Gold & Schauer hires Ben Etxina to gather information for its investments after his account of Bay Area patronage networks circulates online. Its assignments give him regular investigative work in Homonoid, following the decline of his erotic-fiction career.
The firm’s leveraged poultry positions send Ben to a Central Valley chicken farm to look for signs of avian influenza. He uses binoculars and printed guidance, then types his findings on an IBM Selectric and sends them by digital fax. The firm accepts his report without photographs. Ben hopes the job will earn $20,000, but Chester Gold later tells him the trade was a wash, with no movement in Tyson. Expenses will be reimbursed. Performance compensation will not.
Chester immediately proposes an investigation into screwworm affecting cattle. Ben declines because he has accepted the Hammett recovery job, while making clear that he is not quitting. He offers to renegotiate later if Chester wants exclusive, on-call service.
When Ben establishes Mission Critical, Chester is among the people making new inquiries. Ben identifies him to his employee as a regular client.