America achieves both fame and fortune

Chapter 127 The Bet with Louise

The small film studio next to the office building was also temporarily rented by the film crew for use as a training ground for the actors.

Martin gripped the bat tightly with both hands, aimed at the specially made plastic dummy in front of him, and smashed it down. The dummy's head exploded, and plastic fragments flew everywhere.

Action director Walter shouted, "That's it, that's the spirit! With a weapon like a baseball bat, once you throw it, you can't retract it quickly enough to throw it a second time. The strike must be ruthless and powerful!"

He urged Martin, "Next!"

Martin switched to wielding a bat with one hand, no longer in a baseball style, but with a one-handed hammer he had practiced as a stuntman. The heaviest bat head smashed into the plastic dummy's shoulder, shattering half of its body.

Then he turned around, swung the baseball, and smashed it across the mannequin's chest with a loud thud, breaking the mannequin in two.

Walter shouted, "OK! The movements are fine, you've got the hang of it."

Martin inspected the wooden baseball bat; it was not damaged.

Walter told the prop master who was watching the training session, "The bats used in the rallies must be made of soft material to match Martin's professional movements and avoid danger."

Martin came over carrying his baseball bat, and although he was confident he could control his strength, he still said, "Safety first."

"Yes, safety first," Walter said solemnly. "The safety of the crew is very important. It involves the union and insurance. If other actors are injured because of your personal issues, the insurance company will intervene because you refused to provide accident insurance for the crew the next time you shoot an action scene, which could lead to the union intervening and the crew being unable to start filming."

Martin nodded. "I understand."

Walter added, "You rest first, I'll discuss your weapon with the prop master."

Martin handed the bat to the prop master and went to the rest area, where his agent, Thomas, was waiting.

Thomas still thinks, "With your skills, you should have starred in that Disney action movie; you'd be a huge hit."

Martin completely ignored that question and asked, "Walter just mentioned the production crew has insurance, what's that about?"

Thomas also heard those words and explained simply: "He was talking about insurance issues caused by the actors themselves. For example, when Nicole Kidman was injured while filming 'Moulin Rouge,' the insurance company paid out $300 million due to delays in filming and her personal injury insurance."

He was also reminding Martin: "She was originally slated to be the female lead in 'War Room,' but she suffered a knee injury a few weeks into filming, which caused the project to be interrupted. The insurance company almost paid out the $5400 million in completion guarantee. The project only proceeded normally after they persuaded the crew and Jodie Foster. So Nicole Kidman is not favored by insurance companies, which in turn makes her unpopular with Hollywood."

Martin said, "I understand. Use a stand-in if you can, and avoid danger if you can."

Thomas praised his shrewd client: "If a stuntman gets injured, you can just replace him. But if you get injured, your future will be severely affected."

Martin listened, of course; he was responsible for leading the way, while others carried the load.

He's an expert at this.

Martin glanced at the folding stools in the rest area, picked one up, and went to Walter to see if he could design a scene where a folding stool beats up a perverted demon.

After discussing it for a while, Martin picked up a folding stool, swung it around with a whooshing sound, quite like the Eighteen Bronze Men.

Two women dressed in jeans and casual shirts walked into the studio at that moment.

Kelly came from Atlanta. After getting off the plane, she came to see the film projects in the anthology. She also brought Louise, who was in charge of the post-production of "Alexander the Great," along with her.

Louise crossed her arms and watched Martin smash the mannequin's head: "He chose the wrong role."

Kelly asked, "Why?"

"You just read the script," Louise said, gesturing towards the name. "Don't you think this guy is more suited to play a psychopathic killer?"

Her wild, promiscuous side resurfaced: "A sunny exterior hides a deadly weapon..."

"Someone's coming," Kelly reminded her.

Thomas stepped forward to greet her, saying with a smile, "Ms. Mel, I am Thomas, Martin's agent. I have been wanting to pay you a visit, but I was afraid of disturbing you."

Louise nodded and introduced the woman next to her: "This is Kelly Grey, the president of Georgia's largest film company."

"Hello, Ms. Gray," Thomas greeted her quickly.

In that instant, he realized that Martin Davis wasn't being followed by one woman, but two?

No, there's also that female warrior I saw a few days ago.

Thomas couldn't help but feel fortunate that such a high-quality client had fallen into his lap.

Martin finished his work for the day, went to the dressing room to shower and change, and when he came back, he hugged Louise and Kelly, and then left the studio with them.

At that moment, the man was cursing the shamelessness in his heart.

But everyone envies me, so why isn't that person me?

After the three of them had dinner together, Martin asked, "Where are we going tonight?"

Louise said, "Let's go to your place." She winked at Kelly, "A change of scenery, it's fun there, and the fat landlord is so nice."

Martin said, "Last time you shouted so loudly, Anthony almost drew his gun on me."

Kelly, who had also been drinking, was in the mood for getting wild: "Let's go, let's go together!"

