The Rise of Rachel Price T-Girl Pt. 14

"Certainly, Mr. Levant," the hostess said.

As Rachel sat down, one of the hostesses approached and pulled out a gold seat belt.

"This is just for take-off and landing," she assured Rachel as she fastened the belt.

Rachel nodded.

Charlie looked over.

"You okay?" Charlie asked as she saw Rachel's face. "First time?"

"Maybe," Rachel said.

Charlie huffed and couldn't resist a wry smile. After a minute, Charlie offered Rachel her hand and noticed Levant holding the other.

Within minutes, the entire aircraft was hurtling down the runway, straining to gain speed. They took off, and Rachel's stomach felt like it stayed on the ground. Levant relaxed as he undid his seatbelt and accepted a drink on a tray from one of the hostesses. Charlie spoke to one of them in French, who replied and left.

"This looks wonderful. Can you show me around?" Rachel said to Levant, looking at the doors forwards and aft.

"Sure," said Levant, standing up.

The ground wasn't as stable as Rachel was expecting, and the room felt opulent, reminiscent of a pharaoh's palace. However, the vehicle couldn't quite join in with the illusion of being solid. Levant got up and grabbed Rachel's waist to steady her. Rachel was getting used to being touched by Levant. For Rachel, this was just part of the cover.

"Thanks," Rachel said.

All of the chairs faced inwards, and it was only now, standing up, that Rachel realized how far the ground was below.

"Crud," she said.

Charlie stopped and looked over. "What?"

"Err, Denver's stuff. We don't have Denver's stuff. It was in the suite back at the Thornbury," Rachel said nervously.

She realized that not only were Denver's clothes back in San Francisco, but also his wallet, identity, not to mention his android phone. She felt like a tightrope walker watching the safety net fall.

"Just be Rachel all weekend, no problem," Charlie said, shrugging.

Rachel felt that the tiny safety net of switching back to being Denver was slipping away on an ever-thinning thread.

"My ears are hurting," Rachel said as the plane levelled out.

Levant handed her a glass. "It's the air pressure. Have a drink. That will sort you out."

He then proceeded to give her a room-by-room tour of the plane. The next room contained a conference room arranged around a large oak table polished to an obsessive degree of shine. Levant said he had done some of his best deals there. Forward of that was a small kitchen currently occupied by the stewardesses.

"Here is the bedroom, Cinnamon," Levant said, leading Rachel into another room that seemed to have been taken from an era of refined travel. The large double bed looked like it belonged in the investigations of a detective on the Orient Express. The furniture and walls of the room were dominated by the rich, dark rosewood of gleaming inlaid mahogany. Levant pulled out a set of controls from the Charleston Hepplewhite Mahogany and Satinwood Inlaid Sideboard, and sat on the bed, demonstrating how he could change the lighting with the controls.

"I like to fly at night. Sleep in the air and get something done while I'm sleeping," Levant said.

"Oh, such times when sleep needs to have a purpose," Rachel said, switching back to her Barbie persona. "It's really nice," she added, looking between the small shower and the wardrobe, which was almost large enough to be a room on its own.

"I'd have a bookcase, but apart from that, it's perfect," Rachel said, sitting down on a plush swiveling armchair. She looked out from the mirror at the desert below and could see some wind turbines in the distance.

"It's lovely, but you really knock out the global warming with this," Rachel said almost wistfully, then immediately regretted her comment.

Levant sat back on the bed. "People always tell me what I should or shouldn't do. They say I should turn off my phone while charging. But you know what I say to them? I say, do you want to join me on a venture to make and sell a device that could save 10% of America's electricity consumption? And you know what they say back?"

Rachel shook her head, curious.

"They say no. You see, deep down, these people don't really want to save the planet. They just want to tell you how to live. It's not about being green; it's not about saving the whales. It's about them trying to control you," Levant said, his tone confident. "This whole green movement is complex. I've looked into it more than anyone I know. If you really want to stop global warming, you should tell China they can't drive cars. But their kids don't have the same things your kids have, do they?"

Rachel was taken aback by Levant's views on environmentalism and science. "And what about all the scientific research?" she asked.

"What do they know? I probably know more than they do," Levant replied dismissively. "Scientists are just in it for the research money. Some universities even demote professors if they don't bring in enough research funding. It's a game they play. They talk up all this environmental stuff so that NASA and the government give them more money. It was the same with the Ozone layer, which I notice no one talks about anymore."

