The Wolf of Los Angeles.

Every large group is always rife with contradictions, just like the political parties and the Democratic Party, where internal factional struggles are extremely fierce.

Some of these conflicts stem from ideological differences, others from clashes of interests, and still others from personal disputes.

Tom Emer and George Walker belong to the latter two.

Brian asked Hawke, "Where do you think Tom Emer will start?"

Hawke thought for a moment and said, "Money is the mother's milk of politics. If I were Tom Emer, I would definitely use my power to strike first at the Walker family's financial lines."

The Walker family is related to the Ferguson family by marriage, and Brian knows them quite well. He said, "The Walker family made their fortune in Texas and has been making achievements in the oil and energy industry since the 1970s. During the years that John Walker Jr. was in office, their oil and gas industry has developed significantly in the Middle East."

He suddenly laughed: "You said last time that places with lots of oil are more likely to breed American troops, or more precisely, places with lots of oil are more likely to attract the Walker family."

Hawke has a direct experience of this: "The two wars against Iraq were initiated by the Walker family."

Brian said, "The Walker family was also one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Iraq War."

Hawke's previous incarnation was Dong Zong, a stock market god whom even God would bow down to, while the Walker family could be called the biggest oil thieves in the Middle East.

On the surface, the Walker family has less than $6000 million in wealth, but no one would believe this official statistic.

As it appears on the surface, the Walker family has not established or controlled any oil company.

Hawke got up and went to the map. After looking at it for a while, he said, "The flashpoint may be in the Middle East."

Brian's heart skipped a beat as he remembered something: "Some time ago, the White House signed an order to send a new Marine Corps unit to Iraq. It is said that this unit has undergone a complete reorganization and training, and its main mission is to find some terrorist organizations hiding among the Iraqi people, as well as to target the Americans who are secretly dealing with them."

Hawke thought he might be right: "Very targeted."

Brian said, "We were able to maximize our benefits because the Walker family sought our help." He then changed the subject: "There has been a lot of controversy on Twitter recently regarding the LGBTQ movement."

Hawke simply stated, "The controversy mainly focuses on children, and the aim is to incite aversion to the LGBTQ movement among family members."

Brian had already discussed this with Hawke, saying, "The movement we're behind is going to be demonized in the end?"

Hawke said without hesitation: "What the monsters want is privilege. If this continues, they will want to stand above us and become an even more privileged class than us."

Many demonic and monstrous organizations have become extreme, practically regarding themselves as incarnations of God. Brian, deeply moved by this, said, "They are merely our tools, not obstacles."

Hawke added, "So, demonizing them puts them on the opposite side of society. We elevate them, exploit them, and suppress them to gain the support of the general public."

“What about Steve?” Brian asked. “He’s the leader of the monsters now.”

Hawke was prepared: "Don't forget, Steve is neither transgender nor gay. To the monsters, he should be Martin Luther King Jr."

He paused slightly, then added, "During the Philip incident and the Occupy San Francisco movement, Steve was a radical in the LGBTQ movement, but as the movement has evolved, Steve has become a conservative and can't keep up with the changing pace of these monsters."

“I’ve heard about it too.” Brian was aware of the situation: “It’s said that many radicals think Steve is too conservative and are extremely dissatisfied with him.”

Hawke nodded slightly: "I'll find a suitable time to have someone talk to Steve first."

Brian thought further: "What if a saint with such a high reputation across America, a true leader of a demonic movement, were to be harmed by radicals..."

Hawke still had some principles when it came to these old buddies: "There's really no need for that."

Brian nodded and dropped the subject.

The two then discussed their support for the anti-LGBTQ movement, ended their conversation, and returned to the banquet hall together.

Hawke then summoned Raul and whispered, "Notify Hurricane Africa to keep an eye on the situation of the U.S. Marines in Iraq, especially the latest one. If they get involved with oil companies, gather information immediately and report back to Los Angeles."

Raul immediately replied, "Yes."

Erica came over with her mistress, Jennifer Ferguson, glanced at Raul as he walked away, and asked, "What happened?"

Hawke smiled and said, "There might be some trouble in the Middle East."

Jennifer replied, "You've already made arrangements in the Middle East, so no matter what happens, it won't be a problem for you."

Hawke shook his head slightly and said, "The five great philanthropists of the global village are the ones who can truly dominate the situation in the Middle East."

Jennifer laughed: "That's a very apt description. These five kind-hearted people act democratically, like to uphold fairness and justice, and are deeply loved by the other villagers."

Several people laughed.

The reason they could laugh so heartily was precisely because they were among the five great philanthropists.

At the end of the party, Erica invited Jennifer and Brian to vacation together in Wyoming during the New Year holidays.

Hawke's large farm there has developed into a sizable and well-known resort area.

Activities such as skiing, hiking, camping, horse racing, hunting, and recreational fishing are all available.

This has also provided numerous job opportunities for locals.

With Hawke's influence, Jeffrey City, the closest town to the farm, even built an airport capable of handling small and medium-sized passenger planes.

Hawke and Erica invited the main members of the Ferguson family to go on holiday there during the New Year.

Jennifer and Brian agreed.

…………

Iraq, north of Baghdad.

Towering metal structures stand amidst the vast wilderness, surrounded by countless oil pumping stations. The oil field at its core forms the core of a sprawling Middle Eastern town. Within the Avana oil field's production area, the logo of the American energy company Chevron is prominently displayed on the towers and pumping stations.

Although all the information and publicity about the oil field publicly stated that it was developed in cooperation with Iraq's Basra Oil Company, and that Basra Oil Company was the main player, most of the profits generated by the oil field ended up in the pockets of the Americans.

What outsiders don't know is that Chevron is still the name it carries in the open, but the real company in charge of this oil field is Halliburton, owned by the Cheney family, who were once George Walker's deputy.

