Chapter 140: Miss Baa Gets Fired

[Chapter 141: Miss Baa Gets Fired]

Hearing Hawke's words, Caroline asked doubtfully, "Aren't you running a West Coast media and entertainment studio?"

Hawke acknowledged, "The nature has shifted. In fact, I had plans for this direction long before coming to Los Angeles. It's just never been advanced until now."

Caroline asked, "Was it inappropriate timing? Or insufficient funding?"

"Both," Hawke mused, considering the prospect of partnering with Brian and also reflecting on Erica's hints. "Most critically, I still lack formidable backing."

If the cooperation with Brian could yield desired results, it could secure the necessary support.

Media heavily leaned left in California; they might just need an unconventional voice channel.

Hawke didn't rush her; he waited for Caroline to deliberate.

To label Miss Baa as exceptionally skilled wouldn't be entirely accurate, but having spent over half a year training her, he'd gotten her to obey adequately.

Even though she occasionally struggled, she still sank into the sheep mentality.

On top of that, Miss Baa was well-informed; after all those years at BWR Public Relations, she had developed her own contacts.

Caroline weighed the pros and cons. First off, working with Hawke was exhilarating; furthermore, the compensation was substantial.

In the few months prior, the take-home pay from Hawke had been seven to eight times what she would earn at BWR Public Relations.

Compensation was the key to any job.

To focus solely on ideals and potential platforms without mentioning remuneration was mere nonsense.

Caroline finally revealed, "Alright, I'm in. I'll submit my resignation when I return, as there's no non-compete agreement in this line of work."

"You can't just quit," Hawke insisted, calling her out with seriousness. "You need to get BWR Public Relations to sack you."

Caroline was confused. "Why?"

Hawke quietly revealed a few things.

Caroline took a moment, stating, "I can ensure that!"

The two chatted for nearly thirty minutes, and Hawke was the first to leave the coffee shop to head over to Brian's place on Beverly Boulevard.

...

Caroline rushed back to the office but received a call from Sasha midway as she returned.

Director Rooney Chasen had informed everyone there would be a meeting in thirty minutes.

...

Meanwhile, Hawke arrived at Brian's villa to meet up with him.

Brian's two assistants, Sandra and Beacon, had temporarily relocated their work to this place.

Hawke introduced them all around.

He left Edward to get better acquainted with them while he pulled Brian into the newly prepared security room.

Brian opened his computer, tapping some keys, and three screens lit up with multiple live feeds, the furthest showing the street several dozen meters away.

Hawke, upon not noticing the surveillance gear, remarked, "Quick setup."

Brian chuckled, "Where there's money, there's efficiency."

Hawke remarked, "Start spreading the word about West Coast Studio teaming up with you."

Brian was curious. "You plan to leak this information?"

"Let's just say we're planting a little seed; don't disclose this to anyone else," Hawke emphasized.

Brian grasped the plan, replying, "Got it." He called out, "Sandra, could you come over here?"

...

With things organized on this front, they set off to meet victims.

First, they were visiting Rachel Wood, a child star born in 1987, who was now fifteen years old; she had auditioned for Interview with the Vampire back in 1994 but lost out to Kirsten Dunst for the role of Claudia.

As for what might have transpired behind the scenes, before this, Hawke might have thought they had strict child protection laws and Hollywood had changed from its former self.

But now, with his experiences, he couldn't say that since Hollywood hadn't really changed much, if at all, and in fact, things had gotten worse.

It just remained better hidden.

Rachel's mother was Jewish, but that didn't spare Rachel.

Upon meeting Rachel accompanied by her mother, Sara, Hawke directly said, "Ma'am, and Rachel, the following question may come off as intrusive, but it's necessary for winning our lawsuit, so please be forthcoming."

Rachel remained silent, shifting her gaze toward her mother.

Sara forced a smile, "Go ahead and ask."

Hawke, not being more professional than Brian in this matter, simply posed a singular question, "Rachel told Brian that during a rehearsal, Sterling Van Wagenen took her into a room, bound her hands, blindfolded her, and displayed her like a product?"

Sara answered, "She was undressed and displayed like a product, with many men coming by during that time."

She lightly patted Rachel, prompting her daughter to find her voice: "This happened twice -- both incidents involved different men. Though I couldn't see them, I could tell by their hands that they weren't directed by Wagenen."

"Thanks," Hawke encouraged her. "You're a very brave girl."

...

After leaving the detached house, they climbed back into the car.

Brian remarked, "She's completely under her mother's sway -- a cash cow hoping for a hefty compensation; that's why she agreed to this lawsuit."

Edward started the Benz, "It's the same story for every child star in Hollywood, eerily similar."

"Head to North Hollywood," Brian told Edward while conversing with Hawke. "Hollywood gossip isn't confidential; most of these child star families aren't doing poorly. They are at least middle class, yet they still bring their kids into this business..."

Hawke cautioned, "You're supposed to bring light to their lives as a representative lawyer."

The duo visited Judy and Amanda's places next, and their situations mirrored Rachel's -- certainly under their parents' supervision, as minors.

