I am Hollywood

[Chapter 862: The Fast and the Furious]

When Eric heard Miranda's request, he didn't outright refuse. Instead, he asked, "So, where are we going now?"

Miranda replied excitedly, "We could drive up Highway 1! It would be awesome to reach San Francisco. I've never been there before."

"Do you think we can really drive fast on that road? By the time we get to San Francisco, it might already be midnight," Eric joked, shaking his head with a smile.

The road Miranda was talking about was California's Pacific Coast Highway, which hugged the coastline all the way through California. The name sounded grand, but it was actually just a narrow two-lane asphalt road and not in great condition. Forget sports cars; even regular cars had to keep a modest pace, so there was no real joy in cruising.

"Well," Miranda tilted her head thoughtfully, her eyes suddenly lighting up. She wrapped her arms around Eric's neck tighter and said, "Why don't we just go to Las Vegas? I heard from classmates that it only takes just over three hours to drive from Los Angeles to Vegas."

Sensing the faint fragrance from her, Eric began weighing his options. Since returning from New York, he had been working nonstop for over half a month. He was heading to Maryland next for Chris's wedding, where all the executives from Firefly would gather, so it wouldn't be an easy time either. Therefore, taking this chance to relax sounded like a good choice. Besides, there was the thrill of driving. He recalled how he had turned down the chance to drive Cindy's Maserati in New York, realizing he had become somewhat disconnected from normal life. Eric definitely didn't want to be that guy who built a huge empire but became trapped within it.

Making a swift decision, Eric gave Miranda a playful slap on her backside and said, "Alright, let's go to Las Vegas!"

"Wow, Eric, I love you!" Miranda exclaimed, nearly jumping up with excitement and leaning in to plant several kisses on Eric's cheek.

Eric pushed the excited girl away gently, saying, "Okay, settle down. Let me make a couple of phone calls to arrange things."

Since they spontaneously decided to go to Las Vegas, he needed to inform his assistant who was in charge of his schedule. Though they would only stay for one night, arrangements for accommodations and security would also need to be addressed.

...

After making several calls, Eric couldn't help but laugh at himself. He stood up and told Miranda and Christina, "Alright, let's go!"

Miranda immediately clung to Eric's arm, and Christina followed closely, unable to contain her excitement.

The three of them arrived at the underground parking garage, where Eric's team of bodyguards was already preparing for the drive. Miranda's eyes sparkled as she gazed at the lineup of luxury cars. She darted toward a sleek black Lamborghini and fumbled to try to open the door but couldn't manage it. Undeterred, she turned and said, "Eric, how about we take this car?"

Eric shook his head, "That's a two-seater. We have three people."

Not willing to leave Christina behind, Miranda glanced at the other cars, noting that the spacious garage held at least thirty various luxury vehicles. Yet the sports cars in the furthest row were mostly two-seaters. She looked around and tentatively pointed at the bodyguards, saying, "Maybe Christina can ride in their car?"

Christina couldn't hold back anymore. "Just because I'm short doesn't mean I'm easy to push around!" she exclaimed. About to argue further, she suddenly paused, a smug smile appearing on her face. She pulled out her driver's license from her small purse and waved it at Miranda, saying, "Hey, Eric, I actually got my driver's license!"

Eric smiled and looked at Christina's license. "When did you learn to drive?"

"I secretly started learning a long time ago. I got my license shortly after my sixteenth birthday," Christina replied, adding, "Mom is finally okay with me driving our Chevrolet by myself now."

"Alright," Eric said with a chuckle, gesturing around him. "Pick a car you can drive."

Christina ignored Miranda's sulking expression and purposely walked past her toward a purple Lamborghini. She lightly tapped the hood and asked, "Can I drive this one, Eric?"

Eric looked at the purple Lamborghini, which had been given to him by Lamborghini after he finished filming Pretty Woman. He hadn't touched it in years, and aside from routine maintenance, it had rarely left the garage.

Most of the luxury cars in the garage were like that -- gorgeous vehicles just filling the space but rarely used.

Eric walked over and said, "Lamborghinis and Chevrolets are not the same. Pick another car."

"I can drive it," Christina insisted, hesitating only a moment. She stuck out her tongue and added, "I learned to drive two years ago. Drew let me drive."

Eric was momentarily speechless. He recalled that before meeting him, Christina had a remarkable story of running away from home at twelve while driving. Suddenly, that didn't seem so outlandish after all.

Ultimately agreeing, Eric said, "Alright, but don't drive faster than me."

Even so, Eric still felt a bit uneasy. After all, Christina had just turned sixteen, so he decided to have his bodyguard, Carter Moen, sit in the passenger seat beside her for supervision.

...

The group set off, seven of them in total, with two Lamborghinis and two Range Rovers. After leaving Malibu, they spent just over an hour until they reached Highway 15, which headed directly to Las Vegas.

Though they had taken some time passing through downtown Los Angeles, once on the freeway, it was still before four o'clock, leaving only three hundred kilometers to Las Vegas, which meant they could arrive by around seven.

Highway 15 was a very wide six-lane road with no ditches beside it, just endless desert. This ensured a good level of safety, and if there were fewer cars on the road, it would be a car enthusiast's paradise.

