El-Kalaam's e was changing again, softening even more. He was a wise

  uncle whose advice was taken unquestioned. Her voice was just a whisper.

  Her eyes were still ly closed. Her head trembled a little. U;;, '."

  El-Kalaam nodded. ' in all those times, when had the heads of those

  rabbits in your sights, did you ever twice about taking their lives?"

  She did not reply. His reached out. ', here we have just another rabbit.

  gine those round unthinking eyes, that pale fur. Tastes so in someone's

  pot, uh?' Her eyes flew open and she stared at Bock. She began to and

  her head whipped back and forth. ' can't. I can't.' .'You can and you

  will,' El-Kalaam said. ' else' - there a sharp click as Rita pulled back

  the hammer on her tol. Heather gave a start - ' will be obliged to kill

  you.' Heather wrapped the fingers of her left hand around her t wrist,

  her right arm held perfectly straight. 1.@'Look at this,' Rita said. '

  just might do it! Heather saw again the target in her sights. Bock's

  eyes @tared up at her. Her finger tightened on the trigger but, just she

  squeezed it home, she swung her arms away. The boom 234 235 of the

  automatic was deafening. Plaster rang down on them from the ceiling. '

  right,' El-Kalaam said. Heather began to shake.

  He took the -45 from her hand, brought it to bear on Bock's head. He

  pulled the trigger. The bullet went into the industrialist's left eye.

  He threw up his hands in reflex. Blood spurted, drenching Heather and

  El-Kalaam. Bock stared up at Heather with his one good eye. He lurched

  to one side and collapsed. ',' El-Kalaam said to Heather, ' the

  difference between you and me. I know when to kill; you don't.' Now all

  natural light had left the sky, replaced by the distant pinkish neon of

  Chandler's LA night. Somewhere far, far away palms and jacarandas

  whooshed in the glow and coyotes growled in the sumptuous hills. But not

  here. From close by the sound of simulated gunfire pop-popped like a

  string of firecrackers. Floodlights burned on the target range where the

  extras were earning their pay pushing back, in one isolated pocket, the

  gathering darkness. With a weird kind of detachment Daina saw herself

  sitting in the semi-shadows, a principal acior in a play at the coming

  of dusk. The soft ending of the day cloaked her as if with sable. She

  thought of the day's shooting and trembled a little. All around her was

  the black skeleton of the complex lighting structures and as they caught

  her eye they seemed to her to be the physical embodiment of the film.

  Its skeleton was up and each day they added on more meat: flesh, sinew,

  muscle, skin until now it was constructing itself, like some fearsome

  mythical beast they had, with their exceptional powers, con- jured into

  the real life. They had seen the rushes - Marion, beside himself with

  glee, had insisted on it - and been stunned. Even the crew. Especially

  the crew: that jaded lot who had seen it all. Until now. Heather Duell

  was indeed being born and its power was awesome, undeniable. At her feet

  were piled the trades: weekly Variety, Hollywood Reporter and Daily

  Variety. All contained articles on the film and on her. There was a

  piece in today's New York Times that was more laudatory than she could

  have imagined. ibly it was about Heather Duell but it really revolved

  her. ' the wings of her latest starring role in Heather Daina Whitriey

  appears destined to be the most talkedleading lady in Hollywood.

