Chapter 616: Helping Brad Pitt

Los Angeles, WMA headquarters

With Thomas's assistance, Marina and Svetlana formally inked a management contract with WMA. Their direct liaison was Thomas's former assistant, Natasha.

As Natasha delved into her to-do list, which included securing housing, facilitating their Los Angeles transition, and ensuring registration with the Screen Actors Guild, Thomas leaned in discreetly and whispered, "They're Martin's people now. You know what to do."

Natalie, seasoned by her years as an assistant, nodded knowingly. "I've got it covered."

At noon, Svetlana headed to Century City for cosmetics shopping while Marina, under the guise of visiting a friend, slipped out of WMA to update her uncle in Paris on their latest developments. It was standard procedure for a niece to update her uncle on her safety and share her new experiences in a new environment.

Upon her return to WMA, Marina was promptly summoned by Natasha, who had already called Svetlana.

Natasha got straight to the point, "I've enrolled you in an accent correction class and will help you find suitable roles. Keep your phones on at all times. I'll notify you immediately if there's any news."

Marina and Svetlana left the agency with a stack of information each.

After a busy spell, Natasha took a breather and headed to the coffee machine.

Colleen, another employee, approached and leaned against Natasha's office partition, curiosity evident in her voice, "Where did you find those two new clients? They're stunning and seem naturally suited to play the part of eye candy."

Since most of their colleagues were male, Natasha confided, "They're resources from my former boss Thomas, Martin..."

She gestured, and Colleen caught on instantly, "No wonder they're such head-turners. Gorgeous, with great figures and poise."

Natasha added, "I owe it all to Thomas and Martin for helping me gain traction here. By following their lead, I've made strides."

Colleen sighed wistfully, "I wish I had your luck. It's a dog-eat-dog world here."

"Patience. Your family's not wanting." Natasha smiled. "Maybe one day, we'll stumble upon the next Martin Davis together."

"I hope so too. Maybe we'll share in your old boss's luck." Colleen waved her off. "Now, go make those calls."

Colleen returned to her desk and sent a text message.

The reply came promptly: "Got it."

She didn't need to do anything else.

After attending to her duties for a while, Colleen excused herself to use the restroom. As she undid her pants, a tattoo-like mark on her private area caught her eye.

Meanwhile, Marina was surprised to receive a call from Natasha just two days after her accent class, summoning her to meet with the assistant casting director of a production team.

At WMA, Marina was ushered into a reception room where Natasha and a middle-aged woman awaited.

Natasha introduced, "This is Susie Flavor, the casting director for our project."

Marina greeted Susie with enthusiasm.

Susie said directly: "I have a project on hand, and I'm in search of the right actress. Due to budget constraints, I can only consider actors from the ordinary pool. I heard you had a role in Martin's 'John Wick 2'?"

Marina: "Yes, indeed." Marina, aware of her reputation in Russia, knew how to present herself favorably. "Martin and I shared numerous scenes, with ample dialogue exchanges."

Susie, having reviewed the materials provided by Natasha, retrieved a set photo and remarked, "You seem to fit the role's requirements. I'll forward your information along with a few others to the casting team, and you'll be scheduled for an audition."

Marina promptly handed her business card to Susie, saying, "Feel free to reach out anytime."

Accepting the card and Marina's details, Susie turned to Natasha. "I have a few more actors to meet with, so I won't take up any more of your time."

Natasha and Marina escorted Susie out of the reception area.

Once Susie had left, Natasha handed Marina a stack of information and cautioned, "Take a thorough look at these materials, prepare for the audition, and I'll handle the rest."

"Thank you," Marina replied.

Marina's ambition to establish herself in Los Angeles and remain close to Martin necessitated securing a stable job and identity. She had planned to continue her promising acting career in Los Angeles before even arriving in the United States.

After Marina departed, Natasha promptly dialed Thomas's number and briefed him on the situation.

Thomas, after a moment of consideration, instructed, "Keep a close eye on Marina's progress and inform me immediately of any developments."

Natasha hung up, pondering the extent of Thomas's interest in Marina. It was clearly linked to Martin, but while Martin had associations with several women, Natasha hadn't heard of him singling out anyone aside from Elizabeth Olsen.

