#Rancho Caste

[the-blind-assassin-12]

Out of This World

A/N: This is my contribution to the @dieterbravobrainrotclub May server challenge. Was it supposed to be a 1k word drabble? Yes. Did I intend to keep it at that length? Truly, I did. Did I absolutely play myself like a fucking fiddle? Again, yes. Am I sorry? Fuck no, I am not. This story single-handedly pulled me out of a month-long slump, so I was not about to clip it's wings. I had a flippin' blast writing this one, and I hope you will have a flippin' blast reading it!

Prompt: Meet Cute + "Do you believe in aliens?"

Warnings: a bunch of F bombs and other swears if anyone cares about that, mentions of past drug use and addiction but nothing current or detailed, Dieter's wild finger-combed curls

Word Count: 5.7k

Fun Fact: The Rancho Mirage Observatory is a real place, linked with the city's library, which means that it is open to the public. How frickin' cool is that? Learn more here.

I can’t believe this is happening. 

Fifteen years ago, if someone would have told you that double majoring in physics and engineering would eventually lead to you sharing a scene with an Oscar winning actor in a big budget Hollywood film, you would have laughed directly in their face. 

Which was pretty much what you did when Sharon, the executive director at the Rancho Mirage Observatory where you worked, told you that the facility was going to be used as a filming location for an upcoming summer blockbuster. 

“Sure, Sharon,” you smirked and playfully rolled your eyes without looking away from your computer. “And we’re all gonna be big stars, right?” 

Sharon had a proclivity for puns. Cheesy, obvious, predictable puns, at that, but it was sort of endearing. You were certain that the “news” she was sharing was just a set up for wordplay that you could see coming from lightyears away. Sharon’s puns were rubbing off on you just a little. 

You, though, as scientists sometimes are when testing theories, were wrong. 

“Well, no, not all of us,” Sharon responded, a somewhat mischievous grin on her face. “Just you.” 

That got your full attention, your eyes going satellite- wide as you snapped your head up to look at your boss. “What?”

She went on to explain that the casting director for the film - a sci-fi thriller called The Goldilocks Zone - preferred to cast actual professionals for small parts when applicable. Doing so meant that there was far less of a chance of an actor fumbling technical jargon or performing a job-specific task incorrectly, meaning that there was less of a chance that something that didn’t make sense would make the final cut. Like an astronomer adjusting the telescope lens the wrong way, for example. 

Right away, you thought of every medical drama you’d ever watched with your mom. She’d been an x-ray technician for thirty years, and she always noticed when an actor on screen was looking at a diagnostic image backwards or had hung a film upside down on the lightboard. It happened often. Like, once an episode, often. 

From that perspective, what this casting director was doing was smart. 

But from the perspective of you not having a lick of acting experience, you weren’t sure it was the best call. 

When you pointed that out, it was Sharon’s turn to roll her eyes. “Please,” she said with a wave of her hand. “You basically put on a live one-woman show every time you lead a tour or host a stargazing night. And you answer the most out there questions imaginable from kids without missing a beat. You can absolutely handle a few scripted lines about your area of expertise. Unless, I mean…” She shook her head and dropped the borderline giddy excitement. “If you don’t want to do it you obviously don’t have to. It’s entirely up to you.” 

You stared at her over the top of your computer screen, face frozen in an expression of utter shock. After a few seconds had passed and you realized you hadn’t said anything, you blinked and cleared your throat. “Um… Can I think about it? And do you know like, what I’d have to do or say or…” You trailed off, circling your wrist in a so on and so forth gesture. 

Sharon nodded. “Of course! The casting director just needs to know by Friday whether you’re in or if he needs to start reaching out to other astronomers in the area. He sent me some notes about the scene you’d be in. I’ll forward them to you so you can look ‘em over.” She spoke your name then, your eyebrows raising in response. “For what it’s worth, I think you should do it.” She smiled, wrinkling her nose. “It’s not everyday someone offers you a shot to showcase the thing you’re most passionate about in front of so many people.” 

You’d opened her email as soon as she got back to her office to send it, and when you saw the name of the lead actor in the brief scene description, you nearly fell out of your chair. 

Dieter Bravo. 

Dieter fucking Bravo. 

You had to read it three times before the rest of the information sunk in. 

The scene you were being tapped for was one of the opening ones of the movie. In it, Dieter’s character, Thiago, is trying to connect with his on screen love interest’s space-obsessed kid, Jae, by bringing them to the observatory for a tour. The purpose of the scene is to drop hints at the movie’s main plot without diving straight into the action, as well as to establish the nature of the relationship between Thiago and Jae - which, from the sound of it, is the classic “this guy isn’t good enough for my mom” to “actually he’s not that bad” to “he risked his life to save mine and now he’s my family” pipeline. It involves both actors asking you questions during the Q&A portion of your scripted tour, and the whole scene is scheduled to be shot in two days, with two additional days blocked off for B-roll footage and wide shots. 

It seemed simple enough. As long as you could get over the fact that you’d be working with Dieter fucking Bravo. You let Sharon know that you were in on Wednesday of that week, two days before the director’s deadline. 

And then three months went by, the buzz of excitement growing around the observatory as the filming dates grew closer, but there was still plenty of work to keep you busy in the meantime.

But now you’re standing in front of the RMO with Sharon, watching as trailers and trucks carting everything from costumes to cameras roll into the small parking lot. It seems like an overwhelming amount of equipment and personnel for just a few days, but then again you have no idea of what is necessary to pull off a production like this one. 

Guess I’m about to find out. 

“This is so friggin’ exciting!” Sharon checks her name badge for the sixth time in half as many minutes, making sure it’s on straight. She’s beaming but trying not to explode, and you can’t help but smile. Because, yeah. It’s really friggin’ exciting. 

“I truly can’t believe this is happening, Shar.” You let out a nervous laugh and shake your head slowly as two black SUVs pull in behind where the trailers have finished setting up. “This is batshit.” 

Before Sharon can click her tongue over your choice of vocabulary, the latest arrivals emerge from their vehicles. From one comes a young actor you’ve seen in several TV shows, their face instantly lighting up at the sight of the observatory’s twin domes set against the backdrop of the hills. They turn excitedly to the two women who arrived with them - one you can tell is the kid’s mom, the other you assume is a tutor since filming is taking place during the school year - and when they turn back towards the building, their smile has nearly tripled in width and brightness, and you wonder if they don’t share the same enthusiasm for all things space-related that the character they’re portraying has. 

If so, this has got to be a dream role. Hell, they’re what, thirteen? It’s a dream role regardless.

The trio make their way up to where you and Sharon are waiting to greet them, and hands are shaken and names exchanged -  River Harmon, playing Jae and confirming your suspicion about their love of science and the stars, Marla Harmon, River’s mom who is just as eager to get inside and have a look around, and Addison Wright, River’s tutor , who reminds everyone that three hours need to be set aside each day for schoolwork. You chat for a few minutes, just small talk about the weather - hot and sunny before the clock has even hit 9 am - and River mentions the In-And-Out Burger that they passed on the way in, which you tell them is your favorite guilty pleasure in the area. 

You’re all laughing at some ridiculous pun Sharon makes regarding the term “animal style” when two more people make their way up the path. You suck in a breath and feel your stomach flip when you register Dieter standing only a few feet from you, accompanied by a petite woman carrying what appears to be a toolbox but upon closer inspection you realize is actually a bag full of hair products and grooming tools. Which makes sense - those wild and wavy curls definitely don’t tame themselves, and from the looks of it, Dieter’s go-to grooming method is just to rake his fingers through his hair. 

Not that that’s not working for him, honestly. Fuck. 

You let your eyes wash over the man in front of you for a second before the introductions are made. He’s wearing loose-fitting light green linen pants that are tied with a drawstring at the waist, paired with a peachy orange tie-dye tee and a white short sleeved button down left open. You can easily see his two signature  triangular tattoos, as well as a few hemp and thread bracelets around his wrist and several chunky rings adorning his hands. Despite the fact that summer has yet to officially start, his skin glows a sunkissed bronze hue like he’s been laying on a beach for weeks. To say he looks good is a friggin’ understatement, in Sharon’s words. 

In your own, he looks fucking incredible. A far cry from the tabloid shots that came out a few years ago, paparazzi taking terrible advantage of the fact that Dieter’s struggles with addiction were threatening his health and appearance. He looks healthier and happier than you ever remember seeing him look in interviews or on red carpets, and despite the fact that he’s still for all intents and purposes a stranger to you, you feel a sudden swell of happiness for him for working through those difficult times. 

He doesn’t remain a stranger for long, though. 

Plucking one wired earbud from his right ear, he winds the cord up and shoves it into his pocket with his phone, and then steps up next to River, his full attention on you as he slides the sunglasses he’s wearing up to sit on top of his head amidst the finger-combed curls. 

“Hi,” he says in a manner that seems far too casual when paired with the way his deep brown eyes cut right into your own. He gives you a lopsided smile and extends one bear-paw sized hand, and then he speaks your name, which catches you off guard since you haven’t given it to him yet. “I’ve seen some of the videos of your programs on YouTube,” he says as an explanation to why someone as vastly well-known as he is would know anything about you before you’d even spoken a word. “I’m Dieter.” 

You certainly are. 

He chuckles and so does River and you can feel Sharon’s second-hand embarrassment as you realize that you just said that out loud. Oh, fuck. “I mean,” you let out a huff of laughter as you wince at yourself. “It’s great to meet you, Dieter.” You meet his waiting palm with yours, his skin warm as his fingers wrap around it and give a light squeeze. “We’re all very excited to have you both -” You look pointedly at River, who smiles widely. “- here at the Rancho Mirage Observatory.” 

“Not as excited as we are to be here,” River pipes up, elbowing the man playing their on screen step-dad. “Right Dieter?” 

Dieter looks beyond you at the impressive building housing the massive telescope, and you’re struck by the look of awe on his face. “Yeah,” he states, nodding. “Sure beats the hell out of a sound stage.” 

River rolls their eyes and shoots you a look that’s brimming with adolescent snark as they throw a thumb in Dieter’s direction. “Don’t let him downplay it. He’s been going on and on about shooting at this place since we got the greenlight to come here. He’s more stoked than I am, and that’s saying something.” 

You’re not sure, it could just be the sun, but you think you catch a hint of color climbing his cheeks as Dieter spins one of his rings around his finger. “Yeah, well…” He shrugs, expression returning to neutral. “I’ve always had a thing for space.” 

River nods sagely up at him. “Because you’re from Pluto. Right. I get it.” 

That makes everyone laugh, even Dieter, who pulls River into a joke headlock and ruffles their hair, yanking their hood up over their head for good measure. “Earthlings these days,” he mutters to you, making the same thumb gesture at River that they used at him. “Can’t take ‘em anywhere.” 

You laugh, and you’re surprised at just how easily it comes in the presence of one of the most in demand actors on this or any planet. “Ah, don’t worry. We get lots of Earthlings here.” You shoot River a wink as Dieter finally lets go of their hood, and then you look back up at him. “We know how to handle their kind.” 

“Good, because I have nooooo idea.” He raises his eyebrows and swings his hands out to the sides and you’re not sure why you thought you knew what he would be like before you met him, but he’s smashing your expectations with how real he seems.And how different he is from the man depicted in the tabloids. 

Before you have a chance to respond, a man holding a clipboard and wearing a headset comes bustling over to remind Sharon about the schedule - A quick tour of the facility for the actors and crew, then time for the crew to get set while River completes their schoolwork for the day, hair and makeup for the actors, which you’re reminded includes you, and then filming - and you’re grateful for the PA whirlwind, because it gives you a chance to process the way being two feet away from Dieter’s smile is making your stomach flip. 

Get your shit together, this is work… Just work, with an insanely attractive actor who keeps smiling like that when the cameras aren’t even rolling yet. I cannot fucking believe this is happening right now. 

Thankfully you’re able to keep your inner monologue where it belongs this time, your thoughts only interrupted by the sound of Sharon clearing her throat and saying your name. “Shall we take the stars to space?”  

Oh, Sharon, you really can’t help yourself, can you?

You nod once, grinning. “Absolutely.” You’re still extraordinarily nervous about being in front of the camera. But this part? Showing earnestly interested guests around the observatory and sharing the wonders of science and space? This part you are entirely confident about. Beckoning with one arm, you cock your head toward the door. “Right this way.” 

–  –  –  

Dieter can’t remember the last time he was this excited to be on location for a job. 

Partially because it had been a long time since his dramatic roles intersected with his personal interests, and partially because there was a time period of about five years - with the Cliff Beasts debacle coming at the tail end - where remembering anything at all was almost as big a challenge as was finding enjoyment anywhere. The triple threat of cocaine addiction, isolation and depression was a hell of a hole to dig himself out of. If six feet is the depth of a grave, he was basically five and a half feet down. 

Crazy how a brush with mortality paired with the realization that his life was still worth saving can make a person want to claw their way back to the surface. And even though things with Anika hadn’t worked out long term, not a day goes by that Dieter doesn’t acknowledge that there was no way he was climbing those five and a half feet without her help. The fact that they remain friends is constant reinforcement that his worth goes well beyond his work on the screen or his talents in the bedroom or the number of zeros in his bank account. He provides her with nothing but his friendship. Nothing but himself, and it’s shown him that just himself is good enough. 

He’s even been invited to her upcoming wedding, and he has every intention of going. But that’s not for a few months still. Luckily the date is sandwiched between the end of filming for The Goldilocks Zone and the film’s premier. And with this being the only project he’s working on currently, he’s able to focus entirely on the film and then entirely on his personal life. 

First though, he’s going to focus entirely on this tour. For three reasons: One being that like he told you, he’s always had an interest in the great unknown vastness of space. The second, that he always tries to immerse himself in the world of the characters he portrays. And the last? The instant interest he’s taken in you. 

She’s fucking incredible. 

He’s already familiar with you from the videos that the RMO posted to their YouTube account. As soon as he heard that you’d agreed to take the small role, Dieter watched every single one of them, completely enthralled. Your enthusiasm was so tangibly genuine, your knowledge of astrophysics so deeply complex and your ability to explain things in ways that anyone could understand unmatched. He watched your presentation on Kepler-22b four times for crying out loud, and not because he needed that many times to absorb and digest the information. He’d watched and rewatched because it was simply that enjoyable. You made it that enjoyable. 

It didn’t hurt at all that he also happened to find you stunning. 

The five and a half feet down version of him would have tried to make a move on you before you’d even finished the tour. Hell, before you’d even started it. And though there was still a part of him that was screaming with how badly he wanted to drag you off into the domed viewing room and fuck you until you were the one seeing stars, an even bigger part was steering him in a different direction - one where he actually got to know you. 

Not just the you that was “on” for a presentation. Not just the you that engaged with River as they asked a thousand questions about the telescope and it’s range. Not just the you that worked at the RMO. From the moment he saw you standing there, from the moment his hand closed around yours and your smile widened so that it reached your eyes, Dieter found himself wanting to know the you that lay beneath your work. 

And then maybe the you that lay beneath your clothes. But that was secondary. A close secondary, sure, but secondary nonetheless. 

I wanna know more about her. 

That’s why when the tour ends and River reluctantly heads off with their mom and Addison, Dieter doesn’t retreat to his trailer like he normally would when he has downtime on set. Kylie, his stylist, does head back so she can call home and check on her wife and kids, and Sharon, flits off to her office. But you remain in the large circular room watching with interest as the crew starts rigging up the lighting and blocking off marks for the actors with different colored tape, giving him the perfect opportunity to start on that mission. 

“So, you ready for your silver screen debut?” You must have assumed that he’d gone with the rest of the group, because when he speaks, you spin to face him with a look of surprise on your face that only makes you more attractive to him. Dieter laughs, the sound a gentle one without ridicule, lifting his hands with his palms facing you. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.”  

You laugh at yourself, too, closing your eyes and giving a small shake of your head. “No, it’s okay, I’m just…” Another huff of almost incredulous laughter comes from your lips as you open your eyes and look straight at him. “Having a bit of a ‘pinch me’ moment, here.” 

You walk down the few steps from the base of the telescope to join him on the main level, the railing cordoning off the enormous piece of equipment between you. Dieter leans against it from his side and you do the same from yours. “Hey, I get it. I felt the same way the first time I was on set.” 

Narrowing your eyes and tilting your head, you respond with, “I think it was a little different for you, Dieter. This-” You gesture to the crew spilling in and filling up the perimeter of the room. “-isn’t exactly my wheelhouse.” 

He wants to reassure you that you’re going to do more than fine, but he’s caught up on the way his name sounds in your voice. Part of his brain jettisons off to thoughts of what it would sound like in a very different scenario. But that’s not the him in the here and now, so he clears his throat and his mind all at once. 

“Nah,” he says, bringing one hand up to scratch at his chin. “My first role had me literally shaking in my shoes. I was a little older than River. That kid is gonna be a fuckin’ star if they keep the mindset they have now, that’s for sure.” You nod, because it’s clear to anyone with eyes that the kid has their head on straight and an excellent support system to help them navigate the industry. “But me? I was a basketcase. So nervous, even though it was my dream.” He sighs. “Still get nervous sometimes.” 

That makes you widen your eyes in surprise. “Really? Mr. two-time Oscar winner gets the jitters before starting a new role?” 

“Oh yeah.” Dieter groans, shaking his head and looking down. When he lifts his chin again he finds you waiting, his own smile stretching out across his lips. “Imposter syndrome comes for us all. That bastard.” 

That pulls a laugh from the center of your chest and his first thought is how do I make that happen again? “It is a bastard, isn’t it?” You hum and Dieter nods. “Well that makes me feel a little better.” 

“Good.” He stands up straight, keeping both hands planted on the rail, and you do that same. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re gonna be great.” 

You suck in a small breath that he might have missed if he wasn’t so keyed into your every move. “Thanks, Dieter.” 

“Of course.” He taps his fingers on the railing, one of his rings clanging against the metal. “So, can I ask you a question?” 

You raise your arms to your sides, elbows bent and fingers spread. “That’s quite literally what I’m here for.” Looking over your shoulder, you gesture towards the telescope. “If it’s about this beauty right here, I can-” 

“No, it’s…” Dieter’s tongue slips out to wet his lips, warmth splashing through his chest at the way your eyes track its movement. “Not about the telescope. Though I definitely wouldn’t say no if you were just about to offer me a chance to look through it?” 

