Chapter 19 Chapter Eighteen

"He's slept long enough." Dahl glanced at the unconscious Mark Corey on the bed and said, "Wake him up." "Then you'll have to touch him," Duvall said reluctantly. "That's not necessary." Hurst said, walking over, grabbing another pillow that Cory was not using, and smashing it on his head.Corey jerked awake. "Nice job," Hansen said to Hearst, nodding approvingly. Corey sat up and looked around, his face full of confusion. "Where am I?" he asked absently. "At the hotel," Dahl said. "Best Western in Burbank."

"Why am I here?" Corey asked. "You got into an argument with my mate at the Grapevine nightclub and you passed out," Dahl said. "We put you in the car and drove you here." Corey looked down, then frowned: "Where are my pants?" "We took it off for you," Dahl said. "why?" "Because we want to talk to you." "That's not worth taking my pants." "If you fully cooperate, it won't be worth it." Corey stared at Dahl for a moment, still feeling overwhelmed by his hangover. "I know you," he finally said. "You're an extra on a show I'm in." He looked at Duvall and Hansen again. "I haven't seen you."

Hearst seemed annoyed. "We did a scene together," he said to Corey, "you're being smothered by a swarm of mechanical flies." "Sir, I've had a whole bunch of scenes with extras," Corey said, "that's why they're called 'extras. If you show up, give me back my pants and car keys right away." "Your pants are in the bathroom," Hansen said, "drying." "You got drunk and peed all over your pants," Hurst said. "Aside from why we took your pants, we all think you'd be very reluctant to go to work in a suit that reeks of urine," Dahl said.

Cory looked confused, looked down at his underwear, then bent down to sniff.Duval and Hester both showed a little disgusted look, while Dahl watched calmly. "It doesn't taste like anything," Corey said. "Because it's a new pair of underwear," Dahl said. "Whose?" Corey asked. "Your?" "No, mine," said Kerensky.Up until now he had been sitting in a chair with the back of the bed in silence.Now he stood up and turned his face to Cory. "We're the same size after all." Corey looked at Kerensky, speechless in astonishment.After a lot of difficulty, he squeezed out two words between his teeth: "It's you."

"It's me," said Kerensky, "and it's 'you' as well." "You're the guy I saw yesterday on Smack!" Corey said. "I do not understand what you are saying." “There was a video of a guy who looked like me showing off without pants on,” Corey said. “Someone took a cell phone and posted it on Slap.com. My crew testified that I was filming, but no one believed it.” .That's a good thing you did." "Yes, probably me," said Kerensky. "Who are you?" Corey asked. "I am you," Kerensky said, "or, more precisely, the person you play."

"It's nonsense," Corey said. "Hehe, what you said about Slapke.com is also nonsense to me. We're even," Kerensky said. "Why did you run out on the street with no pants on?" Corey asked. "They took my pants," Kerensky said, pointing to others in the room. "Why?" Cory asked. "Because we wanted to talk to him," Dahl said. Corey casts his eyes reluctantly at the others. "Is there something wrong with your brains?" he said. "You're still on our territory." Dahl reminded. But Corey ignored him again.He got out of bed and walked towards Kerensky, who stood looking at him.He looked up and down carefully, and couldn't help but exclaim: "It's amazing, you look exactly like me!"

"I'm just like you," said Kerensky, "exactly." "That's impossible," Corey said, staring into Kerensky's face. "It's entirely possible," Kerensky said, stepping closer to Corey, "look carefully." The two of them examined each other, like glue, like fire. "Oh, that's disgusting," Hurst whispered to Dahl. "Mark, we need your help," Dahl said to Corey. "We need your referral for a meeting with Charles Paulson." "Why?" Corey asked, still reluctant to take his eyes off Kerensky.

"We wanted to discuss something with him about the show," Dahl said. "He's not seeing anyone now." Corey said, turning around, "A month ago, his son was in a car accident on a motorcycle, and now he's been in a coma. Everyone thinks the boy won't make it through. Then Paulson bought this motorcycle for his son as a birthday present. It is said that when he comes to the office every morning, he stares at the wall in a daze until he gets home at six. He won’t see you.” He turned to Ke Lensky. "We've got to try," Dahl said. "That's why we need your help. He can refuse to meet other people, but you're the star of his show, and he'll see you."

"He didn't have to meet anybody," Corey said. "You can let him see you," Duvall said. Cory glanced at Duvall, walked away from Kerensky, and came to her. "Why would I do that?" he asked. "You're right, if I'm being naughty and ask to see Paulson, he'll make time for me. But if I'm just wasting his time , he might fire me. He might arrange for my character to be killed in a horrible way to make a big splash, and I'd lose my job. You know what it takes to get such a How hard is it to get a chance to do a series? I was just a waiter before this one. I'm not going to help you guys."

"It's important," Dahl said. "I'm more important," Corey said. "My career is more important than anything you want." "We'll pay you if you help us," Hansen said. "We have over ninety thousand dollars." "Not enough to pay me for an episode," Corey said, turning to Kerensky again. "You guys have to be more sincere." Dahl opened his mouth to speak, and Kerensky did. "Leave it to me," he said, looking at his companions, "let me talk to him." "Then talk about it," Hurst said.

