[Chapter 95: Crash]
Beverly Hills, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Hawke walked down the corridor and nodded at Amanda guarding the door before stepping inside a therapy room.
Inside, Johnson reminded the doctor, "No need to treat the face wounds; it's better as is."
The doctor glanced at Dany Garcia, looking unsure.
She replied, "Just follow his lead."
The doctor gathered his things and left the therapy room. Once the door closed, Johnson pointed at his facial injuries. "How about that? I did it myself. This time, I learned from last time and didn't let anyone treat me. Pretty clear, right?"
Hawke took a look and spoke honestly, "We need to get out of the hospital quickly. If we don't leave soon, the swelling will go down, and the scars will be less visible on camera."
Johnson hurriedly packed his things and urged Dany, "Let's move!"
Hawke called Edward to have him bring the car around.
Johnson had his own entourage and friends, but Hawke had repeatedly shut down any involvement from them. Even the person who crashed into Johnson last night was a stuntman affiliated with Dany.
The crash looked serious but posed almost no risk.
...
Edward drove a business car from William Morris and pulled up at the steps outside the medical building.
Over twenty reporters had shown up.
Hawke had specifically chosen this hospital; coming out of the medical building led right to the main entrance, making it convenient for reporters to snap their pictures.
In the news Edward sold, Johnson's ability to escape a runaway car had not only preserved his image but also reinforced his tough-guy persona.
Hawke was the first to leave the hospital, getting into his car.
A moment later, Johnson, accompanied by Dany, walked out of the medical building, standing on the steps and revealing his not-so-visible facial scars for the reporters to photograph.
"I had a full check-up, and I'm not injured," Johnson briefly took questions, flashing his signature warm smile. "Thank you all for your concern."
With hospital security escorting him, he squeezed into the business car.
...
The group headed to William Morris. As they entered a small conference room, Caroline rushed in, her high heels clacking on the floor.
"Good news! The crew just notified Josh Hartnett's agent that Josh isn't suitable to continue auditioning for the lead role."
Johnson bumped fists with Hawke, saying, "I knew you could do it, buddy."
Dany asked, "Should we pop some champagne to celebrate?"
"No, let's wait until Dwayne secures the role before we celebrate." Hawke halted Dany, then walked to the front of the conference room and clapped his hands. "Okay, people, it's not time to celebrate yet. We're starting a new phase of work, and our target is Colin Farrell."
Everyone promptly sat along the long conference table, listening without any hesitation to Hawke's instructions.
Hawke wrote down Colin Farrell and Kevin Spacey's names on the whiteboard, then added producer Leonard Goldberg next to them.
Dany remarked, "Kevin Spacey is very influential in the industry. He's met with Leonard Goldberg three times this month."
Hawke nodded slightly, asking, "Let me confirm again, Leonard is vehemently opposed to actors being late for auditions?"
"Yes," Caroline responded first. "He sees it as the utmost disrespect."
Dany added, "If it were a woman he found appealing, the actress could be late and charm him for a day or two, and there might still be a chance. But a male actor? It just doesn't work; he has very typical tastes."
"Well then, let's handle Colin Farrell in the simplest and most direct way," Hawke said, picking up a marker and writing a single line on the whiteboard:
Crash.
...
At the Beverly Hilton Hotel, third-floor lounge.
Josh Hartnett stood by the window, looking at the protesting crowd below. Upon receiving the recent phone call, he was too angry to even drink water.
This bunch of people was incredibly infuriating.
His agent, Will, reassured him, "Even if you lose this role, it's not the end of the world. As long as we get through this crisis, more opportunities will come."
Josh nodded slightly.
Publicist Julius walked in from outside, saying, "I just spoke to several media outlets. We sent the appropriate gifts, and only a few agreed to stop connecting you to racism. The others will continue reporting on it; after all, the protesters are right outside, and the news is happening."
Will reiterated, "Traditional methods won't work here. We need to find a Black girlfriend as soon as possible."
Faced with the reality of being kicked out by the crew, Josh, despite his heartache, made a decision: "You guys find a suitable candidate."
Celebrity relationships were just performances. Will had already found a lead. "I'll have someone get the information to you soon; she's not as high-profile as you, but she'll be eager to date you."
Josh closed his eyes, contemplating how to break up with his girlfriend of eight years.
After a moment, he remembered something. "What's going on with Dwayne Johnson's car accident?"
Julius grabbed the laptop, logging into Yahoo Entertainment and pulling up images for Josh to see.
The pictures were from the accident scene, showing an SUV that crashed into the rear of a Ford Mustang. Both vehicles were mangled, looking quite gruesome.
After closing those images, Josh discovered Johnson was making headlines again.
He saw the photos of Johnson leaving the hospital after his medical treatment.
In several pictures, the injuries on Johnson's face were quite visible.
Josh exclaimed, "I'm being set up, and so is Johnson. It can't be a coincidence."
He asked his agent and publicist, "What about Colin Farrell? Is he all right?"
Will had already looked into it: "He's fine. He had lunch with Kevin Spacey in Beverly Hills today."
"I'll fully cooperate with you in finding a Black girlfriend," Josh gritted his teeth. "But I'm not going to let this setup slide."