You chuckle. “I think that can be arranged, though it’ll have to wait until all these lights are gone. Or at least off. And it would have to be after dark for the best views.” 

“Seriously?” His excitement over the prospect of getting a peek into the cosmos briefly overtakes his desire to ask the question on his mind. You confirm that it would be no big deal and he takes you up on it without hesitation. “Done. Tonight?” 

You take your lower lip between your teeth for a split second and he struggles not to stare. “Sure.” 

That would be…

“Amazing.” He smiles and runs a hand through his hair. Suddenly his belly fills with the flap of a thousand monarch wings like he hasn’t felt in over a decade. It’s unusual, but refreshing, and he finds that he kind of likes it. 

I can’t get ahead of myself, though. 

Clearing your throat, you tap your fingers against the railing. “But, um, if that wasn’t your question -” You shrug one shoulder. “What is?”

Kylie comes through the door at that exact moment, calling Dieter’s name before he can answer. “Dieter? You in he- Oh. There you are.” She glances at you, and then back at him, her sharp green eyes measuring and analyzing the small amount of space between the two of you, and he sees her do her best to keep a knowing grin erupt. It doesn’t, and Dieter shoots her a look of gratitude which he knows she catches. “Sorry, but Tyler decided that we should do some promo stills while we’re here, and he wants to make use of River’s school time, so that means you need to get to hair and makeup earlier than planned. Like, now, earlier.” She adds that last part with a roll of her eyes. 

Dieter sighs. “Alright, Ky, I’ll meet you there in a minute.” 

She nods and turns to leave, sidestepping the sound engineer who is bringing in his equipment to get set up, and Dieter faces you. “Raincheck on that question?” 

You laugh. “Yeah. No problem. Ask me tonight.” 

“Oh, I will,” Dieter promises with a wink. “See you on set.” 

–  –  –

Your face hurts from smiling by the time Tyler, the director, calls a wrap on the day. 

For as nervous as you were going into your first - and likely only - acting endeavor, you end up having a fucking blast. And you know that it has a lot to do with Dieter and River being completely amazing to work with. They’re both somehow absolute professionals and class clowns, deliberately making each other laugh or flub lines a few times, but also delivering serious and convincing performances that you’re sure Tyler will have no problem selecting from. You only end up fumbling your words once, and it’s only because you’re trying to hold in a sneeze, which ultimately wins out as sneezes do. But you take Sharon’s advice and treat this like you would any other tour or presentation you’ve ever given, and since the scripted questions that Dieter and River’s characters - along with one or two of the extras in their on screen tour group - ask are right in line with the ones that you get all the time, the answers roll off your tongue easily. 

“I told you you were nervous for nothing,” Sharon says, nudging you with her elbow as the crew starts to clear out. They leave the equipment where it is since they’ll be shooting again tomorrow, but one by one the room starts to clear, everyone heading to the hotel that production has booked a few miles down the highway. 

You click your tongue and roll your eyes, the smile still stuck on your lips. “You did say that, didn’t you?” 

Sharon laughs. “I did. Hey, you want to get dinner or something to celebrate? My treat. Kevin’s home all week so he’s got the kids and I wouldn’t mind a night out.” 

Shit, I forgot to tell her about Dieter. 

“Um…” You lick your lips and return a wave to the last crew member who heads out into the main foyer. “Actually, Shar, Dieter asked if I would let him take a swing at stargazing, and I said yes. So… I mean, as long as you’re okay with it?” 

If she was beaming before she’s glowing now. “Say no more! Absolutely! You’ll lock up when you’re done?” You confirm that you will and she nods once. “Great. I’ll see if Margo from the library side is free. She’s always fun.” She shoots you a mischievous glance akin to the one she gave you when she first told you about the filming opportunity. “You have fun.” 

You try to tell her it’s not like it’s a date, he’s just genuinely curious and interested. That it’s just better for someone like him to do these sorts of things one on one because otherwise people won’t let him enjoy it. But all she does is hum an “Uh huh,” while she’s halfway out the door. 

And you’re left to wonder if you’re right. 

But you aren’t left wondering for too long, because only minutes after Sharon leaves, Dieter, looking exactly as he did when you met him earlier that day, strolls into the room. 

–  –  –  

You tell him that it will take you a few minutes to get everything set up. “Hope you don’t mind,” you add, as you start the process. 

“Mind?” He blows out a puff of air and watches your every move. “This is awesome.” 

As if to punctuate his point, the domed ceiling begins to open at that exact moment, the two sides sliding apart to reveal the night sky beyond. He tilts his head back as far as it goes to take in the sea of twinkling stars. Even without the magnifying power of the telescope, it’s a hell of a view. 

“If you think that’s awesome…” You begin adjusting the viewing lens, a small, smiling sound coming from you as you look through it. “Just wait until you get a load of…” You turn a knob, clarifying the view. “This.” 

You beckon him with one hand and he nearly trips over his feet to get there fast enough. He steps up next to you, closer than he was when the railing was between you, and that mass of butterfly wings goes fluttering through him again. And fuck if it doesn’t feel great. You move away from the scope but stay close as he bends down to take your place. “What am I looking at- Oh, shit!” 

In his field of vision floats a swirling, purplish looking galaxy with a similar shape to the Milky Way. For all the things he’s seen and places he’s traveled and experiences - both bad and good - that he’s had, this takes the cake and the cookies and the ice cream, too. It leaves him speechless and breathless and fills him with an emotion he doesn’t know how to name. 

And she gave this to me. 

You give him a few seconds to absorb it in silence, and then your voice fills his ear, his eye still pressed to the lens. “That is NGC 3031, AKA Messier 81, AKA Bode’s Galaxy.” 

You explain that the different names for it come from the three different times it was discovered and reclassified. You tell him how far away it is - approximately 11.8 million light years away from Earth - and that it can be found tucked into the constellation Ursa Major. And then you tell him it’s your favorite galaxy to show people, because it’s the clearest one that the RMO telescope can view. 

“Can you believe that it was first discovered in the 1700s?” 

He still doesn’t look away, answering you from his bent position. “I can’t believe I’m seeing it now in 20-fucking-24.” 

That pulls a laugh from you and he finally looks up, wanting to see the way that laugh changes your eyes. Tugs at your lips. Pushes your cheeks up. 

Beautiful. 

You sigh. “Yeah, it is, isn’t it?” 

He hadn’t meant to speak that thought out loud but you think he’s talking about the galaxy so he lets it slide. “Gorgeous,” he confirms, about you and the view you’ve shown him. “Anything else you can show me?” 

That laugh he’s starting to crave slips out again as you answer. “Yeah, Dieter, I’ve got a few more tricks up my sleeve, hang on.” You motion for him to step aside so you can reposition the scope. As you’re doing that, you bring up your conversation from earlier. 

“Hey, um, what was that question you wanted to ask me?” You shake your head, still making your adjustments. 

“Oh, it’s just…” He shrugs even though you’re not looking at him. “Something I ask people sometimes when I meet them. Kind of like an ice breaker I guess?” 

You step back and let him take another look - this time a gaseous nebula in hues of gold and green - giving him some time to soak it in before expecting him to continue. 

“I uh - fuck, this is cool! I…” He looks up briefly, finding your face. “Do you believe in aliens?” 

It’s clearly not what you were expecting him to ask based on the expression you wear, but much to his delight this time, you don’t laugh. “I do.” 

His heart flips like a gold medalist at the admission. Smart, sexy, and believes in aliens, holy shit. “You do?” 

You nod. “Yeah, I do.” Shrugging, you go on, stepping in to readjust the scope again. “Everything I’ve studied or seen suggests that the universe is far too big for us to ever really understand. And we already know that there are planets that theoretically could support life.” You gesture for him to look again, this time it’s the stormy, reddish orange patterns of Jupiter. “And as special as Earth is, I just don’t believe we’re so special that we’re the only ones out there. I mean, that’s what the movie is about, right?” 

“Yeah. Well, it’s about aliens looking for other habitable planets and finding Earth, so sort of the reverse of what NASA and whoever are doing. But… Yeah.” 

You smile. “So, do you?” 

“Believe in aliens?” He leans back against the railing. “Yeah.” He smiles. “Same reason as you. We’re not that special.” She is, though. She’s out of this fucking world special.

You hum. “Cool. Good to know we agree.” 

“Yeah,” Dieter takes a breath, filling his chest and letting the dizzy happiness you’ve given him take over. “This might be a long shot, I know it’s getting kind of late, but… Do you want to go get dinner or something?” 

You press your lips together like you’re trying to suppress a smile. It doesn’t work, and it’s the best sight he’s seen all night. “Okay.” You start shutting things down, pressing the button that closes the ceiling and shuts the sky away. “How do you feel about In-And-Out? I’ve been craving it since River brought it up and-” 

This woman is what dreams are fucking made of. 

Thankfully - at least for now - he keeps that part in his head. 

“I feel like you just read my mind. Let’s go.” 

--- --- ---

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[elvenbeard]

Shivers

Cyberpunk 2077 Fanfic

Summary: Kerry is stalked by all kinds of shadows while having to work on finalizing a new song. Some recent developments may be a literal ticket to kickstarting a final attempt of finding a cure for V. (Post-Sun-Ending, mostly canon-compliant, Chapter 14/?, 7061 words, Kerry Eurodyne/V - notes at the end) >> Previous Chapter >> Read from the Beginning

The black asphalt ahead flickered in the heat as Kerry sped along the ever-winding road south of Rancho. In the distance shimmered the old dam’s concrete walls, the faded “Petrochem” lettering gleaming in the sun. That’s where he was headed to, or rather, the viewpoint at the very top. V’s voice had been urgent on the phone, and so Kerry had dropped everything he’d been doing and jumped into his car. V often came here when he needed some distance to the city without truly leaving – or so he’d said when Kerry asked him about the place’s significance one time. Every time they came here to talk it was serious.

The tires of his Aerondight came to a screeching halt on the side of the road and Kerry jumped out of the car looking for V. He was hard to miss thankfully, the only person out here besides himself. V’s back was turned towards Kerry, one foot up on the low concrete barrier separating him from a deep fall down a coarse red cliff. He had his hands in his pockets and gazed across Night City, like a king watching his realm. The midday sun blinded Kerry at first, but it also made V seem even more majestic, even if somewhat unreal.

“Hey, I got here as fast as I could,” Kerry called over, began hurrying towards him, but there was no reaction at first.

“V?” he repeated out of breath.

Kerry was merely an arm’s length away from him, only just raised his hand to reach out, when an all too familiar scent crawled into his nose. He froze on the spot. It was as if time stood still, even the wind stopped and the city itself held its breath. Then V turned around, agonizingly slowly, sole scraping along the concrete as he pushed away from the low wall. He wore a pair of old red aviators and had a cigarette between his lips, Johnny’s favorite brand…

“Bit too late,” he drawled, his voice definitely V’s… but different, rougher, meaner. He threw the cigarette to the ground and drew his boot across it, leaving a black streak of ashes in the desert dust.

“V’s not here anymore.”

Kerry gasped and startled awake, stomach nearly turning. His skin was covered in cold, sticky sweat, his heart fluttered in his chest like a panicked, trapped bird. His chest… he realized an arm was loosely wrapped around him, a scratchy plastic cast with cold fingers poking out against his sternum. V was breathing against his back, deep and evenly. The horror of the nightmare finally began to clear up. The TV was still on, they’d fallen asleep halfway through a Bushido movie (one of the old classics). V was squished between Kerry and the backrest of the sofa, their legs entangled and V loosely holding on to him. Kerry was surprised he hadn’t woken him up as well, but he remembered now. Right before settling down here, V had taken another dose of Vik’s emergency meds – proactively, just to not have another attack throughout the night. He was pretty much medically knocked out cold. Regardless, only slowly and carefully, Kerry moved to turn around. He didn’t want to wake V after all by shifting too much, but he also needed to see him, see his face… actually, he wanted to hear his voice, too, have him reassure him once more, or a thousand times more, that it would all be okay in the end. But he refrained from trying to wake him up.

He lied back down, V’s left arm still draped across him limply, but now they were face to face. V’s expression was relaxed, he was deep asleep. Kerry reached up, lightly ran his fingers along the tattoo decorating V’s cheekbone and jaw, then gently brushed through his hair. V sighed in his sleep, and Kerry’s hand flinched back. But V didn’t stir, instead he just shuffled slighting, inching closer towards him in his sleep. This little instinctive movement tied Kerry’s throat shut real good. He lowered his hand to put his arm around V to hold him close, took in his scent and warmth. Focused on V’s breathing he closed his eyes again and tried to catch at least a few more hours of sleep as well. The sun would rise again soon enough.

The impressions from his nightmare accompanied him all morning. As they got ready together, during breakfast when V looked at his phone suspiciously often, during the tense car-ride to the hospital, all the way into the recording booth.

“Very good, Kerry!” Vicky praised him. With her, Kerry was sometimes not sure if she truly meant what she said or only said what he needed to hear to not throw the towel.

“You’ve really on fire today, I love to see it,” she added while pushing some buttons on her control panel, not looking at him, “Let’s do one final take, starting at ‘you like to remember’, alright?”

“Sure, yeah,” Kerry shrugged, the microphone in front of his face mocking him, “All the way through the chorus?”

Vicky gave him a thumbs up from the other side of the window separating them.

“Give it your all, one more time,” she encouraged him and smiled, white teeth stark in contrast to her deep red lipstick.

The metronome ticked in the first few beats, then the backing track started up again. Kerry found his way into the rhythm naturally, listened to his own guitar play, in his mind he could almost feel the strings vibrate under his fingertips as he played the chords, strummed the melody.

“Three, two, one…” Vicky gave him the cue over the audio track.

“You like to remember,” Kerry sang, giving it his all as instructed, and it was all he had left at this point. They’d been here since 10.30, recording almost non-stop, the same lines over and over again, until every note was perfect. Kerry didn’t even need or want perfect all that much. In the end the recording was mostly for the label, the medias. Later, live on stage this song would sound different every time. Each performance had its own distinct sound and soul, created anew by him and the crowd present that night, none would be like the other. It was one of a handful of aspects of making music that actually still hadn’t lost their magic over the decades.

But of course, it wasn’t that Kerry didn’t care for how he sounded on the record. Otherwise, he would’ve long called it a day, or probably recorded the full album already. Naturally he wanted to be proud of the final version, the one that would be played on the radio, the feeds, some kid’s old record player. Maybe this would be the first of his songs someone ever listened to. It had to leave an impact, carry a message. He had to put all his heart and soul into this final take for now.

“When every word poisoned your blood!” he continued with fervor.

The accompanying guitar track was heavy with melancholy and heartache, his own suffering of too many years gone by without a perspective poured into the chords. Kerry closed his eyes, focused on the rhythm of the bass that he’d wanted to be reminiscent of a heartbeat here. The producers hadn’t been sure about whether or not it would work in the end with the overall pacing, but it did, better than Kerry himself could have imagined. The steady “du-du-dum, du-du-dum” carried him through the next line of lyrics.

“I know you don’t wanna suffer,” he half-screamed, at his younger self, at his current self as well, really, “But this is something so much deeper!”

The guitar faded away for a few moments, and only the bass remained, steadily pulsating on. Kerry’s throat hurt, not from strain, but from emotion, threatening to silence him when right this moment his voice would matter the most. The volume rose in an epic crescendo, the beat took up speed and energy, like a wave steadily growing right before it would crash against the coast, paying no mind to who or what may be in its way. This tension of seeing the wave roll towards him, but at the same time being frozen in shock and awe at its enormous dimensions... He would seize Vicky’s suggestion and pour all his anxieties, fears, all his anger at the world into this fucking chorus.

“They’re shivers!” he belted out, surprised sometimes by what his voice was capable of, “They’re shivers, they’re shivers!”

He took a deep breath.

“My caresses are an act of violence!”

He pictured his fingers trailing along V’s sides. How he pulled him to his feet from the kitchen floor last night, then a flash… How he pinned him against the shower wall, or when he’d gently helped him into the passenger seat of his car outside of Arasaka Tower that night not even four months ago… A million little moments flashed before his eyes.

“Everything to you that’s holy – “he saw V’s smile, his eyes glowing golden in the morning sun, heard his laughter, saw him scrunch his nose and shake his head. He loved when V, otherwise so composed and stoic, made silly faces at Kerry’s jokes and teasing, or how his face lit up when they finally saw each other at the end of a long day… All the little mannerisms about him that made Kerry’s heart skip a beat usually – “gives you shivers, shivers, shivers!”

He drew out and held the last note for as long as he had air in his lungs, refused his voice to give in like it did during an earlier take. He poured his essence into this song so that part of him would always live on even when he was long dead and gone. The people should feel what he felt right now when they listened to this album, feel his love for V. Without him, he wouldn’t be standing here singing anymore.

As the music of the chorus slowly transitioned to the next verse, Kerry let his voice fade out along with it, only then he opened his eyes again. Vicky paused the backing track, slid her fingers across the control panel, then she looked up at him, bright green eyes gleaming with excitement.

“That was the one! Amazing work!” she praised, and Kerry shrugged and hinted a bow, playing it cool as if his chest wasn’t hurting, as if “Shivers” hadn’t just sent actual shivers down his spine. He’d had his struggles with this song, but it seemed like today he finally rediscovered his connection to it, found a reason as to why he had written it in the first place.

“We’re quickly gonna go through everything again and piece a demo together for you to have a listen,” Vicky said, “But damn, look at the time. Ya deserve a break!”

“Alright, preem,” Kerry said nonchalantly and exited the recording booth, “Imma go for a smoke, be back soon.”

“Sure, no rush!”

He grabbed his jacket from the sofa as Vicky and her team of sound engineers huddled together in front of her screen, then he left the room and turned right straight away. He was headed for the stairs to the roof. As always, there had been little to no reception in the booth, and he was immediately swamped by at least a dozen missed text messages and emails. He swiped all the ones that weren’t important away, as only one really mattered. Before entering the stairwell, he selected V's name and read through the two messages he’d sent him – not that long ago, thankfully.

11.27 a.m.

Appointment was interesting, to say the least. More only in person. She wants to do some preliminary tests today, more later this week. Gotta do some waiting atm. I’ll tell you everything once I’m out. Love you :*

2.06 p.m.

