America Tycoon: The Wolf of Showbiz

Chapter 54: Chapter 54: The Lucky Star of Cola

The sun rose, and the temperature gradually climbed, leaving the actors at the makeshift makeup area restless from the long wait.

Ward looked towards the studio, "Can she pull it off?"

Adam Smith undid two buttons of his shirt and said, "She's an ambitious person."

Someone nearby shouted, "Iced Coke is here!"

Big Head, who delivered drinks every day, pushed his cart over, placing brand-new cans of Coke on the table.

The temp actors all went to grab a Coke.

Ward grabbed two cans, handed one to Adam Smith, popped it open, and took a huge gulp, feeling exceptionally refreshed.

Big Head reminded, "Don't litter, put the empty cans back where they belong."

The temp actors were used to this routine; the guy collected bottles and cans every time.

After finishing the Coke, cans were put back.

Robert, wearing gloves, gathered them into his net bag.

Ward and Adam Smith went over, carelessly placed their cans down, and left.

Robert first collected the other cans, then took out a new net bag, carefully storing those two.

He pushed his cart back, turning behind a vehicle.

Bruce leaned against the car and asked, "Got them?"

Robert handed over the two cans, "What exactly are you planning to do?"

Bruce said, "Relax, I'm a civil person."

Robert nodded, "Just don't implicate me."

Bruce pointed at a makeup trailer, "Martin is about to enter the studio. Go ahead." He encouraged Robert, "Don't worry, I've got your back. Dozens of brothers have arrived outside the set, one call from me and they'll storm in."

Robert went over to the food truck, brought in new Cokes, casually grabbed an empty can, and followed Martin into the studio from a distance.

......

The film crew began shooting, and today was Martin's last scene. He left the rest area and entered the set.

An empty can sat on a little round table by his chair.

Rosa, as eager as the previous days, helped Martin clean up the useless things and took the can away toward the edge of the set.

Robert, carrying a net bag and wearing gloves, cleaned up the rest area. He took out his phone, dialed with one touch, waited for the other side to ring, then hung up.

The shooting went smoothly; within minutes, Martin returned to the rest area.

Robert approached from behind and whispered, "She took it."

Martin asked curiously, "Whose was it?"

Robert replied, "Some temp actor's."

Martin further inquired, "Didn't she do anything else?"

"No," Robert had been watching closely, "She only took the can."

Martin complimented, "Buddy, you're my lucky Coke star."

Robert muttered, "I'm with you, and the luck falls on you; it's all bad for me."

Martin laughed, "Relax, a person can't always be unlucky."

On the other side, Rosa left the studio and gave the can in a paper bag to Adam Smith, "Don't forget your promise."

"Wait for good news," Adam Smith quickly left and met up with Ward in a secluded place.

The latter put on gloves and carefully opened the top of the can, stuffing a plastic bag inside, "All the good stuff we brought is being given to him!"

Adam Smith chuckled, "Caught red-handed, with his biological samples on the outside packaging, I can imagine his predicament."

Ward packed up and walked towards the parking lot.

Adam Smith deliberately kept a good distance from him, looking around as he walked.

From inside a car in the parking lot, Bruce saw everything and frowned, "Martin, that piece of shit, entering this industry, how to be a civil person?"

He realized something was off, "Shit pairs perfectly with this rotten industry!"

Before long, the two men emerged from the parking lot and returned to the set to work.

Bruce circled the parking lot, making sure no one was watching and quickly entered. He took out his phone and made calls to Robert and Andrew, learning Adam Smith's car from the latter.

The rest was simple for someone like him who used to be a sweeper.

......

Having finished the day's work, Martin left the makeup trailer and headed towards the parking lot.

He called Bruce again, "Old Cloth, how's it going now?"

Bruce had been watching the parking lot closely to prevent any accidents and said, "No problem."

Martin said, "I'm a civilized man, a good citizen of Atlanta, a special honoree of the Freedom Association, and I absolutely won't allow evil to happen before my eyes. Old Cloth, you must report them; we stand against crime!"

