America achieves both fame and fortune

Chapter 512 Fishing and Bait

After passing through the side door of the coffee shop, Martin returned to the Hilton Hotel and went to the rooftop restaurant for dinner.

Thomas, Lily, and the others won't arrive until tomorrow.

Just after Martin and Bruce entered the restaurant leading to the top floor, a waiter in the lobby slipped into the adjacent emergency exit, took out his phone, and sent a text message.

Brief description: Rooftop restaurant.

Martin and Bruce chose window seats, through which they could see the Washington Monument.

As darkness fell, the National Square was illuminated, creating a beautiful night view.

Martin looked over there and said, "This deserves a super-sized firework."

Bruce understood he was referring to fireworks, not the kind used in Independence Day celebrations, and warned, "Dude, your thinking is getting more and more dangerous. Are you planning to betray the country?"

Martin shrugged: "I guess it's because I came from the slums that I have a special feeling for this land of America, and I always wanted to give it a little boy or a chubby boy."

Bruce cleared his throat. "I need you to know that you are now a national hero of the United States and are about to receive the Distinguished Presidential Medal of Freedom."

Martin laughed. "The Cola Cult should continue its expansion in Washington and hold more events." He was clearly joking. "If they want to arrest me in the future, they'll have to eliminate the Cola Cult members first, and it turns out that 99% of them are..."

Bruce was also amused by the lame joke: "Unless you can become a cult leader like Hubbard."

Martin pondered for a moment: "Scientology is a cult, while the Church of Cola is upright and honest, just like how I conduct myself."

He won the Oscar fair and square, and he won the Best Actor award at Cannes with honor and dignity.

He had barely finished speaking when he heard the sound of high heels. His gaze casually shifted and he saw two long legs in black stockings, and next to them, a pair of long white legs.

The latter went to the table diagonally opposite and suddenly turned this way.

Martin recognized her; he had seen her several times during his last visit to Washington—Kate, a reporter for the Washington News.

"What a coincidence, we've run into each other again." Kate came over to greet him, "Martin, congratulations."

Martin stood up and shook her hand: "Thank you."

Kate was clearly dressed up carefully, wearing a professional suit that made her legs look long, her hips look curvy, and her bust look big. She also wore a pair of black-rimmed glasses, giving her a Louise-like air of competence at first glance.

To be honest, her looks and figure are no less than Louise's.

Kate noticed Martin's scrutinizing gaze and pulled her companion, who was wearing black stockings, over: "This is my friend Rachel. She works in book discovery and publishing."

Rachel extended her hand, smiling faintly: "Martin, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Martin squeezed her hand, sensing its firmness. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

He looked at Kate: "Have you come for dinner?"

"This humble reporter invites Rachel to dinner." Kate had chatted with Martin extensively during his last visit to Washington, and the two were fairly familiar with each other. She then suggested, "How about we share a table?"

She asked, "Bruce, Rachel, you don't mind, do you?"

Martin nodded: "Perfect, I'd like to know the latest situation in Washington."

Rachel said, "I'd also like to learn about Hollywood's adaptations of literary works."

Bruce switched to Martin's side, leaving the other side to the two ladies.

After Kate and Rachel finished ordering, Martin casually asked about things in Washington politics, especially after Guan Hai took office this year.

Kate gave some background information, then said, "You caught another spy at the Santa Monica pier. Was there anything top secret? You know I'm a reporter, and it's hard to make a living at the newspaper without an exclusive."

Rachel said, "Kate has been under a lot of work pressure lately."

Kate said earnestly, "Help your old friend."

"Okay." Martin seemed to be mesmerized by her beauty.

Under the table, Kate gently touched Rachel's leg, and Rachel nudged her back.

"I was terrified, scared to death," Martin said seriously. "I'm not the fearless hero the media portrays me to be. I'm also very afraid of death. I fought and was brave because I wanted to live."

Kate was slightly taken aback. What kind of secret was this? Publishing the report would only make Martin seem more like a living hero than a special symbol.

She asked again, "Is there nothing else?"

Martin thought for a moment and said, "The rest has already been reported."

Kate was somewhat disappointed, and Rachel gave her a light kick under the table, but she still maintained a smile: "Thank you for the exclusive."

Martin smiled and said, "You're welcome."

The waiter then brought the food to the two ladies.

The conversation shifted from Rachel to film adaptations of literature.

Rachel asked, "I saw in the media that you and David Fincher are preparing to adapt 'Gone Girl'?"

The novel has been published and, since the announcement that Martin and David Fincher would collaborate on a film adaptation, it has soared to the New York Times bestseller list and is currently in the top twenty.

Therefore, Martin replied, "The script is finished, and director Fincher has gathered the crew to do pre-production work. Filming may begin in the second half of the year."

Rachel said, "My publishing house also has a few good novels that I think would be suitable for film adaptation. I wonder if you, Martin, would be interested?"

Martin said, "When you have time, bring it over so I can take a look."

