The Wolf of Los Angeles

[Chapter 206: Eagle County Gate]

The two men watched Miller Collins head off to pick up his food stamps, feeling a bit nostalgic.

Coulson remarked, "He used to live in a mansion as a high-income earner, and now he's down to a rundown RV."

However, Tim had some thoughts of his own. "If that RV were gone too, do you think he would go insane?"

Coulson nodded. "That's quite possible. I quietly spoke to one of Miller's former friends, and they mentioned that Miller is teetering on the edge of madness and collapse."

Tim's task in Los Angeles involved using some special methods when Emma Batson's team faced difficulties.

After confirming Miller Collins's current situation, the two men left the parking lot.

...

Tim drove back to Highland Center, dropping off Coulson.

He watched as Coulson walked away and pulled out his cell phone to call, "How's that thing I asked you to look into?"

The voice on the other end replied, "I went to Jeffrey City, Wyoming, and even visited the Osment family's small ranch. Hawke Osment's parents have passed away, and he has no other siblings or relatives."

Tim asked again, "Did he leave a will?"

The voice said, "As far as I know, no."

Tim hung up, feeling very satisfied.

This meant there was a lot of operational space.

BlackRock has had success stories in the past.

...

Tim then called someone in San Francisco.

His boss, Douglas, said, "Emma Batson made initial contact with him, and from what I gathered, he doesn't seem opposed to working with us. For now, just hold off on any actions."

Tim responded, "Understood."

This development followed a logical path. Faced with a potential payout of over a hundred million dollars, or possibly hundreds of millions, a bankrupt farmer's son had no grounds to refuse.

...

Tim went to Santa Monica to check out Hawke Osment's confirmed residence, located on the southwest side of 20th Street, not far from the Twitter office building.

After driving around 20th Street, Tim stopped by a nearby real estate agency, hoping to rent a house on the southwest side of 20th Street.

He wanted to become Hawke Osment's neighbor to familiarize himself with his activities.

All this was to prepare for a successful outcome in the end.

...

West Los Angeles, Artel Mountain Shooting Range.

Today, Hawke and Erica didn't come to practice shooting.

Erica wanted to test out some close combat techniques with Hawke.

They often practiced together, but hadn't engaged in a direct sparring match.

Erica put on protective gear while Hawke just wore fingerless gloves.

"Let's get started," she said, playfully tugging on her headgear. "Protect your vital parts; kicking in the groin is my specialty."

Hawke shot back, "What you excel at, I excel at too."

Without wasting any more words, Erica lunged at him, intending to use her long-practiced Brazilian jiu-jitsu and judo techniques to take him down.

Hawke allowed her to come at him, and just as Erica applied her strength, he countered by lifting her up and slamming her onto the thick mat.

He then pounced, choking her.

Erica tapped the mat, conceding defeat.

Hawke released her and reminded her, "If you ever face a male attacker, your best weapon is a gun."

Erica nodded, "Women often lack strength and resilience compared to men."

At that moment, Edward rushed into the training hall and, seeing their positions on the ground, said, "Did I interrupt something? Look at me, asking unnecessary questions; you two carry on..."

"I'm done here," Erica stated boldly.

Edward glanced at Hawke with a hint of disdain. "That was too quick."

Hawke gave him the finger. "Got a problem?"

Edward nodded, "Campos just called. Kobe rented a private jet and is already headed to Colorado."

...

Eagle County, Colorado.

Outside the airport fence in Aspen, Garcia stood by his car, chewing gum while gazing at the tarmac.

Young Juan ran over, grabbed a piece of gum from Garcia, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth. "I got the scoop; the tower confirmed Kobe's private jet is about to land."

Garcia glanced at the sky and asked, "What about Fiona? Is she still keeping an eye on that hotel waitress?"

"Fiona believes it's highly likely that Kobe is back for the waitress," Juan replied. "The waitress, named Catherine Fybel, had been creating opportunities to approach Kobe during his last visit. Kobe was quite cordial with her then, but his female companion and agent were with him, leaving no room for them to connect..."

Garcia frowned. "If something happens between them, it will definitely be in the hotel room. Which room was Kobe in last time?"

Juan understood immediately. "You think Kobe would stay in the same room again?"

Garcia said, "People subconsciously seek familiar faces and things when they're in unfamiliar surroundings."

After thinking for a moment, he made a decision. "Wasn't Betty hired through the hotel? Have her check if Kobe's last room is available. If it is, I want my modified doll camera put inside the bedroom."

Juan pulled out his phone. "I'll call her."

...

Aspen isn't a big town, but it's a popular tourist destination, home to multiple luxury hotels.

The Cordillera Hotel and Spa was the most luxurious among them.

Betty worked as a housekeeper and received Juan's call, confirming that Kobe's previous room had remained vacant since he didn't check out after his last stay and would be occupying that room again.

Betty found Fiona in the lobby, taking a distinctive local doll from her to place in the guest room.

This doll had been modified with a hollowed-out interior that housed a micro camera.

