Shia LaBeouf sat inside a temporary police tent on the film set, his face bruised and battered.
Outside, the sky was gradually brightening with the first light of dawn. But when Shia learned that the robbers had targeted the [British National Coordination Fund], a chill ran down his spine. Robbing a bank was one thing, but stealing from a national fund was far more serious—it directly impacted public welfare.
Fortunately, half an hour earlier, the last fleeing robber had been shot dead on his way to the outskirts of London.
When Shia found out that a substitute player for Manchester United had saved him, he felt genuine gratitude.
From the way the robbers had retreated last night, it was clear they hadn't planned to let the hostages go easily. If it hadn't been for Claire Lee engaging them in a fight, who knows what might have happened to the captives?
"Hey, it's hard to believe a footballer could have such quick reflexes!"
"If Claire Lee plays for United again, I'm betting on them to win. With reactions like that, no way City stands a chance!"
Shia nodded in agreement as he overheard two officers nearby watching the footage.
When the robbers had stormed in, the crew had been filming the finale of [Transformers: UK Special Edition]. In their haste, the criminals hadn't noticed that four cameras were rolling.
Three of the tapes had been destroyed, but one background camera kept recording until the police arrived. That footage had been preserved as key evidence—though by now, it had been reviewed countless times.
Every officer involved in the case had watched it at least once.
And without fail, they all praised Claire Lee, the substitute player from Manchester United.
Shia had done the same. He also felt a surge of relief that he'd resisted when the robbers first burst in.
If he'd chosen to hide, who knew when this footage might've been leaked by the all-powerful media? If that happened, his career would've been ruined. He might not even be sitting here now, waiting for the U.S. officials to arrange his return.
As for the civilians who hadn't resisted, no one blamed them. But after a short rest, Shia heard from an officer that Brian Austin Green had been secretly kicked a few times by cops before the medics took him away.
Every officer could tell from the footage that he had "conveniently fainted."
"Your breakfast, Mr. LaBeouf. And some good news—your crew might become famous across Europe. Mr. Spielberg is currently representing you all in media interviews. Many people have expressed admiration for your bravery in confronting the robbers."
Shia looked up at the blushing female officer and smiled. "Oh, thanks. What about Claire? The guy who saved us?"
The officer immediately straightened up, adjusting her ill-fitting uniform. "He's a hero! Since the footage can't be released publicly, we're keeping his identity under wraps for his safety. But the Mayor of London has already visited him personally—along with many others, including his notoriously stingy boss, Malcolm Glazer. And his teammates showed up early this morning. I even saw Ronaldo looking like he was about to cry from worry."
"A selfless hero like that is bound to have good connections," Shia remarked between bites of his breakfast. As he listened to the commotion outside, he noticed a slip of paper tucked beneath his meal—a phone number.
Shia had always been wary of such advances. Sure, he was a playboy, but he knew where to draw the line.
After the officer who'd taken his statement left the tent following a phone call, Shia rubbed his face in frustration.
Having witnessed the entire ordeal, he was certain that without Claire Lee's intervention, they might've suffered unspeakable humiliation—or worse. As someone who believed in repaying debts of gratitude, Shia was eager to do something for the man who'd saved his life.
Spielberg hadn't rushed into the tent to check on him, choosing instead to handle the media. But Shia wasn't angry—that was just Hollywood. A ruthless, cutthroat world.
And Shia knew this was a golden PR opportunity. If played right, it could help him break into the European market. Even though Megan Fox and her boyfriend hadn't come off looking great in all this, Shia knew Viacom—America's third-largest media conglomerate—could easily spin the narrative.
After all, turning black into white was their specialty.
Shia's gaze fell on the stack of tapes and film reels piled near a CD player. He was deep in thought.
He wanted to thank Claire Lee. But he also wanted to maximize his gains from this situation.
In 2006, as Hollywood faced a generational shift, the young actors who rose to the top weren't just lucky—they knew how to play the game. Capital and connections mattered, but so did performance and timing.
And this time, luck seemed to be on his side.
The tapes showed him leading the crew in resisting the robbers. Even though they'd failed, he'd still come off as a hero. If he could get copies of the police-seized footage to his parent company or Paramount, they could work wonders with it.
As for Claire Lee, the real hero of the footage? With the right push, he might even receive an honor from the Queen. Shia had heard from veterans in the British entertainment industry:
"The Royal Family, eager to boost their PR, has decided to award several medals around the time of the Prime Minister's transition this year."
With that in mind, Shia slowly pulled out his phone and turned on the camera.