[Chapter 613: Security Issues]
After a brief holiday, William White was back to work. Returning to Los Angeles, he felt a sense of disconnection; everything here seemed so out of place.
"Master, the two gangs in LA are still at it. I don't expect any major moves in the short term," Tanner reported.
"What are those fools fighting over now? Has the FBI gotten involved?" William asked.
"Master, when the gangs go at it, the feds usually don't interfere unless it spills into Beverly Hills," came the reply.
"These bastards, if we just let them run wild, it's going to be a real mess down the line," William said, shaking his head.
"They're all scumbags selling laundry detergent; they deserve to die. Besides, we've discovered they have some powerful backing. It's not as simple as it seems," Tanner added.
"Yeah, it wouldn't be straightforward. If I'm not mistaken, the CIA has connections with them, and there are FBI informants in the mix. These guys thrive on chaos."
"Master, if that's the case, we can only monitor from the outside."
"Right, that's all we can do. By the way, have these guys interfered with my businesses?"
"Ha! No, ever since the Detroit incident, the gangs have been steering clear of us."
"Fine, let's just stay vigilant. Even looking for an excuse to teach them a lesson is off the table."
"Master, we don't need an excuse; we could just send them off to Africa to mine. They'd make decent labor -- talk about returning home!"
"Forget it, if the boss man goes down, I dread to think of the chaos that would follow. That bill will fall right on my shoulders."
On the surface, it seemed Rodney King's case had reached a sort of end, with nothing escalating further. Yet, Los Angeles felt like a powder keg, just waiting for a spark for everything to explode.
Right now, the Black community was dissatisfied with everyone.
Employment and housing were the true stabilizers of society. The issues in LA stemmed from an unfair distribution of social resources.
While absolute fairness might be impossible, a semblance of it was necessary. If all the Black folks ended up unemployed, that would be a significant problem.
Some said incidents like these happened all over the U.S., so why was Los Angeles so extreme?
Actually, even though both are in the same country, the regional differences between the North and South mean the management styles are completely different. California and Texas are like private reserves for the Elephants; they're not fans of big government. They basically let things like this slide.
The same severe problems exist in New York and Detroit, but those cities have experience dealing with such things. Typically, before anything erupts, the troublemakers get apprehended.
...
"Are you not coming with us, honey?"
"I'll be there; things are all set for Lanai," he assured.
"Hmph, can't sleep at all," she pouted.
"Ahem, you do realize this situation is uncomfortable to me," he replied.
"Giggle, the doctor said it's nothing to worry about, other people has same problem."
William White felt a bit dizzy looking at the lively little beauty, Michelle Reis, in front of him.
"Ahem, you're not a thoroughbred, you can't handle it. Besides, I'm not a toothpick, that doctor is just a flake; he doesn't know a thing."
"Pffft, stop saying that, people will think you're being discriminatory."
"Sigh, discrimination. The pace of society is just too fast; a lot of people's mental health takes a hit. Don't worry, we've got time. I'll be home more often these days."
Rich people always seem to lack a sense of security, but those with experiences like William White's are even worse. He believed that the incidents involving Soon Ja Du and Rodney King might have been coincidental, but it was clear they had been manipulated.
Especially that tape -- it's not hard to master some basic editing, but to piece it together so flawlessly isn't something just anyone could do.
Still, no matter how perfect it is, the TV folks wouldn't miss something so obvious. If NBC had that tape, they definitely wouldn't air it directly.
If things were to blow up, the public wouldn't care about anyone's stance. As one of the three major networks in the U.S., CBS should be smart enough to avoid being foolish.
It seemed that the puppet master behind it all had a strong grip on the media landscape.
And then there's that damn Warner Bros. movie, with a $40 million budget. Ha! A project clearly destined to flop, yet it faced no hurdles at all in getting greenlit.
William White understood the magnitude of that move. This wasn't something that gang of fools could manage. Collaboration was out of the question; their positions were inherently different.
So, was someone trying to remove him as an obstacle?
It's hard to say. All he knew was to play it safe. He wouldn't let himself or his family fall into a dangerous situation.
What really got under his skin was how deeply hidden the puppet master was. A whole bunch of connected folks lurking in the shadows was truly frightening.
God, and that cursed "Wanta Plan." The Soviets were about to implode; it felt like they were gearing up for an internal fight.
In taking down the Soviets, Bush Sr. had done a tremendous job. He'd also made quite an impression in curbing the arrogance of the big lumbering giants.
Unfortunately, he was too preoccupied with his own position. This kind of low-intensity conflict was not what the arms dealers needed; they craved something continuous.
William White couldn't help but want to laugh. When these fools took a hit in Somalia, they would realize that the U.S. Marines were just as incompetent. Their performance would be even worse than in Vietnam.
A cheap RPG would have them panicking; if the pirates had Stinger missiles, well, they'd all be plopped right there.
...
"Master, their schedule should fall around Christmas. Yesterday afternoon, the director and producer were out to lunch, and we slipped cash to the waiter," Tanner reported.
"Christmas, huh? Ha, now I see. Looks like The Lion King is going to have to take a hit. Tanner, keep your distance; don't send anyone to make contact," William instructed.
"Got it, master. Their theme is heavy; I bet it's not going to be easy for them."
"They aren't in it just for the money. You go handle it; The Departed is also coming out soon. This Christmas season looks pretty crowded," he added.
William White mulled it over for several days and came to a conclusion. Since everyone was enemies and not friends, he might as well add some roadblocks. Two films pinching them from both ends might just work; he didn't believe they could pull anything off.
Even if they ended up at the Oscars, ha, he'd still be a guaranteed winner. This time, he'd see how obedient the Academy's old timers were. If they proved difficult, he wouldn't mind giving them a good beating.
George, that's all I can do for you. However, I'm afraid your old man won't make it. Those bastards are throwing a combo punch.
Interestingly, if they refused to leave, it would work out just fine. Ha, there's a mysterious breed in the U.S. that somehow always manages to find the president at just the right moment.
...
"Oliver, White Films just announced their release schedule. Are you sure you want to cross paths with him?" Kevin Costner asked, a bit shocked.
"Kevin, it's just an animated film; what's the big deal?"
Kevin Costner was baffled. Come on, a cartoon? It had a $40 million production budget; it wouldn't be any less than your movie.
"Old buddy, that's an IMAX film. By the way, have you seen one of those lately?"
"Ha, that flashy 3D stuff? It was popular for a hot second back in the 70s. What's the problem with that?"
Kevin Costner was left speechless. Was this the legendary generation gap?
"Oliver, here's a ticket. I strongly recommend you check it out; I have a bad feeling about you running into that animated film. The Departed premieres mid-November. Added together, we could be in some big trouble."
*****
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