The Wolf of Los Angeles

[Chapter 39: Big Guy, Cute Little One]

At Hobart Mountain Park, Jacqueline, dressed in jeans and sneakers, spotted Hawke and Edward from a distance and quickened her pace.

Once she reached them, she opened her arms and hugged Hawke tightly, saying, "Thank you for everything you've done for me."

Hawke stepped back, replying, "I should be thanking you for the news tip."

Jacqueline sat down on a stone bench and mentioned, "I saw the National Enquirer; the agent is taking it out on that little brat, ordering her to leave Los Angeles. If they spot her in L.A. again, he said he'd throw her into Compton."

"That punishment's pretty harsh!" Edward, hailing from Compton, couldn't help but interject. "A young, pretty white girl stranded in Compton? Now that's a storyline straight out of a San Fernando Valley film."

Hawke cut to the chase, saying, "I've got something I need your help with."

Just when Jacqueline was feeling thankful for Hawke helping to get rid of her backstabbing little brat, she said, "If I can do it, I'm in."

Hawke waved his hands dismissively, "It's quite simple. You just need to disguise yourself as a pregnant woman and meet someone."

Jacqueline rubbed her belly, adding, "I don't know much about being pregnant."

Edward pulled out a CD Hawke had prepared in advance. "This has all the details; take it home and study it well."

Hawke asked, "How much would you charge for the day? I'll pay you the going rate."

Edward's eyes widened, "Boss, you've figured it out? Wait, how do you know about day rates?"

Jacqueline chimed in, "I'm currently on my period, so I'm resting... um, how about you pay me $200 a day?"

Hawke handed her $200, stating, "It may not just be one day, so take the CD and look it over."

He exchanged a glance with Edward, who then handed over the backpack he'd brought.

Hawke continued, "Inside, there's professional gear for your pregnancy disguise. Remember to practice, keep your phone on, and wait for my call."

Jacqueline accepted it all.

Hawke went over a few more pointers.

Once Jacqueline left, Edward scratched his head, frowning as he said, "Boss, why do I feel like we're the kind of shady villains you see in a Hollywood movie?"

Hawke responded, "Do you think we're stronger or weaker than Downey?"

"Of course Downey's stronger," Edward said, calculating that he couldn't pin it down anyway, so he simply said, "He's at least a millionaire. Compared to him, we're both just broke. Our only advantage is that we are hiding in the dark."

Hawke retorted, "If we aren't afraid of being broke, why should we be scared of hiding in the dark like a venomous snake?"

Edward was enlightened. "Right! Why should broke guys be scared?"

The two left Hobart Mountain Park to prepare for other matters.

...

The next day, Hawke called Cole to inquire about Robert Downey Jr.'s whereabouts. The previous day, he had crossed Cole's line, continuously pushing Cole to reveal more information.

Cole told Hawke that Downey was headed to the Tracy Gym that day.

Hawke then dialed Eric's number and asked, "Old friend, any updates on the gym situation?"

Eric sheepishly replied, "Katherine found someone. I've been busy writing a script and forgot to inform you. Hang on a moment, I'll call Katherine."

A few minutes later, Eric called back, telling Hawke to arrive at the gym before three o'clock, as he would accompany Katherine's friend there.

Hawke knew this was crucial; he couldn't afford to keep anyone waiting.

He immediately left, driving to Westwood and waiting nearby the gym.

As it approached ten o'clock, Hawke received a phone call from Eric, who was waiting for him at the gym entrance.

Before long, a Ford Mustang pulled up, and besides Eric in the passenger seat, a big guy exited from the driver's side.

Hawke recognized him, Dwayne Johnson.

At the time when Johnson was just breaking into Hollywood, he wasn't yet the major star he would become. After Eric introduced him, Johnson approached Hawke to shake his hand, politely stating, "Eric's been raving about you, saying you're a master at movie operations. At the Sundance Film Festival, you sold his movie for a high price."

Hawke gave credit where it was due. "It's mainly because he made a good film. If the movie quality isn't there, even the best operation wouldn't help."

Eric held Hawke in high regard and quickly added, "No, no, no! I picked the wrong material, and it was Hawke who helped me turn it around."

Johnson grew more intrigued by Hawke.

He had known Katherine for a long time; she had praised Eric's directorial skills and was currently raising funds to help him produce his second feature film.

