The Wolf of Los Angeles

[Chapter 207: Twitter Isn't a Charity Organization]

Other media outlets quickly caught wind of the news regarding Kobe, which had already hit the trending charts on Twitter, with over 300,000 retweets.

The most important detail? There were photos and videos to back it all up.

The internet in North America practically exploded. Waves of people flooded Twitter to catch the latest news. By the afternoon, the Kobe incident had skyrocketed to the top of the trending lists on Twitter, Yahoo, and Google.

It was unclear how many reporters rushed to Colorado, all eager to scoop more explosive details from Eagle County. At the Eagle County Sheriff's Office, Catherine Fybel presented evidence, including her underwear, and requested a medical examination.

This evidence included her own DNA and the substances found on the underwear. Under normal circumstances, Kobe Bryant was about to find himself embroiled in serious trouble and a media storm.

...

As dusk settled, more than a hundred reporters gathered outside the Eagle County Sheriff's Office. Local news, along with exceptionally skilled lawyers, approached Catherine and offered her free legal defense.

But "free" wasn't entirely free; fees would be taken from any potential later compensation.

Following her lawyer's advice, Catherine agreed to a joint interview with several media outlets after her medical examination that day. When she appeared before the cameras, showing her bruises on her face and neck, reporters were ecstatic.

The image of a battered female victim perfectly fit the media narrative and the societal stereotypes surrounding Black sports athletes. Catherine publicly declared, "I provided the police with underwear containing the attacker's genetic material, and I underwent a medical examination. The police will be releasing the results shortly."

The very fact that the victim dared to do this suggested she held concrete proof!

Reporters were convinced they were on the cusp of sensational coverage as Garcia filmed everything from within the journalist crowd.

The Catherine now, compared to the one before entering the locker room, was a stark contrast.

...

Returning to the hotel, Garcia organized his footage and photos and emailed them back to Los Angeles.

In Los Angeles, Juan stepped out of the international airport and immediately called Campos. Campos told him, "Carlos is waiting for you at the parking lot; just go directly to the media company to sell the news."

"Got it." Juan descended the stairs and saw a Chevrolet. He opened the door and got in.

Carlos fired up the engine and said, "You guys got a major scoop this time."

Juan remarked, "Back when we didn't know the boss, we lived like drifters. But after following the boss, I realized that even without breaking American laws, it wasn't that hard to make money."

"You're right," Carlos replied, knowing more than Juan did. "The crucial part of this success was that someone took the heat for us."

...

The Chevrolet sped along until they reached Twitter's headquarters. An assistant was waiting in the lobby, and as soon as they arrived, the assistant escorted them to the reception room to meet Caroline.

Twitter bought out a comprehensive deal for $800,000 covering a series of news footage related to Kobe, both prior and forthcoming.

...

Hawke, Edward, Caroline, and Sasha gathered in a small conference room afterward. The news material was divided into five parts: photos of Kobe and Catherine together in the hotel, recordings of Kobe repeatedly inviting Catherine, videos from the hotel room, footage of Catherine giving Kobe a passionate kiss on her way out, and an audio tape captured by a bug.

In the photos, they looked very close, almost like a couple. The recordings and videos depicted Catherine being very forward and enthusiastic, even telling Kobe not to bother with any precautions.

Having watched numerous similar cases while following Hawke, Edward shook his head, "Kobe walked right into the trap; he's being set up."

Sasha disagreed, "An athlete like him can't control himself. If it wasn't this time, it would've been the next."

Caroline shot a glance at Hawke, recalling last time with Bella Sain, further realizing that their boss was no ordinary wolf.

Edward then asked, "Are we publishing this directly?"

"Releasing this immediately might drive some traffic, but it also means declaring the end of the story," Caroline, as the Operations Director, primarily considered Twitter's interests and explained, "We have no vested interest with Kobe. He is not our client. Publishing this now would clear his name, which would settle the public uproar quickly, and that doesn't help us."

Sasha fully agreed, "We spent $800,000 on this news. Just to clarify for someone else and watch our traffic cool off within a short time... Twitter is no charity."

Hawke nodded slowly, grabbing the remote to continue playing the previously captured videos and photos.

Caroline and Sasha watched intently.

After a while, Hawke hit pause and said, "I have an idea."

Everyone, including Edward, turned towards him.

Clearing his throat, Hawke stated, "This is all exclusive content. No other media has any clue; this gives us ample leeway."

He took the mouse from Edward and curbed the right images and videos: "Kobe flirting with Catherine, Kobe inviting Catherine on a tour, and Kobe repeatedly asking her to his room. We can turn this into a series, paired with the current tensions in Eagle County, and stir up another wave of publicity."

