On a regular Saturday morning in early May, a large crowd gathered in front of the Los Angeles Paya-Lein Convention Center. Two separate entrances saw groups of ordinary LA citizens and media reporters waiting to enter. Nearby, others had gathered, holding banners or signs, seemingly in support of the event being held.
Not far from the convention center, a group of X-Men fans were also holding an event, but their momentum paled in comparison, even though "Wolverine" had just been released this weekend.
Robert Barnes, a reporter from ABC News, stood among the crowd of media reporters, glancing around. The slow entry process due to the large number of reporters caused him to occasionally lift his camera to snap a few photos.
The lines of regular citizens, the massive posters above the convention center, and even the crowd of colleagues became the subjects of his camera.
Nearby, a live broadcast van from ABC's entertainment channel was transmitting real-time footage to countless households.
Robert Barnes knew well that, per Disney's request, ABC had a crew following Matthew Horner around 24/7.
His camera lens swept over the crowd, capturing signs that prominently supported women and children, immediately making it clear that this was a charity event.
After taking a few more shots, Robert Barnes finally approached the entrance of the convention center. Looking up, he noticed the massive banner above.
"We Stand with African Refugees on the Same Planet."
He lifted his camera once more to capture the image of the banner.
Barnes followed the group of reporters into the convention center, where a staff member led them into a large exhibition area. The space displayed numerous photos, all of which featured elderly, children, and women with dark skin, all looking severely malnourished and frail.
It was truly heartbreaking to see.
At that moment, the large screen in the exhibition hall lit up, displaying the silhouette of a person. After just one glance, Robert Barnes recognized the famous Matthew Horner, the organizer of this charitable exhibition.
He knew that the event was jointly hosted by the Matthew Horner Charity Foundation, the Matthew Horner Women and Children Foundation, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
With the UNHCR's involvement, the event naturally gained a high level of prestige.
"In today's world, as economic development accelerates and more regions prosper, many people enjoy better lives. Yet, in some places affected by war and natural disasters, many still live in extreme hardship. Let's take a look at the people in African refugee camps," Matthew Horner's voice narrated on the large screen.
Barnes stopped walking, paying close attention to the images flashing across the screen.
One after another, images of black individuals appeared, accompanied by Matthew's voiceover.
"Due to the lack of food, many children live in constant hunger, with little to eat each day. Here, we see a group of children sharing a small portion of food."
Barnes unconsciously widened his eyes. Was that filthy, grayish mass of stuff supposed to be food? Was there anything more disgusting? It was utterly tragic.
The food was covered in dust and dirt, yet the children ate it calmly, as though savoring a rare delicacy.
Watching this, Barnes felt something stir within him. As a father of two, he couldn't help but wonder—what would he do if his own children had to live like that?
The screen then showed a black mother sitting on the dirt, breastfeeding, while a four- or five-year-old nearby cried from hunger.
Matthew Horner's voiceover continued, "This mother is nursing her child, but without food to sustain her, her milk is insufficient. Still, the child cries in hunger, while the older sibling hasn't eaten in a long time either..."
Barnes felt a wave of sorrow. He glanced around and saw the solemn expressions on people's faces, with many of the children looking shocked, their mouths hanging open in disbelief that such horrors existed in the world.
But the images on the screen didn't stop. Next appeared a long line of children, their ribs visible through their skin, standing in line for food.
"These are children waiting for a meager portion of food, which may be their only sustenance. These refugees deserve more care. Every person has the right to a better life."
As the video looped, Barnes stopped watching and began looking at the photographs around the room. Each image was more shocking than the last. Living in a place like Los Angeles, it was impossible to imagine how people in those conditions survived.
More accurately, how they clung to life.
Barnes lifted his camera, snapping photos—these needed to be seen by more people.
The surrounding crowd buzzed with discussions, and though a few negative remarks could be heard, the majority of people seemed sympathetic.
After two rounds around the exhibition hall, Barnes proceeded to the next hall, which was similarly arranged but featured a photo wall of amateur shots of African children.
In this hall, there was also a large screen, but this time, it wasn't Matthew Horner on the screen; it was Paul Walker, narrating the living conditions of African children in another video.
The first person to appear in the video was a frail African child, so thin that it caused everyone to instinctively cover their mouths. Those with trypophobia looked away.
Listening to Paul Walker's narration, Barnes could only feel heartache.
"Why is this little boy so thin? You can count his ribs. Why are there so many mosquitoes and flies crawling over his body? Why doesn't he try to swat them away? Is he too weak from hunger to wave his hand, or has he become so accustomed to their presence? Perhaps these insects are the only companions he has during a childhood devoid of joy or play. He has become used to their existence."
The images on the screen sent chills down the viewers' spines, leaving them to wonder whether that skeletal boy would eventually be consumed by the insects.
Trembling, Barnes left the hall and entered the next.
Though he had never been to Africa, he had heard about some of the conditions there from news reports and colleagues who had worked in the region. Yet, compared to what he saw today, those reports seemed like descriptions of paradise.
If there is a hell on Earth, these people are living in it.
They deserve more help. They deserve to live better than this.
With that thought, Barnes moved to the next hall, carefully observing each one.
Soon, he noticed something—each hall had a different person speaking on the screens. Matthew Horner, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Gal Gadot, Daniel Wu, and Justin Lin were among the familiar faces.
Wasn't this the cast of "Fast & Furious 4"?
Barnes wasn't the only one with this thought. Others around him were murmuring, recognizing the actors from "Fast & Furious 4."
As a journalist, Barnes quickly realized that "Fast & Furious 4" was using this opportunity for promotional purposes.
But he couldn't muster any resentment, as the event had not mentioned "Fast & Furious 4" even once, yet it naturally brought the film to mind.
Besides, promoting the film made sense. In a world where doing good without conditions rarely lasted, doing good with incentives could make it more sustainable.
Matthew Horner was donating all the profits from "Fast & Furious 4." Was it so wrong to mention the film?
There are no saints in this world.
As Barnes reached the exit of the hall, he saw large donation boxes. There was no obligation to donate—those who wanted to could do so, and those who didn't were free to leave.
The staff also collected contact information from donors, promising to update them on how the donations would be used.
Moved by the images and videos in the exhibition, many people lined up to donate. All eight donation stations had long queues. Barnes joined one of the lines and donated five hundred dollars before leaving the exhibition.
"Amanda..."
From the second floor of the Paya-Lein Convention Center, Matthew watched the crowd flowing out of the exit and said, "Make sure this money is donated strictly according to the law. Everything must be above board."
Amanda gently stroked her short blonde hair and replied, "I know. Don't worry."
Matthew nodded slightly. This large-scale charity event, which also had a promotional aspect, required clear financial transparency.
This was a carefully planned campaign by him and Amanda to promote "Fast & Furious 4" and enhance his public image. The purpose was to remind people that by watching "Fast & Furious 4," they were helping suffering African refugees, supporting women and children, and exhibiting a great sense of internationalism. They were not racists but advocates of racial equality—a fact worthy of applause.
Often, subtle psychological influences can directly affect a person's choice to see a film.
While Matthew and Amanda continued managing the "We Stand with African Refugees on the Same Planet" charity event, elsewhere in Los Angeles, a typical apartment building housed a scene that was far from ordinary. A Latino man, common to the streets of LA, knocked and entered a room.
"So?" a bald man inside asked, "Is it confirmed?"
The unremarkable Latino man nodded, "Our guess was right—the bodyguard is on vacation."
The bald man rubbed his head. "We've been waiting a long time, and finally, we have our chance."
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