Hollywood Hack Job

by Nathan Allen

  A sense of confusion and disbelief rained down on Darnell as he tried to comprehend what the hell had just happened. Eight rounds had been fired from point-blank range, and yet he missed everything. That was simply not possible.

  The other guards resumed their firing. Darnell snapped out of his stupor and dived for cover.

  He lay face down on the ground, his body pressed hard against the cold marble floor, doing everything he could to awaken himself from this wretched nightmare. Bullets flew inches above his head. Other people’s blood soaked his clothes. A piercing howl rang in his ears. This could not be happening, he told himself, over and over. That was the best he could deduce from such an absurd situation. None of this could possibly be real.

  Until he saw the trail of dust on the floor, surrounding the old man. It was arranged in a perfect circle, about two inches thick and five feet in diameter. Darnell watched for a moment longer. Piece by piece, the true cause of this enigma became apparent.

  The bullets weren’t missing at all. They were disintegrating. Every single bullet fired at the priest broke up and turned to a fine powder the instant it reached the light. The priest stood in the center of the ring of ground ammunition particles, growing larger with every subsequent shot fired.

  It was the spotlight. It somehow acted as an impenetrable force field, protecting him from harm.

  Darnell’s rational mind knew this was completely absurd and illogical. He wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t been there to see it with his own two eyes. But he couldn’t deny it. It was happening.

  He followed the trail of light, high up into the roof, above the rafters, searching for its origin. But there was nothing there. This beam of incandescence did not come from a spotlight, or any other artificial source. It came from a place much higher up. The powerful pure white stream had somehow, incredibly, penetrated the museum’s ceiling.

  A tunnel of clouds stretched far into the sky and the heavens beyond, on and on as far as the eye could see. It was a sight both surreal and stupefying.

  He lay there in a state of paralysis, gazing with wonder at the vision above him. He could do nothing except stare into this awe-inspiring vista with his mouth hanging open and tears welling in his eyes. Even if he wanted to, he could not look away.

  Darnell had not lived an easy life. In and out of foster homes, his upbringing had been marked by years of poverty and violence. He had endured numerous tragedies over the years, events which caused him to openly question his faith. Years had passed since he last tried speaking with God.

  But any skepticism or doubts he may have had evaporated like dry ice the moment he viewed the startling phenomenon before him. He knew his life could never be the same again. After seeing what he had seen, this tiny glimpse of heaven and beyond, there was simply no way he could look at the world through the same eyes.

  A sense of calm came over him, and he slowly picked himself up off the floor. He was a different man now to when he entered the room just a few minutes ago. His life had a renewed purpose. He knew what he was put here on earth for, and what he knew he could do to make the world a better place.

  He reloaded his weapon, oblivious to the orders being screamed at him by the other guards. He ignored the bullets whizzing by and strolled over to the far side of the room.

  He climbed up on the elevated stage area. He found The Chainsmokers, the musical duo booked for the evening, cowering beneath the DJ booth.

  He smiled at them both, then unloaded his full clip.

  PART II.

  THE HONEY TRAP

  Chapter 8

  Gregor: heyy whats up?

  Aimee: hi gregor

  Gregor: I like ur pics

  Aimee: thanx

  Gregor: i like that 1 with u on the horse

  Aimee: that was from a few yrs ago

  Gregor: u still go riding?

  Aimee: yeh when i can but i dont get the chance to go much

  Gregor: im a stallion u could ride me

  Gregor: ;-)

  Aimee: oh my god i so hope u dont use that line on all the girls

  Gregor: no ur the lucky 1st

  Aimee: id make it the lucky last if i were u

  Gregor: no good?

  Aimee: no good

  Gregor: do over?

  Aimee: yes please

  Gregor: greetings aimee i hope this evening finds u well

  Gregor: my name is gregor and its a pleasure to make your acquaintance

  Gregor: how was that

  Aimee: better lol

  Gregor: so what r u doing 2nite?

