Superstar by T C Southwell

another position. A sound boom
followed the actor.
    "She's a
professional, like you. The boss wants her offed, and fast. No
fancy stuff, just get rid of her."
    Mark shook his
head. "I don't kill women."
    "She's an
assassin."
    "I don't care
if she's the queen of fucking Sheba. No deal." Mark started to turn
away, and the messenger beside him pulled out a gun. Mark
froze.
    "Marinetti
will be pissed."
    "If you point
that thing at me, I'll be pissed," Mark said.
    The first
messenger held out the envelope. "There's twenty-five thousand in
here, Talbot."
    Mark glared at
him. "You got a hearing problem, buster?"
    The hint of
threat in his stance was totally convincing, as if the scene was
reality. Carrin was amazed to see her story come to life, just as
she had imagined it. The first messenger gestured to the second,
who put away his gun. Mark relaxed. The first messenger said,
"Marinetti thought you might not like it -"
    "He was
right," Mark interrupted.
    "A hundred
thousand, and if you don't do it, the boss puts a hit on you."
    Mark smiled
that slight, dangerous, famous smile. "I'd like to see him
try."
    "He won't
try... ah, shit!" The actor swung away, and everyone relaxed.
    Harold
shouted, "Cut!"
    Bells rang,
and the cameramen stood back, removing their headphones. Carrin
glanced at her script. The actor was supposed to say, "He won't
just try, he'll do it." He had fluffed the line, and the scene
would have to be shot again. Mark walked over to Carrin.
    "Someone
always gets it wrong," he sighed.
    "Do you?"
    "Oh, sure,
often enough. Funny, I thought we might actually get through that
scene without a problem. It would have been nice to do it in one
take, but that's rare. Even if someone doesn't fluff their lines,
there's usually something that the director isn't happy with." He
raised a hand to rub his face, then cursed and lowered it. "Damned
make up. I'm glad I'm not a woman, wearing this stuff all the
time."
    She laughed.
"I don't bother much with it."
    "I noticed.
But then, you don't really need it."
    Carrin stared
at him, her heart skipping a beat. Why was he paying her a
compliment? Was it just to be nice to the plain little writer? A
vision of Helen's battered face intruded, and her pleasure faded.
Beware, she warned herself, he really was dangerous. Places were
called, and Mark walked back to begin the scene again. As Carrin
watched, Janice approached and leant against the prop beside
her.
    "So, Miss
York, you think you're a hit with the big man, huh?"
    "Just because
he agreed with me -"
    "I'm not
talking about that. He seems to have designs on you, if you ask me,
and that's a recipe for disaster, you know."
    Carrin scowled
at her. "I know, I've been warned."
    "Oh good. Then
why don't you stay away?"
    "I have to be
here."
    Janice puffed
her cigarette. "Then quit hanging around like an overripe fruit
waiting to be picked. He's way out of your league. You're
ridiculous, you know that? He'll chew you up and spit you out."
    Carrin scowled
at her.
    Janice
smiled. "He knows that you're infatuated with him, do you think
he's blind? He's already told me, he thinks it's real
funny."
    A lance of
cold pain stabbed Carrin's heart, and she looked at Mark, who was
involved in the scene again. Janice followed her gaze, her smile
growing into a grin.
    "Yeah, he's
real cute, isn't he? He's real good at charming the pants off
people too." She giggled at her own wit. "Take some friendly
advice; remember that he's an actor, a really good actor, Miss
York. One of the best."
    I know! Carrin
wanted to yell. I wish I could hate him like he deserves, but I
can't! Instead she turned away to hide her expression and left the
set. On the way out, she bumped into Warren, who exclaimed in
surprise as she brushed past him. Outside, she walked to the street
and caught a taxi back to the hotel. In the safety of her room, she
pulled out her drawings and stared at them. If only...
    If only what?
She jeered her stupidity. If only he was a knight in