The Wolf of Los Angeles.

Chapter 146: Gunfight Scene (asking for monthly ticket)

Four Seasons Hotel, Beverly Hills.

Inside the private room, Robert Redford looked extremely serious. He looked at Rooney Chasen and said coldly, "My people found that your assistant Sasha was involved with Hawke Osment's people."

"Impossible!" Rooney would never believe what outsiders said.

Seeing that the two were about to argue, lawyer Cheryl interrupted and said, "You two, our most important task now is to find Wagner. Where did this guy go?"

Redford pulled out his cell phone and called again.

After the call was connected, before he could ask, someone said, "That's right, I'm going to call you too. Hurry up and watch Fox 11. Ace News has just started. You and Sterling Van Wageren are on it."

Redford quickly turned on the TV, switched to channel 11 and asked, "Is Sterling on your side?"

The man said: "He didn't come..."

Redford suddenly put down his phone and hung up the call because he saw the footage being played on "Ace News".

First is a girl. The girl’s face and key parts are blurred, but you can tell that she is still young.

Then three men appeared, Wagner, himself, and Lawrence Pope.

Cheryl and Rooney turned their eyes to the TV screen at the same time.

The two were about to make a phone call, but put their phones down as they felt it was unnecessary.

The TV screen quickly changed, and another video was changed to Wagren himself, who was also young on the other side.

After playing for a while, the show changed again. The girls were replaced by two, and the three men were still Wagner, Redford and Pope.

At this point, Redford was in a brief state of shock.

That bastard Wagner not only took the photos secretly, but he also included himself and Pope in the photo!
Rooney next to her was somewhat skeptical about her life. She hadn't experienced such a devastating defeat in a long time.

Everything was going very smoothly. She launched a violent attack that defeated Hawke Osment and West Coast Studios, leaving them without the ability to fight back. She had an overwhelming advantage in terms of public opinion, victims and the legal level.

The fruits of victory were within reach, but everything collapsed.

Rooney suddenly thought of what Redford had just said, Sasha was involved with Hawke Osment's people...

If all this is true, she was schemed by Hawke Osment and Carolyn Jones on the day she took over Wagren's business!
Carolyn Jones used herself as bait, even at the cost of her career, to help Sasha win her trust?

What about Rachel Wood's information? Did she expose her undefended weaknesses and vulnerabilities to me, allowing me to attack her, attracting her attention, and then quietly open up another track?
The opponent does not defend the weakest point, but instead makes a detour from the side and attacks directly at the vital point?
Cheryl is a lawyer and reacted the fastest. She grabbed Redford and said, "You are in danger. Think about how to deal with the investigation by LAPD or FBI!"

When Redford and Pope are mixed together, there is still basic political sense.

The LAPD and the FBI Los Angeles branch did not intervene before because they did not want to directly intervene in the dispute between the two parties. There was no evidence and no pressure.

It’s different now. Such news is not something that the “Ace News” program team can decide on alone. It means that Fox TV will expose it on a large scale, and public pressure will follow.

The video is the best evidence. As long as the LAPD receives a call, they will definitely intervene.

Redford understood that the situation was very dangerous, and the most critical point was that his old friend Wagner still could not be contacted.

This couldn't help but make him think of a certain possibility.

"On the legal side, you are more professional, think of a solution." Redford picked up his bag: "I will make some arrangements now."

Cheryl said: "Don't panic, we still have a way."

Redford nodded slightly and looked at Rooney: "We have all been hurt by you!"

Rooney was speechless for a moment.

Redford went out and walked towards the elevator while calling his assistant: "Book me a flight immediately, preferably one that doesn't have an extradition agreement with the United States, no... leave the United States as soon as possible, the sooner the better!"

He thought his friend had an accident and he was not safe either, so he hung up the phone and called again: "Come over right now and go to Los Angeles International Airport with me."

At this moment, Redford thought of Roman Polanski and how similar his situation was.

Run away and go to the European film industry.

As soon as Redford left, Cheryl and Rooney also left separately without waiting for the end of "Ace News".