Finally outta here. You didn’t read my prev message yet, so you’re probably still in the booth, dw! I’ll call Del and be at the studio soon. See you on the roof. <3

It was just past 2.30 now, so unless the traffic was batshit, V was most likely already there. That certainly was the motivator Kerry needed to climb the narrow metal stairs of doom where MSM surely could’ve long invested in an elevator. There was one leading to the roof from the entrance lobby, just not from the booths for some reason – the reason being probably that guests deserved more luxury and comfort than the label’s talent and employees.

Kerry was greeted by a warm breeze as he opened the door to the rooftop lounge, and he didn’t need to look around for long to spot V. He’d once again pulled one of the unused lounge chairs from the bar-area to the railing and was looking across Charter Hill. For a split second the situation brought Kerry back to last night’s nightmare again, him out of breath, late for their meeting, and V gazing across their beloved city from far above. But other than in his dream V was facing him, and when he saw him walk out the stairwell, a little smile flashed across his face.

“Hey,” Kerry just said, and V slowly got up from his chair to pull Kerry into a quick hug as soon as he was in reach.

“Hey back at ya,” he said hoarsely, and Kerry chuckled. He pulled away only far enough to give V a quick kiss, brushing his thumbs across his cheeks. As usual lately V looked awfully tired and exhausted, and on top of it he didn’t quite seem to be able to hold Kerry’s gaze. That was never a good sign. Kerry’s chest grew tight once more, as if the wave had finally collapsed on top of him, had crushed his ribs and began to pull him into the open ocean along with the debris of his life.

“Bad news?” Kerry asked carefully, still out of breath, and V briefly looked at him. He put his hands on Kerry’s, as best as he could.

“Mixed news, rather,” he said, “It’s… a fuckin’ lot.”

V slowly pulled away and sank back into his seat. Kerry dragged another chair closer, right across from V, and also sat down.

“What did she say?” he asked, although he realized how vague of a question that was.

V crossed his legs and rested his head in his right hand, elbow propped up on the armrest. His eyes wandered to the ground, then were drawn back over to the city to his left.

“She seems quite confident that she can help me,” he explained, “Or well at least… she has a plan. Before making any promises, she needs to run more tests though. Got more appointments lined up the next few days…”

Kerry leaned forward, rested his elbows on his thighs, trying to catch V’s gaze from below now.

“What did she do today? Anything on the pills? Your… episodes?” he asked.

V didn’t reply immediately, picked every word carefully.

“Nothing concrete on the pills, yet. She’s gonna look at them later today or tomorrow. Promised an update as soon as she has one.”

He paused, and Kerry almost slipped off the edge of his seat from tension.

“About the attacks she said, after reading out my system, biomonitor, and so on, comparing Vik’s scans with hers… she can’t determine a definitive organic or technological source.”

Kerry continued to stare at V, who continued to not look at him, instead gazed into the distance, leaned back in his chair as if this wasn’t a major revelation. Although one Kerry wasn’t sure what to make of just yet, he just knew it was concrete and concerning alike.

“You… gotta explain that a bit more,” he then said, “Not sure I get it.”

“I’m not even sure I get it,” V shrugged and slowly turned his head back to finally face him again.

“She said, usually attacks like I had them have definitive organic causes, say… a tumor. Something that would show up on a scan one way or another, be it heightened brain activity in one area, or none at all, bleeding, you name it. But all okay in that regard, all things considered. Alternatively, the attacks could be caused by incompatible or otherwise faulty cyberware, but that’s not the case either. She said yes, my brain and nervous system are quite done for, thanks to the Relic and Dexter’s bullet. Brain’s also not being stimulated enough, because my engram is incompatible with it, so it’s kinda just… deteriorating more and more. Like a muscle you don’t use. That’s not exactly news, just confirming the situation is still bad.”

Kerry swallowed, and V took a deep breath.

“But my cyberware is working as normal, even the Relic is not acting up particularly. The brain damage alone, according to her, doesn’t explain these sudden and violent attacks.”

“’s it ‘cause the pills have been suppressing them, or…”

V shook his head, and Kerry frowned.

“She said, the degeneration that’s going on is actually not nearly as severe as it should be at this stage, ironically,” V said, “Fuentes said, if Alt told the truth in Mikoshi, and with how bad a state I was in back in June, I’d be a babbling mess already, or dead. She thinks the pills must’ve helped stabilize me in some way, slowed down the deterioration.”

“Okay…” Kerry nodded, still struggling to grasp this all at once. Even though it was a warm and sunny day he shivered. V was fumbling with his cast, in exchange for fumbling with his personal link port, what he usually did when he was nervous or otherwise intensely thinking about something.

“She confirmed what Vik said: there’s new connections where there were none a couple of months ago, which does not align with what a dying brain is capable of necessarily,” V continued, and again he turned away, “The severity and frequency of my attacks… She said something like that would happen at the earliest weeks after not taking any meds, and it would be a slow buildup, even in my state. Not this frequent and severe, after forgetting to take them once or twice.”

Kerry struggled to follow V’s explanations, couldn’t put together his calm matter-of-factness with the severity of the situation, the weight of the meaning behind his words.

“The… pills cause these attacks, even if you’re not takin’ them?” he concluded after a few moments of silence.

“Not the pills as such, I don’t think,” V shook his head, “Maybe the nanobots I still have in my body, or maybe my own, rewired nervous system, or a combo of both. Fuentes says it’s likely my own body is creating these as some kind of artificial, very intense withdrawal symptom. Like...”

V vaguely gestured into the air, towards the city, looking for words.

“Just how it’s natural to my body that I breathe without thinking, something was done to me that it’s now natural for me to almost die every time I forget to take my spiked pills. So, I continue to swallow them, so these nanobots can continue to… I don’t even wanna know.”

Kerry let himself fall back in his chair and looked up into the hazy blue sky. He was so out of it, so taken aback, he didn’t even want to light up a cigarette. He rubbed his face with both hands briefly, as if it would help rearrange the swirl of thoughts rushing through his head.

“Lemme just… process this for a second,” he said, “The pills helped you, but at the same time, the moment you stop taking them, actively kill you?”

“Again, not the pills as such. But I think the nanobots that were hidden in them may have rewired my brain to do that, yeah,” V said, tone still annoyingly calm. Meanwhile Kerry’s pulse had reached a new top speed. He sat up straight again and stared right at V, who was still leaned back, head in his hand, and watched the city traffic like this was a chill Sunday morning brunch.

“How can you be so… calm about this?” it finally burst out of Kerry, upset but at the same time also not wanting to be. He wasn’t even sure why he was so mad, he just hoped V would show a little more concern, more of a reaction about all of this. Instead, he just shrugged.

“I’ve been thinking…” he then slowly started, “Dunno. What if you’d just take me to the Philippines?”

Kerry’s heart physically skipped a beat, he sensed it, his Biomonitor even beeped a tiny alert again.

“The fuck do you mean?” he asked, again more harshly than intended, but V had knocked all air from his lungs with that question. V slowly turned to look at him again, and now Kerry saw that his eyes were teary, that that was the reason he had avoided to look at him. All of Kerry’s anger was gone in an instant.

“Vince,” he said, grabbed his chair and scooched closer, close enough so their knees touched now. He reached over to take V’s injured hand gently, held it between his palms. V looked away again.

“Talk to me,” he said, “What else did she say? What happened?”

V took a deep, shaky breath.

“I gotta do her a favor,” he said, “Well… it’s more or less a necessity, otherwise she probably can’t help me.”

“A favor?”

That could mean many things, but given V’s line of work, Kerry had an idea.

“She wants to see a man dead,” V confirmed it, “And he’s got some blueprints for a tech that might be able to save me. Might, maybe. If I even manage to get to him which is…”

He just stopped and shook his head, shifted in his seat, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Is it ‘cause normally you don’t take hit-jobs?” Kerry wondered out loud and V laughed weakly.

“Y’know, in this case, I might’ve considered it. Even if my life didn’t depend on it, I mean,” he said and lowered his right hand, placing it on Kerry’s’ in his lap.

“Guy’s a corpo shitbag – and not the kind I might’ve been able to relate to at some point. The type that stabs friends in their back for personal gain,” he said, “Problem is… he fucked out of Night City, off all of planet Earth four months ago.”

“He wha- …” Kerry started, but V’s sad, exhausted eyes answered his question before he’d fully asked it, “Not the fucking Crystal Palace?”

V shrugged… then he nodded.

“You’re jokin’…”

“When Fuentes told me his name, I thought I’d heard it somewhere before, and she said, no, can’t be,” V said, “But yes, I had… I’d read it on the list of people’s data I was supposed to steal for Blue-Eyes. He’s got a luxury apartment up there.”

“What the fuck…”

Kerry had no other words to describe what he was feeling.

“It’s like all paths always circle back to Blue-Eyes,” V said, looking across the city again, “He poisons me with his tech, sends me on a suicide mission to space to steal data about his own business partners, holding the key to some fucked up new way of eternal life most likely…”

“Wait, what was that about business partners?” Kerry interjected.

“Ah yeah, right,” V laughed wearily, “Missed that part… Fuentes showed me a vid of that guy she wants dead, meeting up with Blue-Eyes. She thinks he sold him some top-notch secret tech – the same tech I’m supposed to kill him for in his space-mansion.”

So, this was what it felt like to drown in a flood of information.

“Fuckin’ hell, V, I…” he mumbled, “Dunno what to say.”

“’s okay,” V said quietly, thumb circling Kerry’s knuckles, “I dunno what to say to this mess anymore either.”

He let his head fall back against the headrest of the chair, still looking across the city. Finally, Kerry followed his gaze. The sleek, clean apartment-blocks with dainty rooftop gardens of Charter Hill next to Japantown’s bustling high-tech, neon-clad skyscrapers. The city center with the towers at Corpo Plaza looming in the distance, stark in contrast against the pale sky, dozens of little AVs zooming between them all like flies around a rotting corpse.

“Either,” V said eventually, “I find a way into space, again, and this time with the added difficulty of Mr. B not noticing anything about it – good luck, with his ties to Orbital Air… I somehow manage to get a hold of the corpo guy, klep his data, make it back here in one piece… And hope that Fuentes is able to do anything with it at all...”

“Or you omit all of that and go back to Blue-Eyes right away…” Kerry guessed what V was about to say next. V didn’t look at him, just nodded.

“I’m surprised he didn’t call yet, to pester me about coming back, reconsider his generous offer,” he spat out. Then he looked back at Kerry, eyes glittering in the sunlight.

“Which is why I think…” he said, hoarsely, “Is it even gonna be worth it?”

“Vince…”

“No, really, if we’re both completely honest to ourselves… Is it really worth it?” V said, and Kerry reached up to cradle his face, scooched closer first, then finally just got up to sit down on the same chair as V, at his side properly, putting his arms around him to hold him, trying to soothe him somehow as he started shaking.

“I could just stock up on all the meds Vik can get his hands on,” he continued quietly against Kerry’s shoulder, “And you take me to the Philippines, and I’ll see how long I’ll last. No Blue-Eyes, no more games, no more tech or chips or whatnot trying to kill me faster than my own body is.”

Kerry held him even closer.

“It’s just gonna be us, and I’ll just slowly fade away, on my own terms,” V shuddered, as did Kerry.

“’s that what you want?” Kerry almost didn’t dare to ask, choking up. At the same time V’s voice, his pain was so raw, so visceral in this moment, it was impossible to come up with a counterargument. There was nothing Kerry could say against wanting to die on your own terms when all the terms attached to living were incompatible with who you were as a person.

The wind took up speed, stirred up some dust, howled around them for a moment, as if to sympathize with a situation that was truly only to scream about. Then V leaned into Kerry’s embrace finally.

“No,” he said quietly, “I wanna live. I wanna grow old with you but… All paths there seem impossible to survive.”

Kerry moved away just far enough to see V’s face again, and it always broke his heart to see him crying, as he didn’t often, especially not in public. Just tears quietly streaming down his face, no sniffling, or shudders – even now he so desperately tried to keep himself under control.

Kerry was surprised he wasn’t crying yet, even though he sure as hell felt like it. Maybe he was still too spent from the night before. He wished for nothing more right now than a peaceful future where neither of them had to cry and suffer anymore. On the other hand, though, seeing V emotional like this, was confirmation enough for him that he was still so full of life, not consumed by the apathy with no dreams or wishes or perspective for a future.

He reached up to gently brush away V’s tears, then he kissed his forehead. Hand still on his cheek he looked him in the eyes.

“I want that more than anything,” he said, “And hell, we’ll make it possible somehow.”

V closed his eyes and leaned forward, resting his head against Kerry’s chest. Kerry folded his arms around V’s shoulders and held him like this, his chin on his head, looking into the distance and trying to come up with a solution to a seemingly impossible problem.

For a couple of minutes, they just sat like this, squeezed onto the chair like they’d been squeezed onto the sofa the night before, holding each other close. Kerry let his thoughts wander as he watched the ever-changing slideshow of huge ads displayed across the skyscrapers ahead. A lot of them near the studio were obviously MSM-themed, new album releases, teasers for tour dates, collabs… he was there too, along with the UsCracks girls. “Off the Leash” was still at the top of the charts, four months in a row soon. Kerry’s career really had lifted off out of nowhere again, all thanks to V… and suddenly he realized he might be able to return the favor.

“I mean…” he slowly started, “Lee’s been dying to get me a gig at the Crystal Palace. And he still owes us both big-time for the shit with the pills.”

V said nothing at first, then he moved to see Kerry’s face, squinting and nose scrunched up as if he was trying to determine if he was joking or not.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Kerry said, “I mean it.”

“You mean, I’m s’pposed to just… tag along with you to your gig and while you’re on stage go off to murder that guy? And no one’s gonna bat an eye?”

“No,” Kerry said, “You’re gonna do it before my show. Don’t want you to miss the opportunity to see me live.”

Kerry was aiming to bring V’s smile back with a little teasing, but it sadly didn’t work.

“Kerry, this is serious,” he said with the deepest frown, “I can’t just… the security up there is insane. What am I gonna do, hide in your luggage and you smuggle me in?”

“No, you gonk,” Kerry said and poked V’s chest, “You’re gonna come officially. As my partner, as ya fuckin’ should be allowed to. Hell, if you’re so keen on keeping a low profile, come as part of my security team and personal bodyguard. But I’d much rather finally tell the medias the truth before they pull even more stupid lies and rumors outta their asses.”

V wasn’t convinced.

“If something goes wrong,” he said, eyes dark and serious, “How’s that gonna look like to the medias? ‘Kerry Eurodyne secretly involved in international murder plot’. Your career’s gonna be over.”

“Ah, wouldn’t bet on it,” Kerry shrugged it off, although obviously, the thought had crossed his mind. He just didn’t want to give into V’s worries, convinced that, with all they knew, they might as well be rooted in Blue-Eyes messing with his brain. He’d said himself that he didn’t feel like himself anymore sometimes, that whenever Mr. B called, his sense of self-preservation was switched off. He’d launched himself into space for that fucker, gone on a suicide-mission, V’s own words just minutes ago. But now, when this gig was something clearly going against what the blue-eyed bastard would want, V suddenly had never-ending doubts and hesitated, feared for consequences that previously hadn’t crossed his mind.

“Sometimes a tragic scandal can really spur on a career even more.”

“Kerry, this isn’t funny,” V said, growing annoyed, and Kerry gently stroked his cheek.

“Sorry,” he said, “Yeah, it’s not. None of this is.”

He took a moment to choose his next words carefully.

“No pressure, okay? Just sayin’… there’s always a way. And I’ll gladly be your vehicle to that damned space station, however you want it to go down in the end. If it means one less hurdle on the way to a cure. On the way to get the chance to grow old together.”

Finally, V’s expression softened a bit again.

“You think I should go for it?” he asked.

“You don’t need my permission, Vince,” Kerry chuckled softly, thumb against V’s chin, tracing the fine black tattoo reminiscent of wings decorating it, “I just know, if someone could pull it off, it’s you. Never met anyone as strong-willed, not even fucking Johnny Silverhand. So, no… Not gonna take you to the Philippines… unless it’s to celebrate the end of my successful world tour and you being free of any pain and other symptoms for at least a year.”

V sighed but smiled.

“Honestly, just tempted to say yes because I wanna see you try and convince Lee of this being a good plan.”

“Ha!” Kerry laughed, “Way ahead of ya. Gonna beat the fucker in his own game by making him believe he gets everything he wants when in fact he’s just a means to an end.”

V raised his eyebrows.

“Wow, look at you scheming like a professional… I’m impressed.”

“Learned from one of the best,” Kerry said with a wink, and now V finally smiled and let himself be guided into a brief kiss, both of them still side-by-side on the lounge chair on the top of the MSM studio roof. Kerry had almost forgotten that he was here to work, actually.

“Fuck… how long we been here now? Don’t wanna go back down,” he sighed, now the one to cling to V the same way he had clung to him this morning. V held him, caressed his head, hand coming to a halt at Kerry’s shoulders to massage him gently.

“Didn’t go well today?” he asked.

“No, it did, actually,” he admitted, “But still.”

“Want me to come down with ya?”

Kerry laughed quietly.

“Almost thought you’d say, ‘want me to go down on ya’, and I wouldn’t say no to that either.”

V snorted and pushed him back playfully.

“You’re so stupid,” he snickered.

“Hm-mh. But I’m your stupid.”

V shook his head and smiled, gave Kerry another quick kiss, then slowly detangled himself from their embrace.

“C’mon,” he said holding out his hand, and together they went back down to the recording booth.

V kept his promise of being all Kerry’s for the remainder of the day. Even though, obviously, while Kerry was in the booth again for final revisions, V was on his phone a lot, planning the upcoming days for sure. When they left the studio together much later, the sun beginning to set, one big looming goal was finally crossed off Kerry’s personal to do list though: Shivers was finished.

“So proud of you,” V whispered as he kissed Kerry in the elevator taking them down to the parking garage. Kerry grabbed on to his waist and held him close. He half hoped for an encore of their latest elevator and parking garage escapades, but V withdrew again when the doors opened with a soft “ding” at the very bottom. V seemed to have the same thought though.

“Not yet,” he just whispered against Kerry’s neck, riling him up even more. Kerry grumbled but then put his arm around V and walked him to his car.

