The Wolf of Los Angeles.

Peterson Strategic Consulting, Washington.

In the conference room, Hawke sat in a chair with a backrest, looking at the alloy screen on the opposite wall.

Beside him, Brian was deep in thought.

The above shows the analysis results of the data model.

"Based on a comprehensive analysis of data collected over the past year, Johnny McCain's chances of winning the party nomination against Hillary Clinton, who is a strong contender for the Democratic nomination, are less than 50 percent," said Elizabeth Carter, the company's chief strategy consultant.

Hawke asked directly, "What's the problem?"

Brian frowned slightly: "Johnny McCain has better qualifications and a wider network within the party."

Under the light, Elizabeth's pale skin seemed to reflect light: "Most importantly, Johnny McCain's moral standards are higher than Hillary's, although politicians never have morals... I'm sorry, Governor."

She smiled slightly at Brian: "I'm referring to the average level of politicians in general. McCain still has a little bit of a bottom line. Nowadays, mutual attacks are a common tactic in elections. Whoever breaks through the other's weaknesses first can gain a huge advantage. But McCain is more averse to methods that cross the line. Even if his aides can persuade him, it will take a lot of time, and at the crucial moment, he may even miss the opportunity."

Hawke nodded slightly: "According to you, Tom Emer is more suitable?"

Elizabeth paced back and forth, saying, "Tom Emer's base is in the red states of the Midwest, where he has the support of a considerable number of traditional, established forces. He has an aggressive style of doing things and is more suitable for the election than McCain."

Hawke has had several encounters with Johnny McCain and Tom Emmanuel, and in his personal opinion, Tom Emmanuel is undoubtedly more suited to the current political and social situation.

This is no longer the era of McCain and George Walker vying for supremacy in the new millennium.

Society as a whole has changed.

Hawke directly propelled this major social transformation.

Twitter's PR director, Hearst, then said, "McCain is very averse to the LGBTQ movement; he is very traditional."

Brian suddenly realized: "This is why McCain has been seeing us less in recent years."

Hawke, who was aware of this, said, "He was a conservative within the Elephant Party and used to be closer to us, but since the rise of the LGBTQ movement, he has drifted away from us."

Strictly speaking, the Ferguson family is also conservative. Their excessive conservatism and resistance to change in the early 1990s led to the loss of California's electoral votes, and the entire family's fortunes plummeted to the turn of the century.

Paul Ferguson was ultimately a man of great courage. He did not succumb to the changing times, but instead embraced change with open arms, and finally transformed California a decade later.

Brian said, "These are also related to the environment. We have experienced the era when the reds ruled California and were overthrown, so we know that change is inevitable. But McCain's base has been red for decades, which inevitably leads to stubborn conservatism, even though he is a moderate in the Republican Party."

Elizabeth chimed in, "That's one of McCain's problems too; he's fallen behind the times."

Ideological differences are often irreconcilable.

Hearst added, "Unless we abandon the LGBTQ movement now, McCain will not be on our side."

The LGBTQ movement will certainly give up, but that's for the future, not now. Hawke no longer harbors any illusions about McCain, saying, "Our primary goal is to prevent Hillary from being elected."

If this woman is elected, various restrictive policies will inevitably fall on Twitter and the Hawke-affiliated companies and foundations.

From a practical standpoint, she shouldn't be elected.

Hearst added, "None of the stakeholders in the AI ​​Manhattan Project want Cillari to be elected."

These were mostly members of the Elephant Party, Hawke said. "We need to do as much as possible to gain benefits while stopping Hillary."

Hawke now represents not only Twitter, but also some tech elites, the Ferguson family, the LGBTQ movement, and even California's 55 electoral votes.

The election adopts a winner-takes-all policy, meaning that if a candidate wins in California, they will receive all 55 electoral votes.

Elizabeth said, "Tom Emmer's demands are very, very strong, and based on all the circumstances, he is our most suitable partner."

Hawke and Brian exchanged glances and said, "Okay."

Hearst said, "He has already extended an olive branch."

“Alright, you and Elizabeth can talk to him first.” Seeing that Hawke did not object, Brian continued, “Once the terms are mostly agreed upon, Hawke and I will then contact Tom Emer.

Let the people below talk first; there's enough room for maneuver.

Elizabeth looked at Hawke and Brian: "Shall I ask them to talk to me now?"

Hawke nodded: "Send a signal and wait for them to come to us."

"Understood." Elizabeth called her assistant over, said a few words to her, and told her to get on with it as soon as possible.

Hawke needs Tom Emmanuel to lead the charge, and Tom Emmanuel, who wants to run for president, probably won't refuse.

Since I'm running for election, taking over the Oval Office is the most important goal.

In the afternoon, Hawke and Brian quietly went to the White House to visit George Walker, a relative by marriage to the Ferguson family.

Tom Emmer's campaign team received the information and contacted Hearst and Elizabeth.

That evening, the two sides met at Peterson Company.

