Chapter 610: Playing with the Truth!

In the late days of August, Svetlana and Marina arrived in New York, one after the other. After acing the crew interview, they landed the roles of the deadly female assassins, Ares and Jaina, respectively.

"The former requires certain movement training," remarked Chad, the mastermind behind the yet-to-be-completed glass mirror scene.

Meanwhile, during one of the training sessions, Tiger Chen approached Martin discreetly. "I've been observing closely," he whispered, "and based on over 20 years of experience, Svetlana lacks fighting training."

"Thank you," acknowledged Martin.

As Tigrr Chen left, Bruce sidled up. "That alone might not be conclusive. An agent's primary task is seduction, not combat."

Martin nodded. "The odds decrease, but it's still a possibility."

Bruce paused, then posed a question, "If you're intent on discovering the truth, what's your plan? Our past encounters with Russian spies have often been misleading. Perhaps Russia isn't taking this operation seriously."

Martin confessed, "I haven't formulated a strategy yet, but identifying the culprit is imperative."

As lofty ideas such as seventy-two kinds of torture crossed Martin's mind, he refrained from discussing them with Bruce, deeming him too coarse for such discourse.

Turning his attention, Martin inquired, "Where's Marina?"

Bruce replied, "No significant findings yet."

With set adjustments completed, Martin armed himself and delved back into shooting the action sequences.

Meanwhile, Chad enlisted a special actor from Japan, skilled in sumo wrestling, for Martin's upcoming scenes.

The contrast in size between the actors was stark, akin to a child facing a 200-kilogram behemoth.

After over two hours and twenty action-packed scenes, Martin was drenched in sweat.

Off set, Jonathan dispatched the sumo wrestler with a shot.

Exiting the set, Martin was met by Louise and Alan Horn.

Impressed, Alan remarked, "The fight scenes are riveting. Authenticity is key."

Martin greeted him warmly, "What brings you here?"

Alan explained, "I signed 'John Wick 2' as my first non-Disney project since joining Disney Pictures. Its success affects both Disney and Buena Vista. When I heard Ms. Meyer was visiting, I decided to tag along."

As lunchtime approached, Martin suggested, "I'm in dire need of a shower. Let's chat over lunch later, my treat."

Alan agreed, and Martin retreated to his trailer.

As he prepared to shower, a knock interrupted him. Bruce opened the door to Louise, who offered her assistance.

"I'll help you with whatever you need," she assured Martin.

Gratefully, Martin replied, "I'm about to shower. Would you mind rubbing my back?"

As they stepped out, Louise's long hair still damp, but she shrugged it off nonchalantly.

The quartet, comprising Alan Horn, Bruce, Martin, and Louise, made their way to a nearby restaurant for lunch.

Once seated and food ordered, the conversation naturally veered towards the realm of movies.

Alan Horn initiated, "Both 'John Wick 2' and 'Lone Survivor' have inked distribution deals with Disney Pictures. The former hits theaters in the first half of next year, while the latter will grace the holiday schedule."

"Alan, your support means a lot," Martin replied courteously.

"We're old friends, no need for formalities," Alan cut in, getting straight to the point. "When you're back in Los Angeles, Robert Iger extends an invitation for you to visit Disney."

Martin agreed, "No problem. I'll make time after wrapping up this movie."

As the conversation unfolded, Alan brought up the issue of contract duration between Disney Pictures and Davis Studio, suggesting ten years, while Martin favored five.

After a brief negotiation, they settled on signing until 2019.

Alan then inquired about Martin's upcoming projects, including "Prince of Thieves" and "The Martian."

Martin disclosed, "The script for 'Prince of Thieves' is ready, and I've verbally committed with Ridley Scott for 'The Martian.' Barring any setbacks, Ridley will helm the project."

Alan nodded approvingly, "Ridley Scott's sci-fi films have always been solid."

Martin agreed with a smile, "Indeed."

Alan expressed his eagerness to see these films come to fruition sooner rather than later.

After lunch, Alan bid his farewells, heading off to Marvel Headquarters.

Walking back to the studio, Louise updated Martin on Jennifer Siebel's project, which had entered post-production.

Martin received a call from Siebel, informing him of Netflix's interest in purchasing the film rights.

Louise quickly grasped the significance, "Netflix's timing aligns with the California gubernatorial election results. They're shrewd."

Martin chuckled, "Newsom and Brown are almost guaranteed to win. I'll wait for the outcome before sealing the deal with Netflix."

He continued, "That timing suits the production schedule and my preferences."

Suddenly, Louise halted, her gaze fixed on Martin.

Sensing her contemplation, Martin turned to her, "Something on your mind?"

Louise brushed a speck of dust off Martin's shoulder, linking arms with him, "Let's keep moving."

Mid-stride, Martin expressed, "I want you to continue producing my projects."

Louise understood the implication, "I'll cling to your coattails, waiting to cash in."

Martin joked, "Might bankrupt you."

Louise's tone turned serious, "Hollywood's watching you closely, like Warner Brothers. There are opportunists waiting to snatch your promising projects."

Their exchange underscored the intricate dance of ambition and opportunity in the cutthroat world of filmmaking.

Martin nodded thoughtfully, "I'm aware of that. I keep tabs on things and play with both truth and fiction."

Louise's curiosity piqued, "Like Schwarzenegger and Stallone used to do?"

"Exactly," affirmed Martin, recalling the legendary rivalry between Stallone and Schwarzenegger in the action genre.

They not only focused on their own projects but also kept a keen eye on their competitors'. If they caught wind of their rivals' interest in a certain action film, they'd swiftly join the fray, sometimes feigning interest to throw off their opponents.

Their relationship had considerably improved over time, with Martin gathering insights from Stallone's three daughters.

As afternoon descended, the crew geared up for the media open day, welcoming numerous reporters and entertainment bloggers, spurred by the recent Justin Bieber incident.

Amidst the buzz, questions inevitably circled back to Martin's connection with Taylor Swift, eclipsing the Bieber altercation.

"We're good friends, we share everything," Martin replied casually. "Taylor reached out to me that night. I thought it was just a bunch of troublemakers, but turned out to be a famous singer."

A reporter quipped, "Will Taylor be eternally grateful for your heroics?"

Martin deflected the attention, gesturing to Chen, "He's the real hero. Tiger here saved the day!"

Caught off guard, Chen found himself thrust into the limelight by Martin's maneuver.

As the focus shifted to Chen, Martin discreetly slipped away, acknowledging Chen's quiet contributions.

Across the street, Martin exchanged a nod of encouragement with Chen before Chad approached, praising Tiger's prowess.

Martin reciprocated, "Old timers like us, we stick together."

Chad, reflecting on his own journey, expressed gratitude, "Meeting you, Martin, has been my greatest fortune."

Martin teased, "You're laying it on thick! Save the flattery for Mene or Marcus."

Chad chuckled, "Marcus is ballooning up. If he sits, I fear he'll break the chair!"

That evening, as Martin returned to the hotel from the studio, he crossed paths with Feng Chen, his trusted aide.