[Chapter 562: The Concert]
By mid-December, good news arrived from the Marvel acquisition team composed of Winnie, Goodman, and Henry.
Marvel's operations and finances had failed to improve, and their bankruptcy filing with the court remained in place. While awaiting the court's ruling -- generally expected within about six weeks -- a wave of shareholders desperately sold off their stocks to avoid holding worthless paper.
Winnie had prepared over a dozen accounts to buy up shares at bargain prices. They had already acquired a staggering 41% of the company's stock, nearly wiping out all available shares on the market. This massive purchase cost less than $50 million.
Meanwhile, Goodman and Henry fought a clever chess game with other shareholders to wrestle more shares away. After spending $45 million, they had taken control of another 33% of the shares held by nearly everyone except Ron Perelman.
Ron had noticed these moves and even tried to block sales by persuading shareholders not to sell. But he had lost credibility with most investors. When Goodman offered a price above market value, all shareholders quickly agreed to sell, losing faith in Marvel's future.
This left the acquisition group with a commanding 74% stake -- an absolute controlling interest. The remaining 26% included 25% still held by Ron Perelman and under 1% held by reluctant retail investors.
Goodman and Henry eventually confronted Ron, offering to buy his 25% stake at market price.
Once Ron realized Goodman was backed by Linton, he sought to play hardball, hoping to get a higher price and even requested an in-person meeting with Linton. But Linton ignored him entirely and refused to negotiate.
As the absolute majority shareholder, Linton only had Goodman explain Marvel's four upcoming initiatives:
1. Invest massively to buy back previously sold copyrights.
2. Raise salaries for comic creators to secure their loyalty.
3. Pour huge funds into rebuilding the comic distribution channels, focusing on long-term growth rather than short-term profits.
4. Sell off non-core businesses like card game and toy companies at low prices.
Regarding superhero movies, Goodman made it clear: current technology wasn't advanced enough to produce quality superhero films. At least five years would pass before such projects could be undertaken.
Linton's sole motivation for acquiring Marvel was personal fandom from childhood; he refused to see Marvel vanish and was willing to invest heavily to support the comic team without expecting immediate profits.
The first three initiatives alone required enormous funding. Non-core subsidiaries had little market value and couldn't be sold for much.
Goodman estimated a $200 million capital injection was needed. If Ron refused to sell, he had two options: either invest proportionally -- requiring $50 million from him -- or face dilution of his stake. After investment, Marvel's valuation would stand at $120 million, dropping Ron's stake to just 9.375%.
This struck Ron as untenable. With comics approaching bankruptcy, Linton's four-pronged plan didn't seem like a lifeline. Rejecting further investment risked heavy dilution; accepting it meant risking significant financial exposure.
Finally, Ron realized he had neither advantage nor leverage. Selling his shares and cashing out was safer. Having already made a fortune with Marvel, he agreed to sell all his shares for $33 million after some negotiation.
Consequently, Linton controlled over 99% of Marvel's shares.
After completing the registration, the first step was to withdraw the bankruptcy petition from the court.
The second was to hire a new CEO through Korn Ferry International Headhunters.
The third was to take Marvel private, delisting it entirely.
As promised, the fourth step started immediately: injecting $200 million to repurchase core character rights, stabilize the creative team, rebuild sales channels, and offload non-core assets.
---
Meanwhile, mid-December also marked steady progress preparing for the Los Angeles concert.
The host lineup and guest performers were confirmed and publicly announced.
Hosting duties went to two television personalities: Stephanie Egger from UPN's financial news and Adam Garcia from MCA's entertainment show.
Stephanie had secured the hosting role by personally briefing Linton in his penthouse office for four hours -- delivering detailed strategies and proposals.
At first, Linton assumed the supporting acts would simply be his own singing harem members plus a few promising artists from his label.
But as soon as the concert was announced, Universal Music was flooded with star-studded applications -- from Garth Brooks, Paula Abdul, Guns N' Roses, Backstreet Boys, The Wilson Sisters, to the Phillips duo, Will Smith, Snoop Dogg, and more.
Even other top-tier divas like Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston had their managers send requests to join.
Daniel, head of Universal's concert division, could easily reject ordinary applicants. But with these superstars involved, he deferred to Linton.
When Daniel briefed him on the influx of requests, Linton asked, "What do you think?"
Daniel replied, "Boss, turning down so many may not look good. Plus, these are huge names."
"Don't overthink it. This is my show, and everything is about making it great."
"For the LA concert, you're performing 23 songs yourself. Among confirmed guests are Madonna, Shania Twain, Vivian Chow, Izumi Sakai, Akina Nakamori, Noriko Sakai, Britney Spears, Eminem -- a total of eight guest artists.
According to the plan, Vivian Chow will duet with you on That's The Way Love Goes. The rest have solo numbers, so there are roughly 30 songs total. The concert should last over two and a half hours.
If we add more, I suggest no more than three or four. Also, none of your guests are Black artists. Given today's climate, that's a weakness. I recommend adding at least two, ideally one male and one female."
Linton stroked his chin thoughtfully. Obviously, the stars reaching out aimed either to curry favor or jump on his rising momentum.
Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston stood at the pinnacle of superstardom -- unlikely to ride his wave without some deeper motive.
Janet and Whitney didn't fit his aesthetic preference, but having previously been intimate with Mariah made her an obvious priority.
