Chapter 141: Defaulting
[Chapter 141: Defaulting]
In the following days, Ian didn't put out much new material. News needed timing, and right now, it belonged to 9/17. Any news would be overshadowed by coverage of this event, even wasted.
Furthermore, Ian himself was the news. Utilizing the enormous influence he had gained from this event, he kept making public appearances and giving speeches, which suited him best.
James Perry and Gaskill had already helped him connect with some key figures. Ian's next move was to win them over, paving the way for opportunities in the upcoming election, while also working on his future development plans.
On top of that, he had to meet the girls who were concerned about him. He needed to see each of them, directly draining him to a point of exhaustion. Ian had a measured attitude toward Nicole Kidman, but she, on the other hand, had an insatiable appetite!
Sigh!
When would he unlock the abilities of a unlimited stamina?
---
At the headquarters of Carr Media Group, Ian was participating in a unique interview. Gaskill accompanied him. They sat in the office while a young man stood before them.
He appeared bright and cheerful, saying, "Even though I have AIDS, I won't lose hope in life. My idol is Leyso, and I aspire to shine and bring warmth to the world during the remainder of my life, just like him."
Ian responded lightly, "Okay, I got it. You can go now. If we need you, we'll let you know." The young man left.
Gaskill looked at Ian and said, "He's not bad."
Ian shook his head, "Not desperate enough, and I don't want a second AIDS patient. Nobody walks along the river without getting their shoes wet."
Gaskill smiled slightly and said nothing more.
Ian's secretary called out, "Next!"
...
This time, a hefty white guy entered. Standing before Ian, he spoke confidently, "I usually enjoy gaming and sleeping. I'm close to death, and they told me that here, I'd have a chance to unleash my youth for the remainder of my life."
Ian listened quietly until he asked him to leave.
Ian said to Gaskill, "He's not putting in the effort."
...
Soon after, a Black guy came in, and he had a natural charm that made Gaskill chuckle. After a moment, Ian dismissed him, saying, "He talks too much. An excellent journalist should get others to talk, not just go on and on themselves."
...
The interviews continued.
"This guy isn't physically capable; he should be resting on a hospital bed, not here interviewing."
"His family issues will be a huge burden. He needs to be focused on family, not held back by it."
"On the surface, he seems to understand life and death, but in reality, he's just trying to survive. He isn't here to embrace life; he's just looking to scrape by."
"This one is also a bum."
"This one is still a bum."
"This one is alright, but I dislike him. He knows he has AIDS and still sleeps around! I might as well have Crips drown him in a toilet; what a scumbag!"
This last one made Ian thoroughly angry.
...
After interviewing twenty people that day, none had met Ian's standards. Even Gaskill had to urge him, "This isn't dating, Ian."
Ian exclaimed, "But this is a hundred times more important than dating and ten thousand times more complicated! Finding a woman just requires a pretty face, a nice body, and someone who can open their legs, moan, and please, but an exceptional journalist needs the mind of a spy, the physique of an athlete, great skills, keen insight, and the bravery to uphold the glory of journalism above all else."
Gaskill chuckled, "Last time you mentioned spy skills."
Ian shrugged, "Don't nitpick details! I've only just realized that the hospital situation was luck for me, not for you. People like Philip Leyso are hard to come by; losing him is a tremendous loss for me!" Ian's tone was filled with nostalgia and regret.
He slightly missed this guy.
Gaskill leisurely said, "I'll keep looking for you, don't worry. The world isn't short of talent. But in our plans, you might not have much time left."
Ian replied, "That's okay. A journalist can be temporarily absent, but Butterfly will always be there. I can just fill in for now!"
At that moment, a knock came at the door.
"Come in," Ian said.
...
The new secretary, Ida Japp, appeared at the door holding a newspaper. "There's some news you might want to see, boss."
The new secretary was a Yale graduate, calm and composed, and crucially, she had no flirty intentions toward Ian, which pleased him... Did anyone think resisting temptation from secretaries was easy?
Those girls weren't always around!
Seeing the expression on Ida's face, Ian knew something was wrong. He waved her over, "Let me see."
Ida walked over and placed a copy of The New York Times on Ian's desk.
Unfolding the newspaper, Ian's face suddenly darkened.
He slammed his fist on the table and shouted, "Damn! That bastard Howard Stringer thinks he can get away with this?"
Seeing this, Gaskill slowly stood up and took the newspaper. The glaring headline was:
"Does Ian Carr harbor animosity towards Jews?"
"His company hasn't employed any Jews and continues reporting on DreamWorks scandals. According to contact with Sony Pictures CEO Stringer, it seems Ian Carr has a peculiar animosity towards Jews."
"Additionally, we confirm that the lawyer's fees for the Palo's bank robbers were covered by Carr Media. Actively aiding criminals in evading justice -- does this constitute heroism?"
This was different from the previous WND claim that they should turn themselves in and write a book; writing a book was just a business maneuver. Now, they were actively aiding criminals.
Especially in the current nationwide atmosphere of anti-terrorism, Ian's actions seemed to shelter criminals, and for a celebrity, this was a stain on his name.
Even worse, the report was detailed, revealing that they had reached the defense lawyer, who acknowledged that it was indeed Ian Carr who hired him.
Furthermore, Ian was implicated for allegedly discriminating against Jews!
Two consecutive reports had suddenly put Ian Carr on edge.
...
Gaskill wondered, "Has Howard Stringer lost his mind? You've won the bet and are about to become his boss; why would he do this?"
Ian's voice was dark. "Clearly, Sony plans to go back on their word."
Gaskill remained puzzled, "I don't understand. Your bet with them is different from The Times; there's no definitive loser, so why would they default?"
Ian explained, "The terms of the bet between me and Sony greatly differ from those with The Times; the losing side needs to pay very little. Ultimately, regardless of who loses, both end up winning -- it's just a matter of how much. So Sony had no real need to default."
"Hmm, perhaps they see Spider-Man's potential," Ian murmured.
The occurrence of the 9/17 incident created a deep societal yearning for a superhero's emergence. Spider-Man's arrival could greatly fulfill this demand, which was one of the reasons superheroes continued to capture public interest for two decades.
However, per their initial agreement, Ian Carr held the right to obtain 50% of the investment in Spider-Man and equal copyright -- typically, normal investors wouldn't receive the copyright.
Film companies can release or withhold equity based on their confidence in the film. Presently, confidence in Spider-Man had surged, and Ian hadn't made his purchase yet, making Sony reluctant to accept this situation.
In essence, while they claimed there was no loss, Ian had won the bet to control Sony, not the other way around.
With the power dynamics flipped, Sony realized they stood to lose; they wanted Carr Media -- not to be controlled by it!
Yet Ian knew this reasoning lacked strength; it was possible that Spielberg and others had also played a role in this.
Sony was much more adept than the Chandler family; they directly pitted Ian Carr against the Jewish community, simultaneously undermining his heroic image while smoothing relations with Spielberg and the other DreamWorks moguls.
If this maneuver succeeded, it would ease their subsequent steps to go back on their word.
*****
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