LYDIA DEETZ AND THE ORB OF STORMS
Capítulo 5: In the jungle
Morgan Burns, that was the name of the man who until recently was screaming on the phone and who invited the young people to his office.
“I'm sorry, kids, but I can't give you Elvira's address.”
“But Lydia already told you she's willing to finance one of your films.”
“I'm sorry, uh... Percy, but it's impossible for me to accept money that hasn't been approved by the syndicate and the Hollywood Banking Association. Besides, at the moment the money for the company's films is well insured, it's other things that have me worried.”
“Can I ask what those things are?” Lydia said.
“As an executive producer, I'm not only looking for money for future films, but also for other things like various artists who will be collaborating on the film. And now it turns out that just days after the shooting was over, the musicians who had signed a contract were arrested by the police.”
“Arrested?” Percy said.
“Yes, a problem that is usually easily solved, but in this case things are more complicated due to... certain aspects that are better left unnoticed. Anyway, I'm short of musicians and all good artists already have contracts with other companies or can't collaborate with the film.”
“Mr. Burns, if we got you the musicians, would you give us Elvira's address?”
“Of course, although I don't see how you can do it.”
“We'll take care of that, we just want you to give us the address.”
“Deal, any questions?”
Lydia asked the right questions about what kind of music the man was looking for for the film, and Percy also had a question to ask.
“When you mean the syndicate, do you mean to the studios or the Mafia?”
“I'm sorry, let's go," interrupted Lydia and then pulling the cat boy by the hand, they left the studios looking for some musician.
.
.
“There must be good musicians somewhere," said Lydia when they returned to the beach. It was already eleven o'clock in the morning and the "local fauna" was making its daily appearance.
Bodybuilders, lifting weights or comparing muscles here and there, not only men, but also women; the everlasting runners including women who wore their bulky and droopy leggings; break-dance dancers performing brilliant choreographies; various street artists and most emblematic: lifeguards, with their bright red costumes as well as their floats.
“Let's go ask one of the lifeguards," said Lydia, "they know a lot about what's happening on the beach.”
“Do you think they know about good musicians? If that Burns guy couldn't find any good musicians, I don't know how we could find one.”
“There are good musicians out there, how bad it is that the poor don't have sponsors to sponsor them before record companies or in this case film companies.”
“When you refer to sponsors, do you mean people with money or the mafia?”
“In this place, I think the second thing, Percy.”
“How about we ask that lifeguard, he's got long, golden blond hair, he's probably the boss of this place.”
“What does hair have to do with being the boss?”
“Oh yeah, I still think like a house cat sometimes, anyway we go.”
Lydia wanted to ask Percy more questions, but the catboy was already pulling his girlfriend's hand and they were heading for the blond lifeguard.
“Good musicians? I think you'll find them by the tar pit, many of them gather to get the attention of tourists, sometimes they even succeed and are marked by talent scouts.”
“Talent scouts work for the mob?”
“They shouldn't have to, but that's the way it is. It's an open secret that the city is controlled by mafias my young friend.”
“Like the Godfather's?”
“More like Bell Air or Malibu. Don't worry, as tourists the only thing you have to worry about is the simple pickpockets or swimming without warming up if you come to the beach. Don't forget that you shouldn't swim if you just ate before, cramps are no joke, kids.”
“Thank you very much, sir," Lydia said goodbye, and went to the tar pits with Percy.
The place was very striking, the center of the well had very realistic representations of a mammoth and a saber-toothed tiger trapped in the tar. Lots of Japanese tourists passed by just then and took many pictures without paying attention to the musicians or various jugglers.
“These tourists have good stuff, they have the same stuff that you have Lydia.”
“The best cameras are with the Japanese, of course the best film rolls are with Kodak.”
The boys toured the place and saw one performance after another, but although the musicians were good, none of them came close to what the Black Widow producer was looking for.
“I'm already hungry, Lydia, do you think we can get hot dogs in this place?”
“I don't know, but now that we're on the coast, don't you crave seafood or something?”
Percy's face suddenly lit up, and the boys went to get food from the place.
While looking for food, they saw an assault and Percy went to arrest the criminal, who did not put up much resistance.
“STOP FILMING!” shouted a man, apparently he was the director of a film they were just shooting.
“Hey, you could stop eating donuts for a change!” The director scolded a policeman who had neglected to watch the filming scene.
“We're so sorry, we didn't know you were filming mister... Spielberg, oh my gosh!” exclaimed Lydia after seeing the director's badge as his cap covered his entire face.
“Who is this Mr., Lydia?”
“It's Steven Spielberg.”
“The one of the alien with Christ's heart-shaped look?”
“Shush Percy, he'll hear you.”
But it was too late, the director laughed with a beating jaw. In fact, he was so happy and impressed with the appearance of the two boys that he offered them a job for one of his films right there.
“Think about it, guys, it would be good for you. And because you have discovered my secret, I give you these credentials, with them you can go to any studio; it is like a free pass to any artistic and cultural center of the city, advantages of being me.”
“Unbelievable!” Lydia exclaimed.
“Mister, Lydia is Gothic, can you do a horror one with her as the protagonist?”
“Sure, but I've got a tight list for a movie like this. But I know a promising young man named Tim Burton.”
The boys thanked him for the credentials and went in search of the musicians, as according to the director, he had none that he could afford at the time.
In that, Percy pulled out his cat ears as a song caught his eye.
“Percy, your ears and your tail!”
“I'm sorry," Percy said and hid his cat's tail and ears again. “Those two over there play good or bad, it's hard to say...”
“Yes, that's exactly what we're looking for.”
“Excuse me, we are very interested in your music," said Lydia.
“What is the name of your group?” Percy asked.
“We are Tenacius D, and we are destined to be the best musicians in the world. We even beat Satan once.”
"Interesting," thought Lydia, as she looked at Percy. Elvira's address was already in their hands.
CONTINUARÁ…
Fanfic translated from Spanish to English with DeppL and myself, forgive grammar and punctuation errors, thank you.
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