“How are you feeling now that it’s finished?” V asked as they were already on the road back to Watson, “And what’s gonna come next? Never been through the whole album release pipeline before.”

Kerry honestly wasn’t quite sure how he felt. Even though he would’ve preferred to finalize another song first over Shivers, he’d had been working on this forever, the first notes and lyrics coming to him at one of his lowest points the previous year. Long before he even knew V existed. And yet, their so far brief but even more so intense time together had tremendously shaped this final version of the song. Kerry tapped the steering wheel a couple of times, the bass line still on his mind, as he joined the evening rush hour traffic against his better judgement.

“Pumped, for sure. Relieved a bit, maybe…” he said, and threw a quick glance over at V, and their eyes met. V nodded and smiled gently. He got it, he got him. Without having to explain it any further, not asking any questions that only would’ve planted further doubts into his mind. Kerry’s heart made a little leap.

“The studio bosses usually throw a big party or somethin’ for this occasion?” V then asked and Kerry chuckled.

“Can bet your ass on that,” he said, “To stroke their own dicks in front of everyone, mostly. Prolly on Friday or Saturday, if nothing else is up already. And next week, well, the usual interviews and stuff… And there’s already plans for a music video!”

He bit his lip and looked at V briefly.

“If I get a say, it’s gonna be a bit different, too.”

“Oh, in how far?” V seemed genuinely intrigued.

“I’m picturing something simple, black and white,” Kerry explained his vision, “You know, raw, bare to the bone. Some sick closeups, playin’ with light and darkness. Lifting the fog and shadow of what was and revealing the new me. An opener for the whole album in multiple ways.”

V listened attentively.

“Sounds damn preem,” he then said, his injured hand coming down on Kerry’s thigh a little awkwardly, “Rootin’ for ya that you’ll get to do all that you wanna do with it. Also damn, always here for sick closeups.”

Kerry reached down to hold V’s hand as best as he managed.

“Even though you get sick closeups of me all day, whenever you want?”

“Can never get enough of you. And I love seein’ you on the big screens in the city, knowing that even though you’re everywhere out there, for the whole world to see, you’re also only mine. And I’m one of the few people that get to see the real you every day.”

Kerry tried to squeeze V’s hand, but the cast stopped him once more.

“Fuck… can’t wait for that thing to come off, finally,” he muttered, and V chuckled.

“Appointment’s all set for that, this Friday.”

“Thank fuck…”

V laughed, but then his tone grew more serious again.

“On that matter… we might not see much of each other this week.”

Kerry’s heart, after being so light and at ease, sank like a rock now. The cityscape raced past them, a rainbow of bright neon lights all around as the sun began to set in the west behind them.

“Got pretty much all tests and stuff scheduled now, I’ll probably spend more time at the Med Center than at home this week. Not looking forward to it.”

“Fuck…”

“Mh-hm. And… I’ll look into that Crystal Palace guy, too. Rogue knows, Nix’ is onto his ass already, a few of the others, too.”

Their conversation earlier about the gig had trailed off, they hadn’t quite reached a conclusion yet.

“Good… we’re going through with it then?” Kerry asked, trying to downplay his tension as best as he could. He was sure they could make it work, somehow, but of course he also worried about the undoubtedly high stakes. But Blue-Eyes was off the table, and dying on the Philippines, too. Time was running out.

“We’ll have to be so fucking careful. Plan this thoroughly from start to finish,” V said sternly, then turned back to Kerry, “And I can’t do this without you. Not just the getting to and back from the Crystal Palace. We need to have a solid plan of action for while we’re there, too. So, if you got any doubts...”

“No doubts,” Kerry said before he even had the chance to second-guess himself, “I gotcha. Whatever you need me to do, I’ll do it.”

V took a deep breath, nodded, closed his eyes.

“Alright. Okay, good,” he said, “I’ll ask in some favors here and there. And I’ll gladly help you with Lee, if he’s being difficult about this in some way.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle that fucker alright,” Kerry promised, his anger about his manager still far from subsided, “But also… how do you wanna go about it now?”

“What exactly?”

Kerry’s heart began to race again.

“Like… you wanna come as my bodyguard or… a little more officially?”

Dreaded silence, my old friend.

Kerry gripped the steering wheel tightly as they took the exit to Watson, neon lights fading behind them now. How officially known they wanted their relationship to be, had always been one of, if not the touchiest subject between them. Whether or not they made it public now or not didn’t really matter all that much, in the grand scheme of things. But Kerry realized that it mattered a lot to him right now. V’s decision wouldn’t impact their relationship in any way, Kerry would continue to love him regardless. But he’d be lying if he didn’t have a clear preference that so far had been clearly different from V’s. Additionally, V being so closed off the last few weeks didn’t help keeping the nagging voice in the back of Kerry’s mind as quiet as he would prefer it to be.

“I think…” V said slowly, “We’ve been over this too often already. So, not gonna repeat my points.”

Kerry swallowed, his shoulders tensing up again.

“Alright,” he pressed through gritted teeth, trying his best to keep his tone neutral, not have his disappointment show.

“But…” V added after a short pause, “You also made good points…”

Kerry looked over at him quickly. V stared off into the distance, but quite deliberately was Kerry’s impression. His hand was still resting on his leg, he hadn’t withdrawn, as he so often did when it came to this topic. Kerry didn’t want to turn away again, but he had to keep his eyes on the road. One car accident per month was enough.

“Ah, I dunno,” V said quietly then, “Do it however you wanna. Whatever you think works best.”

Kerry needed a moment to let his words sink in.

“You’re leaving it up to me?” he made sure.

“Yeah,” V nodded and turned back to look at him. Not far ahead their building came into sight.

“I trust you. I love you. I’m scared, but also… sometimes you gotta risk something to win something, right?”

“Damn right,” Kerry nodded, smiled and took V’s hand again, “Thanks, V.”

V chuckled.

“What for?”

“Everythin’. Trustin’ me. Believin’ me. And in me. Love ya.”

“Love ya, too.”

*****************

>> Next Chapter

*****************

Notes:

Oouuuhhhh this one has also been in the works for a while and man, that opening scene with Kerry's nightmare has been on my "wanna write" list forever, so happy I can finally share it!!

Also yes, some of you guessed it already, we're gonna go to the Crystal Palace soon - again xD If CDPR don't release a Crystal Palace DLC in the style of Mass Effect's Citadel DLC I gotta write it myself smh, sorry, can't help it! XD

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[movies-to-add-to-your-tbw]

Title: Bring It On

Rating: PG-13

Director: Peyton Reed

Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Jesse Bradford, Gabrielle Union, Sherry Hursey, Holmes Osborne, Clare Kramer, Nicole Bilderback, Tsianina Joelson, Shamari DeVoe, Natina Reed, Brandi Williams, Richard Hillman, Lindsay Sloane, Nathan West, Rini Bell

Release year: 2000

Genres: comedy

Blurb: The Toro cheerleading squad from Rancho Carne High School in San Diego has got spirit, spunk, sass, and a killer routine that's sure to land them the national championship trophy for the sixth year in a row...but for the newly-elected team captain, the Toros' road to total cheer glory takes a shady turn when she discovers that their perfectly-choreographed routines were stolen.

[hausofmamadas]

| The occupational hazards of living |

⁂

Narcos: Mexico/True Detective Crossover

Pairing: David Barrón & Rustin "Crash" Cohle & OC! Ziggy Morenas & OC! Ernesto "Chato" Quintana Colmenaro

For @narcosfandomdiscordNarcOctober - Day 22 - Day of Cross Pollination

Prompt: Create a fanwork that includes at least one Narcos character and at least one character from another fandom & fanwork with the plot or setting stolen from another fandom

Word count: ≈ 4.5K

TWs: Canon-consistent violence, Light Prison Racisms, swearing, racial slurs, drug use, references to trauma/domestic abuse, white supremacy ..? that’s a trigger, right?

The two most important things anyone can do is give life and take it. But with how often both happened, it seemed people didn’t consider the gravity of either near enough. Killing wasn’t a trifling thing. Barrón has had it up to here with these Neo-Nazis and Rustin Cohle is there to support his teaching them a lesson. Also a couple of notes: La Eme = the letter M but stands for Mexican Mafia carnal = (pronounced carnál) made man of La Eme, putting in work = Doing Crimes, particularly violent ones in service to La Eme, vica = vice president, usually of a prison cellblock llevero = keyholder/shotcaller, Eme carnal who oversees a specific geographic region outside prison or an entire prison camarada = non-made Eme members, affiliates crimie = (pronounced crim-ee) short for criminal contra = short for contraband la raza = literally the race, but more the community/the people (similar to gente but more exclusive)

… but first! Let’s meet the cast:

Ziggy

Chato

Ginger

⁂

The most startling thing about prison wasn’t the violence. If witnessing his first drive-by shooting when he was six didn’t acclimate Barrón quickly, his old man’s habit of bouncing him and Matteo off the walls certainly did. So, while the tactics and flavors were new, the violence wasn’t. He likened it to living in a war zone. If you panicked about every shell that blew a road to bits, you’d drop dead of a coronary in no time.

No, the most shocking thing about prison was the tribalism. As a plebito in Logan Heights, he had friends belonging to almost every ethnic group the melting pot of San Diego had to offer. The project neighborhoods were chock full of families of different races, countries, ethnicities: Samoan, Filipino, Black, Japanese, Mexican, Guatemalan, El Salvadorian, and the like. It didn’t matter where the neighbor kid’s family was from, when all they wanted to do was play like Bruce Lee from Way of the Dragon in the scrapyard across the street.

So, when he arrived at his first Youth Authority facility, Rancho Del Campo, just outside the dirt town of Tecate, and was told by some of the older Sureños about the “rules” against consorting with Black or White prisoners, he thought it was a joke.

“Wait, you fucking with me?”

“Nah, lil homie. Deader than dead serious,” Eddie Monstruo aka Eddie the monster, Eme vica for his block, set him straight.

“Even if I knew ‘em on the outside? I can’t just eat a meal with ‘em?”

Eddie shook his head in lamentation.

“Trade contra? Say hi? Nothing?”

“Nothing. Con la raza baila el perro, sin la raza bailas como un perro. And they won’t tell you twice, te lo juro, guey.”

He remembered thinking, Are you kidding? This is America. So indignant. What he wouldn’t give to be that green again. But what really bothered him was how the rules weren’t the same for everyone. Like how the Sureños were more simpatico with White prisoners because La Eme was aligned with the AB. Aryan Brotherhood.

He rarely saw White kids on the outside save for when he sold them dope down by the boardwalk. He sure as fuck didn’t have any whiteboy homies. Shoot, on the outside, whitey was The Man. So, it was a blow when he found out the camaradas were aligned with the AB. The way it was explained to him, the Sureños did it out of “necessity” because of the longstanding alliance between the Norteños and Black Guerrilla Family. Norteños, or Nuestra Familia, were Eme’s sworn enemy. Sometime in the 70s, the top carnals saw the need to boost their profile and numbers with a similar alliance, so they took up with the AB.

Barrón never said shit, but the AB didn’t sit right with him. For guys who were supposedly the “cream of the crop,” the “superior” race, they were really a bunch of lazy, disorganized hicks. They talked a lot of shit about the white race being the “one true people,” “purest of the pure,” acted like they shit gold. But then they had to be off-this-planet high on whatever the crank of the month was, just to put in work. That, or they shot up places indiscriminately. No creep to ‘em. Worse yet, no concern for bystanders.

Barrón knew everyone in the game skated a line of amorality, but he drew a few more lines for himself. One from the beginning: at all possible costs, no bystanders. The other line came with time. After he’d been around the block some, he stopped getting blasted on dope and booze before a hit. He didn’t begrudge some of the guys that did and he had his fair share of early jobs where those gears needed greasing. But after a while, being spun on top of spun felt disrespectful. To the job. To his victims.

The two most important things anyone can do is give life and take it. But with how often both happened, it seemed people didn’t consider the gravity of either near enough. Killing wasn’t a trifling thing. So, what did it say about him if he tried to escape, check out by getting high? What did it say if he couldn’t, with his full faculties and finger on the trigger, look the person in the eye and feel the depth of what he was about to do?

There was no off the hook. Actions have consequences. Guilt and remorse? They were occupational hazards of living if your brain was wired like it was supposed to be. He knew there was a worthy place for him in hell. The least he could do was be an adult about it. It’s not that he fancied murder an honorable business. He just hated cowards and hypocrites. That’s why he hated the AB.

That and they just plain sucked. Best way to ruin a party? Be sure to invite the neo-nazis.

The last time he agreed to work with an AB affiliated outfit was a few years after he got out of San Quentin. The Logan Heights llevero, his old homie Mando, called on Barrón to help some biker gang take back one of their stash houses. Apparently, some AB higher-up named Geronimo Jerry was collecting on a favor Mando owed from back when they did time in Folsom. To pay up, Mando put together a team to back Jerry’s guys up, but a couple of his original soldiers got dropped by the cops and another got arrested, and he needed replacements for the six man operation. The minute Barrón heard whiteboys were involved, he tried to get out of it. But Mando was a full-blown Eme carnal by then, a made-man of the Mexican mafia.

Barrón had seen The Godfather countless times as a kid, one of his dad’s favorites. One of the few good things he could remember about the man at all. At five years old, he thought it entirely innocent when Vito said in that whisper of a voice, “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.” Like Vito was offering Woltz a deal so sweet, he couldn’t pass it up. It wasn’t till later on, when Mando asked him to do this job that Barrón got what Vito Corleone really meant. When a carnal said “jump,” he had no choice. He was locked in.

Thankfully, the two others Mando put on it were Barrio LH guys Barrón already knew. He and Chato had been buds since back in YA and had already done plenty of rip-n-runs together. He’d never worked a job like this with Ziggy Morenas but Ziggy was a known quantity around Shelltown as a reliable soldado. He was also Matteo’s best friend since grade school, so naturally, when they were old enough to start puttin’ in work, they did it together. Matteo only ran with the best and taught Barrón to do just the same.

But it was tricky with Ziggy. Barrón got along with him fine but they’d never been close per se. Unofficial Big Bro Ziggy might’ve been more accurate. Still, when Matty died, they fell out for a bit. They’d only reconnected recently because Ziggy started going out with one of Cheli’s friends, Leó. Even then, the void of Matty was always there. A void they shared but could never relate to each other through. Plus, competent a soldado as he was, the thing about Ziggy? He could be a little serious even for Barrón’s liking, which was saying something. Frankly, Ziggy could be a downright prickly motherfucker. All that noise aside though, he’d take serious over reckless any day. There was no mistaking Chato and Ziggy were solid guys.

The AB crew, on the other hand. Well truly, he’d never seen a more unprofessional group of crimies, save one of their affiliates Barrón had met a few times before, a bony-faced, severe-looking guy named Rust who went by Crash. He had the rangy, haunted look of a starved alley cat and commanded an Ivy League vocabulary that, through a watered-down Texas drawl, betrayed just how whip-smart he was. He also seemed to be the only one who could hold his liquor and his crystal, a fact alone that should’ve meant he was the one calling the shots. Unfortunately for them, the actual “leader” of this mess was a brawny, bald guy with too-wide, glassy blue eyes and a long, braided, red beard, who they fittingly called Ginger.

The “safe house” they met at was a piece of shit, rundown bungalow owned by Jerry. Outside, it looked like an elementary school portable. Inside, it was a hoarder’s paradise. When Barrón, Chato, and Ziggy arrived, there were group of about nine or ten guys huddled around Ginger at a foldable picnic table in the kitchen area. Crash was the only one off to the side, smoking by himself in the corner.

As the three of them passed through the living room to join the AB guys, Barrón was overwhelmed by the stench of cat piss, lighter fluid, and an amalgam smoke mixture of PCP and cigarettes. The shag carpet was crawling with roaches and littered with cigarette butts, stag mags, and Skymall catalogs. And fuck finding a place to sit. Barrón had to slide clothes and stacks of papers off the arm of a dank couch that jutted into the dining area just to lean against it. Chato and Ziggy opted to share the edge of the coffee table facing the kitchen.

They all watched as Ginger laid out the half-assed plan they cooked up. Barrón caught Crash out of the corner of his eye, whose gaunt face seemed caught between an apology and a defeated look of warning, like he was telegraphing the breath and time he’d already wasted trying to reason with these idiots and that he shouldn’t be bothered.  

When it became clear these morons hadn’t done any legwork beforehand, Barrón asked if they had an alternate route to get out of the complex they were hitting in case they got boxed in. “Only one way in and out? In only one car?”**

Eyes buzzing with a kind of feral, wildcard edge that didn’t instill the slightest confidence, Ginger nodded slowly, licking excess coke off the edge of a credit card.

Ziggy too, looked unamused, the tell-tale whites of the skin spreading over his knuckles, visible as his hands balled into fists. Chato noticed too because he and Barrón exchanged uneasy glances.

Dropping some well-timed Spanish, intended only to be understood by the three of them, “Es lo que ya les pregunté. Todo se fija a ser un espectáculo de mierda,” Crash floored the whole room before calmly taking a drag from his cigarette like an asthmatic on his inhaler.  

A big guy named Mitch leaned over close enough to graze Barrón with his beard, and freebase-exhaled this poetry, “We hit trouble? Just gotta fuck it in the ass. Scoop out the soft brains and eat right out the skull.”**

One of the strangest attempts at reassurance Barrón had ever heard. Like he agreed, Crash scoffed at Mitch and rolled his eyes. Homie knew shit was about to go down. Probably because Ziggy looked like he was about to pop his lid. Barrón choked back a chuckle of surprise that Ziggy didn’t slug the fat fuck in the face, right then and there. It wouldn’t have been out of character. Or unwarranted.

Because this was typical AB. These guys never bothered to come up with a plan. They never needed one. Life cut them all the breaks and of course it did. They’d designed it that way.

But as fate would have it, Barrón was actually one to break. He’d reached his limit and put one of their guys down with a bullet in both kneecaps. It was after he questioned their exit strategy.

Some skinny dude, a guy called Whizbang, who’d been spun for probably 48 straight hours, accused him of asking too many questions. Undeniable proof he was an undercover cop. Funny thing was, this moron wasn’t even gonna be part of the actual boost.