The former is still full of fighting spirit and ready to do a great job.

The latter walked with heavy steps, got into the car and immediately called Sasha.

But the receiver sounded busy.

Rooney is basically certain that Sasha is the undercover agent!
She thought about it and called Caroline, and this time the call went through.

In the lounge of the Fox Television Center, Caroline asked, "What's the matter?"

Rooney remained silent and finally hung up the phone without saying anything.

If you lose, you lose. There is nothing to say.

Rooney asked the driver to drive back to the company.

Caroline on the other side put away her phone, feeling particularly happy and eager to call out a few times.

But with Sasha by her side, she had to maintain her shrewd dignity.

At the door, Edward came in and was somewhat surprised to see Sasha and Caroline sitting together.

But he followed Hawke the longest, thought about it, walked over quickly, and asked Sasha: "So you are also an undercover!"

Sasha nodded to Edward, "Hello, Mr. Undercover."

Edward exclaimed: "Boss is amazing. He managed to find two undercover agents for just one incident."

"You think too simply." Caroline tried to look serious and solemn on her face. "This is not a petty fight in the entertainment industry. This is a party dispute!"

Hawke and Brian came in from outside at this time.

Sasha stood up and looked at Hawke.

Hawke nodded at her, "Well done."

Sasha was very direct: "Thank you for the bonus." After thanking Hawke in person, she picked up her bag and said, "I'm going to go out and travel to relax."

Hawke said to Brian, "Send two people and a car to escort Sasha."

After the manpower was used up, not only was there an extra bonus, but there was also such treatment. Sasha said from the bottom of her heart, "Thank you."

Brian made the call, and soon a man and a woman came and drove Sasha back to their rented apartment and packed up to travel to East Asia.

There was no one else here, so Hawke said to Brian, "Let your two subordinates start the movement. They should agree."

…………

Meanwhile, in Sacramento, Lawrence Pope, who was resting at home, received a call.

"Hurry up and watch 'Trump News' on Fox Channel 11," the caller reminded him.

Pope realized that there was important news, so he came out of the bedroom, glanced at his wife and fourteen-year-old daughter, and said, "Linda, take Catherine to bed."

Catherine argued: "I'm not sleepy yet, I want to watch a TV show..."

Pope said, "Be good and listen."

Catherine pouted and reluctantly returned to her bedroom.

Linda followed.

Pope picked up the remote control, switched to channel 11, and then saw his heroic figure on the TV screen.

Of course there is also a girl.

"Fuck!" Pope was angry and took out his cell phone to make a call.

There was a scream from behind, followed by the dull thud of someone bumping into the wall.

Pope turned around and found his wife Linda leaning against the wall, looking at the TV in shock, pointing at him, and seemed to have lost the ability to speak.

The cell phone in his hand rang. Pope glanced at the caller ID and answered the call without caring about his wife.

An angry voice came from the receiver: "Is this your promise?"

Pope wanted to explain, but when he looked at the news on TV, he was at a loss for words.

The anger of the man on the other end dissipated a little. After all, he was wearing a mask at the time. He then said, "Everything ends with you. Those who should shut up should shut up."

Pope understood what this meant and said, "I will take care of it."

When he hung up the phone, his wife had already walked to the TV. Seeing her husband busy with the coded girl, she turned her head and glared at him: "Why? Why?"

Pope seemed not to hear and sat on the sofa without saying a word.

"I pretended I didn't know or see you cheating on me." Linda pointed at the TV screen: "But how could you do this! You also have a daughter, and you are also a father!"

She shouted angrily: "You are a beast! No, you are worse than a beast!"

Pope did not retort. He turned his head to look at his daughter's room, closed his eyes in pain, and said, "I will bear all the consequences! Linda, Linda, listen to me..."

He raised his voice and said, "Listen to me. What is going to happen next is very important. It is related to your and Catherine's future life."

Linda gritted her teeth: "You ruined it all."

Pope was very calm and continued, "Contact attorney Donnie immediately. We will agree on a divorce tonight. All the property will belong to you and Catherine. After the divorce procedures are completed, you and Catherine will leave Sacramento and go to New York. Your brother is there and can take care of you."

