America Tycoon: The Wolf of Showbiz-Chapter 870 - 839: Cash on Delivery_3
The two got into the same car.
Ryan started the car and headed for Beverly Hills, saying to Cowell, "Get in touch with Michel, I need to see her."
Cowell immediately made a call and said, "She's at the usual place."
Ryan drove straight there, arriving at the gate of a mansion near West Hollywood in Beverly, and after another call by Cowell, the security guard opened the gate and let them through.
After parking the car, Ryan went to meet Michel alone.
Once again passing by the pool surrounded by beauties, he entered the villa and went upstairs, and on the second floor's open balcony, he saw Michel Brian, wearing a yellow dress.
Ryan pulled out a chair and sat down, asking, "Has the merchandise arrived?"
Michel gently caressed the emerald on her ring, "Indeed, after quite a journey and thankfully without incident, it arrived in Los Angeles just a few days ago."
Ryan, anxious, asked, "When can it be used?"
"Patience, just wait a little longer," Michel, her face full of confident and charming smile, replied, "The merchandise that came is in a raw state, still a bit wild, it needs to be tamed here. You wouldn't want to see your clients accidentally harmed by the merchandise, would you?"
Ryan understood and said, "It's very necessary, my clients are high-profile and can't afford any mistakes."
Michel assured him, "Don't worry, the wildest horses become tame lambs in my hands."
Her expression suddenly turned serious, and she asked, "When will you give me the second payment?"
Ryan tried to bargain, "Your price is too high, can't you..."
Michel raised her hand to interrupt him, "If you don't want them, the deposit is nonrefundable, and I'll turn to other clients. They're all in high demand."
She thought of her subordinates who had lost contact and added, "Do you know the price my side has paid for your batch of goods? How many subordinates who have followed me for years can't come back! That I haven't raised the price at the last minute is already in consideration of business reputation."
Ryan didn't know the specifics, but upon reflection, he guessed the risks in such transactions must be significant.
After pondering, he said, "I will make the second payment within two days, but before that, I want to see the goods. I'm the buyer, and checking the merch is the least of my rights."
"Fine," Michel agreed with a condition, "The merchandise isn't here, and you can only follow alone. They can't be directly contacted since they're not yet tamed—you can only take a look through a window."
Ryan replied, "Let's go now."
Michel made a call, and immediately someone came upstairs to take Ryan down.
Ryan told Cowell to wait there for the time being and left the mansion in the car following the others.
Someone sat in the passenger seat with him all the way and even asked Ryan to turn off all electronic devices capable of taking pictures, including his phone, before they departed.
Back on the second-floor balcony, the smile had disappeared from Michel's face. She ordered a subordinate to call Lynch again; the phone was still off.
After Lynch went to Ukraine, the first batch of goods had arrived in Los Angeles smoothly, but then unexpected complications arose in Ukraine.
Michel lost contact with Lynch, and it was from the media that she learned the Ukrainian Security Bureau had taken action and taken down a human trafficking ring.
A red-hot celebrity in Ukraine was making a big fuss, involving the Ukrainian public opinion, pressuring the Ukrainian authorities to continue investigating the matter.
Michel was not worried about being traced back here. Even if it led to her, what could be done?
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Did Ukrainians think they could punish an American? Absurd.
The only regret was the loss of Lynch, a capable subordinate.
Michel's phone rang.
She answered, and a voice came through, "Jeffrey wanted me to ask you, what's with your people? Stirring up such a storm in Ukraine! Now, Ukraine and the neighboring regions, influenced by the public opinion, are on strict lookout, and our supply channels are severely affected!"
Michel replied, "I'm also not clear on what happened. All news I've gotten is from the media. My subordinates dispatched to Ukraine are all out of contact..."
The other end cautioned, "Even if the Ukrainians can do nothing to us, pay attention to the public opinion. Cut off any contact with them! These people are most likely caught by the Ukrainian Security Bureau or could have been turned, not trustworthy anymore."
"I understand," Michel said and hung up.
Aside from being ensnared by FBI sting operations, this was the biggest setback she had faced since starting her business.
Fortunately, the client's merchandise had arrived.
Michel was a madam who cared deeply about professional ethics.
...
A convoy of three cars left Beverly and headed to South Santa Monica.
There was a private dock for mooring yachts, with accompanying warehouses nearby.
One of these warehouses, with a brick-and-mortar courtyard and bearing the sign of a logistics company, looked quite normal.
Ryan Reynolds followed the others into the warehouse, maneuvering past several stacks of goods, and then a door leading underground opened revealing steps descending.
The basement was brightly lit with armed guards at the ready.
Only then did Ryan Reynolds realize that Michel's reach was perhaps much broader than he had imagined.
But he was not worried, for the stronger Michel was, the more secure the transaction.
"Over here," someone called.
Ryan walked with the person through to the end of a not-so-long corridor.
The man pointed to the last room and said, "They're all in there, go have a look, but don't startle them."
Ryan treaded lightly to a glass window and peered inside.
The first thing he saw was three girls, with typical Slavic features, fair-skinned and beautiful.
In front of them stood someone like an instructor, seemingly drilling them with simple commands and actions, apparently to reinforce their obedience.
After seeing for himself, Ryan was reassured.
