. The Raptors scuttle about. Not entirely human sounds. In the centre, Fastow.

The tiny red box is safely put away, buried. We can see it throb. The Raptors creep eerily around in the shadows.

Skilling enters. The Raptors hide.

Skilling Andy? Is everything right down here?

Fastow Jeff ! Everything’s peachy.

Skilling This place has got big.

Fastow You won’t believe the investment I got us. You wanted LJM to look official. Well, I’ve got fifteen million from J.P. Morgan, ten million Credit Suisse, five million from Merrill, everyone wants in with LJM –

Skilling Everyone wants to invest in our shadow . . . ? Why?!

Two more figures emerge from the shadows: it is the Lehman Brothers.

Lehman Brothers Hey, Mr Fastow!

Fastow Oh, wait a second – it’s the fucking Lehman Brothers. What do you guys want?

Lehman Brothers We were wondering –

Fastow I’m busy here, what the fuck d’you want?

Skilling That’s one of the biggest investment banks in the world. You can’t talk to them that way!

Fastow No, but that’s the thing, Jeff. I can! They’re all so desperate to be seen alongside Enron. And who’s Enron’s CFO? Check it out.

Lehman Brothers We were in talks about doing some underwriting work for Enron.

Fastow For Enron?

Lehman Brothers Yeah, we were hoping you’d consider giving us the contract –

Fastow Way I see it, if I give you a contract worth tens of millions of dollars, least you can do is invest in a side project I got going on. Course Enron could always take its business elsewhere –

Lehman Brothers No, no, no, Andy, we heard. What you looking for?

Fastow Let’s start small, how ’bout ten million?

Lehman Brothers Ten million! Everyone up at Enron OK with this, Jeff ?

Skilling What you asking me for?

Lehman Brothers I mean, we assumed it was fine.

Skilling You got a problem with LJM?

Lehman Brothers Not at all.

Skilling You got a problem with Andy?

Lehman Brothers Well, he’s got a certain –

Skilling You do, you got a problem with me.

Lehman Brothers No sir. Absolutely not. LJM’s a real ground-breaking strategy.

The Lehman Brothers give Fastow the money.

Lehman Brothers Nice doing business.

Fastow Good job, fellas!

Skilling Hey, Lehman Brothers!

The conjoined figures struggle to turn round in unison, both pulling in opposite directions. Eventually, they manage it.

Lehman Brothers Yeeees?

Skilling What’s your analyst rating our stock at?

Lehman Brothers Uh, Buy –

Skilling Not Strong Buy?

Lehman Brothers Not right . . . now.

Fastow Let me.

Skilling nods graciously.

Fastow If you rated us Strong Buy, more people would invest in Enron, right?

Lehman Brothers I guess . . .

Fastow And if more people invest in Enron, we can finance more projects, which makes Enron stronger and therefore –

Lehman Brothers Making it a / Strong Buy . . .

Fastow / A Strong Buy! See how it makes sense now?

Now, get the fuck out before I change my mind.

The Lehman Brothers slink out.

Skilling I can’t believe it. Everything upstairs is bullshit compared to this.

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