Adam Conquers Earth
By Chris James
Chapter Three
The sun rose over the desert to the strains of a familiar song and the silver light of dawn illuminated the dark world of sand and...Adam. Mark stood still in the cockpit of the space car, one leg on the sill and a hand to the face shield of his helmet as he gazed out towards the distant mountains on the horizon.
The camera crew was laid out in the sand to capture that sunrise and the reflections off the spacecraft. They were looking right up at Mark and Brian could tell it would be a wonderful shot.
This is where the theme song would rise into a crescendo. The electronic beat of Deodato's version of Also Sprach Zarathustra taking over, a familiar tune that would be dubbed in later at the studio. It cost Alan a pretty penny to get the rights to this old 1972 hit, but it showed they had class. Brian had laughed at first, and then realized it would make the opening scene as it lit up television screens across America.
For now, Tina held up a large tape player so Mark could get the beat correctly to perform what lay ahead. The strains of music rose slowly and Mark...it was best to think of him as Adam from here on, Brian realized...Yes! Adam stepped down onto the soil of Earth for the first time, and the music flared.
Adam took a step and looked up at the rising sun. The camera moved behind him. The spacesuit shimmered in the golden rays and it seemed as if Adam was illuminated from within, a halo surrounding his body. And then the Deodato tune started that familiar hippity-hop beat, and so did Adam.
The sunrise revealed the boy jumping and twisting in the morning rays, his body moving in time with the beat and his head nodding up and down. The helmet was tugged off and dropped in the sand, revealing Adam for the first time. The boy was wearing an iPod, or what passed for one in his home world of Regalia.
The sun continued to rise and the camera followed Adam dancing around his busted space car. Meanwhile, the credits would roll and finally the name Adam Conquers Earth would appear. Then total silence. Tina killed the sound and Adam stood stock still staring out across the vast wasteland, the only sound the wind.
The camera caught several rolling tumbleweeds tossed in front of Adam by the prop crew. Then the camera boom swung, the visual image swinging around to show just Adam's face. More wind sounds before Adam cried out in a loud and pleading voice.
"McDonalds?"
"Cut," Alan yelled, and everyone there broke into applause. "By God, we did it in one take," he screamed, looking at his monitor screen. Then everyone had to gather around to watch the replay. It looked stunning.
Mark was shrugging off the spacesuit, revealing the board shorts and T-shirt he wore underneath soaked with sweat. "Water," Brian yelled and a guy ran up with several bottles of spring water. Mark gulped down a bit and paused as Brian wiped his face with a clean towel.
"That was awesome, kiddo," Brian said.
"I just thought it out one step at a time. Pretty cool dancing, huh?"
"Boo-ga-loo down Broadway, baby," Brian said, and they both laughed.
"Company, out of the sun if you please," Tina yelled, and everyone walked back to the motel, which was only a hundred yards away.
Mark had three hours to rest before he had to climb back in that suit. They had ice packs ready since this was going to be a hot shot of Adam lost in the desert. The legal department had allowed Alan only fifteen minutes to get the shots. After that the hundred-degree heat would be considered dangerous for the boy, and Brian agreed.
Rosie was sitting on the patio with binoculars and she smiled. "I saw a bit of that from here, so many people milling around, it's a wonder Mark can concentrate."
"What people?" Mark asked. "Oh, the crew, I didn't pay them any attention."
"He's right, Rosie, the actors are trained to ignore us. The only person that he might see out of the corner of an eye is the director," Brian said.
"Well goodness, how did it go?"
"One take is exceptional," Brian said. "Mark did it like a pro."
"Thank you," Mark said with an exaggerated bow. "Just throw money." And they both laughed at his antics.
"Okay, fifteen minutes, then shower and lie down for a while," Brian commanded.
"Yes, boss," Mark laughed.
"Sorry, Rosie, I have to meet with the director...I'll be back later," Brian said, and he strode off.
"My, my...such a hurry," Rosie said.
