Chapter 17 Chapter Sixteen
"Okay, I see him." Duvall pointed down Camarillo Avenue. "The one on the bike."
"Are you sure?" Darl asked.
"I know what you look like, even with a bike helmet on," Duvall said. "Trust me."
"Now, remember not to scare him," Dahl said.He's wearing the baseball cap he just bought, and he's holding a copy of the Los Angeles Times.The two of them were standing in front of Brian Abnett's apartment.
"You told me not to scare him," Duvall said. "You're his clone."
"Don't let him see anything wrong until he sees me," Dahl said.
"Don't worry, I'm pretty good at men," Duvall said. "Let's go now and try not to be..." She stopped.
"Not so what?" Dahl asked.
"Not so much a clone," Duvall said, "at least for the first few minutes." Dahl smiled, stepped back, and held up his newspaper again.
"Hey." After a while, Dahl heard Duval's voice.He peeped over the edge of the newspaper and saw her walking towards Brian Abnett, who was getting off his bicycle and taking off his helmet.
"Hey," Abnet replied, taking another look at her. "Wait, didn't we," he laughed, "we've worked together before?"
"Maybe," Duvall said shyly.
"Just recently," said Abnett.
"Maybe."
"It's the ad for hemorrhoid cream."
"No." Duval flatly denied.
"Wait!" Abnett remembered. "The Chronicles of the Intrepid. A few months ago. You and I were in that scene where we were being chased by killer robots. Am I right?"
"That's pretty much it, as far as I remember," Duvall said.
"Thank you," Abnett said. "I hate it when I forget my co-workers. Are you still working with them? I think I've seen you on the show lately."
"So to speak," Duvall said. "What about you?"
"I'm just a small character in the show," Abnett said. "It's okay, I haven't appeared a few times all season, and of course, in a few episodes, they're going to kill my character." He pointed to the Building apartment, "That means I can stay here and rest throughout the year."
"They're going to kill your character?" Duvall asked. "Are you sure?"
"That's what my agent told me," Abnett said. "She said the episode was still being written, but it was pretty much a done deal. That's fine, she wants me in a couple of movies, and if I continue to Intrepid will have conflicting schedules."
"It's a shame for the character though," Duvall said.
“Nevertheless, you know it’s a sci-fi movie,” Abnett said, “someone has to redshirt.”
"Wear what?" Duvall said.
"Redshirt," Abnett said, "you know, in the original, Kirk and Bones and Spock are always dangling on the screen, and as for the rest of the poor redshirts, in the It got vaporized by a phaser before a commercial break. So the story was about not redshirting, or being the only one who went on a field mission whose name didn’t appear on the opening roll.”
"Ah." Duval suddenly realized.
"Haven't you seen it?" Abnet asked with a smile.
"It's a little bit old-fashioned to me," Duvall said.
"Then what brings you here, uh..." Abnet tried to find a suitable title.
"Maya," Duval said.
"Maya," repeated Abnett, "you're not here to see the apartment for sale in the building? Maybe I'm inappropriate, but I suggest you look elsewhere. I'm sure One resident was making meth in the bathtub. It's a miracle the whole building wasn't destroyed."
"Oh, I won't be here long," Duvall said. "To be honest, I'm here to see you."
"Really?" A complex look flashed across Abnet's face, partly because he was flattered by an attractive lady who made a special trip to visit him, and partly because he was so fanatical about this lady that he found out where he lived concerns.
Duvall could see clearly what he was thinking. "I'm not following you." She tried to reassure him.
"Really? I'm relieved then," said Abnet.
Duvall pointed his finger in the direction of Dahl, who still half covered his face with his hat and newspaper. "Actually, it's the one standing over there, my friend. He is your loyal fan and has always wanted to meet you. If you don't mind, he will be so happy."
"Well, all right, no problem." Abnett still staring at Duvall, "What's your friend's name?"
"Andy Dahl," Duvall said.
"Really?" Abnett said. "That's weird. That's the name of the character I played in The Intrepid Chronicle."
"That's why he's been wanting to see you," Duvall said.
"Besides, this is not the only topic we have in common." Dahl said, walking towards Abnet, taking off his baseball cap and putting down the newspaper. "Hi, Brian, I'm you, you in the red shirt."