Could it be that Martin held an unusual fondness for Marina? The thought thrilled Natasha. If Martin did indeed favor Marina, it could propel her to stardom, resulting in a high-profile client.

In the spacious office upstairs, Thomas concluded his call with Natasha, intrigued by the situation.

However, having learned from his years alongside Martin, Thomas knew better than to pry into matters where discretion was paramount. He followed Martin's directives faithfully and without unnecessary inquiry.

This adherence to protocol had been the cornerstone of Thomas Ryan's success.

As the phone rang again, Thomas answered.

The voice on the other end reported, "Brad Pitt is set to be released from prison."

Thomas, surprised, queried, "Wasn't it supposed to be at year's end? Why the early release by two months?"

The voice explained, "Pitt struck a new deal with the prosecutor. He'll testify against Harvey Weinstein in exchange for early parole."

Thomas acknowledged, "I see."

While Brad Pitt's early release was unexpected, it wasn't a major concern. Nonetheless, Thomas promptly phoned Martin to relay the news.

Bruce took the call.

Thomas, more than anyone else, was certain that Brad Pitt's situation today was a result of Martin's orchestration.

They had Brad Pitt, then the Affleck brothers, and now Harvey Weinstein.

Quentin may have been the leader of the Foot Gang, but Harvey was its true soul.

Bruce, stationed outside the Brooklyn Studio, listened intently as Thomas detailed the situation. "Keep an eye on Brad Pitt's movements," Thomas instructed.

"Understood," Bruce replied.

Returning to the studio, Bruce entered just as filming resumed, the door closing behind him, and the scene unfolding before him.

Mene, leaning on the bar, suddenly straightened up, extending his hand to halt the impending tragedy. His voice was calm but firm: "Jonathan, lower the gun and walk away. Just walk away."

"Ah, the steak here is exquisite. Have you discovered the secret? It's the duck fat," the Italian actor remarked, savoring a forkful. "Delicious."

Mene took a step closer. "Jonathan..."

Martin remained expressionless, wordlessly raising his gun and firing at the Italian actor.

As the gunshot echoed, the Italian actor collapsed.

Without a glance back, Martin began to leave.

Mene, with a sense of resignation, lamented, "You've left me no choice, Jonathan, killing in the Continental Hotel..."

Martin continued his stride, disappearing down the corridor with each step.

The camera followed Martin until the bar door closed behind him.

Chad, rising from behind the director's monitor, exclaimed, "Excellent, that's a wrap!"

Praising Martin, he declared, "As sharp as ever." Turning to Mene, he commended, "You were superb. Excellent work. My own acting has improved just by watching you."

Mene mumbled, "Thanks to Isabelle Huppert's masterclass."

"Take a twenty-minute break, then we'll resume filming," Chad announced.

Martin returned to the rest area.

Bruce approached him, revealing, "Pete was granted parole, two months early."

He provided a brief overview of the situation.

Martin nodded thoughtfully. "I recall the 'Inception' incident. Pete paid significant compensation to the victims and crew, and he doesn't have many assets in his name anymore."

"None at all," Bruce whispered. "Even his ex-wife and ex-girlfriend failed to seize anything."

Pondering Brad Pitt's situation, Martin inwardly sighed at the trials of dealing with such individuals, including his own ex-wife.

However, he decided Brad needed assistance upon release. "Mene, my old friend, let's offer Brad some support. Perhaps we can help him find a decent job?"

Bruce, understanding their intentions, replied, "I'll make the arrangements."

Martin nodded approvingly. "Proceed."

Curious, Mene inquired, "A job in the San Francisco Valley?"

Martin explained, "Pitt has never won the Best Man Award. Let's help him achieve that dream and secure a respectable income."

Transitioning from Hollywood to the San Francisco Valley could offer Brad Pitt a promising future, much like Maitland Ward's success, as mentioned by Jenna Jones.

Maitland, once a supporting actress in "Miss White," had thrived in the Sacred Valley, winning numerous Best Actress Awards and achieving substantial commercial success.