  Aimee: other than stalkin cute guys ;-)

  Gregor: yeh other than that

  Aimee: dont no

  Aimee: probly just watchin a movie or sum thing

  Gregor: what u gonna watch?

  Aimee: wrong turn

  Aimee: i seen it already but want to watch it again

  Aimee: u seen it?

  Gregor: nah

  Aimee: u should its really good

  Gregor: horror movies not really my thing

  Aimee: why not u scared?

  Gregor: no

  Aimee: yeh u r scaredy cat

  Gregor: hey if i wanted to see bella thornes bloodied corpse i could just look at those pics on the internet

  Aimee: whoa!!

  Aimee: dude!!

  Gregor: too soon?

  Aimee: waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too soon mister!

  Gregor: come on thats funny

  Aimee: no its about as funny as cancer the holocaust and dane cook combined

  Gregor: sorry

  Aimee: u should b sorry

  Gregor: (not sorry)

  Aimee: it was so sad when she was killed tho

  Aimee: :-(

  Gregor: yeh i no she was a god actress

  Aimee: best actress of Her generation

  Aimee: thats why u should watch the movie

  Aimee: 2 pay ur respects

  Gregor: maybe i will then

  Aimee: ill hold your hand if u get scared

  Gregor: i told u im not scared of horror movies

  Aimee: sure u not

  Gregor: ive seen the original wrong turn and thats way more brutal than the remake

  Aimee: what remake?

  Gregor: wrong turn is a remake of an earlier film with eliza dushku

  Aimee: whose that?

  Gregor: faith from buffy

  Aimee: whats buffy

  Gregor: r u serious???

  Aimee: no what is it

  Gregor: a tv show

  Aimee: is it still on

  Gregor: no this was the late 90s

  Gregor: wrong turn came out in 2003

  Aimee: no wonder i never heard of it i was only 1 years old then

  Gregor: damn that makes me feel old

  Aimee: no the date on your birth certificate makes u feel old

  Aimee: ;-)

  Gregor: ouch!

  Aimee: burn!!!

  Gregor: wait, how odd r u?

  Gregor: *old

  Aimee: 20

  Gregor: but u just said u were only 1 in 2003

  Aimee: um

  Gregor: which by my calculations means u were born in 2002

  Gregor: right?

  Gregor: still there?

  Gregor: aimee?

  Gregor: hellooooo?

  Aimee: yeh im still here

  Gregor: so how old r u really?

  Aimee: im 15

  Gregor: seriously?

  Aimee: yeh

  Gregor: seriously!!??!!??

  Aimee: yeh

  Gregor: u dont look 15 in ur pics

  Aimee: i know

  Aimee: makeup does that

  Gregor: u seem older too

  Gregor: more miniature

  Aimee: ???

  Gregor: damn autocorrect!!!

  Gregor: i meant to say more mature

  Aimee: oh hahaha

  Aimee: thanks :-)

  Gregor: so whens your bday

 
Aimee: in 2 months

  Aimee: is my age going to be a problem

  Gregor: it does complicate things

  Aimee: sorry

  Aimee: i didnt mean to lie

  Gregor: thats ok

  Gregor: u told me now, thats the main thing

  Aimee: i only wanted you to like me

  Gregor: i do like u

  Gregor: but i could get in trouble

  Gregor: BIG trouble

  Aimee: only if someone finds out

  Gregor: someone always finds out

  Aimee: we have only chatted so far

  Aimee: cant get in trouble for that

  Gregor: no i guess not

  Gregor: does it bother u that im older?

  Aimee: not really

  Aimee: u seem really cool and guyz my age are such idiots

  Gregor: ur not interested in them?

  Aimee: more like there not interested in me

  Gregor: i find that hard to believe

  Aimee: believe it

  Gregor: i bet u have every guy at school totally in love with u

  Aimee: lol yeh rite!