Bruce really wanted to flip the bird, but the guy wasn't in front of him, "I've already reported it, I'm about to provide an accurate lead." He glanced at the tag and the miniature camera that Robert had sent and asked, "Why make me dress up like a reporter?"

Martin replied from his end, "I can't trust those motherfuckers."

Bruce asked, "You didn't bring a gun, did you?"

Martin said, "No."

"Just cooperate with the motherfuckers when it's time; as soon as you park, I'll be there in no time," Bruce said bluntly, "You're not black, nor Hispanic, so as long as you don't do anything extreme, the motherfuckers won't shoot."

Martin got into the Ford, "If I were a damned black guy, I definitely wouldn't be doing this."

Bruce said, "They're following you."

The Ford left the parking lot followed by a black Mercedes SUV.

Inside the vehicle, Ward had just finished a phone call, "I called 911, a big can of goods, this is a big deal, the nearby patrol officers will definitely come. When dealing with people with no money or power, they can find a hundred legal reasons."

Adam Smith asked, "Just a little drama is enough to finish him off."

Ward nodded, "The Freedom Association definitely wouldn't want to get involved in this shit."

Bruce followed behind the Mercedes SUV and found a number from his contacts, dialed, "Lynch, about the lead I mentioned before, it's confirmed."

"I've applied for an emergency search warrant, if you don't have it, I'll kill you."

"I wouldn't die even if you were dead," Bruce said curtly, "Two idiots are carrying a large quantity of stuff, seems like some kind of new product, probably not your DEA informants."

Lynch didn't dwell on the so-called "DEA informants" and asked, "You're not going to screw me over?"

Bruce said, "Back then, when we faced the Englishmen, I took all the fucking blame for us."

Lynch asked, "Where?"

After Bruce answered, he hung up the phone.

The three cars mingled in traffic, heading northwest, and it wasn't long before an APD patrol car with flashing lights came up from behind and signalled the Ford to pull over.

Martin complied immediately, pulling over to the side of the road.

At the same time, Bruce stepped on the gas, overtook the Mercedes SUV, parked behind the patrol car, got out of his car with the camera, and ran forward.

Two APD officers got out of the patrol car, one of them felt the back of the Ford and placed his hand near his holster; using reckless driving as an excuse, he loudly demanded that Martin get out of the car for inspection.

Martin complied entirely with the APD's orders and raised his hands as he got out.

One APD officer checked and confirmed that Martin had no weapons on him, while the other noticed Bruce and shouted at him, "What are you doing?"

Bruce held up the badge on his chest, "Journalist, I have the right to film!"

A journalist following APD officers wasn't unusual, so the two toned it down, especially since the car owner wasn't black.

They restrained Martin while one of them searched the car.

The Mercedes SUV stopped behind Bruce's car, and both Ward and Adam Smith had a clear view of everything.

Adam Smith wasn't too overjoyed, he simply said, "A simple thing, easily handled."

Ward asked, "Can he afford the expensive bail?"

Adam Smith pointed out, "See that? There's a journalist, it will be in the news soon. Gray Company would not risk using him."

Ward, curious, "The journalist showed up really fast, who called them?"

Adam Smith found it strange too.

Just then, three black Chevrolet SUVs approached from the opposite direction, nearly simultaneously turning and blocking the Mercedes SUV from the front, rear, and side.

The doors of the Chevrolet vehicles swung open and sturdy men dressed in DEA uniforms quickly got out with shotguns and automatic rifles, all pointed at Ward and Adam Smith inside.

"DEA! Let me see your hands!"

With a dozen gun barrels aimed at them, neither Ward nor Adam Smith dared to move.

The DEA presented a search warrant, acted roughly, opened the doors, and forcefully pulled the two out of their vehicle.

Adam Smith thought there must have been a mistake and quickly tried to explain, "You've got the wrong guys, we're not..."

Before he could finish, a burly agent swung his shotgun and hit him on the shoulder with the butt.

Adam Smith fell with a thud, and before he could get up, the agent's knee was pressing down on him.

Ward, with his hands on his head, obediently squatted down.

The agents didn't hesitate, for as they searched the car, a colleague gave a thumbs up.

The DEA had found what they were looking for.

Justice was served, and crime was punished.