Bab 255: Chapter 255: Los Angeles Street Pursuit
Two days after Arnold's departure, a black car pulled up outside his rented house. Four men stepped out, scanning their surroundings. Two approached the front door while the other two circled the house.
They knocked, but no one answered. After a brief exchange, one of the men pulled out a bag of tools and worked on the doorknob until it opened.
Inside, they searched each room meticulously but found no one. Frustrated, they began rifling through the place but found nothing of interest.
Unbeknownst to them, a camera captured their every move. After about an hour, they left.
Back at Dewey's office, the assistant arrived with a thin document in hand.
"The search was fruitless. The house was empty, and no useful information was found. It was rented for only a month," the assistant reported.
Dewey reviewed Arnold's profile. The Global Times reporter was a former soldier with a square face and a resolute demeanor.
"Could Jon Hardy be behind this?" Dewey pondered aloud, frustrated.
---
Two days later, in downtown New York, a tall man entered a public telephone booth. He inserted a coin and dialed a number.
Dewey was reading a speech in his bedroom when the phone rang. He answered to hear a familiar yet unsettling voice.
"Mr. Governor."
Dewey paused, recognizing the voice. "It's you."
"Haha, indeed. Your search for me was predictable. Do you plan to eliminate me?" Arnold's tone was cold.
"Of course not. I just want to discuss things," Dewey said quickly.
"Do you take me for a fool? Are you trying to force me to reveal the information?" Arnold retorted.
"No, no. I have the money ready. We can complete the transaction at any time," Dewey assured him.
There was a brief silence before Arnold spoke again.
"The price has now increased to 1 million dollars, in cash. I will call you with details on where to meet."
Arnold hung up abruptly. Dewey, pale and distressed, had never been threatened like this before. He threw his speech to the floor in frustration, cursing the Global Times reporter and the political donation scandal.
---
Two days later, Dewey's anxiety mounted. He was waiting for Arnold's call and had postponed his lecture tour.
The phone rang again.
"Governor Dewey, it's Arnold. Deliver the money to Los Angeles within two days. I'll instruct you where to meet," Arnold said.
"Los Angeles?!" Dewey was taken aback.
"New York is your territory. I fear you might have someone intercept me during the transaction. Hence, I'm in Los Angeles. Send someone with the cash here," Arnold taunted.
Dewey's frustration deepened. "How can I be sure you'll keep your end of the bargain? You must provide a guarantee."
Arnold laughed mockingly. "You have no choice but to trust me. Guarantees are meaningless."
"You have two choices: pay the money or face exposure. The choice is yours. I'll inform you when and where to meet," Arnold said before hanging up.
Dewey, fuming with anger, upended his desk, scattering documents everywhere. His secretary rushed in to clean up.
---
Dewey sent five men with the cash to Los Angeles instead of one for safety. Upon arrival, they split up: one carried the money to a hotel, while the others prepared vehicles and weapons.
Two more tense days passed. At 11 a.m., Dewey's office received another call.
"Mr. Dewey, it's time for the exchange. Send someone to Hollywood Street with a bundle of red flowers. I'll come to collect the money," Arnold instructed.
Dewey immediately dispatched the money to Los Angeles.
On Hollywood Street, which would later become the Avenue of Stars, a man waited with a suitcase full of cash and a bouquet of red flowers. He stood there for over two hours with no sign of Arnold.
Finally, a car stopped in front of him. Arnold emerged and asked, "Did you bring the money?"
The man opened the suitcase to show the cash and quickly closed it. "Where's the information?" he demanded.
Arnold handed over a thick portfolio. "The information is inside. Don't try anything. Place the money in my back seat, and the deal is done."
The man considered this and placed the suitcase in the back seat. Arnold then quickly left.
As Arnold's car drove away, two vehicles began to chase him. Arnold, alert, began filming with his camcorder, his face showing anxiety as he spoke.
"It looks like they're not keeping their word. They're after me."
Arnold placed the camera on the dashboard and accelerated. The pursuit began with the two cars speeding after him.
One car collided with Arnold's, causing his vehicle to sway dangerously. Arnold struggled to regain control. The two pursuers continued their aggressive chase, causing chaos on the streets.
A car alongside Arnold's suddenly fired several shots, shattering his windows. Arnold ducked and rammed into the shooting car, sending it off course and into a café area.
Though the café was empty due to the hot weather, the patrons inside screamed as the car crashed through, creating further mayhem.
Arnold's car continued to flee as another pursuer car engaged in the chase. Arnold's aggressive driving caused one of the chasing cars to overturn into a store, scattering merchandise everywhere.
