Chapter 152: Ragnarok

Having essentially secured PolyGram Films' distribution department, Michael Davenport could finally breathe a sigh of relief and temporarily put work aside to handle some personal matters.

Since he was in Europe, he decided to contact Carmen Kass.

After a phone call, Michael found out that Carmen was in London preparing for the February London Fashion Week. He got the location from her, called a car from the hotel, and headed over.

"Sorry, sir," an employee at a large modeling training center stopped Michael. "Ms. Carmen Kass is currently in a posture training class and cannot be disturbed."

He pointed to several rows of benches not far away. "You can wait here."

Michael nodded and thanked him. Checking the time, he picked up a newspaper from a rack and sat on a bench, patiently waiting.

After reading the political and social sections, he turned to the entertainment page, where a headline caught his eye.

"DreamWorks Executive Accused of Assault, Settles for $200,000..."

The news report included a photo of the dark-haired man with a prominent nose, none other than Albert Hoffman.

Michael shook his head. "How could he not keep a low profile after doing something like that? And to get caught by the British press."

This matter had nothing to do with him; it was likely that a reporter had an informant inside the police station. British journalists were much more aggressive than their American counterparts.

Michael wondered if Albert Hoffman would face the wrath of Spielberg and the other two DreamWorks executives when he returned.

After skimming through the news report, Michael guessed Hoffman would soon return to North America.

He put the newspaper away and sent Robert a text message to confirm that the person had received the money and left the UK.

The sound of high heels clicking on the floor caught Michael's attention. He looked up, thinking it was Carmen Kass, but instead, it was a familiar face.

This was a typical American woman, wearing tight pants that accentuated her long legs, with sharp and mysterious eyes under her golden-brown hair. She walked with a professional sway that was both grand and natural.

She noticed Michael and raised her hand to wave, greeting him. "Hello."

Michael stood up and smiled. "Good afternoon, Miss Lindvall."

"Call me Angela," Angela Lindvall replied. "Are you waiting for Carmen?"

Michael nodded. "Yes, I called her before I came."

Angela pointed in the direction she had come from. "Carmen went to change clothes. She should be out soon."

"Thank you," Michael said politely.

Angela's eyes gleamed like a fox's as she said, "You're welcome. Carmen and I are friends."

"Hi, Michael!" Carmen Kass arrived at that moment.

Michael opened his arms and hugged Carmen. Angela took the opportunity to excuse herself. "I'll leave you two alone. I'll be going now."

She smiled at Michael and waved at Carmen before leaving.

"What brings you to London?" Carmen asked, clearly delighted to see Michael. "When did you get here?"

Michael replied, "I've been here for over two weeks, busy with work. I just got some free time and found out you were in London."

People started walking by, and Michael took Carmen's handbag and led her out. "Let's go somewhere else to talk."

Carmen followed Michael, asking, "Where to?"

Michael glanced back at her. "Let's get in the car first."

They left the training center and got into the rental car. Carmen leaned against Michael, asking, "Where are you staying? Is it convenient?"

Michael understood her implication. "Hilton Hotel. Want to go there?"

Carmen stretched and said, "Sure, let's go there." As the car started moving, she asked, "Have you finished your work?"

Michael's hand rested on her long leg. "It's all done. I've been working hard for two weeks; I'm exhausted."

Carmen squeezed his arm. "You've lost weight again."

Michael smiled. "Once this is all over, I'll be able to rest for a while. I'm thinking of hiring a nutritionist and a fitness trainer."

In the two years since moving to Los Angeles, Michael had worked extremely hard, losing weight steadily. Fortunately, his body's foundation was strong, and he remained healthy and energetic.

A man should have some muscle; otherwise, it's hard to attract beautiful women.

Appreciation is often mutual.

Carmen advised, "Get professionals, or you might injure yourself."

Michael nodded. "I know."

Overdoing it with fitness had led to reports of rhabdomyolysis in his previous life.