The hidden interests involved are complex and convoluted, making it difficult for outsiders to understand except for those directly involved.

But those who are interested know that the Avana oil field is related to the interests of the former US president and his deputy.

Herbert was in charge of the oil field, and his daily work was like a machine assembly line, with nothing new or exciting.

Insurgency is on the rise in Iraq, with some terrorists infiltrating US-controlled oil fields and using explosives or other means to cause damage, resulting in numerous American companies becoming victims.

“Last month, three ExxonMobil wells in the West Gunnar oil field were destroyed by a terrorist organization.” Herbert summoned the security chief today and specifically instructed him: “Our security forces need to be strengthened beyond what they are currently.”

Security chief Cornell said, "At the beginning of the month, we deployed a team from a local company to strengthen security, and a new security team will be arriving next week."

Although the Awana oil field is not far from Baghdad and has never been attacked by terrorists before, Herbert is still very cautious: "I have recently heard rumors that terrorists in the northwest have rearmed, and many forces are quietly recruiting and secretly sending people to the central and eastern regions to carry out sabotage. There are many oil field workers and their families, and there is also a town nearby. We should pay attention to developing more informants among the locals and keep an eye on the situation of the local workers."

Cornell said, "We've bribed quite a few locals..."

The phone suddenly rang, interrupting Cornell's conversation.

Herbert answered the phone, and his voice sounded a little anxious: "Boss, a group of Marines have arrived outside. They say they've tracked down terrorists and are demanding entry into the company premises. They're currently in a standoff with security personnel."

“What?” Herbert was slightly surprised: “Are you sure it’s the Marines, and not someone impersonating them?”

The man said firmly, "It's confirmed. I called the military base and confirmed their identities. Now they're demanding entry into the base, and we can't stop them any longer."

Herbert said, "Stop them first, I'm coming right away!" He hung up the phone and said to Cornell, "Let's get there quickly."

Cornell, having overheard some of it, said, "Marine Corps? What are they doing here?"

The two hurriedly left the office and looked out the corridor window. They saw more than a dozen Humvees and wheeled armored vehicles parked in front of the base.

Several fully armed soldiers were blocking the entrance, negotiating with security personnel.

Herbert quickly went over to negotiate with the officer in charge.

The team was led by a lieutenant colonel who was quite tough, insisting that terrorists who had carried out several roadside bomb attacks in Baghdad were hiding inside the factory area.

“These are the documents from the Iraqi authorities, and this is a special operation certificate issued by the military.” Although the lieutenant colonel’s attitude was very tough, he patiently showed the documents to Herbert and Cornell, and also produced some relevant evidence.

One of the photos shows Iraqis wearing work clothes from the Awana oil field, their fierce and crazed expressions resembling those of predatory beasts ready to devour their prey.

The lieutenant colonel patiently retrieved a work ID from under the photo and said, “This Iraqi man is named Abdul Aziz. He holds a work ID from your company. He studied chemical engineering at Baghdad University. He personally modified many roadside bombs. We found this work ID on him yesterday, and his neighbors said he has a formal job here.”

Herbert took the work pass and handed it to Cornell.

The latter examined it carefully and found that it was indeed their own company's certificate.

Facing the same Americans, the lieutenant colonel maintained a good attitude and said, "According to this man's confession, they have formed an organization in the oil field area, which includes not only some Iraqi workers but also some Americans who sympathize with terrorists."

Herbert didn't want these soldiers to enter the oil field because American soldiers had such a bad reputation; who knew what would happen if they went in to search?

He refused, saying, "We have strict internal management systems; such a problem is impossible. Someone must be framing us. Lieutenant Colonel, I and several generals at the base..."

The lieutenant colonel gestured for him to speak: "You are welcome to make the call; I will not stop you."

He added, "Don't blame me for not informing you in advance. This group of terrorists is skilled in using explosives. They have placed one of their modification bases in a hidden area of ​​the oil field. Once these explosives detonate, the consequences will be unimaginable, and you may suffer huge losses."

Herbert kept all the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat.

In oilfield areas, what is the most important safety measure? Fire and explosion prevention, of course!
"Wait a moment." Even if Herbert compromised, he couldn't just let the person in. He took out his phone and made two calls in a row.

Anyone who can obtain oil and gas resources here must have connections.

Herbert made several phone calls to two U.S. military officers stationed in Iraq, but they had no say in the Marine Corps.

One of them also suggested that it would be best to cooperate for safety reasons.

As time went on, the Marine Corps' attitude became increasingly tough. Several officers in charge gradually became impatient, and several heavy tracked armored vehicles drove up from behind, seemingly determined to force their way through without permission.

Soldiers emerged from several Humvees behind and stood behind machine gun turrets.

Herbert was startled. After weighing the pros and cons, he had no choice but to let them go.

In a place like Iraq, the most advanced weaponry is what matters. Even Washington needs time to exert influence there.

Several armored vehicles drove into the company's headquarters and oil field area one after another, and the lieutenant colonel went straight to an equipment warehouse.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the Marines searched the warehouse and found several boxes of explosives, several old-fashioned howitzer shells, as well as essential detonators and modification tools.

Herbert was dumbfounded. Could it be that the company and oil field had really been infiltrated by terrorists and turned into a manufacturing base for roadside bombs?
But unnoticed by him and Cornell, a deputy security manager exchanged a fleeting glance with the lieutenant colonel.

Explosives and modification tools were found in the warehouse, and Herbert was no longer able to stop the Marines.

While calling for backup, the lieutenant colonel went deep into the oil field area and arrested several so-called terrorists.

Even several American managers were put into armored vehicles.

Involved in a terrorist attack and with direct evidence found during the search, this rather large oil field had to cease operations. (End of Chapter)