[Chapter 467: Leonardo's Decision]
Under the cover of night, a regular Citroen sedan drove from Santa Monica to Brentwood, turning into Megan Taylor's villa driveway and stopping in front of the main entrance.
Leonardo got out of the car and quickly entered the villa.
Megan stepped forward a few paces and said, "This way."
The two walked through the living room and entered the study.
Megan volunteered, "I'll get some coffee for you guys."
Leonardo hurried forward to shake Hawke's hand, "I've been wanting to talk to you alone since returning from Africa, but I had my reservations, so I had to relay my thoughts through Megan."
Hawke smiled, "Make yourself comfortable."
Leonardo humbled himself and said, "I've recently encountered some tough problems I can't solve alone. We touched on some of these fringe issues on the plane of the United Nations Environment Programme. I can't find other solutions, so I'm turning to you for help."
Hawke had already suspected this before arriving. "I need to know exactly what issues you're talking about."
Leonardo organized his thoughts: "You've probably heard of Little St. James Island?"
Hawke directly addressed the point with a slight nod: "Yes. It's a private getaway island established overseas by a Jewish tycoon from New York, known for regular gatherings frequented by wealthy businessmen, politicians, and academia."
"I've been invited there many times," Leonardo elaborated. "In 1996, New York tycoon Jeffrey Epstein purchased this island and built a luxurious resort. Through illegal means including trafficking and enticement, he kept dozens of young girls or boys on the island to entertain visiting guests."
He closed his eyes, recalling painful memories: "After Titanic soared in popularity, I got overly full of myself, mocking all of Hollywood and even James Cameron, who had greatly helped me. Trusting Harvey Weinstein's planning, I went with him to that island -- and then the nightmare began. There, I met Hillary. At the time, she was the first lady, and to retaliate for her husband's affairs, she would wildly toy with men."
Hawke showed sympathy with his eyes, internally wondering if Hillary ever used steel wool.
Leonardo paused briefly and continued, "She humiliated me terribly. Worst of all, it wasn't a one-time thing; this continued over the years. For example, when you and Hillary were negotiating on a yacht, during the day I had to operate the yacht and at night go back to clean parts of a 1940s engine with the run-off oil..."
Hawke quickly raised a hand to stop him, "No need to go into details there."
Leonardo gave an awkward smile and went on, "I tried many methods to free myself from Hillary. I even guessed Jack's youth and good looks might be to her liking, so without harming my acting career, I tried to gain weight. Now I have a big belly and a broad, sideways-grown face, but she still wouldn't let me go."
He slapped his face and stomach in frustration. "I'm ruined, and she still wants me to provide services. Who could put up with that!"
Hawke understood and asked, "So you only date younger women?"
"Yes, I swore," Leonardo said through clenched teeth, "No woman over 25!"
Hawke thought, sure enough, a man true to his original intentions.
Leonardo went on, "I could bear it, but as I got older, Hillary's tastes grew more twisted, her games more vicious. I'm afraid if this continues, I won't even last 11 seconds."
Hawke realized the rumored cause of Leonardo's poor sprint times in his past life might be Hillary's doing: "She won't let you go?"
"No," Leonardo replied. "Besides what I mentioned, there are other reasons." He didn't mind sharing everything he knew. "That island isn't just about young girls; it's actually a hub for Satanic cults. Every gathering prepares for soul cooking. I suspect the ingredients for soul cooking are problematic..."
Hawke directly asked, "The girls?"
Leonardo nodded slowly but firmly. "Just some of what happens on the island. If I leave, I might face dire consequences. For instance, the helicopter crash at the mouth of the Hudson River -- I suspect Hillary was behind it. That crash killed two billionaires."
The Hudson River incident involved Hillary using Twitter and a spy case involving Russia, successfully framing Hawke, which led to Hawke being attacked by a group of big black men in Africa.
Hawke then asked, "What about the Puff parties?"
"You know about those too?" Leonardo wasn't surprised, given Hawke's savvy. "Those parties aren't as elite as the island gatherings. Attendees are mostly entertainment stars and wealthy businessmen. Occasionally, the Clintons attend -- the last time was years ago, when they campaigned for former governor Gray Davis here in California."
Hawke remembered and had Campos keep an eye on that in recent times. "Are these parties political?"
Leonardo said, "Yes. Led by Hillary, the Donkey Party faction needs Hollywood stars to rally for them. The parties are mutually beneficial: stars get resources for their careers; politicians get public support and shields."
He joked, "For example, during your clashes with the Donkey Party in California, I was forced to leak tabloid news to distract media and public attention at critical moments."
Hawke asked straight: "You got engaged and broke up with Gisele?"
"Gisele was my true love; I can never love another woman like I loved her," Leonardo seemed to confess sincerely. "But my engagement and breakups were not voluntary; they were forced, which made me hate the whole thing inside. Maybe that's why we never got together."