Linda looked at her beast-like husband with extremely complicated eyes, and she couldn't tell which one was his true face.

"Hurry up." Pop put on his coat and took the car keys. "I have to go out for a while. When I come back, Donnie had better have finished drafting the divorce agreement."

For the sake of the future, Linda forced herself not to show the smile hidden deep in her heart and nodded: "Go ahead." Pope went out and drove out. At the same time, he took out a mobile phone from the car and called out: "Hammerson, come out right now and we'll meet."

Half an hour later, Pope took a large sum of cash from a house and brought the money to the agreed coffee shop, where he met a strong white man waiting there.

He handed the money to Hammerson without any nonsense and said, "Take your people and set off now to Los Angeles overnight."

Hammerson opened the bag, roughly counted the money, and asked directly: "Who is the target?"

Pope said: "Robert Redford and Sterling Van Wageren, go find the photo and tell them to shut up."

"Two Hollywood celebrities." Hammerson knew who these two people were, especially Redford. He put away his bag and said, "Wait for my good news."

Pope nodded and said nothing more. After the people left, he took out a cigarette and lit it.

…………

In a detached house in Pasanadi.

Brian's assistant Sandra accompanied the family of three to watch "Ace News".

Penny twisted her hands together, her eyes widened, and her face was full of resentment.

Her parents are still thinking.

Sandra recalled the words Hawke taught her and said, "Before, we found three victims, but they were all coerced by the PR to give up. Do you know what means they used to coerce them? A female lead with a salary of 300 million US dollars! Are you really going to keep silent? Keep silent when you have nothing?"

What justice, what redress, it's all useless nonsense at this moment.

Hawke knew exactly what would impress these people.

Penny's father said, "Can we discuss this?"

Sandra smiled and nodded, then stood up and left the room.

Penny's mother said anxiously, "This is unfair, so unfair! We abide by the rules, but we get nothing! Look at those people who jump out to break the rules. If they win the lawsuit, they can get a large amount of compensation. Even if they give up halfway, they can still get money and resources."

Her husband asked, "Do you agree?"

The woman shouted, "Why don't you agree? Fox TV has exposed it, what are you afraid of?"

The man nodded: "Okay, let's call the police."

Penny came to the door at this time, opened the door and said to the people in the yard: "My parents asked you to come in."

Santa Monica, in a small villa in the coastal area.

Another of Brian's assistants convinced the parents of another victim in almost the same way.

Rooney's public relations and reversal of public opinion were very successful, but all of this was based on the fact that there was no video exposure. Fox TV released related news, which instead became a tool for Hawke to agitate people.

The offer she made to Rachel Wood was so good and so attractive.

Half an hour later, the group met at Brian's law firm and, after a brief negotiation, signed an agency contract with Brian.

Afterwards, accompanied by Brian, the two victims and their guardians went to the West Police Station to report the incident to the police.

Before entering the Western Police Station, Brian received calls from the three guardians of the victims, Rachel, Judy and Amanda, who wanted to cooperate with him again.

Brian asked them to come directly to the West Branch.

…………

The Los Angeles Times editorial office next to City Hall in downtown Los Angeles.

Mariel, deputy business editor, received a call personally from Franco Pearson, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The former said directly: "Fox TV has already exposed this matter. In addition to Trump News, Fox News is now broadcasting it continuously. Just now, the 10 o'clock news broadcast a new content. It can't be suppressed. As one of the three major newspapers in North America, the Los Angeles Times can't pretend not to see it."

Pearson's voice seemed to be several years older. "I have no intention of stopping you from reporting. Reporting hot topics is your freedom of the press. But this is just an isolated case in Hollywood. I hope it will not affect this year's Oscars."

Mariel understood what the other person said. This line of work is not about reporting the news silently, so she was very considerate: "The focus of the report, of course, is on Van Wageren and Robert Redford."

Pearson said in a sad tone: "They deserve to be punished for what they did."

