July 15.

  Deals are deals, and many film panies were brought down to earth when they saw the indiscriminate way Lux Animatioered a new iment period. They paid off their millions is and took out another 300 million loan at an annual i rate of 1.5%. It was eous, but Raimon promised ttheions, and after maiations and help from Raimon’s father, the deal was sealed abruptly. With over 700 million in their ats, they addressed all the pany’s minor leaks and focused on their main objectives.

  The purchase of the Caralco Pictures library and the creation and proposal of a genuine series of indepe films under Lux Films were prioritized. Lux Films would no longer be Billy's pyground but would start produg true indepe films regurly, with a minimum budget of 15 million per film and aiming for two to three films a year. The bright eyes of Jim Gianopulos, who was in charge, were a source of pride. It was a bet he decided to make and fulfilled.

  -I don't think I handle everything we have on our pte, - ented Jim Gianopulos during the meeting. The pany was growing like a sleeping giant, and the test purchase posed a real problem. Billy was unstoppable in his desire to acquire cht libraries, els, and pay els; he wa all. Jim could only sigh internally in a way that seemed almost unreal.

  Amid the silence of the board, Billy interrupted.

  -It doesn't matter; for now, these are just projes. Caralco is a hassle, but it’s better to wait before buying it. Meanwhile, we’ll hire someoo haelevision while you mahe films. Lux Animation will undergo a new corporate restructuring, - said Billy.

  This was already pwo houses, Lux Group as the head, the glomerate’s parent pany, while Lux Animation, a subsidiary, would further subdivide into Lux Produs, id Toys, Lux Produs Animation, Lux ics, and Distribution ics.

  On one side, there’s ID Software, Rapid Food, and Autodesk. Meanwhile, Apple’s assets and Hotel Paradise are under Billy’s name.

  -So, how will we proceed? - asked Anne, doubtful.

  -We’ll buy Discovery el aher Rhythm & Hues Studiital Domain. We need one of these panies now that we’re venturing into low-budget and sce-fi films, - Billy ented, closing the discussion. Jim sighed deeply in surprise; buying Discovery wasn’t in the pns. Was it a whim, or did someone leak information, and was there a closer pn with Steve Parks? Some members shifted unfortably, feeling the st two hours were wasted.

  -We’re done, - said Anne, inf the group, after eight hours of meeting, with the st two seemingly wasted.

  Steve Parks received Billy’s seal of approval for the Discovery purchase. They needed support from more than one person, maybe a pany, and the sale of Hotmail didn’t meet the i of f closer ties. After all, Teology Venture wasn’t a very popur domain. However, the pure and hard cash offer, along with support aification in Apple, was all Billy needed. Microsoft gave him 8% of their shares along with 518 million—an unmatched offer in game creation and immediate iment iest geion sole.

  It was simply the best offer.

  Steve Parks waited, while Aayed nearby, wanting to hear the pns.

  -I’ll buy a Panini from Marvel. They’re desperate for funds, and Ronald Perelman is in a tight spot. The pany will certainly sell Panini. Meanwhile, we’ll make an offer for Discovery and tinue our dealings as a dotary pany. They’ll surely want to work with new funds, - Billy smiled, realizing that Ronald’s need was Billy’s gain. If he could buy Panini for 60 million, the problem would be smaller.

  -Why do you want to buy Panini? - asked Steve Parks.

  -They have many panies in Italy, Mexierica, and Engnd, factories, and more importantly, an agreement with FIFA. If we secure sponsorship with Coca-d have them double the advertising, expanding our animated services to Europe will be easier. We’ll stabilize ic sales with their factories, - Billy expined.

  -I’ll do my best with Discovery, but what about all the bad-forth with Carald Artisan? -

  We're just testing the waters; we’ll buy their libraries ter. Keep inquiring with ied parties about their film library and various series, - Billy replied.

  Steve Parks closed his eyes, leaning ba his chair. He o aterested in Caralco but not too eager to buy it, while Billy hahings uhe radar, acquiring Discovery and Panini with mutual colboration.

  -I do that. I see how desperate Caralco is right now. Buying their library at a minimal price won’t be a problem. Should we do something? - Steve Parks asked.

  -No more than forty million dolrs. If it exceeds that cost limit, we shouldn’t i in pipe dreams. Their problems and deals are signifit only if we don’t overpay, - Billy ented. Carrasco had been the scapegoat for Tristar Pictures, which is bia Pictures (Sony), and Artisaertai. They had star retionships with all the Hollywood panies, each sharing the bes. These tracts weren’t favorable for Caralco, which used to produce multi-million-dolr movies. One of the main is is their library.

  -Mmmm, there are several ied parties. We could face a lost battle. I’ll make some advances, - Steve Parks ented, starting to assess what he needed for his iation.

  Anne nodded as Steve Parks left, following him out the door. Billy stretched, feeling exhausted, and remembered he had to catch a flight to Los Angeles first thing in the m.

  ***

  Avi Arad closely monitored Ronald Perelman’s as. From one side, he could see the pany starting to falter. The initiative for TV series, evehey approached Saban, couldn’t pete with the required assets to secure a full agreement with an animation pany. They sidered creating their station, something bigger, but plexities arose. Finding skilled animators ossible, but progress was minimal, and the stories weren’t hitting the mark. Ronald remained unfazed by the pany’s dition.

  Things were unraveling, and at each meeting, Stan Lee’s deadpan expression revealed a lot about the situation and the pany’s ck of fidence. When pnning the merger, the fact that a figures were now out of their trol and with distrust, he stantly called Karl I, an ior, to buy shares. Both aimed to trol Marvel, pnning to create big movies like X-Men, Spider-Man, and Iron Man. Ronald Perelman’s secrets were well known to Avi, who ied all his money and built trust with stant financial iions, gaining shares.

  -The baseball pyers will fight, and I find a plete ck of a. The stamp pany is not profitable at all, - ented Isaac Perlmutter.

  -There’s nothing more to be dohe sales of toys with the TV series have geed great profits. But we’ve expanded our serviany areas: clothing, balls, bicycles, and any toy in our favor. Therefore, our ine should increase when our Fantastic Four and Hulk series premiere. We’ll receive good earnings, as Fox and Cartoowork have given us a good deal, above Lux Animation, - said Joe Quesada.

  -Alright, alright, we might have other bes in our favor and perhaps get rid of these pahat burden us, - Ronald Perelman ented cryptically, adjusting to one side.

  ---