Hawke said, "So the problem you want me to solve is between you and Hillary?"
"I want to leave her," Leonardo said. "But that would affect my career. Career is secondary; the main concern is losing my life."
Hawke said, "You want me to protect you." He was direct. "Taking on Hillary is not easy; it might spark fierce political conflict, possibly leading to life-or-death situations."
Leonardo was smart; he grasped Hawke's meaning. He knew he needed to show commitment and prove his value. Who would waste resources protecting a useless liability?
Before coming, Leonardo had prepared himself mentally and said, "I'm willing to provide all info on people attending the island and the Puff parties, including names, events, discussions, and venues."
Hawke nodded slightly but said that wasn't enough. "If it comes to life-and-death, I need you to step up."
"Well..." Leonardo hesitated.
Hawke continued, "Also, what about the white glove connections with Hillary and the Clintons?"
Leonardo replied, "I don't know much about those, only some things involving Harvey Weinstein."
Hawke stared at Leonardo.
Leonardo spoke, resigned to no turning back: "If it comes to that point, I will step up."
Hawke needed a fully committed Leonardo who knew the inside story, not a fence-sitter.
He said, "If Hillary invites you again, just find excuses to delay. At your level, Harvey Weinstein can't openly control you; if he tries anything under the table, I'll eliminate his white glove."
Leonardo felt somewhat relieved.
Hawke added, "I'll send a top-notch eight-person security team to protect you in secret, so Hillary won't have a chance to make a move. But you must be careful -- not to use private planes or helicopters if possible."
Leonardo responded, "I'll cover their security costs."
He pulled out a folder with prepared documents and handed it to Hawke like a guarantee: "This is the guest list from my activities on the island -- includes entertainment stars, politicians, wealthy businessmen, and academics. Some names might shock you, like a physicist who can only move his eyeballs and fingers."
Hawke knew he meant Stephen Hawkeing but didn't comment. Scanning the documents, he found vivid descriptions -- Bill Clinton sitting on the beach smoking a cigar, surrounded by young girls dancing...
Hawke put the documents away and said, "That's enough for today. Write down everything I mentioned as soon as possible."
Minutes later, Leonardo quietly left Megan Taylor's villa.
After a while, Hawke called, asking, "Did he have any tail after?"
A report came back, "No, everything's normal."
Hawke put away the documents and exited the study.
...
Megan was sitting in the living room and casually asked, "Are you planning to make another big splash?"
Regarding Hillary, Hawke wasn't ready to disclose details. He said vaguely, "When the time is right, I'll tell you, and it will be big news."
Megan got up and pulled him upstairs. "No work talk after hours; now it's entertainment time." She picked up a phone on speaker and said, "Little Sheep, hurry up. Someone's waiting to push you at the back."
On the line, Caroline's frustrated voice sounded, "It's your turn this time; we agreed last time."
---
In Hollywood, at the Compton Foundation.
Edward drove a Cadillac into the yard and noticed several blacks gathered around small piles of fire.
He got out, smelling a pungent burnt odor.
Michael approached and said, "The second batch of reinforcements for San Francisco has arrived."
Edward asked, "What are they doing?"
Michael scratched his head, embarrassed, unsure how to explain.
This related to the Occupy San Francisco operation. Edward was cautious and pressed, "What's going on exactly?"
Michael said, "Well, many incoming people are addicts. We don't provide drugs, and they have no money to buy any. There's an abandoned homeless camp nearby where they scavenged discarded plywood, which they're burning to get high."
Edward looked at people who looked like him, almost stunned, shaking his head: "Maybe I've been away from Compton too long."
Michael said, "You've been out of the black community for years and don't know what they've become. They're so poor they can't afford even the cheapest painkillers or fentanyl, so they find other ways."
Just then, several old black men came to the door.
Far off, Edward heard croaking sounds that resembled frogs, thinking it odd, "Did they go frog hunting? Want to eat them? Meeting eco-activists would be trouble."
Michael, puzzled, said, "Looks like toads. I'll check."
He approached the older men, asked a few questions, and walked back.
Edward watched clearly as those old men sat on a patch of ground, pressed down on toads' backs a few times, and then brought them to their mouths.
They sucked and licked with more care than courting a pretty girl.
Even though Edward grew up in the lowest layer of Compton, he was dumbfounded, totally confused by this behavior.
Had American blacks really degraded to such a level?
Michael quickly returned and told Edward, "Hollywood's becoming a slum. Nearby an abandoned old public swimming pool they've been leaking water since the fire department restored supplies. It's turned into a broken pond, which somehow drew Sonoran toads."
Edward pointed at the men, "And they caught the toads to start some interspecies romance?"
"No way," Michael laughed tearily. "You've really been away too long. These old men are addicts too. Burning plywood barely affects them, so they brought Sonoran toads to lick their venom and absorb some effects..."
