[Chapter 64: Taking Revenge Personally]
At the Artel Mountain shooting range, the sound of gunfire echoed as Hawke finished firing ten rounds. He removed his noise-canceling ear protection and ejected the magazine.
The instructor responsible for the live-fire assessment approached, checked the target, and said, "Hey buddy, still 50 points. You passed the live-fire test, and there's nothing more I can teach you." He signed the evaluation sheet, adding, "Wishing you all the best."
"Thank you," Hawke replied before tipping the instructor and submitting the evaluation sheet to the shooting range manager.
The morning's session concluded, leaving an afternoon theoretical class ahead. With no online courses available, the theory lesson stretched for eight hours.
Hawke changed into a jacket, properly stored his firearm, and prepared to find a place for lunch when an unfamiliar phone call came in. After answering, he exchanged a few words, quickly got into his car, and headed to the West Division police station.
...
Eric Emerson had been arrested by the West Division police and called for help finding a lawyer, specifically instructing not to tell Katherine. Having interacted with a lawyer while setting up his studio, Hawke quickly located the contact's number and made the call.
Half an hour later, they met in front of the West Division police station and entered together. The lawyer stated their purpose, processed the necessary paperwork, and soon Hawke saw Eric in a holding room.
Eric had injuries on his face, his expression full of indignation, as if he might explode at any moment.
Hawke noticed Eric wasn't as badly hurt as Dwayne Johnson, and asked, "What happened?"
Eric gripped Hawke's arm tightly. "Miller Collins! Do you remember that guy? He harassed me in the locker room, touched me, and when I fought back, he beat me up." His fury was palpable as he continued, "I couldn't take him on, not even close..."
Hawke recalled that Miller Collins was a star wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers. The guys who play professional football are physical monsters.
Eric added, "He must be a repeat offender. He walked by me with a bottle of water, pretended to accidentally spill it on my pants, and when he squatted to wipe it, he groped me down there, trying to pull it out, with his mouth open!"
As he recounted the details, his agitation grew. "When he saw me resisting, he called the cops first, claiming I was the one harassing him. There was someone else in the locker room who backed him up when the LAPD arrived, saying I was the aggressor..."
Hawke believed Eric, he definitely wasn't gay.
Feeling humiliated to the point of crying into the Pacific, Eric said, "My lawyer is also Katherine's lawyer. I couldn't risk her knowing, so I called you for help."
Hawke comforted him, "The one embarrassing himself is him, not you. You're just the victim."
Eric sighed, "No one believes me."
"Buddy, I believe you," Hawke affirmed.
Eric looked at him, nodding vigorously. "I knew you would believe me."
The lawyer knocked and entered.
Hawke asked, "How's it looking?"
The lawyer replied quickly, "It's not too bad. Miller Collins' side said they won't pursue it any further. He and his lawyer already left the station, and we've finished the paperwork, so we can go."
Eric stood up abruptly. "I'm the victim!"
The lawyer continued, "But the evidence isn't in your favor. There's no surveillance in the locker room. Miller Collins has water stains and your fingerprints on his clothes, and the only witness is on his side."
Hawke held back the angry Eric and told the lawyer, "You go handle the paperwork; let's get out of here first."
...
Not long after, the three left the West Division police station.
The lawyer departed first.
Eric climbed into Hawke's car. His belongings were still at Tracy's Gym, so Hawke drove him back to Westwood.
In the car, Eric's mood was dark. "That lying bastard must know Miller Collins, once we find him, we can prove my innocence!"
"That's if Miller Collins isn't the habitual offender who brings his people along. Finding him won't do much," Hawke cautioned.
Eric felt deflated.
Hawke encouraged, "If you want to reclaim your dignity, you need to think of a different way."
Suddenly remembering his former rival George Hanson, Eric's mind started racing, plotting a high-stakes business war.
When they arrived at Tracy's Gym, Eric went to the locker room to grab his bag. While Hawke waited outside, he saw the gym manager hurry toward him, an envelope in hand.
As soon as Eric emerged, the gym manager approached him, saying, "Mr. Emerson, due to the disturbance your actions caused other customers, Tracy's Gym is no longer welcome to you."
She handed him the envelope. "Here's your refund."