Upon arriving at the apartment, I saw Antonio sitting under a parasol by the door, drinking a large bottle of Coke through a straw.

He took a deep breath, and a quarter of the two-liter can of Coke was gone.

Upon seeing Martin and Louise, Antonio looked at the latter and said, "You're here again!"

Louise laughed: "You don't welcome me?"

Antonio glanced at Kelly, took out a business card holder from his pocket, pulled out a card and handed it to Martin: "You can use this one."

Kelly, curious, took it first: "Dr. Cole?"

Antonio said, "He specializes in treating kidney failure."

Louise laughed heartily, leaning on Martin's shoulder as she laughed.

Kelly slipped the business card into Martin's pocket: "Here, you never know when you might need it."

Martin pulled the two scoundrels up: "Let's go, let's go."

Antonio said, "Your package is here, don't forget to pick it up."

Martin went into the foyer, took the package from the mailbox, and the label on the cardboard box indicated that the mail came from the Clayton community.

Louise and Kelly, one on each side, took Martin's arm and entered the apartment.

Martin quietly placed the package in an inconspicuous place.

Louise noticed: "Aren't you going to open it and take a look? It can't be exposed to light?"

Kelly, whose alcohol tolerance wasn't as high as Martin's and Louise's, was a little tipsy and, feeling the effects of the alcohol, asked, "From Atlanta, your old friends?"

"You want to see?" Martin asked.

Louise went to the refrigerator to get the wine: "Of course I want to see it."

Martin said seriously, "You can look at it, but I'll charge you. Whoever opens it will get it for free."

He took the package, used a utility knife to cut the tape, and opened it to find that, just like last time, the contents were wrapped in shock-absorbing cloth.

Louise took it, opened the package, and held the horn carving in her hand. Her eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "It's so exquisitely made!"

It was a bluish-white bull horn carving, almost identical in appearance to Martin, except that the face was sculpted into the shape of a clown, with a wide-open mouth and a striking red nose.

Kelly rushed over and grabbed it: "Give it to me! Let me see, the carving is quite good..."

Louise held on tightly: "This is mine. Martin said whoever takes it apart keeps it."

Kelly pressed herself against Louise, her hands groping haphazardly: "Give it to me now, or I'll make you regret it!"

Martin opened the box next to him and took out another one: "Don't fight over it, everyone gets one."

Kelly rolled off Louise: "You ordered this as a gift for us?"

Martin neither confirmed nor denied it: "A friend in Atlanta did it specifically."

Louise held the carving to her lips and said, "How about we open a betting pool? About the movie you starred in."

Martin asked, "What are we betting on?"

Louise said, "If the North American box office exceeds $1000 million... no, $3000 million, Kelly and I will put on a show for you. If it doesn't reach $3000 million, you put on a show for us."

Martin had one condition: "You can't hold us back."

Kelly protested, "Tens of millions of dollars? Are we stupid?"

Louise challenged, "Want to bet?"

Martin gritted his teeth and said, "Let's gamble."

Louise, exuding a seductive aura, leaned close to Kelly's ear and said, "We'll mail some return gifts to Martin."

Kelly nodded repeatedly.

That evening, the sound of two people singing filled the apartment building.

And then there's Antonio's roar: "Martin Davis, I'm going to raise your rent!"

The following morning, Martin slept in late and didn't see Louise and Kelly off. Instead, he rested up and went to Warner Bros. Studios in the afternoon to audition for another film.

He auditioned for a supporting role in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants".

Martin met up with Thomas and asked, "You actually came with me?"

Thomas, certain there were at least three people beneath or behind Martin, raised his level of concern even further: "I'm your agent, that's only right."

Bruce said, "Dude, you're getting smarter and smarter."

Martin arrived at the entrance of the film crew's studio, took out his phone, and called Robert: "I'm auditioning soon, old man, it's up to you."

At the Marietta Theater, Robert took out the successful operation manual, strictly followed the recorded procedures, arranged the cola cans, said his blessing, and said into his phone, "Done!"

Martin's confidence soared, and he said to his two henchmen, "Let's get this role!"

"I've inquired about the filming schedule and can coordinate it." Thomas's salary mainly comes from commission, and he wants Martin to take it seriously: "The filming will last a maximum of twenty days, and the salary will not be less than $25."

Martin nodded: "Old Brooks, keep watch behind me."

Upon finding the audition room, as in the past, there were quite a few people auditioning, the vast majority of whom were WMA actors.

Martin then spotted Joe Anderson and Mike Vogel.

This is the second time in over a month that the three have been competing for the same role.

Bruce stood next to Martin, his eyes like radar, scanning for any potential disadvantages.

Thomas reviewed all the auditioning actors and said, "The director and casting director are both clients of the company. I've done enough work for you. You have a higher priority than them. As long as you perform normally, you can get this role."

The average subscription count has reached 4100, and there will be a third chapter soon.

(End of this chapter)