Edward sighed, "I'm clearly out of touch, no idea what's going on with blacks anymore."
He felt disappointed in black communities' report. Such a rare opportunity to use the LGBTQ movement to elevate blacks socially might truly succeed.
But these blacks? They were lost causes.
Edward recalled Hawke's words: the reason for pushing these people to the social forefront was that they lacked awareness and literacy, so stirring them up could easily incite trouble. But their group's ability was terrible, so no real power would form.
They were convenient to use and posed no significant risks.
Looking at them, Edward realized Hawke's words were spot on.
He lost interest in caring for these black groups and told Michael, "The San Francisco plan is very important. Like the first time, we must strictly select personnel. No addicts allowed."
Michael lamented, "That will reduce numbers significantly..."
Edward emphasized, "Better to be short than drag behind."
"Got it, I'll be strict," Michael agreed.
Feeling uneasy, Edward decided to personally attend the selection the next day.
---
Two days later, Hawke received a list written by Leonardo, covering hundreds of people, including Hollywood celebrities, Western elites, and political titans.
Leaving aside the latter two groups, just the Hollywood stars numbered dozens.
Harvey Weinstein, Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, Spielberg, George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jim Carrey, Orlando Bloom, Michael Jackson -- all were notable Hollywood figures supportive of the Donkey Party.
As everyone knew, many Hollywood stars and directors were bastards off-duty. Their visits to Epstein's island surely weren't just for show.
They might have been performers at events...
The list also included Bill Gates, Sergey Brin, the Clintons, and Britain's Prince Andrew -- real power players.
Compared to them, Hollywood stars were minor.
Besides the island, Leonardo also wrote about the Puff parties.
These parties didn't happen in New York but mainly in Los Angeles, sometimes Miami, and often lasted several days. The events supplied vast amounts of drugs for guests' constant use.
Hawke studied the list carefully, made copies, and stored them for future use.
Hillary was tough to deal with. Hawke suspected she and Bill, like himself, maintained armed forces in North America and overseas, always ready to deploy.
So a shield had to be in front.
Under other circumstances, this might be difficult.
But with the U.S. election looming and Hillary representing the Donkey Party aiming to become America's first female president, Tom Emmer and Johnny Jones from the Elephant Party also eyed the Oval Office.
They would rush forward without anyone's encouragement.
Hawke was considering how to cleverly deliver this info to the competitors.
---
Washington D.C., National Mall side.
Sitting on a bench, Azhar gazed at Capitol Hill from afar.
Next to him, the mixed-race Korat reminded, "Hillary's car is here."
Azhar recognized the champagne-colored Chevrolet SUV instantly.
The vehicle stopped at the Capitol's side entrance, where a woman in a suit got out and hurried inside.
This was their mission in Washington.
...
Originally, led by Gavin Newsom's assistant Pearson, their group had completed the Los Angeles fire insurance contract case, stirred the murder of Eunice's insurance CEO Art Thompson by Hart Mills, and left North America to evade investigations by the Ferguson family and Schwarzenegger's faction.
The LA contract case went smoothly, throwing Los Angeles into chaos and earning generous rewards from the Newsom family.
But it didn't last. The abuse and death of Philip in San Francisco caused more turmoil across California and the nation.
Gavin Newsom's assistant Gittens assigned a new task: to leak the Satanic cult video from a previously planned mail package, which had fallen into Ferguson's hands, and inform Hillary.
Pearson had returned home to Sweden for some religious ceremony.
Mayor's assistant Gittens entrusted Azhar with full responsibility.
...
Two days in, Korat was still worried: "How do we get this news to Hillary while making her suspect Hawke Osment and the Ferguson family first?"
Azhar pondered silently.
Seeing the champagne Chevrolet leave, Korat frowned: "Feels this task is harder than stirring Mills to shoot in Los Angeles."
Azhar finally spoke: "If we can't find a special way, let's use the simplest."
"How?" Korat was just the executor, supportive of Azhar. "Got a complete plan?"
Azhar smiled enigmatically: "I've heard from my sources that Hillary trusts her assistant named Huma Abedin the most. I've arranged for someone to get her Twitter account or email. Then we'll send info directly over the internet."
Korat, used to following orders, was skeptical: "Will that work?"
Confident, Azhar said, "Trust my plan."
Korat shrugged, "If you think it's workable, let's do it."
They returned to their hotel and waited until Azhar got the message containing Abedin's phone number, Twitter, and email.
Korat advised, "We can't use our phones or computers to send it. Best find a public computer with no surveillance."
"It's your job," Azhar declined going out again.
Korat didn't refuse, searched half a day, found a suitable internet cafe, and called Azhar over.
Azhar brought a USB drive with software, entered the internet cafe, prepared the text carefully. Considering Hawke Osment's Twitter might trigger internal keywords, they only sent it through Yahoo email.
*****
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