Forever and a Day (21 page)

“We will be there, thank you so much Mr. Governor.”

Uteli stood up and his guests quickly came to their feet. He stepped over to the men and shook their hands, “I best let you all get some time to prepare and rest. Thank you for coming to visit with me.”

Uteli shook hands with everyone, saving Halo for last. He gestured for everyone else to head to the hall as he briefly touched Halo’s arm to get her attention, “Halo, may I have a word with you in private?”

Halo saw this coming and was prepared, “Of course.” She looked at JJ and Deborah who had turned and waited at the double doors for her, “Go ahead and wait in the hall, I will be right there.”

When they stepped out of view, Uteli turned to Halo, “I apologize if this seems inappropriate. Halo, being a small island and a close-knit community, it has come to my attention that there may be an issue between you and this John Stone. I do not mean to interpose. There was a small issue with John Stone at customs—all is fine so no need for you to worry about that incident. Is there something else that I should be concerned about?”

“Oh? Um, well, Johnny Stone is not my first choice for this role. I do not care for the man in the least. To answer you I don’t think there will be a problem.”

“Very good. Thomas and Joseph will serve you well; you have my word on this Halo. Might I inquire that I may come see the filming tomorrow?”

Halo took in a quick short breath, “Ah… Mr. Governor tomorrow would not be ideal, as it will be a closed set. I, um… well the scene involves me being attacked. It may be—“

Uteli held up his hands to her and seemed to blush, “Oh! Please accept my apologies, I had no idea.”

Halo giggled good naturedly to put Uteli at ease, “It’s fine, Mr. Governor. I will ask JJ to call your office and set something up a little more appropriate and comfortable to watch. We are going to finish that scene first as it is very nerve racking for everyone, myself especially.” She smiled and placed her hand on his coat sleeve reassuringly.

“Thank you, Halo. I will look forward to the call and you meeting my wife this Saturday.” Uteli gestured Halo towards the door signaling the talk was ending.

“I am looking forward to it.” She stopped before they got to the door and looked up at Uteli, “Mr. Governor, before I forget. My father knows one of the principle investors in Triple Sea, there is not much I can do to sway what they do, but I can put in a good word and see if it helps.”

“That would be wonderful, Halo. May we talk more of this on Saturday evening?” He pressed.

“Yes, of course. Thank you Mr. Governor, good evening.”

“A good evening to you, you are a most beautiful young lady.” He smiled at her in a fatherly manner as she turned and met up with JJ and Deborah.

Shortly they were back in their hotel room with JJ busy setting up the scheduling and Halo going over the next day’s sides, script and location report before dinner. After a quick dinner at the onsite restaurant, they soon slipped into their beds for a restless night’s sleep.

Halo looked in her purse and double-checked its contents for the third time. JJ was brushing her hair and was observing Halo in the mirror, “Hey, everything is in there from five minutes ago girlfriend.”

Halo grimaced and nodded. Sitting on the bed, she checked the clock then sighed, “God I wish it was Mystery man that was here… hell, I’d take almost anyone else other than Stoner.”

“I’m sorry Halo. I heard you toss and turn last night, bad dreams?” JJ asked as she wiped her mouth with her towel.

“You have no idea… bad is an understatement.” Halo shivered at the recollection.

“After today, it will be all over. I wish I could do something about it.” JJ said and sat down next to her friend and wrapped her arms around her, holding her tight, “Do you want to talk about your dreams?” Halo shook her head no and JJ gave her a tighter squeeze.

“Thank you JJ. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” With one arm, she hugged JJ back, “Well, it’s almost time. You ready?” JJ nodded and released Halo then stood up and held her hand out to Halo. She accepted it and reluctantly stood to her feet.

JJ walked to the door and turned as Halo grabbed her pink hoodie, slipped it on then put her black running jacket on over it. She pulled up the hood, covering her blonde pony tailed hair and nodded to JJ.

JJ opened the door to find Thomas leaning against the opposite wall from the door. Seeing JJ he stood upright and smiled, “Good morning JJ, and to you Halo.”

“Good morning.” Both girls replied in unison.

Thomas gestured towards the hall, “Everyone left early, including John Stone and his friend. Joseph is waiting in the car.”

“Thanks Thomas.” Halo replied. They followed Thomas to the lobby and out into the brisk Samoan morning. The 4Runner was running and when they got inside, they were welcomed with a warm interior.

“Good morning Joseph.” Halo and JJ said as they settled in. Joseph nodded once and gave a wave.

