[Chapter 470: Give Me Half an Hour]
At Venice Beach, a brand-new multi-purpose RV pulled into the parking lot, stopping in front of Frank's makeshift camp.
Once Edward opened the door, Hawke stepped down from the vehicle and shouted toward the RV, "Old bastard, hurry up and get out here, your charity rescue has arrived."
Frank stepped out of his old RV, flanked by two women dressed in red.
With an arm around each, he asked Hawke, "Want me to write you a thank-you letter? Or maybe get a bunch of media here to take photos and do a story?"
Hawke waved his hand casually. "No need for all that trouble. Just make us a nice dinner."
Edward jumped down from the RV and said, "Where's your grill? Hurry up and set it up. Tonight's dinner is at your place."
Frank snorted coldly. "The grill's out of fuel. Go pick some cotton to start the fire."
The billionaire Edward was so furious he put his hands on his hips and spun around in circles as if about to blow his top.
"Look, he's getting worked up," Frank laughed heartily. To Aurora and Meihua, who were still clinging to him, he said, "The savior can't even get cotton, let alone save the world."
Edward flipped him off and said, "I've already looked into it. You once had a relationship with African-American actress Angela Bassett. Is she your ex-wife?"
Frank's face darkened immediately, and he quickly changed the subject. "If you want to do the grilling, that's fine. But what about the ingredients?"
Hawke nodded toward the new RV. "There's fresh stuff in the fridge."
Frank patted Aurora and Meihua on the backsides, saying, "Time to show off your skills."
The two female lifeguards from Venice Beach climbed onto the RV together.
Hawke looked surprised and asked Edward, "Frank always keeps his mouth shut. How did you find this out?"
"A few days ago, I stopped by the set of Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible. I ran into Angela Bassett," Edward chuckled. "She asked if I knew Frank, the drifter at Venice Beach. I asked a bit, and she said she used to be really close with him."
Hawke suddenly remembered the Mission: Impossible series had featured a black female CIA director. Could it be her?
Edward stared at Frank and grinned lecherously, "Angela said she's divorced and is raising a daughter on her own. Hahaha."
Frank turned and ran back to the old RV, coming down with a kitchen knife in hand.
Edward pointed at him and said, "See? As soon as you mention it, you get worked up. You're not that young anymore, stop pulling out knives so easily."
"Stop talking nonsense," Frank said, holding the knife pointed toward Edward. "Hurry up and bring down the grill."
Edward got on the RV and took down the grill and kitchen table.
Frank brought out some chilled beer and sat with Hawke under the umbrella, looking at the new RV.
From the outside, it looked like a luxury bus.
"How much does a vehicle like this cost?" Frank asked.
"Less than half a million dollars," Hawke said. He was a man of standards. Frank had looked after him back then, and now he was taking care of Frank. "Part of the money from the charity foundation I set up must go to charity. Instead of giving it to strangers, I'm giving it to you."
Frank looked at the luxury RV and said, "At my age, I've seen everything. I'm not worried about my pride getting hurt."
Hawke smiled, "The foundation owns the RV. You only have usage rights."
"That's better," Frank relaxed.
Hawke finally asked without curiosity, "Did you really marry a black woman back then?"
Frank put on a domineering tone, "Life is short. If I had the chance, of course, I wanted to experience all kinds of flavors. Women are one of a man's forever pursuits -- black, white, brown, yellow. As long as she was beautiful, I tried."
Hawke admitted to himself that he wasn't as bold as Frank.
...
On the luxury RV, Aurora and Meihua were organizing the ingredients in the fridge.
Meihua whispered, "We're supposed to find a way to get close to Hawke and find out about that Satanic video. Today's a good opportunity."
Aurora was more cautious. "Don't bring up that topic. We don't know Hawke well. Asking recklessly will just raise suspicion. I'm very careful. Today, I'll only do what needs to be done."
Meihua agreed, "Got it. I won't say anything reckless."
These two women had known Frank for over half a year, but it was mostly just playing games with the old man. They couldn't get any useful information because he never talked to them.
...
They set up the grill, and Aurora and Meihua cut the meat while Frank took charge of grilling.
The group sat together chatting and eating.
Aurora and Meihua avoided any sensitive topics until the conversation turned to the upcoming film The Los Angeles Fires.
Frank said, "Those days, I sat on top of the RV looking north; the sky was completely red. At one point, I thought it might burn this way."
He had also seen the movie trailer. "When's the premiere? I'll go watch. It's been years since I've been to a theater."
Hawke put down his empty skewer and said to Edward, "Arrange to get some premiere tickets sent over."
Aurora quickly chimed in, "We haven't been to a premiere before. Can we go?"
Meihua looked hopeful, "We have friends whose houses burned to ashes in the fire."
Hawke wasn't bothered by such a small matter. He said, "No problem. Savior, have Emerson's studio send a few premiere tickets."
Edward called Eric directly.
The Los Angeles Fires had a production budget of $160 million, so naturally, there would be a grand premiere.
As one of the official investors, Hawke could make such demands.
