Chapter 99: Chapter 99 Born Bad
At the Los Angeles International Airport, Martin strutted in a showy short trch coat, donned a pair of black sunglasses, and was followed by his bag-carrying lackey Bruce. The mere few doz meters from the car to the airport trance exuded an eighte-meter aura, turning heads a him as many mistook him for a major celebrity on the move.
Paparazzi and freelance reporters long stationed at the airport swarmed over upon seeing his getup.
Before ev reaching him, the camera flashes began to fire.
Once they realized it was an unfamiliar face, they covertly flipped him off and dispersed with a rumble.
The few who regularly followed internet forums and B-movies vaguely recognized Martin and snapped a few extra pictures.
Among the remaining two freelance reporters, the woman asked her colleague, "Can we at least make back the cost of the film and developing?"
The male colleague was very pessimistic, "It's going to be tough."
Martin, with his sharp eyes, spotted the petite blonde woman up ahead and quicked his pace, "Hey, my twin sister, what a coincidce."
Eliza slightly hasted her steps and said directly, "My sister is a big star, 'not that great' writt all over her."
"My fragile heart is shattered into pieces by you," Martin covered his chest, th spread his arms, "Your twin brother needs comfort."
Eliza, finding his words amusing, gave Martin a light hug.
Several paparazzi and reporters raised their cameras to take photos.
The two of them, one petite and sexy, the other tall and robust, showed a special contrasting charm through the camera lses.
Eliza's bespectacled assistant was ev shorter than her and had a face full of freckles, quite unremarkable, but at that momt, she coughed forcefully.
Martin, as innoct as they come, wouldn't harbor any ill inttions, he called out, "Let's go inside."
The four of them tered the airport terminal building.
The female reporter outside said, "Eliza is on very intimate terms with him. We've made our investmt back and will ev make a little extra."
The male colleague didn't respond because he was thinking further ahead. The starter photo was already in hand, and it seemed quite dect; the next step would be to write the story based on the images.
"Hollywood rising star Eliza Cuthbert's new romance exposed..."
They exchanged their boarding passes, wt through security, and arrived at the gate, where many from the production crew had already gathered.
Adrian came over to Martin at this time and bumped fists, "We're both lucky to have gott roles."
Martin stood there confidtly with Bruce behind him, "We're frids from the same company, helping each other out."
Eliza stepped forward and asked Martin, "Your frid?"
Before Martin could answer, Adrian prested his most charming smile, "Adrian-Granny, the male lead in 'Star Partners.'" He deliberately added, "Martin plays opposite me in that show."
Martin laughed and, as if on set, slung his arm a Adrian's neck, "So, this time he's playing Nick's sidekick, doing sces for me."
Adrian tried to pull away without making a big movemt but couldn't break free.
The sound of high heels clicking rapidly approached as Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian arrived.
Martin let go of Adrian and gave Bruce a look; Bruce nodded imperceptibly.
While drinking in Avalon, the two had come up with a guide on how to chase tail and stir trouble.
Crap plus crap equals an unbearable stch.
Bruce took out the carry-on bag he had brought, reminding him, "It's about time."
Martin pointed towards the VIP lounge and said to Eliza, "Shall we go in?"
The two had business class tickets and wt through the VIP channel.
Adrian watched Martin ter the VIP room, th sat back down on the bch, frowning in thought.
Bruce sat in an inconspicuous spot, his seemingly gtle gaze occasionally drifting over Adrian.
Wh it was time to board, Kim Kardashian was just a bag carrier heading for economy class.
Finding her seat, she struggled a bit to put her bag on the overhead rack.
"Let me help you," Bruce came over and helped her put both bags up.
Kim hurriedly thanked him and upon sitting down, noticed the man's seat was on the outer side of hers and politely asked, "You are?"
"Bruce," he said, "We're from the same production crew. I'm Martin Davis's manager, you can call me Old Cloth."
Kim replied, "I'm Kim, Paris's personal assistant."
Recalling how Martin had schmoozed with his crappy methods, Bruce said, "Our work is similar."
"You're a manager, I'm just an assistant."
"What manager," Bruce retorted fondly, th promptly corrected himself, mindful that he wasn't amongst gang members, "I'm just Martin's lackey."
The plane took off, and the two fell silt. After reaching the stratosphere, Kim Kardashian was clearly not feeling well.
Bruce, quick on the uptake, offered, "I'll get you a glass of water. It'll help if you drink more."
"Thank you," Kim had not fully evolved yet.
Bruce called the flight attdant and got her a glass of water. Wh Kim had nearly finished drinking, he got her another, "Feeling better now? Have a little more."
The plane was no longer as bumpy as it was during takeoff, and naturally, people felt much more comfortable, so Kim Kardashian drank some more water.
After chatting for a while, Kim Kardashian couldn't hold it any longer, "Sorry, I need to use the restroom."
Bruce folded up the tray table and leaned his body outwards to make space.
Kardashian walked away, th came back after a while and repeated the process.
