Trump's poor control over the intensity of his words left Martin speechless.
His would-be father-in-law was still too green, with too few reliable talents in his pocket, and a large number of White House positions held by people he couldn't fully command.
Martin had no intention of solving these problems for his prospective father-in-law, but he did introduce someone to Trump—Jeff Sessions.
As the U.S. Attorney General, Jeff Sessions' relationship with Trump wasn't harmonious.
Previously, Trump had criticized Sessions for being extremely "weak" on the Hillary "email" scandal and the "intelligence leaks."
Then, the "Russia collusion" affair further fueled Trump's intense dissatisfaction with Sessions.
But after Martin's mediation, Trump indicated he didn't care what Sessions had done in the past; he only hoped to see what he could do in the future.
After speaking with Martin over the phone, Sessions also expressed goodwill toward Trump.
Three days after the two met.
Sessions publicly stood with Trump.
He stated: "Over the past few months, the illegal disclosure of classified national security information has surged, including leaks to the media and even to adversarial nations. Since January of this year, the number of leak investigations by the Department of Justice has exceeded three times that of the previous administration's final period."
"This is not a good thing," Sessions emphasized. "We can no longer tolerate it. If the media is involved in the leaks, they too must face legal consequences."
He added, "The Department of Justice is studying whether to issue subpoenas to relevant media outlets to assist in the investigation. We respect the important role of the media and respect journalists, but you cannot act without restraint."
"After years of leaks in Washington, it's great to see Attorney General Sessions taking action!" Trump tweeted jubilantly. "For national security, the stricter, the better!"
...
September 30.
Martin arrived in Las Vegas with Lindsay and Ivanka, ready to attend a local music festival.
Almost simultaneously, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock drove to Las Vegas and checked into the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
Born in 1953 in Mesquite, Nevada.
His father, Benjamin Paddock (1926, born in Wisconsin), was one of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives from 1969 to 1977.
Benjamin Paddock had robbed multiple banks in Arizona and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
He later escaped from a federal prison in Texas and fled to Oregon, where he managed a bingo parlor.
In 1979, he was discovered and arrested by the FBI, but due to a diagnosis of "mental illness" and "suicidal tendencies," he was released after paying a $100,000 fine.
He then returned to Texas and died in 1998.
Growing up without a father, Stephen Paddock's upbringing was far from ideal. He had to support the family early on, scheming every way to make money, even to the point where classmates despised him for his unscrupulous pursuit of profit.
In the 1980s, Stephen worked as an auditor at Lockheed Martin, served at the IRS, and eventually ventured into U.S. real estate.
In 1987, Paddock bought a property near the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, an investment that netted him a fortune.
In 2012, he sold a property with 110 units in Texas for $8.3 million, earning nearly $10 million in total.
Paddock was also a licensed pilot with two planes and held a hunting license in Alaska.
After becoming a millionaire, Paddock supported his mother and brothers, lifting the family out of the hardship caused by their father's imprisonment.
In the eyes of colleagues, friends, and relatives, Stephen Paddock was introverted, quiet, unsociable, but not a bad person.
He had no criminal record.
Previously, Paddock had lived in Mesquite, Texas.
In 2013, he bought a house in Mesquite, Nevada—a town with the same name—and moved there.
Stephen Paddock was a gun enthusiast.
He was a regular at a local shop called "Guns and Guitars," buying firearms since 1982.
However, starting from October of the previous year, things seemed to change. He began buying guns frantically, continuing right up to the end of the month.
In just one short year, Paddock amassed 33 firearms, along with a massive stockpile of ammunition.
Paddock's behavior hadn't gone unnoticed by the gun shops; he claimed he was retiring there and picking up an old hobby from years ago, brushing off suspicions.
But Stephen Paddock had other intentions.
Time advanced to October 1.
This was the day of the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival at the Mandalay Bay Beach hotel grounds.
Nearly 20,000 tourists had gathered for the festivities.
Paddock woke early, first checking his luggage, then heading downstairs for a walk.
After strolling around the area, Paddock returned to his hotel room.
He calmly enjoyed lunch, watched some pay-per-view TV, then took a nap.
He slept deeply, not waking until 9:30 p.m.
Upon waking, Stephen Paddock pulled a drill from his luggage and began drilling into the wall.
He planned to install a hidden camera in the hotel hallway to monitor the area around his room.
Campos was a security guard at the Mandalay Bay Beach hotel.
That day, he received a complaint from a guest on the 32nd floor about a blocked door in the safety stairwell.
Campos went to the 32nd floor to check the blocked door.
The door was in a small room with two doors separating the stairwell from the hallway, right next to Paddock's room.
When Campos ascended from the 31st to the 32nd floor, he found it indeed blocked, so he took the elevator to the 32nd.
Then, Campos discovered a metal bracket jamming the door, preventing it from opening.
He picked up his radio to report the situation to security.
At that moment, he heard the sound of a drill coming from the adjacent room.
After reporting, Campos approached the door where the drilling noise originated and knocked.
"Sir, do you need any help?"
A second later, he heard hurried footsteps, followed by a burst of rapid gunfire from behind the door.
Campos immediately dropped to the ground, seeking cover.
He felt a burning sensation in his leg, and pulling up his pant leg, he saw blood.
He quickly used his radio to report that someone was firing shots.
At that point, Stephen Paddock continued shooting through the door outward, with one bullet striking Campos in the thigh.