"Alan named him as an assistant to the director, that's pretty cool," Mark said.
"I'm glad to hear it; Brian deserves the credit for all he's done. So tell me about that opening you just made and what comes next," Rosie said.
Alan was hopped up like a Saturday night junkie, thrilled to death that the opening had been captured in one take. The rest of the day would be devoted to the desert trek, albeit a short walk in the sand towards a distant highway. Then they would see the car carrying Mr. and Mrs. Vernon.
That was the shooting schedule for the day and Alan was way ahead of the curve so far. In production terms that purported to mean a savings; in reality they were on location and the cost remained fixed. Overall, it was a strategic meeting, all wrapped in the warm and fuzzy feeling of success.
"Okay, tomorrow we shoot inside the car and we all know what a pain in the ass that becomes. Tina, have we fixed the time for that takeover of the McDonalds?" Alan asked.
"Three to four-thirty. That'll give us a half hour setup and an hour to shoot. They go into dinner mode after we're done. Free food, the manager promised," Tina replied.
"Security? Who's handling that?"
"Six off-duty uniforms. The Las Vegas police were very kind. They'll be on overtime rates so we can expect co-operation."
"Good," Alan said. "So, now we get Adam to take a little walk this afternoon. Brian, how's he feeling?"
"Mark is on cloud nine, he feels the success just like you do. I told him to nap after his Aunt leaves. He'll be ready by the time you need him."
"Lord, did you see that dance? That boy sure has a feel for the quality I want, he was magnificent," Alan gushed. "Okay, rest up, get hydrated, we resume at eleven."
Brian smiled; it was all going according to schedule. Mark needed that sense of stability, they all did. Rick and Vera had been waiting for their moment. So had Steve and Casey, although they were not in the opening shots being done here. It had been Alan's idea to bring them along to forge a sense of teamwork right from the start. They had stood beside Brian and applauded with the crew as Adam finished that little dance.
The character was getting to him, Brian was beginning to see the boy as Adam, even if it was Mark he loved. Production teams seem to do that as things fell into place, it was a means of focus and right now no one wanted to take their eye off the ball. Brian walked back to the room and found Mark stretched out in his boxers but not asleep.
"How was your meeting?" He asked.
"Fine, it was little more than a pep rally...you got them all cranked up, kiddo."
"That was the idea, Rosie went back in town, too hot for her out here," Mark said. "Can I have a cuddle?"
"I need a shower before I lie down with you, sweetie," Brian said.
"Okay, I'll wash your back."
Somehow water always seemed to have a prominent place in their sex life, and now was no different. Sex in the shower meant standing up or lying in the bottom of the tub, either way it was fun.
"Oh God, I needed that," Mark said, as his statement dissolved into laughter. Brian stood up and took the boy in his arms. "That was lovely, you're lovely...God, I am so lucky."
"Hmm, I was just thinking that...let's go lie down," Mark said.
Brian enjoyed the cuddle. It was still only eight-thirty and they had two hours before they needed to get ready. As expected, Mark quickly fell asleep. Sex and a four o'clock in the morning call were enough to knock him out. Brian slid out of bed, called the restaurant for a late breakfast to be delivered and then picked up the casting book Alan had given him.
Since they had a neighborhood and a school to populate for their scenes, the list of supporting actors was long. The role of school principal was an important one as he would be Adam's foil for much of the school business.
They had blocked out the first scenes of the pilot with the ongoing storyline in mind. Everything they were creating here would set up the rest of the season's episodes. The last scene they would make in the desert ended at a McDonalds with Adam munching down a burger and smiling at his newly 'captured' parents.
Then the pilot would segue into a quiet street scene in a typical suburban California neighborhood as the Vernon's bring their new 'son' home. Next, there's a confrontation with the dog who doesn't know Adam from...well, Adam. Then the script gave them a scene where Adam flips through the unfamiliar catalog of real time American television.
