When the police entered the MGM headquarters building, the paparazzi waiting outside instantly went wild.
Flash, flash, flash, flash.
Even in broad daylight, the camera flashes were incredibly dazzling. This photo, along with a pre-prepared article, was quickly sent out.
At the same time, phone calls spread like a spiderweb, and hundreds of cars were rushing towards the location, forming a large net to surround Eric.
The security guards, seeing the long and short lenses set up at the entrance and hundreds of paparazzi, all stood by anxiously.
Seeing such a huge spectacle, many pedestrians also gradually gathered. Watching a show is human nature, regardless of nationality or race.
"Mr. Cooper, you can speak the truth in your office. We really didn't intend to get involved in this matter."
"But the pressure from public opinion is immense, and the state government cannot ignore public sentiment. We can only do this, and we ask for your understanding."
"But I can assure you that the Los Angeles judicial system has no stance. We will only deal with facts and report only the truth."
"If you are innocent, then you are innocent, OK?"
Eric had anticipated the Prosecutor's visit. The Big Six had hired an unknown number of internet trolls to smear him, and with the hype from TV stations and newspapers, the government was bound to take action.
In electoral politics, you must be accountable to your constituents, or you will be ousted.
"It's for work, and I understand your situation very well. I also hope to clear my name with an official statement," Eric said, standing up.
Seeing that he had no intention of resisting, the other party breathed a sigh of relief. As a major taxpayer and a celebrity with power and influence, the police generally didn't want to provoke him.
"Thank you for your cooperation. Let's go. Of course, you can bring your lawyer."
When they walked out the door, they were met with countless camera flashes.
Even though Eric was used to this feeling, this time it was excessive; he found it dazzling, let alone others.
The paparazzi swarmed forward, trying to surround the group, but the security guards immediately formed a human wall to block them.
They barraged him with questions, but Eric couldn't be bothered to respond, getting into his car and heading to the police station.
The best way to deal with this situation is to say nothing. Anything you say will be twisted, and his lawyer had always reminded him of this.
Seeing that they couldn't get the answers they wanted, the paparazzi could only frantically get into their cars and follow.
Suddenly, a luxurious car chase unfolded on the streets of Los Angeles.
Leading the way was a police car, followed by a Lincoln sedan, and not far behind the sedan were hundreds of various vehicles.
Many paparazzi directly opened their sunroofs, carrying cameras and camcorders, live-streaming the scene ahead.
Rumble.
In the sky, several helicopters bearing the ABC, FOX, and NBC logos hovered, also filled with paparazzi, filming the panoramic view from an overhead perspective.
To cover breaking news, especially hot and urgent scenes, major TV stations are equipped with helicopters.
After receiving news of the police visit, these guys immediately smelled blood. They had to make the matter bigger, to let the United States see Eric Cooper being taken into the police station.
At the same time, they would use the power of public opinion to continue pressuring the judicial authorities. Even if Eric was truly innocent, they would tarnish his reputation by three points.
"Boss, after so many years, I swear I've never experienced such a grand scene in my career!" Peter said in astonishment, looking at the endless convoy behind them.
"Interesting, isn't it?" Eric smiled.
"Boss, you can still find the mood to smile? Aren't you worried? Look at those guys, they look like they want to eat people!"
"Eat people? That's the right word. Some people want to devour me alive. They want to dismember MGM and Lionheart Network, and they want to drive me out of Hollywood."
Peter frowned, "I hope that doesn't happen. If you leave, Boss, where will I find a job with such excellent benefits?"
Hahahahaha.
"Don't worry, I won't fall, and you won't lose your job."
"Of course, I always have absolute confidence in you!"
He looked down at his phone; various messages kept coming in. Nicole, Theron, Ashley, and Mary all sent texts.
The content was largely similar, all reminding him to be careful, not to speak carelessly, to follow his lawyer's arrangements, and not to easily trust the police, among other things.
Although they still hadn't given Eric a good look, their attitudes had softened somewhat after the man's persistent and thick-skinned pleas, and they agreed to come over for dinner tomorrow night.
"Ben, come and see, there's a good show on TV. All the major TV stations are live-streaming."
