[Chapter 300: One Spy In, Two Dead Out]
With the addition of Vivian Chow and Michelle Reis, the estate was bustling with life again. Under Madonna's organization, there were amazing parties and themed events every night.
Linton enjoyed a blissful daily life, rarely living such a steady nine-to-five schedule.
Linton gave Vivian Chow a quartz pendant engraved with a phoenix and a magical array inside, while Michelle Reis received one adorned with a bauhinia flower pattern. He personally put them on and stressed that they must never be separated from these pendants.
...
Vivian Chow's negotiations for the North American release of her English single with Universal Music went smoothly. Thanks to Linton's introduction, Daniel gave full green lights. Hearing that the song Faded was composed by Linton himself, the treatment and distribution resources were equivalent to a second-tier artist.
Linton continued to select Lisa as the producer for Vivian Chow's single. Over years of collaboration, Lisa had earned his full trust.
According to Universal's plans, the recording would be completed in early September, followed by the MV's shooting in mid-September, and the official release on September 23. Afterwards, Vivian Chow would embark on a two-week tour across major American cities for promotional events.
...
However, Daniel's main concern was Linton's singles this year. With September approaching, Linton had yet to release any singles, which seriously affected Universal Music's revenue.
But Linton was well prepared. He presented Daniel with three songs: You Are Not Alone, Water Runs Dry, and I Know.
Considering Linton's busy schedule, both sides agreed that the songs would be recorded by mid-September and the music videos shot by late September. Universal Music made all the necessary preparations. The lead actress for the videos would be chosen through auditions, with Linton having the final say.
The first single You Are Not Alone was scheduled for early October, the second Water Runs Dry for early November, and the third I Know for early December.
...
Robert's producer recruitment plan went well. After the announcement, over 50 applications were quickly received.
After preliminary screening by Robert, 10 candidates were shortlisted for interviews.
Linton personally conducted the interviews and quickly selected three individuals: Nacho Misi, Campos Sisse, and Abella Curry. All three had experience as film producers. Although the movies they produced hadn't done spectacularly at the box office, their production abilities were sound.
More importantly, all three graduated from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, making them senior alumni to Linton. Using his Soul Induction ability, Linton confirmed that none of them harbored ill intentions.
There was one exceptional candidate during the interviews. However, under Linton's Soul Induction test, he was revealed to be a spy sent by the Douglas family.
...
His name was Steve Kahn, a somewhat well-known independent producer in Hollywood. He had produced the box office hit Spring in Kaffe, which was made on a budget of $6 million and grossed $21 million in North America.
His experience and interview performance were outstanding, earning Linton's high approval.
But during a private test, when Linton used Soul Induction, Steve quickly confessed that he was instructed by the Douglas family to infiltrate Linton's film company and spy.
Born into poverty, Steve showed high intelligence from an early age, attracting the attention of the Douglas family. They sponsored him through middle school, university, and graduate school, ceasing support only after his education.
After graduation, leveraging Douglas family connections, he quickly established himself in Hollywood, slowly making a name.
However, despite getting popular, the Douglas family never asked him for any returns until last week.
Marcel Douglas, the production head at Warner Brothers and nephew of the current Douglas family head -- an important member of the family -- contacted him.
After meeting, Marcel produced proof of previous sponsorships and proposed that Steve join Linton Films to collect information and pass it along.
This was outright corporate espionage. Steve refused, even though Marcel had been a benefactor. Breaking the law was beyond his limits.
However, when Marcel offered an additional $500,000 annually, driven by gratitude and financial gain, Steve consented.
...
Hearing this, Linton was furious. The Douglas family kept provoking him repeatedly. This was the third time -- it felt like an unshakable ghost.
Apparently, the lesson from the farm incident wasn't enough. It was time to hit back hard and make them remember.
He also understood why Warner Brothers and the CAA made reckless moves, engaging in a mutually destructive battle. They pitted Interview With the Vampire directly against The Rock, which ended in a devastating loss.
Marcel Douglas surely played a big role, but it was a tragedy for Tom Cruise, causing the reputation of a Hollywood star who was loved by everyone and had countless fans to plummet, and now he can only barely maintain a quasi-first-tier status.
But since they dared scheme against him, Linton vowed not to hold back.
Regarding Steve Kahn, having chosen to side with the Douglas family, he should remember to aim to be a better man in his next life.
...
With that, Linton activated his Soul Slave Mark, turning Steve Kahn into a completely obedient servant.
Once the spell succeeded, Steve awoke and immediately knelt before Linton, saying, "Steve greets the master."
"You're not suitable for this recruitment. Go back now."
"Yes, I obey."
"Do you have a gun?"
"Yes, I carry a Glock 17."
"Good. After going back, call Marcel Douglas and arrange a meeting at the Turkey Bar tonight. When you meet, shoot him dead with your pistol, then kill yourself. Can you do that?"
"Absolutely, I will complete the task."
"Go, but behave normally. Don't arouse any suspicion."
"Understood, master."
Though Linton's current power allowed only 5 active Soul Slave Marks, Steve wouldn't be a long-term occupant. In 1-2 days, he'd join Marcel Douglas in the afterlife, freeing up a slot.
...
At 9 PM, the slave mark on Steve disappeared, signaling mission completion.
The next morning, Linton saw headline news everywhere:
"Another vicious shooting in Hollywood leaves two dead."
"Warner Brothers executive Marcel Douglas publicly shot dead in a bar."
"Hollywood independent producer Steve Kahn shoots Warner Brothers executive Marcel Douglas, then commits suicide. Was it revenge or...?"
Essentially, Steve followed Linton's instructions exactly: he shot Marcel at the Turkey Bar, then turned the gun on himself.
Linton smiled grimly. Perfect.
This was the warning to anyone who dared send spies again: one spy in, two dead out. Let's see how many survive the kill.
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.