"That instructor looks pretty strict!" Walking side by side in the corridor, Michael Culitz commented to Matthew, "I guess we're in for a tough training."
Matthew shrugged, "It's not like they're going to train us exactly like the military."
Being dressed as a soldier and actually being one were entirely different things.
Suddenly, they heard the sound of a motor. Matthew guessed a vehicle was approaching and stepped aside, turning to look back just in time to see a black Land Rover speeding towards them. It was so close that he could see the mud splattered on the grill.
The vehicle didn't honk or slow down; it just charged forward as if Matthew and Michael Culitz didn't exist.
Almost instinctively, Matthew stepped further aside. The Land Rover's front passed by him, less than twenty centimeters away, but before he could move again, its side mirror grazed his arm, jerking his body sideways. Michael quickly grabbed his arm to steady him, preventing him from falling.
The Land Rover didn't slow down and soon reached the end of the corridor.
"You..." Matthew turned around and yelled, "Are you blind?!"
The speed at which the vehicle passed through the corridor had barely given him time to react.
After his shout, the Land Rover abruptly stopped with a screech. The driver's door opened, and a woman jumped out, clearly furious and having heard Matthew's comment.
"It's that woman from yesterday!" Michael Culitz warned.
Matthew recognized her as the British-accented assistant producer from the previous day.
"What are you yelling for?" The woman's voice was shrill, "I didn't hit you!"
Despite her unfriendly demeanor, Matthew remembered Helen Herman's advice not to clash with the production crew and tried to maintain a calm tone, "You came pretty close..."
He showed her his sleeve with dust from the side mirror, "Your mirror touched my arm."
"I touched you? Nonsense!" The woman's voice rose even higher, "When I drove past, there was no one in front of the car."
Matthew was on the verge of losing his temper but held back, "I was at your side. That's why the mirror hit me."
The woman was inexplicably infuriated, "I touched you? I didn't see it. Fine! You say I hit you, let's go to the medical room to check!"
"How can you be like this?" Matthew was in slight pain, but it was just a brush, and he just wanted an apology, "Your car mirror hit me. Can't you just admit it?"
"Hit you?" The woman stepped forward, almost raging, "Be glad I didn't run you over!"
Matthew's anger flared beyond control; he clenched his fists, ready to confront her regardless of her gender, but Michael Culitz quickly held him back, loudly reminding him, "Calm down! Calm down!"
This area, though not the main entrance of Hatfield Airport, was the nearest temporary access point to the hotel where the actors stayed, and soon a crowd of production crew members gathered.
Many actors who had flown over with Matthew came to his aid, including a few veteran actors who blocked him alongside Michael.
"Don't do anything rash, Matthew!" Ian Bailey whispered in his ear, "If you hit her, you can't stay in this production."
His words immediately cooled Matthew down. He had worked too hard to land his role and could not afford to be kicked out and lose his pay.
Seeing Matthew stand still, the woman grew even bolder, "Come on! Let's go check for injuries! If you're not hurt, I'll sue you for defamation..."
Matthew's eyes twitched with anger, his hand trembling in Michael's grip.
"This woman is too much."
Murmurs spread around them, "She hits someone and still acts so arrogant."
"He's keeping his cool, I would have slapped her by now..."
"We're just minor actors; she's an assistant producer, easy for her to mess with us."
Not just American actors, but also several British voices chimed in.
"Oh, Crazy Kate's at it again."
"Who's that guy? He's in trouble now."
"This woman, she doesn't know her limits, what if he can't hold back?"
"Crazy Kate is too arrogant."
"She's got a powerful dad."
Kate continued her tirade, and although many British actors recognized her, none dared intervene.
"Kate Jeffrey!"
Finally, a man with a neutral accent called out from the corridor entrance, "Enough, say no more."
A man in his thirties approached her, saying firmly, "Stop it, Kate. This isn't somewhere you can mess around. Do you want the big three producers to see this?"
