The Wolf of Los Angeles

[Chapter 192: Striking It Rich]

In East Los Angeles, inside an unremarkable parking lot.

Hawke finished giving instructions to the Navarros, a father-son duo, and opened his laptop. He pulled up photos and videos of Owen and Pratt, instructing them to pay close attention and remember every detail.

These actors were sourced by Eric Emerson. The father had wasted years in Hollywood, his acting career largely mediocre, and his wife had divorced him to run off with someone else. His son, young Navarro, followed in his father's footsteps and jostled his way into Hollywood. Yet both father and son had sacrificed a great deal and, to date, had nothing impressive to show for it.

Young Navarro was only 17. Having survived the rough and tumble of Hollywood for a few years, he seemed far more mature than his peers. Hawke noted that Eric had an eye for picking talent.

After replaying the videos and photos a few times, Hawke asked, "Do you remember them?"

Young Navarro nodded vigorously. "I remember them very well."

Hawke continued, "What do you plan to do?"

Before old Navarro could respond, young Navarro interjected. After thinking for a moment, he replied, "The material Director Emerson gave me -- I've gone through it twice since this morning. If the details are correct, Pratt is like a tyrant amongst others, constantly showcasing his uniqueness. How can he let others see his uniqueness? By making things difficult for those who are weaker than him."

Hawke couldn't help but laugh. "Looks like you're learning a lot from Hollywood."

"I've been bullied far too much," young Navarro admitted. Initially, he thought that being under eighteen would protect him in Hollywood, but he quickly realized that the bullies didn't care about age or gender. If they were interested, they'd take action.

He managed a weak smile. "Someone like me, just transferred to an eastern high school, only has to act a bit flashy around Pratt -- like trying to grab the attention of girls close to him. He wouldn't be able to resist."

Hawke glanced at Eric, who, despite his quirks, had a remarkable ability to spot talent. The last extraordinary talent that he found, the gay actor, and now this Navarro duo were promising.

Hawke knew how to motivate a person. "For your efforts, I'll cover two years' rent on a detached house in Covina and give you a cash payment of fifty thousand dollars."

Old Navarro was thoroughly pleased. "You're a generous boss."

Eric, sitting across from them, was a man of integrity and spoke up. "I'm preparing a new movie with a male supporting role that needs someone from a minority background. If you can make Hawke happy, that role is yours."

Upon hearing this, the Navarros were ready to impress Hawke right then and there.

Hawke quickly shot down any wrong impressions. "Just do the task I assigned."

"You can count on it, I'll definitely take a beating from Pratt!" young Navarro assured.

Hawke nodded slightly. "Go home and prepare to move and change schools."

The Navarros exited the commercial vehicle and climbed into the sedan parked nearby, leaving the parking lot with Eric.

...

Brian, disguised as a driver in a hat and sunglasses, lifted his head and said, "You always manage to find professionals."

Hawke replied, "I'm just looking for the right people within my connections."

He passed the documents in his hand to Brian. "Hurry and handle the transfer procedures. The Navarros can move into the villa you prepared starting tomorrow. We need to get young Navarro enrolled and crush Owen before Sacramento has a chance to regain traction."

Brian responded, "Sacramento won't have much time to focus on this. The recall election will finalize soon, and they'll be all hands on deck to face off with Arnold Schwarzenegger and the others."

Hawke cautioned, "Don't underestimate any opponent."

Brian chuckled, "Right now, we're on top..."

"Don't say that," Hawke warned sternly. "Never toast to premature victories, and don't say things that aren't backed by results. This often marks the beginning of failure."

Perhaps this was the secret to success? Brian noted it mentally.

Hawke said, "Let's go back."

Brian's phone rang, and after he hung up, he said to Hawke, "AT&T called asking when they could lay down the fiber optic cables."

Hawke asked, "Who's covering the costs?"

"A non-profit organization donated some funds," Brian replied.

Hawke pondered for a moment. "These events need a little time to brew. Stay patient and wait a few days."

Financially, things were flowing smoothly for Brian. "I'll notify AT&T right now."

After Brian finished the call, Hawke requested him to take a detour through the intersection to see what was going on there.

Brian asked, "Does posting Michael's case and the compensation amount on Twitter really make a difference?"

Hawke responded seriously, "America is full of talent. With such compelling cases available on Twitter, I can't believe bright Americans would ignore such a lucrative opportunity."

As they approached the intersection, Brian spotted several motorcyclists.

He sped up, stopping near the orange sculpture, just in time to see a motorcycle charge toward it, crashing through the stone barrier with a loud bang.