Thomas put the 4Runner in gear and started out of the parking lot, “The roads will be bumpy as we get closer—very bumpy.” He smiled big showing his large white teeth.

“Thanks for the warning.” JJ replied and pulled out her phone to check her emails.

Halo reached over and tapped JJ’s arm, “You have the numbers we may need?”

“Of course I do. You thinking we are going to need them?” JJ replied.

“Part of me…” Bang! Went the front wheel in a pothole jolting them hard. Thomas called back a ‘sorry’ as they proceeded along Highway One. Halo gripped the door’s armrest and continued, “Part of me hopes so, but with delays it’s going to cost at least fifty grand a day. It seems Joel has Johnny dialed in,” she let out a deep sigh, “so I doubt it.”

JJ smiled and returned to reading her emails as Halo watched the scenery whisk by. She smelled the odor of fish as they passed the tuna canneries. The rank smell soon faded as they turned off Highway One and onto Highway Six. The bumps began coming sooner and Thomas slowed the SUV down and did his best to dodge the craters and bumps on the way to their next turn off.

Thomas broke the silence, “We are turning off and heading to Afona, the road here is bad and twisty.”

Halo nodded to Thomas who watched her response in the rearview mirror. Sometime later Thomas came up to a dirt road and stopped at a wood barricade manned by a film crewmember. He walked up to the SUV as Halo rolled down her window and waved to the young man. He waved back, turned around and moved the gate. Thomas slowly crept forward and stopped at locally hired crewmember as he pointed them down the road, “There is a reserved spot. You will see it.” He said and Thomas began moving forward over the dips and soon came to a spot another crewmember was staffing.

Halo poked her head out of the window again and the man gestured for them to park in the open space by the trailhead. Halo did not wait for Thomas and got out as the crewmember came up to her, “Good morning Halo. If you guys will follow me, I’ll take you down to the set.”

Halo said her thanks and the four of them began following the man down an overgrown sandy path. The hike was pretty with all the flowers, palms and greenery, but not as beautiful as when the trees gave way to a picture perfect white sandy beach and the blue Pacific beyond.

“The white tent is your dressing room. The blue one on the opposite side is Johnny’s.” The crewmember pulled out his walkie-talkie and spoke into it, “Talent on set. Where do you want her?” They heard Deacon’s voice come over the speaker, “Have her meet me at wardrobe, I’ll be right there.”

“Thanks.” Halo sighed as he directed them to her white tent. They walked through the soft sand and as they came up to the tent Halo stopped, turned to Thomas and Joseph and beckoned them to come close, “I have to tell you what we are going to be filming so you won’t be alarmed.”

She watched the two men look at each other and then back to her with concern on their faces, “In these scenes I will be attacked by Johnny.” She held up her hand in placation at their looks, “I don’t like it either, but it’s my job and its best we get this part over with. Tomorrows scenes will be nothing like todays.”

Halo took in a breath and set her hand on Thomas’s big forearm, “Now, in the last scene Johnny will be ripping away some of my clothes so you will be getting an eye full of me.” She saw both men look nervously at each other.

“You will be without clothes?” Thomas asked quietly.

Halo nodded, “I will be in panties and pasties will be on my breasts. Are you both ok with this?” Halo asked concerned.

The two men looked again at each other warily. Joseph looked away then shrugged silently. Thomas rubbed his big forehead, “It is not something we would like to see, I understand why you need us here. Halo, it is not normal for a man to see a woman being attacked or hurt and not help.”

Halo smiled, “You both are a big help, knowing that I have you near. You will be hearing a lot of screaming and crying, as well as hitting. Don’t worry I will be fine, I have done this before and Johnny is actually behaving.”

“Halo, what are these pasties?” Thomas asked looking down at his flip flops.

“Uh, they are flesh colored stickers that cover up nipples.” She saw Thomas’s face turn dark, he must be blushing she thought, “It will be fine. I take it you haven’t seen all my films?”

Thomas stammered and Joseph turned away, Thomas found his voice, “We have seen them all…”

“See, nothing new there then!” Halo laughed to try to relieve the tension with her two guardians. She saw both men nod, as they kept their eyes downcast. Halo heard Deacon call out to her and she turned to see her director wave to her as he approached. She quickly turned to the men, “While we film, stay with JJ. I will be going to wardrobe soon.” She spun around and walked up to Deacon.