Betty returned to her service cart, used the freight elevator to the second floor, and quickly made her way to Kobe's room, maintaining pretense as she cleaned.

She pulled out a card, swiped it open, and stepped inside the suite.

Betty made her way through the suite's living room into the master bedroom, removed the doll sitting atop the plasma TV, and replaced it with her modified version, using it as cover to connect the power.

After completing her setup, she proceeded with her cleaning duties.

While taking a bathroom break, she bumped into Fiona again and gave her a slight nod.

....

The Aspen airport saw a private jet land on the tarmac.

A luxury car pulled up to the Cordillera Hotel.

Kobe stepped off the plane, accompanied by a friend, and got into the car, heading straight to the hotel.

Since the room from his last stay had not been checked out yet, the group was expected to stay on the second floor.

Kobe engaged in jokes with his black friend during the ride.

That same friend had shown great interest in the hotel's spa during the last visit.

Upon arriving at the hotel, the receptionist, Catherine Fybel, spotted Kobe immediately.

The 19-year-old blonde girl radiated youthfulness.

Kobe didn't refuse her offer to help carry his bags.

After she delivered the luggage, Kobe consulted with the hotel staff and had Catherine join him for a tour of the spa.

Once they ventured to a less crowded area, the two exhibited an unusually close connection.

....

Unbeknownst to them, shadows were constantly filming and snapping pictures through various means of stealth and ambush.

Regular tourist Juan, elite vacationer Fiona, housekeeper Betty, and business mogul Garcia all took turns capturing the scene.

Juan even caught a photo of the two kissing in the spa.

...

After a little while, they returned to the accommodation area.

Catherine, a manipulative girl, declined Kobe's invitation due to her work commitments, heading back to the front desk.

Shortly after, Kobe called, claiming there was an issue with the jet tub in the suite.

Catherine went back over to check.

She was fully aware that the basketball superstar had taken the bait.

But Catherine was skilled at fishing; she handled the issue quickly and returned to her duties.

Athletic stars often act without rational thinking in personal matters.

For instance, Cristiano Ronaldo publicly pursues women, Rooney was seen with a 50-year-old...

...

During this time, Kobe called a few more times, persistently inviting Catherine to join him.

After several rejections, she finally accepted the invite and entered Kobe's suite after her shift was over.

Every moment of her entry was captured on camera.

Once inside the suite, Catherine grew particularly proactive.

Having finally found an opportunity to perhaps score, she wouldn't let it slip.

In fact, Catherine even declined Kobe's suggestion to use a condom.

...

On the second floor, in a room across the hallway, Garcia was behind his door, peeping through the peephole observing the situation across the way.

The wireless camera was already connected to the recording device, capturing all the voices of the pair inside.

Garcia, a former Mexican narcotics officer with considerable analysis and judgment skills, concluded just from the voices of an unknown man and woman that "this woman meant trouble."

Juan nodded. "I picked up on that too; that NBA star's going to have some trouble."

Garcia deduced, "For a moment of gratification, he's going to face a long-term headache."

Juan added, "It's a bit like those junkies."

Garcia listened intently and said, "They should be wrapping up soon; that woman won't stick around long. Set the things outside."

He then retrieved a bag from his side, opened the door gently, and placed it by the entrance, aiming the camera at the opposite room door.

Rushing back, he closed the door behind him.

...

Garcia's deductions proved to be accurate; the door soon opened, and Catherine Fybel stepped outside.

She declined Kobe's invitation to stay for the night, saying, "I need to go home and rest; I have another shift soon."

Kobe walked her to the door.

Catherine looked around to ensure no one was watching before she threw herself at Kobe, passionately kissing him.

The two were lost in the moment before finally pulling apart.

Kobe was very pleased with the fiery girl, wanting to offer her a gift but was met with a refusal.

Catherine waved goodbye and quickly exited the hotel.

...

After heading down to the second floor, Catherine made her way towards the female staff changing room.

...

Fiona, who sat nearby, pulled out her phone. "She just headed into the staff locker room."

"I got it," Betty said as she rushed that way.

...

Inside the locker room, Catherine found it empty, shut the door tight, and stood in front of the mirror, stripping off her clothes, leaving almost no marks on her fair skin.

Directing her head towards the wall, she slammed her forehead against it and then created other wounds on her face, neck, and body.

Catherine packed a bag of lingerie, took out her phone, and snapped a picture of herself looking battered in the mirror.

The last time Kobe was in town, he took the initiative to approach her and chat, which sparked her interest.

In the days leading up to this, she specifically hunted down and analyzed various related cases.

Athletic stars often find it hard to differentiate in situations like this; almost ninety-nine percent would opt to settle financially.

Once she wrapped everything up, Catherine grabbed her bag and hurriedly exited the female staff locker room.

...

Betty had been lurking nearby, capturing everything covertly.

...

Catherine, now feeling particularly giddy, dashed out of the hotel, hopped into her car, and headed to a more populated area nearby.

After some time gathering her thoughts, she finally squeezed out a few tears, ruining her mascara and leaving two dark streaks across her face.