All that would be followed by a knock on the door as the character Steve is introduced, out selling raffle tickets as a school fundraiser. It's the moment Adam realizes that to appear normal he must also go to school. Steve tells him about some of the other students, which includes his crush on Mary Jane. That would have to be changed since they would have to cast a new girl.
The final scene would be where Adam and friends board the school bus. The pilot would end there, leaving the audience in stitches. Brian had thought the final scene one of the best he'd ever read. Then they would get a break, a weekend before they went back to work.
Mark had decided they should cut the school bully scene that was to have been in the beginning of the first episode; it was too trite, overused. But the character remained on the books and the bully would get his just desserts at some later date. Adam would spend a school day stumbling about, creating chaos in his wake, and overpowering the principal.
The episode would conclude with Adam entering his bedroom after his new 'Mom' turns down the covers and wishes him a good night. He would look around, open the closet door and seem puzzled. Then he would smile, grab the pillow off the bed and slide under the mattress where he would drift off to sleep. End of episode...maybe. Mark was still unsure if it would properly set up the next one.
Subtle things had to be addressed. There were things the viewers would wonder about and stuff like that could not be left hanging for too long. Brian had the list of unresolved issues. Alan expected some answers...and soon.
How does an alien register for school?
Can he write, and how much English does he really know?
Just how smart is Adam; what grade would he be in?
What clothes can he wear?
What happens if he gets sick in this foreign environment?
Is his anatomy the same as ours?
Can he eat just any human food?
What are his special powers over the human mind?
What are his sleeping habits?
What are his bathing habits?
What are...
The list went on-and-on, all valid questions and all of them needed answers before they found themselves standing in a corner with no way out. Mark could ad-lib in any situation when necessary, but this wasn't just about delivering lines, this was about delivering credibility.
What about the fan base? Tina had mentioned the producers springing for a website, wouldn't it be clever to put Mark on there and have him chat with the fans? Yeah, and they would need a YouTube video as well, something to start the groundswell. The image of Adam dancing across the desert was going to become famous. The boy sure knew how to attract attention.
Brian began to write out his suggestions and was going through the list as breakfast arrived. The room service guy gave Mark a smiling glance and accepted Brian's signature on the bill.
"You guys rock," the young man said. "I'm going to watch every episode."
"Thanks, we need all the fans we can get," Brian replied as he shut the door.
He woke Mark up a short time later to eat something. In two hours he would be in that damn suit standing in the broiling sun. Brian talked about the website idea and Mark got even more excited about making his own YouTube video.
"Can I write the script? Will Alan let me use some footage? Will the producers have to approve what I say? And will...."
"Whoa, slow down...I don't have the answers to any of that, but I think any attempt we make to increase the profile of the show will be well received," Brian said.
Mark giggled, and then that turned into an outright laugh. "You're starting to sound like one of 'them'...those guys, the suits."
"Sorry, that was a little formal, wasn't it?" Brian chuckled.
"Naw, I understand. I'd rather have you on the inside track than anyone else," Mark said.
"Did you see any of the audition tapes?" Brian asked.
"A few...Oh, the replacement for Mary Jane?"
"Yeah...any ideas?" Brian asked.
"Alan has to jump on that. Um...there was this black girl...uh, Beverly something. Damn, sorry, I can't remember her name," Mark said.
Brian flipped through the production book and came to a list of names at the back. These were the extras for the school scenes. His finger slid down the list.
"Beverly Cooper...does that sound right?"
"Maybe. You have her bio?" Mark asked.
"No, Tina has those...you think she has potential?"
"Pretty girl, great smile, and she can talk a mile a minute. Imagine her as a foil for Steve? Quiet boy, outrageous girl...I like the opposites effect."
Brian smiled. "Always thinking like a director aren't you? I better go warn Alan his job is in jeopardy."
"No way! I can't act and direct at the same time. I think she would be fine," Mark said, and then he smiled. "Just imagine the first time Adam meets her. He's only seen an African-American on television. The reaction ought to be priceless."