“Good morning.” Deacon said with a smile, “We are set to go on rehearsals. There are some changes due to geographies. After you are done in wardrobe and makeup, come meet me at my command tent, we will go over the changes.”

“Of course.”

“You are going to be just fine Halo. I spoke with Johnny and I think he might be more nervous than you.” Deacon smiled and put his arm around her and gave her a quick squeeze, “Ok, go get ready.” He looked to the two men and JJ, gave them a nod, turned and left.

Halo took in a deep breath, squared her shoulders and smiled at her little retinue, “Let’s do this.” She sighed and walked up to the white tent and called out, “It’s Halo, can I come it?” She heard two female voices callout ‘come on in!’ Halo beckoned to JJ and went in with JJ following who quickly secured the tent’s opening.

The wardrobe girl smiled, as she held up a pair of slightly dirty looking pink panties, a dirty white bikini top and a pair of short cargo style shorts, “These are for you! They are clean, don’t worry.” She laughed as Halo eyed them, “Here are your pasties too. You can go behind the curtain there and get them on, Halo.”

Halo smiled, “Thanks.” She accepted the clothes and left to put them on. Coming out she was trying to adjust her khaki colored shorts when the wardrobe girl motioned to her.

“Oh, the Velcro in the back is not on right. Here let me fix it.” She turned Halo around and adjusted the Velcro sewn into the crotch seam, “These are rip away shorts, they will come off easier if you unbutton the front button, ok?”

“Got it.” Halo said as makeup came over and sat her down on a chair under bright lights, “I don’t hear a generator?”

The makeup girl spoke first, “It’s way down on the beach, so as not to bother the wildlife. Now hold still while I make you a dirty girl.” She said with a chuckle.

She opened a plastic container of movie dirt and began dirtying her legs up with the brown powder. After that, her makeup went on, making her look paler and tired. Halo’s hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail and secured with a strip of ragged brown cloth.

JJ snickered, “Looks like you just got done mucking out some stalls.”

“You should have seen the pigs swoon… at least I still smell pretty.”

“Not for long!” The wardrobe girl laughed.

Halo wrinkled her nose, “Yeah, rolling around with Johnny Stoner is bound to make me stink, hope it comes off in the shower…”

The two women held their hands to their mouths, stifling their laughs. JJ did not care and laughed aloud, “Lucky girl!”

“Ha! Wanna trade places today?” Halo asked with a smirk.

“Fuck that!” JJ exclaimed with a hearty laugh, “I don’t care what you are getting paid!”

“No shit…” Halo muttered, wishing it were Mystery man waiting out there, “We done?” Halo asked.

“We are all done, good luck to you Halo.” The makeup girl offered as wardrobe girl nodded in agreement.

“Thanks, see you both out there.” Halo got up as JJ opened the tent flap for her and stepped out into the shade provided by the tall trees behind the tent.

Thomas and Joseph snapped to attention and began following Halo towards where Deacon had pointed. They crested a small rise in the sand and the set was there in all its smallness. Off by a copse of palm trees was a small hut, it seemed to be very old and used but in reality, the crew recently built it. There was an old worn table made from what looked like old fence boards in front of the hut, two benches made of the same material as the table adorned each side.

Off a short ways to the right of the hut was a fallen log and several trees of various types were ringing the area. From where the camera positions were it would look rather remote and a perfect location for hiding a high profile kidnap victim.

They passed by the cameras and Halo stopped to check out her equipment. All her Alexa XT cameras were being well cared for and covered. All the other filming equipment was also covered or sealed in plastic sheeting or bags. She nodded appreciatively at the professionalism of her crew. She knew sand was hell on equipment, especially lenses that run upwards of forty thousand dollars apiece to replace.

Halo continued onwards towards Deacon who was waiting under a black tent full of equipment. Off in the distance she made out Joel and Johnny standing together talking. Johnny was wearing military style clothing and combat boots. His long dishwater blonde hair was loose and unkempt as it brushed the tops of his shoulders. He must have noticed her as he looked from Joel to her and gave her a nod before he returned to talking with Joel. Halo made no response as she turned her attention to Deacon.

“All set Deacon.”

He turned around and looked her up and down, “You look like crap, in a good way. Let me get Johnny over here and we can go over the changes. Have your guys stand under the covered area while we talk.” Deacon ordered.

Halo nodded to JJ and her two guardians and they walked a short distance to another covered area that obviously would be their lunchroom later on. Deacon spoke into his walkie-talkie and she saw Joel turn to speak with Johnny in the distance.