Chapter 232: An Old Bastard

In the upcoming week, Martin concluded his vacation and embarked on a new job.

Following an extensive period of preparation, the team of "The Departed" is on the verge of commencing the filming process.

Before heading to New York for filming, the crew conducted a script meeting and convened with the key creative personnel at Warner Pictures.

Ten minutes later, after emerging from the bathroom, he gently patted Allen's crumpled face and murmured, "My dear, continue sleeping; I'm off to the set." Allen softly replied, "I understand," releasing his hand.

In such comfort, he was reluctant to recall: "You were remarkable last night. I should remind you and your boss that navigating a large film crew, particularly with direct competition from your audition still present, won't be easy."

Mene inquired, "Do you have any advice?"

Ellen, without answering, stated, "I'll be waiting here for you and return in the evening."

Although Uncle Mene felt disheartened initially, he regained his composure during the day, and the evening promised to be delightful until she begged for mercy, saying, "I'll be there punctually at seven tonight."

Ellen spoke calmly, "At this point, Scorsese has his sights set solely on the Best Director Oscar. Anyone hindering his path to victory becomes his adversary, so within the crew, regardless of circumstances, refrain from interfering with the filming and the work."

She stretched out and added, "Aside from Scorsese, the one with significant influence in the crew is Leonardo. He recommended your boss and had a private conversation with Leonardo. Building a strong relationship with him won't hurt you."

Mene nodded and said, "See you tonight."

Upon leaving the hotel, he drove to the Warner Studios building, waited in the lobby briefly, and encountered Martin and Bruce.

"Boss," Mene took the initiative to approach him.

Martin welcomed him, saying, "Let's go up together."

While walking, Mene conveyed Allen's words to Martin.

Martin patted Mene on the shoulder, remarking, "We should treat others kindly and strive to be good individuals, but being virtuous doesn't mean being weak. When dealing with wrongdoing, we should firmly oppose it." Mene inquired, "Boss, how should I handle it?"

Martin and Mene entered the crew's conference room together, where several individuals were seated around a cluttered table.

The room was in disarray, with various items strewn across tables and the floor.

Near the door lay a miniature doll, partially obscured by a prominent black object. Nearby, a small ball was bound by a belt, and further ahead, a black, flower-like whip resembling a whisk lay exposed.

Inspecting the room further revealed at least a dozen different types of adult toys.

Martin couldn't help but wonder if he had entered the wrong room; perhaps this wasn't Scorsese's crew but Jenna's.

His attention quickly shifted from the bizarre items to the person occupying the head of the table on the left side.

At first glance, this individual bore the appearance of a natural antagonist.

Jack Nicholson!

Based on the expressions of those present, Martin surmised that these items were associated with Nicholson.

He carefully navigated past the miniature doll and occupied a seat on the right side of the table.

According to the crew's customary rules, the first seat should belong to Leonardo.

Martin would either sit second or take the seat currently occupied by Jack Nicholson.

However, he observed that the second chair had an additional cushion, a common preference among those who preferred softer seating.

A quick scan confirmed that no other chairs were available.

Without hesitation, Martin relinquished the second chair, symbolizing the crew's hierarchy, and opted for the third seat.

Mene settled on the opposite side.

Jack Nicholson turned his attention toward Martin, sporting a sinister smile reminiscent of the malevolent clowns he portrayed.

Martin reciprocated with a smile but remained silent.

Their paths had never crossed before.

Over the next few minutes, other crew members entered one after another, displaying varying degrees of surprise upon encountering the unconventional items. Among them, the seasoned members directed knowing glances at Jack Nicholson.

This clearly wasn't Nicholson's first venture into such antics.

Leonardo entered the room, and upon spotting the miniature doll, couldn't contain his laughter, remarking, "Are you giving away free gifts?"

Martin greeted him with a simple, "Hi, Leo."

Leonardo acknowledged him with a nod and continued, "You've done wonders, making Kate so happy. Watch out for Sam when he comes to challenge you."

Martin recognized that Leonardo referred to Sam Mendes and chuckled, "Kate and I are just good friends."

Matt Damon arrived at this moment, glanced at the seating arrangement, and opted for the second seat next to Leonardo, lacking any formalities.

Once seated in the middle, the conversations between Martin and Leonardo dwindled.

Matt Damon greeted Leonardo, then turned to extend his hand to Martin, saying, "You've done something remarkable."

Whether referring to the Burbank High School incident or another accomplishment, Martin chose not to speculate. As they shook hands, he replied with a smile, "I'm a huge fan of your movies, especially Bourne—it's fantastic." Damon, known for his sincerity, followed suit, saying, "You, a movie fan, have outdone your favorite star."

