The Wolf of Los Angeles

[Chapter 309: Ackerman's New Club]

In Beverly Hills, at the north end of Sunset Boulevard, Sean Ackerman stood at the front door of his mansion, watching as a luxurious Genesis pulled up. He hurriedly went to greet it.

The car came to a stop, and out stepped Tiger Woods and Johnny Edwards. He shook their hands and said, "This way, my father is waiting for you."

The three entered the mansion, with only Edwards heading to the study. Woods preferred to stay in the living room and chat with Sean, avoiding direct involvement with politics.

Sean looked at him quizzically. "I heard you're getting married? Is that a wise decision?"

Woods replied, "Love is one thing, and having fun is another. Even if I get married, I can still go out and enjoy myself." He added with a hint of regret, "It's a shame that the Venice Beach Club was destroyed in the fire."

Sean reassured him, "A building may be lost, but the spirit of that great venture remains."

Intrigued, Woods asked, "Why can't I reach Melissa during my visit to Los Angeles? I've been calling but no one answers."

Not wanting to divulge the internal strife within the Ackerman family, Sean casually explained, "She's temporarily overseas expanding the business. I'm handling things here for now."

Sean gestured towards the study. "If he attends, there will definitely be a party. If not, then there won't be."

Woods has a particularly strong need for this aspect of play, and couldn't help but smile, "Johnny Edwards is a regular guy after all."

...

When Edwards emerged from the study and left with Woods, Sean headed to the study to consult his father, Buddy Ackerman. The elder Ackerman agreed to organize a grand party to welcome Edwards to Los Angeles, which had been the family's traditional way of hosting.

Following Melissa's mysterious disappearance and with ongoing investigations yielding no leads, Buddy had reluctantly passed some power to Sean, the only surviving direct descendant. Even a seasoned tycoon like Buddy had to face the reality of his diminishing health and limited options for the future. Starting a new family at his age seemed impossible.

...

Sean drove out of the estate towards Santa Monica and entered the headquarters of the Ackerman Charity Foundation. He opened the door to the director's office and made a phone call. The chairman, Barack Bernanke, soon arrived.

Bernanke, who had been tirelessly searching for Melissa in Mexico for months without success, returned to Los Angeles only to find that Buddy had delegated some power to Sean. Accepting Sean's offer was the only way for Bernanke to continue in a high-paying job; leaving would mean risking his life.

He held many family secrets and could not afford to leave alive. Additionally, deep down, Bernanke harbored suspicions about Sean being involved in Melissa's disappearance, seeing as he was the biggest beneficiary of her absence. Yet, he still held a ray of hope that Melissa might still be alive, and he could find a clue to rescue her while working with Sean.

Sean settled into his office chair and spoke to Bernanke, "An important figure has arrived in Los Angeles, and we need to host a party to welcome him."

Bernanke quickly deduced, "Senator Johnny Edwards, right?"

"Exactly," Sean instructed. "Find out what he enjoys and arrange something suitable."

Bernanke was skilled in planning these types of parties and replied, "We should prepare various options - Black, White, blondes, brunettes, redheads, and different ages. Men tend to have more diverse tastes." ṙåɴȯВÊＳ

Sean nodded in agreement but added, "Let's make sure to prepare some more tender ones too."

He wasn't sure about everything else, but he knew most men preferred them young, except for a few individuals, or people who ran out of vigor.

...

Bernanke soon returned to his office, directing his assistant to get to work, especially ensuring that a boat was ready. Since the Venice Beach Club fire, for cover, the Ackerman Foundation's new club had been established on an island away from Los Angeles. They sought to avoid being under the FBI's jurisdiction when acquiring party gifts, sourcing them primarily from Africa, Latin America, Ukraine, and Russia.

Among them, Ukrainian products were notably top-quality. Ukrainians matured early, with some being stunningly attractive before turning eighteen, but their prime years were often shorter.

...

In the director's office, Sean called his assistant, Fernando, and asked, "Any updates on Emma Watson?"

Previously, he had been interested in Hermione.

Fernando regrettably replied, "All of our party invites have been rejected. Emma's agent told us outright that Ackerman Productions is bankrupt, and our resources can't afford her."

