Chapter 141: Subversion

[Chapter 142: Subversion]

With just a little analysis, Hawke quickly realized that they were at an absolute disadvantage.

Hawke summed up the situation: "We're completely suppressed by media sentiment, there's no solid evidence legally, we're being rejected and targeted by almost all powerful figures in Hollywood, and financially, we are stuck on an uncertain compensation split and still need to invest our own money."

He tried to remain somewhat optimistic: "The only advantage we have is that Brian got three victims to come forward to accuse."

Edward didn't feel anything was amiss; when did their boss not face this kind of brutal field?

Caroline had worked with Hawke enough times that she was quite at ease.

However, Brian's assistants, Beacon and Sandra, looked worried.

"Everyone knows the basic situation," Hawke said, taking control of the situation without hesitation. "Now let's initiate targeted work deployment."

He looked at Brian: "Without solid evidence, the LAPD won't make any progress. You need to push the three victims to officially file a lawsuit to divert their legal energy."

Brian cautioned, "Caroline just said that they would be targeted..."

Hawke responded, "Can we offer them a few million dollars? There are loopholes everywhere, and they can't be stopped. So, let's create a new battlefield. Given Sterling Van Wagenen and Robert Redford's ages, these incidents can't have just started in recent years. The victims absolutely can't be limited to just three. Let's work on identifying those victims we have information on and continue searching for those we don't."

Caroline, who knew more, interjected: "Potential victims are easy to find. Looking at the two projects they led, any underage actors from that time, whether boys or girls, likely experienced some form of harassment or intrusion."

Brian instructed his two assistants: "You two handle this line of work."

Hawke turned to Caroline: "Get in touch with the Los Angeles Parent-Teacher Association and request assistance that's not limited to media and legal fronts. Then, based on the situation of the three, draft a media release with some evocative photos to include. Leverage your media resources and connections to create a strong presence."

Caroline pondered for a moment and asked, "Isn't this your usual way of handling media sentiment?"

"Now that our opponent knows I'm collaborating with Brian, they will study my style," Hawke explained. He understood that the media wasn't on their side this time, making past tactics less effective. "Doing this could attract their attention."

At this point, even Brian was confused about what Hawke actually wanted to do.

Hawke addressed everyone: "Bribery and provocation are common methods used in these types of cases. They will definitely reach out to you, and if they do, firmly refuse at first. Assess the situation and then ask for a retainer, understood?"

Everyone present was sharp enough to grasp Hawke's meaning immediately.

Hawke said, "Alright, everyone, let's get to work."

The group quickly divided and started hustling according to his instructions.

...

Once Brian noticed everyone had left, he asked, "Can we achieve anything with just this?"

"No," Hawke replied honestly. "We're at a huge disadvantage, and there are flaws everywhere. Relying only on this is bound to lead to failure."

He headed for the security room, and as Brian joined him, he added, "If we want to win, we're going to need other strategies."

Brian inquired, "You have a plan, right?"

Hawke said, "Have your people shadow every party involved. Don't be too careful; if discovered, just act oblivious."

The two entered the security room and discussed for quite some time.

During this, Hawke focused on the surveillance screens and pointed to one image, saying, "They arrived pretty quickly. Did you see that? That car has been parked for over ten minutes, and the people inside haven't gotten out."

Brian was surprised to see there were results on the first day of surveillance installation.

He glanced at Hawke, impressed that everyone had their own expertise.

Hawke gathered his bag and remarked, "Alright, I'm off. I want them to see me contacting the media I work with most closely."

Brian realized, "Fox 11 News."

...

Hawke left the villa and got into the Mercedes, driving down Beverly Boulevard directly to the Fox Television Center.

Someone followed him from the back. Noticing this ahead of time, Hawke quickly found that at least two cars were tailing him.

Hawke pretended not to notice, pulling into the Fox building's underground lot, taking the elevator up to Channel 11, and walking directly into Megan Taylor's office.