Interestingly, neither wore blindfolds, but the men who abused them wore masks.

They both recalled primarily four men involved -- three white guys and one black.

The only difference was that Judy and Amanda had yet to act in any TV series, only taking jobs as child models for advertisements.

Their parents harbored a deep contempt for Wagenen's deceptive actions, understanding that their daughters' hopes of becoming stars were dashed. They were even more determined to pursue claims and pursue compensation.

...

Driving back towards Beverly Hills, Brian queried Hawke, "You've got the basic layout; what's your take?"

Hawke replied candidly, "I'm not entirely acquainted with legal proceedings, but looking from my standpoint just to create chaos, we have vulnerabilities everywhere. Even someone as clueless as Miss Baa could create a fuss."

He illustrated: "First, media coverage -- without media backing, no solid evidence, we can't bring down Wagenen, especially considering the people involved; for the three victims, they could easily switch their stands for money, since payouts often resolve outside the courtroom; Hollywood's weighty inertia crushes anyone who dares to break the unwritten rules of the land..."

Brian raised his hand, interrupting Hawke mid-sentence. "The reason I invited you in on this is because the situation is rather dire."

Hawke suggested, "Let's head back first and await correspondence."

...

BWR Public Relations, in the main conference room.

Director Rooney Chasen stood at the front of the long conference table, with the images and profiles of Judy, Amanda, and Rachel displayed side by side on the projection screen behind her.

Around the table, several senior PR managers, Caroline included, took their places.

Rooney picked up a laser pointer, indicating the screen, "I want you all to mobilize every connection and channel to gather information on these three girls and their family, friends, and classmates -- everything you can find from the moment they were born. They've been in the industry since a young age, so there will be plenty of dirt to find. I want all of it!"

She stressed, "For anyone not living in Los Angeles, go to their hometowns. As long as you can find a third-party willing to testify, even if it's something as trivial as them wetting themselves in the street, bring it back!"

This was absolute authority within the company, and no one dared dissent.

"Meeting adjourned!" Rooney almost shouted, "Get moving, you ladies!"

Before she could leave, someone knocked and entered, stating, "Director, we just received confirmation that West Coast Media Entertainment Studio has reached a cooperation agreement with the lawyer for those three girls, Brian Ferguson."

Rooney recognized the name: "I need detailed information on this company!"

She exited the meeting room and returned to the director's office.

The others gradually filtered out of the conference room, too.

...

Sasha seized the moment with nobody watching to quietly slip into the director's office. Spotting the glass door ajar, she lightly knocked: "Director."

Rooney glanced at Sasha and asked, "What's the matter?"

Sasha responded, "I have some information to share with you." Not wanting Rooney to ignore her, she added, "It's about West Coast Media Entertainment Studio."

"Come in and tell me," Rooney's interest was piqued.

Sasha closed the door and continued, "Today when Josh Hartnett and Director Wagenen visited, Caroline called Hawke Osment. Hawke is the owner of West Coast Studio. Before she called, she made me inquire about it, and I curiously asked the Legal Department assistant."

Rooney set her pen down, locking eyes with Sasha.

Sasha explained, "I didn't think much of it before, but in the meeting room, when I heard the name West Coast Studio mentioned, it suddenly felt off."

Rooney cut off her rambling: "Is there anything else?"

"There is," Sasha quickly added, "After lunch, Caroline stepped out, and when you notified us about the meeting, I called Caroline to inform her. On the call, I heard someone call for Hawke."

Rooney extended her hand: "Give me your phone, unlock it."

Sasha produced her phone, unlocked it, and handed it over.

Rooney checked the call logs and confirmed that indeed, Sasha had called Caroline just before the meeting.

She returned the phone to Sasha and quickly dialed the Legal Department. They promptly confirmed that Sasha had indeed been inquiring this morning.

Rooney then recalled another point, pulled out the company client records, quickly rifled through, and found relevant information.

Under the records for Steve Nutt and Sarah Jessica Parker, she noted that both had collaborated with Hawke Osment, with Caroline being the PR manager for both.

Rooney closed the file and questioned, "Why did you do this?"

"Because I'm an employee of BWR Public Relations first, and Caroline's assistant second," Sasha replied. "The company pays my salary."

Rooney was quite satisfied, "You did great."

She grabbed the phone again, dialing the HR department's number. Once connected, she stated plainly, "This is Rooney. I'm issuing a personnel directive effective immediately: Caroline Jones is no longer an employee of BWR Public Relations. You can let her know she's fired."

Sasha temporarily stepped out to wait in the public workspace.

...

The HR director quickly brought two people to notify Caroline.

Before long, Caroline dashed out of her office in high heels, barreling into the director's office, confronting Rooney, "You're firing me? What's the reason? How can you do this!"

Rooney maintained a straight face, "Yelling won't solve anything. You're friends with Hawke Osment, right? You met him this afternoon?"

Caroline couldn't deny it: "That's true. I did meet with Hawke this afternoon, but it was just a normal friend meeting."

"I advise you to pack your things and leave gracefully, or lose what little dignity you have left," Rooney shot back, "In your collaborations with Hawke Osment, did any money change hands? Have any company secrets been leaked? Should I let the Legal Department investigate this in detail?"