Will agreed, stating, "Exactly. We can't let this just pass by. In Hollywood, weakness gets you trampled; we need to take a hard stance."
Julius remained silent but tacitly approved.
The competition in the marketplace was fierce, and behind the scenes in Hollywood was no less intense.
This was relatively mild, as some stars not only sacrificed themselves to please powerful figures but also dared to throw childhood reminiscence parties for them.
Josh clicked on the accident pictures, staring intently at the mangled vehicles.
From a bystander's perspective, the crash seemed intriguing.
...
In Culver City, the arts district.
Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey finished his afternoon tea with Leonard Goldberg, exited the Expo Line restaurant, and got into a waiting SUV.
Inside the car, the AC was running cold. Colin Farrell acted almost like a male nanny, pulling out a damp towel to help Spacey wipe the sweat off his forehead and then attended to each finger.
Once done, Spacey tapped the driver's seat, saying, "Drive, back to the office."
Colin fetched a bottle of soda, twisted it open, and handed it to him.
A backgroundless Irish actor had ventured into Hollywood in Los Angeles, whose luck led him to meet Kevin Spacey.
He had heard tales of how Brad Pitt crawled out from the bottom and had decided to make a similar choice, becoming an Oscar-winning actor's male nanny.
Spacey was a decent guy; his contributions reaped returns, far better than those who deceived for money or love.
Once finished, Colin returned to the seat and asked, "What did the producer say?"
Spacey frowned, "He said to give it your all in the final audition; as long as the audition goes well, the rest shouldn't be a problem."
Colin felt somewhat disappointed; such comments were essentially meaningless.
Spacey did his best to help him, applying pressure on the competition to garner producer support.
As for the rest, this Oscar-winning actor also had to consider the cost-effectiveness.
Spacey grabbed the newspaper he purchased that morning, pulled out the entertainment section, and handed it to Colin. "Take a look at your competition's news."
Colin read the article, which reported on Josh Hartnett's alleged racist actions and Dwayne Johnson's collision with an SUV.
He looked at Spacey, questioning, "You didn't have anything to do with this, did you?"
Spacey replied, "It wasn't us; the two of them had an accident..."
Colin suddenly realized, "Jeremy Renner! It must have been Jeremy Renner! I never thought this little actor could be so merciless."
Spacey thought similarly, "Among the four who advanced to the final audition, he's the weakest. To move up, he has to think outside the box."
He warned, "Stay put in your house before your audition on Monday morning."
Colin agreed but took out his phone, sending a text to a familiar editor at a newspaper, preparing to pay for coverage to ensure more negative articles on Jeremy Renner were published.
He also called an assistant director he had paid to know, arranging for the newspaper to be slipped into the daily review stacks Leonard would look through.
The SUV drove along the San Diego Freeway into West Los Angeles, then turned onto the not-so-wide Pico Boulevard, heading towards Beverly Hills.
...
Following behind, Edward diverted to Century City before the others entered the gated community.
Edward arrived at the Santa Monica Museum of Art, parked, called Hawke, and then strode into the exhibition area, locating his boss in the quiet gallery.
Hawke sat on a bench, examining an abstract painting on the wall, asking Edward, "What's the situation?"
Edward replied from across, "I've followed them three times. Colin Farrell and Kevin Spacey have consistently taken the same route to Culver City. They leave the community, taking Pico Boulevard in West Los Angeles, then onto the San Diego Freeway before heading to Culver City."
Hawke understood the road conditions: "Pico Boulevard is narrow; some sections only have two lanes in each direction."
Edward got his leader's meaning: "One section has almost no intersections; it's impossible to bypass."
"This section is in West Los Angeles." Hawke recalled it from helping Johnson's heroic rescue, which was quite close to this route.
Edward said quietly, "Boss, this stretch seems to be Erica's patrol area."
Hawke replied, "I know."
He glanced at the time, taking out his phone to call. "Have you arrived?"
The response came, "Just parked."
Hawke instructed, "I'm in the gallery area; turn left as soon as you come in and go straight."
Before long, an unmade-up Jacqueline hurried over.
"I thought you'd forgotten me since it's been so long since your last call." Jacqueline sat down and complained.
Hawke replied, "Money is tight, and there's too little business."
Jacqueline looked at his face. "You have a good body, but shame about the plain face; otherwise, I could have introduced you to a few clients."
Hawke quickly shifted the topic, "I need you for a job."
Jacqueline said, "I also have something to consult with you about."
Hawke listened first, "Go ahead."
"In our previous collaborations, I performed quite well, didn't I?" Jacqueline probed. "Do you think I could make it in Hollywood?"
Hawke was taken aback, "You want to be an actress?"
Jacqueline displayed exceptional confidence. "I'm just as good at the actress's job, and I'm more professional with better skills."
Edward interjected, "Relying solely on that won't get you famous; if it were that easy, Hollywood would be filled with female stars."
"You have a point, but I've heard of people succeeding in this line." Jacqueline had heard from some veterans, "Denise Richards, Charlie Sheen's fiance, played the pilot Carmen in Starship Troopers. She was a few steps ahead of me before meeting Charlie."