"It still bothers me," Abnett said.He was sitting in the hotel room where the crew of the Intrepid lived. "I mean, I'm really, really bothered by this." "You think you're troubled," Hearst said, "and think about us, at least you're not made up." "You guys know how incredible that is?" Abnett said. "Yeah, we've known for a while," Dahl said. "So you can understand why I was intimidated," Abnet said. "If you like, we can do another freckle comparison." As soon as Dahl finished introducing himself, Abnett carefully compared all the visible freckles, birthmarks and scars of the two, which were exactly the same. "No, I've accepted it," Abnet said.Hurst takes a look at Dahl, then a quick glance at Abnett, and then back at Dahl, as if to imply "the other you're a weirdo."Dahl shrugged.As expected of an actor. "You know, what makes me sure what you're saying might be true?" Abnett said. "The fact that you're in the same room as an identical version of yourself?" Hirst said. "No," Abnett said, "well, arguably, that's one of those things. But he's the one who really got my brain on the idea." He pointed at Kerensky. "Me?" Kerensky was a little surprised, "Why me?" "Because the real Mark Curry wouldn't die in a Best Western with a bunch of side characters he can't even bother to remember the names of," Abnett said. "No offense, but the other you're a Very stinky person." "Same with this one," Hurst said. "Hello." Kerensky was a little dissatisfied. "There's another me that's hard to accept," said Abnett, pointing to Kerensky again. "But there's another him? I'd rather accept the fact." "So you trust us," Duvall said. "I don't know if I can trust you guys," Abnett said. "All I know is that this is the weirdest, most insane thing that's ever happened to me, and I'm trying to figure out what's going to happen next." "Then you are willing to help us," Dahl said. "I want to help, but I don't know if I can help," Abnett said. "As you know, I'm just a supporting character, and they will let me in and out of the set to work, but it doesn't mean I can take it with me." People go in. The cast and I have occasional conversations, but more often than not we're not allowed to interrupt them. I've also barely spoken to the executive producer or any other producers. Even if I wanted to, Couldn't take you to meet any of them. Even if I could, I don't think they'd believe what you're saying. This is Hollywood, we make up stories to make money, and the stuff you're saying is stupid. I just had to mention it to them, and they would immediately throw me off the set." "So it might save your character from getting killed off in a few episodes," Hanson told Dahl. Shaking his head, Abnett said, "They'll just change the cast and find someone who looks like me." He said, "Your character is still going to die, unless you stay here." Dahl also shook his head: "We only have five days." "Time limit?" asked Abnet. "It's pretty complicated," Dahl said, "with atoms involved." "Five days isn't a long time," Abnett said, "especially when you want to interrupt a show." "Tell us something we don't know," Hurst said. "Maybe you can't help us directly," Duvall said, "but do you know anyone who might help? Even if it's just a supporting role, you know someone who is higher up the food chain." "So I've been saying," Abnett said, "I don't know, I don't know a single person in this show that's going to give you access to the top." He stared at Kerensky, and suddenly slapped his head , "But you know what, maybe I know some people off-screen who can help." "Why do you keep staring at me like that?" Kerensky was uncomfortable under Abnet's gaze. "Have you no other clothes?" asked Abnet. "I don't have the right to choose my luggage," Kerensky said. "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with this uniform?" “Would be okay to wear this at Comic-Con, but it might be a little weird for the nightclub I want you to go to,” Abnett said. "Which nightclub?" Dahl asked. "What's Comic Con?" Kerensky asked. "The Grapevine," Abnett said, "is one of those nightclubs that normal people can't get into, and neither can I. But Mark Corey should be just fine." "Exactly?" Darl asked. "That is to say, he has an admission ticket for the lobby, but there are no private rooms on the second floor, let alone the basement." Abnett said, "The people who are eligible to enter the second floor are stars who star in their own shows, and Not a member of the supporting cast. If you want to enter the basement, you have to have at least 20 million yuan in box office revenue for a movie, and you can get a share of it." "I still wonder what a comic-con is," Kerensky said. "That's a question for a second, Kerensky," said Hurst. "For God's sake," he turned to Abnett, "so? What? We got Kerensky to pretend to be Mark Corey and sneak in A nightclub? What good would it do?" Abnett shook his head. "Not asking him to pretend to be Cory. Just asking him to go to a nightclub and do the same thing as Andy did to me. Find Cory, get him interested, maybe he'll Would love to help you. Don't tell him you guys want to stop the show because that means he'll lose his job. But maybe get him to