"What?"
"A car chase, hundreds of cars chasing each other on the streets of Los Angeles, with helicopters in the sky. What's going on?"
A middle-aged white man walked out of the restroom, looking at the TV screen in surprise: "OMG! This scene reminds me of the O.J. Simpson murder case. Do you remember that day?"
"I remember, I remember very clearly. That was a big day, it shocked the whole world in 1994."
"That day was as lively as today. Who are they chasing?"
"Eric Cooper, a big shot in Hollywood, who is said to have sexually assaulted minors and done many disgusting things."
"Is it this young man? I've been seeing news about him these past few days. Didn't they say he was innocent?"
"Innocent? How could he be innocent? These people with power always try every means to bully the weak. They are all bad guys!"
"I don't think so. Your view is clearly biased. You can't jump to conclusions without evidence."
"I think there will be evidence soon. Do you think Eric Cooper can still walk out of the police station?"
"Then I'd really like to see that. Want a soda? We can drink while we watch."
"Alright."
During the live broadcasts of various TV stations, the number of viewers soared. Even though it wasn't a holiday and it was still daytime, the audience quickly surpassed 30 million people and continued to surge.
At the police station, after parking the car, Eric followed Leonard inside.
The paparazzi were not allowed to enter, so they surrounded the area outside, aiming their cameras at the front and back doors to prevent Eric from disappearing.
At the same time, many onlookers continued to gather, among whom were quite a few protesters.
They gathered in small groups, holding signs and wearing clothes printed with the words "Punish Sex Offenders," standing outside and shouting slogans.
Through the glass, Eric looked at the scene outside and sneered, "If these people aren't hired by The Big Six, I'll twist off my head!"
Gadot said with worry, "Eric, I have a bad feeling. Luckily, I found a temporary place to stay, otherwise it would have been terrible."
"What? Were you attacked?"
"No, but my apartment was hit with stones. My landlord called me."
Eric held her in his arms. Gadot struggled a few times, but her strength didn't seem as great as that day.
"I've always been worried about this happening. Don't live there anymore. I bought you a house; you can move in."
Click, the door opened, and Prosecutor Leonard walked in. The two separated.
"Mr. Cooper, Ms. Gadot, are you ready?"
The two nodded, then, accompanied by their lawyers, they were questioned separately. These were all routine questions, mainly for record-keeping.
More than an hour later, both of them underwent polygraph tests.
Polygraph testing is currently the most convenient and effective method, as medicine can only repair the hymen and has not yet advanced to the point where it can detect when it was broken.
Testimonies also have the possibility of collusion, so using a polygraph is the best way to distinguish truth from falsehood.
The working principle of this device is also very simple: it records various physiological reactions that occur during changes in a person's emotions, such as breathing, pulse, frequency, blood pressure, and skin moisture.
Most people, when lying or influenced by emotionally charged words, will experience a series of changes in their nervous system functions, which is a type of conditioned reflex.
Unless one has undergone rigorous training or possesses exceptionally strong psychological qualities, ordinary people cannot control their stress responses, thus the detection success rate is over 85%.
However, polygraph results are not admissible as court evidence, as even a 1% error cannot be used as evidence for conviction or acquittal.
Eric was also eager to clarify, and since he and Gadot had clear consciences, taking a polygraph was a good idea.
"Mr. Cooper, Ms. Gadot, congratulations on passing the polygraph. It seems the controversy can end here."
Leonard breathed a sigh of relief after seeing the results. No one in the entire police department's upper echelons wanted Eric to actually be a minor sex offender, as that would lead to very troublesome consequences.
Facing such a super-rich person, and with the woman's willing participation, the judicial process would be very difficult to implement. At that time, the pressure from public opinion would also be immense, making it a complete hot potato.
Everything being peaceful was the best outcome.
"So, it's over?" Eric asked.
"I think so. Many people want to know the results, and the Los Angeles Police Department is happy to help you clarify."
Eric said with a chuckle, "This is an interesting experience. I never thought I'd be polygraphed one day. To be honest, it was quite fun."
"An unexpected answer, Mr. Cooper!"
"Because we have clear consciences, and I suddenly had an idea: I want to create a variety show, centered around polygraph testing."
