Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Ah! Don't shoot me!"
Gadot shrieked and ran, with Eric chasing her from behind, holding a toy gun and continuously firing BB pellets that left colorful spots on her body.
"Elizabeth, come help me, where are you?"
Not far away, Elizabeth, hiding behind a cover, shouted, "I'm being sniped, Captain, requesting backup."
In the house in front of her, Michael, holding a toy gun, was shooting through the glass, and the two children were having a great time playing.
After Michael returned from Africa yesterday, he called Eric.
This morning, he picked up Gadot and Elizabeth, and drove at full speed to Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara.
He wasn't in a hurry to discuss business; seeing little Elizabeth, Michael's childlike innocence came out, and he pulled the three of them into a gunfight game.
Half an hour later, the four, who had been running for a long time, were exhausted and finally ended the game, returning indoors on a sightseeing cart.
Playing this kind of game in the middle of summer, even with surrounding tree shade, it was still hot.
After taking a shower, Elizabeth looked at Gadot with a hint of envy.
"Eric must really like her type. Mine is too small, it just doesn't look right. He'd be crazy to like it."
Random thoughts intertwined in her mind, and then Gadot's voice came to her ears.
"Elizabeth, what's wrong?"
Noticing the little girl's strange gaze, Gadot couldn't help but ask.
"Nothing, I just don't understand why I'm developing so slowly. Many girls at school are even younger than me, but their figures are much better than mine."
Hearing this question, Gadot burst out laughing: "What's so strange about that? Everyone develops at different times. Maybe you'll grow taller and bigger overnight after a good sleep."
"Alright, I hope so."
When the two women came out, their somewhat damp hair rested on their backs.
The black maid Nita said, "Michael and Mr. Cooper have already left. They said for you to play on your own for a bit; they have some things to discuss."
The two women shrugged, then asked for the location of the KTV room.
On the other side, Eric handed a USB drive to Michael.
"This is it. Open it on the computer and take a look. The contents inside will shock you."
Michael, with a solemn expression, inserted the USB drive into the computer and watched the video first. The screen finally froze on Martin Bashir's playful smile.
"This guy, the damned bastard!"
Even the usually good-tempered Michael couldn't help but curse.
"Sure enough, I knew it was all premeditated. Martin Bashir wants to kill me! He wants to destroy my image and make the public abandon me!"
Looking at Michael, who was clenching his fists and fuming, Eric said, "The key is who instructed him to do this. Although he didn't explicitly state it in the last question, I believe it was Sony Music."
Michael didn't hesitate: "It must be them. Most likely, Tommy Mottola spearheaded this; he hates me to death."
"It's a shame Martin Bashir didn't say it directly, so it probably can't be used as direct evidence, but this video is still very meaningful."
"At least it proves that the documentary was all meticulously planned and fabricated by him, and that's enough."
Michael then opened the audio, and the conversation between Janet Avizo and lawyer Larry Feldman began to play.
The recording was very long, over twenty minutes, and Michael listened to it all in one posture.
After listening, his face had become extremely pale, and his lips were white and shriveled as if he hadn't had water for a long time.
He just stared blankly at the computer screen, not moving at all.
A few minutes later, seeing that Michael still hadn't moved, Eric couldn't help but pat his shoulder.
"Michael, Michael, the recording has ended."
"Hmm, I know, I know."
After another moment of silence, Michael asked somewhat hoarsely, "Eric, how did you get these things?"
"It's nothing, I asked someone for a favor, hired a private detective. Don't worry about the process, there was no illegal activity, we just got it."
"It must have cost a lot, right? I can't repay the favor, but tell me how much money it cost. I should pay for this expense."
Eric smiled: "Michael, am I someone who cares about money? Am I someone who is short on money? The friendship between you and I cannot be measured by money."
Saying that, Eric poured a glass of water for Michael.
"I know this recording must be a big blow to you, but these are the facts, and we must face them."
"Everything is a conspiracy against you; they are all after your wealth, whether adults or children."
"Michael, not every child is as kind and lovely as little Elizabeth. Minors are also full of bad people; some people are just born evil."
Michael seemed to finally recognize reality, nodding heavily: "Yes, you're absolutely right, Eric. It seems I should also pick up the weapon of law to defend myself."
"Exactly, that's how it should be. On one hand, the weapon of law, and on the other hand, your connections and wealth are unmatched by these guys. We should make good use of them and not waste our resources."
Michael hummed: "The recording just mentioned that Jordan Chandler and Evan Chandler have a very bad relationship. Perhaps I should meet with Jordan; I might be able to get something useful."
"No, you are a direct party and it's inconvenient for you to appear. I will send someone."
"Also, I noticed the recording also mentioned someone: Tom Schneider, the Prosecutor in Santa Barbara. Do you know this person?"
Michael took a deep breath; that name brought back very unpleasant memories.
"Of course I know him; I'll never forget that guy. In 1993, he was in charge of my case."
"And Tom Schneider was very hostile to me from the beginning, constantly verbally attacking and trying to induce me to say unfavorable things."
"Moreover, he single-handedly pushed for the trial of this matter, seeming very eager for me to be convicted."
"I remember at the time he also held a press conference, almost portraying me as a pedophile, which caused a very bad impression."
"Later, I paid Evan Chandler a large sum of money for an out-of-court settlement, but Tom Schneider was very dissatisfied with this. He demanded that the Chandler father and son continue to sue, strongly advocating to send me to prison."
"But as you know, the matter ended there."
"As a Prosecutor, he should be impartial, but Tom Schneider was not."
"I swear I don't know him at all, and I don't know why he hates me so much."
