Chapter 146: The War Begins
[Chapter 146: The War Begins]
Since the events of September 17th, Ian had been busy attending various galas.
He negotiated business deals with bigwigs, engaged in corporate mergers, occasionally participated in interviews, and continued to elevate his reputation.
In addition to Mayhill Construction, Ian had acquired the remaining shares of Spark TV and other websites to consolidate them into the Los Angeles News Network, or LANN.
This became Ian's very own news network, comprising television stations, newspapers, websites, magazines, and film companies.
However, it predominantly focused on print media at that stage, slowly transitioning into television and online platforms.
Initially, Ian had faced restrictions in this area due to his shares in CBS, but after renegotiating the agreement, CBS lifted the limitations on his independent news network to expedite payment.
This allowed Ian to fully develop his enterprises.
It meant that he would soon go back to his old tricks, extracting the resources he needed from CBS.
Of course, since he wasn't the chairman of CBS, he couldn't be as overt as he was with the Signet Daily; he had to take a more careful approach.
As a result, Ian had not leaked any significant exclusives during this time.
...
On the other hand, Sony remained tough and firmly rejected Ian's overtures.
Ian understood that this was due to Jewish support.
Over the year, Ian's rapid expansion and his unfriendly stance toward Jewish interests had led many influential Jewish figures to view him with hostility.
Although Ian had never openly expressed animosity, it had yet to evoke widespread enmity among all Jewish groups.
Most of the discontent directed toward him resided within Hollywood.
Ian wasn't worried about this, though.
What he needed to focus on was reaping the benefits that September 17th had provided him and to solidify his position before he could truly confront the Jewish elite.
---
On October 29th,
the White House announced troop deployment to Afghanistan, about 12 days later than in Ian's original timeline.
He had anticipated this; even before the announcement, his media group had begun promoting hate and building momentum under the White House's guidance.
The military-industrial complex needed to sell arms, media outlets sought sensational stories, politicians required achievements, and even oil companies were interested -- even if Afghanistan didn't produce oil, it was near oil-rich countries, which meant plenty of backstage connections!
Once they dealt with Afghanistan, Iraq would be next!
Thus, America's top brass largely agreed it was time to start a war.
Even Ian wasn't opposed to it and had proactively purchased stocks in the defense sector.
Of course, he wouldn't personally go into the field to cover the war news.
First, his skills weren't up to par, lacking depth perception and the ability to face combat; he had no confidence in a situation filled with gunfire -- this wasn't a child's game of gangster shootouts; it was all about firepower; his petty skills wouldn't mean much in the chaos.
Secondly, with the sound of gunfire everywhere, he knew he couldn't contribute any special narratives; it would be just another series of war reports with nothing but raw intensity, lacking a compelling storyline.
So he decided to leave the heavy lifting to his subordinates.
That's why, during this time, Ian focused on gathering significant news but refrained from releasing it -- controlling the pace of good news was essential.
After September 17th, the Afghanistan conflict dominated headlines; other big stories would lose their value.
This was also why Ian concentrated his efforts on his mergers and operational strategies.
---
Today, Ian was at the office reviewing reports and listening to Deryl Chandler and others provide updates when he received a call from Jessica Alba.
Recently, Helen Berry, Scarlett Johansson, Shawna, and others had joined Lockbridge Productions, but with no films currently in production, Ian had been generous and continued to provide them financial support.
As planned, Ian intended to make another move in the film industry -- this time in terms of management rather than expose.
At that moment, he answered the phone, saying, "Hey, Jessica, what's up?"
On the other end, Jessica's voice was anxious: "Chatham refused to terminate my contract; he threatened me!"
---
At a midnight cafe under Beverly Hills, true to its name, business was slow during the day.
When Ian walked into the cafe, he spotted Dan Mills sitting in a corner, sipping authentic American black coffee -- pure and unadulterated, no cream or sugar.
Though Dan was often viewed as a sleazy character with little talent, he had a knack for making connections.
Ian had taken an interest in Lockbridge Productions due to Dan's shamelessness and his extensive network, which could provide Ian with valuable insider information for precise strikes.
A laptop sat on the floral tablecloth, and the rotund man appeared to be working, though his eyes were secretly following the waitress.
He couldn't take his eyes off her, could he?
Upon noticing Ian's arrival, Dan flashed a grin and waved his plump hand, calling, "Over here, boss!"
Ian walked over and settled into the hard sofa across from him.
He glanced out the window as snowflakes drifted down, covering the ground in sparkling white frost, while only a few pedestrians could be seen outside.
With Christmas approaching, some shops had placed Christmas trees out front decorated with colored lights.
...
As Ian sat down, Dan looked at him with envy and admiration.
In a respectful tone, he handed Ian a folder, saying, "Here's the information you requested."
Ian took the folder and studied it attentively, casually asking, "How's business been lately, Dan?"
Dan sighed and shook his head, replying, "Not great; there's very little business, and everyone's quite frustrated."
Ian inquired, "Can Shawna and the others help you make some money?"
Dan shrugged. "You know, you're not very popular in Hollywood, boss."
Ian chuckled but said nothing further, continuing to look over the information.
He soon set the folder down, asking, "So, this Chatham guy's with UTA?"
UTA, or United Talent Agency, was one of the major talent agencies in the U.S., representing A-list celebrities like Johnny Depp, Harrison Ford, the Coen Brothers, Jennifer Lopez, and more.
Their true rise came in 1995 when Michael Jackson switched from CAA to UTA.
In 1998, UTA raided CAA to acquire top agent Tracy Jacobs, who had one key client: Johnny Depp.
During this time, they established an independent film division, actively investing in film production to enhance their influence.
UTA had also been actively seeking partnerships with television networks, having previously collaborated on The Sopranos; if Ian wanted to, as a CBS shareholder, a single word from him could persuade UTA to let go of Chatham.
But Ian preferred not to take that route.
That meant he would owe UTA a favor, which he would have to repay in the future.
When a cheaper solution exists, why choose an expensive one?
Especially since the other party was acting unscrupulously.
This Chatham guy had threatened Jessica, saying if she didn't renew her contract, no one in Hollywood would hire her; he even brought in gangsters for intimidation.
The Fort City Boys 13 were a predominantly white gang.
The guy Ian turned into a burning torch, Garlick, was a member of this gang.
Having understood the situation, Ian asked, "Is he staying home tonight?"
Dan raised his hands in defeat. "It's hard to say; agents and producers are nomadic, we move around a lot."
"Then help arrange it," Ian stood up, saying, "This shouldn't be difficult, right?"
*****
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