Caroline's confidence faltered: "We were just conducting normal business."

Rooney offered her a choice, "Either leave quietly or tear apart the remaining relationship entirely; you decide."

Faced with those two options, Caroline remained defiant. It was clear she felt immense frustration, but she stubbornly retorted, "Fine, I'm leaving!"

Her face darkened as she exited the office.

...

The voices of Rooney and Caroline had already traveled through the open office door.

Many employees sitting in the public workspace were sneaking glances over.

As Caroline stepped out, she suddenly turned right and spotted assistant Sasha, striding directly toward her.

Sasha held her head high, fixing her gaze on Caroline, showing no signs of retreat.

Caroline demanded, "Did you betray me?"

"I'm an employee of BWR, paid by the company," Sasha stood firm, "You harmed BWR's interests; I have the duty to report it."

Furious, Caroline snapped, "You're a shameless traitor!"

Sasha countered, "The shameless one is you."

On a nearby desk stood a cup of water, which Caroline seized and splashed water right onto Sasha's face.

She then turned and headed back to her office.

The HR personnel followed closely behind.

Someone near offered Sasha a pack of tissues, which she took and wiped her face, saying, "Thank you."

...

Minutes later, Caroline emerged carrying two bags, leaving the office for good.

Rooney happened to exit her office and glanced at Sasha, stating loudly, "That office and position now belong to you."

"Thank you, Director," Sasha replied.

Rooney nodded slightly; though she had little faith in Sasha's capability, she decisively proclaimed, "Your main task now is to gather information on those three girls and their families."

"I'll get right to it," Sasha promised, quickly heading back to her office.

...

Rooney returned to her own office, her assistant trailing behind, asking, "Director, do we need to adjust the arrangements from the meeting..."

"Not necessary," Rooney replied, "Even if we don't act, they'll still remain on guard. As long as we find a breakthrough point, their defenses won't matter. I will strike them down in the most forceful manner possible."

She glanced at her watch, "I've got meetings scheduled with Wagenen and Robert Redford, as well as their lawyer, Cheryl. Keep me updated if anything develops."

The assistant quickly contacted the driver.

Rooney had already devised a comprehensive plan, but it required cooperation and support from Wagenen, Redford, and Cheryl, their lawyer.

...

Outside the company building, Caroline turned to glance back at the bright sign reading BWR Public Relations.

She gritted her teeth, feeling no nostalgic pull as she approached her bright red Benz. After storing her few personal belongings in the car, she took out her phone and followed Hawke's instructions, copying her contacts and swapping out her SIM card for a new phone.

Caroline dismantled her old phone and tossed it into a nearby trash can.

Having completed her tasks, she sighed in relief and drove off.

As she drove, appreciating the scenery on either side of the road, Caroline suddenly noted how blue the sky was, how brightly the sun shone, and how fragrant the grass smelled...

...

Following Hawke's directions, she turned onto Beverly Boulevard and soon spotted the villa.

After parking, Caroline stepped in front of the house, looking through the wrought-iron floral gate, where she saw Edward's silhouette.

Edward spotted her too and approached to open the door. "Miss Baa, you've arrived? Please, come in."

Caroline elongated her face, responding, "Call me Caroline or Mrs. Jones."

Edward led the way while casually replying, "Sure."

Once inside the villa, Caroline noticed it had transformed into a temporary office space. Against the wall, a large whiteboard held a visual map with photographs of various people being pinned up by Hawke.

Brian greeted her as he approached.

Once Hawke finished his current task, he asked Caroline, "Did you get fired?"

Caroline nodded, "I'm unemployed now."

Brian extended a welcome: "Glad to have you join our new team."

"Thanks," Caroline replied politely, moving to Hawke's side, asking, "What do you need me to do?"

Hawke casually said, "How about shouting a few times first? It will lighten up the mood."

Miss Baa's face darkened at that suggestion.

Brian reminded him, "How about shouting a few times first. I've noticed you have a knack for making the team feel overly tense."

Edward brought over a few bottles of water, handing each of them one.

Hawke looked at the mind map, eyeing the photographs of the three victims, and said, "If I'm not mistaken, your former boss is going to target them."

He stated directly, "If you can't solve a problem, just eliminate the person raising the issue, and the problem will naturally resolve."

"You're spot-on," Caroline switched into work mode, moving to the whiteboard and pointing at the photos of the victims, "Rooney will mobilize the company's entire force to thoroughly investigate Judy, Amanda, and Rachel's social networks, seeking every bit of potential dirt."

She sipped some water and continued, "Once a crack is found, Rooney will unleash the most ferocious attack using money, legal measures, and role resources."

Edward asked, "Now that we're aware, will she alter her strategy?"

"Not a chance," Brian shook his head, "This is the most effective approach."

Hawke said, "I met with the three victims and their guardians today. Unless we place them under house arrest and cut off all external contact, we can't avoid their attacks, especially with some still harboring dreams of stardom, where Sterling Van Wagner and Robert Redford could present high-quality resources."

*****

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