I said, “What’s this base location scene?”
Emma looked excited, “What I thought is to film both of you at the beach. The credits roll as you come out of the ocean and walk to the office in your bathing suits, showcasing the Venice area, Los Angeles, your lifestyles, the fact that you’re actors, and the office’s location.
We end it with both of you putting on your weapons and sitting at your desks with the morning’s coffee in front of you, ready to hit the streets.”
She rummaged around in a shopping bag she carried and said, “I’ve got your suits here.” She brought out a tiny black spandex Speedo and handed it to Hondo, then pulled out a white one and handed it to me. “These will help separate you in the minds of the viewers.”
Hondo looked at me as I held up the white one, which would be small on an eight-year-old, and said, “The water’s been cold lately.”
I thought of myself being filmed in the white spandex suit as I came out of the cold ocean, shriveled to the size of a peanut. I had an image of that little advertisement playing every day to a television audience loaded with women. “Hey,” I said, “I’ve got my own suit.”
Hondo said, “I thought so.”
Emma said, “But the contrast of black and white, the yin and yang…”
I said, “You want a reality show, I’m going to wear what’s reality to me.”
Hondo handed his Speedo to Emma, “Me too. We swim almost every day, so that’s no stretch. We’ll do the rest of it like you want. We might even get into a beach volleyball game, give you some additional footage.”
Emma liked that.
CHAPTER 7
At the beach, Hondo and I wore our usual outfits: well-worn Hurley board shorts that fit loose and easy. Emma got her footage of us in the water and of us in a volleyball game with some locals, then she filmed us going to the office. She gave direction like, “Ronny, tilt your head up, like you’re enjoying the feel of the sun on your face.”
“If I do that, I can’t see where I’m walking.”
“Hold Hondo’s hand and he can--“
Hondo and I spoke at the same time, “Nope.”
We compromised with me stopping and standing for a few seconds in the pose.
Emma finished her work at our office as we drank coffee and talked. When she was satisfied, she directed Marcus to stay with us until we finished for the evening, then to rush to the editing room where she would be waiting. Emma and her entourage left with everyone still chatting like magpies.
After they were gone I said to Marcus, “She like that all the time?”
“Mostly. She drinks about twenty cups of café mochas a day, got that caffeine jones like you wouldn’t believe. She never slows down.”
Hondo said, “You ready?” Marcus nodded and we headed out the door to become celebrities.
We took the GTO because it gave Marcus more room to film, and because I really liked driving it. Marcus had us stop several times so he could change positions and film us from a side profile, especially if we said something he felt needed additional impact. It didn’t slow us down much.
We went to Sunset and stopped at several clubs where younger people hung out and asked about the girl, then asked several groups of twenty-somethings the same thing, but got nothing, unless you counted all the curious ones who came over to be on camera. We let them because that made it easier to ask questions if they came to us rather than us finding them.
The evening was drawing to an end when Marcus said, “I need to leave now if I’m going to make it to the editing room in time.”
Hondo said, “Do one more thing for me. Let me talk to her straight into the camera.”
Marcus stepped back and told Hondo where to stand for the best backdrop. He put the camera on his shoulder and said, “When you’re ready.”
Hondo looked in the camera and talked to the girl, “Listen to me. We will help you. We’ll protect you. You’re in too much danger to do this yourself. I don’t want anything to happen to you, so come to us, any way you can, any time of the day or night. If you can’t come, call us. The number is 555-4400. We’ll come to you.” He motioned for a cut and Marcus lowered the camera.
Marcus said, “That was good. I’ll make sure it gets on tomorrow.”
I drove the GTO through heavy traffic back to the office and Marcus took off from there, eager to get to Emma with the footage.
We sat at our desks and I opened my desk drawer to fiddle with the plastic fish. I moved them to uncover the Walther just for something to do while Hondo made a couple of phone calls. When he finished he said, “Things may start clicking after the broadcast. Keep your gear handy.”