The Wolf of Los Angeles

Chapter 351 - 351: The Bottom of Society

[Chapter 351: The Bottom of Society]

In the early mornings, Harley boarded a helicopter with an exclusive news story, flying back to Los Angeles and landing at Fox Tower. Chairman Roger Ailes had not yet taken a break and was still waiting for her return.

"Twitter has got the exclusive on Edwards," he informed Harley.

Harley had already seen it on her way back. "I have an exclusive too, about the Avalon Club set up by the Ackerman family. Sir, should we wait for tomorrow's morning news?"

Roger Ailes glanced at his watch. "Tomorrow's morning news."

This time, Fox was fully engrossed in the election and had to go all out to win. Harley returned to her new office, heavily protected by security, and opened her computer to find that the Edwards news video had already become a trending headline. According to Twitter's algorithms, the news had been prominently pushed to those interested in current affairs.

...

On Twitter, many supporters of the Democratic Party were heartbroken.

"Oh my God, how could he do this!"

"The video is real, with no signs of tampering. Our politicians truly represent the bottom of American society."

"It's unbelievable that one of the candidates nominated by the Democrats is a criminal!"

"It's clear that the Democratic Party is rotten to the core."

---

In Beverly Hills, the Kerry campaign team -- always tuned into media activity -- noted the news on Twitter and immediately alerted their superior. Kerry watched the video as soon as it happened, sitting quietly in front of his laptop without saying a word. He took deep breaths, his stress level slowly beginning to rise again.

Kerry waved over his campaign manager and said, "Leave California first thing in the morning. We've wasted enough time and resources here."

Leaving now would undoubtedly signify defeat, but the campaign encompassed 50 states and a special district; they couldn't get bogged down in one place.

"The situation in California has deteriorated completely. It's definitely time to go," the campaign manager agreed.

Kerry added, "I'm thinking about changing my partner. Who do you think is suitable?"

The campaign manager responded, "The team will quickly select a suitable candidate."

...

Kerry exited the meeting room, asked a staff member a question, and walked into a nearby lounge where he encountered his partner, Edwards. He walked over briskly and tapped Edwards on the shoulder. "Did you see the video on Twitter?"

Edwards nodded slowly, his spirit seemingly drained. "Things like this happen. George did it too."

He sighed, "I'm sorry."

At this point, Edwards took some responsibility: "Tomorrow I will make a public statement to withdraw from this election. You should leave L.A. early; I'll take the heat here."

Kerry squeezed his arm, "Thanks, I'll be out of here by dawn."

Edwards had his assistant prepare the withdrawal statement and returned to his room alone.

...

By early the next morning, as dawn broke, Kerry's convoy left Beverly Hills, heading to Los Angeles International Airport. A group of ten boarded a business jet to make an emergency exit from California. Losing here would mean nothing, as there were multiple swing states left to fight for.

---

In Woodland Hills, George had hardly slept for four hours last night, but he rose early and was still buzzing with energy. He received a notification from Fox that morning news would feature an independent report on the Avalon Club.

George and several aides ate breakfast while watching TV. As the morning news began, Harley Wayne appeared on screen. After a brief introduction, video footage started playing, containing interviews with the FBI. The news discussed everything regarding the Avalon Club, beyond the scandalous video content.

...

Fox once again captured national attention. The news continued to play while normal staff began arriving at Fox Tower. A Latin man wearing a baseball cap casually passed by, taking advantage of the moment when security was momentarily distracted, and dropped a black suitcase near a support column by the building's entrance.

He got into a nearby vehicle and sped away. Fox had only raised security levels the night before, so the suitcase soon drew the attention of security personnel. Four security guards approached, hearing a ticking sound, reminiscent of a clock turning, and dared only to watch from a distance, reporting up the chain.

...

The security manager reviewed the surveillance footage and immediately notified superiors. Minutes later, the message reached the chairman's assistant, who briefed Roger Ailes, who had spent the night at the office.

Roger Ailes called the police while ordering an evacuation of nearby personnel. Unidentified packages had always been associated with bombs. LAPD officers arrived quickly, and the specialized bomb squad was dispatched to the site as soon as possible.

The situation unfolded at Fox Tower, which housed not only Fox News but also the headquarters of 20th Century Fox. A member of the LAPD hastily communicated with Roger Ailes and called for the evacuation of Fox Tower staff.

If that suitcase contained a powerful explosive, an explosion would threaten the entire building. Normal operations at Fox were now out of the question. Due to the emergency evacuation, 20th Century Fox, managed by Rupert Murdoch's sons, came under intense scrutiny, leading to a heated argument between the two sides as tensions escalated.

