[Chapter 203: Resignation, Arnold Takes the Helm]
In the early hours, at a seaside apartnt building in Santa Monica.
Guerrero felt a surge of anxiety as he looked at his secret girlfriend, Irene. He said, "You need to leave imdiately. Don't stick around here."
Irene, her red hair tousled and still half-asleep, was less than pleased about being woken up in the middle of the night: "What are you talking about?"
Guerrero grabbed a packed backpack and handed it to Irene. "You've got to rember what I'm about to say!"
Seeing the seriousness in his tone, Irene quickly grabbed a wipe from the table and dabbed her face, trying to wake up.
Guerrero continued, "Do you rember the house in the canyon? Don't tell anyone. I've got so things stored in the basent, in the tool cabinet on the southwest side."
Since he hadn't been able to reach riel, a bad feeling had settled in his gut. "There's cash, so designer watches, and jewelry. It's enough for you to get through college and find a good job after."
Irene looked bewildered. "What's going on?"
"You don't need to know. It won't do you any good." Guerrero pressed on, "If -- let's say if -- sothing happens to or I end up dead, you need to take what's in that tool cabinet, find a dia outlet... no, don't just go with traditional dia. Go for an online outlet that's willing to break the story, and mail it to them from a remote area."
Irene sensed sothing terrible had transpired. "Let's leave together!"
Guerrero shook his head. "I'm a local; my parents and siblings live here in Los Angeles. I can't put them in danger."
"Just go!" he urged. "You need to hurry!"
With her bag slung over her shoulder, Irene hurried out of the apartnt building.
...
Minutes later, there was a knock on Guerrero's door.
He opened it to find his colleague and friend, Carl, along with several others.
Guerrero could see the situation unfolding. "Do we really have to do this?"
Carl stated flatly, "The money you've earned over the years will be shifted into your parents' accounts. They'll also receive additional benefits. Each of your siblings will, too."
It was both a promise of money and a threat.
Guerrero had steeled himself. "What do you want to do?"
"Write a suicide note," Carl replied gravely. "Take the bla for everything."
...
In the early morning, just as dawn broke, strange shouts erupted from the seaside apartnt building.
Then ca a sharp crack, sounding as if sothing had shattered.
An early riser shouted, "Soone jumped! Soone jumped!"
Another person called the police.
The LAPD responded quickly, sealing off the area.
With backup on the scene, they investigated and discovered a suicide note in the pocket of the deceased.
FBI agents arrived shortly afterward and took over the case.
Just hours before, Lena had woken up and, grasping the situation, officially reported it to the FBI.
But Jennifer Huey waited until daylight to get authorization from her supervisor before heading out to apprehend Guerrero.
At that crucial mont, the elephant and donkey found an unspoken understanding.
...
In Sacranto, across from Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign office, stood the California State Capitol.
In a private club beside the Capitol, Arnold's campaign manager, Daniel Kessler, t with the governor's aide, Foster.
Daniel handed Foster a re-edited docunt. "Take a look at this."
Foster took the docunt, and as he read, he didn't appear fazed. Los Angeles had reported the situation overnight; while it was ssy, soone had already taken responsibility for the specific charges.
He tossed the docunt onto the table and denied it. "It's all rumors and a setup."
Daniel didn't counter. "Resign and save what little dignity you have left."
Foster knew very well that the resignation didn't refer to his position as governor's aide.
Daniel added, "What we're fighting over here is the position, not a person. Once the position is gone, everything else becos irrelevant."
With the situation deteriorating, it directly involved Governor Gray Davis. Foster didn't know what else to say.
He paused, then remarked, "Wait for my news."
Daniel replied, "Don't keep us waiting too long."
...
By mid-June 2003, as California's gubernatorial recall election began, the sitting governor Gray Davis announced his resignation, representing the blue faction's retreat.
Hollywood superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger, supported by the elephants, erged victorious, becoming the 38th Governor of California without a fight.
Both sides had quietly reached several agreents.
On that sa day, Schwarzenegger delivered a victory speech via Fox News, praising his predecessor Gray Davis for his contributions to California's developnt.
Since the red-blue battle had turned into chaos, there was a brief period of breathing room.
However, Schwarzenegger's victory did not imply the elephants had an absolute advantage, as the donkeys still held the majority in the state legislature.
...
Later, the FBI's Los Angeles division held a press conference announcing the details of the disappearance case exposed by Fox News.
Jennifer Huey made a statent about the case.
Over the past two years, seven girls had gone missing from the Super Star Training School, with the culprits being forr head Broderick and assistant Guerrero.
