[Chapter 658: Angels in Action]
Bush Jr. wasn't just idle and came around to pick a fight with William White; in fact, he sensed something was off. There's no way a political family like that would have idiots in the mix.
"William, the verdict on the Rodney King case is about to drop. What's your take?"
William White was taken aback. It turned out this guy wasn't interested in soccer; it was the serious issues he cared about.
"George, this situation can't be fixed anymore. You know, we were the only ones to air that unedited video. Excessive force is a fact, plain and simple. Mr. King certainly wasn't an angel himself. If both sides end up doing hard time, I'd be quite pleased."
"There's a notion going around that the police in Los Angeles didn't act inappropriately. I think if these guys really are innocent, the Black community is gonna explode."
"Ha, innocent? Maybe. If they had opted to shoot to kill right away, that might actually be defendable. The actions afterward? That's just venting. Either way, it's a mess. If the Black community reacts violently, it will be a disaster. George, wasn't that Korean guy Soon Ja Du just sentenced to community service? All these issues piled together could really be a headache."
Bush Jr. couldn't find the words. William White had been quite clear. If there's no reasonable response, just wait for trouble to come knocking.
Unfortunately, Los Angeles is Los Angeles, and Washington is Washington. When it's beneficial, you're the big shot. When it's not, who wants to listen to you?
"I got it, William. If need be, I think I might need your support over here."
"Yeah, sure. I don't want to see any chaos. Anyone who tries to create disorder is my enemy."
Sigh. Your old man really is stuck in a tough spot, William White thought to himself.
...
"Lisa, has Tanner arrived yet?"
"He's here, waiting at the door."
"Let him in and get us something to drink. Oh, and bring in two glasses of whiskey."
"Sure thing, sir."
William White rarely drank at the office. Typically, it was only if he was particularly stressed or especially pleased. Looking at his face, it was clear he wasn't in a good mood.
"What's up, Tanner?"
"Master, something feels off. The two biggest gangs in Los Angeles seem to be considering a ceasefire. We've got word that someone is mediating."
William White couldn't help but laugh; what a situation! Fine, gangs exist, that's the way it is; nothing to say there. If you have the power to mediate, you might as well get them to turn themselves around.
"Heh, what's this? I'm curious who's got that kind of pull?"
"Master, it's likely that Angels organization. The two guys we exposed last time have been quite active lately."
William White felt a tick of frustration. These guys pop up everywhere! If they really made him mad, he could just wipe them off the map.
Ugh, too bad he could only think like that. He didn't even know their background well enough to deal with them.
"Alright, Tanner, good work. Just keep an eye on them; we won't get involved. Also, sort out the members of the two gangs. Grab their leaders and mark them. This time, they better not get any ideas aimed at me. If anything goes south, we'll send them off to dig mines in Africa."
Tanner was a bit shocked. Sure, those Angel guys were mysterious, but they didn't seem to pose any immediate threat. However, these chaos-makers were definitely annoying.
His master preferred lurking in the shadows, but he absolutely hated being schemed against. Especially by those who operate in the dark.
"Master, those guys must have an ulterior motive; it's just that we don't know what they're planning. Otherwise, why not just take them out?"
William White was stunned. How could this kid be so short-sighted? Those clowns finally showed their faces -- of course, this was the perfect chance to observe them. If you took them out completely, wouldn't they just turn their backs on me?
"You fool, stop trying to solve every issue with brute force. Their target isn't me, at least not for now. Is it really necessary for me to create an enemy out of nowhere?"
"Ha, isn't it because you look bothered? These filthy bugs in the gutter are just kind of annoying."
William White downed half a glass of whiskey, trying to calm his irritation. Well, that didn't help much; the extra alcohol just made his blood flow even quicker.
"Tanner, those two gangs aren't worth the trouble, we've got no legitimacy to act. However, if they touch our interests, we won't hold back. They'll definitely regret ever crossing us."
"Got it, I know what to do. I'll start digging into their backgrounds now."
"Ahem, Tanner, be careful. There may be FBI agents involved. Those with sketchy backgrounds? Keep a close watch on them."
William White had to offer the warning. The FBI might not be good at other things, but they sure knew how to play dirty undercover.
Well, even if he misjudged, he wouldn't be too concerned; just that if it could be avoided, it was better not to go there.
...
The brewing undercurrents of Los Angeles had certainly caught the attention of the higher-ups. Just like William White's intelligence networks, everyone had their own. The only difference was the level of resources. If you had the cash, anything could be uncovered. If something was hidden, it meant your money wasn't enough.
"Is Los Angeles going nuts?"
"Not sure, sir. William White appears to be catching on. His security detail is getting bigger. Should we prepare on our end?"
"What's going on? Those morons wouldn't dare do anything, would they? How's it looking in New York?"
"Sir, it's very calm here. Just some trouble in Queens, but nothing too serious. If needed..."
"Hmph, then forget about it; it's not our concern at Morgan Stanley. By the way, is William White still in talks to acquire an oil company?"
"Yes, sir. He's been negotiating a deal with BP lately. However, it seems Downing Street isn't too pleased."
"Ha! That's hilarious; what's it to them if they're unhappy? Unless they plan on selling off assets, they should just fork over the cash. But do they even have the funds? Tsk tsk, this guy's investments are downright elusive."
Well, that's how it looked to his subordinates; to them, the boss was downright shameless. If you guessed wrong, just own it instead of finding excuses. Even if you didn't say it, I'd only be able to roll my eyes in my head at your nonsense.
"Sir, it appears his prior investments look a bit overreaching now. The Dow hasn't been impacted, still on its downward trend."
"Maybe, but who can win all the time? Even so, he won't sweat the losses too much."
So, as they say, position defines perspective. As the CEO of Morgan Stanley, he certainly had a wealth of information at his disposal.
Not investing? With all that cash William White has on hand, if he wasn't investing now, did he even need to go public for financing?
Industrial strategy is the key focus right now. At William White's level, you either go the investment banking route or build one or two sectors into giants.
Clearly, William White chose the latter. This was crucial and likely a reason why the consortium preferred not to clash directly with him.
In the entertainment media industry, they'd tried to go toe-to-toe, and it hadn't turned out well. As for semiconductors? They didn't even know where to start. Now they were chasing resource industries; ha, let them keep at it. If they weren't afraid of incurring heavy losses, they could absolutely give it a shot.
*****
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