[Chapter 439: Wipe Them Out, Seize Their Assets]
The next morning, after the group finished their breakfast, Jennifer and Akina Nakamori headed to the film company to meet up with Clinsman and Zack, ready to kick off a two-week nationwide promotional tour for Scream.
Linton, meanwhile, took Winnie, his assistant Meena, the new estate manager Erica, and his bodyguards, flying directly from Hollywood Burbank Airport by private jet to his Montana farm.
After two hours in the air, the plane landed at Linton's private airfield on his own property.
Stepping off the plane and taking in the familiar rural scenery, Linton felt deeply satisfied. Having a private airport was incredibly convenient. Calculating the time -- from driving ten minutes from his Los Angeles estate to Hollywood Burbank Airport, boarding directly, taking off, and landing here -- it took just about two hours and twenty minutes in total.
Compared to the old route through Bozeman Yellowstone Airport, it saved at least two hours. So, spending $50 million to build this private airport was absolutely worth it.
Of course, the annual operating cost was no joke -- about $2.3 million -- but with such convenience, it was all justified.
...
At that moment, Carter, waiting at the airport, greeted him, "Boss, glad you finally made it."
"Carter, come over, let me introduce you to a new partner. Erica, this is Carter, the farm's general manager and head of security. You two need to work closely."
Whether it was the concentration of good vibes from the energy gathering formation or just the charm of rural life, Carter seemed to have completely fallen for this place.
Perfect timing, since the core area of the farm needed a trustworthy person in charge. Linton naturally handed that responsibility to Carter, who also took on estate security.
They then rode to the heart of the farm, about six kilometers away, where Linton's estate was located.
---
On the way, Linton took a call from Chris. "Boss, great news."
Hearing the excitement in Chris's voice, Linton perked up. "Did the interview last night get outstanding ratings?"
"Yes, your exclusive interview last night started strong, hitting over five rating points early on, and steadily climbed throughout. The highlight was when you publicly admitted having a child with Madonna; the ratings surged past eight points -- truly phenomenal."
---
The farm was already past harvest season, and the landscape looked somewhat desolate. Along the way, workers were busy repairing irrigation canals.
This year's harvest was another bumper crop, and grain prices had remained stable. While Linton was in Japan, Tuck Ilonka, his farm manager, updated him over the phone that the farm's profits hit a new high -- $24 million.
Linton wasn't stingy and instructed double bonuses for all farm staff.
That explained the vibrant, enthusiastic workers they saw along the route, all working hard and in high spirits.
After a few minutes, they arrived at the farm's central zone, a 4,000-acre area enclosed by two-meter-tall fences.
Passing through, the atmosphere changed dramatically -- the air felt fresher, more fragrant.
The first thing in sight was an orchard bursting with various fruit trees, their leaves still verdant and thriving, despite late fall.
They drove through the orchard to the equally lush suma root and tea plantings. Nearby were the harvested grain fields, and beyond that, a small town was beginning to take shape.
With hundreds of workers constructing the estate, mostly globe-trotting earners on a budget, there was still a steady demand for daily goods.
To accommodate them, Carter had introduced a grocery store, even waiving rent. Initially worried Linton might object, Carter was pleasantly surprised when Linton praised the initiative.
---
Behind the town stood the inner estate, surrounded by a three-meter-high wall. The imposing gate bore a plaque: The Anderson Manor.
James van Sweden and Topher Delaney, along with several others, guarded the entrance, waiting for Linton.
"Linton, mission accomplished! The estate is completed on schedule. Please inspect carefully."
"All right, I'll take a good look."
The fully completed estate was breathtaking, like a fairyland, Linton found it incredible.
In Linton's eyes, compared to many castles, other than their historical depth, the estate outshone those places in every respect: design, functionality, scale, and comfort.
"Boss, your estate is stunning, vast, and perfect. The castles I served in England pale in comparison." Erica expressed sincere admiration.
That night, Linton and Winnie stayed in the master bedroom of the large estate. The 400-plus square foot room featured a colossal 16-foot-by-16-foot bed and a 430-square-foot Jacuzzi bathtub, where the couple indulged in passionate, marathon encounters.
---
Over two full days, Linton and the team conducted meticulous inspections throughout the estate.
Every detail exceeded expectations -- carved beams, painted ceilings -- all precisely matching the original design.
Linton happily settled the final payment.
James van Sweden and Topher Delaney handed over estate operations to Erica and Carter, leaving only a minimal after-service crew. The main team began to withdraw.
