The Wolf of Los Angeles

[Chapter 330: Who Buffs More?]

Los Angeles, City Hall.

A group of women took to the streets, vehemently protesting against a gathering of men. Over a hundred women surrounded the men, launching a verbal onslaught.

"You criminals by nature are to blame for everything that's happening in this city!"

"Cowards! Incompetents! Why don't you step up and put out the fires!"

"You ignorant fools!"

The air was thick with insults, and the societal issues plaguing Los Angeles were pinned squarely on the men present. Some radical protesters even discarded their underwear, throwing items in the faces of the men across from them.

Leading the charge was a woman named Vanessa, who urged her followers to escalate the attacks and inflame tensions further, aiming to provoke the mostly male crowd into retaliation. She believed that if the situation spiraled into all-out chaos, the so-called protest would quickly become a farce.

...

"It's getting chaotic down there," Hawke noted. "Antonio's comeback is underway. He's tapped into the essence of this conflict. The protesters have a natural advantage of gender; if they strike back, it would cast them as criminals and aggressors, and sympathy for them will evaporate."

Brian understood the implication. "If they continue to push their agenda, they'll soon elevate themselves to a privileged status."

Hawke lowered the binoculars. "Normal male organizations can't counter them directly; we can only fight fire with fire."

"Good thing we planned ahead," Brian grinned.

...

Five buses rolled up to the edge of the square, and over 200 Black women disembarked, inserting themselves directly between the protesting men and the feminist group.

They began a chaotic brawl, with shrill voices filling the air. Some women ripped off their days-old underwear, smearing it on the faces of their opponents. Some people even went to the toilet before coming and got some liquid with special flavor, which they now flung on the white women's heads, unleashing a noxious smell.

The feminists had never experienced such a backlash and, losing control, charged forward. What started as shouting eventually turned into a full-on physical confrontation. The feminists, predominantly white, found themselves at a disadvantage.

In the melee, a white woman shouted, "Stop! Just stop! I'm a woman! A woman!"

To which a Black woman replied while continuing her assault, "So am I!"

The white woman instinctively retorted, "You're discriminating against women!"

The Black women's recent education had prompted them to respond smartly, "You're the ones being racists! It's you who perpetuate racial discrimination!"

The white woman stood frozen, left vulnerable as the Black woman struck her repeatedly.

...

In City Hall, the feminists faced defeat. Considering physical prowess, the Black women had a natural advantage. When it came to rudeness and aggression, the comparatively well-educated white women fell short.

As the fight escalated, it was obvious that the feminists were not equipped to handle the situation. LAPD quickly intervened; the feminists accused their opponents of discriminating against women, while the Black women pointed out that they too were women.

Someone uttered a slur, and witnesses began to surface with testimonies. Racial discrimination in public was a serious offense, and LAPD temporarily detained several key members of the feminist group.

In the end, fire defeated fire.

...

As the winds calmed, the spread of the wildfire in Los Angeles slowed, but City Hall still had not made effective moves to handle the chaos. Even with LAPD's heavy-handed actions, those taking advantage of the disconnect continued their rampage, looting and igniting fires with unabated fervor.

New hotspots flared up constantly, and once a fire ignited, it was hard to extinguish.

By the latest count, the burned area in Los Angeles had reached 350 square kilometers.

Social media buzzed with wild stories arising from the catastrophe. Two local banks lost their headquarters to the flames, compromising their deposit data while managing to save their loan records intact.

Some suggested using seawater to extinguish the blaze, only to be shot down by environmentalists concerned about salinity harming the land.

Animal rescue organizations, rather than aiding the displaced humans, invested heavily in temporary shelters for pets. Drawing water from urban ponds was prohibited, as it might endanger local frogs.

Overhead, several aircraft swirled in the smoky sky, not for firefighting, but for media outlets capturing the chaos.

Social media, led by Twitter, showcased breathtaking images from above; each photo was more striking than the last.

...

The fire that had ignited in mid-July continued into August, and finally, the flames showed some signs of control -- not due to effective action by the city council, but simply because the winds had slackened and the blaze had consumed nearly everything.

