The Wolf of Los Angeles

Chapter 55: Zero or Infinite

Inside the theater, Hawk sank into his seat, flipping the chair down first. Eric sat beside him, and a few seats away, Joanna kept glancing their way.

Edward turned his head and flashed his trademark toothy grin at her.

Hawk leaned over and muttered, "You’re shameless."

Edward, smug and confident, replied in a patronizing tone, "Boss, you just don’t get it. Look, I’m seeing Nicole from the shelter now, but feelings can change overnight. I need contingency plans, right? Can’t be left homeless if things with Nicole fall apart."

He continued, "That’s why I line up options in advance. Deborah’s one, Joanna’s another."

Hawk shook his head. "You’re a strategic genius. The man who saves the world."

"Shh, it’s starting," Eric interjected, cutting off further conversation.

The lights dimmed, and the screen lit up.

Directly behind them, Miller Collins couldn’t sit still. The artistic air exuded by Eric was too distracting.

While everyone focused on the screen, Miller stretched his legs. Being tall, his foot "accidentally" nudged the back of Eric’s seat.

Eric felt the vibration immediately and whipped around.

"Sorry," Miller said quickly, "didn’t mean to kick your seat."

His politeness left Eric with no choice but to reply, "It’s fine."

"Everything okay, honey?" Maria asked, noticing the exchange.

"Yeah, just a little mishap," Miller replied, reeling his legs back.

The minor commotion settled, and the room returned to silence.

The movie ended to enthusiastic applause, but the clapping from the audience faded within two minutes.

Eric, ever the critic, thought, What happened to professional fandom?

As the cast and crew took their final bows, most of the audience began to leave. Hawk and Eric followed the crowd, while Katherine opted to head home.

Hawk, Eric, and Edward decided to hit a nearby bar for drinks.

The post-premiere buzz brought plenty of industry folks to the bar.

"Look at her," Eric said, nudging Hawk and nodding toward a stunning brunette. "She’s gorgeous."

Hawk glanced over. "That’s Rachel Weisz, lead actress of The Mummy series. If you’re into her type, go for it. Don’t forget—you’re a director. Actors tend to loosen their belts around directors."

Eric shook his head. "She’s dating a director already."

Edward cut in, feigning outrage. "Who? That guy’s got no decency!"

Hawk and Eric exchanged puzzled looks.

Edward clarified. "She’s public property, and this guy makes her private? Zero respect for community sharing!"

Eric, aghast, turned to Hawk. "Where do you find these high-caliber individuals?"

Hawk hid his face behind his drink, muttering, "Specialty industries need specialty talents."

Eric, still baffled, asked, "How do you dig up big stories on celebrities like her?"

Switching into work mode, Hawk explained, "A drunk celebrity in a bar is a story, but it’s barely worth anything. Now, if our savior here spat in her face, and we caught it on camera, that’s a six-figure blockbuster."

Edward recoiled. "Not interested. She’s neither divorced nor has kids."

Hawk sighed. "That was an example, moron."

Eric shook his head, feeling both enlightened and horrified. "Every field has its quirks, huh?"

Suddenly inspired, Eric asked, "Could I immerse myself in your line of work and write a script about it?"

Hawk saw an opportunity for free labor. "Sure. But your paycheck comes from Katherine."

"Deal," Eric agreed. "Once I finish the first draft, I’ll come shadow you guys."

"Anytime," Hawk replied.

With Katherine texting Eric to come home, the trio didn’t stay out too late, wrapping up within an hour.

The next morning, a shipment of equipment arrived for Hawk’s studio: a laptop, camcorder, storage drives, and a digital camera—mostly second-hand gear from a shuttered independent media outfit.

Hawk handed the set to Edward. "Get familiar with these. They’re yours now."

He added, "When you capture valuable footage, always make a copy. Don’t carry the original with you."

Edward, having observed Hawk’s methods, promised, "Got it, boss."

After spending the morning testing the equipment, Edward headed out to "sweep the streets" for newsworthy material, aiming to cover the day’s expenses.

Hawk, meanwhile, turned his attention to paperwork, starting the process to apply for a California gun license. Following the established protocols, his clean record as "Hawk Osmond" meant approval was likely.

The studio needed to keep earning, and Hawk reviewed his four primary targets. The first, Robert Downey Jr., had been a resounding success, exceeding expectations.

Next up was Bro Derek, executive and producer at Ackman Pictures.

Hawk had previously targeted Bro by exposing his wife, Sarah Parker, having an affair with Downey. However, Bro hadn’t reacted as expected. Instead of divorcing Sarah, he publicly defended her, projecting a united and loving front.

Incredibly, Bro even garnered praise for his response. Hawk suspected their marriage resembled the Beckham dynamic—held together by shared interests rather than personal affection.

Digging deeper, Hawk figured there had to be explosive secrets buried in their relationship.

He pulled out a file on Sarah Parker and found a lead: she and Bro had appeared at multiple promotional events for the new season of Sex and the City.

Public records on Sarah were abundant compared to Bro, making her the easier target.

Recalling his success with manipulating Deborah and Downey, Hawk saw an opportunity. Sarah, a woman with questionable fidelity, seemed likely to slip up again.

After some research, Hawk learned that Sex and the City was hosting a major promotional event in Los Angeles soon. Sarah would be attending.

Hawk marked the date and location, planning to scope it out.

Meanwhile, as The Scorpion King rolled out across North America, Hawk kept tabs on the film’s box office performance.

Strong numbers would validate his contributions to its success, bolstering his reputation and securing more business from Dwayne and his network.

It wasn’t just about income—success meant building capital and expanding the studio’s reach.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!