introduce you to Charles Paulson. He's the show's creator and executive producer. I think he's going to be your target, the guy you have to convince." "So you can help us get into this nightclub," Dahl said. "I can't," Abnett said. "Like I said, I'm not high enough. But I have a friend who works as a bartender there, and I put him in a commercial last summer to get him out of housing." The crisis of being mortgaged. So he owes me a big favor, he can let you in." He looked around at all the people, then pointed to Kerensky and said, "It should be said, let him in." Then he pointed to Duvall, "Maybe she can too." "You help your friend keep the house, and then he brings two guys into a nightclub, does that even out?" Hearst asked. "Welcome to Hollywood," Abnet replied. "We're taking it easy," Dahl said. "Thank you very much, Brian." "I'm glad I could help," Brian said, "I mean, I seem to have feelings for you too, when I see you in real life." "I'm honored that you say that," Dahl said. "Can I ask you a question?" Abnet said. "certainly." "In the future, is it really what it is shown on TV?" "It's exactly the same as what's shown on TV," Dahl said, "but I don't know if that's the real future." "But the present is your past," Abnett said. "We were all part of your past. I mean, in 2012." "We had 2012 in our past, but not this 2012," Dahl said. "In our past, there was no "Intrepid Chronicles" TV series. It didn't exist in our timeline." "So that also means I might not exist in your timeline," Abnett said. "Probably not," Dahl said. "So you're the only me there," Abnett said, "and there's only that me the whole time." "I think maybe so," Dahl said, "as if you're the only one I'm here." "Wouldn't it bother you?" Abnet asked, "to know that you exist and you don't exist, real and unreal, all at the same time." "Yeah, so I've been learning to deal with these deep existential questions," Dahl said. Fiction. All I want now is to determine my own destiny. That's all I can do right now. That's all I'm doing right now." "I think you're smarter than me," said Abnet. "Maybe," Dahl said, "I think you're handsomer than me, too." Abnett laughed. "I'm not being rude," he said. "Having said that, you should go and buy some clothes that are in season. Those uniforms will look good in the future, but right now, you'll be branded nerds for wearing them, that way." You can't get into the basement if you don't. Do you have any money?" "We have ninety-three thousand dollars," Hansen said, "minus seventy-eight dollars for lunch." "It's so much easier when you have money," Abnet said.
"It still bothers me," Abnett said.He was sitting in the hotel room where the crew of the Intrepid lived. "I mean, I'm really, really bothered by this." "You think you're troubled," Hearst said, "and think about us, at least you're not made up." "You guys know how incredible that is?" Abnett said. "Yeah, we've known for a while," Dahl said. "So you can understand why I was intimidated," Abnet said. "If you like, we can do another freckle comparison." As soon as Dahl finished introducing himself, Abnett carefully compared all the visible freckles, birthmarks and scars of the two, which were exactly the same. "No, I've accepted it," Abnet said.Hurst takes a look at Dahl, then a quick glance at Abnett, and then back at Dahl, as if to imply "the other you're a weirdo."Dahl shrugged.As expected of an actor. "You know, what makes me sure what you're saying might be true?" Abnett said. "The fact that you're in the same room as an identical version of yourself?" Hirst said. "No," Abnett said, "well, arguably, that's one of those things. But he's the one who really got my brain on the idea." He pointed at Kerensky. "Me?" Kerensky was a little surprised, "Why me?" "Because the real Mark Curry wouldn't die in a Best Western with a bunch of side characters he can't even bother to remember the names of," Abnett said. "No offense, but the other you're a Very stinky person." "Same with this one," Hurst said. "Hello." Kerensky was a little dissatisfied. "There's another me that's hard to accept," said Abnett, pointing to Kerensky again. "But there's another him? I'd rather accept the fact." "So you trust us," Duvall said. "I don't know if I can trust you guys," Abnett said. "All I know is that this is the weirdest, most insane thing that's ever happened to me, and I'm trying to figure out what's going to happen next." "Then you are willing to help us," Dahl said. "I want to help, but I don't know if I can help," Abnett said. "As you know, I'm just a supporting character, and they will let me in and out of the set to work, but it doesn't mean I can take it with me." People go in. The cast and I have occasional conversations, but more often than not we're not allowed to interrupt them. I've also barely spoken to the executive producer or any other producers. Even if I wanted to, Couldn't take you to meet any of them. Even if I could, I don't think they'd believe what you're saying. This is Hollywood, we make up stories to make money, and the stuff you're saying is stupid. I just had to mention it to them, and they would immediately throw me off the set." "So it might