The Wolf of Los Angeles

[Chapter 214: Dark Journey]

On the weekend, Eric Emerson's new film, Dark Journey, premiered at the New Beverly Cinema.

Hawke and Edward came to support the film, showing no interest in the red carpet and entering the theater through a side door instead.

Unexpectedly, they ran into the quirky director Quentin Tarantino at the entrance of the VIP room. He was engaged in a conversation with Dwayne Johnson's agent wife, Dany Garcia.

When Dany spotted Hawke, she wrapped up her chat with Quentin and came over to greet them.

Quentin, being his usual lively self, approached them, wanting to get to know the unfamiliar faces.

Dany did the introductions.

Quentin was a bit taken aback: "You're the founder of Twitter? I'm a faithful user of yours." He sincerely complimented, "The news you've put out is fascinating; even I, as an industry insider, find it quite engaging."

"Thanks for supporting Twitter," Hawke said politely, and he meant it. "I'm a fan of your work too; I really loved Pulp Fiction and From Dusk Till Dawn. I've seen them more than once."

Quentin, however, had another idea: "Twitter is a great promotional platform. My new film, Kill Bill, is set to premiere in October; how about we collaborate?"

Hawke thought for a moment and replied, "Sure, just have someone from your team come by Twitter to discuss."

Quentin exchanged business cards with him and moved on toward the other side.

...

Hawke cast a glance at Quentin's departing figure and remarked to Dany, "Eric's network is really expanding."

"That's not exactly true," Dany explained briefly. "Quentin is looking to buy this cinema. As long as he has time, he'll attend every premiere held here."

Edward whispered, "This guy has licked the feet of Frank's old lover."

Just then, Dwayne Johnson, who had just finished his walk down the red carpet, joined them.

He hurried over, hugging Hawke and Edward in turn, cheerfully saying, "It's been a while! When are we all getting together?"

Hawke asked, "Do you have any free time lately?"

Dwayne shook his head helplessly, "Don't even mention it. Filming, appearances, premieres -- I've been on a non-stop rollercoaster for the past six months."

He rubbed his increasingly thinning scalp and added, "I'm beginning to suspect I'll end up bald at this rate."

Hawke chimed in, "There's a saying back in my hometown: As your hair count decreases, it usually means you're getting stronger."

Dwayne thought about his good fortune over the past year and responded, "That makes a bit of sense."

Edward instinctively touched his own hair, debating whether he should get a bald cut.

Noticing that no one was around, Dwayne continued, "In a little while, I might be going for a $130 million A-list production. If things don't go well, I'll need your help."

Given that the business opportunity had presented itself, Hawke wouldn't refuse: "Just give me a call if you need anything."

Dany interjected, "I'll check in first about how the crew feels about him. If they're not interested, there's no use in trying harder."

Hawke agreed with that, just as he noticed someone entering the VIP room. He said, "If the competitor is him, I suggest we just concede right away."

Both Dwayne and Dany followed Hawke's gaze, and the newcomer was none other than Tom Cruise.

He had previously expressed admiration for Eric, and it seemed he was here to support the premiere of his new film.

Seeing a familiar face, Dwayne and Dany drifted off to another area.

...

Hawke wasn't very well-known, especially in Hollywood, so he appreciated the peace and quiet.

Edward glanced at Tom Cruise, now the center of attention, suddenly feeling a bit concerned for their old friend. He lowered his voice and said, "Boss, there's been a rumor in Hollywood that Tom Cruise might be a deeply hidden gay guy. Do you think he could develop a crush on Eric, like that Miller Collins?"

Upon hearing this, Hawke frowned slightly and replied, "That's a valid concern, but it shouldn't be much of one; Eric isn't gay."

As they spoke, two mixed-race Black women approached them.

The younger one, Allison Faith, looked at Hawke with a longing expression.

The older woman, Joanna Faith, gazed longingly at Edward, as though both men had left them hanging.

It felt as though Hawke and Edward had done something to wrong the mother-daughter duo.

Hawke simply greeted them politely. He wouldn't want to get involved with their search for male models at a hangout like this, especially since the fact that they appeared together at P. Diddy's party made it impossible for him to have close contact with them.

Business was still business.

The Faith duo was known for the risque approach they took in the entertainment industry, sparking curiosity among many in the VIP room who wondered whom they would target tonight.

Edward noticed the attention they garnered and thought about the recent performances of the sheep woman; that woman was more capable than he was and seemed intent on stealing his loyal job.

Taking charge, the savior decided to say to Joanna and Allison, "Let's go talk over there."

Joanna's face lit up with a radiant smile: "Sounds good!"

Edward led her to another spot.

Allison wasn't about to let Joanna have all the fun, so she quickly followed suit.

...

