The Wolf of Los Angeles-Chapter 364 - : Betrayal

[Chapter 364: Betrayal]

As the party ended, Hawke stepped out of the bustling hall filled with Secret Service agents and immediately called for his bodyguard.

Though he wasn't certain if Elizabeth Carter's words had any truth to them, he chose to err on the side of caution and directly contacted Chief of Staff Andrew Card.

Card quickly coordinated several agents to follow Hawke and Brian. If anything were to go wrong during their time in Washington, it would reflect poorly on the host, George Walker Bush. If he couldn't even protect the guests he invited, who would want to cooperate with him?

Hawke opted not to return to the Willard InterContinental Hotel where they had been staying; instead, he stayed at the Hilton, reserving several new rooms.

...

Entering a business suite, Brian asked, "What happened?"

"We're preventing anyone from causing us trouble," Hawke replied, briefly explaining Elizabeth Carter's situation.

Brian thought for a moment and said, "That makes sense, better to avoid any complications." He habitually added, "What if someone does try to shoot..."

Hawke tensed at the mention and quickly interrupted, "Buddy, you should keep your mouth shut."

"I'm not the cursed cult leader anymore!" Brian retorted. "Since you and Erica went on vacation to Florida, no accidents have happened, right?"

Hawke pointed out a painful fact: "Because you kept your mouth shut."

He quickly changed the subject, asking, "Elizabeth Carter claims to be a strategic planner. What exactly does she do?"

Brian pulled out his phone. "I'm not sure, let me ask."

...

After about ten minutes, Brian ended the call and said, "She's the Vice President of the renowned Peterson Strategic Consulting Firm and was one of George's strategists in the election, but she's mainly responsible for the Midwestern operations and hasn't been to Los Angeles."

He continued, "Elizabeth recently took on a new job; several Democrats are preparing to push for a new round of gun control legislation next year. They want to shake the foundations of the Republican Party. The election is over, and the results can't be changed, so they're already preparing for the mid-terms and four years from now. The Peterson Company has been hired by the National Rifle Association to lobby against this bill."

"I see," Hawke understood. "Those lawmakers need to consider the voters in their districts, and since public opinion is influenced by media, the likes of Twitter can put that influence right in the voters' faces, unlike traditional newspapers and TV channels."

Brian added, "She wants to leverage Twitter's influence."

Hawke recalled their brief exchange in the banquet hall. "This woman asked to meet me tomorrow. Mehlman has also scheduled to meet me at the Hilton so I can have a chat with her first. If Peterson is willing to pay, it could be a lucrative deal."

---

Inside the Willard InterContinental Hotel lobby, a waitress set down coffee beside two male guests, whispering, "The targets haven't returned."

The bald man nodded slightly.

The waitress departed normally.

The bald man added sugar to his coffee, whispering, "Let them leave quickly."

The younger man pulled out his phone and made a call: "Withdraw now."

He put away his phone and looked at the bald man. "Do you think they've gone somewhere else and will come back?"

The bald man replied, "I never agreed with this method. But it's insisted by the higher-ups. Not everyone is like them, letting their crazed desires ruin their careers over a woman."

The young man lowered his head, asking, "Then why push forward?"

The bald man explained, "Many people are suspicious that Brian Ferguson's fiancee has gathered more evidence from the Ackerman family and is secretly hanging onto it for when it's needed..."

The young man realized, "The actual target this time is the new mayor of Los Angeles?"

"Yes," the bald man confirmed. "It seems the other side is cautious."

The young man inquired, "What about the police?"

The bald man waved his hand. "Let them withdraw. I'll personally handle Edwards."

...

As they spoke, several agents wearing blue FBI jackets suddenly entered the hotel lobby.

They headed straight for the front desk, showed their credentials, and went upstairs.

The young man watched as they entered the elevator, saying, "They aren't looking for us, are they?"

"Let's go," the bald man took a sip of his coffee and stood to leave.

The young man automatically followed him.

They climbed into the same car, and the bald man had the young man drive. He pulled out his phone, dialing a number: "Things have changed. The FBI is here."

The person on the other end asked, "Have we been exposed?"

The bald man responded, "No, I had someone pull out early."

"Got it, hurry up and leave." The call ended.

The bald man gazed out at the gloomy Washington night sky.

---

The following morning, Hawke received a call from Andrew Card: the FBI had found nothing unusual.

