[Chapter 16: Robbery in Broad Daylight]
On June 16th, the latest Billboard chart was released. Believer claimed the top spot, followed by Numb at two, I Don't Wanna Cry at three, and Baby at four. That week, Believer sold 1.6 million copies, Numb sold 800,000, and Baby sold 500,000.
When the chart was announced, everyone went wild. The single-week sales exceeded 1.6 million, marking the best performance outside of Michael Jackson and Madonna, which also boosted sales for Baby and Numb, an incredible miracle.
At that moment, Linton arrived in Miami. Daniel called him, shouting, "Linton, you are unstoppable! When you get back, I'm throwing a huge celebration party!"
Linton hung up the phone and walked out from the employee passage of a large mall where the signing event was taking place. The venue was bustling with energy, a long line of excited fans snaked around the place. Everyone held copies of Believer and large posters of Linton.
...
As soon as Linton appeared at the signing event, a deafening cheer erupted from the crowd, and security started to anxiously maintain order.
"Linton! Linton!"
The fans' shouts transformed from chaotic noise to a synchronized chant, proving Linton's rising popularity in Miami, thanks to the promotion of Baby, Numb, and Believer, reaching an incredible peak.
"Linton, my whole family loves you, especially my grandson." An elderly white lady was the first in line. She handed Linton a vinyl record from her grandson while asking for a photo.
"Thank you," Linton said politely, signing his name and writing a little note for the lady's grandson.
He then sat down and quickly entered signing mode, signing records at a rapid pace, signing one record every five seconds.
"Linton, I love you!" A girl seized the moment to profess her affection.
"Thank you, I love you all too," he replied.
"Can you sign one more on me?" After finishing a single disc, a white girl asked, pointing at her chest. Linton hesitated but quickly obliged.
"Can you sign one on my back?"
"Could you sign my face next?"
"Can I get one on my butt?"
The variety of unusual requests astonished Linton, though signing on someone's butt was simply impossible.
There were also sudden hugs, strong kisses, and laughs, along with some attendees in tears -- every type of person was present.
"Linton, I bought all your singles!" shouted a black girl, her voice ringing out as she placed three discs on the table. ♫You know you love me, I know you care. Just shout whenever, and I'll be there....♫ She even began to sing the songs right then and there.
"Really? Thanks for the support!"
Linton signed the three discs and politely pushed them back to her. After nearly two hours of nonstop signing, he gestured to a nearby mall staff member to start turning away new fans.
...
"The signing is about to end; no new fans can line up," the staff member announced at the end of the line, putting up barriers. "That's it; Linton is tired. Please cooperate!"
"Linton, can you sign for us all too? This one, and this one..." A middle-aged lady at the back of the line handed over a stack of discs. Linton looked up to find the line had thinned, and several fans waiting behind the barrier looked at him expectantly.
"Sure, no problem," Linton signed the last of the discs.
"Photo together?" The middle-aged lady produced her camera.
"Okay."
Linton stood up, keeping a smile as Mira helped take a group photo. He signed for a few more fans still at the barrier before concluding the event, leading to cheers and jumping from the remaining fans.
...
"You are the nicest and most polite superstar I've ever met, Linton," the mall manager remarked shaking hands with him. "Two consecutive hours of signing must be exhausting, right?"
"It sure is," Linton replied, massaging his shoulders with a wry smile.
"Could you please sign these 50 posters for us? They'll be used for future promotional giveaways."
"Sure, bring them over."
"Thank you, could we take a photo with all our staff?"
"Alright."
"Can you sign for our whole staff too?"
"Okay."
...
Once all the signing was finished, Linton exited the mall, just in time to see a truck across the street suddenly slam to a stop right in front of three pedestrians coming out of a bank.
"Hey! You guys! I just saw the money you've got! Hand it over!"
The truck's doors opened, and two Cubans in the passenger seat brandished guns, pointing their dark barrels directly at the three people.
"Hurry! Hurry!" They glanced around nervously as Miami streets bustled with people, drawing the attention of many onlookers. "I'll count to three; if you don't give it, I'll shoot! One!"
The unfortunate trio, not daring enough to confront the armed Cubans, reluctantly threw over the cash they had just withdrawn from the bank.
"Fuck you! Get out of here!" One of them shouted as the thieves grabbed the money, stomped on the gas, and sped off with a plume of black smoke trailing behind.
"Fuck you! Why don't all you filthy Cubans go back to where you came from?" another person yelled.
"We were invited by the US government, dumbass! You European pirates should be the ones to go back!" came the distant response from the Cubans.
"Don't let me see you again, or you'll be sorry!" The three men yelled at the quickly disappearing truck.
Soon, they reported the robbery, but by the time the police arrived, the Cubans had vanished without a trace.
...
Linton and his friends watched the entire scene in disbelief, unable to comprehend that this happened in broad daylight on one of the busiest streets in the city.
If this could happen here and now, one could only imagine how rampant crime would become in other places and times.
Was Miami, dubbed a vacation paradise, really safe anymore?
"Man, America's safety is getting worse and worse," Mira complained.
"Yeah, after the Mariel Boatlift, the US government has been harsh on Cuban immigration, but the Cubans are getting a bad rap too; they practically released thousands of prisoners, the mentally ill, thugs, and prostitutes into the States. Miami took the brunt of it and is in bad shape; these criminals still have ways to cause trouble. Who knows what the government will do next?" Duke, who was more politically informed, understood the deeper issues.
"It's all the politicians' fault, and in the end, it's the common people who suffer."
"Yeah, I heard these Cuban immigrants aren't just staying in Miami; they've already started spreading throughout the rest of Florida."
"God help us, let's hope they don't come to cause havoc in Los Angeles!"
*****
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