"At 3:42 this afternoon, an unknown gunman opened fire with an assault rifle in front of the TCL Chinese Theatre on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, killing and injuring multiple people, including many moviegoers. This has become one of the most serious shooting incidents in Los Angeles history."
"Reportedly, the gunman appeared just as the famous Hollywood director Murphy Stanton's film 'Dark City' was about to be screened at the Chinese Theatre, leading to a significant increase in foot traffic and providing the gunman with a prime opportunity."
"The gunman, riding a motorcycle and wielding an old AR-15 assault rifle, fired thirty rounds in just half a minute before speeding away."
"Eyewitnesses describe the gunman as wearing a black helmet and black riding gear, approximately six feet tall and bulky, likely a male..."
In the villa's lounge, Murphy sat in front of the television, his face devoid of expression, staring blankly at the news broadcast. The TV station then aired photos and videos taken by quick-reacting bystanders, including images of the gunman.
It was clear this was a planned and premeditated shooting. Murphy deduced this easily, noting the gunman took only half a minute from shooting to leaving.
However, Murphy noticed from a video that the gunman had waited several minutes in front of the Chinese Theatre before opening fire. Was he waiting for something?
Before Murphy could think further, the news continued.
"After causing 4 deaths and 7 injuries, the gunman rode away from the scene on a motorcycle, disappearing into the streets of Los Angeles. The quick departure left the police unable to react in time, and they currently have no valuable leads except for the colored magic balls left at the scene."
The television showed a close-up of a magic ball covered in writing.
Seeing the magic ball, Murphy's eyebrows furrowed, and Gal Gadot, sitting beside him, instinctively grabbed his hand.
Both were very familiar with the magic balls; they were merchandise from the movie "Dark City"—balls the magician left to instill fear in his threats.
Murphy had a bad feeling.
Sure enough, the news revealed more.
This shooting had occurred in the afternoon, and by evening, the TV station had gathered more information.
"The magic balls left at the scene led the police to quickly rule out terrorism, preliminarily identifying this as an imitation crime. Though this hasn't been confirmed with more evidence, police sources indicate the balls had a message: 'I am the agent of chaos!'"
"Viewers of 'Dark City' will recognize this phrase as the magician's signature line before causing chaos. Whether this shooting is connected to 'Dark City' remains to be seen, but it has certainly added a layer of mystery to the tragedy..."
Watching the news, Murphy remained silent.
Gal Gadot couldn't contain herself, still in shock. "Could it be? Someone actually imitated the magician?"
"It seems possible," Murphy replied, standing up. "Remember John Hinckley? He tried to assassinate Ronald Reagan, imitating 'Taxi Driver'."
"Our movie..." Gal Gadot was concerned about their interests. "Will it be affected?"
Murphy nodded. "If this is true, it will definitely be affected."
He walked to the window, looking out towards the direction of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Beyond the starlit night sky, nothing was visible.
If he remembered correctly, there had been a similar incident before, during the premiere of "The Dark Knight Rises". A crazed Joker fan had committed a mass shooting at a premiere, causing significant casualties and leading Warner Bros. to cancel many of the film's premieres worldwide. The film, already not critically acclaimed, had its box office further impacted by the incident.
It was inevitable that such an event would negatively affect the film.
Was someone really imitating the magician? Even if not, the gunman's use of the magic balls and the message "I am the agent of chaos" would inevitably be spun by the media as an imitation of the magician.
"Gadot," Murphy turned to her, "Does 20th Century Fox and CAA know?"
"They should have heard by now," Gadot, looking at her phone, replied. "I just got a message. Kara Faith and Bill Rossis are on their way. They should be here in ten minutes."
Murphy walked towards the door. "Let's wait for them in the living room."
In the living room, they didn't have to wait long before Kara Faith and Bill Rossis arrived. They had come late in the evening because of the Chinese Theatre shooting.
"We can expect the media to go wild tomorrow. The magic balls and that message are already public knowledge."
Kara Faith took a large gulp of water, feeling refreshed, then added, "Based on my experience, some media will inevitably blame 'Dark City' and the magician for this incident..."
She looked at Murphy. "Even you might be dragged into this."
Having worked in news, Kara Faith knew her colleagues' mindset and tactics well.
Murphy shook his head. "This level of pressure is nothing to me."
Gadot knew Murphy wasn't afraid of such things and asked, "What about 'Dark City'?"
The film had grossed over two billion dollars worldwide and was closing in on "Titanic", even having a shot at "Avatar's" highest global box office record. Now, with this incident, it was hard to predict the future trend.
"It will definitely be affected," Kara Faith frowned. "The box office might drop significantly. I called the company's PR and marketing departments before coming. We'll have a crisis meeting at ten to minimize our losses."
20th Century Fox's PR team was more professional in this area, so Murphy didn't say much.
"Be prepared," Bill Rossis warned Murphy. "Tomorrow morning, a swarm of reporters will be at your doorstep."
Murphy nodded. "I won't be making any statements for now."
"We should stay inside," Gal Gadot suggested, feeling uneasy. "Hide out in the estate. The reporters can't do anything if we don't come out."
Murphy agreed. "Yes, until the situation clarifies, we won't face the media."
"There is one thing we can do," Kara Faith added, "Issue a statement condemning the shooter."
"Indeed," Bill Rossis agreed. "Condemning the shooter and sympathizing with the victims is a safe move."
Given the involvement of the magician and "Dark City", Murphy knew he couldn't avoid the impact. "At the right time, I'll issue a public statement."
With limited information, they could only discuss general precautions.
As it got later, Kara Faith left for her meeting.
Bill Rossis continued advising Murphy. "If handled poorly, this could have severe consequences."
"Don't worry," Murphy sipped his water calmly. "I know what to say and what not to say."
He certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to claim that the victims deserved to be the test subjects of the magician's chaos theory in real life.
"Is there any news from the police?" Murphy asked. Robert often had some connections with the police.
"I've already spoken with Robert," Bill Rossis shook his head. "Nothing yet, but he'll inform me immediately if there's any news."
Just then, Bill Rossis's phone rang. He glanced at it and stepped aside to answer. After a brief conversation, his face turned serious.
A few minutes later, he returned.
"This was definitely a planned and premeditated act, likely by a magician fan," Bill Rossis said seriously. "It could even be one of your fans."
"What?" Gal Gadot couldn't believe it.
Murphy remained calm. "Did the police have any news?"
"Yes. Robert just got some information," Bill Rossis continued. "The police reviewed surveillance footage from around the scene and found the gunman had been tracking a man in a red baseball cap who was killed. The shooter aimed specifically at him."
He steadied his breath. "The police discovered the red baseball cap was someone who had been spreading defamatory comments about you and insulting Catholicism online..."
Murphy looked up. "Is it him?"
Bill Rossis nodded. "The police think it's possible that his online attacks provoked a fanatic fan of yours..."
Gal Gadot was incredulous. "How could that be?"
Murphy, finding the idea absurd, still asked calmly, "Do the police have any other evidence?"
Bill Rossis shook his head. "Apparently not."
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