Catherine took out her phone and dialed 911.

...

Meanwhile, a refreshed Kobe called for his friends waiting in the hallway to go out for dinner.

...

Garcia notified Betty, who then pushed her cleaning cart to the second floor at lightning speed, switching the dolls in a hidden spot and handing over everything to Fiona.

Fiona then linked up with Garcia and the others to review the recorded video and photos.

Garcia made several copies; one kept close, one sent via FedEx to Los Angeles, and another handed to Juan. "You need to catch the next flight back to Los Angeles and deliver these in person to Campos."

Without saying a word, Juan booked his ticket, leaving the hotel to rush to the airport.

Garcia continued, "Catherine Fybel entered the locker room with no injuries, but emerged with marks in the photos. This woman's after something big. Fiona, you and I will keep an eye on Kobe, and I'll have Betty pay close attention to Catherine's situation."

After making the call, he grabbed a bag and headed out with Fiona to find Kobe.

...

They located Kobe in the hotel's restaurant with his friend.

Noticing the adjacent tables were empty, Garcia and Fiona, resembling a couple, settled at a nearby table.

Fiona discreetly adjusted her bag so the hidden camera aimed toward Kobe's side.

Garcia peered through the restaurant's glass wall and noticed several police officers approaching quickly.

He took out his new camera phone and prepared to photograph the moment.

Sure enough, the officers, led by a sheriff, rapidly approached Kobe's table.

With few patrons in the restaurant, it didn't cause much of a stir.

The sheriff presented paperwork and explained the specifics of the situation, indicating that they needed to take Kobe to the precinct.

Keywords like "Catherine Fybel" and "assault" were all recorded by Fiona.

Kobe seemed completely taken aback and disoriented as four officers escorted him out of the restaurant.

His friend quickly made a phone call.

Garcia snapped pictures with a flurry.

Fiona followed suit, trailing closely behind, acting as just another onlooker drawn to the commotion.

They followed Kobe as he was taken to the police car.

Garcia handed the camera to Fiona and retrieved his car keys. "I'll follow and see what happens. You send the footage you captured to Campos immediately; it's time-sensitive and could make the front page!"

...

Fiona accepted the camera and rushed back to her room, downloading the video and photos, hurriedly writing character descriptions, and emailing everything to Los Angeles.

She then called Campos, saying, "Boss, I just sent you some urgent news; take a look."

...

In Los Angeles, at the Flutter Butterfly Consulting Firm.

Campos opened his email, downloaded the message he received, and inspected the photos and videos meticulously.

He fetched a USB drive from his drawer and copied everything on it.

He then called Carlos over and handed him the USB. "Go to Twitter and sell these; move quickly!"

Carlos tucked the USB away, sprinted downstairs, and drove directly to Santa Monica.

...

In less than twenty minutes, he arrived at the Twitter office.

A sub-manager greeted him, quickly viewing the photos before dialing Caroline.

...

Before long, Caroline strutted into Hawke's office.

Seeing her rush in, Hawke jokingly asked, "Is a wolf chasing you?"

Caroline felt it inappropriate to let herself be manipulated, handed over the USB, and raised an eyebrow. "The contents here are far more thrilling than any wolf on my tail."

Hawke had already received a call from Campos and quickly viewed the USB.

"Put together a news package with these videos and photos, and publish it. As for how to write it, you can decide."

Caroline grinned widely, flashing her two little fang-like teeth, and struck a pose. "America is about to be shaken up!"

Hawke cautioned, "The video evidence is clear, and the content is explosive. There's no need to add unnecessary fluff."

...

Caroline hurried back to her office, calling over Sasha from the editorial team.

Both reviewed the text introduction and picked out the most critical parts from the photos and videos, setting to work editing this super gossip that was sure to stir North America.

Before long, they finalized the news piece, pairing it with corroborating videos and photos, and uploaded it to the Twitter news page.

Caroline got creative with the headline, making it bold and eye-catching for North American users.

...

Just as Kobe's agent, Robert Pelinka, received the call, still trying to wrap his head around the developing situation, his assistant walked into his office and warned, "Boss, check Twitter right now; there's news circulating that Kobe was taken in by the Eagle County police!"

"Fuck!" Pelinka cursed, hanging up the phone momentarily to rush over to his computer.

He logged into Twitter to find Kobe's headline already trending.

It appeared standard on the surface, but Pelinka was alarmed.

"Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant taken by Eagle County police on suspected assault!"

Pelinka clicked on the photos, which showed police entering the restaurant, approaching Kobe, and escorting him out to the police car in a complete sequence.

If only photos were involved, it could have been explained away, and he could've accused Twitter of defamation!

But the video that followed obliterated any thoughts of defamation Pelinka had.

The footage recorded the sheriff's statements, explicitly stating Kobe was under suspicion for assault...

The article below listed the person who reported it.

It was none other than Catherine Fybel, the reception clerk from the hotel where Kobe stayed.

Pelinka quickly reached out to Twitter, desperate to have them take the news down, but he faced a cold refusal.

*****

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