"You guys..." Eric felt a surge of anger but swallowed it down, snatching the envelope and storming out.
Hawke shot a glance at the gym manager and followed Eric outside. One was a VIP member, the other a regular; with a witness on the former's side, the gym's choice was clear.
...
After leaving the gym, Eric again sat in Hawke's car.
Hawke could only reassure him, "Don't waste your energy on people like that; we'll figure out a way to reclaim your dignity."
"But I can't think of a way," Eric replied, his eyes reddening as he implored Hawke, "Please don't tell Katherine about this. All my last bits of dignity as a man would be gone."
Hawke nodded, "This stays between you and me."
Feeling miserable, Eric had anger boiling inside him, unable to express it, making it impossible to work on his script.
Again, he thought of George Hanson, recalling how Hawke had previously dragged him along to watch all the drama unfold.
Eric straightened up, looking at Hawke in the driver's seat. "Your West Coast Media Entertainment Studio could take on Dwayne Johnson's business; you could also take over mine, right?"
Hawke quickly caught onto his thoughts, asking directly, "You want me to help you take on Miller Collins, right?"
"Yes, I need to deal with that bastard; otherwise, I can't get past this hurdle." The incidents from Park City fed Eric's confidence in Hawke. "Miller Collins is an NFL star wide receiver; taking him on falls within the scope of our studio's operations."
He placed all his hope in Hawke: "I've got thirty thousand dollars left..."
Hawke raised a hand to stop him. "Sorry, I can't accept your offer."
Eric opened his mouth, speechless, slumping back in his seat, feeling as if life had turned gray.
Hawke slowly stated, "You're my friend; seeing a friend oppressed like this, I won't stand by. Let's not talk about money."
Eric understood, "I can't let you work for me for free."
"Every business I secured with Johnson came from your introduction. You haven't asked me for a dime in return." Hawke said earnestly, "Eric, you expect me to take a fee from you?"
Eric wanted to respond.
Hawke continued, "Don't feel uneasy about this. I could potentially gain from Miller Collins down the line; regardless of how much, I won't share it with you. Any significant expenses incurred will have to come from you."
"Sure," Eric replied.
Hawke added, "Forget about high-stakes tactics like shooting or breaking legs; the two of us have bright futures ahead. It's not worth going to prison over one gay dude."
He shifted the topic, asking, "So what's your game plan? I need to know what you're thinking."
Eric felt disgusted. "If possible, let's ruin him."
"I get it," Hawke said as he pulled out his phone and called Edward. "Stop loitering outside and get back to the studio immediately. We need to prepare to produce some news."
Edward, who had been half-asleep, suddenly perked up. "Boss, did you find a new target or lead?"
Hawke affirmed, "That's right; we have a suitable target now. Hurry back; I'm on my way."
"I'm on it," Edward replied, starting his car.
Hawke hung up the phone and asked Eric, "You can't focus on your work until this is resolved, right?"
"Exactly, all my creative inspiration has been squashed out by that situation," Eric replied.
Hawke proactively suggested, "Didn't you want to experience my work to gather inspiration for your next project? I could use an extra hand right now; come help out, plus you'll get to enjoy the thrill of personal revenge. I can responsibly tell you it's a hundred times better than any romantic escapade."
A smile crossed Eric's face as he readily agreed, "Sure!"
...
On the way back, Hawke stopped by a newsstand to grab some sports magazines, discovering one with a poster of Miller Collins inside.
Upon arriving at the studio with Edward's return, Hawke immediately called for a meeting among the three.
He posted the poster of Miller Collins on the whiteboard, declaring, "This is our next target: the star wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers, Miller Collins. We don't have enough insight on him; before we launch our plan, we must gather intel and conduct a thorough background check."
As this was Eric's first experience with such work, he remained silent, only listening.
"Edward, you dig through the newspapers and magazines from the last three years to find any news about Miller Collins. Eric, see if you can get help from Johnson through public channels to learn about Miller Collins' relationship with the San Diego Chargers, as well as any advertising and business dealings." Hawke also assigned himself a task: "I'll look into his family situation and his circle of friends."
He clapped his hands, "Alright, gentlemen, let's move!"
*****
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