“This spic doesn’t say shit the whole time. Now he’s askin’ about tactics? Shifty-eyed motherfucker hasn’t touched shit since we got here.” Whizbang pointed to the curated assortment of drug paraphernalia next to the assault weapons on the table. “What’s wrong? You some kinda beaner cop, ese?” He pronounced it ‘ess-ay.’

Barrón met him with a wall of inscrutable nothing.

The little creep walked over slowly. “You laughin’ at me motherfucker?” Funny, ‘cause he wasn’t even close to smiling.

Relaxed as ever, he drowned the room in a silence that put everyone’s hackles up. Especially Ginger, whose eyes couldn’t get any wider, the whites of his eyes near engulfing his eye-sockets, swallowing his irises along with those pinprick-sized pupils. The look of bored resignation Crash wore every other time Barrón crossed paths with him was now replaced with a smirk of satisfaction; someone who walked through life craving the unexpected and getting more than he’d bargained for.

“Got nothin to say, huh? C’mon Sancho, prove you’re not a cop.”

As he drew closer, he tried his level best to look menacing or as menacing as anyone named Whizbang might hope to be. Patience wearing thin, Barrón’s wall broke and he rolled his eyes and looked off to the side, muttering against gritted teeth and his better judgement, “Can’t believe we have to deal with this shit.”

Whizbang didn’t seem to notice. “Let’s go Sancho, talk or take a bump. Show us you’re not a cop.”

Almost close enough to be nose-to-nose now, he took out a dimebag of what looked like PCP from the pocket of his kutte and waved it in front of Barrón’s face. No one but Ziggy and Chato caught his hand nearing a spot at the base of his back.

Eyes blazing like molten tar, nostrils flared, it was a preamble, simple and quick. “You talk too much.”

Then before anyone could blink, two loud pops and poor, skinny-ole Whizbang crumpled to the floor, howling and clutching his knees as blood spurted out all over his hands and seeped through his jeans onto the carpet. Barrón fixed his nine millimeter on Whizbang’s face, trying to decide if he was going to let the skidmark live. But, spotting a wooden crate on the floor next to the table, he aimed there instead.

A moment of stunned silence passed, until everyone realized what he was aiming at and then all the AB guys scrambled for the weapons on the table. Everyone except Crash who was laughing at the ground now, unperturbed and cracked-in-the-head in a way that indicated the guy had seen some shit in his life. What it was, Barrón could only guess.

Crash cut through the chaos with a whistle and a, “tsk tsk, I’d think on that, boys.”

They all froze and looked at him, then at Barrón, then to the barrel of his gun, then to the wooden crate that was filled with over a dozen live grenades, then back at Barrón. Just to hammer the point home, Barrón shot right, then left, on each side of the crate.

The AB guys looked green. Chato and Ziggy looked torn between panic and hysterical laughter, though he swore he detected a hint of approval on Ziggy’s face. Crash looked on the verge of straight-up applause. Based on the sheer glee this little turn of events brought him, he couldn’t have been with the AB. That must be why he wasn’t in charge.

Looking Ginger square in the eye, Barrón explained, voice quiet and even, “We do this my way or I can nuke us all, right now.” He waited a beat but stunned-stupid Ginger still said nothing. “So Chief, what’ll it be?”

Crash ventured, smirking with an I-told-you-so superiority only somewhat softened by the drawl, “Far be it from me to speak out of turn, here, Ginger. But based on the last few months I just spent in Ojinaga and Juarez, uh– I’d say– well, yeah, just– you’d be wise to take these motherfuckers serious, right brother.” He tacked on brother like an afterthought, maybe to soften the blow or maybe just to sound like a condescending prick. Somehow it worked on both fronts.

Ginger stared at the ground and clenched his jaw so hard it looked like it might dislocate. Then spat out, “Fine. Fuckit,” rolling his head around, glaring through half-lidded eyes, “what does Big Beaner over here propose?”

And just like that, Barrón was in charge.

So, of course then, the heist went off without a hitch.

∴

After the job was done, the loot counted and distributed among all interested parties back at the safe house, everyone exchanged tense, albeit still-amicable goodbyes; good will engendered, no doubt, by fact that the whole thing went off seamlessly. Still, Crash was the only whiteboy to shake their hands.

“Nifty little stunt you pulled there. I’d call you a crazy motherfucker, if you hadn’t saved me the headache of getting my ass greased,” he turned around to look over at Ginger’s crew, back to snorting PCP off the foldout table with plastic straws, “and buried six-feet-under with these fuckin’ imbeciles.”

Barrón smiled and nodded diffidently.

Chato spoke up for the first time since they’d gotten back. “Hey, we’re ’boutta grab some grub before we head back to give the lowdown to the big homie—” Crash nodded at Chato like he knew exactly who Mando was. And maybe he did, since he didn’t seem to be rolling with the AB. Just another soldier filling out the ranks like them. “—wanna roll out with us?”

“Sheeit.” Eyes alight with a crystal-meth vigilance that would’ve been off-putting if he weren’t so devil-may-care all the time, Crash surveyed the room, and shrugged. “Beats climbing the walls here with these assholes. Yeah, lemme take you up on that, buy you friendlies a round somewhere.”

Barrón smiled at Chato, little social butterfly. He, himself, would never have thought to invite the guy, but he was glad Chato did. Following Chato’s lead, he asked Crash, “Yo, you need a ride?”

“Nah, I’ll follow on my bike. Y’all know what’s good.”

The three of them looked at each other blankly until Ziggy offered, “Stoney’s?”

“Any place with booze’ll do just fine.”

“Oh, but we gotta make a pit stop at Micky D’s.”

They all looked at Chato like he’d been an extraterrestrial this whole time, and they’d only noticed just now.

“What?” He asked earnestly. “I want a McFlurry.”

They all just kept staring at him.

“Well, they don’t have McFlurries at Stoney’s, obviously.” Like they were the dumbest people on the planet.

Amused, Crash chuckled, shaking his head. “Can’t say I’m in a position to judge, but he’s an odd duck, ain’t he.”

“Aight.” Ziggy cracked a rare smile, the kind really only Chato or Matty could get him to do. “Let’s get the kid a McFlurry. Then Stoney’s.”

The three of them piled into Barrón’s Monte Carlo and rolled out. Crash chugged behind on his Harley.

The crowd at Stoney’s was just starting to pick up, so they opted for the open seats at the bar on the patio.

“First round’s on me.” Crash flagged down the bartender. “What’s everyone’s poison.”

Barrón put his hand on his chest, “Corona,” then pointed to Ziggy. “Y tú, qué?”

Ziggy looked up from the spot on the bartop he had been mean-mugging since they sat down, “Oh, uh—” then glanced at Chato next to him, who was gazing, lost in love, into his McFlurry cup, spooning bite after bite into his mouth, and just ordered for him. “Well, for the lady, a tequila sunrise and me? I don’t— eh, fuck it. Shot of tequila. Nothing fancy.”

Narrowing his eyes, Crash regarded them like he’d been conducting a study that yielded some unexpected results, then passed the order on to the bartender.

When they had their drinks, Crash finally asked what was probably on everyone’s mind. “So, contestame eso,” he slid into Spanish, unclumsily but not entirely without effort. “Ya tango que saberlo. Back there. That just a performance? Or would you’ve done it?”

Somewhat blindsided, less by the question than by who was asking it, Barrón struggled to hide his surprise while he tongued the inside of his cheek, searching for an answer. He got the impression for some reason that Crash could take the truth. There was a hard-lived, stretched-thin quality to him, evidence of a man, unmoored, maybe a bit unhinged, operating at the edge of life itself. But he didn’t want to spook Chato.

And the truth was well, he didn’t actually know. Not then and not now. He didn’t need to because of what he did know: things never would’ve gotten that far. It was a play and the play would’ve worked, even without Crash’s helpful advice to Ginger. Because those AB guys? They were always chickenshit.

Okay, so there. That was an answer. Why didn’t he just say that?

Maybe because of what he wasn’t certain of. That if he’d misjudged the situation, if it hadn’t worked, would he have tried their luck and pulled the trigger anyway? Nah, but he knew that too. Yeah, he would’ve. He meant it. Or at least a part of him. Had to be serious for them to take it serious.

But he settled on equivocation. “What d’you think?”

Ball back in Crash’s court, and the way his jaw cocked to the side, it was clear he wasn’t much for accepting non-answers for answers. “What do I think? Well, what’s the use in asking if I already know?”

Fair enough.

An impatient Ziggy piped up, turning to Barrón. “Quién se cree que es, este pinshe gringuillo?” But before Crash could answer, Ziggy swiveled back around and laid it out for him. “If he hadn’t meant it, we would’ve gone along with their cracked, cracker-ass plan. And if we went along with their plan, we’d either be in jail or riddled with bullets right now, probably buried in the middle of some dirt lot along with those crusty hicks. Okay?”

Huh. Ziggy, having his back like that, defending him. That was … nice, new. Unphased though, Crash put his hands up in armistice. “I ain’t complainin’ insofar as I’m curious as to the level of commitment to the bit.”

“Alright,” Barrón said in a sigh. “Yeah, I meant it. Had to, didn’t I?”

Finally, that seemed enough truth to humor Crash, as he nodded, mouth cocked up in a smug half-smirk, and took a swig of his bourbon. Barrón saw it then. Este güey knew it all along but wouldn’t be satisfied unless it was said out loud. Ziggy scowled and rolled his eyes, maybe still irritated that Crash had asked in the first place. But probably more resentful that he’d folded so quick, telling this outsider the truth.

Poor Chato seemed to be the only one taken by surprise, as he froze mid-bite, eyes wide, plastic spoon hanging out of his mouth. And all of a sudden Barrón and Ziggy busted up laughing. With less investment but still in on the joke, Crash couldn’t stop himself chuckling too. As they all sat there, in varying levels of stitches, Chato just looked at them all, confused. Until he realized the joke was how ridiculous he looked, and then he cracked up right along with them.

When they settled down, Barrón wiped tears from his eyes while Chato contentedly sipped on his tequila sunrise, and Ziggy flagged the bartender again for another shot.

The bartender brought his shot and Ziggy knocked it back before asking Barrón, “Yo,” voice thick as he swallowed hard, “should we work on getting our story straight? Like, what do we tell Mando?”

Chato glanced nervously at Ziggy, agreeing, “Yeah, like are we gonna tell how you kneecapped that skinny guy–“

“Whizbang,” Crash cut in to remind them his name, as if it mattered.

“–and threatened to blow the whole crew away?”

Staring ahead at all the bottles lined up on shelves, lit technicolor by the bar lights, Barrón said cooly, “Is that what happened?”

Brows furrowed, Chato looked from Barrón, to Ziggy, to Crash, then back to Barrón. “Yo, is this a trick question or—?”

“No fool,” Ziggy shot him a disgruntled look. “It’s not a trick question. And yea, fool, that’s what happened.”

“So, that’s what we tell him.”

Chato couldn’t compute, looking at Barrón like he’d sprouted a second smaller, uglier head. With an air of amused cynicism, Crash watched the three of them bickering, citizens in the town square like they were on Court TV.

“Woahwoahwoah,” Chato practically gurgled with a mouth full of McFlurry, “you forreal right now?”

“Look, Jerry and Mando go way back. He’s gonna hear about it. Best he hears direct. Besides, you can’t lie to a carnal when you go off the reservation like that.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Barrón saw Ziggy’s head gravely bobbing up and down in agreement.

Chato was still in disbelief. “Dude, he’s gonna cap you right there on the spot.”

“Actions have consequences,” Barrón explained simply, keeping his eyes fixed ahead. “I’ll see that it doesn’t blow back on you. S’on me.”

Ziggy seemed comfortable in resignation at the prospect of Mando losing his shit on Barrón. Chato was still unconvinced. Pobre was genuinely concerned for him.

Assessing Chato with something like doomed admiration, Crash pointed out, “Milkshakes aside, kid’s got the kinda heart they don’t teach in school.” Then looking around at all of them like the thought just dawned on him, he asked, “How old are you guys, anyway?”

Index finger pointing at his chest, Ziggy said flatly, “Twenty one, last month,” then pointed to Chato, “nineteen,” then to Barrón who finished for him, “eighteen.”

Crash whistled, “Sheeit. And I thought I didn’t have childhood.”

Chato still looked ill at ease. In an effort to cheer him up, Barrón quipped, “No hay tos, compa. I’m living on borrowed time anyway. Shoot, I was ready to die— what,” he smirked and glanced at the clock hanging above the doorway that led from Stoney’s patio back inside, “three hours ago?”

Chato gave him the side-eye but must’ve worked a little bit because his shoulders weren’t crunched up by his ears as much.

After a few minutes of silence, something occurred to Barrón. “Hey, why’d you ask?”

Crash downed the remainder of his bourbon in one big gulp and came back up smiling like he was waiting for that exact question to be asked. He set the empty glass upside down on the bar, and pulled out a cigarette, tapping the tip of it on the bottom of the glass, before putting it to his lips and lighting up.

Through another one of those deep, asthmatic drags, voice thick, he said, “Well, I was jus’ thinking, the kinda nuts it takes, going off book like that? But the three of you still kept your cool. Level headed nutjobs are hard to find. So, might be I got another job for you boys. If you’re interested. And Mando’ll lend you.”

Well that stumped them, as they stood there, puzzled looks on all their faces because actually who the fuck was this guy? And did he know Mando? Or he was just a that good a listener?

Crash gave them a wily look through the two thick columns of smoke that poured from his nostrils. “Y’all ever heard of a guy by the name of Amado Carrillo Fuentes?”

They came back at him with nothing but crickets.

“You might know him as El Senior de los Cielos.”

That’s when Barrón knew he’d sized this guy up correct. Crash, Rust, whoever this guy was, dropping a big name like that, guaranteed he’d seen and done some shit in his life.

And now, evidently, he was looking for business partners. Or maybe a couple of suckers. Which one would depend on whatever came out of his mouth next.

═

** indicates lines robbed directly from True Detective (Because you know I wish I came up with that soft brains line but alas, I am no Nic Pizzolato)

taglist: @narcolini @narcosfandomdiscord

[jonnychuone]

English

Akaruitale grillby: male(his flaim color is dark blue and Purple) he owns his own bar that sell beer, food and drugs in the back at night is adult night with his own club in the basement.

Sans has it own tap at his bar and usually get drunk on ranch and modelo negra. He always willing to take him home, at time he give sans drugs to or weed.

He also the evacuation leader in cast of genocide and will fight you if you bump into him hotlands.

Español

Akaruitale grillby: hombre (su color llamativo es azul oscuro y morado) es dueño de su propio bar que vende cerveza, comida y drogas en la parte de atrás por la noche es noche de adultos con su propio club en el sótano.

Sans tiene su propio grifo en su bar y suele emborracharse con rancho y modelo negra. Siempre está dispuesto a llevarlo a casa, en ocasiones le da sin drogas ni marihuana.

También es el líder de evacuación en el elenco de genocidio y luchará contra ti si te topas con él en tierras calientes.

[rudranshsinha]

"Learning to Thrive: 3 Idiots - A Journey of Friendship and Fulfillment"

"3 Idiots" is an iconic Bollywood film that continues to inspire and touch hearts since its release in 2009. Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, the film features an ensemble cast led by Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Boman Irani. Set against the backdrop of an esteemed engineering college, the movie beautifully captures the trials and triumphs of friendship, self-discovery, and the pursuit of true happiness.

Why "3 Idiots" is a Journey Worth Celebrating:

"3 Idiots" is an extraordinary journey that resonates with audiences for several compelling reasons. Firstly, it goes beyond the stereotypical college narrative, offering a poignant reflection on societal pressures, academic stress, and the importance of pursuing one's passion. The film's central message of following one's dreams instead of conforming to societal expectations strikes a powerful chord with viewers of all ages.

The film's heart lies in the profound bond of friendship shared by its three protagonists - Rancho, Farhan, and Raju. Their camaraderie, humor, and unwavering support for each other throughout life's trials embody the true essence of friendship. As they navigate the complexities of life and education, "3 Idiots" reminds us of the significance of genuine connections and the strength they bring during the toughest times.

"3 Idiots" also shines through its exceptional performances, especially Aamir Khan's portrayal of the enigmatic Rancho. His charisma, wit, and wisdom make Rancho an unforgettable character, and Aamir's portrayal adds layers of depth to the film's narrative. The cast's chemistry and brilliant performances make the movie a heartwarming and relatable experience for all.

The Film's Resonance:

"3 Idiots" strikes a chord with viewers not only for its universal themes of friendship and perseverance but also for its celebration of the joy of learning and the pursuit of true knowledge. The film encourages us to question the norms, embrace creativity, and forge our unique paths to achieve fulfillment. Its uplifting narrative ignites the flame of inspiration within, motivating us to pursue our passions fearlessly and live life on our own terms.

Furthermore, "3 Idiots" touches upon the importance of compassionate and unconventional teaching methods. The film's depiction of the unorthodox teaching style of Professor Viru Sahastrabuddhe, fondly known as "Virus," played brilliantly by Boman Irani, contrasts sharply with the free-spirited and innovative approach of Rancho. This stark contrast prompts us to reflect on the transformative power of educators who inspire curiosity and passion in their students, rather than merely adhering to rigid academic syllabi. "3 Idiots" challenges the traditional notions of education and advocates for a more inclusive and nurturing environment that fosters creativity and critical thinking, leaving an enduring impact on how we perceive the role of education in shaping our lives.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, "3 Idiots" stands as a cinematic masterpiece that has left an indelible mark on the hearts of audiences worldwide. With its celebration of friendship, wisdom, and the pursuit of true happiness, the film encourages us to break free from societal constraints and embrace our individuality. Through the remarkable journey of its "three idiots," the film reminds us to cherish true friendships, embrace lifelong learning, and strive for fulfillment in every aspect of life. "3 Idiots" is more than a movie; it is a heartfelt celebration of life's most profound values and an enduring source of inspiration for generations to come.

[toiletpotato]

Alaukik - The Missing Goncharov Adaptation

Martin Scorsese, creator of Goncharov (1973), greatly appreciated Indian cinema. Thus, it is of no surprise that over a decade later, he decided to bring his best film to an industry that had influenced him so greatly.

In 1990, Scorsese made the journey to Mumbai (then Bombay) to meet with renowned director, Yash Chopra, of Yash Raj Films. He had plans to adapt Goncharov for an Indian audience. It was initally planned to be made years earlier, with Amitabh Bachchan and Anupam Kher leading the film.

