Chapter 135

The drive to downtown Los Angeles was pleasant. Anya and Ekaterina were in joking moods and, taking a cue from the other females at the lower house, they picked on Adam unmercifully. Ekaterina's wit required a little explanation at times, but she was clearly looking forward to staying behind in Los Angeles when the rest of the group headed to Las Vegas. Her work visa would expire in December. It gave Celina a little time to get things squared away.

Adam planned to simply stay outside while Anya and Ekaterina went inside. Anya had offered to accompany Ekaterina to the shoot for "Cream Cravers" to serve as her unneeded interpreter.

"You should come inside," Anya said. "There are many people who would like to meet you. I spoke with Mira. She would very much like to see you."

Adam sighed and pulled into the parking structure. He was surprised by the opulence of the hotel. He figured, in order to save money, the Europeans would be stashed in some low-budget rental miles from the city. Instead they were in a pair of lavish suites in one of the better hotels downtown.

"We will make this back a hundred times over," Anya explained when Adam asked about the price of the accommodations. "We are each scheduled for two shoots and the company has arranged to secure a portion of the downloads. With just what I shot for 'Sporty Spinners' we will pay for all our food and lodging. The first scene with you will pay our airfare. Also, we will get a good name in Los Angeles."

"Maybe not," Adam said. He didn't get to finish because the elevator doors opened. There were three women waiting for Anya and Ekaterina to debark.

"Hello!" the oldest one said as she extended her hand. Adam suspected she was probably in her mid-20s. "I'm Mira Nagy. It is nice to meet you, Derrick."

Mira's English was as perfect as Anya's, Adam decided. He found it a bit embarrassing that everyone appeared to be able to speak his language but he had never considered learning anyone else's. He thought he might rectify that with a couple of electives in the coming semesters.

"It's nice to meet you, too," Adam said. "I spoke to your father, I think, earlier in the week."

"My father is a very happy man because of you," Mira laughed. "Our girls would have made no money this week without you and your men. I believe you could ask for almost anything from him and receive it."

"We were glad to help," Adam said. He decided he probably shouldn't mention that Five Friends had stepped up to help the sites they liked more than to assist the visitors.

"I bet you were," Mira said with a giggle. "If I am honest, I will say this is the best trip to Los Angeles we have had. I have accompanied the groups for the last 8 years and this is the first time we have had no problems."

"I think that speaks very well for the group you brought," Adam told her. "I only met three of them but they were very professional."

"Irena came back Friday bubbling with happiness," Mira said with a smile. "Her aunt said you were very polite and the young woman who came with you was extremely courteous."

"I'm glad everyone was happy," Adam replied. "I had not done a scene like that before. Irena's enthusiasm was what made the scene work."

Mira nodded and smiled.

"Then there is Ekaterina," she said, putting her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Not only did you do a very nice scene with her, you helped to get her another scene and a change of scenery."

"Another scene?" Adam wondered. "Uh, I know I'm set to shoot with her today but I didn't do anything. At least I don't think I did."

"Your agency did," Mira said, laughing at the perplexed look on Adam's face. "The scene today is with 'Cream Cravers'. They called your agency and you suggested Ekaterina. At least that is what I was told when they called to check her availability."

"Oh, maybe so," Adam said with a shrug. "I'm just happy she is away from some of that other stuff. No offense meant."

"I understand," Mira said with a sigh. "Your company is small yet. Budapest Central Casting and its partner Prague Central Casting, we try to book almost 130 women. Ekaterina is one in a segment we do not like but cannot change. She will do well here, I think."

"I think so, too," Adam said, offering a smile to the Russian woman at Mira's side. "If she does not wish to stay in the industry, we will make sure she can work elsewhere for us. In fact, we are interested in working out a co-operative with your companies."

"A co-operative?" Mira asked. The word had sinister connotations because of the specter Communism that still pervaded much of Central Europe.

"An agreement, I guess is a better word," Adam said, seeing the features on Mira's pleasant face harden. "Similar to what we do with Goldwall and a few other companies. If you have a young woman who is planning to come across to work, we might be able to help her land some jobs. Particularly if it is someone like Katya who is in a situation that we all find distasteful."

Mira's face brightened again. Ekaterina and Anya gave Adam a brief wave and then disappeared into one of the suites.

"That would be excellent," she said. "And in return, perhaps we can help you to see parts of Europe in the future. I am positive that our group will be saying nice things about your group when we return. The ones who did not come will be very jealous, I think."

"We've talked about that," Adam admitted. "The only problem that we have discovered is that our schedules are so limited. We... , well, we set up a deal with our people. We expect them to go to college and develop a skill they can fall back on when they leave the business. We will probably work with Katya to continue her studies. What that means, though, is that a trip to Europe would have to be in December or May. But we do have several people who are interested if BCC or PCC can help us. We have no connections over there to find work and, to be blunt, there are several things we simply are not willing to do. You might have difficulty lining up work for us."

Mira nodded again.

"We will start on that in the coming months if we can agree on details," Mira answered. "But I think we have the outline of a nice working relationship. Come in, let me introduce you to some of our young women."

Adam found out that the group was staying in a pair of suites, with four performers and one chaperone – Mira in one suite and Irena's aunt in the other – in each. He also found out that all the women had worked exclusively with men from Five Friends Casting for all their shoots.