Eric sighed: "Michael, why does one need to know someone to hate them? Perhaps it's because of your skin color, perhaps it's jealousy of your achievements, or perhaps he's also a born evil person."
"I know this guy is still the Prosecutor in Santa Barbara, and he will definitely be detrimental to you. He holds a certain degree of judicial power, so we must handle him carefully."
"Eric, do you have any suggestions?" Michael was also somewhat worried.
"Given that we don't know what the other party will do, all we can do is protect ourselves. I suggest you install cameras in all non-sensitive areas of Neverland Ranch."
"Especially in your own room, it's best to install a few hidden cameras in addition to the visible ones, to prevent them from being deliberately damaged or turned off."
Michael thought for a moment and said, "That makes sense. I'll have someone take care of it immediately."
Eric reassured him, "Anyway, don't worry too much. With this video and audio, we have already gained the upper hand."
"Oh, by the way, when is your trial? I remember it's coming up soon, right?"
"Hmm, the first trial date is at the end of July, so there's still over a month."
"Heh heh. Janet Avizo, I can already imagine what expression she and those accomplices will have when the recording is played in court."
The more Eric thought about it, the more amused he became, and he couldn't help but burst out laughing. The somewhat serious atmosphere was also diluted, and Michael couldn't help but laugh along.
"Michael, I forgot to congratulate you, 'Rolling in the Deep' has already topped the Billboard charts."
"Although it was expected, it's still something worth celebrating."
Speaking of the new song, Michael was also very happy.
He said with a smile, "After I came back yesterday, I saw the news."
"Eminem had a black face throughout the interview, didn't say a word, and just got in his car and left."
"Hahahaha... that little hooligan, his song has already dropped out of the top 20, and that's after constant vigorous promotion."
"Otherwise, it probably would have been out of the top 50 already. What face does he have to accept an interview? If he dared to reply with half a word, those reporters could drown him in their spit."
"Do you remember the slogan he shouted a while ago?"
Michael nodded: "Of course I remember, to compete based on music. Now it's as he wished, only I'm up and he's down."
Eric snorted coldly: "After a while, no one will remember Eminem's song. The little ruffian will pay the price for his arrogance."
"This guy's Facebook account has now accumulated nearly a million followers. Let him grow it a bit more, and once he's nurtured the account, I'll shut him down after a while!"
Michael burst out laughing: "Eric, you're really wicked."
Although Eric hasn't been to Silicon Valley recently, he receives daily reports.
Currently, Facebook's development is booming, and in nearly 20 days, it has already acquired over 13 million users.
The average user age is 20, indicating that the main demographic is still college students.
Of course, not all 13 million users are active users; some, after using it a few times, lost their novelty and no longer log in.
There are also some users who are keen to post their updates, but their popularity is too low to receive effective feedback.
Just like writing a novel, being a solo act is very tormenting, and over time, they naturally give up.
So the actual number of active users fluctuates around ten million, which is already a considerable figure, indicating that Eric's strategy of conquering all universities in the United States within a month can be realized.
"Michael, what is your Facebook follower count now?"
Michael logged into his account, and the 1.92 million followers on his homepage were very eye-catching, meaning one in five users followed him.
"1.92 million, Michael, it seems your popularity among young people is also very high. I originally thought your main fan base would be around thirty."
Michael smiled: "I think it's mainly 'Rolling in the Deep' that helped me attract young fans. The style of this song is very different from my past work."
"Actually, my vocal coach and others have all advised me, hoping I would change my style to cater to the development of the mainstream market."
"But changing styles isn't simple, and I was also in an exploratory stage until you brought me this song, and everything came alive."
"I feel like I've caught inspiration, and I'm currently trying to create songs in a new style. Once this lawsuit is over, perhaps next year, I plan to release a new album."
Seeing Michael in such good spirits, Eric was also very happy, but Sony Music would certainly not let it go. He thought for a moment and offered a plan.
"Michael, you're at such loggerheads with Sony right now, Tommy Mottola definitely won't help you release a new album."
"And your contract with Sony hasn't expired yet, which is ultimately troublesome. So I have a suggestion, hoping it can help you break free from the shackles of Sony Music."
"What is it?"
Michael looked at Eric with some surprise; the contract issue had always been a thorn in his side.
"It's simple, really: use Martin Bashir's video to direct the fire towards Sony Music, let the whirlpool of public opinion swallow it, and force Sony to set you free!"
"Is that appropriate? And there's no direct evidence pointing to Sony. Can it succeed? And will it break the law?" Michael was somewhat worried.
Eric said coldly, "You've been slandered by them so much, but what was the result? Who was punished? Not only no one, but some even gained a large sum of money."
"We are merely treating others as they treat us. Public opinion is inherently a double-edged sword; it can be manipulated by them, and it can also be manipulated by us."
"Moreover, this is our only leverage. If successfully executed, you could even leave Sony with that 50% copyright."
"Think about it, that's the copyright that holds the lifeline of countless singers like Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Ricky Martin, Mariah Carey, Westlife, Avril, Madonna, Celine Dion, and many more."
"Not just in the United States, but also numerous singers in Europe, Asia, and other regions."
"You will become the most powerful individual in the music industry; no one can restrict your freedom anymore. I don't need to say more about what that symbolizes."
"Michael, don't hesitate. Mercy to your enemies is cruelty to yourself. They won't hold back against you, so we must also put them to death."
"Just do as I say, and for now, don't reveal this to anyone around you. I'm worried there might be an insider in your circle."
Even Buddha has his anger. Thinking of the injustice he had suffered, Michael finally nodded in agreement.
"Then the timing will be set after the trial ends; that will be when public attention is highest."
"Michael, it's time to show your fangs to these guys!"