Though, with the 1990 version, Scorsese allowed Chopra to take great artistic liberty. Chopra cast two unknowns, Shahrukh Khan and Kajol Mukherjee, in the equivalent roles of Goncharov and Katya. The roles were renamed to Rahul Alaukik and Pooja Khanna. The roles of Sofia and Andrey, now named Nisha Prasad and Rancho Singh, respectively, went to Madhuri Dixit and Aamir Khan who would go on to star in Dil that same year.

Unlike the original, Alaukik really leans into the bisexual polycule subtext, which was near unheard of for Indian cinema at the time and even today. Sadly, the film harbored hard feelings for two of the male leads, seeding the feud between Khan and Khan that would come to an end with 2022's Laal Singh Chaddha. Nonetheless, the movie was extremely popular with both audiences and critics. It established many tropes present in Hindi cinema today, such one lover running towards the other who is on a moving train. This scene, between Khan's Alaukik and Khan's Singh later inspired a very similar scene between Khan and Mukherjee in 1995's Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. Instead of the bathhouse scene, Alaukik and Singh sit in a communal bathroom dancing in chairs that look like butts.

In a revision of Goncharov's death scene, Alaukik falls down a set of stairs, with no one around to save him. A small white dog named Buffy passes by and howls.

It shot Mukherjee and Khan to stardom and they would go onto star in many more movies together, all thanks to Scorsese's love of Indian cinema.

Alaukik changed the landscape of Hindi cinema and its legacy is seen throughout films of the time period and of the modern era.

Interestingly, one day on a visit to set, Scorsese noted that Shahrukh had a particularly good banter with an American extra, Leonardo DiCaprio. Years later, Scorsese would try to reunite the two with a movie called Xtreme City, but it never got made.

Alaukik would go onto inspire a number of Hindi adaptations of American films such as Dil Bole Hadippa!, Maqbool, Omkara, and Haider.

Sadly, Alaukik was never issued an international release despite Scorsese's involvement. The only reason anyone today knows about it is because a partial reel of film was found in the Maratha Mandir cinema when they were about to premiere Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.

I hope that one day we have more to show for this piece of work that launched the careers of some of India's most well known actors.

[papermoonloveslucy]

LUCY IN THE METAVERSE!

Lucy on Lucille / Lucille on Lucy

Lucille Ball created the Lucy character to live in a real world; a world also populated by movies stars, one of whom was film and radio performer Lucille Ball!  On rare occassion, the Lucy character dared to acknowledge the existence of her famous portrayer giving viewers a rare visit to the metaverse. Lucille believed that comedy was better if it stayed close to the truth. Her sitcoms are full of references to her own life and the lives of those around her - but that’s not enough to be Meta!  Here are some moments that transcend mere references and become self-referential! 

In 1946, Lucille Ball (the actress) met Lucille Ball (the filly), courtesy of jockey Johnny Longden. This meeting no doubt influenced Longden’s playing himself in “Lucy and The Loving Cup” (1957). 

~ META MAGAZINES ~

Lucille Ball was on the cover of a local edition of TV Guide (January 25, 1952), which was casually left on the coffee table during “Breaking the Lease” (1952).  

In “Ricky’s Life Story” (1953), the photo of Lucy ("That's a fine picture of my left arm!") holding Little Ricky, may actually be of Lucille Ball because the monogram on the blouse are the initials 'LB' - although it could be 'LR' as the lower part of the 'B' is blocked by the baby!. It could also be another person wearing Lucy’s blouse. Very meta!

When Look turned up in “Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio” (1952), the June 3, 1952, issue actually had Lucille Ball on the cover!  

Look was part of a 1952 flashback intro during Lucy’s pregnancy. Vivian Vance has her hand over Ball’s photo. Inside is an article by Desi Arnaz about his wife.

Another ‘meta’ magazine appearance was in “Ricky Has Labor Pains” (1953) where a pregnant Lucy is reading the January 1953 McCall's (January 1953), which clearly has a cover that say “Why I Love Lucy” by Desi Arnaz!  

~ META COSTUMES ~ 

Desi Arnaz was such a golf nut that he built a second home on the 17th fairway of the Thunderbird Golf Club in Rancho Mirage, California. Ricky Ricardo (an East Coast golfer) wore the Thunderbird insignia on his cap in “The Golf Game” (1954). Desi ad-libs a verbal mention of the club at the start of “The Charm School” (S3;E15) earlier in 1954. 

RICKY: “You know, the whole membership of the Thunderbird Club was around the 18th hole. All I had to do was make this measly two-foot putt to win, and I missed it!”

In “Lucy and Aladdin’s Lamp” (1971), Lucy Ricardo’s trademark blue polka dot dress turns up at Lucy Carter’s garage sale!  The dress is a visual Easter Egg but is never talked about. 

~ META MUSIC ~ 

For “Lucy’s Last Birthday” (1953), Ricky’s birthday present to Lucy is a song called “I Love Lucy.” In reality, viewers had been listening to the Eliot Daniel theme song for nearly two years, but the previously unheard lyrics by Harold Adamson were new.  

In “Job Switching” (1952), nine weeks before it was announced that Lucy Ricardo would have a baby, Ricky is heard idly whistling “There’s A Brand New Baby in Our House,” a song that Desi Arnaz wrote several years earlier for the birth of his daughter. When Ethel asks Ricky if he wrote the song, he replies that he wrote it for Lucy. But since Lucie and Lucy are pronounced the same, Desi  may be talking about his daughter!  

A few weeks later, in “Sales Resistance” (1953), Ricky sings the song in full, recording it on a reel to reel tape recorder in his living room. Coincidentally, the song was released on the B side of the “I Love Lucy” theme song. 

~ META CASTING ~ 

In “Don Juan is Shelved” (1955) Lucy thinks real-life Hollywood producer Dore Schary is an out-of-work actor so she hires him to pretend to be... Dore Schary! Schary was supposed to play himself in the episode, but backed out at the last minute and the role was recast with Phil Ober, marring the mega meta nature of the episode. An added layer of meta was added by casting Ober, who was married to Vivian Vance and was - at times - an “out-of-work actor.” 

Frank Nelson memorably played the exasperated train conductor dealing with Lucy Ricardo in “The Great Train Robbery” (1955), then reprised the role to deal with Lucy Carmichael when “Lucy Visits the White House” (1963). Since the conductor was never given a character name - it is possible he exists in both metaverses! 

William Frawley made his last scripted television appearance in “Lucy and the Countess Have a Horse Guest” (1965) as a horse trainer. When he is out of earshot, Lucy Carmichael turns the Countess (Ann Sothern) and says:

LUCY: “You know, he reminds me of someone I used to know.” 

Frawley spent nine years playing Fred Mertz on “I Love Lucy.”  

“Lucy The Gun Moll” (1966) is essentially a parody of Desilu’s crime drama “The Untouchables.” The meta madness is that the original actors (Robert Stack, Bruce Gordon, Steve London, and Walter Winchell) were cast, but the character names were changed to protect the innocent!  Lucy, as chanteuse Rusty Martin, even mentions the series title to pound the satire home. 

At the end of “Lucy Visits Jack Benny” (1974), the world’s most famous bus driver Ralph Kramden makes a wordless appearance. Jackie Gleason played the character on his variety show and the sitcom “The Honeymooners”, airing simultaneously with “I Love Lucy.”  Ball and Gleason collaborated on several specials. The meta world that contains Lucy Carter, Ralph also exists!

 ~ META REAL ESTATE ~ 

In “The Tour” (1956), the Beverly Hills home of Richard Widmark actually is the home of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.  A second unit film crew was sent to Roxbury Drive residence to film establishing shots of Lucy and Ethel walking up to the home. The actors, however, are not Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance, but identically dressed doubles!  

When “Lucy Sues Mooney” (1967) with the help of her wily lawyer Wally Wiley (Jack Carter), she gives her address as 780 Gower Street. This was the address of the Desilu Studios Production Offices. An extra layer of meta is added because Carter was best man at Ball’s wedding to Gary Morton. Lucy Carmichael also gives this as her address in “Lucy The Babysitter” (1967).

~ META MENTIONS ~

In “Baby Pictures” (1953) Charlie Appleby tries to impress the Ricardos about his TV station’s catalog of films:

CHARLIE: “We’ve got the newest moving pictures in town. I bought a block of films yesterday, and I want to tell you that they’re going to make television stars out of some of the actors. Now, just remember their names: Conway Tearle and Mabel Normand.”

Conway Tearle’s career bounced between Broadway and Hollywood. One of his last starring roles was in Hey Diddle Diddle, a play that premiered in 1937 featuring a 26 year-old Lucille Ball. The play was scheduled to open on Broadway, but closed after one week in Washington DC due to Tearle’s declining health. Had it succeeded, Ball’s career trajectory might have been very different! 

In 1967, TV producer and director Sheldon Leonard (who actually worked at Desilu), arranged to film a bank robbery at Mr. Mooney’s bank - but keeps it a secret from Lucy, naturally. The end of the episode turns very meta when Leonard says:

“I suddenly got this idea for a new television series. It would be about this kooky red headed girl. She works in a bank and she gets into all sorts of impossible situations and… ...forget it. Nobody would ever believe it!”

A guest appearance by Van Johnson in “Guess Who Owes Lucy $23.50?” (1968) is used as an opportunity to promote their recently released film Yours Mine and Ours, where Lucy plays the wife of Henry Fonda and Johnson their best friend.

VAN JOHNSON: “I loved working with that kooky redhead.” LUCY CARTER: “Personally, I thought she was much too young for Henry Fonda.”

During Lucille Ball’s third appearance on “The Carol Burnett Show” (1969) two flight attendants Finster (Carol) and Agnes (Lucille Ball) compete for a best employee award. They encounter a suspicious passenger (Harvey Korman) with a Fidel Castro-like beard, cigars tucked in his breast pocket, and a Spanish accent.

HOOPER (Lucy):“Where are you from, sir?  Havana?” PASSENGER (Korman): (alarmed) “Havana? What makes you think I’m from Havana?” HOOPER (Lucy):“Well, if it’s one thing I know, it’s a Cuban accent.”

This meta moment relies on the audience knowing that Lucille Ball had been married to Desi Arnaz, a Cuban immigrant, as was his sitcom spouse, Ricky Ricardo. In the late 1960′s hijacking planes to Cuba was headline news ripe for satire. 

When “Lucy Competes With Carol Burnett” (1970), she dresses like a charwoman identical to the one created by Burnett for “The Carol Burnett Show.” When Carol Krausmeyer (disguised as a hippie reporter) asks how Lucy Carter thought up such a crazy outfit. 

LUCY: “From some goofy dame on TV.”  CAROL: “Well, she must be some kind of nut!”

~ THE DESILU METAVERSE ~

Lucy Ricardo met Danny Williams (Danny Thomas) on a cross-over episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”;

Danny Williams drives through Mayberry and meets Sheriff Andy Taylor, which spawns “The Andy Griffith Show”;

“The Andy Griffith Show” is where the Gomer Pyle (Jim Nabors) character began before getting his own show. “Gomer Pyle USMC”;

Gomer Pyle turns up on “The Lucy Show,” although here she is Lucy Carmichael, not Lucy Ricardo (even though both women share the maiden name McGillacuddy). 

The outcome is that Lucy Ricardo and Lucy Carmichael exist in the same (TV) Metaverse! 

~ METAGRAPHS ~

In “Lucy The Gun Moll” (1966) Rusty Martin’s (aka Lucy) dressing room is decorated with black and white photographs of Lucille Ball performing. Behind Robert Stack is a photo of Ball singing “Jitterbug Bite” in the 1940 film Dance, Girl, Dance. She met Desi Arnaz while making this movie. It was filmed at RKO, the studio that became Desilu.  

When Kim decorates her room with posters of classic film stars in “Lucy and the Andrews Sisters” (1969), Lucy Carter finds a poster of Lucille Ball! She looks at it thoughtfully, is about to put it on the wall, and then says “Meh” and puts it down.  

When “Lucy Carter Meets Lucille Ball” (1974), the walls of Ball’s dressing room are covered with photos from the star’s real life, including one of her mother Dede.  

The black and white photo next to the door is from “The Lucy Show” episode “Lucy and Chris’s New Year’s Eve Party” (1962) where Lucy Carmichael did a silent movie sketch as Charlie Chaplin. So Lucille Ball is playing Lucy Carmichael who is playing Charlie Chaplin!

In 1975′s Lucille Ball special with Dean Martin, “Lucy Gets Lucky”, Lucy Collins admires a photo of Lucille Ball while walking through the Las Vegas MGM Grand Hotel’s Hollywood Hall of Fame.  

~ META MASTERPIECE ~

The ultimate visit to the Metaverse is the “Here’s Lucy” episode “Lucy Carter Meets Lucille Ball” (1974), in which Lucy, Kim, and Cynthia (Carole Cook) enter a Lucille Ball look-alike contest. 

With the assistance of split screens and doubles (the best technology available at the time, Ball played both roles - and was even billed accordingly! 

Lucy, Cynthia, and Kim both don caftans and dark wigs to emulate Ball’s look in her upcoming film Mame, although the film is never directly mentioned. Kim says that a lot of her friends think she looks like Lucille Ball.  

LUCY: “That's ridiculous. She's old enough to be your mother!”

And the winner is... 

...Lucy, naturally! 

[byneddiedingo]

Marlene Dietrich and Jane Wyman in Stage Fright (Alfred Hitchcock, 1950) Cast: Jane Wyman, Marlene Dietrich, Michael Wilding, Richard Todd, Alastair Sim, Sybil Thorndike, Kay Walsh, Miles Malleson, Hector MacGregor, Joyce Grenfell, André Morell, Patricia Hitchcock, Ballard Berkeley. Screenplay: Whitfield Cook, Alma Reville, based on a novel by Selwyn Jepson. Cinematography: Wilkie Cooper. Art direction: Terence Verity. Film editing: Edward B. Jarvis. Music: Leighton Lucas. The first stage of Marlene Dietrich's Hollywood career, when she was under the tutelage of Josef von Sternberg, ended with her being labeled "poison at the box office" by a disgruntled exhibitor in 1938, a label that helped push many of her contemporaries -- Greta Garbo, Norma Shearer, Luise Rainer -- into early retirement. Dietrich was made of sterner stuff, and after a celebrated turn entertaining American troops during World War II, she carved out a second film career by taking on character roles in films by major directors like Billy Wilder in A Foreign Affair (1948) and Witness for the Prosecution (1957), Fritz Lang in Rancho Notorious (1952), Orson Welles in Touch of Evil (1958), and Alfred Hitchcock in Stage Fright. Of these, the Hitchcock film is surprisingly the least memorable. It may be that Dietrich, who had learned everything she could about lighting and camera angles from Sternberg and cinematographers like Lee Garmes, was too much the diva for Hitchcock, who liked to be in control on his sets. But the fact remains that she is probably the most interesting thing about Stage Fright, a somewhat overcomplicated and sometimes scattered mystery in which we pretty much know whodunit from the beginning. Her appearances often come as a welcome relief from the rather tepid romantic triangle involving the characters played by Jane Wyman, Richard Todd, and Michael Wilding. Dietrich sings -- if that's the right word for what she does, being more diseuse than singer -- a few songs, including "La Vie en Rose" and Cole Porter's "The Laziest Gal in Town," and wears some Christian Dior gowns as Charlotte Inwood, the star of a musical revue in London, who bumps off her husband with the help of her lover, Jonathan Cooper (Todd), who is also the lover of a young student at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Eve Gill (Wyman). But Eve also gets caught up in the murder plot when she falls for the detective investigating the case, Wilfred Smith (Wilding). Also providing relief from the romantic plot are Alastair Sim and Sybil Thorndike as Eve's separated and slightly eccentric parents, and some funny cameos by Miles Malleson and Joyce Grenfell. There are some clever Hitchcockian moments, including a flashback that turns out to be a complete misdirection and some skillful tracking shots by cinematographer Wilkie Cooper. But Wyman, the only American-born member of  the cast, feels out of her element, and Wilding turns his character into a moonstruck milksop. (Whatever did Elizabeth Taylor see in him?)

[fanvisionstudios2004]

Over the Hedge: The Big Heist is an American computer-animated heist comedy film loosely based on the comic strip of the same name by Michael Fry and T. Lewis. Produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures, it is the sequel to Over the Hedge (2006). The film is directed by Joel Crawford and co-directed by Karey Kirkpatrick from a screenplay written by Paul Fisher, Bob Logan, and Kirkpatrick and produced by Bonnie Arnold. The music for the film was composed by Heitor Pereira and songs were written by Ben Folds.

In the film’s ensemble voice cast, Steve Carell, Wanda Sykes, Thomas Haden Church, Allison Janney, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Avril Lavigne, and Omid Djalili reprised their roles from the first film, with the exception of Bruce Willis (who retired from his acting career in 2022), Gary Shandling (who passed away in 2016), William Shatner, and Nick Nolte, all of whom are replaced by Stephen Stanton, Drew Massey, and Jess Harnell.

Based on the storyline of the 2006 tie-in video game, the film follows RJ, Hammy, Verne, and the gang, who feel that they need to have more things for the log. This leads them on a wild romp through six different areas to snatch different things while avoiding the Verminator during their heist, who tries to defeat them by using a mind-controlled vermin he has captured as his henchmen.

A sequel to Over the Hedge was first announced, with Karey Kirkpatrick returning and Joel Crawford helming the project. As with DreamWorks' previous films The Bad Guys and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, the inspiration for the film's animation style came from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which gives it a visual style that resembles storybook illustrations. To make the film look like a comic strip, the team focused more on a Peanuts Movie style design by using new technology, different than what it was in the first film, which utilized the realistic style like Shrek (2001).

The film received positive reviews from critics, with praise for its animation, voice acting, writing, and humor, with many deeming it superior to its predecessor.

Cast

Steve Carell as Hammy, a hyperactive American red squirrel.

Wanda Sykes as Stella, a short-tempered, sassy stripped skunk.

Thomas Haden Church as Dwayne LaFontant, an over-zealous, middle-aged pest exterminator nicknamed the "Verminator".