Brian stared at the boy. "You really are of two minds in all this, aren't you? I can see you slip into the character at the snap of a finger and you even start to think like Adam...how do you do that?"
Mark smiled. "When I was ten I had to play the part of Tiny Tim in a revival of A Christmas Carol. I remember the man who played Scrooge scared me. He was so fierce in all our scenes until the very end of the play. Then one evening during rehearsal I was sitting backstage and he came and sat beside me.
He asked if I was afraid of him and I nodded. Then he looked out at the others on stage and nodded. "When we're out there I'm an actor, right now I'm just an ordinary man. On stage I assume that role and wear it like a fine coat of golden silk on display for all to see. Back here I wear a coat of common cloth, just like you.
"I cannot be anything but Scrooge on the stage in front of an audience; it's that coat I wear as an actor. You have a right to be afraid, for Scrooge is a mean and despicable man. You cannot be anything but afraid of me out there because that's your role as an actor. It is who we are and what we are meant to be."
And then he smiled. "But this ordinary man would like to be your friend and sit with you a while until I must again be Scrooge. Always remember, it's a privilege to wear that golden coat and assume the character's life upon the stage. Think like that and you shall never want for work."
Mark sighed. "He was a wonderful old man and after that we got along so well, and I will always remember what he said. We did that show together for about three weeks, and at every performance I was scared of him on stage because he was that nasty old Scrooge in my mind."
"When did you find the time to study acting?" Brian asked.
Mark shrugged. "Never did. I just watched everyone else and tried to emulate them."
"Boy, you are something else," Brian said.
"Thank-you...what time is it?" Mark asked.
"Half-an-hour to go. Maybe we ought to go find the costumer and get that squared away," Brian said. "Now listen to me, it's hot as hell out there, so don't try and be a hero. You saved Alan a lot of time this morning so we can do this in three takes if we need to. I just want you to play it safe, okay?"
"Got it, don't fry my brain. Get that Cooper profile from Tina while you're in there, we can look at it later," Mark said.
It was a hot walk to the dining room, like stepping out into a furnace. Nevada had some of the driest air in the country and from a human standpoint some of the most dangerous. Alan had a doctor on call for the afternoon and Tina's messenger boys were passing out copious amounts of water. Hydration was the key to survival.
Mark looked at the silver suit and wondered just how well it would insulate Adam on a flight through space. He knew it was a prop for the show, a mere costume imitation, but it looked real enough. They had an air-conditioned van sitting outside with the doors shut tight. This would be Mark's dressing room.
The cameramen had left twenty minutes before to set up, and the car was sitting ready for the Vernon's entrance into the scene. Brian came back and gave Mark's shoulder a squeeze.
"Okay, let's do this," Mark said.
Brian and the costumer followed the boy out to the van and it carried them to the setup point about a quarter mile down the road. At a signal, the cops were going to stop traffic both ways for fifteen minutes, long enough to get the shot.
The first set up was to be a head-on shot of Adam stumbling across the desert towards the highway. It would be a long shot, too, allowing the heat waves to fill the scene and then Adam would look up and see the road. That was the cue for the Vernon's to roll towards him and Adam would stop them.
Brian's worry was that having cast the helmet off back at the space car the boy had no head protection. But the damn thing was hot inside, so maybe it would work out. Tina handed him a stop watch, they had fifteen minutes from the time Mark exited the van and that was all.
The camera crew was two hundred yards away under a shelter. Mark had to walk that far and then climb into the car to reach the cut mark on the scene. From where Brian stood it looked like a very long distance.
Inside the van, Mark donned the vest lined with frozen ice packs and laughed as the cold seemed to pierce the liner even though the ice never touched him. He struggled into the suit and the Velcro was done up the back. The boots came last, the closures were Velcro as well, and then he was ready.