The two men representing Tom Emmer are a middle-aged white man named Stephen and a young black man named Morgan.

"Tom and Hawke and Brian have been friends for many years, have collaborated many times, and trust each other." Stephen's opening remarks were very pleasant: "We both have common interests in politics, business, and external enemies."

Elizabeth's face seemed to reflect light as she asked directly, "What are your terms?"

Stephen paused for a moment, then said, "Tom had previously spoken with Hawke about how, if elected, he would further strengthen the AI ​​Manhattan Project with maximum federal subsidies and tax breaks, pushing the Appropriations Committee to increase funding by 20% in each phase."

That's not all. Tom Emmer has done data analysis and found that when it comes to the final moment, California, which has the most electoral votes, could very well be the deciding factor.

He added, "The network communication software systems of various federal departments are currently too outdated, leading to repeated leaks. Twitter is the leader in this industry, and Tom believes that Twitter will completely change this situation."

At this point, Morgan, a Black man, added, "California is pushing for same-sex marriage and gender diversity legislation, and the federal government will provide strong support. Tom can guarantee that the federal justices will not reject California's bill."

Hearst chimed in, "What you're saying, Tom talked to Hawke about last year, it's nothing new."

Stephen understood what the other party meant; they were clearly dissatisfied.

Elizabeth said coldly, "McCain's offer is far more favorable than yours."

The two sides were discussing their interests. Stephen asked, "Please feel free to state your terms; we can always find a balance."

Hearst didn't beat around the bush and stated his conditions directly: "The West Coast company has created a drone brand, which is currently being promoted in western states, with California as the main focus. Its main applications are in firefighting, photography, and agriculture. We hope that the federal government can assist in promoting West Coast drones and provide certain market subsidies."

With the cost and selling price of West Coast drones, plus federal subsidies, they could easily crush American civilian drone brands.

The market directly impacts research and development, leading to a surge in costs and slowed development in the American drone industry.

Drones are now used in various fields, and Stephen felt that this condition was not difficult, so he asked, "Are your drones an American brand?"

Hearst said with a smile, "The brand created by West Coast Environmental Technology Company is wholly owned by American companies."

Stephen nodded without giving a clear answer, because he knew that the other party's conditions were far from over.

Hearst continued: "In order to ensure the security of federal network communications, to ensure the timeliness of network communications, to break geographical restrictions, and to further promote the AI ​​Manhattan Project, Twitter, in conjunction with West Coast environmental technology companies, is preparing to launch multiple communication and detection satellites into low Earth orbit. This is a massive Starlink project."

Stephen tentatively asked, "Approximately how many satellites are there?"

Hearst said, "About 300 initially." He cited the federal government as an excuse: "This will provide the federal government with more secure and comprehensive communications." Stephen was somewhat surprised: "That many?"

Hearst smiled and said, "Twitter and West Coast Tech are both global businesses, and globalization is primarily driven by the United States, so of course we need to provide global services."

Stephen considered for a moment and said, "Your conditions are a bit excessive."

“Is that an exaggeration? I don’t think so,” Elizabeth interjected. “We are 90% confident that you will win California.”

Morgan, a Black man, said, "California only has 55 electoral votes."

Elizabeth smiled, a hint of sarcasm in her eyes, and asked Stephen, "Is this the Black representative from your election team?"

Morgan's expression darkened: "What do you mean?"

As a professional, Elizabeth had already studied Tom Emmer's campaign team and said, "He cannot represent Black people, especially Black people today. Are you part of the LGBTQ community? Do you have sufficient leadership for these groups that can influence public opinion across the country? Do you know how to effectively implement this movement in the election?"

Morgan was speechless, because he was neither an expert nor particularly knowledgeable about the subject.

Stephen, however, knew very well that Tom Emmer valued working with Hawke for more than just those 55 electoral votes.

Twitter has nearly 1 million active users across the United States, the influence of the LGBTQ movement, the shared interests of the AI ​​Manhattan Project, the support of equal rights movement leader Steve Jobs, and so on.

Their influence has already spread to most of North America.

Stephen asked, "Are you prepared for this?"

Elizabeth maintained her cool, aloof demeanor: "A professional LGBTQ team is joining you." She emphasized, "Don't forget, Silla's core support is feminism, and LGBTQ is a group that can easily defeat feminism, as evidenced by their track record in California."

Stephen has read too many reports on this topic. Feminism is a huge headache, but LGBTQ makes it even more of a headache.

Hearst then added, “The federal government could establish a Department of Diversity to handle matters related to the LGBTQ movement. We could also... jointly establish a Diversity Foundation to allocate a large sum of money to help men and women who want to undergo gender reassignment surgery return to their correct gender. At the same time, we could invest in promoting diversity education in primary and secondary schools across the United States, so that boys and girls have the real right to choose freely.”

Stephen found these words exaggerated and was at a loss for words.

