When Britain prepared for battle, there was no hiding it. Observers turned their heads to see not only NBC's well-done special but also an intriguing movie being filmed.
British script was about the story of Argentina.
Geez, could you make it any more outrageous?
In this scenario, with war almost inevitable, the movie was fascinating, as was its rather absurd theme song.
With his own MTV, William White wasn't afraid of anyone. The quality of the film aside, he'd first promote the song. No matter how the conflict played out, someone was bound to cry. Such a compelling story needed some buzz.
The most infuriating thing was the pretentious call for peace.
Everyone knew there was no chance for peace now, the only uncertainty being the war's scale.
As a pacifist, NBC naturally aligned with political correctness. Even if the upper echelons were displeased, they were helpless. They knew too well that any sudden change in their narrative would bring accusations of meddling with the news.
While everyone would meddle, they couldn't say too much. How could you interfere? For the sake of a cousin's reputation?
Don't be ridiculous. If there were really such foolish politicians, they'd be better off herding sheep at home, at least then they wouldn't suffer a fall.
Those advocating war were the real villains, so William White was naturally seen as a good guy, making NBC the conscience of America.
William White was speechless at this assessment. He acted according to circumstances, and as for a conscience, he had none. If he did, it might have been fed to the dogs long ago.
...
"Mr. White, this is the valuation; it can't go any higher."
"Alright, what's the situation?"
"Viking Comics is valued at $7.5 billion, the game console company at $7 billion."
"Alright, let's list them in two places."
"Okay, boss, I'll sign the final agreements."
William White felt relieved. His loans were enormous, and most liquid assets were overseas. If anything happened, his funds would be tight.
When Morgan Stanley announced the final valuation, the industry was in an uproar. They couldn't understand where this valuation came from.
Marvel was the stable giant before, now valued at only $200 million.
Atari wasn't doing well either, but it still had a $1 billion valuation. William White's companies were worth seven times that.
The most sarcastic part was that any shares of William White's companies were snapped up immediately, while Atari would be lucky to sell bundled for $500 million.
Most frustrated was Citibank, regretting selling shares to Morgan Stanley.
This was the best outcome. If conflicts weren't mediated, White Enterprises might not deal with Citibank again.
At this point, all conglomerates recognized the fact that William White was growing fast and no force could easily control him.
Conflict was inevitable, but it had to be in the open, with no underhand tactics.
..
"You are back? What's the situation?"
"Sir, Morgan Stanley refused, they don't want any accidents."
"Hmph, that bastard."
"Sir, they have no weaknesses. How do we proceed?"
"Sigh, let's wait and see."
William White had a base on Lanai Island, not a secret among the wealthy. What terrified them was that he even had armed helicopters and armored vehicles.
Owning such equipment wasn't a big deal; they could purchase it too. But there was an issue: William White dared to use them, while they might not.
Facing such a reckless guy was truly a headache. The problem was, he refused to reconcile, presenting a do-or-die stance.
Other old folks were probably laughing by now, unable to deal with such a hothead.
...
"George, no need to persuade me anymore. We're friends, let me be straight -- I've just been lucky, made more money than expected, and if there is any sign of weakness, they'll rip me apart without hesitation."
"Sigh, they have deep roots; your assets are thin."
"Haha, George, you're mistaken there. Deep roots? Is this their family? No, right?"
Bush Jr. was speechless, unable to deny it with shareholders to consider. Such concerns were inevitable.
"Let's leave it at that?"
"Yeah, what's the alternative? They won't give up, and neither will I. When there's a chance, we'll lock horns again."
"Hehe, that's how it is. If they don't restrain themselves, it's not just one or two dealing with them."
Citibank's seniors wanted a truce for a reason -- just as William White predicted, internal dissatisfaction was rising. If they couldn't manage relations, it could become a significant issue.
Investment banks might seem powerful, but they had limitations. With a strong cash flow, there was no need to fear them.
William White couldn't mess with the Star Wars plan, a necessity born of knowing it was a grand deceit. Getting wiped out would leave him with no tears to cry.
The Citibank old-timers likely had no clue their secrets would be long exposed after they were gone.
It's undeniable that someone was unusually lucky. Without all these forces pressuring them, Citibank wouldn't have so easily retreated. Corporate pride wasn't easily compromised, and such a clean exit was indeed an anomaly.
Seeing off Bush Jr., William White breathed a sigh of relief. His words weren't wrong; his foundation was indeed thin, an exercise in reckless chaos.
Repeating the same tactics was ill-advised. If caught red-handed, the trouble would be monumental.
It's good right now: a temporary truce, the old guys at Citibank grabbing military contracts, William White pursuing his money-making plans. A comedic scenario, almost as if someone hit a pause button on him.
*****
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