[Chapter 53: Stars and Crime]
In the reception room of Fox Television Center, Channel 11.
Hawke turned his laptop screen around and pushed it toward Megan Taylor, saying, "My news source found the girl that Dwayne Johnson saved. She wants to publicly thank him, so she recorded this video."
But what Megan saw was a blurred face. "No original version?"
Hawke shook his head. "She wants to live a quiet life and doesn't want to be disturbed by the media."
Megan crossed her arms, lightly tapping her left arm with her right hand, her tone tempting. "The price is different for those who show their faces; it's a significant difference."
Hawke shrugged. "I can't let your show violate her right to publicity and get sued, right?"
Megan replied, "Don't worry, we have the most professional legal consultants."
"I still can't help it; she really doesn't want to be disturbed." Hawke then asked, "Can the video make the headlines?"
Megan thought for a moment. "The video doesn't align with the theme of the show. I will set aside a bit of time after the headlines, though."
"I watched your show yesterday," Hawke added, "Crime spreading to the affluent Westside was a great topic, but it felt more suited for a news piece."
Megan, filled with ambition, said, "Hollywood stars and crime -- there's much higher news value there. You could actually follow up on that Robert Downey Jr. story; for example, who his drug dealer is, whether he's had dealings with other Hollywood stars, or if a massive drug network has developed. They say there are some mysterious organizations within Hollywood..."
Hawke interrupted her. "I just want to make money, not gamble with my life."
Megan stared at Hawke for a moment but continued, "Keep an eye on that type of news. If you can capture something, the production team will pay top dollar."
"Let's see," Hawke said, grabbing a storage disk provided by Channel 11 and started playing the video.
The two settled on a price, but given that it was just a side news story featuring a blurred face, it was only 2000 dollars.
Megan took the storage disk and prepared to leave when she suddenly said, "If you can find other Hollywood stars willing to cooperate and create similar news, just bring it to us."
The same hero saving a beauty one day and the saved person thanking him the next would naturally stir some connections in the audience's mind.
Hawke wasn't surprised she could see through that. "As long as you offer the right price."
Megan added, "Don't forget about my celebrity and crime news."
Hawke suddenly remembered something: there had been a rumor at the Sundance Film Festival about Winona Ryder stealing nuclear keys.
He quickly searched on his laptop and found that while the rumor had spread online, there were no real proofs for now.
According to the news online, since January, no matter where Winona Ryder went, a bunch of paparazzi followed her closely.
The competition was too fierce; Hawke didn't intend to join the fray.
After signing the agreement, he collected his 2000-dollar check and headed back to his car.
...
At that moment, Dany Garcia's call came in, asking about the situation. Hawke quickly recapped.
The gratitude video airing tonight would keep the news cycle alive, linking it to Dwayne's talk show, ensuring the topic would last until The Scorpion King was released.
Hawke then visited the accounting firm that Dwayne recommended since tax season had rolled around.
The American tax system was complex; the average person could hardly make heads or tails of it.
Moreover, the IRS had a notorious reputation; neglecting tax payments was definitely not a good option.
...
As Hawke left the accounting firm, he received a call from Edward.
The guy was shouting, "Boss, I just got a call from my source; Britney is having a public argument with her father! I'm heading over!"
Hawke sprinted toward his car. "Where?"
Edward exclaimed, "Beverly Woods, at West Olympic Boulevard."
Hawke hung up and drove over there.
By the time he arrived, there were already throngs of reporters with cameras and camcorders -- no less than thirty.
As for the parties involved, Britney and her father had already boarded their SUV.
A large group of paparazzi was still blocking the vehicle, snapping photos.
Forget about exclusives; Hawke skipped the crowd and jumped onto a flower bed beside the road, scanning for a clear view of the car. All he could see were heads piled together.
A guy with a camera spotted him from the crowd and walked over, saying, "Dude, you're too late; the hot stuff's gone."
Looking down, Hawke recognized him as the reporter he bumped into at Robert Downey Jr.'s event and tentatively asked, "Daniel Richard?"
"That's me." Daniel approached Hawke. "I forgot to ask your name last time."
Hawke stepped down from the flower bed and introduced himself, "Hawke Osment."
Daniel nodded, smiling. "I got here first today. What I filmed is worth at least 5000 bucks!"
He waved his hand. "Dude, I gotta go make some money now."
Hawke could hear the boast in his tone, likely a jab at their last encounter.
Edward surfaced from the crowd, scanning around, quickly spotting Hawke.
His face was drenched in sweat as he said, "It was terrifying! Everyone was acting like madmen; there was no elegance and poise like when we were filming -- just a bunch of crazies."
Hawke asked, "What did you manage to capture?"
Edward shook his head. "By the time I got here, Britney and her father's argument was already over. They were just getting into their cars, so the photos are of little value."
Hawke took the camera, flipped through the shots, and remarked, "Not worth anything, let's head back."
There were just too many reporters; pictures like that wouldn't sell.
Edward climbed into the used minivan, following Hawke back to the studio.
...
Hawke pulled out two bottles of water, tossed one to Edward, and asked, "Did your source call?"
Edward gulped down a third of his water and said, "By the time the source found out, there were already reporters there. I was too late."
Considering his boss was thoughtful enough to introduce a divorced wealthy woman to him, Edward was thinking of Hawke's well-being: "After this trip, I lost gas money and still owe my source 20 bucks. I didn't earn anything."
Hawke shrugged it off. "It's business; there are always ups and downs."
Edward sounded like he had been through a battle, squeezed amid reporters and paparazzi, overwhelmed but snapped out of it, "We've shot lead after lead given to us by our sources. But really getting exclusive news seems pretty unreliable."
Hawke stated, "The highest amount we made from a source was 280 dollars -- that's when you recorded that one."
Edward started calculating in his head but gave up. So, he simply said, "Relying on sources alone isn't gonna make us any decent money in a month. It's about as good as being a regular day laborer, and I might as well date divorced women with kids."
He appeared vacant, "At least with that, I get to lay around while getting squeezed..."
Hawke countered, "Developing news sources from ordinary people is really a matter of luck. The better luck you have, the closer you get to a big news story."
"God never favors black folks." Edward, who had recently started earning a bit, felt more confident, standing tall when chatting with women. "Boss, relying on tips from news sources is a gamble; we need to create our own news; we need to develop our own content."
Hawke completely agreed. "It's about catching opportunities, too." He pulled out an invitation. "I can bring one person to The Scorpion King premiere; you should come with me. Get a suit ready."
Edward shook his head vigorously at the thought of wearing formal attire. "I'm not going; I'm not going..."
Hawke casually replied, "If you're lucky, you might meet a divorced Hollywood star with kids."
Edward straightened up. "Boss, I think you need someone to carry your bags."
But Hawke responded seriously, "You need to learn more, at least be able to count correctly; this studio won't just stay at the manufacturing level for news."
Edward slumped down, exasperated. "Just kill me already."
*****
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