"Damn it!" Sean slammed his palm on the desk.

The so-called top actors and stars, aside from a handful, were mainly playthings. Even Leonardo DiCaprio was no exception.

The Ackerman family had ears everywhere in the deep blue camp, catching wind of some information from a rival at the party. The last time the Clinton couple came to Los Angeles, the strong-willed Hillary had spent a long time alone with Leonardo that night.

Although this was all hearsay, since last year, Leonardo's physique had deteriorated, and his face had become more gaunt. Any normal man would not have let himself go like that under normal circumstances.

What transpired during that time was easy to guess. Sean recognized his status wasn't on par with Hillary's to attract such top-tier actresses, but for someone like Emma Watson to be so resistant...

The allure of something unattainable sparked unrest within Sean as he frowned and said, "Isn't the new Harry Potter movie set to premiere in North America this summer? Emma Watson will likely be in Los Angeles for the release, right?"

Fernando quickly urged, "We can't pull anything in Los Angeles; Warner Bros. won't allow anyone to meddle with their cash cow."

Sean raised a finger, shaking his head. "We would never employ such crude methods."

He had bigger concerns: "By then, the candidates in the blue camp would have been decided. Inviting him to enjoy a good time with us would be golden; those politicians love mingling with that age group, and the star effect adds appeal. If he wins the election, we stand to gain significantly."

Fernando fell silent; the Ackerman family had previously operated similarly, but not for a presidential election.

The Ackerman family had amassed billions of dollars using such methods. Rumors suggested that wealthy folks in New York were doing the same.

...

Unable to sit still in his office, Sean left to seek out some form of entertainment. Nearing a year since the Venice Beach Club fire, the Ackerman Charity Foundation gradually restored its operations.

As long as there was money, their supply lines to Europe and Latin America remained clean, especially with affordable, quality goods from Ukraine. Bernanke efficiently organized the party, enabling preparations to wrap up by the weekend.

Sean initially planned to send a car to pick up Tiger Woods and Johnny Edwards. However, they decided to travel together in Woods' vehicle.

...

On Friday afternoon, at the entrance of the Venice Private Yacht Club, Sean stood early in the foyer, waiting for the arrival of guests. Woods, driving a Genesis, took a turn leading directly to the club, picking up Edwards on the way.

The Jeep Cherokee ahead of the Genesis never stopped, moving further away. Inside, Garcia called out through the car's intercom, "Don't stop; don't turn off that road; it will draw attention."

The driver, Carlos, assessed the situation and turned onto a distant winding road leading uphill. Meanwhile, another Dodge car with Juan reached a stoplight, merged into traffic, and made a U-turn to head back.

He noted the club further down the road, where guards were stationed and cameras monitored every corner. Approaching would mean exposure.

Juan drove away and entered a nearby multi-story parking garage, parking on the third level. From afar, it was hard to get a clear view of the club, so Juan pulled out binoculars to confirm the premises featured a yacht club with docks set aside for medium-sized yachts.

A white yacht was currently docked at one of the pathways.

Juan opened the trunk and retrieved a professional camera, setting it up to capture the club's activities. Shortly after, the white yacht slowly departed the harbor, heading out to sea.

Hearing cars approaching, Juan quickly packed up the camera and returned to his vehicle. He shared observational details with Garcia via comms.

From Juan's vantage point, he spotted the yacht's other side while Garcia informed him that Woods, Edwards, and others had boarded that yacht.

Moments later, Campos called, seeking specific updates. After Juan and Garcia shared their images and footage, Campos instructed them to maintain their current positions, assuring them someone would rotate in soon.

...

The crew from the Butterfly Company remained on their posts for a full day and night until Sunday morning, when the white yacht returned from the ocean, gently docking back at the yacht club.

In the parking lot, Juan continued watching as Hierro slowly drove out. Carlos on Garcia's side was also prepared.

Soon, a black Genesis rolled out of the yacht club. Carlos overtook it only to find it was not Woods at the wheel, but an unfamiliar face.

When this Genesis returned to Beverly Hills, Hierro relayed the message that Woods and Edwards appeared tired, as if worn out.@@novelbin@@

*****

/Sayonara816.