America Tycoon: The Wolf of Showbiz

Helen glanced at Martin and immediately understood that this girl was all about looks and figure.

After asking a few more questions about the movie, the interview paused, and Helen would go to interview the other three female leads after resting for a while.

The Warner Bros. personnel had inquired into some matters of the crew and specifically went over to remind those three not to speak carelessly.

At this moment, Bruce found Martin, "You've got a text."

Martin glanced at his phone, it was from Elizabeth.

She asked if he was free now and if he could take a group photo with her classmates.

Martin asked the person in charge on site.

As it happened to be break time, the person in charge readily agreed.

Martin texted back Elizabeth with the location of the rest room.

Elizabeth replied, "I know where it is."

Not two minutes later, Elizabeth led a dozen or so girls through the door.

Most of them were sixteen or seventeen, dressed in the uniform of Holle Middle School.

Elizabeth immediately ran over with a sweet smile, "Martin, I'm here."

The dozen or so girls behind her followed, laughing and joking around Martin.

Martin nodded to Elizabeth and greeted the surrounding cheerleading team members, "Hello, everyone."

"So you really do know Martin," one of the girls said enviously to Elizabeth, "It must be nice to have a big star for a sister."

Elizabeth, sensible as always, said, "Stop it, let's quickly take a picture with Martin; they are busy with work here."

The girls hustled over to Martin's side.

On the other side, Blake noticed and asked one of the cheerleaders, "Judith, are they our opponents for today?"

Judith glanced at the blond girl with the sweet smile, "Yes, I recognize the girl talking to Martin. She's the younger Olsen sister, a member of the Holle High School Cheerleading Team."

Blake felt as though something of his own was being taken away, "These bitches are coming right up to our doorstep!"

Judith tentatively asked, "Do you want me to...?"

Blake immediately cut her off, "Don't be silly!"

On Martin's side, Bruce took the DSLR camera and directed people to adjust their positions accordingly.

Having taken many photos since the previous year, his professional skills had soared.

Once everyone was in position, Bruce lifted the camera and took the photo, snapping five shots in succession.

Elizabeth's slight desire to show off was satisfied as she turned to Martin and said, "Thank you, let me treat you to dinner some other day."

Martin nodded, "Just give me a call anytime."

The Holle Middle School cheerleading team left quickly, and after a while, Helen finished her brief interviews with the other three female leads as the cheerleading team was about to enter the court to get familiar with the venue.

Martin was going to do the tip-off next and also had to take promotional photos on the court, so he followed them.

Helen and the filming crew trailed behind.

As they exited the door and turned into a corridor, they could faintly hear the sound of a basketball hitting the floor. Blake said, "Our home team has started warming up."

Martin nodded and joined them in entering the basketball court.

On the court, tall and hefty students were stretching and doing simple dribbling exercises.

Martin recognized a few of them as somewhat familiar.

Behind him, the cameraman shouldered the camera to film, and Helen, holding a small DV, was capturing the gym with great interest.

The venue had many spots with posters of jeans stretched out.

...

A plain Chevrolet pulled up outside Burbank Middle School and parked outside the school.

Andre, Sergey, and Victor each carried a long sports bag and made their way into the school.

They wore the loose sports uniforms of Burbank Middle School, familiar faces so the security guard didn't even give them a second glance, let alone stop them.

Today, several clubs were holding activities, and many students came with sports bags.

The trio had a clear goal and headed straight for the gym.

Those with the deepest grievances against them were definitely inside the gym today.

Outside the gym, students gradually gathered. Although there wasn't yet a queue, there were more people than usual.

The three of them didn't rush in but circled around the gym instead.

To prevent disorderly early entrance by students, the main entrance and several doors of the gym were temporarily closed and locked.

Only the entrance and exit for the teams and cheerleaders were open.

Andre gave a signal with his eyes, and the three men walked towards the entrance simultaneously.