  Gregor: i mean it

  Gregor: they all too timid too do any think about it

  Aimee: nah

  Aimee: they always go for the pretty girls

  Gregor: u dont think ur one of the pretty girls?

  Aimee: no

  Aimee: im gross

  Gregor: ninja please

  Gregor: u just fishin

  Aimee: im what?

  Gregor: fishin for compliments

  Gregor: saying your gross just so i can tell you how beautiful you really are

  Aimee: no im not

  Aimee: im a freak people make fun of me

  Gregor: stop it

  Aimee: no one would ever touch me

  Gregor: i would touch u

  Aimee: you would?

  Gregor: i would if u let me

  Gregor: ;-)

  Aimee: aww thanx

  Aimee: your really Sweet

  Gregor: and ur really special

  Aimee: can i tell u something

  Gregor: sure

  Aimee: no one has ever been this nice too me before

  Gregor: well im glad to be the first

  Aimee: and ill let u if u want

  Gregor: let me what?

  Aimee: touch me

  Gregor: really?

  Aimee: yeh

  Gregor: u sure about that?

  Aimee: yeh

  Gregor: when?

  Aimee: how does tonite sound?

  Gregor: tonite soundz good

  Chapter 9

  A queasy feeling of nervous apprehension billowed in Gregor’s stomach. His fingers drummed against the steering wheel in time with his palpitating heartbeat. A fist-sized lump formed in his throat. Fifteen minutes beyond their agreed meeting time, and still no sign of Aimee.

  He switched on the radio, hoping it would help take his mind off things, then switched it off again when it only made him feel more anxious.

  These idle moments gave him plenty of time to think, and to question what he was doing here parked in this dimly-lit side street, meeting up with some teenager he had just matched with on Tinder. Only now did it occur to him that this may not be the smartest thing he’d ever done. This was how countless reputations were destroyed. This was how myriad names were added to public registers. He must have taken leave of his senses to risk anything like this. At the time it seemed like a good idea. But at the time, his judgment was impaired by the two bottles of Pinot noir he had poured down his throat that evening. Now the effects of the alcohol were wearing off, and with increased sobriety came deep reservations.

  A cold post-inebriation sweat hit. This was such a stupid, reckless thing he was doing. He had to get out of there before it was too late. His hand moved towards the ignition.

  He saw movement ahead. A lone figure emerged from the darkness, fifty yards up the road. Gregor squinted. Someone was coming his way.

  The silhouette passed under a street light, and Gregor laid eyes on Aimee for the first time.

  Aimee was cute in those few pictures from her Tinder profile, but photos could be deceptive. The maxim about the camera never lying did not apply to the digital age. Anyone could make themselves artificially photogenic these days. Take fifty or a hundred shots and there’s bound to be at least one or two that capture you from your best angle. Combine that with the various filters and digital touch-ups freely available, and a five can easily masquerade as a nine with the click of a button or the tap of a touchscreen.

  But this wasn’t the case at all with Aimee. If anything she was even more stunning in person, despite being dressed in an unflattering outfit consisting of a baggy gray hoodie and faded black jeans. She was a vision of purity, her beauty positively celestial. She quite literally took his breath away.

  Their eyes met from across the road. She gave him a smile worthy of a toothpaste commercial. Her flawless white teeth were framed by perfectly symmetrical dimples and waves of golden hair. Gregor couldn’t stop himself from returning the gesture.

  His hand moved away from the ignition, and he reached for the passenger-side door. He took a deep breath. This was really happening.

  The door opened and Aimee climbed inside.

  “Um, hi,” she said. The slight waver in her voice exposed her nervousness. “Gregor, right?”

  Gregor swallowed. “Right.”

  “I’m Aimee.” She let out an embarrassed laugh. “But you probably know that already.”

  She pulled the door closed, and the vehicle’s central locking snapped shut. Aimee flinched at the sound of the locks retracting.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Gregor said. He scrambled to unlock the doors. “Force of habit. I do that every time I get in the car.”