Mariel made a few polite remarks, hung up the phone, and looked at the documents on the table. One paragraph called for an in-depth investigation into whether such incidents continued in Hollywood.

She picked up the phone and made a call.

Soon, the editor-in-chief responsible for the front-page headlines came into the office.

Mariel said directly: "Revise the manuscript and focus on Van Wagren and Robert Redford. Don't mention the others and don't involve individual cases too much."

"Okay." The editor-in-chief took the manuscript back and asked the editor in charge to revise it.

Just before the final edition of each major newspaper, the editorial offices received calls, either explicitly or implicitly, asking them to downplay the news. It was not that they would not report it, but that the coverage should focus on the individual and call for individual accountability.

The media, headquartered in California in particular, reached a tacit agreement.

This is the blue base camp.

Hollywood as a whole is deep blue.

Even the LAPD was affected to some extent, because when Brian went to report the case, it was too late and the relevant personnel on duty were off duty, so they could not issue a subpoena.

Brian was not in a hurry either. His goal of implicating Pope in the matter had been achieved.

Hawke hid behind the scenes, hiding in a villa with layers of protection, carefully watching everything that happened. Nothing was more important than his own safety.

The period after the news is exposed is the most dangerous time.

When you need to hide, you can't jump out.

Even Campos and his group were ordered by Hawke to leave Los Angeles overnight and go out for fun.

…………

The next morning, in a parking lot on 20th Street in Santa Monica.

Wagren woke up from his coma and turned to look at the co-pilot seat, but the package had disappeared.

The memory returned to his brain and he slapped his forehead hard: "Damn it!"

The storage disk and video were stolen!
Wagren thought back and remembered what the robber had said at the time. If he guessed correctly, the person who robbed the things was most likely sent by Pope.

He quickly looked for his cell phone and discovered that the battery and signal card had been taken apart and thrown on the passenger seat.

Wagren picked it up. Now that the matter had developed to this point, he had to inform Redford, after all, they were friends for many years.

He installed his cell phone and called Redford, but the call was not going through.

Fight again, still the same.

Could it be? Wagner panicked and quickly started the car, drove out of the parking lot and headed for the Pacific Coast Highway.

He had a secret house in Malibu with cash and passports.

Wagner also wanted to escape.

But once his cell phone signal was turned on, he made another call and was soon targeted.

Before they reached Malibu, two SUVs belonging to the FBI caught up with them.

The car in front stopped skillfully, the car behind blocked the retreat route, and there were no other vehicles around.

With the sound of harsh brakes, three cars stopped one after another.

Wagren saw the FBI logo on the cars in front and behind him, and without hesitation, he raised his hands and got out of the car, shouting, "I have no weapon, I have no weapon."

Several people wearing FBI vests got out of two cars. Using the vehicles as cover, they shouted, "FBI, let me see your hands!"

Another person yelled, "Get down, get down on the ground!"

Wagren put his head in his hands and knelt beside the car.

Suddenly, gunshots rang out.

bang bang bang-

Four FBI agents fired one after another. Several bullets hit Wagren, but more bullets hit the red Focus, as if a fierce gun battle had taken place.

There were dozens of bullet holes on both sides of the FBI position facing Fox.

Wagren, who was shot several times, fell to the ground, but he was not dead yet.

An FBI agent took an evidence bag, removed the Beretta pistol from it, came to Fox's position, stood next to Wagren, and said, "Be careful."

The others stepped aside, while this side chose a position, pulled the trigger, and the FBI car was immediately riddled with bullet holes.

Then they shot at the SUV behind them.

The shells landed on Wagner, and the director made a strange sound in his throat.

The FBI agent cleaned up the marks on the gun, placed it next to Wagner, and helped him hold the gun.

Another person asked, "Is the gun okay?"

The man said, "The gun that guy found in his house was originally his gun."

The leader urged, “Hold on tight.”

It is not difficult for these professional agents to create a real gunfight scene.

(The second chapter is not finished yet, it will be updated a little later, probably around noon. Please give me your monthly votes!)
(End of this chapter)