Rachel immediately regretted bringing up the topic. "Your glass is empty. How about I get you a drink, and you show me how you watch a movie?" she said, changing the subject.

"Can do, but we will be landing soon," Levant said.

"Really?" Rachel said. "I've got an offer from Mid-Western. I guess I'm going to have to fly out there."

Rachel looked out the window, and Levant pulled her onto the bed with him, almost roughly.

"Sorry for the turbulence," he smiled. "Look, let's just skip the intro and the advertising. I know you like being with me, Cinnamon. You're a smart girl, and you know I like you. Speaking of which, I was thinking if you're off to university, it's the perfect opportunity to take things to the next level. I could help you get into the best universities. You could study nearby as Rachel, and then be around me 24/7. I could even get you into a sorority like Charlie's old one, Kappa Alpha Theta. From there, you would be set. Meanwhile, you could move forward and be the person you've always wanted to be, without having to see your family for a while."

Rachel didn't know how to respond. She felt like she had a solid reason to end the relationship, but Levant was using it to manipulate her.

"Wow, that's a lot to take in," Rachel said, trying to buy herself some time.

Before Rachel could respond further, the captain announced that they would begin the descent and prepare for landing. Rachel said nothing but pulled away from Levant and returned to the main cabin.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, the aircraft began its descent. On landing the jet's hatch yawned open and a sweltering gust of heat invaded the cabin, it was reminiscent of the opening of an oven door. Rachel fretted about her appearance, if it was too hot she would sweat she would look terrible before Levant. Thankfully, the air-conditioned limousine, awaited close by their arrival on the tarmac. All this and not a sign of airport security. Swiftly, they careened through the bustling downtown strip. Rachel watched in awe as they passed the opulent Mirage, followed by a towering structure that evoked images of the majestic villas of Italy. The warmth of the night, the luminous glow of the lights, the rustling of the palm trees, and the heady scent of exhaust fumes permeated the atmosphere. The hotels they passed bore fanciful names such as Treasure Island and Encore.

Levant, seemingly aloof to his surroundings, noticed Rachel's upward gaze, smiled and inquired, "What do you think?"

After a thoughtful pause, Rachel responded, "It's as if reality is strictly prohibited here. Authenticity has been outlawed by the city. Only the artificial is allowed to flourish."

Levant smiled, "You've hit the nail on the head there"

'I should fit in fine here' Rachel thought to her self.

******

As they pulled into Levant's vast, contemporary hotel, even the car park exuded a crisp and refreshing air. Levant strode confidently toward the grand entrance, his every move evoking admiration and respect from those who passed him by. Every so often, Rachel heard the distinctive sound of cameras snapping pictures, causing her to avert her gaze, anxious that one day these images might fall into the wrong hands.

Having seen enough paparazzi snapshots to last a lifetime, Rachel knew all too well the dangers of the limelight. The mere thought of her mother potentially identifying her in such images was enough to send shivers down her spine. As they ascended to the top floor via the best elevator, the penthouse suite's interior unfurled before them, brimming with a sense of unbridled luxury and extravagance that bordered on the impossible.Lucy took them straight to the penthouse.

As they entered the luxury penthouse suite of the Las Vegas hotel, Rachel's breath caught in her throat. The room was an explosion of glamour and sophistication, with sumptuous fabrics and plush furnishings creating an atmosphere of opulence and indulgence. The soft lighting created a warm, welcoming ambiance that was both soothing and inviting. The walls were adorned with magnificent artwork and ornate mirrors that reflected the radiance of the space. The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the city skyline, with the twinkling lights of Las Vegas stretching out as far as the eye could see. The centerpiece of the room was a massive king-sized bed, swathed in silky, decadent linens that looked as though they were made for royalty. A cozy seating area with plush armchairs and a sofa beckoned Rachel to sink in and relax. The attention to detail was impressive, with everything from the elegant chandeliers to the intricately designed wallpaper exuding a sense of timeless sophistication. As Rachel surveyed the breathtaking space, she couldn't help but feel as though she had stepped into a world of pure indulgence, where every whim and desire could be fulfilled with a simple request. Then she noticed something she couldn't believe.

