Creating an Industrial Empire in 19th Century Parallel World

Three days had passed since their arrival to New York, now the team stood at the doorstep of their headquarters in Pittsburgh. Poul Nielsen, dressed impeccably in a sleek black suit, was greeted by a swarm of eager employees. Their hands fluttered in the air, hoping to catch Poul's attention and earn his recognition. Poul acknowledged their warm welcome and reciprocated the gesture, his expression reflecting gratitude. As one unified entity, Poul and his team strode purposefully toward the main office.

"Welcome back, Mr. Nielsen," the guard stationed at the main entrance exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine warmth as he swung open the heavy doors.

"Thank you," Poul responded with a nod, acknowledging the guard's greeting. With measured steps, he crossed the threshold and entered the building. Inside the reception hall, Beatrice, the dedicated receptionist, couldn't contain her surprise and delight at the safe return of her esteemed employer. A radiant smile illuminated her face as she witnessed Poul's arrival.

"Welcome back, Mr. Nielsen," Beatrice said.

"Thank you," Poul said as he returned a smile.

Even though Poul is not the only one who returned to Pittsburgh, it felt like Poul is the center of attraction.

Boarding an elevator, they made their way up and settled into their offices.

Poul sat in his office chair and leaned back on it. He had missed its familiar comfort, and feeling it again made him feel a sense of groundedness and reassurance. The weight of the recent events still lingered in his thoughts, but being back in familiar surroundings offered a brief respite.

"The employees missed you so much, Poul," Jonathan remarked. "To the point that they didn't even notice us."

"That's true," Amelia added. "By the way, Mr. Nielsen. It is good to have you back working with us."

"Yeah, there will be a lot of work from this moment forward," Morgan chimed in. "Mr. Nielsen, our efforts on getting you back from the British must not be wasted."

"Everyone, I want to thank you again for your help and support," Poul said. "Don't worry, I will work thrice as hard to compensate for your dedication and to ensure that our collective efforts yield meaningful results."

Poul's voice resonated with sincerity, his gaze meeting each team member's eyes as he spoke.

"I'll be going back to my room Poul," Sara said. "I have to get ready for my shift, I'll see you later, Poul," she said casually.

Poul nodded and Sara left the office.

"Well, I'll stay here for three days and return to New York and get back to work," Caroline said. "Jonathan, you are going to come with me right?"

"Of course, the metro station isn't going to build itself," Jonathan chuckled. "Though technically it can, the team still needs my guidance and direction."

"Okay, the first order of business everyone, was the World's fair a success for our company? Did it fulfill its goal of having our name known and our product?"

Poul asked, shifting the focus back to their overarching objectives.

Amelia leaned forward, her eyes shining with enthusiasm. "Absolutely, Mr. Nielsen! Our pavilion attracted thousands of visitors, and some investors from other countries are looking forward to having our product sold in their countries. They also expressed their willingness to partner with us. Our presence at the World's Fair has definitely raised our profile and opened new doors for expansion."

Poul's face brightened with satisfaction as he listened to Amelia's report. "Despite experiencing a small hiccup due to my scandal, we managed to showcase our innovation and capture the attention of potential investors and collaborators. What did they specifically like?"

"Well, they liked the automobile and the electric appliances," Amelia answered.

"In that case, we'll focus on that," Poul said and continued. "Oh, Jonathan, Morgan, you two said that you used our weapon prototype as a bargaining chip to get me out right?"

"That is right," Jonathan said. "I told you that before, they want it now."

"Is it possible with our current infrastructure to mass produce those weapons?"

Jonathan nodded his head. "With small refurbishments and upgrades to our manufacturing facilities, we can certainly ramp up production," Jonathan replied confidently. "We have the expertise and resources to meet the demand. So once it is done, we can get it rolling."

Poul nodded in agreement. "Excellent. I know you still have a project to complete in New York but our weapon enterprise takes precedence, we don't want the government to wait for results so I'm thinking that maybe you can focus on our weapon enterprise for six months, and then once everything is going smoothly, you can shift your attention back to the project in New York.

"I will speak to my associates back in New York and inform them of the change in priorities," Jonathan said.

"Eh? So…Jonathan won't be staying in New York for a while?" Caroline glanced at Jonathan, a mixture of surprise and sadness evident in her eyes.

"Well, work is work, Caroline. But don't worry, I'll get back to you as soon as I've settled things here and ensured the weapon enterprise is on track."

"I understand, Jonathan. You can take as much time as you need to ensure the smooth operation of the weapon enterprise. Besides, you, making a lot of weapons, means I have to ramp up the production of gunpowder. So I'll be busy too."

Caroline's voice held a hint of excitement, knowing that her own role in the company would be crucial in supporting Jonathan's endeavors.

Poul observed their interaction and couldn't help but smile. His gaze flickered between Caroline to Jonathan, a playful glint appearing in his eyes.

"You know," Poul said, his voice taking on a mischievous tone, "seeing the two of you work together so seamlessly, it makes me wonder..."

Caroline raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Wonder about what, Poul?"

Poul leaned forward in his chair, his smile widening. "When are you two going to get married? You already planned for it right?"

Caroline's eyes widened in surprise, and Jonathan's cheeks flushed slightly.

"Oh, a marriage, huh?" Morgan chimed in, unable to contain his curiosity. "I didn't know the relationship between you two has gotten that close. Do inform me of the wedding date, I'll surely attend."

Caroline and Jonathan exchanged a glance, their surprise slowly giving way to amusement. Jonathan cleared his throat, finding his voice again.

"Well, Morgan, we haven't exactly set a date yet," Jonathan replied, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Maybe after finishing the metro station in New York, we'll have more time to think about it."

Caroline nodded, her own smile growing wider. "Yes, we want to make sure that everything is done on our end. But rest assured, Morgan, you'll be the first to know when we set a date."

Morgan chuckled. "Fine."

As they were having a joyful conversation, a telephone on Poul's desk suddenly rang, breaking the pleasant atmosphere in the room. The team's laughter faded, and all eyes turned toward the ringing phone. Poul reached for it and answered the call, his expression shifting to one of focused attention.

"Who is it? Ah, the media are already here huh? Very well, Beatrice, let them in."

After that, he hang up the phone and turned to his team, a hint of seriousness in his eyes.

"It seems the media is already here," Poul informed them. "I'll be preparing to face the questions and address any concerns they may have. Everyone is dismissed except for Amelia."