Chapter 134: Renegotiating Terms

[Chapter 134: Renegotiating Terms]

An hour later, Ian and Shawna finally wrapped up their affair. At the same time, Ian received another phone call. It was from the kidnappers holding Mrs. Carr hostage.

On the other end of the line, the kidnapper sounded frustrated. "I saw the news, Ian Carr. You did great."

Ian replied calmly, "Thanks to you guys, I wouldn't have been on this flight otherwise."

The kidnapper answered, "I'll let Mrs. Carr go."

"Huh?" Ian was taken aback.

The kidnapper continued, "I'm not a fool, Mr. Carr. You're now a hero across the nation, and I know well the fallout of kidnapping your mother. I have one condition: I'll release her right away, but you can't come after us."

Ian chuckled, "Deal, but I have a condition too."

"What?"

"You have to agree to an interview with me."

"What the hell! Are you serious? That's like roasting me on a spit!"

Ian responded, "It's different; you are no longer a kidnapper. As long as you haven't harmed my mother, it's all good. Know Lyle and Gannon?"

"Of course, from Palos Bank."

Ian said, "I convinced them to turn themselves in. I gave them money and helped them get themselves published. I found them the best lawyers, and their trial is still ongoing... What a shame that this case's brilliance got overshadowed, decreasing its residual value."

The kidnapper was silent for a moment.

Finally, the kidnapper said, "What you're saying is..."

Ian nodded, "You too, accept my interview, and I will give you money. I'll help you find lawyers, and considering you voluntarily let her go, you would probably get three months at the most."

"And a book deal?"

"No, you don't have enough material for a book. After all, your plan flopped without any gunfire or car chases, unless you guys intend to pull another stunt."

With a sigh, the kidnapper relented, "Alright, I accept. Wait until you're back in Los Angeles... At least this won't have been a wasted effort, but I'll be exposed as a result. You really are a news magnet, Ian Carr!"

...

After ending the call, Ian reached out to Gaskill.

Lena was on the other end, shouting with enthusiasm, "It's so good to hear you're okay! Are you in that girl Shawna's body now?"

Ian glanced at Shawna, who lay in the blankets, her neck stretched to look at him.

Ian laughed, "No, not right now."

Lena replied, "Remember, I'm still your favorite!"

Ian retorted, "Of course, you always have been, and always will be!"

"When you come back, I have a special gift for you," Lena giggled before hanging up.

...

Then there were calls from Kate Beckinsale, Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Alba, Amanda Seyfried, Helen Berry, and Barbara among others -- not a moment of silence.

...

An hour later, Ian received a call from his mother, confirming that she was safe.

...

The next day at the hospital, they received documents verifying that he and Shawna were unharmed, and Ian and the others were finally discharged.

...

The aftermath of the 9/17 incident had caused all flights in America to be grounded, forcing Ian to drive away instead.

However, he didn't head to Los Angeles; instead, he first took Shawna back to New York. As for Shani, she was no longer Ian's assistant, but he didn't fully let her go; he arranged for her to head to Los Angeles first to work as an editor.

...

After a long day of driving, Ian finally returned to New York at twilight. As he passed through Manhattan, he could still see the distant gray ruins where buildings had collapsed.

The streets were cordoned off, brimming with a sense of panic. The psychological impact of the 9/17 tragedy was just beginning, with its spotlight expected to linger for months before eventually fading, but never fully dissipating.

...

Taking a long route, Ian arrived at CBS headquarters. James Perry was already waiting for him.

He greeted Ian warmly with a hug and turned to Shawna, saying, "Hello Ms. Shawna, you were absolutely incredible on the plane; you saved everyone!"

Shawna smiled, "It was all Ian's courage that inspired me."

James continued with a serious tone, "Can I arrange an exclusive interview for you?"

Shawna looked at Ian, who smiled and told James, "I'm her agent now; Shawna has infinite potential ahead."

"I knew it! I knew it! Ian Carr, you're not only a brave journalist but also an excellent businessman!" James laughed but quickly realized it was not the time for laughter and changed his demeanor. "Alright, we are all friends here, come on in."

As he led Ian into the meeting room, Shawna wisely stepped into another room to wait.

...

Upon seeing the board members again, Ian opened his arms, saying, "Although it's only been 24 hours since we last met, it feels like a century."