  According to noted publicist Martin and several highly placed executives

  at *eth Century Fox ...' t was very quiet now. Even the extras, having

  learned how late killing, had departed. bsolute darkness descended as

  abruptly as it does in the a flare of blackness. She turned her head as

  if she heard At last she got up, leaving the papers where they lay. She

  overcome by that intense satisfaction that only the artist - 0painter,

  the writer, the actress - can feel: the living and 9 within a lifetime,

  again and again with each new ect. @'Her arms reached out and up for the

  sky. This is why I me an actress, she thought. To know this feeling. But

  she erstood that it was more than that. It was control. This was legacy

  she carried with her from the Nova Burlesque se. She found herself

  wondering for the ten-thousandth which was more important to Denise: her

  sensual life the Nova's tawdry stage or the exacting work she put her

  Phd. ' went quickly down the metal steps to her trailer, her s ringing

  like hammer against anvil, across the lightred tarmac towards reality -

  or away from it. She was t really certain now. ere was a fire burning in

  the huge fireplace. That in itself odd. On the wood-and-brass table

  behind the sofa, eight s of 35mm film were neatly stacked in two piles

  within r grey metal octagonal cases. '!' Daina called. There was no

  answer. It was Maria's t to stay late. Daina set her suitcases down in

  the hall, y from the El Greco. She had stopped at her house on the y

  back from the studio to pick up all the clothes she thought wanted. She

  had already decided to buy the rest. She crossed the expanse of the

  living room. The bright ours of the fire clashed with the cool blues and

  greens of 236 237 the steatopygous mermaid on the wall , giving her

  skin an unnatural glow that seemed to make her squirm uncomfortably atop

  her rock. Daina went over to the table. There were no markings on the

  metal cans of film. She lifted up the one on top, saw the title, Over

  the Rainbow, stenciled in black and, just under it, handwritten in

  flowing script: Director: Michael Crawford. Writer: Benjamin Podell.

  Before she replaced the top can, she turned it over. It and the top can

  in the second pile had been placed upside down. She left the cans the

  way she had found them. ''m afraid I'm off to New York this Friday. But

  on the plus side, Beryl just called and -' She turned in time to see

  Rubens coming down the hall from their bedroom. Odd, how she thought of

  it that way now. Silently, she gestured towards the bags.

  Rubens stopped strapping on his watch, looking where she was pointing.

  "So ies really happened.' He seemed quite surprised. ' decided the

  morning Maggie was killed.' He looked at her quizzically. ' don't

  understand! ' makes you see life differently. Maggie was there, then she

  was gone. Everything's finite, full of sharp edges that'll slit you open

  if you stumble too far.' She licked her lips, her mouth dry.

  "You@re what I want.' He came slowly across the room towards her. She

  watched his movement, all motion from the waist down, like a dancer.

  "And what about Chris?' he said. ' about Chris?' He was close to her

  now. She felt his heat. ' I mean is,' he said patiently, ' you want him,

  too?' ' is my friend. You're my lover. I don't understand YOU. ''m not

  certain a man and a woman can be just friends, Daina.

  Especially when the man is Chris Kerr.' ' Maggie, now you.' ' was that?'

  he said sharply. ' accused me of the same thing! She stared at him. '

  remember, the night you begged me to stay here with YOU. ' beg, surely!

  238 ' go, Daina.' She mimicked his voice perfectly, putting the right

  amount of emotion into it. It was so accurate, @even surprised herself.

  ' now. Not tonight. Please.' or a moment his face went red all the way

  down through neck and she saw something hard and bright come into his .

  Then it was gone and he was laughing. Still she would let him touch her.

  ' want this settled right now,' she said. tever Chris' sex life is like

  is his business. It has nothing with me.' ou mean he's not like everyone

  else?' 9m not like anyone else,' she said softly, fiercely. P'I know

  that,' he whispered.

  His lips were in her hair. She his open mouth brush the shell of her ear

  and her eyes ,"Forget it,' she said, putting her arms around his wide

  ders, revelling in the hardness of his muscles. ' ' are lies.' @'Fm

  sorry,' he said. ' it's been coming from more than source.' ".,She

  pulled her head back in order to see his face. ', who?' He gave her some

  funny names and she began to laugh, V , to herself as she did so. What's

  so funny?' he said, irked. @10h, it's just that all those people have

  one thing in common.' hat's that?' -,'They are all,' she said, ' of

  Tie's.' ","I don't understand.' She hugged him tighter to her. ' think

  Tie's more afraid me than she was of Maggie.' She was going to tell him

  ut what Tie had told her at Maggie's funeral but it didn't very funny. '

  suspect she's after Chris." "Doesn't she live with the other one ...

