The Wolf of Los Angeles-Chapter 448: The Boomerang Hits Back

[Chapter 448: The Boomerang Hits Back]

In the study, Hawke paced back and forth, standing by the window and gazing up at the northern night sky. He said to Erica, "If our assumptions are correct, the San Francisco side has also got a clue about our plan."

Erica came to stand beside him and asked, "How are we going to respond?"

Hawke said, "We're already working on it."

From pushing the women's rights and LGBTQ+ movements to matchmaking Gavin and Siebel, Hawke's efforts targeted the Democratic forces in the San Francisco area.

He was also scheming to spark conflicts within the Democratic Party to benefit from the resulting chaos.

Hillary's side was also doing quite a bit.

Hawke was considering whether to find an opportunity to drag Obama into the game and have some fun together.

The more people involved in this situation, the livelier it got, and America could expect some good drama.

Hawke glanced at the quartz wall clock and said, "It's getting late. Go get some rest. Tomorrow you still have to accompany Lauren for her styling trial."

Erica's cousin, Ronald, was about to marry Lauren, the niece of President George Walker. This political marriage was the top topic in American politics after the start of 2006.

Walker Sr. and others would also attend.

---

San Francisco, Northern Bay Area.

Gavin Newsom finished a phone call and briskly entered an older-style villa.

In the living room sat a nearly 70-year-old balding man - Jerry Brown, who had been elected Governor of California back in 1975.

Thirty years had passed since his last term. Jerry had aged, and his eyes under heavy bags looked cloudy.

Gavin sat beside him and asked, "How's your health?"

"The usual old problems," Jerry said. "High blood pressure, high cholesterol, some high blood sugar, and my heart isn't in the best shape."

Gavin looked concerned, "Is it serious?"

Now, lacking experience, the chips of the Newsom and Brown families were all placed on Jerry.

Jerry said, "Every elderly person faces these health threats. I can still hold on. The news from Los Angeles clearly shows that Brian Ferguson intends to run for governor. As expected, we will face the Ferguson family and Hawke Osment's interest group head-on."

He sighed deeply, lamenting he had no worthy successors; his two sons were useless. The future hope rested solely on the Newsom family. When his grandson grows up, he would help the Newsoms make a comeback much like he did back then.

Gavin glanced at Jerry again.

His father, William Newsom, specifically said that promoting Jerry Brown this time was to have Jerry bear the pressure.

The Southern Los Angeles group was becoming increasingly aggressive and powerful.

The San Francisco group believed that Gavin Newsom needed time and space to grow.

Jerry knew this too, but with the next generation failing, this old bone could only charge forward to face the pressures from the Ferguson family, who had operated in California for generations.

Jerry asked, "Any updates on the sabotage plans we've been stirring up?"

"Some," Gavin detailed. "People watching secretly in New York discovered that someone had scouted around a hotel in Bayside, Long Island, and a McDonald's, asking questions related to the mail we secretly sent out. The hotel even took the surveillance footage."

Jerry nodded. "How did they react?"

Gavin continued, "Those people were very cautious, followed by others. We received information that people nearby were pre-positioned. They didn't dare follow, for fear of being discovered."

He coughed lightly. "We can only guess the progress. They traced back to New Jersey, so they must have gotten relevant postal sender information."

Jerry asked, "Anything else?"

"Those people are likely Hawke Osment's subordinates," Gavin shook his head. "I heard they are former Mexican special police; tough to deal with and very vigilant."

Jerry acknowledged Gavin's words. "Not engaging is right. Luckily, we have a backup plan."

Gavin sighed, "We thought LAPD's star officer, Erica Ferguson, might be compromised, perhaps 70% so. From cases she handled, she seemed somewhat responsible, pursuing truth, even if minimally. She was suppressed over the Satanic cult case and transferred to special operations. If she had any sense of accountability, she would have submitted the discs and kept investigating privately."

He looked disappointed. "Who would have thought? LAPD's hype about Erica Ferguson was 99% inflated -- whatever 'tough lady detective' title she had was a facade. She's nothing more than a cold-blooded killer. Solving cases was a sham; she showed less than one percent responsibility. It was all LAPD hype."

At that moment, Gavin realized that his own professional ethics were better than Erica's.

