It was August in California. The bright sun hung high in the sky, beating down with a million rays that made the very air seem to shimr with heat. Drenched in sweat, Matthew seed oblivious as he ran across a flat stretch of land, pushing himself forward.
From under a large umbrella in the center of the field, Breton shouted, "Keep your back straight, Matthew Horner! You're a soldier now!"
At the command, the running Matthew instantly straightened his spine mid-stride.
By the final day of the ten-day training regin, Matthew was not only stronger but also carried himself differently... straighter. At first glance, he now looked like a soldier.
But that was the extent of it. After all, ten days could only change so much.
As usual, after his run, Matthew received instructions from Breton on correcting his posture and gait.
These were the basic elents of the training; ti was limited, and even an experienced retired officer like Breton couldn't cram too much into Matthew's head.
But that wasn't what was needed. The main goal was for Matthew to look natural and convincing in the role of a soldier.
Matthew continued his drills on the field as Helen approached from a distance.
She walked over to where Breton was standing and watched Matthew running with intense focus. "How is his training coming along?" she asked.
Breton turned his head to look at Helen and said, "Better than expected, but I wouldn't say I'm satisfied."
Helen gave him a puzzled look.
"We have so little ti, there's not much I can teach the kid," Breton explained. "But he works hard, much harder than the vast majority of actors I've trained before."
Helen had never doubted Matthew's physical abilities. "And the results?"
Breton pointed at Matthew. "If you put him in a crowd of civilians, soone like
with professional training would definitely notice him and think he was so kind of private."
Helen nodded. "That's enough. We don't need him to beco a real soldier."
The reason she had agreed to Matthew's proposal was that she had learned from Eric Bork that Tom Hanks would be a judge at the auditions. Two years prior, Tom Hanks had undergone more than two months of military training for the filming of Saving Private Ryan, which ant he was far more familiar with military bearing than the average person.
It was a risk, but she and Matthew were already at a disadvantage. If they didn't take a chance, their efforts would likely end in disappointnt.
As for her backup plan, Helen preferred that it remain just that—a backup.
"Matthew!" Breton glanced at his watch and called out, "Ten-minute break!"
Matthew walked over, his gait completely transford. His back was straight, and his whole body moved with the coiled readiness of a cheetah poised to strike.
Helen took a bottle of mineral water from a box on the ground and handed it to Matthew. Only then did she notice that his complexion had darkened considerably, taking on a sun-tanned hue that, combined with his powerful physique, gave him a rugged toughness.
She nodded in satisfaction; his appearance would certainly add weight to his upcoming audition.
Matthew twisted off the cap and took several large gulps before pouring the rest over his head.
The weather was scorching and the training was grueling, but it was all manageable. After all, it was nothing compared to the hard labor he'd done on construction sites.
Besides, once he beca famous, all his efforts...
Those thoughts were like a carrot dangling before a rabbit, tempting Matthew to keep striving forward.
"Your phone is ringing," Helen said suddenly.
Matthew heard it too and bent down to pull his phone from its case. The screen showed an unfamiliar number. He pressed the answer button and held the phone to his ear, hearing a formal voice.
"Hello, is this Mr. Matthew Horner?"
After just a single word, Matthew was sure he'd never heard the voice before. "Yes," he replied.
"I'm from the Los Angeles County Court..." the man briefly introduced himself and added, "Mr. Matthew Horner, you are involved in a breach of contract lawsuit. A colleague and I are on our way to serve you with a summons. It must be signed by you in person."
Matthew imdiately rembered the contract breach.
The man's voice continued from the phone, "Where can we find you?"
"One mont." Matthew covered the microphone. Since Breton was present, he spoke vaguely to Helen, "They need
to sign for a summons in person."
Helen understood at once. She turned to Breton and said, "That's it for the training today. Matthew and I have so business to attend to."
Breton was sharp enough to take the hint. "Alright. Well, kid, give
a call if you need
again."