"Privately," said Kerensky. "Are you sure?" Darl asked. "Well," said Kerensky, "I'm sure." "Okay." Dahl said, signaling Duvall, Hansen, and Hester, who was still full of doubts, to vacate the room. "I think something shameful will definitely happen there, and I must not be the only one who thinks so." Hearst said when he came to the hall. "Only you think so," Dahl said. "It's not just you," Duvall said.Hansen also shook his head. "Don't tell me you didn't see Corey's reaction when he saw Anatoly, Andy," Duvall said. "I guess I didn't see it," Dahl said. "Okay," Hurst said. "You sure are a prude, Andy," Duvall said. "I'm just more willing to think on the bright side. They will have a serious, calm, honest and rational discussion. Kerensky will definitely be able to make a good point to convince him." A dull pounding sound came through the door panel. "Look, as expected," Hurst said. "I'd better wait in the lobby," Dahl said.
Two hours later, the eastern sky turned white, and Kerensky, who looked exhausted, came to the lobby. "Mark wants his car keys back," he said. "He has to start putting on makeup at six-thirty." Dahl reached into his pocket for the key. "So he's willing to help?" he asked. Kerensky nodded. "He said he'd call as soon as he got to the set. He'd tell Paulson that unless a meeting could be arranged today, he'd quit." "How the hell did you get him?" Hurst said. Kerensky looked Hearst straight in the eye and said, "You really want to know?" "Uh," Hurst said, "no, actually, no, I don't want to know." "Don't think too much about it," Kerensky said, taking the car keys from Dahl. "I'm interested," Duvall said. Kerensky sighed and turned to her: "Tell me, Maya, have you ever had this experience? You met someone who knew you like the back of your hand and felt like you were like one. And then there was a mix of You have a tacit understanding of what I want, even the same tacit understanding of breathing and heartbeat frequency. Have you ever had it?" "No," Duvall said. "I'm so sorry for you," he said, walking toward the room. "Do you have to ask?" Hurst complained. "I'm really curious," Duvall said. "No." "I already have that image in my head," Hearst said. "They're imprinted on my mind! Can't get it out! I hate you!" "We really got to see a side of Kerensky that you don't know about," Dahl said. "I didn't expect him to be interested in men." "That's not how it works," Hansen said. "Were you in a daze for the past few hours?" Hurst said, "Didn't you hear those strange voices?" "No, I think Jimmy's right," Duvall said. "He's not gay, he's just narcissistic. That's always been the case. Now he's got a good chance to get his way." "Right," said Hurst. Duvall said to Dahl: "Won't you? If given the chance." "I won't." Dahl said without hesitation. "Yes, but we already know you're a prude," Duvall said. Dahl smiled. "That's right," he replied. The elevator doors opened and Cory stepped out, followed by Kerensky.Corey walked up to Dahl and said, "Give me your cell phone number and I'll let you know when I have a meeting scheduled today." "Okay," Dahl told Corey the number, and Corey added it to the address book, then looked at them all and said. "You guys have to be thankful for what I've done," he said. "I've really done my best to set up this meeting for you guys. So if you guys do anything to hurt my career, I promise I'll It will drag you out and make the rest of your life miserable. Do you understand?" "We understand," Dahl said, "thank you." "I didn't do it for you," Cory said, gesturing to Kerensky. "I did it for him." "But thank you anyway," Dahl said. "Also, if anyone asks, just say I was allergic to tannins from drinking at the Grapevine nightclub last night, and that's why you drove me back," Corey said. "No problem," Darl said. "It's the way it is, you know," Corey said, "somebody's allergic to everything." "Yes," Darl said. "Did you see someone take a video when you drove me into the car?" Corey asked. "It must have been taken by someone," Dahl said. Corey sighed. "It's Tannin. Remember." "Will do." Cory nodded to Dahl, then walked over to Kerensky and gave him a warm hug, which Kerensky returned enthusiastically. "I wish there was more time," Corey said. "Me too," said Kerensky.The two men hugged each other again, and then parted reluctantly.Corey walked out of the reception room, and Kerensky watched him go. "Whoa," said Hurst, "you look like something's up, Kerensky." Kerensky turned. "What does that mean?" Hearst took his hand. "Hey, I'm not going to judge you," he said. "What's the comment?" Kerensky looked at the others, "What? You all think I slept with Mark?" "No?" Duvall asked. "We were just talking," Kerensky said. "The best conversation I've ever had. It was like finding a long-lost brother." "Stop pretending, Anatole," said Hurst, "we all heard the bang." "Mark was wearing his pants," Kerensky said. "I gave them back to him and he lost his footing and fell over. That's it." "Okay," Hurst said, "I'm sorry." "My God." Kerensky looked around at his companions, "you bastards. I've had an experience like no other I've ever had, with someone so like-minded—someone who really understands me— — all night, and you're all sitting here thinking I'm having a time-spanning gay incest. Thank you so much for ruining a wonderful life-changing experience for me. You're making me sick." He stormed away in a huff. "But it's fun," Duvall said. Kerensky rushed back again, pointing at Duvall and saying, "Our relationship is over!" "I wish I could," Duvall said.Once more Kerensky walked away in a huff. Dahl was silent for a moment, then said, "I just wanted to say, I was right." Duvall came over and punched him in the head hard.