The week began with reports that bidding on Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's baby twin photos was skyrocketing past a $15 million mark; today brings word the final sum could hit $22 million, as the tabloids feed the human trafficking frenzy. (What's an ultrasound worth?)

No matter that the two magazines still in the bidding for the photos, People and OK!, claim those figures are wildly out of touch with the actual dollar amounts being tossed around.

But make no mistake: This sale is on track to break all previous records, including the estimated $7 million Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony scored for selling U.S. and European rights to their twins.

As for who's going to end up on top, the smart money is on Time Inc.'s People, if only because they're the only ones with the budgetary backing for oversized deals like this. And despite the rumor that the Richard Desmond-owned OK! is willing to pay any price to snag the pics, we're hearing People's Larry Hackett simply will not allow his magazine itself to lose out on the bidding war with OK!, which, privately, editors there still consider a slipshod attempt at competition.