Matthew waved. "I'll wire you the rest of your fee tomorrow."
Breton smiled, nodded, turned, and walked away.
In that short ti, Helen had already formulated a response. "Have them go to the office," she said.
"Are you still there?" Matthew heard the voice on the other end. He gave the address and said, "I'll be there in an hour."
With that, he hung up, his expression turning grim.
Helen started toward the car. "Co on, let's go to the office."
Matthew followed her to the farm's parking lot, where Helen tossed him the car keys. "You drive. I need to contact soone."
Sliding into the driver's seat, Matthew started the car and pulled out of the property while Helen, in the passenger seat, was already dialing a number on her phone.
"Mr. Wilson?" she said, using a na Matthew now recognized. "My client is being sued for breach of contract. Yes, the client I referred to you a few months ago. Can you co over? Yes, I'll be waiting for you at the office."
After hanging up, she dialed another number. "Mr. Clint? This is Helen. One of my clients is involved in a breach of an acting contract. Yes, he's a union mber. Can the union provide any assistance? You need the relevant materials? No problem, I'll send everything over to you tomorrow."
On the way back to Burbank, Helen made several more calls, getting in touch with a few other people.
Upon arriving at the small building that housed the Angel Acting Agency, Matthew parked the car and followed Helen, who had already gotten out, into the office.
"Is this going to be a big problem?" Matthew asked.
Honestly, with an agent handling things, he didn't feel the sa crushing headache he would have before.
"Not really," Helen replied. "If it were, I'd drop you before I let it beco my problem."
Matthew understood her aning and just shrugged. He didn't say anything.
From his perspective, it was a perfectly normal stance to take. After all, he wasn't a star. If the investnt cost was high and disproportionate to the potential return, why should she help him?
Just because she was his agent?
Matthew always rembered that she was also the agent for dozens of other actors.
Entering Helen's office, Matthew waited for a short while. First, the lawyer, Wilson, arrived, and soon after, two employees from the Los Angeles County Court showed up. Under Wilson's supervision, Matthew signed the summons.
After seeing the court officers out, Matthew explained everything to Wilson.
Wilson was direct. "You breached the contract, and they have sufficient evidence. The best course of action is to settle with them out of court."
He handed the summons he had just read back to Matthew. "I'm confident I can get the breach of contract penalty reduced by a third, maybe even by half."
The penalty was $50,000. Even if it was cut in half, that was still $25,000. Matthew's head began to throb again; he hadn't managed to save any of the money he'd earned recently.
"Alright, I hope you can help ," Matthew said earnestly.
"Let's start with my fees," Wilson stated unequivocally. "One-fifth of the amount I manage to save you will be my paynt."
Matthew didn't answer right away. He knew very little about Arican law, especially regarding actor's contracts. He turned to look at Helen, saw her give him a slight nod, and then said, "Agreed."
Wilson stood up. "I'll stall for ti for now, then file for an out-of-court settlent. Mr. Horner, be prepared for this to drag on for months."
He said goodbye to Helen, then turned back to Matthew. "Find so ti to co to my office in the next few days. We'll sign a formal representation agreent."
Watching Wilson leave, Matthew sank back onto the lone sofa with a miserable expression. Tens of thousands of dollars, and right now he couldn't even co up with a tenth of it.
Matthew sat for a mont, thinking about the job he was about to pursue. He asked Helen, "How much will I get paid for the role of Ronald Speirs?"
Helen considered it for a mont, then replied, "I estimate the salary could be in the range of $5,000 to $6,000 per episode. Maybe as high as $8,000 or more, assuming the series has a healthy budget and I can leverage so favorable factors during negotiations."
Hearing her words, Matthew's spirits lifted instantly. For the role of Ronald Speirs, he would earn enough to cover the breach of contract, even if he only appeared in five episodes.
It was yet another reason for Matthew to land this part.
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