BXBX NOVEL Chapter 73 - Theme Park Fun
Future Tech Headquarters was updated regarding Vince\'s extended vacation by Alexis, and business continued like it was any other day. Everlife Online sales were already in the millions, and it was only the second day of release.
Infinity Consoles were also in hot demand, and everyone who was saving money for the new Microsoft or Sony console decided to splurge on the cutting-edge gaming platform.
The Hypervisor was expensive, but a decent amount of people were willing to buy it as early adopters to test out the many features outlined during the E3 announcement.
Meanwhile, at Universal Studios Hollywood, Vince and his entourage just got off The Flight of the Hippogriff ride at Harry Potter\'s Wizarding World.
"I wish VR had the same visceral experience as the theme park rides here. That would be so dope." Rick stated.
"Hanging out with guys has been surprisingly fun. I\'ve always thought of myself as a misfit. These days, I spend most of my time with old Hollywood men, and socializing with you all is a breath of fresh air. Thank you!" Hailee Steinfeld said sincerely.
"You\'re a pretty funny conversationalist if I do say so myself. I never thought I\'d be hanging out with such a pop icon like you, Hailee." Alice replied.
"Where do you guys want to go next?" Vince inquired.
"Let\'s go to Jurrasic Park and then head to the new Transformers ride that came out last year," Hailee replied as she wrapped her arm around Vince\'s.
While their entourage was walking through the theme park, the crowded areas dispersed when they saw the heavily armed security surrounding a group of young people.
A few noticed the famous female actress they all adored walking very intimately with a young man taller than Hailee but looked younger.
"That\'s Vince Dalton and his friends. They all spoke during the Future Tech E3 announcement I watched yesterday. It looks like they\'re still here in LA enjoying the sights." A random person said to his companion.
"Isn\'t Vince Dalton like 15 years old? How is he dating Hailee Steinfeld?" his female companion asked.
"I don\'t know, probably because Vince owns the most profitable business and is highly desirable for any woman on Earth. Two years of age doesn\'t matter for people like them," he replied plainly.
Vince and his group immediately hopped on the Jurassic Park: The Ride using their VIP access pass and skipped the line entirely.
"It\'s best if we wear the ponchos just in case we get drenched by the river water," Marco suggested.
"It seems like Marco here is an experienced theme park goer," Kyle said jokingly.
"I\'ve been to Universal Studios Japan during my time in Camp Fuji. War isn\'t my only pastime. I can have fun too, sometimes." Marco replied in jest.
All of them boarded the ride. Kyle and Sarah, Rick and Jessica, and Vince and Hailee sat next to each other while Marco and three other operators filled the rest of the seats.
The ride was delightful, and the water splashed a few times while navigating the river.
Hailee pulled out her iPhone and took pictures of the group getting soaking wet.
"Hailee, Remind me to give you an Infinity Mobile Phone when we get back to the yacht. Apple security is garbage." Vince instructed.
[I don\'t want anyone to experience what happened in my previous life. Better safe than sorry.] Vince pondered.
"Thanks, Vince. I\'ve been meaning for an upgrade for a while. You made my decision much easier now." Hailee replied sincerely.
The group rode on the Transformers attractions before meeting Leah and Sera at Hog\'s Head Pub.
"How was your day drinking going?" Vince asked Leah and Sera.
"The Wizard Brew and Dragon Scale aren\'t bad. I\'ll order some Butterbeer for you guys." Leah replied.
"Thanks, Leah!" "Please and thanks!" Alice and the others stated.
"It\'s so crazy we were able to ride most of the attractions in only a few hours. The VIP access pass came in clutch with the ones with huge lines." Rick mentioned.
"Next time we go back, they\'ll have an augmented reality attraction made in partnership with Future Studios. Maybe a War Online-themed experience. The manager was thrilled to hear my offer." Vince replied.
While Vince explained the AR attraction concept to Kyle and the others, he received a comlink request from Elon.
"Vince, Are you still in LA?" Elon asked.
"Yes, we\'re at Universal Studios right now. What\'s up?" Vince inquired.
