Chapter 20 Starting a Business in Los Angeles

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*Late March, Los Angeles, East Hollywood.*

In the parking lot of Ranch Park, Frank Brown sat atop his RV, his gaze drifting past Fountain Street, where he noticed a new tenant moving into the two-story house across the street.

The newcomer had short black hair, a thin face, a fit body, a calm demeanor, and a modest presence that made him blend into the background.

When the man exited through the security door and looked his way, Frank generously gave him the middle finger.

Hawk glanced at the chubby old man, returned two middle fingers, and then walked to the curb, where he began unloading items from a used Ford Mondeo.

One bag held clothes and everyday items, while the rest of the boxes were filled with the tools of a media professional.

Back inside the house, Hawk first took his clothes upstairs to organize, then unpacked the bubble-wrapped electronics. These included a camcorder gifted by Eric, surveillance equipment, professional cameras, long lenses, storage drives, smartphones for photography, a printer, a fax machine, a mini recorder, and a laptop—items he had bought in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

Hawk had been spending a lot of money lately. He had signed a one-year lease on the house and set up a workstation and shelves in the first-floor living room. The internet and router were already installed.

Although East Hollywood was far from downtown's poorer areas and close to upscale neighborhoods like Silver Lake and Beverly Hills, with decent security, Hawk still installed concealed surveillance cameras inside and outside the house. He placed cameras and camcorders within easy reach, reinforced the doors and windows, and changed the locks.

Next, he found his Glock pistol, gave it a quick cleaning, and made a note to get a California gun license and acquire a legal firearm.

After finishing all this, Hawk stood in the middle of the living room and realized he was missing a safe. He’d have to buy one later.

He cracked open a bottle of water, sat down at his workstation, booted up his laptop, and logged into his blog. He had posted nearly 30 blog entries, but the readership was minimal. Mostly because there was no explosive news.

Hawk posted a new entry:

*"Starting a business in LA: West Coast Media & Entertainment Studio in the works."*

After publishing the post, Hawk closed the webpage and began searching for updates and news about Buddy Ackerman, Robert Downey Jr., Bo Derek, and Barak Berman.

His goals in coming to Los Angeles were simple: take down those four bastards and gain wealth and power.

With the 74th Academy Awards approaching, entertainment news was flooding the internet.

Hawk quickly found a popular report on Robert Downey Jr. In an Oscar pre-event, Downey stated that he was now a resilient fighter, battling his drug addiction, and that he would surely be reborn!

The article featured several photos, mostly of Downey going in and out of a gym, his shirt still sweat-stained after leaving.

His father, Robert Downey Sr., also showed up to support his son, claiming that Downey’s addiction was largely due to hereditary factors, taking responsibility as his father.

The media praised Downey for confronting his issues, finding himself, and inevitably rising from the ashes.

The "redeemed rebel" image was an evergreen narrative.

Hawk clicked on one of the photos, examining the gym's sign, which read “Tracy Gym,” located in Westwood.

He also checked and found that Downey’s public address was in the affluent Brentwood neighborhood. Hawk jotted it down and continued researching Buddy Ackerman, whose highest-profile news also included mentions of Barak Berman.

About ten days earlier, Buddy, accompanied by his daughter and Barak, had attended a press conference announcing that he had beaten his illness and fully recovered. He pledged to donate $30 million to support bone marrow matching for children with leukemia.

From the report, Hawk inferred that Buddy had found a suitable organ donor. However, the focus on bone marrow matching made it hard not to suspect that the old squid was still looking for blood donors.

Some media outlets also speculated that Los Angeles might award Buddy the honorary key to the city in recognition of his contributions to society and philanthropy.

Next, Hawk came across the latest news about Bo Derek, who had accompanied his celebrity wife, Sarah Parker, to the launch of the new season of Sex and the City.

The couple, draped in luxury clothing, watches, and jewelry, oozed wealth in every shot.

Leaning back in his chair, Hawk felt the strength in his kidneys and the beat of his heart. Having almost lost it all, his resolve was now firmer than ever. He wasn’t just going to take down Ackerman; he was going to ruin them all.

Imagine if he managed to take out Robert Downey Jr. and Buddy Ackerman? The former would likely be remembered like Heath Ledger or Paul Walker, mourned by countless fans, with The Singing Detective becoming a smash hit. He’d be cemented as a shining star in film history.

The latter would be held up as a model of morality and charity, a symbol of light and righteousness, with his descendants inheriting billions and continuing to live the high life.

Hawk wasn’t one to take things lightly, and just thinking about it made him more upset than losing a billion dollars.

He closed the extra tabs, leaving only Robert Downey Jr., the one who had once driven him to attempt suicide. His plan had to start with the easiest target. Hawk’s current strength wouldn’t stand a chance against Buddy Ackerman, even if he had the advantage of surprise.

Unlike in American corporate warfare, cutting the power or pulling the internet cord here was child’s play. Standard business conflicts often involved dump trucks, explosions, plane crashes, shootouts, and getting shot in the back while "committing suicide."

To dismantle the Ackerman family, Hawk needed to grow and make money.

With that in mind, he picked up his phone and called a real estate agency, setting up an afternoon appointment.

He grabbed lunch outside and took a short nap before driving his black Mondeo to Highland Street, where the agency was located. As long as he provided the necessary documents, the agency would handle all the paperwork to register his studio.

While driving past the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hawk noticed that although it wasn’t as rough as the slums, there were still plenty of homeless people around.

He turned off onto Highland Street near the Kodak Theatre, which had yet to be renamed, and parked his Mondeo in front of an office building.

At the real estate agency, he found the staff member he’d been corresponding with and handed over the necessary documents.

A man named Milner reviewed everything, then asked, “Have you decided on a company name?”

“West Coast Media & Entertainment Studio,” Hawk replied.

Milner quickly wrote it down. “And what’s the business?”

Hawk thought for a moment. “Media distribution, crisis PR consulting, and business strategy planning.”

Curious, Milner asked, “So you’re looking to branch into politics, too?”

Hawk shrugged. “Who would turn down power if they had the chance?”

“Good point,” Milner agreed, though internally skeptical. He’d seen many studios like this open in LA, but few survived.

Hawk, however, was focused. For now, his business would revolve around entertainment, as his first targets were in that industry. Moreover, the Ackerman family’s empire was heavily rooted in entertainment, with Ackerman Pictures at the forefront.

After Hawk paid the agency’s fee, Milner reminded him, “Keep your phone on. We might need to contact you anytime.”

Hawk signed the authorization forms and left the agency.

Checking his phone, he saw a notification: between fitness training, buying a car, renting the house, purchasing equipment, and paying taxes, his bank balance had dipped below his $10,000 alert threshold.

Both the car and the equipment were essential tools, so he couldn’t afford to skimp on quality.

Hawk ordered a safe and then drove to Westwood, where he easily found "Tracy Gym."

When he tried to enter, a guard stopped him—membership was required to use the facility. The minimum membership level cost $5,000 and required an existing member’s referral.

Hawk took a quick look around, went back to his car, and discreetly snapped several photos of the gym and its surroundings.

He then drove to Brentwood, where he found Robert Downey Jr.’s luxurious publicly listed residence. Hawk also took a few photos from a distance, but didn’t get too close, noting the numerous surveillance cameras and electronic security measures.

Rich people were always more protective of their lives.

As for Buddy Ackerman, he lived in the northern part of Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills, a gated community with frequent police patrols and tight security.

In the afternoon, Hawk returned to Fountain Street and bought several gossip tabloids. The names of these tabloids were impressively grand—just looking at them made you think they were significant publications.

Names like National Enquirer, World News, and American Weekly.

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