Thanks to Carter's smooth coordination, the grocery store owner was assured that upcoming support staff would increase, ensuring continued operation.
Winnie selected one of the fifty villas she liked best, marked it, and gave the estate manager specific instructions for furniture and layout adjustments to fit her tastes.
Then Linton asked Erica to prepare a staff list for estate workers, excluding 117 female servers and four chefs who handled personal meals.
The list included 10 gardeners, 6 outdoor cleaners, 2 trash collectors, 2 maintenance personnel for water and electricity, a team of six chefs, one accountant, and one cashier.
Linton crossed off the accountant and cashier spots -- he would choose those positions from among the female waiters he recruited.
The rest, he told Carter to collaborate with Erica on recruiting locally, leaving management to Erica.
He handed them a debit card loaded with $2 million, urging them to procure essentials quickly.
He also reminded them that on November 8, the 117 overseas servers and four man chef team would arrive, instructing them to prepare supplies in advance.
---
Next, Linton and Carter visited the Thunder Guards to check on those wounded in the recent Montreal operation and distribute action bonuses.
He selected 10 guards to serve as estate security under Carter's command.
David then briefed him on the base's situation and the overseas operation at the Danakil base.
Initially, the base had a permanent military presence of just over 40 personnel, but after Linton's orders to act against the Bronfman family, 60 more were recalled from overseas.
Now that the operation was over, except for four seriously injured, the rest had resumed training.
Linton transferred 10 more soldiers to the estate, as security demands would grow with the estate's completion.
David recommended maintaining about 60 troops at the base long-term and rotating 30 to the overseas post.
Since June, after partnering with Kebo Mining, the overseas base had technology, equipment, and sales channel investments from the company, splitting profits 50/50.
The copper mine began operations in August, after two months of foundational work.
By September, profit sharing had reached $5 million.
In October, output increased, potentially pushing profits to over $8 million.
Upon full capacity, monthly profit shares were projected to exceed $12 million.
To secure the mine, the base had recruited more personnel and bought arms, growing the armed force to over 200.
With the new 30 troops soon joining, the military force would number 240, equipped with advanced weaponry, establishing an untouchable local presence.
"Sounds good. Proceed as planned."
"Boss, how should monthly profits be handled?"
"Use 30% to buy arms and equipment to boost combat capability. Allocate 10% as bonuses to you all, another 10% to establish a soldier support fund. The remaining 50% goes to this overseas Swiss bank account."
"Thank you, boss."
---
After settling farm matters, Linton and Winnie, accompanied by his assistant and bodyguards, flew back to Los Angeles.
On the flight, Linton talked about getting Winnie ready to appear on UPN's financial segment, encouraging her to strive to become the top female star in the investment world.
"Sweetheart, I think this is enough -- managing your charity foundation's investments. Do I really need TV fame?"
"Darling, fame is good. It means people will know our Skycrest Capital, making it a choice for more clients. Besides, you're beautiful and talented -- you're meant to be in the spotlight, adored by millions."
"I worry that once I became famous, the press and paparazzi will invade our private life, making things less free."
"So what? Look at Madonna, Sophie Marceau, Nicole Kidman -- they don't care. And since you aren't in entertainment, the press interest will be limited."
"Okay, thank you, honey."
"Want another taste of soaring success?"
"Sure, let's hit the lounge...."
---
The day after Linton returned from the farm, November 5, Hillary arrived in Los Angeles.
As usual, they stayed on the same floor in the Four Seasons executive suites.
The moment Hillary stepped in, she threw herself into Linton's arms, kissed him, and unleashed a wild frenzy of passion.
...
Two hours later, Hillary lay limp in Linton's arms, tracing circles on his chest with a satisfied smile.
"Master, you're so cruel. Hilly hasn't served you for two months."
"Last month had special circumstances -- you know that."
"But I really missed you."
"All right, I'll be with you for three days and make sure you're fully satisfied."
"Thank you, Master."
"How was the harvest this time?"
"Master, it's huge."
"Tell me more."
"We now have $2.9 billion in cash and 30% shares in the Seagram Group valued at $4.8 billion."
"That much? So you'd become rich overnight?"
"Yeah, it's a big win. How do you want to divide it?"
"Anyone else involved besides us?"
"No, absolutely not."
"Give me $2.5 billion in cash, keep the rest."
"Master, you're taking too little -- you're giving me too much."
"It's fair. I don't want the Seagram shares; holding them would be a headache. Plus, my charity foundation is still small. Taking $2.5 billion in donations is already its limit. Also, with such a large sum, you'll have to donate anonymously in stages to avoid unwanted attention."