Martin responded directly, "When a fan's admiration reaches its zenith, certain things happen naturally."

Director Scorsese entered the room last, observing the peculiar shaped items scattered on the floor, and remarked, "Jack, you're at it again!"

Nicholson grinned with a mischievous air, saying, "Meetings can be so dull; let's add some fun."

Scorsese, who had known Jack for nearly thirty years, didn't pay it much mind. He pulled out a chair and settled in, declaring, "Let's begin the script reading."

Everyone retrieved their scripts and attentively followed along.

The assistant director activated the slide projector, while Scorsese, relying on his thorough research, elucidated the intricate relationships within the plot and among the characters.

When Scorsese finished his explanation and reached for the kettle to have a sip of water, Nicholson covertly produced a small remote control from his pocket and pressed it.

Whoosh—

The sound of a fart resonated throughout the entire conference room, loud and prolonged.

The noise happened to be right next to Martin and Leonardo, making it most audible to them. They simultaneously turned their heads and directed their gazes at Matt Damon seated in between.

All eyes promptly followed Martin and Leonardo, fixing upon Matt Damon.

After the flatulence ceased, Matt Damon, wearing a bewildered expression, exclaimed, "It wasn't me!"

Nicholson discreetly triggered the remote control once more.

Whoosh—

Another resounding, extended fart noise emanated from beneath Matt Damon's seat.

Puzzlement spread across the faces of everyone present.

Leonardo instinctively shifted away, putting distance between himself and Damon.

Matt Damon abruptly rose from his chair, seized the cushions, and demanded loudly, "Who? Who did that?"

Several individuals surreptitiously glanced at Jack Nicholson.

Martin shared a knowing smile with Nicholson, who, in his usual nonchalant manner, extracted the remote control and placed it on the table. He grinned and remarked, "I did it. These meetings can get tedious; I always have to inject some fun."

He glanced at Matt Damon and continued, "It's just a harmless prank, Matt. You wouldn't argue with an old man, would you?"

Matt Damon tossed the cushion onto the conference table.

Nicholson didn't wait for Matt Damon's response and addressed Martin, saying, "Initially, I thought I'd have a little fun with Los Angeles... no, the American hero, but it seems our hero chose a different seat."

Matt Damon glanced at Martin and, upon seeing Martin's genuinely surprised expression, returned to his seat, albeit reluctantly.

Mene seemed ready to intervene, but Martin subtly restrained him, turned his gaze to Nicholson, and offered a nod with a smile.

Nicholson didn't appear to mind; he had committed countless similar pranks in the past.

Scorsese finished his drink and declared, "Jack, your antics are done for now. Please refrain from causing disruptions on set."

Nicholson acquiesced with a simple, "I promise!"

In that moment, Martin sensed that Scorsese's relationship with that mischievous old fellow was anything but ordinary.

The script reading proceeded smoothly, and soon, it seemed like everyone had forgotten about the incident.

As the meeting adjourned and Scorsese departed, Matt Damon promptly rose and left the room.

Martin paid no heed to the others and approached Leonardo, suggesting, "How about we go out for a drink sometime?"

Leonardo changed the subject, mentioning, "I heard from Kate that you organized a fantastic themed party. Even Wes Craven, the pickiest of individuals, thoroughly enjoyed it."

Martin nodded, confirming, "That's true."

Leonardo lowered his voice, confiding, "New York is a hub for supermodels. I'm thinking of reaching out to a few and arranging a yacht party or perhaps a mansion soirée. The usual industry parties can be quite dull."

Two ideas automatically came to Martin's mind, one of which was Leonardo's favorite water gun party. However, he reconsidered; it seemed that Leonardo had likely indulged in similar events privately.

He inquired, "What caliber of models are we talking about?"

When it came to supermodels, Leonardo displayed unwavering confidence, asserting, "At the level of Victoria's Secret Angels. If I extend an invitation, they'll undoubtedly be interested."

Martin probed further, asking, "Are they willing to collaborate?"

Leonardo, exuding self-assuredness on this matter, replied, "Certainly."

Martin responded, "I'll carefully consider it in the coming weeks."

Suddenly, a large head extended into their conversation—Jack Nicholson. The man, whose appearance belied his actions, leaned over the conference table like a curious turtle and interjected, "You two rascals, count me in, or I'll call and report you!"

Martin regarded this enigmatic-looking character.

Nicholson snorted, retorting, "I live life on my terms, doing as I please, unlike you, who wears a mask every day."

Martin vaguely remembered a Hollywood star involved in a similar gossip, but the details eluded him.