Bruce's breath was hot and scorching, and within a mere t seconds or so, his lips started peeling from dryness.
The two of them chatted, slept, woke up, and continued chatting, mainly about the people and affairs within the film crew.
With Bruce leading the conversation subtly, the topic arrived at Adrian, "Kim, I heard something and I'm not sure if I should mtion it."
Feeling it might be significant news, Kardashian responded, "Ar't we frids?"
Bruce pretded to hesitate, and with Kardashian's eyes filled with anticipation and couragemt, he made up his mind, "Martin and Adrian are from the same agcy, both at WMA."
Kardashian had researched the crew's information, "I know that."
Bruce leaned in closer and whispered, "Once I followed Martin to the agcy and snuck into the security corridor to smoke, I overheard a piece of information being discussed. The person who injured Jason Shawn is named Tony, and Tony is Adrian's lackey. Adrian also auditioned for Nick's role."
Kardashian, having dealt with shady things while following Paris, leaned closer to Bruce, nearly head to head, "Did Adrian set Tony up to frame Jason Shawn?"
Bruce shook his head, "I'm not clear on whether Adrian was behind it, but I've se Tony at the agcy, and he had injuries on his nose and face for several days."
"Thank you, Old Cloth," Kardashian said, purposely touching Bruce's forehead with hers, "This information is very important for Paris and me."
Bruce said, "I just wanted to remind you, so you won't get played by him again. Some people are just born bad."
Kardashian lifted her head, trying to see where Adrian was sitting, "You couldn't be more right."
The flight arrived smoothly in Quesland's capital, Brisbane. Bruce quickly met up with Martin as they disembarked from the plane.
Martin asked, "Did it go well?"
Bruce replied, "The news has be leaked, and she's quite fond of me."
Martin glanced at Adrian in the distance, "If someone causes trouble for him, he surely won't have time to trouble us."
Bruce wt to retrieve his luggage and upon returning said, "You make things too complicated. Australia is vast and sparsely populated; in Quesland, there are large unpopulated areas, and the crocodiles in the bay are said to grow more than four meters long."
Martin reminded him, "Old Cloth, we're in this to make it in Hollywood, not the underworld. Have you forgott your principles? We are civilized people!"
"I didn't bring a civilized person's ID." Bruce was unarmed.
Eliza and her assistant came over with their luggage, with the former asking, "What are you guys talking about? You seem so happy."
Of course, Martin couldn't tell the truth and recalling a piece of news he had se in his previous life, he said on a whim, "Australia's crocodile problem has become a disaster, Old Cloth was inquiring whether he could get a hunting licse to cull some."
Bruce gave Martin a sidelong glance, thinking, are you really that civilized, pushing me towards death?
Eliza said, "Let's go; the crew's transportation is waiting outside."
Wh the crew was initially established, a portion of the members had come to Brisbane to set up the set, staying at other than the Hilton Hotel.
The hotel st a bus and a business car to pick them up.
Paris took a seat in a Mercedes, and Kardashian also took a seat in the back, raising the partition to speak in hushed tones about Adrian's news.
"I've always wondered how Jason suddly became violt." Paris was aggrieved, "Kim, are you certain about the news?"
Kardashian suggested, "You should look into it carefully."
Giv Paris' backg, it wasn't hard to dig up some news. She made several calls, including to the police, and soon confirmed, "I'm going to get him!"
Kardashian mtioned, "The crew is staying at the Hilton Hotel."
Paris shook her head, "The higher-ups here won't list to me."
Kardashian, having mingled with many high-profile circles with her, said, "The people below are sure to try to please you."
Paris was never one to play by the rules, her capricious and willful nature well-known throughout America, "He got Jason kicked out of the crew; I want him out of the crew!"
Yet Kardashian's mind was sharper than Paris', suggesting, "He was a choice fixed by Susan; it's best to avoid direct conflict."
Paris frowned, "Th what do you suggest we do?"
Kardashian was at a loss but suddly remembered a major evt that happed last year in Los Angeles, speaking in a low voice, "There was a scandal with the Lakers last year..."
Paris thought for a momt, "I used to play over here, and I have a frid who knows a lot of people."
Kardashian suggested, "We'll put up some money, and later we could make some as well."
Paris immediately contacted her local frid, and after finishing the call, she told Kardashian, "The crew is staying at a Hilton hotel; let them know once we arrive at the hotel that I'm inviting everyone who flew over with us to a luxurious buffet tonight."
Upon arriving at the hotel, the crew had already be assigned their rooms; Martin's was a two-bedroom suite, one of which was prepared for his assistant.
Bruce brought over the room cards, telling Martin, "Kim notified everyone who came with the crew; Paris is hosting a lavish buffet tonight."
Martin asked, "Is something up?"
Bruce nodded, "Most likely; I don't know what they're planning to do."
"We are civilized people, and we have nothing to do with this matter," Martin declared, not intding to foolishly step forward, "We'll just watch the drama unfold."