"I don\'t want to intrude on your summer vacation, but do you mind stopping by SpaceX today? I want to show you the Falcon Heavy and a new toy that may help expedite the power grid upgrade." Elon replied.
"Sure thing. We have a bit of free time until the APL Final next week. So give us an hour or so." Vince stated before closing the comlink channel on his smartwatch.
Sera and Leah decided to visit the Griffith Observatory while Vince and the others headed to SpaceX Headquarters.
The Hawthorne HQ looked very different from the last time Vince visited. Dragonflies and FS operators were patrolling the area similar to the Austin HQ.
"Brothers and sisters from Future Tech, welcome to your LA branch. Vince is technically the majority owner of SpaceX now, so it\'s only proper." Elon stated after meeting the group at the entrance.
"Thanks for having us. Please lead the way." Vince replied.
They took a company vehicle and headed towards the large manufacturing building. Vince\'s entourage was mesmerized by the many spacecraft components strewn around the area,
"That\'s the newly updated Falcon Heavy. The freevalve jet engines and unique fuel mix are enough for a round-trip to the moon, though we need the space suits before launching." Elon explained while pointing at a giant rocket with three boosters.
"The power suits are in the final stage of research and development. It would have been quicker if Heidi didn\'t have to design a military version for Director Price." Vince replied.
Elon nodded and directed the group to a different area of the mega factory.
"Now, my new toy is for a project I\'ve been conceptualizing for a few years. Highway traffic is a nightmare for regular people without AVs, especially in LA. So I devised a boring machine to dig tunnels for underground roads called Hyperloops." Elon explained as their group walked up to a massive boring machine.
"I understand now. You want to use the same machine to lay underground power lines. It seems viable, but how much would boring a mile cost?" Vince asked curiously.
"Our earlier design was unreliable and expensive to maintain, but we built the new version with the same advanced materials as some Falcon components, powered by freevalve Koenigsegg engines, reducing the cost from $10 million per mile; to only $3 million per mile," Elon explained.
"That\'s a massive difference, but still quite expensive. We\'ll also require an outer tunnel as easy access for maintenance personnel. And cooling the power lines will be a whole other issue." Vince replied honestly.
"I hear you, Vince. These are all valid concerns, but I assure you that building the Hyperloop in conjunction with laying down new power lines will be cheaper in the long run. We can also lease out space to power and network providers to recoup our losses." Elon stated.
"Alright, you\'ve persuaded me. How much funding do you need?" Vince asked.
"Don\'t worry, Vince. We still have plenty of the initial funding you provided for the power grid upgrades in Austin and LA. It should be enough for this year, but we need government support, and you\'re better dealing with the Feds than I." Elon stated.
"Okay, I\'ll make some calls when we get back to The Longhorn. Show us around more, will you? It\'s my friends\' first time here." Vince requested
An hour after the in-depth tour, everybody started to get hungry and decided to eat at Nobu, as suggested by Hailee.
"I\'ve been to almost all the cool places in LA, but it was a pleasure to see the inner workings at the SpaceX Headquarters. This building might be the most modern headquarters in the US." Hailee said to Elon.
"I appreciate the compliment, but please don\'t say things like that in front of Vince. Future Tech Headquarters in Austin looks like it jumped out of a Star Trek. Even just the Tech Campus is a sight to behold." Elon replied honestly.
[Elon\'s comment makes me want to see Future Tech Headquarters for myself. I wonder how futuristic it would be.] Hailee pondered.
Stats last time checked:
Future Tech current valuation - $300 billion
15 million BTC (currently trades at $1,000)
$10 Billion cash in Future Tech
105,000+ employees (FT AI, Future Studios, Hive Mind Manufacturing, FT Micro Devices, BitCash, FT VR, Future Tech F1, FT Investments, Future Arms, Future Med, Future Tech Robotics, Future Education, SpaceX)
20,000+ operators under Future Security
Personal Vehicles: Klassen Phantom, Agera R, Agera SFV, Boeing Luxury 787 Dreamliner, The Longhorn
Five company collaborators (Epic, Koenegisegg, SpaceX, Tesla, Hyundai C&E)
Dozens of investments under Future Tech Holdings (i..e., Instagram, Twitch)