Allison Janney as Gladys Sharp, the president of the El Rancho Camelot Estates Home Owners Association.

Eugene Levy as Lou, a North American porcupine and Penny’s husband.

Catherine O’Hara as Penny, a North American porcupine and Lou’s wife.

Avril Lavigne as Heather, a Virginia opossum and Ozzie’s teenage daughter.

Omid Djalili as Tiger, a Persian cat and Stella’s fiancé.

Stephen Stanton as RJ, a duplicitous, selfish, con artist, and extremely intelligent raccoon, and Ozzie, a Virginia opossum and Heather’s father.

Drew Massey as Verne, a naturally cynical ornate box turtle and leader of the foragers.

Jess Harnell as Vincent, a murderous, sadistic and conscienceless American black bear.

Shane Baumel, Sami Kirkpatrick, and Madison Davenport as Spike, Bucky and Quillo, Lou and Penny's three identical children. They appear through the use of previously-recorded material from the first film and the 2006 tie-in video game.

Brian Stephane as Nugent, an excitable Rottweiler whose only spoken word is "Play!". He otherwise communicates by barks.

Charlie Schlatter as Milton, a mole who is mind-controlled by Dwayne LaFontant.

[bravecompanynews]

Trump says he would withhold California fire aid unless Newsom 'signs those papers' - Journal Important Internet - #GLOBAL https://www.merchant-business.com/trump-says-he-would-withhold-california-fire-aid-unless-newsom-signs-those-papers/?feed_id=199517&_unique_id=66e5ea17a60cb Former President Trump painted a dystopian image of California as crime-ridden, water-starved and flooded with immigrants in the country illegally, which he cast as a warning about what will happen to the nation if Kamala Harris is elected president.“I’m here today in California with a very simple message for the American people: We cannot allow comrade Kamala Harris and the communist left to do to America what they did to California,” he told reporters Friday from his bluff-top golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes, with the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island in the background. “The state of California is a mess, with people leaving, and nothing’s gonna stop them.”Trump said if he were elected, he would stop sending California federal firefighting aid unless Gov. Gavin Newsom, whom he referred to repeatedly as “Newscum,” enacted his policy priorities on issues such as water and taxes.“Those fields are going to be all green instead of 1% green. And maybe even more important, you’re not going to have illegal immigrants pouring into your country and killing your family. You’re not going to have the problems that you have right now. We’re going to lower your taxes. … But with this group, everything is dead. … The water coming here is dead, and if he doesn’t sign those papers, we won’t give him money to put out all his fires. And if we don’t give him all the money to put out the fires, he’s got problems,” Trump said in response to a question about helping Americans struggling with natural disasters, such as wildfires in California, without specifying which papers he was referring to. “He’s a lousy governor.”Newsom responded on X that Trump was revealing who he was.“Every voter should be made aware of this. @realDonaldTrump just admitted he will block emergency disaster funds to settle political vendettas,” Newsom wrote. “Today it’s California’s wildfires. Tomorrow it could be hurricane funding for North Carolina or flooding assistance for homeowners in Pennsylvania. Donald Trump doesn’t care about America — he only cares about himself.”Despite losing the 2020 presidential by 5 million votes in California, the former president claimed he would win the state if votes were properly counted.“You don’t have an honest voting system. They send out millions and millions of ballots. They go all over the place,” he said. “You have a very dishonest system over here. If I ran with an honest vote counter in California, I would win California.”There is no evidence to suggest elections in California or any other state have been conducted improperly, and voters have overwhelmingly favored Democratic candidates in statewide votes for many years.Trump pledged to increase Californians’ access to water if elected.“I’m going to give you more water than almost anybody has, and the farmers up north are going to be able to use 100% of their land, not 1% of their land, and the water is going to come all the way down to Los Angeles, and you’re going to have more water than you ever saw,” Trump said. “So California, vote for Trump, and you’re going to have water, and you’re going to have growth, and you’re going to have prosperity.”In his first news conference since his debate with Harris on Tuesday, Trump spoke for more than an hour. He repeatedly railed at the moderators as biased, claiming he won — though post-debate polls suggest otherwise — and also pledged he would order mass deportations, starting in Ohio and Colorado, if elected.Ohio is the home of Springfield, which has a large population of Haitian immigrants. Trump claimed during the debate that they were eating people’s pets, an unfounded assertion that has been rebutted by local officials. Asked about the city receiving bomb

threats in the aftermath of his debate remarks, Trump said, “The real threat is what’s happening at our border.”Trump was repeatedly asked about his association with far-right activist Laura Loomer, who has earned the ire of some Republicans for promoting conspiracy theories and bigoted rhetoric.Before the debate, Loomer wrote on X that if Harris wins, “the White House will smell like curry & White House speeches will be facilitated via a call center.”Trump said he was unfamiliar with what Loomer wrote, but said she was a supporter and held strong opinions. When a reporter noted that Loomer had been seen traveling on his plane, Trump responded, “A lot of people do. It’s a very big plane.”During a news conference full of dark imagery and angry pronouncements, Trump also found time to brag about his golf course.“It’s world championship course, it fronts on the Pacific Ocean. … Very few courses front on the Pacific Ocean,” he said. “I have the ocean; Pebble Beach has the bay. The ocean’s better than the bay.” (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)Trump bought the golf course in 2002 for the discounted price of $27 million after the 18th hole fell into the Pacific three years earlier. The property played a role in Trump’s New York fraud trial, with the state attorney general suing Trump, three of his children and his company for allegedly inflating the club’s value and conservation easement as part of a broader lawsuit that included other Trump properties across the country.The former president is seeking to build as many as 23 homes around the golf course, which is a half-mile from the active slide area. His campaign said it was “monitoring” conditions in the city.The Harris campaign called Trump’s appearance “bizarre.”“Donald Trump took his trainwreck on the debate stage straight to California,” said campaign spokesman James Singer. “In a rambling, defensive, often incoherent event to promote his golf course, he yet again showed the country how he is melting down.”The golf course is in Rancho Palos Verdes, a city that is under a state of emergency issued by Newsom this month because of extreme land movement triggered by back-to-back rainy winters.Hundreds of homes nearby have had their electricity and gas cut off. Neighborhoods near the golf course are under a city-issued evacuation warning, with the fissured land moving about 9 to 12 inches a week and houses cracking and sliding off their foundations.John Cruikshank, the city’s mayor, met with Trump and spoke briefly about the need for state and federal aid to shore up the land.Trump was in the midst of a two-day fundraising swing through Harris’ home state. On Thursday, donors paid up to $250,000 to attend an event in Beverly Hills.The former president is scheduled to attend a Friday afternoon fundraiser in the Bay Area hosted by relatives of Newsom’s wife. Couples are being asked to pay up to $500,000 to attend the Woodside event hosted by Tom and Stacey Siebel. Tom Siebel is a billionaire software developer and businessman who has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Trump’s 2024 campaign and is a second cousin once removed of Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the Democratic governor’s wife.On Thursday, Trump called the debate “a monumental time,” telling an audience in Tucson that he won. He lambasted the moderators and falsely claimed Harris supports allowing babies to be killed after birth and wanted to confiscate people’s guns. He also hammered on immigration — one of his campaign’s top issues and an important one in the border state.“People said I was angry at the debate,” Trump said. “And yes I am angry, because he allowed 21 million illegal aliens invading our communities,” he added, apparently referring to President Biden.Trump announced a new economic plan, “no tax on overtime.” He has already called for an end to taxes on tips and on Social Security benefits.“That gives people more incentive to work,” Trump said about his new proposal. “The people who work overtime are

among the hardest-working citizens of our country, and for too long, no one in Washington has been looking out for them.”“Former President Trump presented a dystopian image of California as a warning about what would happen to the nation if Kamala Harris is elected president…”Source Link: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2024-09-13/2024-election-trump-rancho-palos-verdes-news-conference http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/g1307972fe28ea5fb947276ee8c90a69c5b0bb6a2e0806f4d106c2bfee2185bd70e803940793e1fc8330151cdac8a1b5fe7f.jpeg BLOGGER - #GLOBAL

[companyknowledgenews]

Trump says he would withhold California fire aid unless Newsom 'signs those papers' - Journal Important Internet https://www.merchant-business.com/trump-says-he-would-withhold-california-fire-aid-unless-newsom-signs-those-papers/?feed_id=199518&_unique_id=66e5ea1871d2b #GLOBAL - BLOGGER BLOGGER Former President Trump painted a dystopian image of California as crime-ridden, water-starved and flooded with immigrants in the country illegally, which he cast as a warning about what will happen to the nation if Kamala Harris is elected president.“I’m here today in California with a very simple message for the American people: We cannot allow comrade Kamala Harris and the communist left to do to America what they did to California,” he told reporters Friday from his bluff-top golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes, with the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island in the background. “The state of California is a mess, with people leaving, and nothing’s gonna stop them.”Trump said if he were elected, he would stop sending California federal firefighting aid unless Gov. Gavin Newsom, whom he referred to repeatedly as “Newscum,” enacted his policy priorities on issues such as water and taxes.“Those fields are going to be all green instead of 1% green. And maybe even more important, you’re not going to have illegal immigrants pouring into your country and killing your family. You’re not going to have the problems that you have right now. We’re going to lower your taxes. … But with this group, everything is dead. … The water coming here is dead, and if he doesn’t sign those papers, we won’t give him money to put out all his fires. And if we don’t give him all the money to put out the fires, he’s got problems,” Trump said in response to a question about helping Americans struggling with natural disasters, such as wildfires in California, without specifying which papers he was referring to. “He’s a lousy governor.”Newsom responded on X that Trump was revealing who he was.“Every voter should be made aware of this. @realDonaldTrump just admitted he will block emergency disaster funds to settle political vendettas,” Newsom wrote. “Today it’s California’s wildfires. Tomorrow it could be hurricane funding for North Carolina or flooding assistance for homeowners in Pennsylvania. Donald Trump doesn’t care about America — he only cares about himself.”Despite losing the 2020 presidential by 5 million votes in California, the former president claimed he would win the state if votes were properly counted.“You don’t have an honest voting system. They send out millions and millions of ballots. They go all over the place,” he said. “You have a very dishonest system over here. If I ran with an honest vote counter in California, I would win California.”There is no evidence to suggest elections in California or any other state have been conducted improperly, and voters have overwhelmingly favored Democratic candidates in statewide votes for many years.Trump pledged to increase Californians’ access to water if elected.“I’m going to give you more water than almost anybody has, and the farmers up north are going to be able to use 100% of their land, not 1% of their land, and the water is going to come all the way down to Los Angeles, and you’re going to have more water than you ever saw,” Trump said. “So California, vote for Trump, and you’re going to have water, and you’re going to have growth, and you’re going to have prosperity.”In his first news conference since his debate with Harris on Tuesday, Trump spoke for more than an hour. He repeatedly railed at the moderators as biased, claiming he won — though post-debate polls suggest otherwise — and also pledged he would order mass deportations, starting in Ohio and Colorado, if elected.Ohio is the home of Springfield, which has a large population of Haitian immigrants. Trump claimed during the debate that they were eating people’s pets, an unfounded assertion that has been rebutted by local officials. Asked about the

city receiving bomb threats in the aftermath of his debate remarks, Trump said, “The real threat is what’s happening at our border.”Trump was repeatedly asked about his association with far-right activist Laura Loomer, who has earned the ire of some Republicans for promoting conspiracy theories and bigoted rhetoric.Before the debate, Loomer wrote on X that if Harris wins, “the White House will smell like curry & White House speeches will be facilitated via a call center.”Trump said he was unfamiliar with what Loomer wrote, but said she was a supporter and held strong opinions. When a reporter noted that Loomer had been seen traveling on his plane, Trump responded, “A lot of people do. It’s a very big plane.”During a news conference full of dark imagery and angry pronouncements, Trump also found time to brag about his golf course.“It’s world championship course, it fronts on the Pacific Ocean. … Very few courses front on the Pacific Ocean,” he said. “I have the ocean; Pebble Beach has the bay. The ocean’s better than the bay.” (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)Trump bought the golf course in 2002 for the discounted price of $27 million after the 18th hole fell into the Pacific three years earlier. The property played a role in Trump’s New York fraud trial, with the state attorney general suing Trump, three of his children and his company for allegedly inflating the club’s value and conservation easement as part of a broader lawsuit that included other Trump properties across the country.The former president is seeking to build as many as 23 homes around the golf course, which is a half-mile from the active slide area. His campaign said it was “monitoring” conditions in the city.The Harris campaign called Trump’s appearance “bizarre.”“Donald Trump took his trainwreck on the debate stage straight to California,” said campaign spokesman James Singer. “In a rambling, defensive, often incoherent event to promote his golf course, he yet again showed the country how he is melting down.”The golf course is in Rancho Palos Verdes, a city that is under a state of emergency issued by Newsom this month because of extreme land movement triggered by back-to-back rainy winters.Hundreds of homes nearby have had their electricity and gas cut off. Neighborhoods near the golf course are under a city-issued evacuation warning, with the fissured land moving about 9 to 12 inches a week and houses cracking and sliding off their foundations.John Cruikshank, the city’s mayor, met with Trump and spoke briefly about the need for state and federal aid to shore up the land.Trump was in the midst of a two-day fundraising swing through Harris’ home state. On Thursday, donors paid up to $250,000 to attend an event in Beverly Hills.The former president is scheduled to attend a Friday afternoon fundraiser in the Bay Area hosted by relatives of Newsom’s wife. Couples are being asked to pay up to $500,000 to attend the Woodside event hosted by Tom and Stacey Siebel. Tom Siebel is a billionaire software developer and businessman who has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Trump’s 2024 campaign and is a second cousin once removed of Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the Democratic governor’s wife.On Thursday, Trump called the debate “a monumental time,” telling an audience in Tucson that he won. He lambasted the moderators and falsely claimed Harris supports allowing babies to be killed after birth and wanted to confiscate people’s guns. He also hammered on immigration — one of his campaign’s top issues and an important one in the border state.“People said I was angry at the debate,” Trump said. “And yes I am angry, because he allowed 21 million illegal aliens invading our communities,” he added, apparently referring to President Biden.Trump announced a new economic plan, “no tax on overtime.” He has already called for an end to taxes on tips and on Social Security benefits.“That gives people more incentive to work,” Trump said about his new proposal. “The people who

work overtime are among the hardest-working citizens of our country, and for too long, no one in Washington has been looking out for them.”“Former President Trump presented a dystopian image of California as a warning about what would happen to the nation if Kamala Harris is elected president…”Source Link: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2024-09-13/2024-election-trump-rancho-palos-verdes-news-conference http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/g1307972fe28ea5fb947276ee8c90a69c5b0bb6a2e0806f4d106c2bfee2185bd70e803940793e1fc8330151cdac8a1b5fe7f.jpeg Former President Trump painted a dystopian image of California as crime-ridden, water-starved and flooded with immigrants in the country illegally, which he cast as a warning about what will happen to the nation if Kamala Harris is elected president. “I’m here today in California with a very simple message for the American people: We cannot … Read More

[boldcompanynews]

Trump says he would withhold California fire aid unless Newsom 'signs those papers' - Journal Important Internet - BLOGGER https://www.merchant-business.com/trump-says-he-would-withhold-california-fire-aid-unless-newsom-signs-those-papers/?feed_id=199516&_unique_id=66e5ea171cc63 Former President Trump painted a dystopian image of California as crime-ridden, water-starved and flooded with immigrants in the country illegally, which he cast as a warning about what will happen to the nation if Kamala Harris is elected president.“I’m here today in California with a very simple message for the American people: We cannot allow comrade Kamala Harris and the communist left to do to America what they did to California,” he told reporters Friday from his bluff-top golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes, with the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island in the background. “The state of California is a mess, with people leaving, and nothing’s gonna stop them.”Trump said if he were elected, he would stop sending California federal firefighting aid unless Gov. Gavin Newsom, whom he referred to repeatedly as “Newscum,” enacted his policy priorities on issues such as water and taxes.“Those fields are going to be all green instead of 1% green. And maybe even more important, you’re not going to have illegal immigrants pouring into your country and killing your family. You’re not going to have the problems that you have right now. We’re going to lower your taxes. … But with this group, everything is dead. … The water coming here is dead, and if he doesn’t sign those papers, we won’t give him money to put out all his fires. And if we don’t give him all the money to put out the fires, he’s got problems,” Trump said in response to a question about helping Americans struggling with natural disasters, such as wildfires in California, without specifying which papers he was referring to. “He’s a lousy governor.”Newsom responded on X that Trump was revealing who he was.“Every voter should be made aware of this. @realDonaldTrump just admitted he will block emergency disaster funds to settle political vendettas,” Newsom wrote. “Today it’s California’s wildfires. Tomorrow it could be hurricane funding for North Carolina or flooding assistance for homeowners in Pennsylvania. Donald Trump doesn’t care about America — he only cares about himself.”Despite losing the 2020 presidential by 5 million votes in California, the former president claimed he would win the state if votes were properly counted.“You don’t have an honest voting system. They send out millions and millions of ballots. They go all over the place,” he said. “You have a very dishonest system over here. If I ran with an honest vote counter in California, I would win California.”There is no evidence to suggest elections in California or any other state have been conducted improperly, and voters have overwhelmingly favored Democratic candidates in statewide votes for many years.Trump pledged to increase Californians’ access to water if elected.“I’m going to give you more water than almost anybody has, and the farmers up north are going to be able to use 100% of their land, not 1% of their land, and the water is going to come all the way down to Los Angeles, and you’re going to have more water than you ever saw,” Trump said. “So California, vote for Trump, and you’re going to have water, and you’re going to have growth, and you’re going to have prosperity.”In his first news conference since his debate with Harris on Tuesday, Trump spoke for more than an hour. He repeatedly railed at the moderators as biased, claiming he won — though post-debate polls suggest otherwise — and also pledged he would order mass deportations, starting in Ohio and Colorado, if elected.Ohio is the home of Springfield, which has a large population of Haitian immigrants. Trump claimed during the debate that they were eating people’s pets, an unfounded assertion that has been rebutted by local officials. Asked about the city receiving bomb