Rachel found a reason for the two to meet again: "I'll contact the author first, and then call you?"

She naturally asked for his phone number, taking it out of her bag: "Can I have your number?"

Kate had his contact information, and Martin immediately gave her a string of numbers.

Rachel called, but she hung up when Martin's phone rang.

After chatting for a while, Kate invited, "Are you free tonight? Let's find a place to have a drink together after dinner."

When she speaks, she holds her head high and her strengths stand out, making her hard to refuse.

Before Martin could speak, a foot clad in stockings reached out and slipped inside his trouser leg, rubbing up and down.

Martin's gaze shifted to Rachel.

Rachel just smiled at him, as if the feet under the table were none of her business.

In that instant, Martin almost agreed.

Two beautiful and elegant women take the initiative to extend invitations and make suggestive remarks. How many normal men can resist?

But Martin, as much of a bastard as he is, is more reliable than an old dog when it comes to playing it safe.

He remembered Neves's earlier reminder.

The FBI is the pioneer of fishing in the world.

Almost at the same time he was thinking these things, Bruce, who always had a tacit understanding with Martin, seemed to choke on his water and coughed twice.

Martin understood that Old Brooks was reminding him, and said with a smile, "I have urgent work to do tonight, so I'm sorry."

"It's okay, call me when you're done with your work." Kate was clearly less composed than Rachel, sounding a bit anxious: "Rachel and I will bring some drinks to your place..."

Rachel interrupted Kate with a laugh, "Martin has work to do, let's not disturb him."

Kate slapped her forehead: "Look at me, the work pressure is too much, my head is all foggy."

Martin responded politely, "Thank you for your understanding."

Rachel's feet didn't retract from under the table; instead, they climbed up Martin's leg. She smiled charmingly: "Wait for my call. I'll contact the novel's authors as soon as possible and discuss the adaptation with you again."

Martin smiled and replied, "I'll be waiting for your good news."

Rachel pulled her foot back, intending to call the waiter for the bill.

Martin offered to pay for the two of them, and the four of them left the restaurant together, parting ways in the elevator.

Kate and Rachel took the elevator downstairs. Since there were other people in the elevator, the two did not speak until they left the hotel and got into their car.

The latter unbuttoned his business jacket, pulled out a miniature voice recorder hidden in his inner pocket, tossed it aside, and said, "Nothing useful."

Kate sighed and said, "I can tell his eyes are practically glued to us. He's a lecher, but he's such a coward."

"You're in too much of a rush, especially when you said you were going to his room at the end," Rachel cautioned. "You're likely to arouse Martin's suspicion."

She emphasized, "Martin is indeed a womanizer, but he's also a ruthless guy who single-handedly took down six or seven armed thugs."

Kate suddenly regretted it: "What if he kills me?"

Rachel touched her face: "Don't worry, we don't have to do anything. We just need to seduce him into bed. Isn't that what you're best at? Seduce employees or managers from various departments and extract news from them."

Kate removed her hand and confirmed once again, "I cooperated with you, and you promised me that regardless of success or failure, you would not pursue the matter further."

Rachel laughed and said, "We always keep our word."

"Okay, I'll be more proactive next time." Kate was determined. She couldn't have a criminal record, and she couldn't lose her job, otherwise she would definitely go bankrupt: "Wolves always eat meat."

Rachel's phone rang.

She took out her phone, glanced at the caller ID, got out of the car, closed the door, answered, and said, "Boss?"

The voice on the other end said, "You're out?"

Rachel said, "Things aren't going very well. He hasn't taken the bait yet, but I've left some bait for next time."

"So difficult?" came the question from the other end. "He doesn't like your look?"

Rachel and Kate's professional outfits tonight were carefully prepared, modeled after Louise and Kelly.

Rachel said, "To avoid arousing his suspicion, I had to back out first." She emphasized a key point: "The bait I left was a literary adaptation; we need to find a suitable project as soon as possible that can attract Martin Davis's attention."

The person on the other end said, "I'll have someone do it."

…………

Back in his room, Martin took off his coat and looked at his pants; there seemed to be something strange about the cuffs.

Bruce said, "Those two women are seducing you."

"The last time I was in Washington, Kate tried to seduce me," Martin said, sitting on the sofa. "It's not surprising that she's trying to seduce me again, but the timing..."

He remained very cautious: "Neves warned us."

Bruce said, "I'm also worried they might be bait."

Martin nodded: "We'll see how it goes, but be careful."

The following morning, Rachel called to tell Martin that she had contacted an author who was willing to adapt her work into a novel.

Martin decided to delay, saying there were many events in the next two days and he would talk about it after the celebration.

He contacted Neves and sent him the photos that Old Brooks had secretly taken of Kate and Rachel.

In addition, Martin had quite a few activities planned. Elizabeth and Lily came over, along with Thomas and Ali Emmanuel, the latter extending the invitation on behalf of his brother Ram Emmanuel.

(End of this chapter)