[Chapter 672: Trust the Professionals When it Comes to Rhythm]
With tens of thousands of troops deployed, Los Angeles quickly returned to calm.
Though the African American community appeared impulsive, they were no fools. The police discussed regulations while the soldiers simply followed orders. If you obstructed them, you became the enemy, and there was nothing polite about it.
With no major incidents anticipated, a group of politicians started their own performances once again.
"That security company's weapons were indeed too powerful. They could have at least given a warning."
...
"Is that idiot Tom Bradley out of his mind? Lisa, get me Barry Diller's number."
"Sure thing, sir." The young assistant sashayed away, her complexion slightly pale. The boss rarely lost his temper, especially at home, but this time, someone was bound to catch it.
"Barry, did you see the live broadcast on ABC?"
"Mr. White, I'm watching it now."
"Whatever you have to do, I need you to slander him thoroughly. He's the one; the public needs a scapegoat."
"Got it, this guy isn't exactly clean either."
"Then expose him."
William White was, of course, furious. "Come on, it was just two dead and one injured. What's the big deal? This is a case of armed robbers! What position are you in to cry foul for the organization?"
William White was puzzled as to how such person could ascend to such a position. By conventional reasoning, he shouldn't have been able to. But this guy had been making mistakes from the start, and now it was time to do damage control while provoking the media giants.
...
"Andy, did I hear correctly? Tom is criticizing that guy's security? Doesn't he realize who's behind that security firm?"
"Sir, this guy has gone neurotic. I don't know much about politics, but that's incredibly foolish."
"Ha! Switch to NBC. Damn, is this chaos going to keep going?"
Two folks from Morgan Stanley were watching the spectacle alongside big-shots from the Washington, all equally bewildered. They could not comprehend where this guy had gone wrong.
During this incident, NBC had acted more like the official media. When they discovered the tape had been deliberately edited, they sprang into action to clarify the situation. After the judge's ruling, NBC also raised doubts and called for a higher judicial authority to intervene.
Now, you were going after the boss's security firm? Ha! Without these folks, Beverly Hills probably would have been struggling too.
"Ahem, if you cooperate with the robbery and there are other needs, you should also take the initiative to provide a condom. Damn, this is really too dirty."
...
Tom Bradley watched the television with a grim face. He hadn't expected such a swift counterattack from the other side.
"Damn it, when did I ever support those guys?"
"Tom, I take back what I said before; they're not just trying to bring you down. They want to send you to prison. Tom, as your lawyer, you need to tell the truth: did you accept that money or not?"
Seeing his deep scowl, his private lawyer had nothing to say. If a person wanted to go down, no one could stop them. This information had long been in the hands of others; if they didn't want to deal with you, you had no idea of the danger you were in.
"Tom, if I were you, I would resign. Believe me, this is just the beginning."
"Jack, let me calm down. I want to know how likely I am to go to prison if I resign."
"Based on what's shown on television, you have many issues. I think you need to seek the other party's forgiveness."
Such unreasonable tactics left a group of prominent figures sweating. Damn, the news could really play it like this. I can't help but feel that this Tom was the puppet master behind it all.
You really think planting such absurd accusations would go unchallenged?
Wait a minute, this guy seemed to have said nothing at all. They seemed more like they were stating a matter of fact.
Alright, our Mr. Tom wanted to take it a step further. So, he used some underhanded tactics. Those supporting him had played a pivotal role during the LA chaos.
Not allow the police to protect the city?
That couldn't be! What authority does the mayor have to impose such rules? It was clearly two different systems at play.
Regardless of whether the big shots believed it, Tom was already under fierce scrutiny. In just half a day, the persona he had painstakingly crafted over the years had completely collapsed.
...
"Dad, what on earth is up with William White? He's never acted like this before."
"Son, this is a warning; this incident is no ordinary matter. If I'm not mistaken, he's uncovered something."
Bush Sr. was similarly at a loss. William White was really something. You could say he had a touch of depth, but when he took action, he left no room for negotiation. You could also say he was young and impulsive, but it didn't entirely fit.
"What is Tom still waiting for? Can't he see they're telling him to hit the road?"
"Ha, even if he can't see it, there are others to point it out. It's just that after too long in politics, they're not used to handling other types of work."
...
Bush Sr. didn't realize that William White knew far more than he did. If this was someone stirring the pot, if he didn't respond in kind, the opponent might just try to walk all over him.
Right now, I am making a stance. If any of you plan to be my enemy, feel free to step forward. You can take a gamble to see if I have something on you.
In just three days, he toppled a heavyweight, showcasing William White's formidable aggression. If you wanted to take advantage of this situation, you'd better clean your hands; otherwise, one of the kids might end up being your downfall.
"Master, we currently know of only these three locations. If we're going to act..."
"Don't hold back, act fast. Having tongues is good, but not having them is fine too."
"Rest assured, no ant will escape."
"Hmph, if they think they're untouchable, they're in for a lesson. I hope they're not afraid of bullets."
Company? Company? Damn, which genius wrote the script for Prison Break? Unbelievably, such an organization really existed.
In America, once you reached the level of a heavyweight, trouble rarely found you.
Was William White a heavyweight?
That was obvious. The only issue was that some old-timers still hadn't realized it. Now was the time to wake them up.
This farce unfolded by the United States was indeed rather embarrassing. At this critical moment, shouldn't you be providing more job opportunities?
In fact, after all the destruction of buildings, from an economic standpoint, it wasn't all bad. Those jobs were just what the community excelled at.
As for who would take the blame, that part was simple. Those few cops were perfect fits.
So, election years for Americans were a hassle. Some strange happenings always occurred. What seemed like simple matters often spiraled into chaos.
...
"Bill, don't you think NBC has too much influence?"
"Ha! What does it matter? Gore, are you dissatisfied with William White or with NBC?"
"Look, his shareholding is only 20%. Of course, if you count his spouse and kids, it still adds up to 30%. Haven't you noticed he's been working to decrease his influence?"
Gore stared, as Bill's campaign aide, he had a lot on his plate. He didn't delve deeper into William White's status.
"This guy is really strange."
"Strange? I don't see it that way. You know, Barry Diller has plans to go independent. The next CEO hasn't even been designated by William White."
"Alright, Bill, I don't have that kind of guts."
*****
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