Slightly delayed by traffic, Tom Hardy arrived at Warner Studios and jogged over to the building where the auditions were being held. After checking with an employee at the entrance, he learned his call ti was 10:30 AM, but he continued briskly toward the waiting room anyway.
It was only the first round of auditions, so there was no need for makeup.
Tom Hardy was perfectly confident in his appearance, and after years of grinding away on the British independent film circuit, his acting skills were sharp.
Moreover, the director, Christopher Nolan, was British, just like him, and was well-known for his preference for casting British actors—another point in his favor.
Perhaps after all the years he’d spent struggling to make a na for himself in British independent film, this was his chance to return to Hollywood.
The British market was too small, the industry circle too insular, and opportunities were drying up.
Hollywood was the only real path forward for a British actor with ambition.
But he wasn't blindly optimistic. He knew there was a nightmarish figure attached to the cast.
Years ago, just as a golden opportunity had presented itself and his future seed bright, he'd been unceremoniously knocked aside. It was the reason he still wasn't a major star.
As the man's na and face surfaced in his mory, Tom Hardy felt his heart begin to pound. How could anyone be so shaless? To use such vile and treacherous tactics against him?
Initially, when he'd learned that this man was attached to the film, he hadn't wanted to audition at all.
But on second thought, he had decided that after so many years, the man had probably forgotten all about him.
And even if he did rember, would an A-list superstar really bother with soone who was barely a C-lister?
Besides, he had spent years honing his craft. What was there to be afraid of?
Tom Hardy felt that even if he ca face-to-face with Matthew Horner, he could et his gaze without flinching.
Though he was no longer in a rush, he kept a quick pace. As he was about to pass a tall man, a voice suddenly called out.
"Tom!"
That voice... why was it so familiar? Tom Hardy stopped in his tracks and slowly turned his head.
"I didn't expect to see you here."
The voice sounded cheerful, like that of an old friend delighted to see him, but as Tom Hardy listened, a tremor ran through his body.
He knew who it was.
When he turned, Tom Hardy saw a face he would never forget—a face that felt demonic. How many tis had it jolted him awake from nightmares in the dead of night?
Matthew rembered Tom Hardy.
For soone who held a grudge as tightly as he did, how could he possibly forget Tom Hardy's face?
"Well, Tom." Matthew took a step toward him. "It's been a while."
Tom Hardy stood his ground, trying with all his might to remain calm, but the fear rising from his core was impossible to hide.
Matthew stopped about five paces from Tom Hardy and said with a smile:
"Let's see, how many years has it been?"
"We..." Tom Hardy didn't realize his own voice was trembling slightly. "It's been seven or eight years."
Matthew was surprised to see Tom Hardy here, too. After filming "Black Hawk Down," he hadn't seen or heard anything about him in Hollywood or the press. He'd figured the man had simply vanished.
Matthew gazed at Tom, a broad smile spreading across his face. "Where was the last ti we saw each other?"
Tom Hardy's mind imdiately flashed to the showers on the military base...
In an instant, a chill shot through his entire body.
Clearly, Matthew hadn't forgotten.
The shift in Tom Hardy's expression was impossible to miss. Matthew said calmly, "I rember now. It was in the showers at the air force base. Jonny Lee Miller was there, too, wasn't he?"
"I..." Tom Hardy was at a loss for words.
He had thought he could face Matthew head-on, but with the man standing right in front of him, he realized what a true nightmare this was.
Because of what happened back then, Matthew intensely disliked the man and didn't want him on the crew. No one wants an especially irritating person hanging around while they're trying to work.
Matthew could see that Tom Hardy was nervous, even trembling slightly. More than anything, he was afraid.
What was an actor doing at a studio holding auditions? Matthew didn't need to ask.
"So, Tom, what brings you here?" he asked, then gave an understanding nod. "Ah, I see. You're here for the audition today. Hoping to land a part, are you?"
Tom Hardy didn't answer. All he wanted to do was leave.
Matthew smiled. "I'd be happy to work on set with you."
Tom Hardy looked at Matthew. "Happy? Why would you be?"
"The production is going to be shooting on location all over the world," Matthew said, his expression unreadable. "I'd be thrilled to see you on location in Africa."
Then he added, "Oh, and I forgot to ntion—Jas McAvoy is in the cast, too."
Of course Tom Hardy rembered Jas. That bastard.
"Africa is an interesting place," Matthew added, his tone gravely sincere, as if giving advice to an old friend. "Tom, if you do end up coming to Africa for the shoot, make sure you take precautions. I hear it's a chaotic place. Anything can happen."
Those words made Tom think of Jonny Lee Miller, how after "Black Hawk Down" he was completely ruined by so phantom videotape, so much so that he seed to have lost his mind. And then there were those other two guys from the set who, rumor had it, t even unhappier fates...
A cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Matthew's voice grew steady. "Do you want
to put in a good word with Christopher Nolan for you? We're old friends. I'd be happy to help, really. Don't be shy."
Tom Hardy didn't even have to think about it. "No... there's no need."
The man had a plan! He was definitely up to sothing!
From the first ti they t on set until now, how many people had Matthew Horner hard?
He didn't know the exact number, but Tom Hardy was certain there must be countless victims just like him.
Tom forced a smile. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady. "Matthew, I appreciate the offer, but I just rembered I have sothing urgent to take care of. I have to go."
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and began to walk around Matthew.
Then, Tom Hardy hurried away.
Matthew watched Tom Hardy hurry out of the building, shaking his head.
He watched until Tom had left the building, then headed for the actors' waiting room. As he walked, he reached into his pocket and turned off the signal jamr he had activated earlier.
He had been carrying the device for years, on Helen's insistence.
Matthew was a star who had successfully cultivated a public persona. While others might be fooled, Helen knew exactly what kind of man he was. To prevent that persona from being shattered by a secret recording, she had insisted he spend a considerable sum of money on a state-of-the-art signal jamr.
It didn't just block audio recordings; it could interfere with all kinds of electronic signals.
In a way, it was one of the main reasons Matthew's public image had remained intact.
When he got to the actors' lounge, Matthew found Jas. Ignoring the other actors waiting to audition, he plopped down in the chair next to his friend and started chatting.
He quickly filled Jas in on his run-in with Tom.
"You shouldn't have done that!" Jas declared, a look of mock indignation on his face. "You should have let him get the part! It would have been way more fun for us."
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