"OMG, there's a pool up here!" Rachel said in delight moving quickly through the living suite. She put her hand in the water to check if it was real. Rachel felt she was using OMG a lot, Charlie had been giving more girl lessons, how to talk, how to act, how to think. The OMG was part of that, Levant was attracted to feminine women like his first wife and previous girlfriends. Charlie's advice was to 'Barbie up a bit'. They had also just watched Clueless together the night before.

She pointed at the pool, "Seriously up here? We're like a zillion stories up?"

Levant almost laughed.

"I'm finding myself adoring the look of marvel in your eyes. I wish you could be like this all the time."

"Thanks. Wow," said Rachel, getting up. "This is almost better than the ship."

"Almost," said Levant. He reached out as if to pull Rachel towards him but thought better of it.

"Almost, or are you going to tell me the hotel moves? Sails. Like a ship on the sea of sand."

Charlie came in from a distance. She looked at the pool.

"I should have brought my bikini," Charlie said, eyeing the pool.

Rachel looked at the water. Something that short and tight would show up the deception, not to mention the pads and padding.

"There is a Neiman Marcus in the basement, feel free to get what you need, on my account. I need to go talk to some people. You freshen up, shop, whatever. Then we can go out later, sound good?" Levant said.

"I'll get my laptop" Charlie said.

"No need. It's a pitch meeting for project Zeitgeist. It's not about the hospitality side of things. You know Abercrombie don't you? I'll get him to come up look after you," Levant said before he left, promising to be back.

They explored the vast, luxurious, labyrinthine rooms of Levant's penthouse in Las Vegas, which were meticulously designed to impress.

"I had them organize this for you," Charlie said, leading Rachel into a small guest room.

"And here... did they?" Charlie opened the cupboard, revealing a number of dresses some long sophisticated evening dresses with designer labels.

"I had Mr. Levant's buyer go out and get them as we flew. I hope you like them, if no we can go out and get something else"

Rachel looked around. "If I'm in his suite, then where are you staying?"

Charlie gestured towards the hallway. "I'm just across the hall."

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Charlie went to answer it, and Rachel hung back worried who it might be.

"Charlie?" said a vaguely familiar voice. It had an air of entitlement to it.

Peering out from her room, Rachel could see Abercrombie in the entrance. He looked exactly the same as the night of the contest.

"Richard," Charlie said, using his name with reluctance.

Abercrombie smiled as he pushed past Charlie. "I've been instructed by Mr. Levant to bring a few things up."

Behind the well-groomed Abercrombie were two hotel staff in uniform.

"Congratulations on taking over the entire San Francisco operation, by the way. Is she here?" Abercrombie said.

"Rachel, the Manager, would like a word," Charlie called out.

Rachel walked into the large central living room space with a slow and laboured gait, as though every step was a burden. She stood behind one of the large sofas.

"Greetings," Abercrombie said. "And welcome to The Fountains of Paradise, a Levant hotel and the largest hotel in Las Vegas. If I may introduce myself, I'm Richard Abercrombie, the manager of this hotel. I don't believe we have met?"

From behind, Charlie shook her head.

"No," said Rachel, "I'm Rachel. Rachel Price."

"A delight to meet you, Miss Price. Mr. Levant told me to take exceptional care of you. I thought I would begin by bringing these up," Abercrombie said.

The first bellboy appeared with five stacks of tall plastic chips and placed them on the oak table. They came in a range colours.

"Feel free to make full use of the casino. The gold ones are large denominations, totaling about fifty thousand," Abercrombie said. "Don't worry about losing, it's just going straight back into Mr. Levant's coffers."

Rachel walked over to the table where the chips had been deposited and picked up one with the Levant Hotel's logo on it. While they spoke, another couple of bellboys came in, each carrying large bouquets and wreaths of flowers.

"Put them anywhere," Abercrombie said to the bellboys.

Charlie stepped up. "

No, those go over there," she said, pointing to the corner where one of the boys was holding a large selection of white orchids. "Those there to catch the moonlight, and those there to balance. That's how Mr. Levant would like them."

The bellboys looked at Abercrombie, who looked at Rachel. Rachel nodded, and Abercrombie flicked his fingers. The bellboys moved to Charlie's instructions.

"Ah, Miss Bechtel, how well you know what Mr. Levant likes," Abercrombie said, closing his eyes and nodding at Charlie.