  Nigel Ash?' but that's never stopped her before. I think Chris the only

  one in the band she hasn't slept with. So you see' - kissed him - '

  campaign's being put on for your

  "Oh. we'll see about that.' She felt the anger leaping through him.

  "No. Rubens. Leave alone.' ' one makes a fool of me.' 239 'No ones made

  a fool of you.' She took his chin in her hand, stared up into his eyes.

  They're so beautiful, she thought. ', I want you to let me handle this.'

  ' don't -' He stopped, perhaps seeing something in her eyes; something

  he had not seen there before. He nodded. ' that that's settled, tell me

  what Beryl had to say.' He gave her a rueful smile. ''s what got me

  going, really. She said that this thing between you and Chris - whether

  it was real or not - was helping to get you a lot of space in magazines

  like Rolling Stone and People.

  Apparently there were a number of photographers at The Dancers the night

  you and Chris were there. She's got plenty of shots for the pieces."

  "I'll have to thank Tie then, woret 1?' She smiled. ' yes. I imagine you

  will at that.' He took her hand in his. ' on. Let's get your suitcases

  inside.' After they returned to the living room, she asked him about the

  fire. ''s a bit warm for it, isn't it?' ' didn't get it going for the

  heat,' he said. The doorbell chimed and he glanced down at his watch. He

  did not move. ',' he said. ' Crawford and Ben Podell.' She recalled the

  canisters of film sitting on the table near the fireplace. ' remember

  them.' ' don't know them very well.' ', you will by the time they

  leave,' he said on his way to the door.

  Crawford was a lanky, ruddy-complexioned Australian. He and the beefy,

  sandy-haired Podell had been the guiding lights of a TV sitcom that had

  shot to the top of the ratings list midway through its first season.

  They had stayed with it through its second year, renegotiating their

  contracts skyward and then had left to go into films. Over the Rainbow

  was their first venture. They were both in their late twenties and, from

  what Daina had seen of them, were arrogant and quite overconfident, no

  doubt from the instant stardom television affords the lucky. Still,

  Rubens had felt that their talents were original and forceful enough to

  take a chance on them. He was sunny and full of good cheer as he walked

  them back down the long hallway into the living room. ' know Daina.," he

  said, waving. ure,' Crawford said. Podell nodded. He seemed immedi- M at

  ease, his stubby fingers lacing and interlacing. sat down on the couch,

  opposite the fireplace, his legs at the knee. He was dressed in an olive

  linen '@under which he wore a yellow-and-grey-striped shirt open chest.

  A gold medallion nestled in the sparse red hair ell, on the other hand,

  was dressed in faded jeans, scuffed sneakers. He wore no socks. His

  yellow T-shirt had Beer' written across the chest in blue.

  The lighted shirt made him seem even heavier than he was. ow about a

  drink?' Rubens asked from behind the bar. greafl' Podell said

  enthusiastically. ' a beer.' Hey, he spoke, his face turned into a

  rubber mask. P wford bounced his leg up and down on his bony knee.

  Scotch will be fine for me. Neat, please.' en they all had drinks,

  Rubens came around from behind ibar. ell, guzzling his beer out of the

  bottle, said, ' what's Ahis shit about? We should be filming, not

  sitting around like we were members of a goddamned club. We got work

  rawford sipped at his Scotch, scowled. ', Benny,' he , not looking at

  Podell at all, ' must show a little rance. After all, one imagines that

  Mr. Rubens has a very reason for calling this meeting.' here're never

  any good reasons for calling a meeting,' dell said. He finished his beer

  and belched loudly. ' her?' Rubens waved towards the bar.