Compared to young Gavin, the aged Jerry was more insightful about human nature. "I never pinned all hopes on Erica's investigation. But her giving up so easily was unexpected. Probably influenced by Hawke Osment."

Gavin added, "Thankfully, we prepared a second plan. Looks like they have already taken the bait."

Jerry said, "Next is to find the right moment to leak the information that Hawke and Erica possess the secrets of the Satanic cult to Hillary."

Gavin warned, "I've dealt with Hillary a few times. She's not simple."

"Exactly why we must be cautious," Jerry leaned back tiredly on the sofa. "Let Hillary know Hawke and Erica hold the cult's secrets."

Gavin reacted, "That video has issues? The man in black..."

Jerry raised his hand to stop him. "I got that video a long time ago. It's missing crucial parts, but Hillary doesn't know that."

Gavin wondered who the man in black really was.

Jerry suddenly recalled something and asked, "The person delivering the stuff?"

Gavin gestured with his palm.

Jerry smiled faintly. "Good. The first part failed with Erica Ferguson, but the second part has begun. Now, we must find a way to poke Hillary's side, being extra careful not to raise suspicions about us."

His smile grew wider. "The Ferguson family and Hawke Osment's interest alliance has become a huge force after George Walker's re-election and taking down the BlackRock Group and the Manhattan AI Project. They formed a broad capital beneficiary group. It's tough for us alone to beat them."

Gavin understood. "Hillary needs local California support to target the Fergusons and Hawke Osment's group, and we are their natural allies."

Even if Hillary later realized she misunderstood Hawke Osment, the war wouldn't stop.

Such political wars once started were hard to end until one side paid a high price.

...

More than half an hour later, Gavin left the mansion and pulled out his phone. "Hey, Jennifer, I've hit a snag on the women's rights policy and want to ask your advice. Are you free?"

On the other end, Jennifer Seibel said, "I'm at the FMF, I'll be out in ten minutes."

Gavin didn't give her a chance to decline. "I'll come pick you up in ten minutes."

The charming San Francisco mayor met his destined woman.

---

Washington D.C., New Georgia District.

After waking up in the morning, Hillary finished getting ready and came downstairs.

Bill had accompanied his daughter to New York and wasn't here.

Hillary had a simple breakfast prepared by the nanny, and the driver stopped the car at the villa's door.

She took her briefcase, and as she stepped out, assistant Huma Abedin had already opened the car door for her.

Hillary got into the back seat. Once the car started moving, she asked Abedin, "Has the helicopter crash incident been cleaned up from start to finish?"

Abedin replied, "He was on a fishing trip in Canada, where the boat encountered a storm, lost control, and crashed onto an underwater reef. Unfortunately, both the man and the boat sank."

Hillary was quite satisfied. "I like that scenario."

Abedin said, "Will Russia believe it? What if Hawke Osment..."

"If problems arise, we need to think harder," Hillary said, clearly pleased with her loyal assistant. But sometimes, her way of thinking frustrated her and made her consider replacing her.

However, since Abedin had been with her for years, she was patient with her. "Why do I do this? Why would I dare? Because no matter how much Twitter and Hawke Osment struggle, in the eyes of the Russians, this incident is obviously his doing."

She added, "Previously, when Twitter accused Russian spies, no matter how Russia explained, Americans wouldn't believe it. Now, placing the blame for the helicopter crash on Russia again, if Hawke Osment denies it, do you think Russia would buy it?"

This was a boomerang hitting oneself.

Abedin understood: "No matter who did it, as long as Russia is involved, they will blame Hawke Osment."

Hillary smiled, "Exactly right."

She whispered, "Hawke Osment is destined to be our opponent."

Abedin got the point. Hillary planned to run for the next election to become America's first female president.

Hawke Osment and his girlfriend's family were all supporters of the Republican Party.

Hillary knew this, and the Manhattan AI Project helped Hawke Osment bind multiple interest groups and solidify his camp.

At least, by the next election, Hawke and Twitter wouldn't switch sides and join the Democrats.

The war had begun. She wanted to use Russia to counter a major future local force, but so far it showed no effect.

Hillary also thought of the Democratic forces in California, who were not in her faction within the party, and hoped to fuel an internal conflict between the two for California's exhaustion.

*****

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