Megan was reviewing the script for that night's news. When he entered, she asked, "Got important news?"

Hawke placed the draft script on her desk. "Inserts?"

Megan picked it up to examine it closely, her golden brows furrowing slightly. "This news isn't confirmed, there's neither photo nor video, and it lacks a third-party witness."

Hawke responded directly, "Change the way it's presented, calling it reprinted news from other media."

While this wasn't exactly per regulations, since it was Hawke who was asking, had it been anyone else, Megan likely wouldn't have considered it. "You're creating a mess for me."

"Your boss won't cause you any trouble," Hawke said, having checked with Brian. Fox's stance was clear: "She'll pretend she didn't see it."

"Let's not make this a habit," Megan replied, stashing the document. The presentation of news went through rigorous planning by the production team.

While proper news reporting discouraged pre-set media stances, those in the media industry lived in the real world. How many reports nowadays lacked a bent?

Megan then suggested, "Dinner at my place tonight?"

"I'd love to," Hawke replied. He couldn't risk dragging her down. "But I got involved in a bit of a dangerous job, and I have a few tails following me."

Megan stood and started walking toward the door.

"Don't let anyone come knocking," Hawke reminded.

Megan opened the office door and instructed the new assistant, Aisha, who was sitting outside, "I have something important to discuss. Don't let anyone disturb me."

Aisha acknowledged, "Sure."

Megan returned, locking the office door. Just as she turned around, Hawke cornered her against the door.

Soon enough, Aisha noticed the door shaking, the rhythm ebbing and flowing -- sometimes fast, sometimes slow.

...

Not far from the Fox building's underground parking lot exit, a mixed-race Black man in a modern car picked up his phone to make a call.

When the other side picked up, he said, "Target number two has arrived at Fox."

"Keep watching him."

...

On the same night, both sides kept their activities ruthless.

Sasha had been busy since the afternoon, gathering information on the three child stars and their family friends, working tirelessly until nearly 11 PM before heading back.

Arriving near her home, her phone vibrated; a call came in from an unknown public payphone.

Sasha didn't answer and hung up, deleting the call log.

She parked in front of her house and retrieved a thick envelope from her mailbox. Upon returning home, she opened it and pulled out a bottle of water, chugging down nearly half to feel much better. She approached her desk, opened the thick material inside.

The contents were all about Rachel Wood, including her family and financial situation, school performance, and more.

Sasha skimmed through it, took out some paper, and organized the materials in her own writing style, staying busy until after 1 AM.

...

The next morning, Sasha took her gathered materials and headed straight for the Beverly Hotel.

Director Sterling Van Wagenen had a long-term suite at the hotel, which was spacious enough to serve as their contact center.

At 8 AM, Rooney Chasen arrived at the hotel and met Sasha waiting in the lobby.

As they walked toward the elevator, she asked, "Did you find anything significant so soon?"

Sasha replied, "I have an important discovery."

Rooney nodded, "Let's talk upstairs."

They both ascended to Sterling Van Wagenen's suite, where Sasha handed over the organized materials to Rooney: "Yesterday, I connected with two of Rachel's former neighbors before she moved and visited the middle school Rachel attended before transferring. I've gathered some insights Sterling Van Wagenen were not privy to."

Rooney glanced at her watch, "Cut to the chase."

Sasha quickly stated, "Rachel's mother can be swayed because they are in serious debt from a large mortgage on their new home, and poor investment choices have left them financially vulnerable, potentially facing a severe crisis after New Year's."

Then, about Rachel, she continued: "When she was attending the local Palm Tree Middle School, she was often reckless, dating boys since the age of 11. During her three years at that school, she must have had at least eight boyfriends, if not more!"

Rooney was very pleased: "You did well."

Sasha added, "If needed, I can track those boys down."

Just then, someone began entering the room.