As they passed through downtown Los Angeles, Eric gradually regained his rhythm. Once on the freeway, he let loose a little more. In less busy areas, he even pushed the speed up to two hundred kilometers. The thrill of the adrenaline rush made him understand why so many people loved speeding.

To his surprise, Christina was able to keep pace with him in the purple Lamborghini no matter what. Occasionally she would go side by side and playfully stick her tongue out at Miranda, who was sulking in the passenger seat. Clearly, if Eric hadn't limited her, Christina would be driving much faster.

This made Eric realize that Christina's rebellious side was far beyond his expectations. The once-innocent girl had become a speedster.

Speeding along, just after six o'clock, the group reached a small town at the Nevada border.

They stopped to refuel and take a brief break. Eric remained inside the car, letting the bodyguards handle everything outside, while Miranda got out to stretch her legs. When she returned, she began pulling at Eric's arm, saying sweetly, "Eric, we're not far from Las Vegas! Can I drive for a bit when we go? I've been watching the whole time."

After hanging up a call, Eric chuckled and shook his head. "Not a chance. Don't even think about it."

"But Christina could drive two years ago, and she was my age back then," Miranda protested.

"If I had known that, she wouldn't have been allowed," Eric replied, shaking his head again while reassuringly adding, "Alright, no more arguing. I just got a call; David Copperfield is performing at Caesars Palace tonight. My assistant has already booked us a VIP box."

Before Miranda could respond, Christina leaned in from the window, her eyes wide with excitement. "Wait, David Copperfield? He's the guy who made the airplane disappear, right?"

"That's right," Eric said, unable to help himself from squeezing Christina's rosy cheeks, smiling. "And speaking of you, driving that Lamborghini so well might mean you've broken traffic laws a few times."

"Ha ha," Christina nudged her cheek against Eric's hand playfully. "Then maybe you should punish me tonight, Eric."

Eric laughed. "Of course, you can't run away from that."

"Hey, am I invisible here?" Miranda interrupted, casting an annoyed glance at Christina. "Maybe I should punish you too tonight."

Christina chose to ignore Miranda's comment, just like Miranda had ignored her earlier. She turned back to Eric and said, "Eric, I just thought: why don't you film a racing movie? That would be super cool."

Eric paused for a moment; the name of a movie immediately flashed in his mind: The Fast and the Furious. How had he forgotten about this classic series? Its enduring popularity proved that the series could bring in plenty of profit for the film studio.

He playfully pinched Christina's cheek and said, "Thanks for the reminder; I'll reward you tonight."

Christina had only mentioned it casually, but Eric's enthusiastic reaction made her happy. "So, Eric, can I have a role in it?"

"Sure," Eric replied, "if the right part comes up, I'll definitely let you audition. Maybe we could even create a link between your character in Casino Royale and this film."

The Fast and the Furious series also involved a lot of spy elements. Though Christina's character in Casino Royale wasn't a lead operative, making a connection between the two films would be quite easy.

Eric's mind started racing with ideas to combine The Fast and the Furious with the spy film universe. Plus, the racing series could enhance the fun elements of the spy genre. After all, interspersing exhilarating car chases within an action-packed spy film would certainly elevate the viewing experience, combating any aesthetic fatigue that pure spy movies might impose.

Noticing that Eric had gone deep into thought, Christina remained quiet, cleverly using her gaze to gloat at Miranda, who was in the passenger seat. Miranda, not to be outdone, shot a defiant glare back at her, their eyes sparking with rivalry.

Finally, when the bodyguards arrived to inform them everything was ready, the group hit the road again.

...

Around 7:20 PM, just as the sun dipped below the horizon, the four cars rolled into the underground parking lot of Caesars Palace in downtown Las Vegas.

As soon as Eric parked, a man in his forties hurried over, eager to open the door for him.

"Mr. Williams, we're thrilled to have you at Caesars Palace. I'm Richie Black, the manager here."

Eric extended his hand for a shake, smiling as he said, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Black."

Richie Black patiently waited for everyone else to exit their vehicles. When he noticed Miranda and Christina flanking Eric, he gave no visible sign of surprise, gesturing for them to follow. "Please, come with me. Your room is ready."

Eric wasn't surprised by Richie Black's enthusiasm. His current status definitely warranted it, not to mention being the first guest at Caesars Palace would certainly earn him some extra attention. However, the typically boisterous Miranda looked a bit shy as she clung to Eric's arm, her usual boldness noticeably diminished, while Christina walked closely beside him, behaving sweetly.

Since they were at a hotel, there was no need for the bodyguards to tail them. Richie Black instructed his assistant to escort the bodyguards to their rooms while he led Eric and the two girls to an exclusive elevator. After pressing the button, he added, "Mr. Williams, David Copperfield's performance begins at 8 PM. Would you like to dine first?"

"Uh-huh," Eric nodded, then smiled at Miranda, who was still leaning against him. "Also, could you get them some outfits?"

Compared to Eric's rather formal outfit of a dress shirt and casual pants, the two girls were still in t-shirts and denim shorts. Even in the lavishly decorated elevator, they looked out of place, which explained why the girls seemed a bit shy.

"Of course, no problem," Richie Black replied, quickly sizing up Miranda and Christina before whispering some instructions to his assistant.

*****

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