Irena had worked an earlier scene with Jason; Svetlana Rodnina worked with Timm and Cameron; Alina Gorcz had done two scenes with Timm; Tatyana Iliescu had performed with Jason and Cameron; Karina Kallas had done a girl-girl with another performer and a boy-girl with Jason; and Sasha Tisza had done two scenes with Cameron.

"Yes, you saved our trip," Mira said. "It is what I meant when I said my father is indebted to Five Friends. Without you, our girls would have worked once and maybe not at all. Now, not only did they get their full complement of scenes, they all had a nice time. No one was unhappy or too sore to enjoy the trip. None are bruised and none disappeared for two or three days. I was able to relax and I didn't have to worry about finding half a dozen chaperones. Yes, it was a good trip for us. It is a shame we cannot stay. I do not think we will encounter the same treatment in Las Vegas and Miami. I hope we do but I do not count upon it."

"I wish I could help," Adam said. "Some of the others might be able to give you some advice about which sites to avoid but I know nothing about either place."

Mira waved her hand dismissively.

"Our shoots are already set up," she said. "We are not spending much time in either place. Two days and a flight in Las Vegas and the same in Miami. We couldn't change our plans if we wanted to."

"Oh," Adam said. He wondered how things worked out in Los Angeles. He was certain the group had set its shoots up in advance there, too. It seemed a little unusual that the girls from BCC would work so frequently with the guys from Five Friends.

Again, Mira smiled and waved her hand.

"There were so many cancellations, I told the studios we would provide our own male talent," she said. "I called Veronica and we worked a schedule. It was very easy once we knew who we could rely upon. Those who did not wish to use Five Friends were replaced by sites who wished to use our talent but contacted us too late to be scheduled."

Adam nodded his agreement.

"I'm just happy it worked out," he said as Irena emerged with her aunt, another wide smile across her face. She greeted Adam with a kiss on each cheek, which he did his best to return (and failed miserably).

"Ah, our happiest worker," Mira said.

Irena started to spew out a slew of Lithuanian words, her aunt nodding at the same time. Then the aunt turned to Adam.

"She said she hopes you will come to Budapest in the future," she translated. "The women had a very nice time in Los Angeles and they hope to return to work with Lex, Parker and Cade again soon. When you come to Budapest, she hopes Mira will set you up with a site that translates to..."

She pondered for a moment.

"I would say it would be called 'Sex Education' here," the aunt continued. "The women here would educate your group of men."

Irena nodded and laughed. Then she spoke again. The aunt blushed slightly but dutifully translated.

"She said it will be a nice partner-sharing, uh, session," the aunt translated. "I believe it will be the eight girls here and your four men. She is not sure who will teach whom but someone will be taught."

Adam chuckled as the aunt and niece disappeared again.

"She actually said she and Svetlana have spent the past two nights thinking of wicked things to do with you and your men," Mira said. "In fact, she gave a few specifics but I will leave them out because your face is already red. But I will echo her sentiments in wishing that you come visit us."

Adam spent another few minutes meeting the rest of the contingent and accepting praise from each of them. He promised he would pass it along to Timm, Jason and Cameron as soon as he saw them again. The last of the group, the aforementioned Svetlana, had just turned to leave when Anya and Ekaterina came out of the suite.

Ekaterina had changed from her shorts and a T-shirt into a neat knee-length black skirt and white button-up shirt. She had fluffed her hair and was wearing makeup and glasses.

"You look very pretty," Adam said. Ekaterina blushed slightly beneath her makeup.

"Thank you, Adam," Ekaterina said, kissing only one of his cheeks. "Anya said glasses today. I remove uh,..."

"Contact lenses," Anya supplied.

"Yes," Ekaterina agreed. "You like glasses?"

"They look nice on you," Adam said. "You know, all the girls I know change their looks for their shoots. Maybe this should be your on-screen persona."

Ekaterina considered Adam's suggestion for a moment.

"We will see," she said. "Glasses could fly off."

She reached up and skewed them on her face, causing Anya, Mira and Adam to laugh. It was the reaction Ekaterina was shooting for, so she joined them.

"We should go," Anya said, glancing at her watch. "Do you plan to retrieve me, Mira?"

Mira nodded her agreement.

"We will leave the hotel and eat," she said. "Call when you are ready."

She peered hard at Ekaterina and spoke to her in Russian.

Ekaterina smiled and nodded before offering a reply. Mira gave her a hug at the answer.

Adam didn't learn what was said until he was carrying Ekaterina's bags onto the elevator.

"She will pay to return me if I wish," Ekaterina said. She had seen Adam glancing at the exchange. "I say I stay in L.A. and make new life with friends."

"Good for you," Adam said, smiling at her.

Anya was quiet until they reached the parking garage.

"I have decided," she said. "I will call tomorrow and discuss moving to L.A. Vaclav only can tell me 'no'. But I believe he will see wisdom in the idea. I can help BCC from here. I can earn much more for BCC from here. I will not seek release from the contract. But I will tell him I will only sign a new one if it can be here."

"I agree," Ekaterina said. "I tell Mira I stay with BCC from L.A. for four months. Then contract up and we talk. She say I can go now but I stay with them."