Chapter 238: Matt Demon

In a dimly lit alley, Martin tilted his Patriots hat, a sixth sense detecting a trailing presence. Swiftly, he slipped behind a wall, moving with purpose.

The camera, mounted on a sliding rig, swiveled to capture the scene.

From his pocket, Martin retrieved a dagger, his back pressed firmly against the wall. His chest heaved with anticipation, emotions taut like a drawn bowstring.

Footsteps drew nearer, echoing in the narrow alley.

With lightning speed, he evaded the approaching figure, striking decisively. The blade found its mark before he swiftly withdrew it, pivoting to flee.

He raced towards a bustling intersection, disappearing seamlessly into the throng of people.

Meanwhile, Leonardo, the tracker, experienced a near-identical scenario. These scenes would later be artfully cross-edited into a series of rapid shots.

Over the past few days, Scorsese keenly observed a subtle, electrifying chemistry between Martin, Leonardo, and Nicholson. They huddled together, whispering in hushed tones during breaks, their camaraderie palpable.

Promptly, Scorsese adjusted the shooting schedule, pushing forward the scenes where the three actors shared the frame.

The impact was undeniable; all three lead actors delivered remarkably.

On this particular afternoon, the crew settled into an extended break. Mene, recently arrived from Los Angeles, sought out Martin and discreetly whispered, "Matt Damon has joined the crew and might show up soon."

Martin nodded knowingly, and Mene took a seat nearby, affirming, "Boss, I'll keep an eye on him."

Martin waved off the concern, noting the time, then sought out Nicholson, asking, "Where's Leo?"

Nicholson gestured towards a nearby spot, "He's on the phone." With a devious grin, he added, "Seems like someone from Victoria's Secret leaked details of the last party to Gisele Bündchen. Let's be prepared; encourage Leo to end it."

Martin, reluctant to get involved in such matters, replied, "It won't do any good."

Nicholson persisted, pointing out, "Have you been paying attention to their recent conversations? Leo has mentioned it multiple times. Every time he clashes with Gisele Bundchen, they have explosive arguments. My hunch is that Gisele broke up with Leo after that last party. She's bound to visit the set and cause a scene. This level of drama is rare." Turning to Martin, he teased, "Don't you want to witness the Hollywood superstar drama up close? It's massive gossip!"

Compared to Nicholson, Martin remained the moral compass, saying, "When the time comes, just call in the other Victoria's Secret angels. That would be quite the spectacle!"

Nicholson retorted, "Even the most corrupt people think you're too straight-laced!"

Martin, unassuming, responded, "I can't help it; I'm a man of principles."

Leonardo returned, clearly upset. Upon approaching, he exclaimed, "I'm breaking up with her! I have to, She is already 25, and we're still bickering!"

Nicholson added fuel to the fire, mocking, "At 25, she's already aging! You could keep her as your grandma!"

Martin, ever the realist, murmured, "No woman in this world can stay perpetually youthful."

Nicholson shot Martin an accusatory glare, insinuating betrayal.

However, Martin, maintaining his principles, refused to encourage a breakup, saying, "There's no shortage of young women in the world."

Leonardo, leaning on Martin's shoulder, lamented, "Man, I'm juggling too many relationships. I Have relationships with over 20 girlfriends, and how can i not see through her actions."

Nicholson probed, "Is she angry with you?"

Leonardo nodded, "If I guess correctly, she'll probably show up in New York."

Nicholson, drawing from his decades of experience, predicted, "She'll definitely come. Leo, you and Martin are like brothers to me. I can't bear to see you go down my miserable old path." He appeared to be imparting wisdom to the younger generation, saying, "Some women don't recognize boundaries. The more you love them, the more they take you for granted. They're incessantly demanding and forget how to give back."

Nicholson's praise concealed a sly suggestion, "I recommend you gather all the Victoria's Secret angels and show her that Leonardo never lacks female attention."

Leonardo was touched but quickly saw through their jests, playfully saying, "You two, just wait for the show so you can enjoy my misery." Martin chimed in, "And when Nicholson and I break up with our girlfriends, we'll invite you back to watch the fireworks." He nudged Nicholson, adding, "You can join in too, old man."

Nicholson, with a straight face, agreed, "Of course, I can!"

Leonardo, taking a seat across from them, teased, "Three bachelors!"

Martin and Nicholson retorted in silence, both having declared their single status on numerous occasions.

Meanwhile, Matt Damon emerged from the makeup trailer, accompanied by associate producer Tyler.

During the crew's break, most members gathered in small groups, engaging in casual conversation and relaxation.

Damon's keen eyes spotted the trio of lead actors, Martin, Nicholson, and Leonardo. They huddled together, conversing animatedly, and occasionally embracing. The atmosphere was charged with camaraderie.

