The Wolf of Los Angeles

Chapter 36: Hawk Dislikes Being Passive

Back in the car, Hawk handed Edward a freelance reporter ID. “Here’s what you wanted.”

Edward eagerly grabbed the card, kissing it repeatedly. “Boss, you’ve saved my future happiness! With this, I’ll have all the confidence I need to win over that woman and her two kids. I’ll be moving into my new home in no time!”

Seeing Edward’s enthusiasm, Hawk decided to reward him further. “Once we’re home, I’ll give you a $200 bonus. You’ll need money for your date…”

Edward was bewildered. “Since when does the guy pay? It’s always the woman!” His disdain was palpable. “Boss, you’re so old-fashioned. Want me to take you out and teach you a thing or two? Or maybe I should lend you some of my San Fernando Valley videos? Don’t worry—they’re free.”

“Shut up,” Hawk said curtly.

Edward, emboldened by their growing camaraderie, pressed on. “Every time we talk about this, and I bring up something you can’t argue with, you just shut me down. It makes you seem weak in this area. Wait… don’t tell me… are you still a virgin?”

Hawk chuckled inwardly. I reset to virginity every midnight.

Casually, he replied, “I have standards. Anyone I consider has to at least match the level of a young Brooke Shields or Jennifer Connelly.”

Arriving at their home on Fountain Avenue, they entered. Edward carried in beer and snacks.

Hawk unpacked his gear and handed Edward $200 in cash, along with a handwritten receipt to sign for the bonus.

For now, the West Coast Media & Entertainment Studio existed only in name; its official registration was still underway.

Edward signed the receipt, cracking open a beer and taking a seat. “It’s late. Mind if I crash here tonight? I promise I’ll have a new place soon.”

“Second floor, spare bedroom,” Hawk replied.

Raising his beer in a toast, Edward said, “Boss, no one’s ever treated me this well—not even another man.”

Hawk played along. “What about your father?”

“Who knows where he is. Maybe God does,” Edward said nonchalantly. “You know the biggest flaw with Black men? They’re irresponsible with women and family. The moment a woman gets pregnant, the man bolts.” ŖΑℕồBĘS

Glancing at the clock, Hawk noted it was nearly 11 p.m. He grabbed the remote and switched to Channel 11.

“A lot of women prefer men like that,” Hawk commented as the TV came on.

Edward tested the waters. “Boss, are you a responsible man?”

Hawk deflected. “Who knows?”

At 11 p.m., Midnight Entertainment began.

The headline was Hawk’s video, aired as a top story.

Initially, the program matched Hawk’s expectations, focusing on The Lord of the Rings cast attacking a reporter and obstructing press freedom.

But then, the unexpected happened—a live segment with a lip-reading expert.

Host Megan raised a question about whether Ian McKellen had used discriminatory language toward the fleeing Black reporter and asked the expert for their opinion.

The expert said the video quality wasn’t clear enough to confirm anything.

Though no conclusion was reached, the segment subtly nudged viewers to speculate that McKellen’s furious expression likely accompanied something offensive.

“He didn’t insult me,” Edward said, putting down his beer. “I can guarantee that.”

“Television is about ratings and sensationalism, not facts,” Hawk replied.

“Pathetic. The station has no morals,” Edward scoffed. “We’re better than them. At least we don’t make stuff up!”

Feeling morally superior, he declared, “We’re the ones chasing truth and reporting it.”

Hawk, unabashedly unscrupulous, agreed wholeheartedly. “Exactly. And if presenting the truth requires entertainment, so be it. Heroes and villains are two sides of the same coin.”

Edward raised his can. “Boss, you’re wise and cultured. I’ll drink to that!”

Hawk clinked cans with him, taking a swig. “But listen, ‘Savior,’ we’re still small-time. Always make sure to capture photos or video as evidence before selling a story. Without proof, it’s not news—it’s libel.”

Edward, not the sharpest in such matters, asked, “Isn’t gossip all about scandals?”

Hawk shook his head. “With proof, it’s a scandal. Without it, it’s defamation.”

Edward nodded. “Got it. Defamation gets you sued and costs money.”

As the program moved on to Oscar results and other gossip, it covered Eddie Murphy’s solicitation scandal—Hawk’s previous scoop—with a retrospective of Murphy’s history of wild exploits.

Midnight Entertainment was pure tabloid television, aggressively airing celebrity dirt.

The show’s tone matched Hawk’s current needs perfectly. He saved Claire’s contact info as a stable channel for future video sales. Channel 11, backed by Fox, was not only wealthy but audacious.

Hawk pocketed the $15,000 in checks and went upstairs to rest.

The next morning, he dragged Edward out for a run. Afterward, they picked up the Oscar special edition of World News.

The front page naturally focused on the Oscar ceremony, but Hawk’s Ian McKellen photos made the third page’s headline.

Even in the chaos of last night, McKellen smashing a McDonald’s remained a heavyweight scoop.

After breakfast, Hawk filed the third-page clipping alongside previous headlines about the solicitation and affair scandals, storing them in a dedicated cabinet.

These stories represented the studio’s achievements and, when needed, could serve as leverage.

As Hawk finished tidying up, he received a call from the agency handling the studio’s registration. The process was down to the final steps, and his signature was required.

“Got some plans today,” Edward said sheepishly. “Think you could…”

Recognizing Edward’s role as a fearless field asset, Hawk waved him off generously. “Go on, take care of your date.”

The truth was, Hawk also wanted a quiet night. Edward’s snoring was deafening.

Edward grabbed his reporter ID and rushed off to woo the divorced mother.

Hawk, meanwhile, drove to Highland Street. At the agency, he signed the necessary documents to finalize the business license and tax registration. The West Coast Media & Entertainment Studio was officially established.

After cashing his checks, Hawk called the private detective from a payphone, using his East Coast accent to inquire about progress.

The detective reported some findings: one of Downey’s associates regularly attended private poker games, though more details would take a few days.

Hawk hung up, pondering where to find his next story and revenue source.

Relying solely on distributing business cards and waiting for tips was too passive for Hawk’s liking.

Starting fresh in the industry made it tough to stumble upon the perfect scoop. The solution was to create news.

As he thought about Robert Downey Jr., a plan began to form.

Hawk resolved to stir the pot himself, capturing the chaos to sell for the money needed to grow his studio.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!