[Chapter 516: New Jets, Spies]
On May 21, Linton wrapped up the North American promotional tour for Mission: Impossible and returned to the estate with Catherine and Michelle Reis.
As soon as he arrived, a rosy-cheeked little girl came stumbling toward him, babbling "Daddy" with adorable mispronunciations. Although Lina wasn't even ten months old yet, thanks to her parents' strong genes and having been nourished by his essence since the womb, she thrived. After birth, she was continuously breastfed, further absorbing her mother's vital essence.
By six months, Madonna's milk supply wasn't enough, so fresh, spirit-infused milk from the small farm was brought weekly. Pampered and cherished beyond measure, Lina was not only incredibly cute but remarkably healthy and strong. She walked and spoke earlier than most babies. Hearing her call him "Daddy" for the first time melted Linton's heart instantly. He rushed over, scooped her into his arms, and played a few rounds of lifting games, all while Lina's joyful giggles filled the room.
Afterward, he embraced Madonna, Cristiana, Sophie Marceau, and Monica one by one, who followed closely behind Lina.
Madonna was dressed in dancewear. She had gradually resumed work after Lina turned six months old. After the buzz about the Beauty Pills and Vitality Pills, she landed several new endorsement deals and business engagements. But when Linton recently told her he wanted her to star in Chicago -- and that he would help her vie for an Oscar -- she dropped most of her work to focus fully on dance practice at the estate. After a year and a half without dancing, she was determined.
Cristiana, Sophie Marceau, and Monica were all about seven months pregnant. To ensure safety, they had stopped working since the previous week, choosing to stay at the estate and focus on their pregnancies.
...
That evening, under Madonna's lively hosting, the four women, along with Catherine and Michelle Reis, held a wildly creative welcome party for Linton.
The party was energetic and intense -- especially Cristiana, Sophie, and Monica. Despite their pregnancies limiting movement, their passions ran even hotter, their stamina fierce enough to make Linton worry about the babies growing inside them. He found himself unusually cautious around them.
Catherine and Michelle Reis, though "well-fed" and rested during the promotional tour, couldn't help but dive into the fun with equal enthusiasm. The movie's box office smashing past $300 million sparked an irresistible energy.
Costumes and props were enthusiastically brought out. Everyone threw themselves into role plays and skits, immersing fully in the theatrical chaos. The rousing group sing-along went on all night.
...
The next morning, with the "play" concluded, Linton gathered Cristiana, Sophie, and Monica close.
"My dears," he said warmly, "you're only two months away from giving birth. This is such a precious and unforgettable moment. How would you feel about doing an artistic photo shoot, like Madonna did -- capturing this beautiful memory to treasure forever?"
"That sounds wonderful -- we've been looking forward to it," Cristiana replied eagerly.
"Fantastic! You have to make us look stunning -- and maybe a bit more daring with the shots," Sophie added.
"Great! The three of us together, a full maternity photo series," Monica chimed in excitedly.
The women beamed, their anticipation plain.
"Alright," Linton said, "start getting ready. We'll begin shooting in three days."
"Perfect timing -- we'll prepare more outfits," Cristiana said.
"Not just clothes," Linton added. "We'll decorate key filming spots around the estate -- like the master bedroom, the study, rooftop garden, pool area. It needs to look absolutely breathtaking, dripping with elegance and luxury."
It wasn't only Sophie, Cristiana, and Monica who were excited. Madonna, Catherine, and Michelle Reis eagerly offered suggestions. Madonna, putting dance practice aside, said, "I have experience with shoots. I'll help you oversee the set arrangements."
Catherine and Michelle Reis added, "We're free these couple of days and can go with you to shop for outfits."
The women wasted no time. After breakfast, they scattered, bubbling with excitement.
---
Meanwhile, another piece of good news arrived. The two Gulfstream V private jets Linton had purchased last week were delivered. Winnie had completed all the paperwork and recruited the flight crews. The planes were ready to fly.
However, being cautious, Linton scheduled final interviews for all crew members tomorrow to personally vet them and ensure no bad actors slipped in.
Given the new jets had a range of 7,500 miles, capable of flying nonstop from Los Angeles to any major city worldwide, Linton decided to keep one for himself, assign the previous jet to the estate, and dedicate the newest one to the film company.
This meant Catherine and Michelle Reis were fortunate -- they could each take a private jet for their promotional tours.
Without delay, Linton went as planned to the Palm Springs community, picked up Winnie, and together they drove to Starstone Aviation.
Starstone Aviation specialized in private jet services, including aircraft management and recruiting of pilots and flight attendants. They had managed all services for Linton's first jet, which he was very satisfied with, so naturally, this time too he chose to continue the partnership.
In fact, Winnie and Goodman had preliminarily selected four pilots and four flight attendants, conducted background checks, and were just waiting for Linton's final interviews and approval.
...
When Linton arrived at Starstone, Goodman was already there, greeting top executives at the entrance.
After a brief greeting, Linton headed alone to a conference room Starstone had prepared.
One by one, the eight candidates took turns for private interviews.
The interviews were straightforward: Linton used his Soul Induction technique to probe their motives. He asked why they applied, if they harbored any ill intent, or if anyone had sent them.
To his surprise, two candidates -- one pilot and one flight attendant -- were not entirely sincere. Both currently worked for well-known airlines and had been doing well, but someone had recently bribed them to join the hiring process here.
What concerned Linton even more was the caution of their handlers. The two didn't know each other's identities or the purpose behind their actions.
The widening influence of the Vitality and Beauty Pills was clearly attracting more covert threats, with increasingly subtle tactics.
It was obvious the forces behind these two were targeting those products. Judging from their secrecy and sophistication, the perpetrators were formidable -- and they might even be from separate groups.
Also, since they were first bribed, then recruited, and managed to pass the hiring, there must be accomplices inside Starstone Aviation itself.
But Linton had changed since before. Aside from his growing personal influence, he had the full support of the White House behind him.
He no longer bothered with personal investigations. He trusted the professionals to handle it, letting the FBI have something to do.
He immediately disqualified the two candidates and asked Starstone Aviation to resume recruitment.
As for Catherine and Michelle Reis's travel plans, it would not be delayed. He would temporarily assign two trusted crew members from his own jet to assist.
Then he pulled out his phone and called Leon Panetta, briefing him on the situation, instructing a thorough investigation.
*****
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