Rachel felt something. "Thank you, Mr. Abercrombie," she began, "for such a wonderful and personal introduction to your lovely hotel. I'm sure Mr. Levant and I will be very comfortable. If you don't mind, we have to get ready."

"Certainly, Miss Price," Abercrombie said as they retreated.

As the bellboys turned to leave, Rachel grabbed some of the lower denomination chips and handed them out like candy to the departing bellboys. Charlie had seen that in a cut scene of a game.

"Thank you again," Rachel said to the bellboys, but not to Abercrombie, as they left.

Rachel found herself holding her breath as the door closed.

"Shit, you didn't say Abercrombie would be here," Rachel said. "He acted like he hadn't met me."

Charlie seemed very confident. "Rule 17, remember the customers. He remembered who you were all right. He's smart. He knows I nearly lost my job over you. He knows what's happening in the bay. To be honest, he kept telling the other managers behind my back that I cheated the exactly same way he did. Except I'm better at photoshopping photos. So yer, he had perversely convinced himself you're the real thing. I mean, the alternative is to admit he lost to a woman fairly; that's not going to happen. So you're safe, don't sweat it."

Rachel checked out her guest room. It was small, neat, efficient, and most importantly, had a lock. Rachel explored the local TV for far too long. Her family couldn't afford to go as far as Vegas, and even if they could, her mom would be scared of gangsters, gambling, and sin to come here. The view outside was spectacular.

Rachel decided nothing provided was right. Impressed they went shopping in the interconnected network of subterranean stores.

Charlie insisted on buying Rachel a black silk negligé to sleep in. They would leave it behind as a distraction, Abercrombie's or his staff would not be tight lipped as those in the Thornbury.

Charlie smiled picking something else up for her self 'last time I came here with someone my only baggage was a bottle of Channel number seven.' Charlie had said with glee.

Later, they came back from an expedition which started at MAC's

"The joys of a company credit card," Charlie said, putting the white paper shopping bags down. "We need to get changed and ready for a night in the clubs and casino," she announced.

Charlie handed over a strong red dress, and Rachel took it and changed. When Rachel returned, Charlie was absolutely awed by the look. Rachel had a low-cut silk long dress that looked ridiculously elegant and sophisticated as she turned in it.

"That's good. He's going to like that," Charlie said enthusiastically. Charlie left to change and Rachel showered, shaved and got dressed.

Rachel was sat do to do her makeup and when Charlie unlocked the door. Rachel she could see in the mirror how pleased Charlie was she was able to get herself ready. Charlie hand changed into an elegant evening dress which partly mirrored Rachel's dress.

When they were ready, they went to one of the meeting rooms to meet Levant. As they walked, Rachel held Charlie's hand.

"The rooms are called meeting rooms but mostly used for high stakes poker. This could be the first meeting they have had," Charlie said.

When they arrived, Lucy informed them that the meeting was running late and they would have to wait. They sat in an antechamber on some chairs. Charlie checked her phone and responded to a number of emergencies in the Bay.

Rachel and Charlie sat opposite the waiting Mr. data analytics. - The young internet startup guy who had dropped into the original dinner where Rachel had first appeared. Unlike Abercrombie, Mr. data analytics, vaguely remembered Charlie and Rachel.

'Your the Manager' He said with his European accent to Charlie 'and your the girl-friend. Miss Price, yes. He has mentioned you to me. I am Volk' he said offering his hand to Rachel.. Rachel resisted the urge to say that Volt was the first foreigner she had met. Then she realized she knew a few Mexican migrants, but this felt somehow more sophisticated.

Charlie had taken it upon herself to teach Rachel "how to be a girl." This primarily consisted of offering hints and tricks for passing herself off as a sophisticated woman. They stood on a balcony, looking down at men and rating them based on their level of attractiveness. Charlie would select a man, and Rachel had to guess how a woman would rate him in terms of hotness. The highest rating was BJ, which stood for blow job. Charlie reserved this top ranking for only a select few. For Charlie, the decision was easy - if she had a mental image of performing oral sex on someone upon first meeting them, they rated the BJ score. For Rachel, it was a more challenging mental exercise, and she didn't always get it right. There was something about Volk's large, strong hands, good grooming, young face, and dangerous demeanor that might have Charlie silently assign him a BJ score except for the ache.