[Chapter 612: Paradise]
"Barry, regarding that Rodney King video, my guys tell me that what CBS received isn't the full version, it's been edited."
"Mr. White, even so, police brutality is a big issue. People are really concerned about excessive use of force right now."
"Ha! I don't care about that. Whether it's excessive use of force or not should be decided by a judge. What I'm telling you is, we can't mislead the public; that's not a good idea. I've bought the unedited tape, you handle it from here. This is NBC's stance. Barry, if public opinion gets too distorted, we're headed for disaster. Do you know what Los Angeles is like these days? It's like a powder keg."
"So serious?"
"Ha! If it's nighttime, I wouldn't recommend you going into the neighborhood of your African American friends. It may not have been safe before, but trust me, now it would be a disaster."
"I get it, Mr. White. We'll clarify on air."
"Hmm, no need to explain much. Just tell them this is the full tape. What they saw before was edited by people with ulterior motives."
William White certainly needs to clarify this; the truth is scary enough. If it's intentional, then he's in for trouble.
William White is sure this situation will be exploited. He doesn't want to be someone else's pawn.
If you all want to switch leaders, that's up to you. Just don't think about leveraging my platform.
...
The plane landed on Lanai Island, where he might be spending some time next year. He needs to confirm what else is lacking here.
"Sir, the mission is complete."
"Ha ha, come on, Max, let me see what you brought back."
"Okay, everything is in the underground vault of the auction house."
"Good, let's go."
With continued investment, Lanai Island is no longer that desolate little isle. Although the number of tourists has decreased significantly, the island is still bustling. This is the preferred vacation spot for America's IT elites.
The reason is simple; the communications facilities on this island are anything but shabby. Beyond that, many high-tech toys undergo testing here.
"What the heck, did Saddam just rob an LV store?"
"Ahem, sir, they've robbed all the luxury goods stores. Those gold trinkets were taken right off the counters, along with various expensive watches."
"Tsk tsk, no wonder they're losing. With that kind of money, who wants to go to war? Wife, kids, and an air conditioner -- that's the real deal."
"That's not all; there's 45 tons of solid gold here. I've checked, and these are all marked by banks, not belonging to the Kuwait government."
"No wonder such a long bill needs to be paid by Saddam; there's just a limit to what can be stolen from a country. The private losses are just staggering."
"That's the case. No one really knows how much that guy stole; there isn't an accurate number. If compensation is needed, it'll take at least a hundred years."
"Alright, that money will be transferred to a Swiss bank account. Let's split it quickly; those wanting to vacation can go right now."
"Got it, those guys are already going crazy with joy."
"Tell them to settle down; such money-making opportunities are not that common."
William White knows that telling them to cool it is probably pointless. They're all involved in risky business; since they're on break, they'll certainly try to push their luck.
Reviewing his gains, William White feels quite pleased. This unexpected income is a nice boost for him.
What? Gold is depreciating?
Ha! A tiny Kuwait has hoarded so much gold. You have to know, they still keep over a hundred tons in the U.S. Federal Reserve.
If you were to go gold hunting in the desert, you'd be shocked to find that this is indeed the place with the most gold.
Tsk tsk, no wonder the Bretton system couldn't hold up. With so much gold collected, how much is left to circulate in the world?
"Max, there is already a a suspect in the Lockerbie disaster."
"Who?"
"Guess."
"Sir, if it's Gaddafi, that would really suit America's interests."
"Hmm, he's the prime suspect. Once that group comes back from vacation, you need to reorganize. If we're short on manpower, find more people."
"Sure, if it's really him, we need to go hard."
William White knows Max lost friends in the Lockerbie crash. He has a deep hatred for this puppet master.
"Honestly, it might not even be Gaddafi. There are too many suspicious aspects to this. He's not an idiot; he wouldn't be that reckless. Seeking revenge for an adopted daughter? Ha! Even if she were his biological child, he might not go that far."
"True enough, but sadly, we might never get to the truth on this one."
"Hang in there, Max. Take care of their kids."
After settling things here, William White returned to his luxurious villa. Well, let's just call it a villa for now.
...
Hawaii is hot year-round; generally, there's just wet and dry seasons. With no industries, the only power source switched to natural gas, so the air here is pretty good.
Here, the only one who can use a gasoline-powered car is William White. As for everyone else, they have to rely on golf carts.
Tourists actually appreciate this regulation. They come for vacation, and Lanai Island isn't large; a golf cart is more than enough. In fact, they prefer the free bicycles.
Breathing here feels different -- not the short, hurried gasps. If it weren't for his plans that aren't complete yet, William White wouldn't want to leave this place.
"Fulton, is the medical room ready?"
"Don't worry, young master, it's all set."
"Good, that's what I like to hear. After summer vacation, we'll come here to rest up."
"Should the young ladies also come over?"
"Yeah, everyone should come and stay for a while. Fulton, check to see if anything is still missing."
"I understand, young master. I'll arrange it immediately."
For Fulton, Lanai Island is far better than Los Angeles. The air is good, and there's more freedom. To put it plainly, this is a private island, so he doesn't need to bring a lot of people when going out.
As the population of residents increases, they are already building schools and hospitals. If nothing comes up, they might as well grow up here.
Fulton is family, so he certainly knows what William White is worried about. He's been around long enough to have seen all sorts of darkness. Since the young master says Los Angeles isn't safe, something could really happen.
If it weren't for the bad climate in Texas, it would be best to stay there; that's the root of the White family.
In a real contest without fairness, the Texas cowboys are unmatched. America is already unreasonable; Texas dares to talk about independence. Don't try to give me that nonsense; if benefits aren't visible, what's America? I've never seen it.
William White's Texan roots help him a lot. Encountering a family with a high reputation locally makes anyone cautious. If things go south, it could really become a big deal.
In truth, the only reason the North won the Civil War was largely due to luck. If the Southern capitalists had united more, Northerners wouldn't have stood a chance. Eventually, when things became unbearable, they called in the African Americans for help.
*****
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