  “No, it’s okay,” Aimee said. “I just wasn’t expecting it. Sorry.”

  “No need to apologize. I can totally understand why that might freak you out.”

  Amy nodded and forced a smile. A few seconds of awkward silence followed.

  “I wasn’t sure if you were going to show,” Gregor said.

  “Yeah, sorry about that,” Aimee said. “It just took me a while to convince my mom to let me go out tonight. She’s really strict with me.” Her eyes moved around the interior of the vehicle. “Wow, you have a really nice car.”

  “It’s a Lexus. An RX350.”

  “I don’t know what that means but I assume I should be impressed.”

  Gregor laughed. “Well, it is the latest model.”

  Aimee nodded. “You must make a lot of money.”

  “I do okay, I guess.” Gregor colored his words with enough false modesty to let Aimee know he did more than just okay. “No complaints, anyway.”

  “What is it you do again? I’m not sure I asked.”

  “I work in management. For this large entertainment firm.”

  “That sounds exciting.”

  “It’s not. It’s the complete opposite of exciting, to tell you the truth.”

  “Oh. Right.”

  “Honestly, I would put you to sleep if I even started talking about it.”

  “Okay.”

  Another pause followed that soon began to drag.

  “So ... what time do you have to be home?”

  Gregor regretted this question as soon as he asked it. He was doing his best to forget that he was meeting up with someone young enough to have a curfew.

  “I don’t have to be back tonight,” Aimee said.

  “You don’t?” Gregor said, a little too eagerly.

  “I told my mom I was staying with a friend. She believed me, luckily.”

  “You didn’t think she’d believe you were staying at a friend’s place?”

  “Well ...” Aimee’s eyes moved to the floor. “I was worried she wouldn’t believe that I actually had any friends.”

  There was an unmistakable sadness in Aimee’s voice. From those few words, Gregor could tell there was
little joy in her home life.

  “I’ve sure you have plenty of friends,” he said, trying to sound comforting.

  “Not really.” The volume had all but disappeared from her voice. She spoke barely above a whisper. “Everyone at school thinks I’m weird.”

  “You seem pretty normal to me.”

  “Then you obviously don’t go to my school. I don’t fit in anywhere or with anyone. Everyone there is into stupid stuff like dumb parties and clothes and who Justin Bieber’s dating and what happened on Next Top Model. To them I’m just some awkward loser who talks to herself and spends her lunch break alone in the library, reading J.D. Salinger and listening to David Bowie on her headphones.”

  Gregor shook his head and smiled to himself. “I know this probably won’t mean much to you now, but when you’re older you’ll realize how much cooler you were than everyone else at your school.”

  Aimee scoffed. “Yeah, right.”

  “No, I mean that. You seem so much more intelligent and self-aware than I was at your age. I still can’t believe you’re only fifteen.”

  “Yeah. I’m sorry I lied.” She squirmed a little in her seat. “I know I should have been honest with you right from the start. I just really wanted you to like me.”

  “You seem so much older.”

  “Thanks.” Another shy smile. “So do you.”

  Gregor lifted his eyebrows, and Aimee realized how her words had sounded. “Oh no! I didn’t mean it like that–”

  Gregor laughed. “It’s okay.”

  “It’s not that I think of you as ... I mean, you’re really not that ...”

  “I know what you meant.”

  Aimee groaned as she threw her head forward. She hid her face behind a curtain of yellow hair. “I’m such a spaz! I’m sorry. I’m always making a complete idiot of myself.”

  “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

  “It’s just that ...”

  Aimee trailed off, and Gregor waited for her to continue. “It’s just that what?”

  She took a deep breath. “It’s just that ... when we first met, earlier tonight, maybe you thought I was like really confident and funny and all that. But I’m not. I can act that way when I’m online, but when I try to talk to someone in real life I always end up saying something inappropriate. It kinda feels like ... like everyone else has had lessons on how to interact with people and how you’re supposed to behave in social situations, but somehow I missed out on all of it.”