save your character from getting killed off in a few episodes," Hanson told Dahl. Shaking his head, Abnett said, "They'll just change the cast and find someone who looks like me." He said, "Your character is still going to die, unless you stay here." Dahl also shook his head: "We only have five days." "Time limit?" asked Abnet. "It's pretty complicated," Dahl said, "with atoms involved." "Five days isn't a long time," Abnett said, "especially when you want to interrupt a show." "Tell us something we don't know," Hurst said. "Maybe you can't help us directly," Duvall said, "but do you know anyone who might help? Even if it's just a supporting role, you know someone who is higher up the food chain." "So I've been saying," Abnett said, "I don't know, I don't know a single person in this show that's going to give you access to the top." He stared at Kerensky, and suddenly slapped his head , "But you know what, maybe I know some people off-screen who can help." "Why do you keep staring at me like that?" Kerensky was uncomfortable under Abnet's gaze. "Have you no other clothes?" asked Abnet. "I don't have the right to choose my luggage," Kerensky said. "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with this uniform?" “Would be okay to wear this at Comic-Con, but it might be a little weird for the nightclub I want you to go to,” Abnett said. "Which nightclub?" Dahl asked. "What's Comic Con?" Kerensky asked. "The Grapevine," Abnett said, "is one of those nightclubs that normal people can't get into, and neither can I. But Mark Corey should be just fine." "Exactly?" Darl asked. "That is to say, he has an admission ticket for the lobby, but there are no private rooms on the second floor, let alone the basement." Abnett said, "The people who are eligible to enter the second floor are stars who star in their own shows, and Not a member of the supporting cast. If you want to enter the basement, you have to have at least 20 million yuan in box office revenue for a movie, and you can get a share of it." "I still wonder what a comic-con is," Kerensky said. "That's a question for a second, Kerensky," said Hurst. "For God's sake," he turned to Abnett, "so? What? We got Kerensky to pretend to be Mark Corey and sneak in A nightclub? What good would it do?" Abnett shook his head. "Not asking him to pretend to be Cory. Just asking him to go to a nightclub and do the same thing as Andy did to me. Find Cory, get him interested, maybe he'll Would love to help you. Don't tell him you guys want to stop the show because that means he'll lose his job. But maybe get him to introduce you to Charles Paulson. He's the show's creator and executive producer. I think he's going to be your target, the guy you have to convince." "So you can help us get into this nightclub," Dahl said. "I can't," Abnett said. "Like I said, I'm not high enough. But I have a friend who works as a bartender there, and I put him in a commercial last summer to get him out of housing." The crisis of being mortgaged. So he owes me a big favor, he can let you in." He looked around at all the people, then pointed to Kerensky and said, "It should be said, let him in." Then he pointed to Duvall, "Maybe she can too." "You help your friend keep the house, and then he brings two guys into a nightclub, does that even out?" Hearst asked. "Welcome to Hollywood," Abnet replied. "We're taking it easy," Dahl said. "Thank you very much, Brian." "I'm glad I could help," Brian said, "I mean, I seem to have feelings for you too, when I see you in real life." "I'm honored that you say that," Dahl said. "Can I ask you a question?" Abnet said. "certainly." "In the future, is it really what it is shown on TV?" "It's exactly the same as what's shown on TV," Dahl said, "but I don't know if that's the real future." "But the present is your past," Abnett said. "We were all part of your past. I mean, in 2012." "We had 2012 in our past, but not this 2012," Dahl said. "In our past, there was no "Intrepid Chronicles" TV series. It didn't exist in our timeline." "So that also means I might not exist in your timeline," Abnett said. "Probably not," Dahl said. "So you're the only me there," Abnett said, "and there's only that me the whole time." "I think maybe so," Dahl said, "as if you're the only one I'm here." "Wouldn't it bother you?" Abnet asked, "to know that you exist and you don't exist, real and unreal, all at the same time." "Yeah, so I've been learning to deal with these deep existential questions," Dahl said. Fiction. All I want now is to determine my own destiny. That's all I can do right now. That's all I'm doing right now." "I think you're smarter than me," said Abnet. "Maybe," Dahl said, "I think you're handsomer than me, too." Abnett laughed. "I'm not being rude," he said. "Having said that, you should go and buy some clothes that are in season. Those uniforms will look good in the future, but right now, you'll be branded nerds for wearing them, that way." You can't get into the basement if you don't. Do you have any money?" "We have ninety-three thousand dollars," Hansen said, "minus seventy-eight dollars for lunch." "It's so much easier when you have money," Abnet said.