Damon gestured discreetly, asking Tyler, "They always get along so well?"

Tyler replied softly, "They're incredibly harmonious. Even Scorsese has remarked on their unique chemistry. There have been recent rumors that they might have had some party together."

Damon pondered the situation. It was essential to grasp the dynamics quickly to strategize appropriately. He inquired, "How's Martin's performance?"

Tyler assured him, "Very impressive, second only to Nicholson. Scorsese believes Martin is exceptionally comfortable in his role, even more so than Leonardo."

Tyler, representing the Dai Sen Studio supporting Matt Damon, provided an objective assessment, concluding, "Director Scorsese has praised Martin Davis as an excellent choice multiple times."

Damon spoke in hushed tones and nodded.

Tyler offered a suggestion, "The crew is in excellent shape, and filming is proceeding smoothly. The three lead actors are cooperating willingly, and Scorsese is quite satisfied. If you have any ideas, it's best to put them on hold for now and focus on the work."

Mene, casting a glance at the three jokers, assured Tyler, "Don't worry, I won't stir up any trouble." He reminded Tyler, "Keep an eye on Martin Davis and Jack Nicholson for me. I've received reliable information that they might be up to something."

Tyler, slightly surprised, inquired, "Is that so?"

Meanwhile, Damon couldn't shake the headache-inducing conversation he had overheard between Martin and Nicholson during the script meeting. What could these mischievous individuals be planning?

On the other side, Nicholson remarked, "Hey, Damon seems to be eyeing you."

With Bruce standing behind him, Martin responded without turning his head, "He's looking at you. You're the one who let one rip in public, how could he not be interested in messing with you?"

Nicholson grinned menacingly, "No one in this world can mess with me."

Leonardo, seizing the opportunity for payback, chimed in, "Oh no, I recall Naomi used a strap-on on you during that yacht party."

Martin slid his chair away from Nicholson, saying, "I misjudged you; you actually have that kind of preference."

Nicholson dismissed it, "When you're as old as me, you've tried everything there is to try, and you seek excitement on your own terms."

The three bantered for a while before the makeup artist arrived for touch-ups, and filming resumed.

On set, Bruce, a part-time prop master, inspected all the props and nodded in Martin's direction upon his return.

Damon was about to join the scene. While a Hollywood star of his stature doesn't joke about his future, Bruce remained cautious.

Entering the set, Martin prepared for a scene with Colin, played by Damon. They rehearsed their lines and movements.

The camera crew encountered technical difficulties with the rails, causing a delay.

Martin initiated conversation, "You know, I've always enjoyed your movies."

Damon, puzzled, asked, "Which one?"

Martin replied, "The Jason Bourne series, very cool." He added, "As actors, we're not like CIA agents fighting to the death."

Damon paused for a moment, "It's a bit exaggerated in the movies."

Martin nodded, "Indeed, it's just work. In any workplace, when there's friction, there are always diplomatic solutions."

Damon gazed at Martin, "You're right, it's just a job, and our paths may not cross after this."

Martin extended his hand, "Exactly. We can find common ground."

Damon shook his hand lightly, "But I have to admit, I don't particularly like you."

Martin responded, "I'm not here to make friends."

With that, Martin avoided getting entangled in a meaningless dispute with Matt Damon. Regardless of personal feelings, the actors' sequence on set remained unchanged.

Damon maintained a composed demeanor, appearing outwardly amiable.

Filming resumed with Martin and Damon's scenes together. Colin pressed Ding Genan for an undercover list, sparking a verbal conflict between them.

Seemingly wanting to prove himself, Damon threw himself into his performance, striving to outshine Martin in their shared scenes.

Martin had been on set for over a week, in peak form, and performed effortlessly.

After a take, Scorsese intervened, stepping off his director's chair. He addressed Damon, "Ease up, you're using too much force."

Damon nodded, spun around, and mumbled to himself as if he had a personal method of adjustment.

With all crew departments back in place, filming resumed.

However, within seconds, Scorsese called for another halt. This time, he shouted, "Damon, cut it out! don't think I dont understand, stop it!" Damon's intermittent and overly intense performance disrupted the flow.

Scorsese, not angered, recognized Damon's inexperience in film acting.

During a break, Leonardo commented, "I don't know what Martin said to Damon, but he seems intent on overshadowing Martin in their scenes."

Nicholson added, "He's pushing too hard, even worse than you."

Leonardo, typically one to dispute such comments, remained silent this time, focusing on Damon. "He wants to prove himself to Scorsese."

Nicholson chuckled, "Even if he's wrong, Scorsese never admits it."

After all, in the eyes of a great director, it's the actors or screenwriters who bear the blame, never the director.