"Ah?"
Everyone, including Gadot, looked bewildered and didn't react, as his thought process was too bizarre.
Brother, do you know that you are currently a suspect? Do you know that you are being criticized by society? How did you jump to TV variety shows? Where did you get the mood?
"A show? What kind of show?"
"It will use uncovering people's secrets as its selling point, by asking sharp questions one by one, guiding them to tell the truth. Isn't that interesting?"
"Mr. Leonard, when you conduct polygraphs, do you ever imagine using them on ordinary people to explore the deepest secrets of their hearts?"
"Uh, occasionally. After all, everyone has curiosity, and everyone loves to explore. Moreover, my profession includes this element."
"No, this isn't exploration. This is tearing open other people's scars and finding joy in it. I think everyone will love this show."
Everyone was speechless, yet they vaguely felt that this was indeed a great gimmick.
Watching others suffer is inherently a joyful thing. Isn't that how comedy movie plots work? Only when the characters in it are unlucky do the audience laugh heartily.
At this moment, the area outside the police station was completely surrounded, and everyone was waiting for an answer.
As Eric and Gadot appeared, the clamor immediately reached a climax.
"Sex offender! Sex offender! Sex offender!" someone shouted loudly, leading the charge.
"Mr. Prosecutor, has Eric Cooper confessed?"
"He is a criminal who sexually assaulted minors, right?"
"The public wants social justice, and even more, they hope the law can punish bad people!"
Prosecutor Leonard took the microphone and said, "Everyone, quiet! Please be quiet!"
"We have already conducted polygraph tests on Eric Cooper and Gal Gadot. Now I am going to announce the results. Please be quiet!"
The scene immediately fell silent. In front of their televisions, tens of millions of viewers watched this moment simultaneously.
In the camera, Eric's expression was calm, giving people the feeling that everything was under control, like a mountain collapsing before him without changing his expression.
"After the polygraph, Mr. Cooper is innocent. He and Ms. Gadot are in a normal loving relationship. That is the result!"
"No!"
Not hearing the desired result, many people immediately started shouting again.
"Down with corruption! Down with privilege!"
"Down with corruption! Down with privilege!"
"Down with corruption! Down with privilege!"
At this point, the police had done what they should. Seeing that these unruly citizens were still not giving up and showing signs of causing trouble, many police officers immediately rolled up their sleeves, ready to forcibly disperse them.
"May I say a few words?"
At this moment, Eric suddenly took the microphone and spoke.
He looked provocatively at the crowd below: "I know what you want to do. I know why you are gathered here. You want to label me as a criminal, even if it's false."
"But this country is governed by law, and it's not about who shouts the loudest. The law proves I did nothing wrong, and I am innocent. No matter how much you slander me, I am still innocent."
"But on the contrary, some people and some things in this society are not clean. That is the real gathering place for sex crimes, even including a large number of minor sex crimes."
"Now, I will reveal it to the United States audience!"
No sooner had Eric finished speaking than a large number of people carrying cameras suddenly emerged from all directions on the periphery, quickly forming a counter-encirclement of reporters from various TV stations and newspapers.
Under the camera, every station logo was clearly visible: New York Times, Washington Post, ABC, CBS, FOX.
At the same moment, Lionheart Network's live broadcast interface suddenly popped up, sending notifications to all users.
This feeling of being placed in the spotlight made many paparazzi very uncomfortable.
Normally, they were the ones exposing others, but at this moment, they felt as if they were about to be stripped bare.
Paparazzi with high authority immediately tried to close the TV live stream, while those with lower authority hastily asked their superiors for instructions.
Watching these guys fumbling around, Eric loudly declared, "Now, all the media in the United States are here. I don't want to name them one by one, but I must tell you, you are all already on Lionheart Network's live broadcast."
"The media's responsibility is to expose darkness and uphold justice. If you close the live broadcast now, if you dare not convey what I say to the audience in front of their televisions..."
"Then it proves that you have something to hide, that you have abandoned the impartial stance a media outlet should have, or have you become a tool to attack others?"
"Now is the time to prove to the United States audience whether your credibility exists!"