"Master, why don't you want the Seagram shares? Though unlisted, I researched -- they're highly profitable, holding over 40% of America's premium spirits market. Annual sales top $13 billion, with profits exceeding $2 billion. They're great assets."
"I just don't need them. Plus, I don't have the right people to manage them -- take them all."
The real reason Linton rejected the shares was twofold: he wasn't impressed, but mainly because he didn't want to be publicly linked to wiping out the Bronfman family.
After all, acquiring Universal itself had struck a nerve with the Jewish community. If they found out he was behind the Bronfman family's downfall, they might unite against him.
His strength wasn't yet enough; he didn't want an all-out conflict with the Jewish community. So he let the Bill and Hillary Clinton couple carry that burden.
These assets were essentially the price they paid for the fallout. Besides, with the Clinton couple's influence, the Jewish community wouldn't dare act rashly without clear evidence.
"Master, you're so good to Hilly -- I'll serve you well." She said, snuggling under the covers.
...
Two more hours passed, and the sounds of passion finally subsided.
"Hilly, how did you get control over the Bronfman family's wealth? Tell me."
"All right..."
Back when Linton had asked Hillary to investigate the Bronfman clan's members, residences, territories, and armed forces, she realized Linton wanted to wipe them out completely.
She proposed a two-part plan: total annihilation, handled by Linton, and asset grab, handled by herself.
Since they were across the Pacific, they couldn't discuss details face to face, and to prevent leaks on phone calls, each only shared goals and key info during execution.
Hillary had picked a target early on -- Billy Bronfman, 19, a classic playboy at Columbia University.
Billy was the son of Edgar Bronfman Jr.'s older brother -- the legitimate heir to the entire family estate once the Bronfmanans were wiped out.
Luckily, Columbia was in New York, which the Clinton couple had been developing as their second stronghold since Bill Clinton became president. They'd amassed considerable power there over three years.
The story was simple: Billy was not only a playboy but a Dupin drug enthusiast, frequently partying drunk at clubs.
Hillary's people set a trap, got him thoroughly high, and had him accidentally kill someone in a blackout state, capturing photographic evidence to control him completely.
When Linton informed Hillary that Edgar Jr. had been killed in Tokyo, she tightened surveillance on Billy, preventing him from attending Edgar Jr.'s funeral in Montreal.
Sure enough, two days later, Linton delivered the bombshell news: the Bronfman family was wiped out.
From then on, Hillary's team formed a consulting group with lawyers and financial experts to handle Billy's inheritance, alongside a security team.
They escorted Billy to Montreal for the funeral and to regain the Bronfman family's assets through the courts.
This included an $8.5 billion account (proceeds from Dupont shares, intended for Universal acquisition), control of the family charity foundation, and 40% of Seagram Group shares held individually by family members.
The Bronfmans had donated 60% of Seagram shares to their family charity foundation for tax purposes and estate tax avoidance, with control of the foundation resting with the family head.
According to tax evaluations, Seagram was valued at $16 billion. Forty percent shares were worth $6.4 billion, and combined with the $8.5 billion in the bank account, estate taxes applied.
After taxes, the Seagram group's account retained $500 million to ensure operations, while the family cash account was left with $2.9 billion.
That $2.9 billion cash and 40% Seagram shares were Hillary's to manage.
However, for legal risk and smooth transition reasons, the full 40% stake couldn't be transferred immediately; 30% was the maximum cap and required time.
"Did Billy suspect you?"
"Of course, but what could he do? We hold deadly murder evidence against him -- if he doesn't want to ruin his life, spending it in a dark prison, he'll have to comply. And with 24/7 surveillance, even if he tries tricks, he won't have a chance."
"Be careful. Such family businesses often have loyal senior executives who could help Billy if they sense trouble."
"Don't worry, Master. We prepared contingency plans. No surprises will happen. We've increased Billy's Dupin intake to cloud his mind, ensuring he obeys."
"Have you located their overseas armed forces?"
"No. Billy had no contact with them and probably didn't even know they existed. I suspect that after the family was wiped out, that force lost control, or else they would have contacted the new family head by now."
"That's best, but stay alert -- if any clues surface, eliminate them immediately."
"Got it, Hilly agrees."
"What about Billy's future?"
"For now, he's useful. We need him to control Seagram and manage asset transfers in the family charity. Once all's settled, he'll be sent to reunite with his family."
*****
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