Despite the destruction, the pursuit continued. Arnold was eventually shot, the pain visible in his expression. He slammed into his assailants' vehicle, sending both cars crashing into a building.
As Arnold struggled inside his damaged car, he retrieved his camcorder. Covered in blood, he recorded his final message.
"I'm injured, and they're still pursuing me. I fear this may be my end. Despite everything, fighting this corruption was my goal. I hope this footage survives and exposes the truth."
Just then, sirens wailed in the distance.
An armored police vehicle crashed into Dewey's pursuing car, immobilizing the two attackers. HD Security patrol officers quickly surrounded the scene, arresting the assailants and ending the pursuit.
Arnold, relieved but exhausted, finally allowed himself to faint.
Bab 256: Chapter 256: Explosive Scandal
The HD security patrol team arrived at the scene just in time. The four gangsters in the two vehicles were arrested, and Arnold was rushed to the hospital for emergency care.
Arnold had been shot in the shoulder, with the bullet penetrating the driver's seat, but fortunately, the injury was not life-threatening. The HD patrol discovered a suitcase containing one million dollars in cash, a handheld camera, and a packet of documents inside Arnold's car.
The case was immediately handed over to the Los Angeles Police Department, which was shocked to discover the involvement of New York's Governor Dewey. Sheriff Ed of the LAPD quickly escalated the case to the FBI, who took over the investigation.
The FBI interrogated the four suspects, but they remained tight-lipped. Arnold, still in a coma, was expected to recover, but the photos and documents found suggested a scandal involving Dewey.
President Johnson, alerted to the situation, ordered a thorough investigation without regard for any resistance.
The media, always quick to sense a scandal, flocked to the scene and to Arnold's hospital room. Despite heavy police and FBI protection, reporters managed to glean some information, hinting that Dewey might be involved.
The following day, major newspapers like The New York Times and The Washington Post reported the car chase and shooting but kept details vague. However, the Global Times did not hold back.
Their report was explosive:
"Yesterday at noon, a serious car chase and shooting occurred on Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles. Two vehicles aggressively pursued another, resulting in multiple collisions with coffee stalls and buildings."
"The pursuit involved gunfire and culminated in a dramatic crash between the three vehicles. HD patrol arrived in time to arrest all suspects. A suitcase containing one million dollars, a camera, and documents were found in the car of the pursued reporter."
"Preliminary findings suggest the case involves New York State Governor and presidential candidate Dewey. The suitcase contained evidence of a meeting between Dewey and a foreign official, and the documents hint at political donations."
"The FBI has taken over the case, and further information is expected. The reporter, Arnold, was shot and involved in a car accident but is expected to recover."
This news was a sensation. The Global Times' bold reporting was praised for its transparency, while other newspapers were criticized for their vagueness.
Simultaneously, ABC TV reported similar news, emphasizing the scandal's gravity. The station, owned by the same boss as the Global Times, provided a detailed broadcast of Arnold's interview.
In New York, Dewey was grappling with the fallout. His face was grim as he read the newspapers, surrounded by worried staff. The political donations scandal had already been disastrous, but the suspicion of orchestrating a murder was far worse.
Dewey faced a severe dilemma. His staff suggested claiming that the secret operatives sent were merely conducting an investigation and were not involved in murder. The political donations were to be admitted as a mistake, with money returned to mitigate the damage.
Dewey was reluctant to abandon his campaign, feeling he had a strong chance of winning. Yet, with the FBI involved and President Johnson likely seizing the opportunity, he feared the worst.
The few captured suspects identified themselves as secret police from the New York State Prosecutor's Office. They claimed their actions were part of an arrest operation, muddling the case further.
Hardy, analyzing the situation, suspected that Dewey had prepared for plausible deniability. The real objective was not to kill Dewey but to cripple his campaign.
Arnold, once he regained consciousness, demanded to see the media. The FBI complied, allowing reporters from the Global Times, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and ABC TV to interview him.
Arnold's first statement was:
"I was chased and shot at. A bullet hit my shoulder, but I survived. I want to explain the whole story to the public."
When asked why he was targeted, Arnold revealed:
"Several days ago, I uncovered that Governor Dewey met with a foreign official and received five million dollars in illegal donations. I intended to expose this, but Dewey offered me $500,000 to stay silent."
Arnold detailed his efforts to protect evidence and avoid retaliation. He had recorded his communications with Dewey and the subsequent chase.
FBI confirmed Arnold's statements, verifying the evidence found in his car.
As the major newspapers rushed to publish their stories, and ABC TV prepared to air Arnold's interview in prime time, the scandal reached its peak. Dewey's alleged involvement in illegal foreign donations and the attempted suppression of a reporter had exploded into the most significant political scandal of the year.
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