Bridge Across the Ocean, set in 2011-12, is the story of four MIT grads and entrepreneurs in their mid-thirties who founded Smithworks, a high-end custom bicycle maker, a decade earlier. Now Jedediah Smith, Shieh-Seng "Luke" Lin, David Bondsman and Rick Saundersson have invented the most innovative bicycle drive in history, the Spinner. A week before they are to leave for Taipei, Taiwan, to discuss a licensing agreement with Joyful Bike, the world's largest bicycle maker, Luke is killed by a hit-and-run driver. The remaining three persevere, but at Tokyo's Narita International Airport are set upon by two Japanese agents of business espionage. These "information worms" pursue the cyclists to Taipei and a game of espionage-counterespionage ensues. At Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport, they are greeted by Jung-Shan Lai, Joyful's director of business development. The next day she introduces them to Joyful's president and CEO, Ming-Chang Zheng, who gifts them Joyful's most sophisticated, expensive carbon-fiber bikes. Jung-Shan takes them on some exhilarating rides along the rivers of New Taipei City, into the mountains north, and the Penghu Islands. The three Americans often find themselves experiencing culture shock, both social and business, while trying to thwart the attacks and intrusions by the Japanese information worms with Jung-Shan as their guide. The Americans are eager to make a deal, but Jung-Shan advises, “Business done quickly is business done badly.” Mr. Zheng works to knit four companies together to manufacture the Spinner in one of the most challenging business partnerships ever attempted. Will the Spinner deal be made? Will the espionage agents be caught? Will Luke’s killer be found and apprehended? How will things turn out for Jed and Jung-Shan?