America achieves both fame and fortune

Chapter 455 The Ways to Play Within the Circle

"The Dark Knight breaks records again, surpassing $4 million in box office revenue in just 16 days in North America and reaching $7 million worldwide!"

In his office on Peachtree Street in Atlanta, Jerome put down his newspaper and looked at Robert across from him: "Can you believe it? Our Marietta Theatre Company has actually produced a superstar."

Robert sat at his old-fashioned wooden desk, carefully wiping away every speck of dust. Two glass bottles of Coca-Cola from 03 had been on the desk ever since the premiere of The Dark Knight.

Jerome added, "These strange rituals of yours seem to be quite effective."

Robert shook his head and said, "This is a blessing ritual of the Cult of Cola."

Jerome asked with a smile, "Was Martin raised step by step during your blessing ceremony?"

"Martin is the leader, he's bound to succeed," Robert said earnestly. "I'm just the high priest."

Jerome looked at the photo on the wall of Robert wearing a Coca-Cola T-shirt and Martin dressed as the leader of the Coca-Cola Cult, and said, "I wonder when Martin will come back to Atlanta. Robert, you should ask Elena when you have time."

Robert knew that Martin often secretly returned to Atlanta to meet with Elena on Boxing Days, but he didn't say anything and nodded in agreement, "No problem."

Jerome glanced at the clock on the wall and said, "Let's go to the Gray Film Center. Zack Snyder's 'Watchmen' is almost finished filming, and with so many actors in it, we need to make an appearance at the wrap party."

Robert left the company with Jerome and drove to the Gray Film Center.

Right downstairs, in a black Chevrolet SUV, a burly, bear-like man put down his digital camera.

The bearded man next to him asked in Russian, "Are they the two of them?"

The bear-like man spoke English with an Eastern European accent: "That's right, it's them, Jerome and Robert, big names in Atlanta's film industry, who rose through the ranks thanks to Martin Davis's network."

He asked, "Victor, should we...?"

The bearded man grabbed his shoulder: "Because we spent some time in America, the boss sent us here to scout ahead and do some preparatory work. Martin Davis will definitely get wind of your actions against the Atlanta people and be on high alert!"

The bear-like man nodded, started the car, and drove towards the Gray Film and Television Center, asking, "I didn't expect the boss to be so patient."

"Do you think everyone's as anxious as you are?" Victor was clearly the one in control between the two: "The boss's son and grandson all died in Los Angeles because of Martin Davis, he wants revenge more than anyone else."

He shook his head and sighed, "But revenge also depends on timing. At the time, Martin Davis had a close relationship with the Los Angeles Police Department and was extremely vigilant. Later, some idiot from some department in Moscow got caught as a spy by a movie star, which implicated Martin Davis with the FBI. They were a bunch of hopeless fools!"

The bearded man chimed in, "I'd be better than them!"

Victor reminded him to focus on driving, and added, "In recent years, the boss has been closely watched by the Ministry of the Interior and dared not make any big moves. But this year is different. The boss will be able to get out of trouble as early as the end of the year. After a few years of a stable and affluent life, Martin Davis will definitely relax his vigilance. No one can stay on edge for so long."

The bearded man finally understood: "So, the boss sent us here to pave the way, and once he gets away, that's when he'll get his revenge?"

"That's roughly it." Victor had done a lot of work over there: "Martin Davis isn't the same little star he used to be. His influence and the network of connections behind him are quite troublesome. Atlanta isn't a good place to make a move. Let's observe for a while longer, and then we'll go to Los Angeles to take a look."

The bearded man said, "Get a bunch of AKs and RPGs, and blast them to smithereens!"

"This is America, not Russia, and we don't have the network of connections those idiots in the security services have built." Victor was thinking much more deeply than the bearded man: "You think there aren't eyes watching behind those large arms purchases? Ha, the moment we dare to buy them, we'll be on their radar."

Although the bearded man wasn't very bright, he had one advantage: "I don't see things as clearly as you do, and I listen to you completely. What you say must make sense."

…………

The Angels Club has a boxing ring in its newly expanded fitness area.

Chad, Chen Hu, Menez, Marcus, and others, led by club owner Kane, were watching a close-quarters fight between two people in the boxing ring.

Martin flew towards Bruce's groin, and Bruce quickly blocked it, but a fist bigger than a sandbag slammed into his face.

"Groin, eye punch..." Marcus grinned. "Martin's learned bad habits from the tiger."

Chad agreed: "It seems like Martin has learned all the essence of the tiger's skills."

Chen Hu said with a smile, "In a life-or-death struggle, in order to kill the enemy, of course we must use the most ruthless means to attack the enemy's most vulnerable and vital parts."

Bruce raised his hand to block Martin's fist, but Martin was faster, grabbing Bruce's arm and sweeping him off his feet, sending Bruce sprawling to the ground.

Martin gestured as if drawing a gun and firing: "Buddy, you're dead."

