Chapter 102: Kangroo Attack

The deserted town was adorned with eerie scenery. On both sides of the road, lifeless mannequins stared vacantly, almost as if they could absorb souls and come to life.

When shooting here, the film crew never worried about onlookers, as there was no human habitation within a ten-kilometer radius.

Wild animals, including kangaroos, roamed freely in the area.

A high-octane action scene was about to be filmed, and Martin was warming up with some exercises.

Mene glanced around nervously and quipped, "Could a killer like Jason jump out here?"

Elisha, holding a bat, exuded confidence from her recent training: "I'll take him down with one swing. Right on the head."

Martin, flexing his wrist, mused, "This place is ideal for disposing of adversaries. Eliminate someone, toss them into the woods, and it might be years before anyone finds them. Bury them, and the truth could remain hidden forever."

Mene playfully raised his hand and said, "Boss, I'm on your side!"

Director Jaume Serra, usually all business, shouted through a loudspeaker, "Martin, Brian, get ready."

Martin didn't waste time and headed straight for the set.

Brian, who was playing the opposing role, joked, "Come on, Martin, go easy on me; I'm pushing fifty."

Martin nodded with a grin, "No worries, I'm a pro."

Most action scenes involved countless shots, which would be seamlessly blended in post-production.

In the final film, the action scene lasted a mere two minutes but took an entire morning to capture. Martin's expertise allowed Brian to shine.

The scene transitioned to a gas station.

After just one shot, Eliza and another woman's screams pierced the air from the town's entrance.

Martin wasted no time and rushed over.

Director Jaume Serra instructed, "Go check it out," and followed suit.

Others joined them shortly after.

Martin sprinted through the small town's lone street, reaching an intersection, where he spotted a massive red kangaroo in pursuit of Paris Hilton from a distance.

The kangaroo seemed to be in heat, and Paris was, of all things, wearing a red dress...

Helpless to control Paris's fate, Martin urgently shouted at Elisha, "Elisha, get away from there! Stay clear!"

Elisha, not one to make foolish choices, grabbed the bat and rushed toward Martin.

Amidst the chaos, the kangaroo landed a "punch" on Paris, sending her tumbling into the grass by the roadside. The kangaroo advanced menacingly.

As an opportunity for a scene that even the boldest filmmakers wouldn't dare to attempt unfolded, a hero emerged.

Mene dashed out from behind a set room and taunted, "You long-tailed idiot, over here, look at me!"

He hurled a football, striking the kangaroo on the head.

The kangaroo, now wounded and furious, turned its attention toward Mene.

Mene swiftly retreated toward the crowd of crew members, taunting, "Come on, you dumb giant rat! Are you practicing racial discrimination? You'll only mess with white folks but not with black people? Do you dare to call me a slur?"

The kangaroo bounded after Mene, thoroughly incensed.

Mene continued his taunts as he ran, "Come on! You stupid oversized rodent! Come at me and prove you don't discriminate against black people!"

Martin joined Elisha, pulling her behind him, and yelled at Mene, "Quit the nonsense and run!"

Mene glanced back, only to see the kangaroo leaping toward him, its forelimbs wrapped around his neck, and its powerful hind legs kicking out.

Luckily, Mene had sprinted forward, avoiding a potentially painful encounter with the kangaroo's rear end.

Mene raced away, screaming and making a narrow escape, and the kangaroo leaped on a patch of grass, showing it was not biased.

"Boss Martin, save me!" Mene cried out, seeking help from the nearest Martin.

This plea reminded Martin of Hart, the fool from the sports boy group. He grabbed the bat from Elisha's hand and approached cautiously.

Elisha, her eyes sparkling, warned, "Be careful. It's just a kangaroo, not an armed bandit."

Martin didn't charge head-on; instead, he took advantage of the kangaroo's fixation on clearing its reputation of racial discrimination and circled around from behind.

Mene held his ground, making sure he wouldn't be attacked immediately by the kangaroo or something equally unexpected.

Director Jaume Serra, a robust thirty-year-old, dashed past Elisha, clutching the scorecard tightly.

The significance of one's debut film to a director is self-evident.

The Kangros weren't just disrupting the shoot; they were threatening Zomi Sirla's future.

Martin struck from behind, while Jaume attacked head-on.

Despite Jaume's usual limited interaction with actors outside of work, he gave a nod to Martin.

The two of them accelerated simultaneously.

Jaume surged ahead, initiating the attack by swiping the starting card and shattering it.

The giant kangaroo reacted swiftly, blocking with its forelimbs, snapping the scorecard, and letting out a piercing scream.

It thrashed its legs and leaped.

Mene clung to the kangaroo's legs and forced its black head upward.

Martin's rounded bat came down with a dull thud, causing his hands to tingle from the impact.

The kangaroo staggered and turned back.

Without uttering a word, Martin swung the bat, landing a powerful blow to the kangaroo's head.

