The Spanish Prisoner1997

George Lang:
The Process. And by means of the Process, to control the global market.

Businessman 1:
And this Process is complete?

George Lang:
It's near completion.

Businessman 1:
"Near completion."

George Lang:
Very near. This team which Mr. Ross — the Team. The Team. And I think, if I may, uh, Mr. Klein, it would not be amiss to state that both the work and the inspiration for the process was —

Mr. Klein:
Thank you, George. I know you'll understand when I say that's neither here nor there. These gentlemen have come down to hear the good news.

Joe Ross:
The good news is control of the market.

[The Businessmen interrupt him.]

Joe Ross:
Obviously, we don't want to get too specific, for security reasons. So, my task today is to tell you those things which I can in laymen's language. I think I can break it down sufficiently to give you a pretty firm idea of —

Mr. Klein:
The Process, yes.

Businessman 2:
How long can we hold on to it before the competition steals it?

Mr. Klein:
Well, we defend it. Of course. Tooth and nail. This is a proprietary process.

[The Businessmen engage in cross-talk.]

Joe Ross:
Without the data, without our actual data, without the formula, the Japanese, or anyone else, for that matter, would have nothing. Should you give us the go-ahead, their actual — [He hesitates and looks at George.]

George Lang:
The legal issues are these. We have both the de facto and the de jure copyright of that process. It was developed by —

Joe Ross:
Even if they should engage in piracy, their search and development time —

George Lang:
— their catch-up time —

Joe Ross:
— would put them back — George?

George Lang:
Three?

Joe Ross:
Three to five years.