The bike flipped, and the rider -- a black man -- lay on the ground, ignoring his pain, and yelled at bystanders, "Hey, buddy, did you film that?"

A nearby older gentleman fiddling with his camera, apologized, "Oops, I missed it! Brother, just bear the pain and hit it again!"

These voices floated through the window, and Brian's face lit up with amusement.

"Don't worry," Hawke reassured, "Those riders are likely targeting that sculpture. I anticipate more Covina people will join in."

Brian chuckled. "These guys are going to drive Owen crazy. If those injured due to the sculpture don't get compensation, they won't give up easily and will tarnish Owen's reputation..."

"That's why," Hawke interjected, "instead of wasting energy clearing your name, it's smarter to ruin your opponent's."

At the orange sculpture, that same black rider hit it again, finally capturing the right footage.

The duo continued to pose for the camera.

Proceeding along the road, another rider shouted, "Hey, guys, wrap it up quickly, don't hold me back from making money!"

The two black men recognized their job was accomplished and waved, "We're done."

A nearby biker saw one of them holding a camera and said, "I forgot my filming gear -- mind if I borrow yours?"

The old man with the camera replied, "You'll need to pay to rent it!"

Just as this biker wasn't quite ready, more motorcycles came rushing, lining up for their turn to cash in.

...

Over at the City Hall, Owen had just dealt with his wife and sent his son away. He was just about to discuss with Arnold and a few of his cronies how to deal with the prostitution scandal when someone rushed into the City Hall.

Seeing Owen, the man quickly reported, "Bad news, something's happened!"

Owen's heart raced as he asked, "What now?"

The guy explained, "I just came from the intersection and saw a bunch of motorcyclists gathered around the sculpture, those punks are lining up to hit it, and filming it all..."

"A lot of people? Lining up?" Owen's thinning hairline lost even more hair as he furrowed his brow. "What are those punks trying to do?"

Arnold reacted swiftly, "Not good -- they're aiming to mimic that idiot from last night and demand compensation for injuries!"

Owen could see it coming. "Damn it! Have they lost their minds?!"

He looked at Fowler. "Get a crew over there and kick those punks out. Tear that sculpture down!"

This was Owen's pet project to secure re-election, and razing it would be a significant blow to his image. Yet, in this dire situation, tearing it down was better than the alternative.

Arnold reminded Fowler, "Dismantle it, restore it to how it was before, and put up warning signs."

Fowler nodded and hurried off.

After a heated exchange with his wife, Owen felt a little flustered. "What do we do now?"

Arnold suggested, "Mobilize our manpower. We'll spread negative rumors about Brian while stating that he's behind all this trouble."

He was older and held traditional views. "And let's not forget -- Brian is an outsider, new to Covina, and we need to remind everyone of that fact!"

As a native of Covina, Owen recognized the importance of this point and instructed his men, "Go act on it!"

Rumors about the mayoral candidates spread throughout Covina, sparking countless stories.

Once viewed positively, neither Owen nor Brian could escape being seen as shameless.

However, Owen's reputation took a larger hit.

...

The following morning, as rumors swirled in Covina, a new tenant moved in.

They drove to a single-family house and moved their luggage inside.

Yet no one paid them much attention.

The attention of nearly everyone in town had shifted to Mayor Owen's latest troubles.

That morning, Owen received nine letters from lawyers, all regarding the orange sculpture.

A total of fifteen victims had come forward, demanding compensation from Owen, who had financed its construction, for injuries sustained from crashing into it yesterday.

By the afternoon, civil lawsuits and summons were delivered to Owen by third-party workers.

Those desperate individuals had no issue making accusations before establishing any merit.

Moreover, they possessed video evidence to support their claims.

...

Meanwhile, at East Covina High, a new student named Antonio Navarro -- a Mexican American -- joined the eleventh grade.

This newcomer stood out with a striking appearance and a vibrant personality. He was also quite articulate, earning him favor among many girls.

Young Navarro had his sights set. While navigating relationships with his new classmates, he closely monitored Pratt Nester, a star student at East Covina High.

Pratt was tall, muscular, and the starting quarterback for the football team, dating the head cheerleader, Katie.

Katie, the blonde cheerleader, exuded the usual charm of her role -- she was stunning and flirtatious, often drawing the attention of other handsome boys despite having a boyfriend.

Compared to young Navarro, who had spent years grappling in Hollywood, these students lacked much social experience.

It only took Navas one day to find a way through Katie.

*****

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