By early August, the burned area grew to 375 square kilometers, destroying nearly 15,000 homes, displacing 270,000 people, and affecting over 500,000 households with water shortages.

The ash and dust resulting from the fire impacted millions throughout California.

The Democratic leadership in Los Angeles, including California's largest agricultural company, and state legislators faced fierce public criticism for pushing forward a water conservation initiative that was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger.

This fire not only razed hundreds of billions of dollars but also created ripple effects throughout California's social fabric. The Democratic Party's approval ratings plummeted, particularly in Los Angeles where their support drastically dwindled.

Seizing the opportunity, Brian ramped up his campaign efforts, appearing on various major media platforms to launch a direct attack on Antonio.

Many individuals hired to support his campaign dove into the aftermath of the disaster to help victims, while trying to gather signatures for a recall election against Antonio.

---

East Los Angeles, Covina.

The campaign office was crowded with people, including Hawke and Brian.

Hawke asked, "How's the recall election push going?"

Campaign manager Beacon responded, "We've gathered 100,000 petition signatures and expect to surpass 120,000 tomorrow. By the weekend, we should hit 150,000. Antonio's approval rating is only 27% in Los Angeles right now; he can't withstand this."

Hawke remarked, "Wasn't the requirement 12% of eligible signatures?"

Brian interjected, "Not 12% of Los Angeles residents, but rather 12% of the votes Antonio received during his last election."

Beacon clarified, "In the last mayoral election, Antonio received 920,000 valid votes; we've met the legal requirements."

Brian's assistant, Sandra, added, "Our biggest opposition is the feminist organizations."

"After the last confrontation at the square, several mid-level members of major feminist groups were accused of racial discrimination," Brian continued. "Although they were released on bail, they have restrictions on their movements."

Hawke posed a pivotal question: "When will the conservation initiative be revoked?"

If they couldn't get water from the north, Brian would inherit that headache as mayor.

Brian knew this all too well. "Establishing a bill is easier than repealing one. The party is proposing an amendment that could allow water allocation in the event of special circumstances, such as those in Los Angeles. It'll likely pass with over two-thirds support next week."

Hawke understood, "California has been experiencing severe drought. Democratic lawmakers are worried their homes could catch fire."

Most single-family homes in California were wooden, and once ablaze, they were difficult to contain. If water resources couldn't be mobilized, the losses would extend beyond just the residents of Los Angeles.

Hawke looked at Brian. "Let's get moving. This situation is favorable for us, and if we wait too long, the pain from the fire will fade with time."

Brian agreed, "Right."

...

Fast forward a few years, and even with such a fire, toppling the Democratic Party wouldn't be easy.

Antonio had only recently won election, succeeding the Republican Mayor Richard Riordan who had served two consecutive terms since 1993.

In 1983, Democratic candidate Tom Bradley had been heavily favored in polls, only to be toppled by a Republican opponent, creating the infamous "Bradley Effect" in American politics.

Given five to six more years, the rapid development of marginalization strategies could completely transform California into a deep blue state.

...

The following afternoon, Brian delivered a speech at City Hall to kick off the recall campaign, targeting Antonio directly.

"Our city is in an unprecedented crisis, fires continue to rage, water supply is critically low, billions of taxpayer dollars are unaccounted for in Los Angeles, tens of thousands are displaced, and at this critical time, Mayor Antonio chose to travel to Singapore and became entangled with several Asian celebrities!"

Brian made it clear what he and his supporters demanded: "Antonio must resign for failing to provide leadership during this crisis. If not, I will initiate a recall election!"

"A thorough and transparent investigation into our city's management of resources and funds is imperative!"

"An accountability mechanism must be established for ineffective disaster relief responses!"

"A safety plan must be developed to protect all Los Angeles residents during emergencies!"

"I urge our fellow Angelenos and all concerned citizens to stand with us and hold Mayor Antonio accountable. It's time for a change!"

This speech drew in thousands of citizens, earning Brian thunderous applause.

That day, the video of his speech circulated widely via Twitter and Fox 11, reaching viewers across Los Angeles.

*****

/Sayonara816.