With a crash, the giant kangaroo collapsed, blood oozing from its head.

Martin discarded the bat and shouted to Mene, "Belt."

There was a substantial tear in Mene's underwear, either from the kangaroo's kick or a poke. He instinctively covered his waist, feeling vulnerable and helpless. "Boss Martin..."

Martin urged, "Hurry up, no need for chatter."

Trembling, Mene undid his belt, pulled it out, and handed it to Martin.

Martin instructed, "It might still be alive, just unconscious. Keep it under control."

Jaume quickly joined to help, pinning down the upper body of the kangaroo.

Martin used Mene's belt to secure the kangaroo's lower limbs.

Suddenly, the giant kangaroo sprang back to its feet, knocking Jaume over in the process.

Martin extended a hand to help Zomi up. "Stay clear of it."

Just in the nick of time, the rest of the crew rushed over.

They were all professionals who understood the challenges of their work.

Outside the town, on the riverbank, people from nearby, alerted by the commotion, were driving to the scene.

Elisha approached, grasped Martin's hand, and examined him closely. "Any injuries?"

Martin smiled, "I'm okay."

Mene extended his hand, announcing, "I'm hurt!"

Jaume instructed an assistant, "Get the crew doctor."

Seeing that Martin was unharmed, Elisha mentioned, "I need to check on Paris."

Up ahead, Paris struggled to climb out of the grass, sitting on the road, breathing heavily.

Kim Kardashian discreetly exited a building, hurried over to Paris, and handed her a water bottle. "Paris, are you okay?"

Paris knocked the bottle away and questioned, "Where were you? Where were you when I was in danger?"

Kim retrieved the bottle without a word.

Paris, scared and furious, continued, "Is this how you work? Even if I raise a piece of crap, it would still protect me!"

Elisha hung back, not wanting to get involved.

Kim had endured enough and appeared ready to endure more. "Are you hurt? I'll find a doctor."

Paris exploded, "Get out! Just get out!"

The crew doctor arrived, examining Mene's minor skin injury and diagnosing Paris with shock.

Soon, Susan Levin, the film's producer, arrived on set. After assessing the situation, she decided to halt filming for the day and coordinate with local authorities for follow-up actions.

Martin and the others didn't need to intervene; the production team would handle it.

Susan approached Martin and praised, "You handled the situation promptly today, and no one was seriously injured."

Actor injuries could lead to production delays, insurance claims, and union issues.

Martin looked at Jaume, saying, "I couldn't have done it without a director."

Jaume nodded in agreement, "We're in this together."

Susan raised her voice, "That's a wrap for today's work. Everyone, head back, rest up. And feel free to visit the hotel bar for a drink, all on the production's tab."

Martin invited Zomi, "Care for a drink later?"

Jaume didn't decline, "See you at the bar."

Elisha returned and informed, "Paris is causing quite a scene."

Martin suggested, "Let's ignore her and head back. If Bruce doesn't have a fever anymore, we can watch him take on a kangaroo today."

Back at the Hilton Hotel via bus, Martin first checked on Bruce. He had spent the weekend snorkeling at the beach and had developed a fever after overextending himself.

"The fever's gone," Bruce reported, though he seemed less energetic. "Just rest for a day tomorrow, and you'll be back to normal the day after."

Martin offered, "You rest up, I'll order dinner for you, and it'll be delivered."

After changing into casual attire, Martin joined Jaume at the bar.

Jaume, wearing a T-shirt and shorts, sat alone at a table facing the TV.

Martin approached and noticed a badge on the collar of Jaume's T-shirt - the Barcelona team logo.

Martin had asked Thomas to gather information about Jaume and knew he hailed from Barcelona, Spain.

On the TV screen, highlights of the European Champions League played.

Observing Martin's interest, Jaume remarked, "I thought Americans weren't big fans of English football."

Martin reminisced, finally recalling a few names. "I'm a Ronaldinho fan."

Zomi agreed, "I'm a huge fan too."

Martin continued, "Nobody combines football artistry and practicality better than him. His skills are unmatched, and he brings us fans immense joy."

Zomi concurred, "He's a true genius." They clinked their glasses. "Here's to Ronaldinho."

Martin sipped his wine. "I wasn't a Barcelona supporter before, but because of Ronaldinho, I now back the team."

Proudly, Jaume shared, "If you dig deeper, you'll discover it's a remarkable club with a captivating culture and artistry." They continued discussing football, with Martin primarily praising.

Jaume, who usually kept quiet, talked animatedly about his passion - the clubs he supported, from the Dream Team to Cruyff, from Guardiola to Xavi, and more.

They even made plans to attend a match together, with the goal of throwing a pig's head at Luis Figo when Real Madrid played in the United States.

In the following days, Martin became the only actor on set who could engage the director in non-work-related conversations at length.

Breaking the ice required a bit of a push to unlock the director's hidden enthusiasm.