The Wolf of Los Angeles

[Chapter 304: The Chaos Plan in Los Angeles]

In the villa's dining room, Hawke emerged from the kitchen with the meal prepared by Erica, setting it down on the dining table.

Brian chose a bottle of citrus wine, opened it, and poured the orange-red liquid into three stemmed glasses. As Hawke and Erica came out with their plates, he turned to Hawke and said, "Erica keeps saying you're a great cook."@@novelbin@@

Hawke replied, "Tonight's chef is Erica."

Brian looked down at the steak and vegetable salad on the table, unsure if he should eat it. The last time he had eaten Erica's cooking was four or five years ago, and it had been so bad it made him want to cut his tongue off.

Hawke picked up his fork and knife, cut a piece of steak, and tasted it. Only then did Brian feel brave enough to dig in; after he ate a bite of steak, he found it wasn't bad. But it has a sour smell of love.

The three raised their glasses for a toast.

Hawke spoke directly, "If you have something to say, just say it."

"You wouldn't stick around for dinner if there weren't an issue," Erica said, pouring more wine. "Is it inconvenient with me here?"

Hawke, who always kept an eye on the news, chimed in, "Did the Los Angeles City Council pass Mayor Antonio's 2004 budget plan?"

"Yes," Brian emphasized. "Los Angeles City Hall is partnering with Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) and women's rights groups. Next year, $8.5 million will be allocated from the fire department's budget to promote women's rights within the department to recruit female firefighters, targeting a 35% representation."

Erica frowned, "Is this job suitable for women?"

Brian chuckled, "The pay is high, the benefits are great. Women's rights gain advantages, and Antonio gets votes."

He continued, "This budget also included projections aiming for a 1:1 gender ratio by 2005."

Erica shook her head, "The craziness of politics."

Hawke asked, "For this budget proposal to pass, did you work behind the scenes?"

Brian answered simply, "Some council members who were planning to vote against it decided to abstain after I did some lobbying."

Hawke switched topics, "Did you look into the water bank I mentioned last time?"

"The water bank is backed by a company called The Wonderful Company, which is California's largest economic crop growing and processing firm," Brian said after a thorough investigation. "Its head is Stewart Resnick, a Ukrainian-born Jew who owns over 150,000 acres of prime agricultural land in Southern California and is North America's biggest grower of pistachios and almonds."

He raised his glass, took a sip, and continued. "Other crops like citrus, lemons, and pomegranates also boast impressive scales. The biggest citrus grower in Covina is also his company."

Erica thought for a moment and replied, "I've heard of them. Stewart's wife, Linda, donates large amounts of fruit, juice, and dried fruits to the LAPD and county sheriff's office every year."

Hawke inquired, "The largest agricultural capitalist in California? How significantly does their water bank affect Los Angeles's water supply?"

"They are California's biggest agricultural capitalists and have controlled the Greater Los Angeles area's public water supply since 1994," Brian divulged. "The Wonderful Company signed contracts with Los Angeles City Hall and the California government to secure priority water rights in Southern California and holds over 50% shares in several reservoirs. Even during severe droughts, they can guarantee their own priority water access."

Hawke grasped the implications, "When does that contract expire?"

Brian replied, "Thirty-five years from now."

Erica processed the information, "Southern California is already a drought-prone area. If water resources are controlled privately... You mentioned before about recruiting female firefighters. What are you planning? Are you thinking about leveraging the annual wildfires for your agenda?" 𝙧ÀŊỖʙЁs

Hawke couldn't answer right away, instead cautioning, "If you and your family have properties in the Santa Monica Mountains, Palisades, Sherman Oaks, or Malibu, which are prone to wildfires, it might be best to act quietly over the next few months."

Brian clarified, "Our house isn't located there; grandfather Paul has always warned us to stay away from wildfire-prone areas."

Erica contemplated further, "Perhaps grandpa understands the water situation and considers those areas unsafe?"

Hawke returned to the topic of water, "Go on, what's the situation?"

Brian informed him, "Freshwater in Southern California is essentially all privately owned. The tax office is considering imposing a rainwater tax. The government wants to mobilize water from private owners, which means they have to buy it. In a 2000 supplementary agreement, The Wonderful Company bought water at $28 per unit and sold it to public utilities for as high as $196."

The profit margins here would make even Mexican cartels cry.

Hawke queried, "Is Los Angeles's fire pipeline and reservoir supply sufficient?"

Erica responded, "To answer that with their typical operational quality, if they achieve even half of the minimum standards, they'll be doing well."

Brian noted, "But they could draw water from Northern California."

After finishing his steak, Hawke wiped his mouth with a napkin and dragged a whiteboard over to the dining area.

He asked Brian, "How long until the election?"

"One year, but we need to start building momentum early," Brian replied. "We should plan for the second half of next year."