The first to walk in was a middle-aged man wearing glasses, his gray hair complementing his serious demeanor -- Sterling Van Wagenen himself. Beside him stood a distinguished-looking gentleman approximately 60 years old, exuding charm and sophistication, Robert Redford. Following these two was a woman with gold-rimmed glasses, Sterling Van Wagenen's attorney, Cheryl.

Looking concerned, Sterling Van Wagenen asked Rooney, "Any progress?"

Rooney shook the materials in her hand: "Major progress."

Cheryl proposed, "Let's have a brief meeting to discuss the current situation."

Rooney included Sasha and said, "Sasha's assistant discovered this situation; she has more information."

All five moved into the conference room.

Sasha repeated what she had just said.

"This discovery is crucial," Cheryl stated from a legal perspective. "If Rachel is found to lack discipline, her credibility in court will be severely undermined."

However, Rooney had a different stance from the lawyer: "I don't think we need to go that far. Rachel's mother is a good entry point; their motive is merely financial. We can use the insights we possess to shift the tide by spending a little of our financial resources."

Robert Redford concurred with her thinking: "Let's wrap this up as quickly as possible."

Cheryl nodded lightly, deciding not to say much more.

Ultimately, the matter came back to Sterling Van Wagenen. He realized this involved others, particularly Pope from the Governor's office, and remarked, "Exactly, we need to finalize this quickly."

Rooney said, "Next, I will meet with Rachel and her mother. Rachel is a moderately well-known child star; the compensation involved may exceed cash."

Redford understood: "Tell them that I'm involved in preparing a mainstream project worth millions titled Charlotte's Web, with the lead female role intended for a young girl."

"Understood." Rooney felt a surge of confidence, adding, "Everyone, I mentioned this yesterday; our opponent is not just Brian Ferguson; we also have Hawke Osment from West Coast Media Entertainment Studio involved. This guy was pivotal in Steve Nutt's rise and orchestrated the selfie scandal. I studied several of his cases last night, and he has a special talent for manipulating media and public sentiment."

Sterling Van Wagenen had also done his research: "He's indeed someone skilled at leveraging public opinion. Both Steve Nutt and the selfie scandal were instances where he successfully turned the media towards his advantage. We must remain vigilant against him."

Redford sounded assured: "In this matter, they won't be able to make their voices heard."

This not only involved numerous Hollywood forces but also some significant figures within the media industry.

What the event truly entailed was clear to both Redford and Sterling Van Wagenen.

This was more than a simple harassment case.

Rooney then said, "Since yesterday, I've pulled together a competent team to track Hawke's movements. He's been to Fox Television."

Redford frowned: "That's a mainstream media outlet we can't influence."

Cheryl reminded, "Last night, Channel 11's Ace News circulated related reports. They have no substantive evidence whatsoever, but I will be sending them a lawyer's letter this morning."

Sterling Van Wagenen ordered, "Keep an eye on them."

"Robert, you should contact the media again today," Rooney suggested. "We don't need an overtly noisy media environment."

She then addressed Cheryl: "Keep a close watch on legal issues."

Cheryl nodded slightly.

Finally, Rooney told Sterling Van Wagenen: "Keep a low profile and avoid any reckless maneuvers."

Sterling Van Wagenen assured her, "You can rest assured on my end."

Cheryl told Sasha, "Let's head over to find Rachel and her mother."

Everyone started mobilizing.

...

Redford went to another room to make phone calls. His first call was to the Los Angeles Times, followed by Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and others.

Other television networks also received calls.

Finally, he called Pope.

In Sacramento, Pope was finishing up some business when he got Redford's call. After pulling over, he asked, "Haven't you resolved this issue yet?"

Redford assured him, "Don't worry; they lack any evidence. This thing will turn around in two or three days at most."

Pope responded, "I'll be waiting for good news from you."

After hanging up, Redford stepped out of the room to find Sterling Van Wagenen staring blankly at a movie poster framed on the wall.

