Chapter 4

Adam was in chemistry lab Monday afternoon when he felt his cell phone vibrate. The professor didn't care if you answered your phone in lab so long as you excused yourself from the room and didn't burn anything up while you were gone. He slipped outside to answer another call from an unlisted number.

"I'm trying to reach Derrick," a man's voice said.

"This is he," Adam replied. "To whom am I speaking?"

"Tate Benedict from Daystar Studios," he said. "We have a series of web sites, nothing hinky but they span the gamut. I saw a posting on PornLife about your performance for Holly Ball over the weekend. I thought I'd see if I could interest you in some work but I couldn't find you on any of the agency web sites. I called Holly and she said you rep yourself. How is that working out for you?"

"Very well, it seems," Adam said. He wasn't certain if the guy wanted to rep him or hire him. "My schedule is very limited. In fact, I'm in chem lab right now. Is there a number I can call you back, say at 3:30 or so?"

"Chem lab?" Tate asked. "Are you in high school?"

"College, USC," Adam said.

"Oh, uh, sure," Tate replied. He knew of very few college-educated porn actors. He knew a few women who had either taken classes or even graduated but most of the men he met were barely literate. "Do you have something to write with? Sure you do, you're in class. My fault."

"Actually, I don't," Adam said with chagrin. "I stepped outside to take the call. The professor is fairly cool but he doesn't want you distracted in the lab."

"I'll bet," Tate replied with a laugh. "How about if I call you at 4 p.m. Will that work? If you can't take the call, I'll leave my number on your voice mail and you can get back to me when you have a few minutes."

"OK, but I'm not interested in having any represent me," Adam said.

"And I'm not interested in representing anyone," Tate assured him. "I'm busy enough lining up talent to try to find work for some of these bums. I'll talk to you at 4, now get back to class before something explodes."

Precisely at 4 p.m., Tate Benedict called back. Adam was impressed with his punctuality, a trait he was led to believe was rare in the industry.

"Nothing on the burner?" Tate asked when Adam answered.

"Just my supper," Adam responded. "Another nutritious night of Ramen noodles. Yum-yum."

Tate chuckled. He remembered the college staple fondly. In fact, despite the fact he pulled down high six figures a year now, he still liked to have them from time to time.

"Have you had a chance to look at any of our products?" he asked.

"Not really," Adam answered. "I just got home a few minutes ago and my resident porn expert isn't here yet."

"Resident porn expert?" Tate asked in puzzlement.

"One of my roommates' girlfriends has taken it upon herself to guide my budding career," Adam said. "She has become quite the aficionado in the past weeks. What sites do you work with?"

"Several," Tate replied. "What we have in mind for you is a site called 'Frisky First Timers.'"

"Uh, 'Naughty Newbies' didn't work out so well for me, Mr. Benedict," Adam replied.

"Yeah, I heard about that when I was calling around about you," he said. "But Judy Jackem still left a glowing comment about your professionalism and your appeal under the thread Holly Ball started. So I don't think the issue was from your end. And please, call me Tate. Can I call you Derrick?"

"I probably could have handled it better," Adam admitted. "And sure, Derrick is fine."

"Pseudonyms are hard on everyone," Tate assured him. "You'll get used to it. At least you recognize the fact that things could have been handled differently. I don't have the whole story so I'm not willing to land on either side. But Holly and Judy both have good names in the business, so if you're interested, we're interest."

Adam was silent for a moment, trying to consider how to broach the next subject.

"I don't want to sound like a pain in the ass," he began.

"Which would make you rare in this business, Derrick," Tate said. "Look, everyone is a pain in the ass. Everyone I talk to has a list of demands. What are yours?"

"Well, it's just," Adam said. "OK, I won't work with anyone who performs acts of prostitution between the time she gets her Adult Medical Services (AMS) test and the time I work with her. I have a list of escorts provided by Judy Jackem and I want a condom if you want me to work with them. It's nothing personal but it is my life we're talking about."

Tate Benedict's laughter filled the phone.