The board members all laughed in agreement. James exclaimed, "Let's welcome Ian Carr, our hero! He stepped up in a time of crisis, never forgetting his duty even in life-or-death situations. At the same time, he created a media legend, completing three years of business in just half a month!"

"It's not done yet, my friends," Ian chuckled as he took his seat at the board.

What had been released was still information the public already knew, primarily how Ian's live broadcast had made waves. However, Ian's fight against the hijackers and real-time filming of Leyso on another plane, as well as his private interview with Atta had not been disclosed, which were CBS's core resources to dominate world news -- this massive event would break down into hundreds of news stories, constantly stimulating and provoking public sentiment.

The world's suffering was media's celebration!

...

Once they were seated, James said, "We've watched those two videos; you and Butterfly did great! Breaking them down, we can get ten or even twenty days of world headlines, plus a ton of other related materials. But Ian, I must remind you, if we release them all at once, it will only yield three headlines. And our agreement is that you must generate at least twelve peak headlines! Otherwise, you're not considered to have fulfilled your end of the deal."

Ian laughed, "I knew you'd regret it; I understand. But guys, making such decisions just to get my money sooner isn't a smart move... especially since I helped you all earn a huge profit, right?"

A board member chuckled, "Don't be mad, Ian; James is just joking with you."

Another board member chimed in, "We don't want to break the agreement, but everything is negotiable, right? Eighteen months is too long. Remember, we're a publicly traded company; many issues aren't just internal -- they also involve external scrutiny. If those guys find out about this, they'll question us."

Ian nodded slightly. That was true. After all, CBS had emerged as the biggest winner from this incident.

Ian remarked, "But I was on the plane; no one can question me because of that. If I had known I would get on a plane, I would've borrowed more money to short!"

He felt a sense of helplessness for missing out on a lot of small financial gains.

People are influenced by their environments; while on the plane and witnessing the cries of separation and loss, he regretted his choice, feeling too cruel. But sitting in the CBS boardroom, his mind focused only on how to secure his interests.

"Don't want to delay this eighteen months for my money? Fine, at least throw in some other benefits!"

James then said, "We can offer you another 3% in internal shares, at the same price, but you must pay within six months. We'll also allow you to use the shares as collateral."

"Why?" Ian asked.

Due to timing restrictions, Ian had been barred from using shares obtained early as collateral, which was a concession he previously made. But now, the board was lifting that restriction.

James explained with a smile, "Because we made a foolish mistake before by underestimating you! Now we believe you'll become the brightest star in the media industry. Oh wait, you already are. Someone like you deserves to be a crucial member of our team... There's no need to pressure you with performance metrics; you also need CBS to grow!"

The key point was that Ian had already gained 35% of the voting rights. An extra 3% would provide him with an additional 7% of voting rights without affecting the overall balance. For James, holding Ian's shares equated to gaining greater influence.

Ian burst into laughter.

He said, "I can pay within six months, but I want an additional condition."

"What?"

"I shouldn't be restricted in acquiring other companies in the industry."

The board was shocked. "You want to join other media companies? That's impossible!"

"It's acquisitions!" Ian corrected. "There are too many media companies in the U.S., but there's a lack of a truly dominant player capable of making a decisive impact, and we can be that!"

Everyone stared at him in surprise.

After a moment, James chuckled, "Viacom and News Corp have always wanted to establish the dominant media giant in America."

Ian shook his head gently. "We don't need them; we are one."

"So you'll be the chairman?"

Ian continued to shake his head. "No, management is your forte; mine is obtaining news! I hope that the future CBS will grow into a media giant worth five hundred billion. I don't care about CBS's direct profits; I only care about its intangible influence, which is my personal portion."

Saying this, he smiled slightly. "I have so much inside information that as long as I want, I can continuously produce good news! Ordinary journalists chase news; I am always the one selecting it! Of course, as long as the collaboration is smooth, I will help all of you rake in profits together!"

Ian openly showcased his ambition, putting everyone at ease. It was clear that someone like James Perry, an old hand at leading large media enterprises, was more suited for steering the ship. As long as Ian could break significant stories and remained the largest shareholder, who would dare disregard his opinions?

The board members exchanged looks and then broke into laughter:

"Then it's settled!"

*****

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