It was a poster for Lolita -- his favorite film.

Redford warned his old friend, "You need to keep yourself in check during this period. Don't use that useless thing of yours recklessly."

Sterling Van Wagenen responded, "You should know me by now. I can differentiate between what's serious and what's not."

As Redford was about to exit, he recalled another issue and asked, "I'm asking you one last time -- did you invite those people for a good time? You didn't happen to videotape it, did you?"

"Why would I tape it?" Sterling Van Wagenen protested. "That would just invite trouble!"

Nodding, Redford replied, "Just wanted to make sure you realized that."

Sterling Van Wagenen resolved to maintain his stance; he would deny everything, regardless of who asked. After all, he had hidden things well.

...

Meanwhile, Sasha drove Rooney toward Paramount Pictures.

Rooney closed the materials in her hand and asked, "Have you met anyone from the West Coast studio?"

"I've met two people while following Caroline before; it seems there are only two of them." Sasha was notably honest and reliable, stating only what she knew. "One is Hawke Osment, and the other is a Black guy from Compton."

Rooney seemed intrigued: "Those from Compton are generally quite notorious."

Sasha recalled some troubling antics by that charming young man and said, "That Black guy is indeed quite a piece of work."

"Hawke Osment has converted Caroline and tricked me once," Rooney felt vengeful. "Try to turn one of his subordinates; we might receive some unexpected info."

Sasha nodded, "I'll try."

Rooney dropped her materials and called Rachel's mother.

She knew how to lure someone out, making a quick call: "Hi, I'm the production manager for Charlotte's Web. We're interested in inviting Miss Rachel Wood to play the lead role..."

"Are you kidding me?" the other side questioned.

Rooney assured, "We can meet right now. If you have time, come to Paramount Pictures where I'll be waiting in the studio."

The other side was thrilled: "Great! We'll be there immediately."

Sasha parked the car at Paramount Pictures. Thanks to Redford's prior arrangements, they were granted smooth entry into the studio and borrowed a producer's office.

...

Before long, Rachel Wood and her mother arrived.

They entered the studio and then the producer's office, completely oblivious to anything unusual.

Upon seeing Rooney, Mrs. Wood hurriedly asked, "Are you really here to invite Rachel for the lead role? I've read Charlotte's Web; it's an excellent novel."

Rooney got straight to the point: "We do have intentions to invite her, but I understand Rachel has some troubles. The production team does not wish to work with problematic actors."

Mrs. Wood wasn't naive and quickly grasped what was happening: "You came on behalf of that bastard Sterling Van Wagenen, didn't you?"

Rooney didn't respond directly but instead remarked, "Do you know how many popular child stars are vying for this role? Do you know the salary? This project has a budget of over $50 million, with the lead actress earning $3 million. If Rachel gets this role, it will alleviate your family's financial crisis, and she'll have a bright future, receiving guidance from major directors and producers."

Mrs. Wood was silent as Rachel pulled at her, wishing to shake her head but deterred by her mother's stern gaze.

Rooney continued, "If you sue Sterling Van Wagenen, it's merely about money; don't say you have no evidence. Even if you do, we have ways to drag out this lawsuit for six months or even longer. Can you withstand that?"

She hit the nail on the head: "How many boyfriends has Rachel had at school? Didn't she have her first time a while ago? Do you need me to find all the boys she's dated and have them describe to the media what they did? Do you believe the public and the court would trust the words of a disrespectful girl? Are you truly ready to face the onslaught of national media and public scrutiny?"

Rachel lowered her head, and her thoughts evaporated.

Mrs. Wood hesitated: "Can you make all this happen?"

"Absolutely," Rooney smiled. "The production team can even sign Rachel right away."

Her smile suddenly disappeared: "But once signed, you must follow my arrangements."

After some back and forth, Mrs. Wood finally agreed after a lengthy contemplation: "Alright, I'll agree."

*****

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