  "Help yourself.' ..'But you know,' Crawford said slowly, as if giving

  this ght a great deal of consideration, ' does have a int. There is a

  mountain of work left to do on the film.' t was, Daina decided, a

  travelling minstrel show. And they both quite good at it. They made

  their points without you realizing how hard they were working at it.

  Rubens stood up as if on cue. ', well about that.' He aged to look at

  them both. ''m afraid the work's going to e to be cut back.' 240 241

  For an instant it seemed as if his words hung in the air like icicles

  with a vivid life all their own. Then, out of the stunned silence,

  Crawford laughed. It was one of the oddest sounds Daina had ever heard,

  high and sharp as a pick. Crawford slapped his thigh as he rocked. '

  Lord, Benny, don't you know when you're being put on?' Podell, however,

  looked as if he were about to hit someone over the head with his beer

  bottle. ' joke, Michael,' Rubens said. ''s given me the six-month

  breakdown. Everything's gone out of control.' ' the hell does that

  faggot know, anyway,' Podell said. ''re making a goddamned masterpiece.

  Everything has to be right.' ',' Rubens said. ' has to be within

  budget.' Crawford cleared his throat loudly in order to forestall

  Podell. ' think what you're asking us to do is very difficult,' he said

  calmly. ' film began with a certain vision.

  Benny and I signed on with you because we felt confident that you could

  provide us with the, uh, follow-through to implement that vision."

  "You're almost four million over budget, Mike.' Podell threw up his

  bands in disgust. ', Christ, it's only money!' ' think,' Crawford said,

  standing - he had apparently had enough of Rubens' towering over him, '

  Benny has quite caught the flavour of the moment. We did not get into

  films in order to be dictated to.' ' think you're missing the point,

  Michael,' Rubens said. ' you guys had maintained some. kind of control

  instead of letting the set designer order a quarter-of-a-million-dollar

  neon skyline -' ' you seen that take?" Podell shrieked. ''s goddamn

  brilliant, man!' ' you had acted responsibly,' Rubens continued as if he

  had not been interrupted, ' one would have to dictate to YOU.9 ' you

  viewed the scene in question?' Crawford seemed to be having a bit more

  difficulty holding himself in check now. Rubens nodded. ''s not worth

  the half-million bucks you ; day.' what is it worth?' Podell wanted to

  know. should never have been shot.' .1 think Mr. Rubens; is exaggerating

  in order to make a t, Benny.' Crawford went up the steps to the main

  level living room. ' now that he's properly chastised us, quite sure

  we're free to go.' Rubens said carefully. ' don't think you understand.

  not leaving here until the whole film has been re- . The entire team has

  to be streamlined.' ''re out of your mind!' Podell screamed. ' d'you

  weare-l' ' a moment,' Crawford said, putting his hand on his rtner's

  arm. ' me get this clear. Are you giving us an .?' ' telling you what

  has to be done, boys,' Rubens said, -committally. ''s nothing more than

  any movie man worth salt would do.' Christ, listen to this drivel, man V

  Podell said. ' don't have take this " Rubens said nothing and, after a

  time, Crawford said, ' er do think Benny's right, Rubens." He gave them

  a thin '. ' we walk off the picture, you're ten million in a hole.'

  cocked his head to one side. ' rather think that's a bit steep you.' Ile

  waved a red hand. ', we'll just go down e road to Warners. They were

  champing at the bit to get us.' ',' Rubens said, nodding his head. '

  were.' Daina dered what inflexion he had given those words to make so

  chilling. Crawford seemed to shrug it off. ' all boils down to money

  ay.) ',' Rubens acknowledged. ' you won't work at arners. Or at

  Twentieth, Columbia, Paramount, Filinways, you name it.' Podell turned

  to Crawford, ran his fingers through his long mpt hair. ''s this bastard

  talking about?' Crawford did not move. He stood his ground, staring into

  s'eyes. ' nothing of it 2 "Nothing?' Podell yelled. '&tiny, he's

 

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