The Wolf of Los Angeles

Chapter 48: A Hero’s Stereotypical Rescue

At the William Morris Agency in Beverly Hills, Edward shuffled uncomfortably in the black suit Hawk had insisted he wear, twisting his shoulders like he was trying to escape a straitjacket.

After speaking with the receptionist, Hawk approached and smacked Edward on the back. "Straighten up! You’re a senior manager representing the company’s image and reputation."

Edward’s face practically crumpled. "Boss… no, Mr. Boss, I can handle being a thug, a gang member, a crook, even a dealer. But a senior manager? I’m completely out of my depth."

"Relax. Just keep a poker face and don’t talk." Hawk gave him an encouraging nod. "Out in the world, you’re whoever you decide to be. Confidence is key."

Edward adjusted his expression, attempting to look serious, though it came off more constipated than composed.

Hawk gestured for him to follow as they were led upstairs to a small conference room.

A polished young assistant opened the door. "Please wait here. Mr. Johnson and Ms. Garcia are wrapping up discussions with the production team and will join you shortly."

Inside, Hawk immediately spotted someone familiar—a woman with shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing Chanel and holding a Hermès handbag. Her makeup was Oscar-worthy, as if she’d stepped straight off the red carpet.

It was Caroline Jones, Sarah Parker’s publicist—the same one who had once organized the infamous soda attack.

Caroline raised a sculpted brow. "Well, if it isn’t the Wyoming cowboy. What are you doing here?" Her realization was swift. "You’re the one working with Dwayne?"

Hawk’s tone was unapologetic. "Hello, Peacock. Fancy seeing you here."

"A paparazzo playing manager now?" she shot back.

"Because I’m smart and capable," Hawk retorted, sliding into a chair across from her. "Unlike some people who look pretty on the outside but have rocks for brains."

Caroline, who had lost to him in their last confrontation, didn’t engage further in that battle. Instead, she changed tactics, spinning a gold ring on her finger. "I hear cowboys in Wyoming like to ‘spend time’ with their sheep."

"Ah, so it’s you—Miss Sheep," Hawk replied flatly.

Caroline pushed back her chair, propping her beige-slacked legs on the table. The snug fit of her pants emphasized certain curves. Dangling a red stiletto on her toe, she let it swing like a pendulum. "Baa, baa…" She crooked a finger at Hawk. "Come on. Dare you?"

Hawk knew better. A single accusation of harassment from someone like her, and his career—or worse, his freedom—would be over.

Instead, he pulled out his Nokia 7650, aimed it toward the wall behind her, and clicked the camera button. "Just taking a picture of that artwork behind you. Don’t block the shot."

Caught off guard by his brazenness, Caroline quickly closed her legs.

Before she could respond, the door opened, and Dani Garcia and Dwayne Johnson walked in.

Dani, ever the professional, didn’t hold back. "Caroline, honey, you’re here to work, not to flirt with men."

Caroline glanced at Dani, who was nearly twice her size in both height and muscle. "Just a little game," she muttered.

Dwayne introduced the room. "This is Caroline Jones from Fullspeed PR, my publicist. And this is Hawk Osmond, founder of West Coast Media & Entertainment Studio."

Turning to Hawk, he added quietly, "Part of the PR contract is that Caroline must be involved in any media or promotional work."

Hawk grinned. "Caroline and I go way back."

He shifted focus. "All squared with the production team?"

"Yes," Dwayne confirmed. "Producer Stephen Sommers is on board with the plan."

With that, Hawk stood, pulled over a whiteboard, and clapped his hands. "Alright, let’s get started."

Edward handed out detailed plans to everyone in the room as Hawk began writing on the board: Hero Saves the Day.

"As cliché as it gets," Hawk admitted. "But clichés work."

He turned to the room. "Dwayne, as ‘The Rock,’ is known for being solid and dependable like a boulder, yet his smile radiates warmth."

Caroline raised her pen. "That smile was professionally designed and trained by me."

Hawk acknowledged her with a nod. "You’ve positioned him as an action star, right?"

Dani confirmed. "Yes. Dwayne’s acting range is limited, so roles like Schwarzenegger’s are the most fitting."

Caroline, now fully in work mode, added, "That’s why I’ve emphasized his masculinity in all his branding. For example, no matter the setting, we highlight his male traits." ṞＡꞐo͍ᛒΕŝ

Dwayne chuckled. "Stuffing socks in my pants? That was Caroline’s idea."

"Smart choice," Hawk said without missing a beat, then moved on. "In The Scorpion King, Dwayne plays a hero who overthrows tyranny and saves the people. On-screen, he’s a savior. Off-screen, his image needs to match. If the hero on film is a champion of justice but comes off as weak or effeminate in real life…"

"I agree," Caroline interrupted, surprisingly on board.

Dani nodded as well.

Hawk outlined his idea. "Here’s the plan: At a carefully selected location, a woman shopping is ‘attacked’ by a few miscreant Black men trying to rob her."

Edward’s stoic demeanor caught Dani and Caroline’s attention.

"Dwayne steps in at just the right moment, heroically fights them off. It’s all captured on camera by a bystander," Hawk continued.

This type of stunt, he knew, had been successfully pulled off before by a certain actor promoting their superhero film.

Caroline chimed in. "Why not take it up a notch? Have him disarm a gun-wielding robber—"

"Whoa, no!" Dwayne cut her off. "I’m not kidding. If I see a gun, I’m out. I’ve only got one life."

Hawk shifted gears. "What’s the maximum number of attackers you’re comfortable handling?"

Dwayne considered. "Three adult men. More than that, it’d look fake."

"Done." Hawk turned to Edward. "We’ll recruit three of our most capable team members for the roles."

Edward, remembering they were the entire team, nodded firmly, hiding his confusion.

Caroline added enthusiastically, "I’ll handle the TV station coordination."

"No, no TV crews," Hawk interrupted. "It wouldn’t look authentic and might get out of hand. I’ll film it myself as a bystander and pass it to Channel 11. I’ve got a great relationship with their Midnight Entertainment team."

Edward, ever the sidekick, flashed his special reporter ID for emphasis.

Caroline mulled it over and agreed. "Selling the footage to Channel 11?"

Hawk assured her. "It’ll air on Midnight Entertainment. With their ratings, it’ll go viral across entertainment media the next day."

Dani and Caroline exchanged approving looks.

"Spreading the footage and building momentum afterward is your specialty," Hawk said, delegating.

"Of course," Caroline replied. "It’s my job."

"When do we start?" Dwayne asked.

"My team needs some prep time, and we’ll finalize a location. Three days from now," Hawk replied.

Dani checked Dwayne’s schedule. "He has a street photoshoot planned that afternoon. I’ll cancel it."

A simple street shoot couldn’t compare to this stunt’s impact.

Hawk reminded them, "The $30,000 advance needs to be in my account within the hour."

"That urgent?" Dwayne asked.

Hawk explained, "We won’t film in crime-heavy areas—too risky if real robbers show up. But safer neighborhoods mean more patrol cars. If LAPD stumbles on us mid-shoot, I need to have them on board. That takes money."

Everyone in the room understood the reality of greasing the wheels with LAPD.

Dwayne called his accountant to expedite the payment. Hawk then spent another hour hammering out details before leaving with Dwayne.

Afterward, Caroline asked Dani, "How much are you paying him?"

"Eight grand," Dani replied.

"Fair price," Caroline said, satisfied. Dani agreed, considering Dwayne’s $5.5 million paycheck for the film.

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