X.III Product Placement

The crowd exploded.

"Raise two-fifty mil!"

"NUMBER 25 RAISED TO ONE TWO FIFTY! DO I HEAR ONE POINT FIVE? ONE POINT FIVE?"

Across the room, the repairman saw a tall man raise his numbered sign, responding to the announcer's call. Was he not gonna say anything? Or-

"33 RAISED TO ONE POINT FIVE!-"

Eremes could barely think before the announcer chanted out the added value for the auction. What just-

"Two bil!"

"TWO BIL FROM THE-"

"Two point five here!"

"TWO POINT FIVE-"

"Two seventy-five!"

"TWO SEVENTY-FIVE! FROM THE DASHING GENT AT THE FRONT!"

The head of maintenance could barely contain his whiplash as he tried desperately to follow the volley of bids flying out of the people around him. What was even happening?! The last he heard was-

"Two eighty!"

"Two point nine!"

"TWO POINT NINE! TWO POINT NINE! DO I HERE A THREE!-"

Huh? Wasn't the price just at two seventy-five a moment ago? How fast can the price go up? At this rate they might not even be able to bid! Though Miss Mendel did plan on