Edward stood there dumbfounded and suddenly snapped, "Yet another person lacking public decency who turns communal goods into private property."
Hawke, needing Jacqueline's help, thought for a moment and said, "I can help you get introduced to a crew for a minor role to try."
A simple word from Eric would suffice.
Jacqueline had been in Los Angeles long enough to know this wasn't easy, quickly replying, "Thank you, thank you! How can I repay you? How about free company for a few nights?"
At this, Hawke thought of Charlie Sheen, waving his hand graciously. "Friends help each other out; I have things I need you to do for me too."
Jacqueline was fully engaged now. "Tell me!"
Hawke explained, "Find a reliable woman who can drive next Monday morning. On Pico Boulevard's West Los Angeles stretch, you two can stage a fender bender to block the road, and then create a fuss that lasts a bit longer."
"It's that simple?" Jacqueline thought it'd be something difficult.
Hawke added, "I'll give you $2,000. You can decide how to split it, but make sure to keep your mouth shut."
This wasn't Jacqueline's first collaboration with Hawke. She understood the stakes, pondering, "I've met a woman these days. She's a few years older than me but has a daughter. To raise her, she's more driven than us."
Excited by the task, she added, "She's a good mother; her daughter is only three, and to protect her, she wouldn't speak out carelessly."
Hawke got up, stating, "Come with me; I'll take you to inspect that road first."
...
The three of them left the museum, heading to the narrowest section of Pico Boulevard West Los Angeles, even getting out to observe the area closely.
Jacqueline noted down every detail Hawke had instructed. Once everything calmed down, she immediately called her coworker, Renee.
This woman was different from the vain girls; she had a compelling reason to work in this field.
Her Black husband had left after she gave birth, and their child was born with congenital issues. Charity aid she applied for had been trimmed down significantly before reaching her, leaving her with very little to cover the treatment costs; she had to resort to the most primitive and risk-free means.
Upon hearing of the extra income possibility, Renee readily agreed.
...
On the other hand, Hawke didn't reach out for Erica's assistance. He simply made a phone call.
Erica was still in New York attending an event co-hosted by the NYPD and LAPD, and wouldn't return to LA until next week.
Hawke directed Edward to drive to William Morris. At five o'clock, they held another meeting.
The following day, several newspapers released numerous negative stories about Jeremy Renner.
"It wasn't me," Caroline was the first to clarify.
Dany stated, "Johnson and I didn't do this to him; he doesn't pose a big threat."
Edward glanced at Hawke. "We didn't either."
Hawke remarked, "It should be that we stirred the waters, and someone got caught in the crossfire."
He looked at Johnson, "Your audition is scheduled for Monday afternoon. Don't go out unnecessarily before the audition."
Johnson was aware the situation was a bit chaotic. "I'll let you know beforehand if I go out."
...
On Monday, close to 9 AM,
On top of a three-story building on Pico Boulevard, Hawke donned plumber's overalls, stood at the edge, looking eastward, and called Edward, asking, "Where are you?"
"Entering the target section now," Edward replied, "Colin Farrell is driving. His agent is in the passenger seat; it's a blue Lexus."
Hawke took out binoculars and spotted the blue car through the moderately trafficked street.
They were still waiting; the Lexus hadn't reached the narrowest part of the road yet.
...
To avoid being late, Colin had left a bit earlier. Despite the traffic on Pico Boulevard, he always took this route to Culver City and had no intention of diverting.
When the light turned green and the Lexus crossed the intersection, the road narrowed, prompting Colin Farrell to slow down.
On the convenience store side, there was a one-way delivery alley where a delivery truck was parked.
As the Lexus passed, the truck suddenly accelerated and charged out of the alley.
The distance was short; the truck wasn't moving particularly fast.
But all squeezed into traffic, the Lexus had no chance to evade.
The truck crashed into the rear of the Lexus with a loud bang, causing it to veer and hit an oncoming Jeep.
The airbags deployed with a loud pop.
Colin Farrell and his agent were momentarily stunned.
Fortunately, the truck was moving slowly, and the angle of collision was chosen wisely. The impact wasn't too forceful; it wasn't a serious crash.
The truck driver seemed to be in shock but eventually came to and called 911.
This section of Pico Boulevard instantly became a traffic nightmare.
...
Edward, who had followed behind, was taken aback; wasn't the plan for Jacqueline to create a minor fender bender to block this road? Why was there an actual crash?
His phone rang, and he quickly answered it.
Hawke, observing clearly from above, said, "The collision has nothing to do with us; they were driving normally and leaving normally."
He pulled out his backup phone, located Jacqueline's number, and dialed saying, "Action is canceled; you all return normally, and don't linger here."
Jacqueline asked, "Why was it canceled?"
Hawke directly replied, "Pay will still be provided."
Jacqueline immediately responded, "I'll inform Renee to leave."
Hawke finished his repairs, slung his toolbag over his shoulder, and headed downstairs to wait for traffic to clear.
While they didn't know who orchestrated the accident, it couldn't be anything but Josh Hartnett or Jeremy Renner's handiwork.
Things were definitely getting murkier.
*****
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