Caroline immediately understood, "It fits the public's need for gossip, aligns with the pervasive stereotypes surrounding Black sports stars, allowing them to enjoy the ongoing scandal rather than having it come to a close."

Hawke copied the selected images and videos into a folder, then chose additional clips: "Kobe and Catherine's intimate photos, Catherine making moves on Kobe, and select recordings. Once public sentiment peaks and everyone rallies against Kobe, we'll pivot with a turn of events. Unique!"

Edward quickly grasped Hawke's intentions, "We'll send a message out letting Kobe's camp know we have critical evidence that can prove he didn't do anything aggressive."

Caroline showed a sly smile, "We spent $800,000 on these materials, we can't just let someone else benefit."

Edward, for the first time, thought Miss Baa was really smart. "Absolutely right."

Sasha agreed, "We're already short on funds; every dollar needs to be spent wisely."

Hawke glanced at his watch, addressing Caroline and Sasha, "You two are responsible for the editorial and operations aspect of the news. The next piece will be published tomorrow; we'll assess the development of the incident and public sentiment after that."

Caroline promptly grabbed all the materials and called for Sasha so they could head to her office together.

Seeing that it was getting late, Hawke prepared to stay in the office suite to rest.

Edward's phone had been vibrating during the meeting.

When he answered, it seemed he was in a heated argument with someone.

Hawke patted him on the shoulder and made his way back to the office to sleep.

...

The next day, the Kobe incident continued to evolve, with traditional print media quickly picking up the story.

A reading of the news on Twitter garnered widespread attention once again.

The headline was simple: "Kobe and Catherine's Photos."

It included some pictures and a few videos, mostly of Kobe's first visit to Eagle County when he checked into the hotel.

The videos were quite revealing, showing Kobe deliberately flirting, repeatedly approaching Catherine.

The last video captured Kobe inviting Catherine to his room...

These details fit perfectly with public and media expectations, and countless netizens flocked to Twitter to watch.

That day's retweet count surpassed a million.

Even in parts of North America where basketball wasn't the focal point, people braved over to Twitter for the gossip.

The juiciest scandals around stars were sweet and enticing.

Even people from Canada were intrigued.

Riding on this wave of excitement, Twitter's global registration shot past 30 million users.

...

The media never sought a basketball star who maintained a pristine image; those kinds of athletes didn't offer stories to write. How could one attract public interest?

Thus, public opinion seems almost one-sided.

"It's not surprising that these things happen; it's too common for stars to crumble like this."

"Stars are all the same; they'll break down sooner or later."

"Poor Vanessa, just when she gave Kobe a daughter."

...

In a luxurious home in Beverly Hills, Vanessa looked at the news on Twitter, especially the pictures and videos, beginning to doubt her husband's actions.

But for the sake of her family, she temporarily swallowed her discomfort and told the agent Rob Pelinka, "Hire the best lawyer, offer a reward for any tips that could help him, and get him out as soon as possible."

Pelinka had no hopes for the integrity of celebrities, commenting, "Their aim is certainly money."

Vanessa considered this, "If it's under $200,000, let's settle."

She gazed at her computer screen, "And that Twitter situation, get someone to handle them and make those disgusting bastards shut up."

"I've already talked to Twitter," Pelinka sighed, "But they won't communicate with me at all."

Vanessa added, "What about a PR company?"

Pelinka replied, "I'll give it a shot."

Vanessa inquired, "What's the team's stance on this?"

"They've remained silent." Pelinka discerned the mindset of those businesspeople, "Over the past few years, many athletes have gotten into trouble, and the team would be reluctant to publicly support a player at the cost of their brand."

With limited resources, Vanessa could only proceed this way for now.

...

Pelinka left Beverly Hills, first contacting a lawyer and then asking his assistant to book a flight back to Eagle County.

He needed to locate a PR firm and remembered one that a colleague, Biles, had mentioned.

Biles' client, Steve Nutt from the Los Angeles Dodgers, had once faced a serious PR crisis, and that firm not only resolved the issue but also crafted the "Saint Steve" image.

Pelinka rang Biles and explained his intent.

Biles asked, "The company is called West Coast Media Entertainment Studio, and the head is Hawke Osment."

Pelinka took note and asked, "Can he handle issues with Twitter?"

"Twitter? You mean Twitter?" With this confirmation, Biles felt his brain couldn't process the information fast enough, "Rob, the founder of Twitter is Hawke Osment!"

*****

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