Bruce rubbed his arms and legs, got up from the ground, and said, "Your body, skills, and experience are all in their prime. I'm much older than you, and I'm afraid of fighting younger people. It's not unfair that I lost to you."

Martin already had a good foundation, and his consistent training over the years has yielded significant results.

Kane, however, shouted from below the stage, "Guys, nothing's as convenient as a gun!"

Martin took off his boxing gloves, jumped off the ring, and shouted, "Kane, Old Brooks is waiting for you to come up and challenge him!"

Bruce quickly got down and said, "Let's stop fighting and go practice our shooting."

None of the people gathered here are kind; they're nothing but guns and boxers.

Seven or eight people went to the shooting range and emptied many pistol and automatic rifle magazines.

Around noon, Martin suddenly received a message.

"See you inside the east entrance of Century City Shopping Plaza!"

The number is unfamiliar, and the signature is JJN.

Martin knew the meaning of those three letters; Old Jack's full name was John Joseph Nicholson.

Why are you suddenly acting so mysterious? What are you trying to do?

Martin greeted Chad, Kane, and others, then invited Bruce to go to Century City together.

Arriving at the east door, Martin put on a baseball cap and entered the foyer.

There weren't many people here, but I didn't see Nicholson.

Suddenly, a worker dressed in maintenance work clothes and wearing a hard hat came out from a side emergency exit and said softly, "Leo's favorite."

Martin immediately replied, "Giselle Bonson."

Disguised as a repairman, Nicholson crossed the foyer and entered the security passage on the other side.

Martin, feeling helpless, could only follow. Seeing that no one was in the emergency exit, he asked, "What's going on?"

"We're doing something very secretive, you need to be prepared to keep it a secret!" Nicholson was quite dissatisfied with Martin's frivolous attitude: "You came to see me wearing this tattered hat without any disguise or makeup? I'll be exposed!"

Martin could only say, "Next time, next time I'll definitely disguise myself and come see you again." He added, "Is that really necessary?"

"You fool, blinded by money and beautiful women, you have no idea what it's all about!" Nicholson climbed two steps and looked down at him, saying, "You have to follow my orders. When I give you the code, you must come to see me in disguise."

Martin nodded repeatedly, "I remember." He urged, "Jack, let's get down to business today."

Nicholson lowered his voice and said, "My student, Jennifer Lawrence, has broken into Studio Four, which you mentioned, and has already taken two acting classes taught by James Franco himself. Franco's school only admits female students, but he has limited energy and has been looking for other stars to be his partners."

Having read about James Franco's gossip in his previous life, Martin asked, "What are the specifics of the acting classes like?"

"What else could acting lessons be like for Hollywood stars?" Nicholson simply said, "There's bound to be some close contact between acting teachers and students, like touching a sensitive area in front of everyone."

He casually accused Martin, saying, "Martin, you're an expert in this field, you must know a lot about it. Aren't you a prime example of what Hollywood stars are like behind the scenes?"

Martin, of course, couldn't take the blame for this: "Don't talk nonsense. I'm a well-known good person who always enjoys helping others."

Nicholson chuckled coldly twice and said, "That's not all. According to Jennifer, Franco will also personally teach some explicit scenes so that the female trainees can adapt to Hollywood as quickly as possible."

He waved his hand casually: "These are nothing, far inferior to Marlon Brando. Back then, Marlon Brando opened acting classes to make money, stipulating that all students had to be naked during class. Stars like Sean Penn, Robin Williams, Zeta-Jones, Madonna, and Leo all took his acting classes. That bastard even secretly filmed the acting classes, preparing to release videotapes and DVDs."

Martin said, "It's no wonder that you, my old friend, are so poor in your later years."

“Yes, he’s getting senile,” Nicholson said. “How could those people possibly let the video leak out?”

Martin suddenly became interested and asked, "Do you know who has the video? I don't mean anything by it, I'm just curious, how come nothing happens when all these promiscuous men and women are together?"

"Let's get down to business and stop with this nonsense." Nicholson clearly knew a lot about the inside story, but he didn't want his old friend Marlon Brando to be attacked and killed by a large number of celebrities after his death.

He asked, "What do you plan to do next?"

Martin pondered for a moment and said, "How about we act as a middleman, connecting them? Franco lacks a partner with fame and resources, and Ben Affleck needs to make a lot of money quickly to help his brother. Wouldn't they be a good match? We're so conscientious, shouldn't we help find a way to bring them together?"

Nicholson thought of something else: "Would those two Hollywood #101 opinion leaders help you?"

"They won't expose this kind of thing on their own unless it's widely reported by the media." Martin knows the ways things work in the industry very well. If the media exposes it, then Jolie and Aniston, as opinion leaders, will step forward, and there won't be many problems. They might even gain a lot of reputation.

He knew he was going to have to pay a price of billions again: "Let's give it a try. It might not work. But if we manage to get in touch, I'll personally seduce Julie and Aniston."

(End of this chapter)