"We do not, under any circumstances, work with anyone who has a test more than two days old," he said. "This industry almost went under a few years back because of what that girl brought back from Brazil and what those guys did. If we hire you, it is with sufficient notice to get re-tested. If you can't afford it, we will front you the money. But if we hire you and you show up with a test more than two days before, we send you home. You don't get paid. And I run your name down with anyone who asks about you. Now, 'Frisky First Timers' isn't about breaking someone in. Yes, it's for newcomers but it is not for debut scenes. The woman has to be in the business for less than six months. If she only works rarely, we'll go upwards to a year.

"Honestly, the guys we have to take as we can get. But we don't pair off 50-year-old men with 18-year-old girls. We have a different site for that, in fact. Just like we have a site where we pair off 40-year-old women with 18-year-old guys. Hell, if I'm honest, we probably have a site for damned near everything you can imagine. You'll be working with one of two possibilities for a shoot we'd like to do Thursday morning. Holly said Thursdays were one of the days you listed as being available. Do you have anything else booked that day?"

"Just a class at 2," Adam responded.

"OK, very few people know of you," Tate continued. "So they will run to PornLife to look you up as soon as we tell them who they are working with. The woman will either be Ashley Malibu or Candy Essence. Ashley can be troublesome, I've heard. But the last few scenes she has shot have gone well, so I'll risk it. I think Ashley has been around a few months, maybe a couple dozen scenes and one or two features. Candy is newer. She has three scenes that I know of. They both have a good reputation – just like you do. In fact, the only person to say anything negative about Ashley is us at Daystar and a couple of douche bags who run down everyone. Do you have a problem with either of them?"

Adam perused his list and found neither of them on what Judy had provided to him.

"No, both would be fine," Adam said. Tate's laughter rang out again.

"Don't get greedy," he joked. "You'll have your shot at a twofer soon, I'll bet. By the way, we have a site for that – 'Double Decker Debs.'"

"I meant either would be fine with me," Adam corrected.

"Do you want to take a minute to look them up?" Tate asked. "I mean, Ashley is cute as bug but Candy is just OK. Does that matter?"

"Why should it?" Adam wondered. "Look, Tate, I've seen some of the male trolls this business trots out. If the girls can work with those guys, I should offer the same consideration to the girls. Besides, who am I?"

"Actually, you're a guy on his way up," Tate answered. "We can get you early and maybe build a solid relationship that carries over to when you're in high demand. I don't go to these lengths with most male performers. It isn't worth it because none of them will be able to find work without me, if I put my mind to it. But you got raves from two of the toughest and most respected women in the business. Let me read this to you."

The was a pause while Adam heard keys clicking on the computer.

"Hellfire," Tate said. "Alonzo Cruz just posted something about you. Do you know him?"

"No, never heard of him," Adam said in confusion.

"Oh, it's from the girl you worked with Saturday," Tate amended. "This portion of the site is only open to producers or directors. It's not for the general public or performers. It's a place where we can give an honest critique about performers without hurting their feelings or damaging their egos. I can't believe Alonzo let that girl post. But it says a few minutes later that it was posted with his permission. So, Sahara Rain thinks you are worth my effort too. She says, and I quote, 'A thorough professional graced with wit and charm. He makes the female feel secure and appreciated. I will work with him any opportunity I get.'"

"That's nice," Adam said with genuine appreciation. "She was very good, too. I mean, it was mostly the way Sahara, Holly and Randy set things up that accomplished what they were looking for. She's a nice girl and real sweetheart."

"Wow," Tate said. "Most compliments from male performers come along the lines of 'she's a hot little cunt' or 'she has a great mouth on her.' Sorry, that was crude. So, are you set for cash? Do you need me to have a courier bring you money for the test? I would prefer you not get it until tomorrow or Wednesday."

"No, I'm good on money for now, thanks though," Adam said. "Uh, how much does this pay?"

"You get to bone a hot girl and you want paid, too," Tate joked. "Web standard. You'll be here for about an hour-and-a-half but we say two hours. We pay you $350. If we keep you longer – for instance if the girl is late or no-shows, we pay you a hundred dollars for any portion of an hour you're with is. So if it takes a two hours and one minute, you get an extra hundred. If we cancel after you arrive but in the first two hours, you get $150. Each portion of every hour is another $25. If we cancel that morning but before you leave your house, you get $100. Does that work for you?"

Chapter 5 »