The Tyrant Billionaire

At the headquarters of the Bank of America in Los Angeles, Lancer and his two assistants walked into the lobby. The receptionist politely asked, "Sir, may I help you with something?"

"I'd like to visit Mr. Moria Johnston."

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No."

The receptionist looked hesitant. "I'm sorry, sir, but if you don't have an appointment with Mr. Johnston, I can't connect you."

"Could you call his office for me? Tell him I have information about the bank robbers. You're offering a reward, aren't you?"

The receptionist hesitated.

"Are you referring to the bank robbery a few days ago?"

"Yes."

After confirming, the receptionist picked up the phone and called Mr. Johnston office. Shortly after, she relayed the message, "Sir, Mr. Moria Johnston will see you."

Lancer met Mr. Johnston in the conference room. Johnston looked at Lancer curiously. "You said you have information about the robbers? Well, first of all, I want to explain that the bonus we promised will be on hold for the moment, but it will be cashed out immediately after the robbers are caught."

Lancer naturally understood that it was the bank's way of avoiding liars and misleading information.

Lancer smiled, handed his business card to Johnston, and introduced himself, "I'm Lancer, the General Manager of HD Security. We have over 120 security personnel based in Los Angeles."

Listening to Lancer's introduction, Johnston's guarded demeanor softened. A company with over a hundred personnel should not be here for a mere $20,000 scam.

"I'm interested in hearing your information, Mr. Lancer." Johnston said.

"My purpose is simple. I want to inform Mr. Johnston that we've located the whereabouts of those robbers," Lancer stated bluntly.

Johnston immediately became excited.

"Really? Where are they?"

"Right here in Los Angeles."

Johnston stood up promptly. "I'll contact the police right away. Tell them the location of the robbers. Once they're caught, dead or alive, and regardless of whether the stolen money is recovered, we'll honor the reward we've offered."

"Mr. Johnston, please wait, I have something else to say," Lancer said.

Johnston paused, wondering if Lancer was trying to negotiate a higher amount.

"Mr. Johnston, HD Security is highly capable in the security field. All our personnel are battle tested veterans. We hope to partner with Bank of America," Lancer said the biggest purpose of this trip.

Johnston furrowed his brow. "We already have a security company we work with, and the partnership has been satisfactory."

Lancer smiled. "The Bank of America Los Angeles branch has been robbed four times in five years. Each time, the robbers succeeded. I'm not disparaging your current security provider, but perhaps Bank of America could find a better security partner," Lance suggested.

Johnston considered Lancer's words. "Can HD Security guarantee no more robberies?"

Lancer shook his head.

"No, but we can minimize them and actively pursue the robbers, ensuring they face maximum consequences, making them fearful of targeting your bank again."

"The bank was robbed, and the losses were borne by the insurance company. The bank's losses were not large, but it was robbed repeatedly and did nothing. What kind of image would Bank of America have in the minds of the people?

"Security is paramount for a bank entrusted with clients personal assets and secrets. If the bank can't even protect itself, how can it protect customers wealth?" Lancer emphasized.

After hearing this, Johnston became silent.

Bank of America is headquartered in San Francisco. After the robbery in Los Angeles, the CEO called Johnston and severely criticized him.

Because of the continuous robberies in Los Angeles, customers trust in Bank of America has been greatly reduced, which has also had a great impact on the bank's reputation. Los Angeles must make changes, otherwise Johnston will be dismissed from his position.

Hence the bounty announcement the next day.

Thinking about the previous security company that had failed to defeat the robbers in several robberies and prevent the bank from losing money, he was also dissatisfied about cooperating with such a security company.

Johnston rubbed his temple, finally making a decision.

"If this resolves the robbery and restores Bank of America's reputation, I agree to collaborate with you," Johnston said.

Lancer smiled and shook hands with Johnston firmly.

"I'll call chief Ed now to arrange for police to make arrests," Johnston said quickly.

"I'm preparing to visit chief Ed myself," Lancer replied.

...

Later that day, at the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters...

Lancer met chief Ed, and as soon as they met, Ed urgently asked, "Do you really have information on those robbers?"

"Then tell me quickly."

Chief Ed has been under immense pressure these past few days. The mayor had ordered him to solve the case within two weeks, or he'd be out.

"Let's not rush into the robbers just yet. I'd like to discuss our cooperation first," Lancer said with a smile.

"Cooperation? What kind?" Ed asked, surprised.

"HD Security is a legitimate security company with substantial capabilities. We can collaborate with the police department on various projects," Lancer explained.

"For instance, in this robbery case, HD Security has a strong intelligence gathering department and can provide leads to the police," Lancer continued.

Ed, though not a veteran, understood the prowess of retired soldiers.

"But the police department lacks funding for this," Ed frowned.

"You can propose it to the government. The mayor recently expressed dissatisfaction with LA's security situation in an interview. It's a good opportunity," Lancer suggested.

After thinking for a while, Ed asked Lancer, "Is the information on the robbers accurate? Are you confident in catching them?"

"We're absolutely certain," Lancer assured.

Ed made a decision.

"Alright, I'll consult with the mayor. If he agrees, the police department is willing to cooperate with your security company."

Ed's communication with the mayor went smoothly.

The mayor faced pressure from the Bank of America and public opinion. When Ed mentioned that a security company had located the robbers and wanted to collaborate, the mayor readily agreed.

It was all about spending money--whether on the police or the security company. Solving the immediate problem was paramount.

As the negotiations between Lancer, Bank of America, and the police progressed, Hardy was not idle. He met with Meyer, the boss of MGM, again.

"I want to borrow a documentary director from MGM, preferably one with experience in war zones," Hardy said.

Meyer was puzzled.

"Why are you suddenly interested in making a documentary?"

Hardy didn't hide anything.

"You should know about the Bank of America robbery a few days ago, right?"

"Of course. It was all over the news in LA. And a couple of days ago at a party, I met Mayor Ross. He told me about the pressure he's under and hopes this case gets solved smoothly. Otherwise, his opponents will use it against him in next year's election."

"I have a security company called HD Security," Hardy said.

Meyer didn't immediately connect the dots.

"Is this related to what we were just talking about?"

"After the incident, I had my security company investigate the robbers, and we actually found them," Hardy explained.

Meyer was surprised, but considering Hardy's background as Sigel's assistant, he understood.

The underworld has its own rules. If the police have a ten percent chance of finding robbers, the chances are over fifty percent for the gangs.

"Why do you need a documentary director with war experience?" Meyer asked.

"The robbers are currently hiding somewhere, and we haven't touched them yet. I've instructed the security company to contact Bank of America and the police to assist in capturing them. I plan to film the entire process and produce a documentary. I've even thought of a name: 'The Great Bank Heist of Los Angeles.' "

"With the current attention on this case, if the documentary does well, it could even be edited into a movie and possibly earn profits." Hardy suggested.

Meyer caught on to Hardy's intentions.

"The main benefit is promoting your HD Security and gaining recognition," Meyer remarked.

Hardy smiled: "That's exactly what I have in mind."

"No problem. I'll have the company arrange for our best documentary director and provide full support," Meyer agreed.

"If you need theatrical distribution in the future, come to me."