Since the foundation of Fox News, Lachlan Murdoch and James Murdoch claimed Roger Ailes had taken their rightful place.

...

In downtown Los Angeles, in front of City Hall, crowds gathered from all directions. On Twitter, protest information continued to spread, rallying the citizens of Los Angeles to convene and demand an investigation into the perpetrators involved in the Fox News scandal, advocating for the protection of minors.

"If those murderers can't be severely punished, who can guarantee that the next victim isn't our child?"

That widely shared tweet echoed the concerns of many parents. In front of the powerful, the laws meant to maintain social stability felt notoriously weak.

...

By 8:30 AM, Los Angeles City Hall had attracted hundreds of participants. Reporters showed up one after another. With Fox unable to run its regular operations, they dispatched two remote broadcast trucks to the location.

Despite silent compliance from the media affected by the Democratic Party, the influx of liberal media in America was overwhelming. Fox News was always at the forefront, so eventually, some jumped in to grab a piece of the action.

...

Before long, dozens of reporters from various media outlets were on scene. At 9:30 AM, Brian and George Walker appeared in the square. The former promised to ensure the safety of every Los Angeles resident.

The latter, being the sitting president, reiterated that he would order the FBI to thoroughly investigate the case and leave no perpetrator unpunished!

As crowds gathered in significant numbers, George Walker delivered another passionate speech, emphasizing his commitment to justice while decrying the actions of the Democratic Party. In the shadow of a group of turpitude, this leader, once described as a pig by the media, suddenly appeared more dignified.

In media discussions, George Walker completely overshadowed Kerry, gaining the upper hand. After the speech concluded, the group entered City Hall.

...

Andrew approached, delivering good news to George and Brian: "Kerry's team left California early this morning and headed to Oregon. Edwards, who stayed behind in Los Angeles, just announced his withdrawal from the election on Twitter."

George couldn't help but smile, "That's a significant victory!"

While Edwards was out of the election team, he still maintained his Senate seat, and the FBI had no authority to casually investigate him. Even if Willie Brown and Nunez wanted to initiate a real investigation, they'd still need to follow a complicated process.

However, the media onslaught was relentless. Posters depicting the three were hoisted high during the protests at Los Angeles City Hall, painted with red Xs and phrases like 'Executioner' and 'Murderer'.

...

In that same morning, California's capital Sacramento also saw large crowds rallying outside the governor's mansion and the state capitol, holding similar posters demanding a thorough investigation and advocating for the rights of minors.

Schwarzenegger and several Republican lawmakers made appearances, assuring protesters they would push for the state legislature to launch an investigation quickly.

...

In Washington, D.C., protests erupted at Capitol Hill and the FBI headquarters. Using this opportunity, the Republican Party's propaganda machine kicked into high gear, denouncing the corruption and crime of the Democratic Party, while boosting their own image.

They also heavily focused on Latino immigrants, who made up more than half of the victims targeted by the Democratic Party's actions.

Twelve years ago, a major riot in Los Angeles ignited California's shift from red to blue. Now, twelve years later, a shocking case with a confirmed death toll exceeding thirty, involving multiple Democratic officials in California, had started to swing California again.

---

In Silver Lake, at the specimen villa, Campos had just arrived and informed Hawke, "The personnel have been assembled."

Hawke nodded slightly. "Waiting for news from Mexico."

Erica added, "Buddy Ackerman's group landed this morning. They are currently in Tuxtla; my people rushed over early this morning and have been keeping an eye on them."

Campos glanced at Hawke, who nodded, and said, "Four observers from the Bosque team have arrived in Tuxtla."

Hawke directly told Erica, "Give them Buddy's address and have them establish a secondary layer of surveillance."

Erica agreed, "Understood."

She took a sip of water and said, "My people analyzed that Buddy is likely planning to send his plane to a remote location to create a diversion. He's likely waiting for the security team from the Rosario Ackerman Medical Center to come together before making any moves."

Campos stated, "That's good -- moving south means no repercussions."

The southern border of Mexico was notoriously chaotic, and Tuxtla, where Buddy was, was a pivotal crossing point for Latino migrants heading north. This southern route could extend down to Brazil and Argentina and passed through various countries, including Ecuador and Colombia, creating a yearly migration spectacle.

Hawke's team also prepared to head south.

Erica made a call to get the latest news from the Fox Tower front: "The bomb squad opened the suitcase to find it contained some rocks and an old clock, no explosives inside."

Hawke said, "Those bastards wanted to delay Fox News, trying to mute the main focus of this media uproar."

...

On this day, Blackwater Security Company chartered a plane to fly over a hundred security personnel to bolster security at Fox Tower.

*****

/Sayonara816.