Elizabeth said calmly, "Believe me, these measures will have the support of many people in the Teachers' Union."

There are no fools who can become campaign managers. Stephen realized this after a little thought: allocating funds to promote this cause in primary and secondary schools would benefit a great many people in the education industry.

Layer upon layer, everyone's pockets bulge.

Stephen glanced at the formidable woman and said, "A professional team like this is exactly what we need."

Morgan, a Black man, was getting anxious as he saw a group of people threatening his position.

Stephen didn't forget to reassure him: "You can take charge of Black youth affairs specifically."

Not being excluded, Morgan quickly calmed down.

Stephen knew that behind this event lay Hawke Osment and Bryan Ferguson's plans for the future.

But it smelled so good that not only could I not resist it, but Tom Emmanuel couldn't either.

Hearst added, "There is also support from the tech world, with tech upstarts like Hawke, Elon Musk, and Peter Thiel supporting you, provided that you develop corresponding new technology development plans."

Stephen couldn't refuse; those tech upstarts were also wealthy and controlled the discourse on the internet.

This marked the end of the first formal contact between the two sides.

Stephen returned to the campaign office and met with Tom Emmer in person, where he detailed the terms of both sides.

Tom Emmer paused for a moment before saying, "They're paving the way for Brian Ferguson's future campaign."

“If we win the election, it will be eight years from now.” Stephen couldn’t refuse: “What they can bring is exactly what we desperately need. Society is changing too fast. Those who refuse to accept new things, like McCain, will only be eliminated by society.”

Tom Emmer, who had repeatedly expressed his willingness to cooperate with Hawke, was well aware of this and said, “They control the largest online social media platform in the United States, no, in the world, and can push information directly to their targets; they also firmly control the most radical and popular movement in the United States, and are the only movement that can stand against women’s rights.”

Stephen nodded slightly. If Tom Emer represented the traditional forces, Hawke Osment's side had gathered too many new forces.

Tom Emer was still thinking.

“They’re asking for way too much.” Stephen wanted to, but he had some doubts, after all, the other party was asking for benefits: “Federal subsidies, tax breaks, development of network communication software for various federal departments, and strengthening of the Manhattan Project, these are what we are offering.”

He went on to say, “The promotion and subsidies for drones, the Starlink project with hundreds of satellites, the LGBTQ diversity movement, the support for tech elites… these have taken away too much profit.”

Tom Emer raised a finger and shook it: "There's something wrong with your thinking."

Stephen didn't understand: "What's the problem?"

“These do involve many interests, but the vast majority of them do not require us to pay for them.” Tom Emmer has a higher perspective and a broader vision: “If we win the election in the future, it will be the federal government and all American citizens who will have to pay for these things, not us.”

Stephen received the hint and instantly understood the key: the most crucial factor in achieving all these conditions was funding, which could involve billions or even tens of billions of dollars.

Where does this money come from? From the federal treasury, of course.

It's not like I'm taking money out of my own pocket, so why would I feel so bad?

Stephen also thought of something else.

He is also a member of the Elephant Party and has inside information that current White House Chief of Staff Andy Card has earned several times more through his collaboration with Hawke Osment than during his previous term.

If all goes well, I will be the next chief of staff.

Thinking of this, Stephen subtly changed the subject, saying, "California has 55 electoral votes, which account for more than one-tenth of the total electoral votes in the United States. The outcome is extremely crucial. With the combined power of the Hawke and Ferguson families, they can influence even more votes, possibly up to a hundred."

Tom Emmer fully agrees with this statement, saying that the changes of the new era have been significantly influenced by the other party.

He lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and exhaled the smoke before saying, "We can't compromise like this. It involves the allocation of campaign promises. If too much is allocated to Hawke and Brian, then other areas will inevitably have to be reduced."

Stephen would not go against his employer's wishes in such matters.

It is not uncommon for campaign staff and campaign managers to be replaced midway through an election.

Tom Emer continued smoking: "Resources are being rolled out, and although it's all from the federal government, we can't let things get out of control. We can't let Hawke Osmond think we can be controlled by him..."

Stephen chimed in, "Yes, that would make them demand even more."

Tom Emer stubbed out his cigarette and asked, "Did they mention anything else?"

Stephen said, "Hawk Osment and Erica Ferguson are vacationing in Washington."

“Coming to Washington for vacation? That's ridiculous.” Tom Emer made his decision: “Contact Hawke for me; I need to speak with him in person…”

Before Stephen could speak, he raised his hand to stop him: "I'll make the call myself."

Stephen left the office. The other party had presented their terms, and Tom hadn't expressed any anger or strong opposition, indicating that everything was negotiable.

Politics is, in essence, a game of compromise.

Tom Emer found Hawke's private phone number and called him directly, asking to meet him as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Hawke had just gone on a shopping spree with Erica, decorating their newly purchased luxury villa estate in Washington.

After receiving the call, he simply invited Tom Emmanuel to visit his new home. (End of Chapter)