Hawke instructed, "What I say, you write down for preparation." He stood by the whiteboard and continued, "From the moment you discovered Antonio's fire budget plan, the fire department slashed its normal budget by $8.5 million to support the women's rights movement, which will inevitably affect the welfare of traditional firefighters."

Brian fetched a pen and notebook, ready to record Hawke's points.

Hawke wrote down 'Fire Department and Women's Rights': "I read the news that to this day, the families of firefighters who died during the 9/11 rescue have yet to receive full benefits. Medical payouts for the injured and sick have been delayed."

Erica interjected with some data, "Among the 72,000 workers who participated in the 9/11 rescue and cleanup, 8,000 have developed various cancers, and over 2,000 have died from related illnesses. Firefighters protesting in recent years faced significant obstacles; I spent some time in the New York Police Department in 2002 and learned about their difficulties applying for legal aid."

"When problems can't be solved, eliminate the source of the problem," Hawke wrote '9/11' on the whiteboard. "Starting in the first half of next year, we need to continuously promote the plight of the 9/11 firefighters in California, especially Los Angeles media."

He paused, adding, "Also look for firefighters' cases in California that we can highlight."

Brian observed, "When firefighters face danger, are they hesitant to charge in?"

Hawke nodded slightly, continuing, "Hire a few meteorologists to predict that next year's drought in Los Angeles and Southern California would be worse, putting more pressure on agriculture."

Brian noted, "Drive The Wonderful Company to control more water?" He posed a question, "Could we draw water from the north...?"

Hawke contemplated for a moment before answering, "You raise funds... well, find a way to sway a few environmental organization leaders. Pinpoint an aquatic species native to Central and Northern California and promote its importance, scarcity, and key role in biodiversity, urging society to focus on and protect it."

Brian recorded this and added, "California's environmental organizations generally lean toward the Democratic Party."

Hawke pondered for a minute, saying, "First, identify a specific aquatic animal, use the media to promote it and recruit environmental opinion leaders to push for state regulations. Even if we encounter major hurdles, we must ensure those water sources aren't easily disturbed. The state legislature is controlled by the Democratic Party, so proposals from environmental organizations would likely pass."

Brian stated, "I'll reach out to the governor's office."

At this point, Erica chimed in, "Since the early 1990s, the entire state of California has neglected infrastructure development, and public policy has long deviated from the needs of the community."

Hawke added, "So someone must be held accountable."

Brian was pragmatic, "With my reputation, even if I manage to secure enough campaign funding, it would still be challenging to beat Antonio in a straightforward challenge."

Erica offered a particularly astute remark, "Your skills and notoriety can't match Antonio's. There's no way you can grow to that level in just a year. Your strategy must be to make Antonio appear worse than you."

Hawke reiterated his point, "This campaign is a competition to determine who's more flawed."

Brian glanced at Hawke and the filled whiteboard, "But you're crazier than any strategic planner."

"If we're in this game, we must do everything we can to win!" Hawke dismissed the implications about Los Angeles, "We are not going to kill people or set fires, so what does a naturally occurring fire have to do with us?"

Brian felt inspired by Hawke's fervor, pondering how to ensure their considerable investment would pay off. If wildfires didn't break out or were on a small scale, what should they do? Should they consider arson?

Brian recalled a report he had heard; before 2000, there had been years with minimal wildfires, prompting Los Angeles to reduce the fire budget and lay off some firefighters. That year saw a series of wildfires, some of which had signs of being deliberately set.

This dinner stretched on, with Brian and Hawke engaged in deep discussion, while Erica occasionally contributed her thoughts.

Brian anticipated raising over ten million dollars in campaign funding, believing that with that money, Hawke should be able to create a spectacular show in Los Angeles.

As the clock neared ten o'clock, Brian took his leave.

...

Hawke saw him out while Erica had already tidied up the dining room.

They both went upstairs.

As Erica started running water for a shower, she turned back to find Hawke standing at the bathroom door.

Listening to the sound of running water, she asked, "What if the fires stay under control?"

Hawke had already thought this through: "As long as the fires incite enough chaos, those opportunistic elements won't miss such an opportunity."

This touched on Erica's field of expertise, and she instantly understood. "Yes, every time something goes awry in Los Angeles, these people seem to join in. Rioting and looting feels almost instinctual to them; there are too few people who act like Ssavior."

Hawke remarked, "I've designed a lucrative path for them. If the fires ramp up even slightly, the government would surely evacuate residents; troublemakers would set fires everywhere to pressure evacuations, entering empty homes and taking whatever they want. Once a few people start doing it, the media will draw attention to it, inciting many more to follow suit."

These tactics were not complex, yet they were highly effective. Erica remarked, "Darling, I have a feeling you could throw American social order into chaos."

*****

/Sayonara816.