He thanked Card, finished breakfast, and arrived at the cafe by the scheduled time.

Elizabeth Carter had already arrived.

She wore an all-black women's suit, her pale skin stark against her bold red lips, giving off a particularly stern vibe.

Perhaps that was her survival technique in the workplace.

Hawke sat across from her and indicated his watch. "I have another appointment in half an hour."

"I know, Mehlman scheduled a meeting with you," Elizabeth stated with an air of control, diving right into the topic. "I assume you've gathered some information about me and my work?"

Hawke replied, "That's right, you're a strategic planner and a political lobbyist."

Elizabeth's stern face revealed little emotion. "I just took on a new job to dismantle the Democratic gun control proposal. However, with the frequency of shootings in North America increasing, calls for stricter gun laws have become a societal norm. If this bill passes, it will directly affect the midterm election results."

Hawke listened without responding.

Elizabeth continued, "This job needs strong media platform support, but most media outlets back the Democrats."

Hawke leaned back in his chair, saying, "Twitter can provide that support, but there are conditions."

A smile broke on Elizabeth's stern face. "Give me a time and your room number. I had a blood test last week, and I'll bring the results with me."

Hawke frowned, wondering if it was too direct.

Elizabeth was straightforward. "Convincing politicians relies on more than just interests; you have to rely on your body too."

That was her foundation for success in Washington.

"You're mistaken," Hawke slowly shook his head. "Twitter is a business, not a charity. While I can help with your promotion, you need to discuss fees with my marketing director."

Elizabeth appeared slightly disappointed. "Understood."

She suddenly asked, "Do you support gun control?"

Hawke didn't answer; instead, he said, "From what you've learned about me, you should know I have faced multiple attacks; I survived thanks to the gun I had in hand."

Elizabeth didn't press further.

...

Hawke excused himself and found Brian to chat briefly, then they both entered the meeting room.

A moment later, campaign manager Mehlman came in.

The main goal of this meeting was to discuss George W. Bush's new economic development plans as he was about to enter his new term.

This involved a plan to support the internet industry.

In Hawke's previous life, he had seen reports of the federal government providing massive subsidies like a $50 billion package for the airline industry and $8 billion for Intel along with over $10 billion in low-interest loans.

Twitter, of course, wouldn't receive the same level of treatment.

During George W. Bush's second term, a strong push for internet industry development would be made, offering a subsidy package worth $2.5 billion.

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As the internet company that contributed the most during the election, Twitter would enjoy a share of $1.7 billion from this package.

This package included federal grants, tax credits, and special business subsidies.

Half of the funding would come directly from federal grants.

Additionally, Twitter could apply for a total of $3.5 billion in ultra-low interest loans guaranteed by the federal government.

In terms of policy, Twitter would also be supported.

Hawke wanted to establish a "Mobile App Alliance" to promote the Android system and the Twitter mobile app.

Twitter would collaborate with the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Commerce to co-host an industry conference next year.

Hawke also provided a program called "Stargate" for artificial intelligence development.

The federal government would review this plan, and if approved, special funding would be allocated for its development.

The development of artificial intelligence would require significant financial investment, and of course, Hawke aimed to use federal funds for that.

As for the smaller projects involved, once they returned to Los Angeles, Hawke planned to dispatch a professional team to negotiate with the federal government thoroughly.

---

On Capitol Hill, in an office.

Chief of Staff Andrew Card had just left, and Republican Whip Tom Emmer stood at the office door, looking particularly upset.

Assistant Wilshire hurried in, asking, "Tommy?"

"This is betrayal, a serious betrayal!" Tom Emmer slammed his hand on the desk, the sharp pain causing him to quickly retract it and shake his hand, exclaiming, "George has betrayed me!"

Wilshire inquired, "What happened?"

Tom Emmer replied, "That bastard violated his promise to me; he's appointing his mistress Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of State!"

Wilshire was stunned. "How could he do that!"

Tom Emmer quickly suppressed his anger, sitting behind the desk. "What do you think we should do?"

Wilshire carefully held back an opinion.

Tom Emmer asserted, "No one can toy with me without facing consequences!"

Wilshire asked, "What are you planning to do?"

"Let me think it over carefully," Tom Emmer gripped the chair arms tightly. "There's something fishy about what's happening in Los Angeles; there's definitely insider knowledge we're unaware of; you call Brian Ferguson."

Wilshire searched through contact information, dialed a number, and reported, "Can't get through."

*****

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