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Chapter 42: Continue Filming
🕑 Added 2024-09-19 17:16:10 +0000 UTC"What's going on?" Ethan was puzzled. Was he supposed to take promotional photos for a gang to be posted online? That would be a bit too dismissive of the FBI.
"Help take a few photos of my woman," Fess tossed a magazine over. When Ethan picked it up, he realized it was *T*, a magazine under The New York Times, focusing on avant-garde fashion content.
"Is it for the magazine cover?" Ethan glanced at the cover featuring a Black woman and, from his perspective, the shoot was average.
"No, not the cover. It's for pages 36-37. My woman really wants to be in the magazine, so I spent a lot of money. But she thinks the magazine's photos are terrible, like dog poop. So after hearing that you're quite good from Raymond, she asked for you."
"I see."
Ethan breathed a sigh of relief. "What should I do, Fess?"
"It's simple. Make my woman satisfied and make her famous! I want to make her a star!"
"But just two pages?" Ethan looked incredulous. Was he seriously expected to make someone famous with just two pages, not even the cover?
"What, can't you do it? Bang!" Fess slammed his gun on the table.
Damn it!
Why are these Black guys always resorting to guns and threats?
Ethan, unable to refuse, extended his hands. "Don't be like that, Fess. I have a good relationship with Raymond Of course, I'll help!"
"That's the spirit!" Fess slowly stood up, extended his hand, and Ethan immediately stepped forward to shake it. He then reminded, "But I have to mention one more thing."
"What is it?"
Ethan blinked. "I don't know if Raymond mentioned this, but I can be a bit impatient with my work, so my tone might be harsh. But trust me, it's all for the work, to make her famous."
Fess squeezed Ethan's hand firmly. "Of course, no problem. I have only two requirements: make her satisfied and make her famous! The rest is up to you. Also, if you do well, I'll give you a generous reward!"
"Alright."
When Ethan left Fess's music company, his back was drenched with cold sweat.
"When did photographers become so dangerous?" Ethan frowned, thinking he might need to get a bodyguard.
But then he realized that even with a bodyguard, it would be impossible to safely escape this neighborhood. Only Superman could pull that off.
So, he decided to stay away from danger. Ethan thought Raymond and his crew were ticking time bombs, and as a law-abiding citizen, he had no business getting involved.
After taking care of Fess's request, he certainly couldn't afford to come here easily again.
The next day, in the same room where they were shooting Raymond's album cover, Fess's woman appeared before Ethan.
Ayshara, dressed in a black leather jacket and wearing dramatic triangular sunglasses, had sparkling jewelry around her neck and diamond rings on her fingers. She exuded an air of opulence.
Ethan noticed she arrived in a stretched Lincoln, making Fess's presence seem rather modest by comparison.
Seeing her, Fess had a broad smile on his face, seemingly enjoying her high-society appearance.
Under Fess's introduction, Ayshara tilted her chin, raised her eyes slightly, and looked down at Ethan without extending her hand. "Hello!"
So arrogant, Ethan thought with a cold smile inside, and nodded. "Hello."
"Are you confident? I'm quite strict," Ayshara said after Fess had fawned over her, moving to the scene Ethan had set up, striking a supermodel pose with her legs spread and hands on her hips, chin raised.
Ethan's lips twitched, feeling that today's shoot might not go smoothly.
"Of course, as long as you listen to me," Ethan said. The creative concept for the shoot was inspired by a cover photo of legendary Black supermodel Naomi in *V* magazine.
This issue received high praise, and its lighting technique was regarded as a textbook example for photographing Black subjects.
Not only did Ethan use its lighting techniques, but he also added more eye-catching elements, like a purple "T" shaped light stick.
After Ayshara removed her leather jacket, Ethan looked at her outfit and shook his head. "You need to take off the inner clothes and keep only the lingerie. I have a set prepared for you."
Ayshara didn't resist, only slightly disgusted as she pinched the lingerie with two fingers and went to the next room to change.
When she came out, Fess immediately sent other men downstairs, keeping only a few trusted assistants with him.
Ayshara was wearing a sexy black lingerie set with ample exposure. Fess glared a few times, and Ethan, maintaining his composure, instructed, "Hold that T-shaped light stick up, like a cane, and strike a proud pose!"
After Ayshara struck the pose, Ethan adjusted the lighting according to her height, creating highlights on her forehead and legs for the image.
Since this cover would be converted to black and white, he had to be particularly attentive to the highlights and shadows.
Aside from the light stick, the only color in the shot was the light stick.
With everything set, Ethan started shooting, but Ayshara was uncooperative and highly critical.
"Hey, why isn't this place level? Fix it up."
"I don't think this pose shows off my temperament enough. Change it."
"Oh, the light is too glaring. Can you turn it off?"
"This stick is strange. Will it overshadow me?"
"Shut up! Listen to me, okay? I'll make you look like a supermodel!"
Ethan couldn't hold back and scolded her, but the next moment, he saw other men turning their stern gazes towards him.
Damn! This was like hell on earth!
But Ethan couldn't accept Ayshara's suggestions, so they were at a standoff. She refused to follow his instructions, and he wouldn't do things her way.
And Fess, love-struck and useless, was swayed by Ayshara's whining, ignoring their agreement and giving Ethan orders.
Ethan was so enraged he wanted to pull out a gun and deal with these two.
After this was over, he needed to practice shooting and buy a gun!
Just as Ethan made up his mind and was about to say something to Ayshara, he heard a sudden gunshot from downstairs!
"Bang bang!"
Ethan and Ayshara were stunned, but Fess wasn't.
"Damn it! Get to cover! K, guard the windows! Ayshara, protect yourself! Everyone else, follow me!" Fess didn't hesitate and, seemingly used to such situations, pulled out his gun and dashed downstairs.
K immediately pressed himself against the window, holding a handgun in his right hand and another at his waist.
When Ethan snapped back to reality, he saw Ayshara's face full of fear. She was about to drop the light stick and escape to the bathroom. The room had no other escape routes, and the only window faced the street.
But just before Ayshara reached the bathroom, Ethan grabbed her.
"Let go of me! FXXK, what are you doing! Fess won't let you go!" Ayshara thought Ethan had ulterior motives and struggled violently.
K also turned his gaze, keeping his gun ready.
But what they didn't expect was that Ethan pushed Ayshara back to the set and shouted, "Let them fight! We Will, continue shooting!"
"FXXK! What are you saying! Are you insane!" Ayshara was completely shocked. She looked at Ethan's calm, even eerie expression, as if he was choking her.
"I'm telling you, stand here and pose properly! I have a new inspiration! I need to take this shot, understand?"
"They're in a shootout! We'll die if we stay here!"
"Listen up, there's no escape from this room! Either they come up and kill me, or I finish the shoot and they come up and kill me! So listen to me! Continue shooting "