Tina was there, radio in hand, and she gave the camera crew a two-minute warning. They shot a few minutes of empty desert to let the heat waves sink into the opening of the scene, and then it was Mark's turn.
One of the camera crew had placed an orange stake in the ground about thirty feet away. As Adam stepped onto the soil the van drove off to get out of the shot and the handlers, including Brian, backed off as well. Adam seemed to jog over to the orange mark and faced the camera.
"Ready," Tina said over the radio.
"Okay...action," Alan radioed back.
"Action," Tina yelled and Adam gave a brief nod before starting his walk.
The crowd followed along at a safe distance off to one side as Adam walked, then staggered a bit, dragging a foot here and there. For a while it didn't seem like the camera position was getting any closer, and then there it was just ahead.
"Roll the car," Brian heard over Tina's radio.
Adam staggered towards the road and then almost tripped over some sagebrush, it all looked to be well staged. The green Buick slowly traversed the distance and Adam looked up and his posture changed as he focused on the car. The second camera shot of the approaching car would be made later, now all eyes were on Adam. The camera followed Adam towards the road.
The silver suited alien stepped onto the verge of the highway and held up a hand, which caused the vehicle to screech to a stop. Adam stumbled over to open the back door. His hand went to the handle and he pulled the door open...and then Mark fell over on the asphalt.
"Cut...medic!" Alan yelled over the radio and the crew went into action.
The van came screaming up and the doctor leaped out. Brian was helpless. Only the doctor could touch Mark in case he'd been injured. The boy looked like he had fainted, and the doctor confirmed heat as the cause. There were no apparent injuries. Four men picked Mark up and laid him in the van. Brian took the passenger's seat while the doctor stayed in back with Mark and began to remove the space suit.
"Damn, he's soaking wet...did he sweat that much?" The doctor yelled.
"No, it's the ice packs, they must have all melted," Brian yelled back. "Does he need to go to the hospital?"
"No. He's flushed, but I think he just needs to lie down and restore his circulation in a cool environment. He wasn't out there long enough to get hurt. Does he have a room?"
"One-oh-six," Brian heard Mark say, and then the boy sat up. "Whoa, I passed out."
"Heat stroke...or almost," The doctor said. "The lining on this suit isn't porous. It's rubberized inside and that's not good in this heat."
"Almost there," the driver said as they pulled into the motel parking lot. Brian ran to open the door to their room as the doctor helped Mark out of the back of the van. Brian immediately scooped the boy up in his arms and carried him across the threshold into the cool interior of the room.
"So that's how the bride feels," Mark said, and then he laughed.
"Seems he feels better," the doctor said. "You lie down, young man. I want you to drink lots of water and eat lightly this evening. Your body had a shock and needs time to recover."
"Thanks, Doc," Mark said. "What happened to me?"
"You overheated. The body draws back blood from your extremities to keep your organs cooled down. You lost blood in your head and fainted. In severe cases, it causes brain damage, but you were lucky. That's why we were all standing around; it pays to be careful out here."
"Thanks again, Doc. I'll make sure he says down for a few hours," Brian said.
"Call me if you need me," the doctor said and he left.
"Did we get the shot?" Mark asked.
"I don't know..." and then a knock on the door interrupted him.
"Is he doing all right?" Alan asked when Brian opened the door.
"Come on in," Mark yelled. "Did we get the shot?"
"Ever the trooper...yes, we got plenty, enough to splice it all together. How are you, Mark...feeling better?"
"I mean is it a wrap, do we have to do another take?" Mark asked.
Alan came over and kissed the boy on the head. "No, it's all done. You scared me, we were all worried," Alan said. He sat on the bed and took Mark's face in his hands.
"I promise you, right now. I will never put you in danger like that again...never."
"I'm fine, Alan...really," Mark said. "But thanks, and please tell everyone I'm just fine."
"You're more than fine. God, what an actor! I'll show you the playback later on. Will you be there for dinner?"