Sergey opened the sports bag, drew out a sawed-off shotgun, and hid it under his sports jacket.

Andre, with his left hand on the long bag, reached into his clothes with his right hand and drew the Glock pistol from his tactical vest.

As they approached the entryway, two staff members guarding the spot told the approaching students, "Go to the regular entrance and queue up; you're not allowed here..."

But before he could finish his sentence, his eyes widened in shock.

A few meters away, the dark barrel of a gun was pointed at him.

Without any hesitation, Andre pulled the trigger. A bang resounded and the staff member dropped to the ground.

Almost simultaneously, a thunderous blast echoed as Sergey's shotgun turned the other man's chest and stomach into a hornet's nest.

After gunfire and bloodshed, the excitement surged in the trio rather than fear.

Victor pulled out his pistol and put an extra round in each person's head!

They rushed into the basketball arena, where Andre, familiar with the layout, pointed to the three-way passage ahead, "Victor, hold this position. With the other doors closed, anyone trying to escape will have to come through here!"

Victor dropped his bag, peeled off his jacket, revealing his bulletproof vest and multiple magazines. He then pulled out a modified AR and hid in a corner with a clear view.

Andre broke into a run, calling out to Sergey, "I'll head to the court; you take the locker room! If there's no one in the locker room, we'll meet at the court."

Sergey carried the shotgun on his shoulder, all his irritability and fury finding an outlet as a smile of relief spread across his face, "Let's see who takes down more!"

Andre picked up the AR as if he were playing CS, "I like it!"

Sergey ran towards the locker room and ran into a curious black guy who'd come out to see what was happening. He fired directly at his chest, and as the shotgun boomed, the guy slumped to the ground.

On his way to the court, Andre came across a huge convenience store.

The door of the store was wide open, and the owner, wearing glasses, was moving a crate of bottled cola to the side of the wall. When he turned around, he found himself face to face with Andre.

Instinctively, the owner raised his hands, hoping to escape his fate.

Andre fired twice, sending the owner to meet his maker.

......

On the basketball court, the Holle High School Cheerleading Team was warming up.

Elizabeth made a special trip to greet Martin, and Blake, like a knight safeguarding her prince, ran over to stand next to Martin.

Miller, the basketball team captain, came over and started flirting with Judith.

The sound of multiple basketballs bounced off the wooden floor, echoing loudly.

Martin thought he heard some noises and asked, "What was that noise just now?"

Blake shook his head, "I didn't hear anything."

Eliza wasn't quite sure, "It sounded like there was a noise."

Martin heard the sound again, closer this time, and immediately turned his head to look at Bruce.

Bruce hurried over, grabbed Martin, and bolted, "Gunshots! AR gunfire! Let's go!"

Martin didn't doubt Bruce's judgment and took off running.

Eliza and Blake also heard what Bruce said, and due to their connection with Martin, they acted faster than they could think and quickly followed.

Running did not stop Martin from shouting, he looked back and yelled, "Someone's shooting, run!"

Journalist Helen and the cameraman, worldly and experienced, followed without a second thought.

They were dutiful, their DV and camera continuously recording the whole time.

It would have been necessary for publicity if it were a prank by the film crew.

If there was a real shooting...

The journalists weren't scared, instead excitement surged within them.

This was America, where many reactions are swift. Upon hearing Martin shout about gunshots, everyone, including Judith, Miller, the three female leads, and others, all followed his lead in a rush.

The cheerleaders and school team players on the basketball court turned to watch the fleeing crowd.

Martin shouted again, "Run! There is a shooting!"

Just as his voice faded, a person wearing a tactical vest burst from the player's tunnel with an AR in hand and squeezed the trigger towards the court.

The gun, obviously modified, fired in automatic mode, and the sounds of gunfire and screams melded into one.

Martin ducked low, making himself as small as possible, and followed Old Cloth into an exit.

Screams, wails, and sounds of chaotic running came in waves from behind.