Captain Davies' weary pronouncement – "It's going to be a very long day" – hung in the air as the local news continued its breathless report, complete with the grainy security footage that had just turned Alex Hayes' life upside down. The other officers in the bullpen were still glued to the screen, murmuring amongst themselves. Alex felt a cold knot tighten in his stomach. Privacy was gone. Control was lost.
His first instinct, sharp and immediate, was family. He needed to let them know he was okay before they saw this. Excusing himself quietly, he stepped back into the relative privacy of Captain Davies' office, gesturing mutely for permission to use the phone again. Davies nodded, understanding dawning in his eyes.
The first call was the hardest. His father, John Hayes. Alex kept it brief, focusing on the essentials. "Dad... something happened. There was an incident, a robbery. I'm completely fine, not hurt at all. It's... well, it's on the news now, so I wanted you to hear it from me first. I'm okay." He listened for a moment to the calm, assessing questions from the other end – his father, the former SEAL, processing threat and response even over the phone – before reassuring him again and promising to call back later with more details.
Next, Nancy. He quickly updated her, confirming the news was indeed out and spreading fast. "Okay, Alex. Stay there. Don't leave the station until we figure out the safest way. I'm coordinating with the studio, PR is drafting statements. Just... breathe. You did good, kiddo, you are safe. It's all that matters. "
Finally, Phoebe. Hearing her worried voice, Alex felt a pang of guilt for putting her through this. "Pheebs, it's me. Yeah, I saw it too. I'm okay, really. Just shaken up. No, totally unharmed. I'll explain later. I'm still at the station." He offered reassurances, trying to downplay the danger now that it was past, before ending the call.
He hung up, feeling drained. The calls had been necessary, grounding, but they also underscored the magnitude of what had happened and its inevitable repercussions. Just as he was about to step out, the Captain's desk phone rang again. Davies answered, listened, then held the receiver out to Alex. "It's for you. Michael Ovitz."
Alex took the phone, a sense of inevitability settling over him. Of course. The head of CAA, the architect of so many careers, wouldn't miss an angle like this.
"Alex," Ovitz's voice was smooth, devoid of panic, carrying only a calm intensity. "I've just seen the reports coming out of Chicago. First, and most importantly, are you unharmed?"
"Yes, Michael. Completely," Alex replied, matching the calm tone.
"Good. That's paramount," Ovitz said, though Alex could almost hear the gears turning. "Alex, this is... an extraordinary event. The footage is incredibly compelling. While your safety is the priority, we also have to consider the narrative. This incident, handled correctly, could be… beneficial."
Alex bristled slightly. "Beneficial? Michael, I just had guns pointed at me."
"I understand the gravity, Alex, believe me," Ovitz said, his voice placating but firm. "But the reality is, this story is out there. People are seeing you not just as an actor, but as someone decisive, capable, heroic even. In Hollywood, perception is reality. We can either let the tabloids run wild with speculation, or we can shape the narrative. Think about '10 Things I Hate About You' releasing in November. Think about 'Risky Business'. This level of public interest... it's rocket fuel, Alex."
Alex closed his eyes. He hated this part of the business – the calculation, the spin. He wanted the work to speak for itself. But he wasn't naive. He knew Ovitz was right. In the cutthroat world they operated in, momentum was everything. A 'hero actor' narrative, however uncomfortable, was powerful publicity that money couldn't easily buy. He thought of the films, the crews, the expectations.
"What do you have in mind?" Alex asked, the reluctance heavy in his voice.
"A controlled release," Ovitz replied immediately, clearly having anticipated this. "Confirming the basic facts, emphasizing your quick thinking under pressure. And highlighting your background. People are already asking how you did what you did. We provide the answer. CAA is preparing a backgrounder for the press – confirming your extensive martial arts training. Your 3rd Dan Black Belt in Wado-Ryu Karate, the 2nd Dan in Goju-Ryu, your 1st Dan in Taekwondo, your proficiency in Krav Maga. It explains the 'how,' adds credibility, and shifts the focus from chaotic violence to disciplined skill. It reinforces the image of control, capability."
Alex remained silent for a long moment, weighing his desire for privacy against the undeniable logic of Ovitz's strategy. It felt like a necessary evil, a bargain struck in the relentless currency of fame.
"Okay, Michael," Alex finally conceded, the words tasting like compromise. "Do it."
"Excellent," Ovitz said, satisfaction evident in his voice. "We'll handle it from here. You focus on cooperating with the police and staying safe. We'll manage the rest."
Alex hung up the phone, feeling a profound sense of having crossed another line. The quiet pride he'd felt earlier in his training serving its purpose was now tangled with the uncomfortable reality of that same training being packaged and sold as part of his public persona. He was no longer just Alex Hayes, the actor, or even Alex Hayes, the guy who survived a robbery. He was becoming a story, a commodity.
He took a deep breath, processing the conversation with Ovitz. The initial discomfort lingered, but a new resolve began to form. If his life was going to be turned into a public story – and it clearly was – then he would exert what little control he could. Letting CAA shape the narrative wasn't just about publicity for the movies; it was about ensuring the story told was one he could live with, one grounded in the reality of his training, not just sensationalism. If he was going to be defined by this incident, it would be on terms he, through his agency, approved.
And so it happened. By the next morning, the story was everywhere, dominating entertainment news segments on national channels and spilling onto the front pages of newspapers beyond Chicago. CAA, true to Ovitz's word, had moved swiftly and effectively. The narrative wasn't just "Movie Star Fights Robbers"; it was "Alex Hayes Uses Extensive Martial Arts Training to Defend Self and Others." Details of his black belts – 3rd Dan Wado-Ryu, 2nd Dan Goju-Ryu, 1st Dan Taekwondo, Krav Maga – were subtly woven into the reports, providing context and credibility. They painted him as capable and heroic, but crucially, they avoided the kind of over-the-top, unbelievable hype that would have felt false and ultimately damaging. It was controlled, strategic, and remarkably effective.
Watching a segment about himself on the Today show from his Chicago hotel room the next morning, Alex Hayes could only shake his head. Seeing the security footage replayed, followed by file photos of himself and graphics detailing his martial arts background, felt profoundly strange. It was him, but packaged for public consumption. A wry smile touched his lips as a distinctly Hollywood thought crossed his mind: Well, maybe this will at least sell a few more tickets for 'Fast Times' while it's still out there. The pragmatism of the business, it seemed, was as much a part of his reality now as the echo of violence from the two nights before.