Hawke shook his head as he watched them; even with his future experience of the massive explosion of information online, he found the mother-daughter duo a bit eccentric.

With Edward's strengths, facing their inquiries would prove manageable.

As guests started arriving for the premiere, Eric and Catherine made their entrance, coming over to greet Hawke.

Tom Cruise also came over, shook Hawke's hand, and inquired, "Do you have some time tonight? After the premiere, let's chat privately."

Even if he were gay, he posed no threat to Hawke.

Hawke replied, "No problem."

One by one, everyone moved toward the screening room.

Eric deliberately hung back a few steps, saying to Hawke, "Tommy is very interested in my script. That's why he accepted the invitation to the premiere. If this film does well, I'd expect him to want to collaborate with me."

Hawke expressed, "I have faith in you."

...

Once inside the screening room, his seat was arranged in the third row next to Edward.

Hawke sat down and asked Edward, "Did you manage to shake them off?"

Edward confidently replied, "I'm a pro at dealing with them."

As the lights dimmed and the screen illuminated, the film began.

...

It told the story of a father, a former mob enforcer, seeking revenge for the brutal death of his daughter, who was raped to death by multiple men.

Compared to the audience reception for his Sundance feature debut, this one had a broader appeal.

The film resonated with audience themes of family and relationships that were widely relatable.

The character, whose father just got out of prison, discovers that his daughter, whom he visited in jail a month prior, had been killed.

He reported the crime, but no one took it seriously, considering it a typical issue for a mob family; after all, the daughter was merely a streetwalker.

Hawke's old friend Jacqueline played the role of this street prostitute.

While her dialogue performances were decent, the two bold scenes in the film were nothing short of stunning.

This film, Dark Journey, chronicled the protagonist's path of vengeance against those who harmed his daughter, ultimately fading into the darkness.

Unlike the previous film, D.C. Heights, which presented minority perspectives along with deep social reflections, this storyline shifted to the latter half depicting the protagonist avenging his daughter's death with unforgiving methods, getting rid of each perpetrator one by one.

As the film drew to a close, applause erupted in the theater, though it only lasted less than a minute before gradually subsiding.

It was genuine appreciation.

...

Hawke didn't grasp the finer points of filmmaking, but he understood that everyone had varied tastes in movies. This particular piece aligned well with his preferences.

From his perspective, Eric Emerson's Dark Journey marked a transformative achievement.

With the film, he seamlessly integrated more commercial elements.

Edward remarked, "This film is clearly better than the last one."

Hawke agreed, "I think so too."

As they moved along with the exiting crowd, Edward added, "I didn't expect Jacqueline to perform so well."

He speculated, "Being in this line of work means you're always acting; her main scenes are closely linked to the profession."

Hawke asked, "Have you kept in touch with her recently?"

"I called her," Edward waited until the passerby had moved away before saying, "She's still the same -- working at night and seeking roles during the day."

Hawke, familiar with the Hollywood lifestyle, remarked, "Actors below a certain level struggle to support themselves through film pay."

Edward didn't think there was anything wrong with it: "Hollywood actresses and Jacqueline's amateur career are actually similar."

That made sense; Hawke couldn't argue against it.

...

Before they exited the cinema, Hawke's phone rang. Picking it up, it was Jacqueline calling: "Boss, I saw you with the Savior. You said not to greet you in public, so I didn't come over."

Hawke praised, "You did great."

She had been one of his earliest followers and he reminded, "If you encounter any unsolvable issues, ring the Savior."

"Got it." Jacqueline also mentioned, "Eric Emerson said he'd leave a role for me in the next film."

Hawke responded, "Don't neglect perfecting your craft; that's fundamental."

Jacqueline stated, "I enrolled in an acting class again; it looks reliable -- shouldn't be too much drama."

Hawke advised her, "Just remember one thing -- anyone who actively approaches you with roles likely has ulterior motives."

"I'll keep that in mind." After chatting a bit more, she ended the call.

...

Hawke left the theater, got into the car but didn't drive off immediately, making Edward wait for a bit.

Shortly after, Tom Cruise called, asking Hawke to meet him at a nearby Beverly Hills business club.

Hawke readily agreed and instructed Edward to drive them there.

About ten minutes later, in a guest room of the business club, Hawke met with the hurriedly arrived Tom Cruise.

Tom had come alone and glanced at Edward: "Can we chat privately for a few minutes?"

Hawke gestured for Edward to leave the meeting room.

Tom had known Brian for many years and had turned to him for assistance with a particularly tricky lawsuit in the past.

Through Brian, he was also acquainted with Hawke and understood his strategic planning capabilities.

Hawke remained calm, waiting for Tom to make the first move.

Tom Cruise began, "I've had quite a few issues on my mind lately. I'd like to borrow your perspective to analyze some of them."

*****

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