As for the male artist, he decided to pick someone familiar.
"All right, pick Mariah Carey and Will Smith. The rest can be declined. But to thank those who applied, send them front-row tickets to watch the show live."
Daniel smiled, "Good idea. You always think ahead."
"Cut the flattery. Also, pay Mariah and Will as usual for a business gig -- no favors. I don't have time to do any favors."
---
As December waned, the LA concert drew nearer.
Linton focused on final rehearsals with the band, dancers, and backing vocalists to perfect the show.
In the last two days before the event, all guest artists arrived in Los Angeles for rehearsal.
Although Mariah Carey wasn't scheduled for any dance numbers on her song Love Takes Time, she came early for rehearsal and stayed in LA until the concert began.
For someone of her stature, this was unusual. It was clear she had other intentions.
That afternoon, after rehearsal, Mariah greeted Linton with a warm embrace and slipped him a hotel room key.
"Darling, the Four Seasons Hotel. I'll be waiting for you tonight."
At her peak beauty, Mariah perfectly matched Linton's tastes and commanded massive popularity.
Given her enthusiasm and the memorable intimacy they had shared before, Linton was more than willing to reciprocate with a night of passion.
...
That evening, after wrapping the rehearsal, Linton went to the Four Seasons, used the key to enter the presidential suite.
A fiery, alluring figure launched into his arms, greeting him with a heated kiss.
What followed was a collision of passion -- like fireworks exploding, two bodies entwined in frenzied rhythm and pleasure.
Her soaring, crystalline vocals echoed through the suite, matching the intensity of their physical union, filling the night air with erotic harmony.
---
On Christmas Eve, at 7:30 PM, Linton's highly anticipated debut concert officially kicked off at the Hollywood Bowl.
The venue, with a capacity of 18,000, was packed. The front rows brimmed with celebrities from the entertainment world.
Whether out of respect for Linton or to ride the wave of his buzz, practically every notable star from Hollywood and the music industry found a way to attend.
Especially the women: only the highest-profile actresses and singers made the front rows. Those absent were seen as lacking star power.
With so many stars, many A-listers couldn't even snag front-row seats.
...
Lights dimmed while powerful music began to pulse.
♫ Will you hold the lineWhen every one of them has given up and given in? Tell meIn this house of mineNothing ever comes without a consequence or cost, tell meWill the stars align?Will heaven step in? Will it save us from our sin, will it?'Cause this house of mine stands strong ♫
The stage remained dark as Linton's passionate vocals cut through the air.
As the crowd searched for him on stage, a beam of light illuminated the overhead center.
There stood Linton, dressed in a sparkling stage outfit, gripping a microphone in one hand and slowly descending from above by a rope.
Under the spotlight, he appeared like a god descending from the heavens, radiating a raw, magnetic energy.
This unique and handsome entrance triggered an immediate roar from the crowd.
At three meters above the stage, he flicked his wrist, cast off the rope, executed a flawless mid-air somersault, then landed effortlessly center stage.
His voice never faltered, delivering with unstoppable power and grandeur.
Seeing this stunning entrance, the audience went wild -- screams erupted in waves, drowning out even his voice.
...
In fact, Universal Music executives, including Daniel, had initially opposed this risky stunt.
No one, not even top artists or executives, dared attempt such a high-risk entrance, unaware of Linton's supernatural abilities.
Linton had to casually demonstrate his agility to convince Universal's board, who reluctantly agreed -- though they omitted the rope-release somersault from the approved plan.
Backstage staff suffered under repeated plan revisions and conducted painstaking prop checks.
After setup, two crews took shifts guarding the stage 24/7 to prevent sabotage and ensure absolute safety.
So when Linton ignored the rehearsed plan and performed the rope-less somersault three meters up without any safety gear, the stage crew nearly fainted in shock.
Yet the effect was explosive, especially for those in the front rows who clearly saw every daring move.
He took no safety measures, relied on nothing but his skill -- and flawlessly maintained his singing breath.
...
Everyone was stunned.
Most front-row attendees were stunning women: either Linton's harem members, Hollywood's top actresses, or A-list female singers.
They watched, enraptured by his godlike descent, clutching their legs in excitement, whispering breathless, "Oh my God, is he turning into Superman?"
They joined the audience's ecstatic cheers and applause.
Among them were those who had shared deep connections with Linton -- Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Mariah Carey, Anne Fletcher -- all scheming on how to find private moments to reconnect after the show.
For those further back, large screens in four directions, fed by HD cameras at the stage front, broadcast Linton's moves crystal clear.
The breathtaking opening sequence also aired live via UPN to millions of American viewers, via Sky Network to Europe, and Fuji TV in Japan.
Everyone watching was stunned -- was Linton truly a deity descended to earth?
...
Over half the live audience sprang to their feet, screaming wildly, their cheers echoing in waves.
Natural is a typical rock music style and a very strong rhythm.
Its melody surged like crashing waves, building excitement and urging the crowd to unleash their spirit and fight fiercely.
Explosive drums and passionate lyrics electrified the atmosphere, and Linton's powerful voice delivered every note with raw intensity.
By the time the chorus hit, the entire hall was on fire, fans raising their hands, singing and shouting along.
♫ And you're standing on the edge, face up
'Cause you're a naturalA beating heart of stoneYou gotta be so coldTo make it in this world ♫
*****
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