"You're back just in time, Matthew," Michael Coulthard greeted him as he walked in, adding, "James did some digging based on your tip. It's confirmed—Tom West and Kate Jeffery have definitely been meeting in that warehouse, more than once!"
Matthew stowed his backpack and asked, "What are you planning to do?"
"Take down Tom West!" Michael Fassbender said bluntly. "We want the production to replace him with a new instructor."
James McAvoy added, "We met with Damian Lewis today. Their training focuses more on tactics and weapon use. They have military training too, but their instructor is a veteran from the film industry, not a rookie like Tom West. That instructor said such harsh training isn't necessary at all—just a basic understanding is enough, and many adjustments can be made during actual filming."
"We could just raise our concerns with Gary Gozman," Matthew suggested, pulling up a chair to sit. "There's no need to..."
Michael Fassbender shook his head. "The contract between the production and Tom West includes a hefty penalty for breach of contract. If the production fires him without just cause, they'll have to pay a significant fee."
Matthew frowned, "What are you thinking of doing?"
"Make him quit on his own!" James McAvoy sniffled, and Matthew noticed his red nose. "Are you sick?"
James nodded. "Yeah. So, even just for the sake of our health, we need to get rid of Tom West."
Michael Fassbender chimed in, "This series could make us stars. Do you want to be replaced by someone else because you fell ill?"
"No!" Michael Coulthard shook his head vehemently. "Absolutely not!"
Matthew shrugged, playfully reminding them, "Four people isn't enough."
"Who says it's just the four of us?" James McAvoy said confidently. "Before I came here, I talked to the others in their dorms. They all agree that Tom West needs to go. They're unanimously supporting us!"
He looked at Matthew, "We even included Kate Jeffery in the plan! Matthew, don't you want to see her get what she deserves? You're not going to keep putting up with this, are you?"
"I'm not a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle!" Matthew quipped.
"Good..." James McAvoy pinched his reddened nose as if they were plotting a military coup. "Tonight I'll gather everyone. Fassbender and I have a rough idea. We'll discuss it together."
Afterward, James McAvoy and Michael Coulthard left.
Matthew didn't mention his own plan while they were there. Now that Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy were leading the charge, he was just going along with the flow. This way, if anything went wrong, there was some buffer.
As for the experiment he had conducted, he would wait to see James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender's plan and see if he could integrate his covert actions.
That way, he also had cover.
That night, the twenty-plus actors united in their deep dislike for the "demon instructor," agreeing on a pact of solidarity and expressing their approval of James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender's plan through their silence.
Matthew guessed that many of them felt similarly to him. Since James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender were taking the lead, if anything went wrong, the production would likely hold them accountable first. It was improbable that they would fire all twenty-plus actors just for an instructor.
However, Matthew thought that if James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender were daring to do this, they must have something substantial to rely on, and their plan indeed had a chance of succeeding.
Training resumed, with Tom West still treating the actors as raw recruits, completely disregarding their complaints. Matthew observed him for a long time and started to have some theories.
Tom West acted this way likely for several reasons: his personality, his recent discharge from the military leading to a carryover of habits, and his desire to do his job conscientiously.
Another possibility was that he was acting out without legitimate cause to irritate others, but Matthew felt this was less likely.
The actors endured another three days of grueling training, but these days weren't idle. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, following Matthew's leads, confirmed many things. The most critical was Tom West and Kate Jeffery's penchant for the warehouse, especially the one storing weapons and props. They would meet there every few days during lunch breaks.
Furthermore, Matthew confirmed their meetings were very regular, occurring every other day.
He also entered Tom West's locker room several times, noticing that the box of condoms was still there and the quantity had decreased further.
The day before James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender were likely to act, Matthew returned to the dorm
building after everyone had left, put on rubber gloves, and entered Tom West's locker room. Opening his backpack, he took out the prepared equipment, retrieved the box of condoms, and proceeded as he had experimented: injecting Mentholatum into the front side of each condom's packaging using a tiny medical syringe and sealing the tiny puncture with color-matched quick-dry glue.
He checked carefully to ensure the packaging didn't visibly betray any tampering unless closely inspected against the light.
Matthew's biggest concern was the smell; Mentholatum has a strong scent, and although he mixed in some liquid fragrance, it couldn't completely mask it.
But with James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender's plan in play, even if his plan failed, those two wouldn't have it easy either.
After treating each condom package and resealing the pinholes, he carefully returned them to their original position.
Double-checking that he had left no trace, Matthew left the locker room.
Returning to the military barracks dormitory, he found that Michael Fassbender, who had gone to consult with James McAvoy, hadn't returned yet. He checked the time and called Brittany.
"Hi, Matthew."
Hearing Brittany's voice calmed Matthew's agitated heart a bit. "Are rehearsals over?"
"Not yet..." Brittany sounded distressed. "The producer isn't happy with how I performed one of the songs and asked me to practice more. It's been so busy, and with the time difference, it's hard even to make a call."
Matthew consoled her, "Once I'm done shooting this film and you finish your tour, we'll have time."
"Yeah!" Brittany's mood lightened a bit. "Then we'll go on vacation together!"
She continued to grumble, "It's my first concert tour, and I can't lip-sync. The record company's demands are strict, I have to sing live to match the backing track."
"I believe in you, Boo," Matthew encouraged her. "You'll do great!"
He had heard Brittany sing. Frankly, her live performance varied significantly from her recorded tracks.
According to Brittany, this was normal for pop singers, with few being able to perform live as well as they did in the studio.
Recording involved various technical assists that made every singer seem like a vocal powerhouse.
As for lip-syncing at concerts, in the fiercely competitive music industry, any exposure would have severe negative consequences.
After chatting for a few more minutes, Brittany had to return to work, and Matthew ended the call.
Putting away his phone, he sat by the window and read the newspaper. Even with the grueling training, he maintained his habit of reading whenever possible.
If an actor couldn't understand a complex script, that would be truly sad.
After finishing The Times, the dorm room door opened, and Michael Fassbender walked in, pulling up a chair next to Matthew.
"Our plan might start tomorrow," Michael whispered. "Based on their usual routine, Tom West and Kate Jeffery are likely to meet in the warehouse at noon."
He lowered his voice further, "I've contacted the assistant producer who brought you guys here. He's been bullied by Kate Jeffery since he joined the crew and will cooperate with us..."
Matthew nodded but said nothing, acting like a minor character following the orders of Michael Fassbender, the 'big boss.'
As night deepened, the lights in the dorms went out one by one, the building unusually quiet, no different from any other night.
The next day, the rigorous training continued. The actors practiced individual movement drills across the training field, which had several staggered foxholes dug out. According to Tom West's demands, each actor had to move efficiently between these foxholes, strictly forbidden from running in straight lines.
The actors' performance showed no deviation from the norm. Anyone selected for significant roles in this production had at least basic acting skills.
After a morning's training, Tom West left as usual, but the actors differed; many suddenly had wear and tears in their uniforms.
After lunch, informed by their surveillance, and at Michael Fassbender's suggestion, they collectively went to see the assistant producer responsible for their group to request new uniforms.
The assistant producer who had originally brought Matthew and the North American actors to the airport examined their clothes, took a few photos for records, and then led them towards the warehouse storing the uniforms.
Matthew, blending in with the other actors, remained silent throughout, waiting for Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy to make their move.
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