By personally accompanying Eric, he also wanted to build a better relationship -- more director friends would mean more opportunities for an actor.

Johnson suggested, "Let's head inside and talk."

Led by this VIP member, Hawke and Eric entered the Tracy Gym.

Not only Hawke, but even Eric had signed up for gym membership.

Eric needed to create his script, so he finished signing up and left immediately.

Johnson took Hawke to the locker room.

VIP members had their private stalls in the locker area.

Hawke, however, had to change in the common area.

When Johnson stepped out from his locker room and saw Hawke in workout shorts, he couldn't help but whistle. "Man, you can't tell by just looking at you, but you've got some muscle."

Hawke sized up Johnson and replied, "You're a bit smaller than I pictured."

"Never tell a man he's small!" Johnson looked down and smacked his forehead, exclaiming, "Crap! I forgot the most important thing."

He hurriedly opened his bag and pulled out a brand new pair of cotton socks, which he skillfully scrunched before tucking them in his waistband.

What initially looked mundane suddenly bulged out like a mountain peak.

Hawke thought to himself, was that really necessary?

Johnson grinned, striking a straightforward pose. "The PR team has reminded me more than once that stars always need to pay attention to their image. I've got to showcase masculine bravado with my style and persona."

Then, with a hint of exasperation, he flexed his arm, "To maintain these exaggerated muscles, I've got to use some supplements. Taking too much of those can wear down certain male functions."

Hawke replied, "Not many people would be so candid about it."

Perhaps before every star became massively famous, they all had their moments of sincerity. Johnson wrapped a towel around his neck, continuing as he walked out, "What matters is that it works, right? Who cares about size or duration? Aren't we just chasing that moment of happiness?"

Hawke noted, "Dude, you've captured the essence of joy."

Both entered the workout area, where numerous personal trainers provided one-on-one guidance.

Hawke immediately spotted Jennifer Lopez and Hugh Jackman among the star-studded clientele.

For the moment, he didn't see Robert Downey Jr. and warmed up alongside Johnson before pumping iron.

During a break, Johnson mentioned, "I heard about the marketing plans you orchestrated from Eric. They're quite unique."

Hawke didn't need to downplay his role, stating, "What's most important is that they work."

Johnson inquired, "The Sundance Film Festival lasted over ten days, and you only managed to handle one?"

Hawke considered briefly before responding, "There's another film, The Trespassers, directed by Brazilian filmmaker Beto Brant. Originally, overseas films had little attention, but I helped him plan a strategy that made it explode in the media."

Unexpectedly, Johnson was familiar with the movie: "The Trespassers won the Latin American Film Award at the Sundance Film Festival."

That was the best proof, and Hawke smiled slightly, realizing he didn't need to elaborate further.

With two strong examples on the table, Johnson contemplated for a moment and said, "My first starring role in a movie is set for release next month. Can you help me with some suggestions?"

Hawke recalled reading about it online and asked, "That tailor-made film, The Scorpion King?"

Johnson's expression turned serious. "That's the one. It's my first time took on the lead role, shouldering the entire film, and if it flops, I'll have to go back to wrestling."

Hawke noted, "My production studio handles this type of business as well."

Johnson, who was already financially secure, immediately understood. "The crew's pushing personal promotion for me and has allocated a budget for it. I'm also planning to invest some of my own money."

Hawke thought how the first time was always the hardest. With Eric's connections in play, building relationships and finding new business opportunities became much easier.

"Your personal promotion?" Seeing Johnson nod, Hawke continued, "I'll need some of your materials, including your wrestling career."

Johnson promptly grabbed his phone and made a call for someone to send over what was needed.

Hawke really valued this opportunity and didn't want to lose contact with Johnson, making a point of saying, "I'll first look over the materials and draft a plan. If I come up with something suitable, then we can sign an agreement."

To Johnson, that sounded like a responsible approach.

Not long after that, Robert Downey Jr. arrived at the gym.

Hawke selected a spot far from him, pretending to observe casually.

Deborah accompanied Downey, and the couple appeared jovial, as if nothing had ever happened, which felt uncomfortable to witness.

Once the two left, Hawke received the materials sent over by Johnson's friend. Using the excuse of needing time to review them, he was the first to leave the gym.

As he got into his car, he noticed some of Downey's entourage waiting nearby by the car.

Hawke pulled out a spare phone and called Cole, asking him to provide information on Deborah's solo outings.

*****

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