His childhood friend's brother was a prime example—a marathon fanatic who couldn't stop even when his knees were swollen. It was like an addiction, waking up at five in the morning to run, even on New Year's Day.

That wasn't exercising; it was self-harm.

Once they arrived at the hotel and entered the room, Michael immediately picked up Carmen and carried her to the bedroom. As they tangled together, Carmen asked, "When are you leaving?"

"The day after tomorrow," Michael quickly undressed her. "My work is all done. Do you have any important tasks tomorrow?"

Carmen understood immediately and laughed. "I'll call Daisy later. I'll spend tomorrow with you."

"Come on, my golden goddess," Michael pressed Carmen under him. "Let me show you the power of the eternal spear!"

Carmen was very cooperative, whispering, "The power of this eternal spear is simple yet mighty. Once thrown, it never misses its target. It's a divine spear that can pierce through anything!"

And so, Ragnarok descended!

The next day, Carmen didn't go to the training center and stayed in Michael's room. The two of them fully embodied the phrase "clothes come off in the daylight."

After spending two days and nights together, Michael reunited with Robert. They picked up Alan Albert and Danny Donald before heading to Heathrow Airport, feeling slightly dizzy—clearly overindulged.

In a marathon, men rarely outlast women, especially these supermodels. Despite their slender appearances, they have excellent stamina. Carmen practiced yoga daily, and boxing was her usual cardio workout.

Not to mention their coordination and flexibility.

In his previous life, he remembered a Victoria's Secret show where someone lost a shoe upon entering the runway and managed to walk the whole way on tiptoes.

Michael deeply felt that to enjoy future happiness, he must strengthen his body.

Back in Los Angeles, Michael immediately got to work on the overseas distribution department of Embassy Films, introducing Alan Albert and Danny Donald to the company's senior management. When the overseas distribution team arrived, he hosted a welcome party to help new and old employees get acquainted and integrate into the company.

With the major tasks settled, Michael left the specifics to Garcia and Robert. Alan and Danny were eager to integrate into the new company, and Embassy Films urgently needed an overseas distribution channel. Overall, things went smoothly, and any issues were within controllable limits.

Every company has internal conflicts or disputes, but they must be kept within reasonable bounds.

With the overseas distribution channel in place, Embassy Films' distribution capability in Hollywood was now mid-tier.

Soon, the overseas distribution team members left for their respective posts, aiming to retain useful talents from PolyGram's local branches.

Michael planned to add new staff to the overseas distribution channel, but only after things stabilized. He had agreed with Alan Albert to have Robert and Danny visit all the overseas offices starting next month.

With sufficient funds reserved and a relatively mature team recruited, the establishment of overseas offices went smoothly. The new overseas distribution managers, eager to prove themselves to their new employer, quickly sent data on global exhibitors, video distributors, and media outlets to Embassy Films.

These were assets PolyGram Films had built over nearly a decade, leveraging its record distribution channels, now all in Michael's hands.

Michael also had Embassy Films start external recruitment. PolyGram had no presence in the Middle East and Africa, and with the global film market expanding, these regions couldn't be neglected. They planned to hire professionals to open up these markets.

After handling these matters, Michael personally visited Sony's Chris and Tom Cruise to express his gratitude. Relationships require mutual exchanges.

Though Tom Cruise got a quarter of the investment for 'The Purge 2' from Michael, it was worth it for the overseas distribution channel.

Moreover, Michael could now claim to be Tom Cruise's friend.

In many future scenarios, he could enlist Tom Cruise's help and even use him to meet more people.

As for DreamWorks, Michael had someone check, but there was no explosive news.

Subsequently, Michael took a break, giving himself a few days off to rest. He found a well-known Hollywood fitness club, hired a personal trainer, and planned to spend time working out each week.

Such matters concerning future happiness were of great concern to Michael.

By late January 2000, 'Final Destination' had ended its nine-week run, exiting the final 260 theaters and wrapping up its North American release. The final North American box office was $88.58 million.

Although it didn't reach $100 million, it laid a solid foundation for future sequels.