Alan looked over at Brian who nodded. "Doc says a few hours rest and lots of cool and he'll be fine."
"What happened? I suppose we need to find out," Alan said.
"Doc says the suit did him in. It didn't breathe and all the ice melted way too fast," Brian said. "I think Mark toughed it out that last few minutes even though I asked him not to do anything foolish."
"I'm sorry. I wanted it to be perfect," Mark said.
Alan frowned. "Perfection is not our goal, Mark. I don't want you taking chances. You're too important to this production. From now on, if you feel bad or if you see something is going wrong, just stop and look at me, the cameras will keep rolling and you can start over again.
"I don't care if we get it in one take. That's not your worry, it's mine. You just give us your best performance and I'll do the rest. The greatest actors in film seldom got it right the first time; some scenes took a dozen takes or more. You just stop counting and focus on your role. You're a fine actor, one of the best I ever worked with, and together we're going to go places."
Alan stood up and smiled. "Now you rest up, everyone will want to see you at dinner and they need that reassurance."
"Yes, Alan...thanks," Mark said.
Brian showed Alan out the door and went to get Mark a bottle of water from the little refrigerator.
"Damn, you know I hate water," Mark said.
"Your body doesn't," Brian said. "Just drink a little at a time."
Mark took a swig and smiled. "I screwed up, didn't I? You think Alan is mad at me?"
Brian sat down and took the boy in his arms. "No, I think he's relieved, just like I am. Alan thinks you're one of the best actors he's ever worked with."
Mark smiled. "Yeah, he did say that, didn't he? So you carried me across the threshold, does that mean we're married now?"
Brian leaned over and gave Mark a kiss. "I'd marry you in a minute. Think they'll change the laws for us?"
Mark grinned. "Hardly, we'll just have to stay lovers, I guess.
"Then lie down lover, I want to kiss you," Brian said.
He lay there with Mark in his arms, both of them dozing in and out. Brian had felt the heat when standing out there and knew it was much worse for Mark in that suit. Thank God that was over.
He had to let Mark know there were limits; Alan had said as much. Nothing was more important than Mark's health and well-being. If something happened to him, the show was down the toilet. The boy had to back off and understand there were limits.
Thinking back to the discussion of Scrooge, Brian realized that the work to get Mark into the persona of Adam, this super alien boy, had been terribly counterproductive. Mark was beginning to believe his own publicity, an image he had himself created. Maybe he had learned something today. Brian sure hoped so, for underneath that bravado Mark had as Adam there was a normal talented human kid.
Brian could love the abilities the boy showed, but he would much rather be in love with the heart and mind he'd come to know. Mark was an exciting person, and yet all that did was mask the insecurities. Rosie was the only adult figure in his life for years, so it was no wonder that he'd made such a strong bid to bring Brian into his life.
Loving the boy was easy; he exuded sensuality with every breath. But Brian knew he now had to take on a stronger role, that it was up to him to forge the boy's self confidence. The show would go on, and Mark would grow up to be a man. It was Brian's role to make sure he became the best man he possibly could.
Dinner that night was subdued, partially owing to Rosie's presence in the room. Brian had allowed Mark to rest and then had called her about the incident. She had said she was coming right over and hung up. He didn't know what to expect but Rosie seemed calm after looking Mark over.
"Now you know why I want you there, Brian. Mark takes risks," Rosie said.
"Well, I'd spank him but he seems a bit too old for that," Brian said. "He didn't listen when everyone, including me, told him to take it easy in the heat."
"I said I was sorry," Mark threw in.
Rosie smiled. "That doesn't always work, Mark. Now these people will have to watch you every minute, you're distracting them from their jobs."
"He just let it get out of hand. We could have stopped at any time and fixed things," Brian said.
"Did Mark tell you about the first cereal commercial he shot? No, I suppose he wouldn't," Rosie said.
"Oh Lord," Mark groaned.