His intervention worked. Kate glanced at Matthew, then turned and walked back to the Land Rover, climbed in, and started the engine. Just when everyone thought the issue was resolved, she suddenly rolled down her window, stretched out
an arm, and flipped a middle finger at them!
The gesture was clearly aimed at Matthew, but many behind him saw it and felt embarrassed.
The man in his thirties shook his head, looked at Matthew, and asked, "Are you alright?"
Matthew had calmed down by then, "I'm fine."
He kept his gaze fixed on the rear of the Land Rover.
"Don't take it to heart," Michael Culitz whispered, comforting him, "Just consider her a lunatic."
Ian Bailey added, "She's a nutcase."
Matthew took a deep breath, glanced at the man in his thirties, and nodded slightly. In some ways, this man had saved his career in the production.
If the woman had continued, he would have indeed struck back, even if she was a woman.
He was someone who deeply understood the concept of gender equality.
The man gave him a slight smile and nodded back, then walked towards the airport.
"That's the lead actor, Damian Lewis."
Doug Allen, who had been chatting pleasantly with him earlier, came over, "Not very famous, but a really nice guy."
Matthew smiled at him, then gestured to Michael and Ian, "Let's go."
The group entered the airport and headed to the training area. As they walked, other North American actors who had been on the same plane came up to Matthew to check on him, sharing a sense of camaraderie on this foreign land.
This regional distinction existed even here.
However, Matthew saw clearly that compared to others including Doug Allen, Michael Culitz and Ian Bailey were more suitable to continue associating with.
Passing through the training area, they reached the dormitory where the changing rooms were located. As Matthew entered the changing room, many turned to look, having already heard about his conflict.
The changing room was lined with lockers, each marked with the owner's name—a precaution by the production to avoid disputes. Matthew's locker was far from Michael's and Ian's, at the very corner near the entrance.
As Matthew passed by, the owner of the neighboring locker, who was already changing, seemed to be someone he didn't recognize, likely a British actor.
Passing by the man, Matthew opened his locker, pulled out the clothes and boots he had placed inside the day before, and was just about to take off his jacket when he noticed a wallet on the floor.
"Excuse me," he said to the man next to him, "Is this your wallet?"
The British actor looked down, picked up the wallet, and smiled at Matthew, "Thanks! I was wondering where it had gone."
"You're welcome."
Matthew thought his smile was unique, reminiscent of a shark from an animated movie he had seen long ago, but he couldn't remember the title, which annoyed him slightly.
"Still upset about what happened at the entrance?" The British actor had evidently seen the incident, "Don't be, really! That Kate Jeffrey has a terrible reputation in the UK entertainment industry, and not many people like her."
Matthew was puzzled, "She has a bad reputation and still got into this production?"
The British actor shrugged, "It's all because she has a powerful father." He explained, "Kate Jeffrey's dad is a high-up at the BBC, and she often gets roles in films and TV shows funded by the BBC. With such strong backing, no one dares to cross her, so..."
Matthew realized that Helen Herman had mentioned the BBC was one of the producers of "Band of Brothers."
"She won't be arrogant for much longer," the British actor seemed also to dislike Kate Jeffrey, "I heard from my agent that old Jeffrey retired from the BBC earlier this year. In a few years, his influence will fade, and no one will hire someone like Kate Jeffrey anymore."
"Thanks!" Matthew found his words comforting, "Hearing this makes me feel a lot better."
Though it was just talk, the anger in his heart had not subsided.
Matthew extended his hand to the British actor, introducing himself, "Matthew Horner, from Texas."
The British actor shook his hand, smiling with that shark-like grin, "Michael Fassbender, German."
Hearing this, Matthew apologized, "I thought you were British."
They chatted briefly, and as training time approached, they left the changing room just in time to see Tom West, the training instructor, coming out of a nearby room.
Including Matthew, all the actors politely greeted him, then headed together to the training field.
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