The two n used the promise of movie roles to lure specifically chosen recruits to secluded places, where they would then be abused and murdered, with their bodies disposed of at sea.
Before the incident, Broderick had committed suicide in prison due to depression.
Guerrero, fearing repercussions, took his own life and left a note detailing the cris.
Additionally, the Super Star Training School's major shareholder, Ackerman Films, bore significant administrative responsibility.
The executive vice president of Ackerman Films voluntarily surrendered, accepting their share of the bla.
Yet, the most severe punishnt would probably just be probation.
...
Since Ackerman Films acted quickly, they managed to contact the families of the seven missing girls and offered substantial compensation, successfully securing a settlent.
...
After receiving compensation, Lena, whom Harley saved, joyfully left Los Angeles.
...
As for the results of the case's release, it didn't matter whether the public believed it or not; what mattered was that the officials had provided an answer, and whether people chose to believe it was on them.
The red and blue factions had decided to maintain peace, and the mainstream dia largely kept silent.
It was just like how the squids were running wild, with the Western dia choosing to selectively ignore the situation.
...
anwhile, lissa Ackerman, after undergoing routine questioning by the FBI, announced her resignation as CEO of Ackerman Films.
But that was far from the end. Ackerman Films sold off several movie rights to raise tens of millions in compensation and soon declared bankruptcy, unable to cover their debts.
The Ackerman family launched a crisis PR campaign, claiming they would now focus on philanthropy and contribute more to social developnt across the nation.
...
At the Ackerman Foundation in Santa Monica, lissa paced back and forth in her office and asked Barack Bernanke, "Did you find out about what I asked you to investigate?"
Barack responded, "I looked into it. That day, the Fox News anchor was Harley Wayne, an investigative reporter whose forr boss was the famous Fox host Gretchen. I reached out through various connections and quietly mobilized several Jewish staff mbers inside Fox to uncover a few leads."
lissa settled onto the couch. "Go on."
Barack continued, "Months ago, Gretchen received a package. That day she sent Harley to get so tasks done, but the specifics are unknown. However, after that, Harley hardly appeared at the Fox TV Center. From that point on, she must have been investigating the Super Star Training School."
lissa asked the crucial question, "Where was the package sent from?"
Barack replied, "We checked FedEx and USPS records of Gretchen's deliveries over the past few months and found one that matched the timing. It was sent from Las Vegas, but the location is a very remote mailbox, making it impossible to pursue."
Not being able to track it wasn't surprising to lissa. She thought for a mont and asked, "Who stands to benefit the most from this incident?"
Barack answered without a second thought, "Arnold Schwarzenegger."
Without the unexpected turn of events, the outco of the recall election could have been uncertain, especially since California had always leaned deep blue.
Barack quickly cautioned, "We can't go after a sitting governor."
"Let things cool down a bit," lissa remarked. "Teach Gretchen and Harley a lesson."
She felt a tight knot in her chest.
With Ackerman Films declaring bankruptcy, offloading their film rights at fire-sale prices, compensating the victims, and covering the costs of the burned-down beach club and closed Super Star Training School, this incident had directly cost the Ackerman family over $80 million.
lissa hadn't lost her sense of reason. Considering Fox, she specifically warned, "Make it look like an accident, understand? No physical harm, but let it be unforgettable for them."
Barack noted this down.
...
anwhile, at the Twitter building on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica.
Hawke scanned the various announcents in the newspaper. With the new governor elected, events were gradually settling down, and so unresolved cases were beginning to yield official results.
The red and blue factions had finally struck a quiet deal to preserve their respective appearances.
Hawke had ntally prepared for this and felt no disappointnt.
The Ackerman family had paid a significant comrcial price for it.
One of the key perpetrators, Broderick, was dead.
While his opponents had been weakened, he was steadily growing stronger.
There would co a ti when the balance of power shifted completely.
Hawke had been quietly working hard for a year and a half and didn't mind continuing on this path.
Moreover, the Ackerman family had revealed their vulnerabilities.
Recalling a certain island from his past life, Hawke could be certain that incidents like those at the Super Star School wouldn't stop; they would only continue to fulfill the twisted desires of so.
With Schwarzenegger in the governor's seat, circumstances were far more favorable than before.
Hawke recalled that it seed Schwarzenegger had served one term before being forced out of office in 2010.
At that mont, the phone rang; it was Brian calling.
Hawke answered.
Brian said, "You in the office? Great. I'll be there in half an hour with so excellent news."
*****
/Sayonara816.
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