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As he sips his champagne, Fernandez, who lives in Potomac, asks Ein: Where in the Washington area can he could take his young children to learn how to ski?

Ein deadpans: "On your NetJets? Aspen."

Even as the guys on board relax, they keep one eye on their various businesses. Laptop computers are frequently checked, as are cellphones and BlackBerrys. Fernandez suggests that Tavlarides check out Reactrix, an interactive advertising company "that's completely in your space." Tavlarides asks Fernandez about his video surveillance company: "What's the detection range of your software?"

Wrestling with his computer's power cord, Ein begins a riff on charging his various tech toys. "I carry extra batteries everywhere. I have three or four batteries for all my devices. It's much easier than carrying a charger. So here's the thing. Check this out. I carry these 'tips' around." He takes a gadget out of a handful of them. "I can use it as an adaptor for every device. Now that's something to get excited about."

The G-4 speeds over the Plains states and it's time to turn on the television show "24." "It's the only show I'm addicted to," Ein says. Fernandez watches for a minute and makes an observation: "You know the thing about '24'? Jack Bauer is on his phone all day and his battery never runs out."

As the three divide their screen attention between their laptops and "24," the talk turns to the potential sales price of the Chicago Cubs ("It all depends on the media deal and stadium," Ein says), the home crowd at Duke University's Cameron Indoor Stadium ("The most orchestrated taunting I've ever seen," Fernandez says) and the upcoming road trip to the Super Bowl in Miami. Fernandez and Tavlarides muse on the best Miami restaurants and then talk logistics for getting to a party in South Beach at the former mansion of the late designer Gianni Versace.

The attendant announces dinner. A buffet is laid out: sushi, tenderloin with horseradish sauce, potato salad. There are a couple of bottles of cabernet sauvignon and a basket of desserts. As they eat, Raul treats his guests to a PowerPoint presentation on one of his company's new product lines. Ein asks some sharp questions: "Why do you need video when infrared can turn the lights on or off in an office?"

After dinner, Ein pulls out some reading material -- the Economist, the Wall Street Journal and the Robb Report, a sort of consumer guide for the wealthy. On Tavlarides' lap is a copy of Fortune magazine, with a cover story headlined "In Search of Billions."

Fernandez, who in his youth was a legislative assistant to Republican congressman Jack Kemp, speculates about Sen. Barack Obama's chances of winning the Democratic nomination for president.

"Maybe Barack is the M.J. Maybe he's that good," says Fernandez, referring to former basketball superstar Michael Jordan, whom Fernandez came to know during Jordan's stint with the Wizards.

Each of the three routinely gets hit up for political contributions. Fernandez tells about meeting Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton at a dinner party in McLean, and said he was impressed with her command of the issues. "She was well briefed," he says.

The little jet speeds on.