"Well, little Mark got his belt caught on the back of the prop chair but didn't tell anyone to stop the shoot. So in walks the actress portraying the mother and Mark leans up to kiss her and loses his balance. The chair let go and he fell right onto the table. Props were flying everywhere, milk was splashing across the set, and poor Diana, the actress, she fell flat on her bottom with the table in her lap. It took two hours to reset. It was a wonder they didn't fire him."
"I was only ten and the director was too nice to do that," Mark said, giving Brian a knowing look. Oh, THAT director, Brian thought.
"Alan came in here and gave Mark a little talk, and in fact said he was one of the best actors he'd ever worked with...so let's hope this all sinks in, no more risks," Brian said, all the while looking at Mark.
"No sir," Mark said.
Alan was pleased to show them the day's work on a large television monitor, and it looked just as Brian knew it would. The mixing would take place once they returned to the studio, but even raw it was an incredible scene.
The glaring sun, the dry desert floor and the shimmering waves of heat rising up...and then Adam appears. His staggered walk implied hours of trudging across the desert. It all looked real as Adam approached the highway. That lifting of his head, the stumble over the sagebrush...this was where Mark was beginning to feel the heat.
Adam stepping onto the asphalt, holding up a hand and the car screeching to a halt, then Adam approaching the door, opening it, and they all saw Mark fall. Rosie gasped as did many of the others, but Mark sat silently. As the clip ended Alan stood up, and so did Mark.
Alan looked at the boy and then nodded. "I made an ass of myself today," Mark began. "I made a very stupid mistake and I want to apologize to all of you for the way I acted. I should have yelled that the suit was killing me. I should have just stopped and said I can't go on like this...but I didn't. I want this to work just like the rest of you do, and today I almost destroyed everything. Today I made you feel bad about something we were doing.
"Alan has been kind enough to give me his thoughts and direction about what I did wrong. I would like the rest of you to do the same. Whenever you see me doing something stupid I want to know. I don't want this to divide us into responsible adults and stupid kids. We are one company, one cast. I need to know so I can change my ways. Thanks."
Alan walked over and gave Mark a hug, and it wasn't the last one he received. They were one company, one cast. Mark had expressed that so well. The moment was over, now they could move on.
Tomorrow morning they would shoot the interior car scenes. The car would ride on a trailer under sunshades with a huge air conditioner feeding the interior. It was a lot of work for a three minute scene, but the viewers would only see the scenery passing by as Adam took control of the Vernon couple and directed them towards the nearest McDonalds.
Two corporate bigwigs from the restaurant chain would be on hand to talk with the cast and look at the script. Adam's attraction for the hamburger played a big role in their decision to attend and Mark would see to it that they were well entertained.
Fame would come quickly, and Brian would be all over it. Mark could not be allowed to change. He could not be seduced by the wealth and power, Brian had to make sure of that. No, he was going to stick to that boy like glue. It would be time for Rosie to hire an accountant and a staff, and the first of the lot ought to be bodyguards.
Mark would be driven by security, escorted by security and guarded 24/7 by these same men. Brian knew just who to call as he'd almost been one of them a few years earlier. He would have to let Rosie know his thoughts. The minute the trade papers picked up on the show and its association with McDonalds the news would be all over town, and then the country and maybe even the world.
The day had been trying, and Mark went to bed and quickly fell asleep. For Brian there was nothing quite like watching the boy sleep. It was a time of reflection and yearning, could they make this work? Mark's quiet beauty was never more evident then at times like these, Brian stood in awe of what he had started here. And even as he set the alarm for their wake up call, he had to sit on the side of the bed and stare. God, he was such a lucky man. To have this boy and this job, nothing had touched him like this before.
Brian finished undressing and slid in beside Mark, feeling the heat of the boy's body. No, he would never allow anything to tarnish this child. Mark had proved his worth tonight when he stood and owned up to his mistake. It was a very mature thing to do and everyone appreciated it. Only Brian knew what was behind it. Mark was growing up, and this had only been the first step.
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