Paramount planned to release the film to 3,950 theaters nationwide.
After the barbecue dinner, Hawke and Edward left Venice Beach.
Aurora and Meihua stayed behind to help Frank move his few belongings from the old RV to the new luxury RV.
The new RV was fully equipped and even solar-powered.
Aurora and Meihua stayed overnight in the RV.
---
Early the next morning, Aurora spoke quietly with a man on the way back to the lifeguard station.
The man then called the Saint in Beverly Hills, who was returning to Ocean Park Avenue.
They had set up an observation point there but kept it away from the Coast Tower due to a Russian spy incident.
---
In a villa on 14th Street, Santa Monica,
A middle-aged white man named Adams and a woman arrived by car, which drove straight into the yard.
Inside, Adams asked, "Scar, have you gathered any useful info dispersing out there?"
Scar, a man with a visible scar on his neck, said, "Not yet. Coast Tower has tight security and cameras everywhere. I analyzed the footage: there are two types of surveillance systems. Hacking the visible ones triggers alarms from the hidden ones."
The woman added, "Hawke Osment travels in the highest-level bulletproof car, followed by two teams of bodyguards, maybe even a third. We dare not get close. We watch from as far away as possible. Getting close too long risks exposure."
Adams frowned, "This mission's tough."
"Why not go to his house directly?"
Adams shook his head, "It's a gated community. Hard for outsiders to get in. He has private security and systems. Acting rashly will alert him."
Scar said, "We're too restrained. It's too much trouble."
Adams was cautious. "This isn't New York. This is Los Angeles. If we get exposed, none of us will get away."
He reminded them, "Money's good, but you need to survive. I have solid info: when Hawke Osment was attacked in Africa, he had less than 20 men and wiped out nearly 100 armed convoy men driving Hummers."
The heated minds in the room instantly cooled down.
Adams stressed again, "Work hard but keep yourself safe."
No one said more.
Adams sent everyone to their tasks and went to another room to contact Abedin.
---
Century City, Beverly Business Club.
Rooney Chasen, director of BWR PR, entered the salon with Edward guiding her.
Hawke was waiting there.
Rooney got straight to the point, "The task you gave me is progressing steadily."
She handed Hawke a few newspapers and video printouts. "This is the section about Natalie Portman."
This event was sure to attract attention, and Natalie Portman had prepared meticulously. Hawke approved. "Good."
Rooney continued, "On LGBTQ issues, Scarlett Johansson is very active. She's in San Francisco, fighting alongside Steve Nutt, and has become one of Hollywood's representative actresses for the cause."
Hawke had seen the news and heard Steve mention it.
Scarlett was active not out of sympathy or true advocacy but because she was currently in a queer phase. Since joining LGBTQ activism, she had received rich rewards.
She landed a role in Mission: Impossible 3, reopening commercial big productions for her.
Her popularity surged on Twitter, significantly boosting her visibility and influence.
Once you benefit from this, there's no turning back, especially given today's social environment.
Rooney mentioned next, "Blake Lively isn't very interested and hasn't responded, but I contacted Captain Johnny Depp. He's publicly supported LGBTQ. Disney praised his actions."
Hawke recalled things and marveled, "Disney is always at the forefront of social movements."
In the previous life, Disney was the most radical LGBTQ supporter in entertainment and also suffered the biggest losses.
To be clear, it's fine to use LGBTQ causes socially. But expecting this roughly 5% population to support commercial movies is wishful thinking.
Many in this group were genuine paupers.
Rooney admitted she was puzzled by Disney's strategy. "Disney announced yesterday that Captain Jack Sparrow shouldn't be easily defined. He's a queer living in the Age of Exploration, a minority not accepted by mainstream society."
Hawke said, "Disney is riding the LGBTQ wave."
Pirates of the Caribbean 3 had left theaters but DVDs were about to be released. Beyond traditional audiences, Disney wanted to attract a new crowd.
"Emma Watson just arrived in LA," Rooney mentioned another key figure Hawke planned to support. "She's 16 this year and eager to break free from family control. I persuaded her and her agent. Emma is clear about joining LGBTQ activism soon."
Hawke nodded in satisfaction, "Good work."
Rooney's efficiency mainly came from Hawke's acquisition of BWR PR through an offshore Cayman Islands investment foundation.
Besides unconventional work, BWR PR handled regular PR for The Los Angeles Fires awards season.
Since the acquisition, Rooney's position in the company wasn't weakened but strengthened. A VP who tried to challenge her was fired.
Hawke never held back support for capable people.
Rooney also planned to select more suitable people from other clients for further work.
---
Burbank, Warner Bros Studios.
The fifth Harry Potter film premiere was held here.
Many fans dressed in wizard robes gathered to interact with the production team.
The most popular wasn't JK Rowling or Daniel Radcliffe but Emma Watson, whose beauty grew with age.
Ever since the first two Harry Potter films, Emma had millions of adoring fans.
As years passed, she gradually suffered from the princess syndrome. But the series had already filmed four movies; swapping actors would be too costly and risky.
During a photo session, a PR from BWR PR whispered to Emma.
Emma had already coordinated with Rooney.
...
Soon, two cross-dressing transgender individuals approached the backdrop.
JK Rowling was nearby and, seeing the two approaching Emma, worried they'd scare her and quickly pulled her behind, saying, "Be careful."
Emma was ready to snap but recognized Rowling and smiled, "I'm fine."
She pointed at the two, "Ms. Taylor and Ms. Gomez are my fans and my sisters."
The two, dressed as women, seemed excited to be recognized. "Can we take a photo with you?"
"Of course," Emma stepped forward, linked arms, and stood intimately in front of the Harry Potter backdrop. Shouting to the photographer, "Robert, can you take some pictures for us?"
The photographer took several shots.
Rowling watched from nearby, feeling something was off.
The scene drew many journalists' attention.
Dozens of cameras quickly turned toward them, and Emma easily stole the spotlight.
After the photos, Emma had her assistant get their names, phone numbers, and contacts. When the photos were printed, they'd be mailed to them.
The two left smiling.
...
Interviewed by reporters, Emma expressed support for minorities, referring to the two individuals using "she" and "her" pronouns.
Everyone has their own way of promoting themselves. At 16, Emma made her first independent choice.
After the event, people left.
...
Rowling waited for Emma and walked with her. Seeing no one around, she warned, "Dear, you should stay away from controversial people. Being too close can drag you into public scandals."
A few years ago, Emma would have listened obediently.
But after filming five Harry Potter films, the youngest actor had become a major star.
People change with fame, wealth, and environment.
Without hesitation, Emma said, "You can't refer to them as 'they.' They're my sisters."
Rowling, not an extremist feminist yet, was confused, "But they are who they are. Surgery doesn't truly change that, and some haven't had surgery."
Emma, finding a new argument after a small pause, said, "They were born male. Maybe it's God's mistake, not theirs..."
Rowling frowned, "You seem very different to me."
The Harry Potter films were still shooting, and Emma didn't want a rift with Rowling. She quickly reached out and linked arms with her. "Maybe I've grown up. People get strange ideas as they mature. So do I."
Rowling smiled, "Don't get the wrong idea." Then eased up, "I almost forgot, Emma's a 16-year-old girl now."
They looked like mother and daughter, got in the same car, and returned to their hotel.
Soon, Emma Watson's public support for LGBTQ spread across the US.
The British actress spoke on it in subsequent events and said she wanted to raise funds for the UK LGBTQ community.
---
Meanwhile, SugarBaby, the company newly moved to Silicon Beach, launched an LGBTQ section on its website.
This alternative social site, controlled by Hawke's overseas foundation and founded with Bart, Neville, and Zuckerberg, had grown considerably over the past year.
Over 400,000 SugarBaby content creators had works globally.
They included traditional San Valley artists, socialites like Kim Kardashian, and many pure amateurs dreaming of making money.
SugarBaby provided women a low-cost startup platform with almost no risk of loss.
It must be said, these kinds of startups were very easy.
And they helped certain groups gain true independence.
Paid SugarDaddy users were nearly 4.5 million worldwide.
This industry's growth was astonishingly fast.
Recent big moves included launching an LGBTQ-exclusive section and Zuckerberg pushing to take the site public.
Zuckerberg took a very different path from the previous life and claimed he'd completely change San Valley's industry model.
As for the LGBTQ section, while many posted works, most views were concentrated on the lesbian content.
After all, many straight men also appreciated that content.
Hawke supported SugarBaby's IPO, but sites like this rarely got approved easily.
Bart and Neville were negotiating this.
Hawke introduced them to Merrill Lynch, who had the experience and ideas.
---
As October approached, Rooney Chasen came quietly to Hawke.
This time, she was preparing for feminism: "I've communicated with Natalie Portman. Next month at Harvard, besides studies and acting, her speech will focus on feminism and veganism. She asked me to draft her speech on that."
Hawke understood. "You can't write it?"
Rooney forced a smile, "I know little about this and fear I can't do it justice."
Hawke thought a moment, then said, "I'll find someone to do it."
He called Caroline. "If you're free, come by. I need you to do something personally."
...
Caroline was quick and soon arrived at Hawke's office.
She glanced at Rooney and smiled at her former boss and teacher, "What do you need?"
Hawke explained feminism and extreme veganism. Caroline had dealt with such messes before and quickly knew how to write. "Give me half an hour."
Rooney said, "No rush. Next week's fine."
Sitting at the assistant's computer, typing with fingers flying, Caroline stopped occasionally to think. In less than half an hour, she had written the speech.
After careful proofreading and having Hawke and Rooney check it, she printed it.
Rooney left pleased.
---
Hawke's phone rang.
It was Brian. "I spoke with Arnie and Stallone. They're not opposed to working with us. They'll attend The Los Angeles Fires premiere, and we can talk after."
Hawke agreed, "Good."
Their attendance signified possibilities for collaboration.
*****
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