threats in the aftermath of his debate remarks, Trump said, “The real threat is what’s happening at our border.”Trump was repeatedly asked about his association with far-right activist Laura Loomer, who has earned the ire of some Republicans for promoting conspiracy theories and bigoted rhetoric.Before the debate, Loomer wrote on X that if Harris wins, “the White House will smell like curry & White House speeches will be facilitated via a call center.”Trump said he was unfamiliar with what Loomer wrote, but said she was a supporter and held strong opinions. When a reporter noted that Loomer had been seen traveling on his plane, Trump responded, “A lot of people do. It’s a very big plane.”During a news conference full of dark imagery and angry pronouncements, Trump also found time to brag about his golf course.“It’s world championship course, it fronts on the Pacific Ocean. … Very few courses front on the Pacific Ocean,” he said. “I have the ocean; Pebble Beach has the bay. The ocean’s better than the bay.” (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)Trump bought the golf course in 2002 for the discounted price of $27 million after the 18th hole fell into the Pacific three years earlier. The property played a role in Trump’s New York fraud trial, with the state attorney general suing Trump, three of his children and his company for allegedly inflating the club’s value and conservation easement as part of a broader lawsuit that included other Trump properties across the country.The former president is seeking to build as many as 23 homes around the golf course, which is a half-mile from the active slide area. His campaign said it was “monitoring” conditions in the city.The Harris campaign called Trump’s appearance “bizarre.”“Donald Trump took his trainwreck on the debate stage straight to California,” said campaign spokesman James Singer. “In a rambling, defensive, often incoherent event to promote his golf course, he yet again showed the country how he is melting down.”The golf course is in Rancho Palos Verdes, a city that is under a state of emergency issued by Newsom this month because of extreme land movement triggered by back-to-back rainy winters.Hundreds of homes nearby have had their electricity and gas cut off. Neighborhoods near the golf course are under a city-issued evacuation warning, with the fissured land moving about 9 to 12 inches a week and houses cracking and sliding off their foundations.John Cruikshank, the city’s mayor, met with Trump and spoke briefly about the need for state and federal aid to shore up the land.Trump was in the midst of a two-day fundraising swing through Harris’ home state. On Thursday, donors paid up to $250,000 to attend an event in Beverly Hills.The former president is scheduled to attend a Friday afternoon fundraiser in the Bay Area hosted by relatives of Newsom’s wife. Couples are being asked to pay up to $500,000 to attend the Woodside event hosted by Tom and Stacey Siebel. Tom Siebel is a billionaire software developer and businessman who has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Trump’s 2024 campaign and is a second cousin once removed of Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the Democratic governor’s wife.On Thursday, Trump called the debate “a monumental time,” telling an audience in Tucson that he won. He lambasted the moderators and falsely claimed Harris supports allowing babies to be killed after birth and wanted to confiscate people’s guns. He also hammered on immigration — one of his campaign’s top issues and an important one in the border state.“People said I was angry at the debate,” Trump said. “And yes I am angry, because he allowed 21 million illegal aliens invading our communities,” he added, apparently referring to President Biden.Trump announced a new economic plan, “no tax on overtime.” He has already called for an end to taxes on tips and on Social Security benefits.“That gives people more incentive to work,” Trump said about his new proposal. “The people who work overtime are

among the hardest-working citizens of our country, and for too long, no one in Washington has been looking out for them.”“Former President Trump presented a dystopian image of California as a warning about what would happen to the nation if Kamala Harris is elected president…”Source Link: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2024-09-13/2024-election-trump-rancho-palos-verdes-news-conference http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/g1307972fe28ea5fb947276ee8c90a69c5b0bb6a2e0806f4d106c2bfee2185bd70e803940793e1fc8330151cdac8a1b5fe7f.jpeg #GLOBAL - BLOGGER Former President Tr... BLOGGER - #GLOBAL

[technologycompanynews]

Trump says he would withhold California fire aid unless Newsom 'signs those papers' - Journal Important Internet - BLOGGER https://www.merchant-business.com/trump-says-he-would-withhold-california-fire-aid-unless-newsom-signs-those-papers/?feed_id=199515&_unique_id=66e5ea1679956 Former President Trump painted a dystopian image of California as crime-ridden, water-starved and flooded with immigrants in the country illegally, which he cast as a warning about what will happen to the nation if Kamala Harris is elected president.“I’m here today in California with a very simple message for the American people: We cannot allow comrade Kamala Harris and the communist left to do to America what they did to California,” he told reporters Friday from his bluff-top golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes, with the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island in the background. “The state of California is a mess, with people leaving, and nothing’s gonna stop them.”Trump said if he were elected, he would stop sending California federal firefighting aid unless Gov. Gavin Newsom, whom he referred to repeatedly as “Newscum,” enacted his policy priorities on issues such as water and taxes.“Those fields are going to be all green instead of 1% green. And maybe even more important, you’re not going to have illegal immigrants pouring into your country and killing your family. You’re not going to have the problems that you have right now. We’re going to lower your taxes. … But with this group, everything is dead. … The water coming here is dead, and if he doesn’t sign those papers, we won’t give him money to put out all his fires. And if we don’t give him all the money to put out the fires, he’s got problems,” Trump said in response to a question about helping Americans struggling with natural disasters, such as wildfires in California, without specifying which papers he was referring to. “He’s a lousy governor.”Newsom responded on X that Trump was revealing who he was.“Every voter should be made aware of this. @realDonaldTrump just admitted he will block emergency disaster funds to settle political vendettas,” Newsom wrote. “Today it’s California’s wildfires. Tomorrow it could be hurricane funding for North Carolina or flooding assistance for homeowners in Pennsylvania. Donald Trump doesn’t care about America — he only cares about himself.”Despite losing the 2020 presidential by 5 million votes in California, the former president claimed he would win the state if votes were properly counted.“You don’t have an honest voting system. They send out millions and millions of ballots. They go all over the place,” he said. “You have a very dishonest system over here. If I ran with an honest vote counter in California, I would win California.”There is no evidence to suggest elections in California or any other state have been conducted improperly, and voters have overwhelmingly favored Democratic candidates in statewide votes for many years.Trump pledged to increase Californians’ access to water if elected.“I’m going to give you more water than almost anybody has, and the farmers up north are going to be able to use 100% of their land, not 1% of their land, and the water is going to come all the way down to Los Angeles, and you’re going to have more water than you ever saw,” Trump said. “So California, vote for Trump, and you’re going to have water, and you’re going to have growth, and you’re going to have prosperity.”In his first news conference since his debate with Harris on Tuesday, Trump spoke for more than an hour. He repeatedly railed at the moderators as biased, claiming he won — though post-debate polls suggest otherwise — and also pledged he would order mass deportations, starting in Ohio and Colorado, if elected.Ohio is the home of Springfield, which has a large population of Haitian immigrants. Trump claimed during the debate that they were eating people’s pets, an unfounded assertion that has been rebutted by local officials. Asked about the city receiving bomb

threats in the aftermath of his debate remarks, Trump said, “The real threat is what’s happening at our border.”Trump was repeatedly asked about his association with far-right activist Laura Loomer, who has earned the ire of some Republicans for promoting conspiracy theories and bigoted rhetoric.Before the debate, Loomer wrote on X that if Harris wins, “the White House will smell like curry & White House speeches will be facilitated via a call center.”Trump said he was unfamiliar with what Loomer wrote, but said she was a supporter and held strong opinions. When a reporter noted that Loomer had been seen traveling on his plane, Trump responded, “A lot of people do. It’s a very big plane.”During a news conference full of dark imagery and angry pronouncements, Trump also found time to brag about his golf course.“It’s world championship course, it fronts on the Pacific Ocean. … Very few courses front on the Pacific Ocean,” he said. “I have the ocean; Pebble Beach has the bay. The ocean’s better than the bay.” (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)Trump bought the golf course in 2002 for the discounted price of $27 million after the 18th hole fell into the Pacific three years earlier. The property played a role in Trump’s New York fraud trial, with the state attorney general suing Trump, three of his children and his company for allegedly inflating the club’s value and conservation easement as part of a broader lawsuit that included other Trump properties across the country.The former president is seeking to build as many as 23 homes around the golf course, which is a half-mile from the active slide area. His campaign said it was “monitoring” conditions in the city.The Harris campaign called Trump’s appearance “bizarre.”“Donald Trump took his trainwreck on the debate stage straight to California,” said campaign spokesman James Singer. “In a rambling, defensive, often incoherent event to promote his golf course, he yet again showed the country how he is melting down.”The golf course is in Rancho Palos Verdes, a city that is under a state of emergency issued by Newsom this month because of extreme land movement triggered by back-to-back rainy winters.Hundreds of homes nearby have had their electricity and gas cut off. Neighborhoods near the golf course are under a city-issued evacuation warning, with the fissured land moving about 9 to 12 inches a week and houses cracking and sliding off their foundations.John Cruikshank, the city’s mayor, met with Trump and spoke briefly about the need for state and federal aid to shore up the land.Trump was in the midst of a two-day fundraising swing through Harris’ home state. On Thursday, donors paid up to $250,000 to attend an event in Beverly Hills.The former president is scheduled to attend a Friday afternoon fundraiser in the Bay Area hosted by relatives of Newsom’s wife. Couples are being asked to pay up to $500,000 to attend the Woodside event hosted by Tom and Stacey Siebel. Tom Siebel is a billionaire software developer and businessman who has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Trump’s 2024 campaign and is a second cousin once removed of Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the Democratic governor’s wife.On Thursday, Trump called the debate “a monumental time,” telling an audience in Tucson that he won. He lambasted the moderators and falsely claimed Harris supports allowing babies to be killed after birth and wanted to confiscate people’s guns. He also hammered on immigration — one of his campaign’s top issues and an important one in the border state.“People said I was angry at the debate,” Trump said. “And yes I am angry, because he allowed 21 million illegal aliens invading our communities,” he added, apparently referring to President Biden.Trump announced a new economic plan, “no tax on overtime.” He has already called for an end to taxes on tips and on Social Security benefits.“That gives people more incentive to work,” Trump said about his new proposal. “The people who work overtime are

among the hardest-working citizens of our country, and for too long, no one in Washington has been looking out for them.”“Former President Trump presented a dystopian image of California as a warning about what would happen to the nation if Kamala Harris is elected president…”Source Link: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2024-09-13/2024-election-trump-rancho-palos-verdes-news-conference http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/g1307972fe28ea5fb947276ee8c90a69c5b0bb6a2e0806f4d106c2bfee2185bd70e803940793e1fc8330151cdac8a1b5fe7f.jpeg BLOGGER - #GLOBAL Former President Trump painted a dystopian image of California as crime-ridden, water-starved and flooded with immigrants in the country illegally, which he cast as a warning about what will happen to the nation if Kamala Harris is elected president. “I’m here today in California with a very simple message for the American people: We cannot … Read More

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Trump says he would withhold California fire aid unless Newsom 'signs those papers' - Journal Important Internet - BLOGGER https://www.merchant-business.com/trump-says-he-would-withhold-california-fire-aid-unless-newsom-signs-those-papers/?feed_id=199513&_unique_id=66e5e8f3dfb76 Former President Trump painted a dystopian image of California as crime-ridden, water-starved and flooded with immigrants in the country illegally, which he cast as a warning about what will happen to the nation if Kamala Harris is elected president.“I’m here today in California with a very simple message for the American people: We cannot allow comrade Kamala Harris and the communist left to do to America what they did to California,” he told reporters Friday from his bluff-top golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes, with the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island in the background. “The state of California is a mess, with people leaving, and nothing’s gonna stop them.”Trump said if he were elected, he would stop sending California federal firefighting aid unless Gov. Gavin Newsom, whom he referred to repeatedly as “Newscum,” enacted his policy priorities on issues such as water and taxes.“Those fields are going to be all green instead of 1% green. And maybe even more important, you’re not going to have illegal immigrants pouring into your country and killing your family. You’re not going to have the problems that you have right now. We’re going to lower your taxes. … But with this group, everything is dead. … The water coming here is dead, and if he doesn’t sign those papers, we won’t give him money to put out all his fires. And if we don’t give him all the money to put out the fires, he’s got problems,” Trump said in response to a question about helping Americans struggling with natural disasters, such as wildfires in California, without specifying which papers he was referring to. “He’s a lousy governor.”Newsom responded on X that Trump was revealing who he was.“Every voter should be made aware of this. @realDonaldTrump just admitted he will block emergency disaster funds to settle political vendettas,” Newsom wrote. “Today it’s California’s wildfires. Tomorrow it could be hurricane funding for North Carolina or flooding assistance for homeowners in Pennsylvania. Donald Trump doesn’t care about America — he only cares about himself.”Despite losing the 2020 presidential by 5 million votes in California, the former president claimed he would win the state if votes were properly counted.“You don’t have an honest voting system. They send out millions and millions of ballots. They go all over the place,” he said. “You have a very dishonest system over here. If I ran with an honest vote counter in California, I would win California.”There is no evidence to suggest elections in California or any other state have been conducted improperly, and voters have overwhelmingly favored Democratic candidates in statewide votes for many years.Trump pledged to increase Californians’ access to water if elected.“I’m going to give you more water than almost anybody has, and the farmers up north are going to be able to use 100% of their land, not 1% of their land, and the water is going to come all the way down to Los Angeles, and you’re going to have more water than you ever saw,” Trump said. “So California, vote for Trump, and you’re going to have water, and you’re going to have growth, and you’re going to have prosperity.”In his first news conference since his debate with Harris on Tuesday, Trump spoke for more than an hour. He repeatedly railed at the moderators as biased, claiming he won — though post-debate polls suggest otherwise — and also pledged he would order mass deportations, starting in Ohio and Colorado, if elected.Ohio is the home of Springfield, which has a large population of Haitian immigrants. Trump claimed during the debate that they were eating people’s pets, an unfounded assertion that has been rebutted by local officials. Asked about the city receiving bomb

threats in the aftermath of his debate remarks, Trump said, “The real threat is what’s happening at our border.”Trump was repeatedly asked about his association with far-right activist Laura Loomer, who has earned the ire of some Republicans for promoting conspiracy theories and bigoted rhetoric.Before the debate, Loomer wrote on X that if Harris wins, “the White House will smell like curry & White House speeches will be facilitated via a call center.”Trump said he was unfamiliar with what Loomer wrote, but said she was a supporter and held strong opinions. When a reporter noted that Loomer had been seen traveling on his plane, Trump responded, “A lot of people do. It’s a very big plane.”During a news conference full of dark imagery and angry pronouncements, Trump also found time to brag about his golf course.“It’s world championship course, it fronts on the Pacific Ocean. … Very few courses front on the Pacific Ocean,” he said. “I have the ocean; Pebble Beach has the bay. The ocean’s better than the bay.” (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)Trump bought the golf course in 2002 for the discounted price of $27 million after the 18th hole fell into the Pacific three years earlier. The property played a role in Trump’s New York fraud trial, with the state attorney general suing Trump, three of his children and his company for allegedly inflating the club’s value and conservation easement as part of a broader lawsuit that included other Trump properties across the country.The former president is seeking to build as many as 23 homes around the golf course, which is a half-mile from the active slide area. His campaign said it was “monitoring” conditions in the city.The Harris campaign called Trump’s appearance “bizarre.”“Donald Trump took his trainwreck on the debate stage straight to California,” said campaign spokesman James Singer. “In a rambling, defensive, often incoherent event to promote his golf course, he yet again showed the country how he is melting down.”The golf course is in Rancho Palos Verdes, a city that is under a state of emergency issued by Newsom this month because of extreme land movement triggered by back-to-back rainy winters.Hundreds of homes nearby have had their electricity and gas cut off. Neighborhoods near the golf course are under a city-issued evacuation warning, with the fissured land moving about 9 to 12 inches a week and houses cracking and sliding off their foundations.John Cruikshank, the city’s mayor, met with Trump and spoke briefly about the need for state and federal aid to shore up the land.Trump was in the midst of a two-day fundraising swing through Harris’ home state. On Thursday, donors paid up to $250,000 to attend an event in Beverly Hills.The former president is scheduled to attend a Friday afternoon fundraiser in the Bay Area hosted by relatives of Newsom’s wife. Couples are being asked to pay up to $500,000 to attend the Woodside event hosted by Tom and Stacey Siebel. Tom Siebel is a billionaire software developer and businessman who has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Trump’s 2024 campaign and is a second cousin once removed of Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the Democratic governor’s wife.On Thursday, Trump called the debate “a monumental time,” telling an audience in Tucson that he won. He lambasted the moderators and falsely claimed Harris supports allowing babies to be killed after birth and wanted to confiscate people’s guns. He also hammered on immigration — one of his campaign’s top issues and an important one in the border state.“People said I was angry at the debate,” Trump said. “And yes I am angry, because he allowed 21 million illegal aliens invading our communities,” he added, apparently referring to President Biden.Trump announced a new economic plan, “no tax on overtime.” He has already called for an end to taxes on tips and on Social Security benefits.“That gives people more incentive to work,” Trump said about his new proposal. “The people who work overtime are

among the hardest-working citizens of our country, and for too long, no one in Washington has been looking out for them.”“Former President Trump presented a dystopian image of California as a warning about what would happen to the nation if Kamala Harris is elected president…”Source Link: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2024-09-13/2024-election-trump-rancho-palos-verdes-news-conference http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/g1307972fe28ea5fb947276ee8c90a69c5b0bb6a2e0806f4d106c2bfee2185bd70e803940793e1fc8330151cdac8a1b5fe7f.jpeg Trump says he would withhold California fire aid unless Newsom 'signs those papers' - Journal Important Internet - #GLOBAL BLOGGER - #GLOBAL

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Trump says he would withhold California fire aid unless Newsom 'signs those papers' - Journal Important Internet https://www.merchant-business.com/trump-says-he-would-withhold-california-fire-aid-unless-newsom-signs-those-papers/?feed_id=199514&_unique_id=66e5e8f48ac5a Former President Tr... BLOGGER - #GLOBAL Former President Trump painted a dystopian image of California as crime-ridden, water-starved and flooded with immigrants in the country illegally, which he cast as a warning about what will happen to the nation if Kamala Harris is elected president.“I’m here today in California with a very simple message for the American people: We cannot allow comrade Kamala Harris and the communist left to do to America what they did to California,” he told reporters Friday from his bluff-top golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes, with the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island in the background. “The state of California is a mess, with people leaving, and nothing’s gonna stop them.”Trump said if he were elected, he would stop sending California federal firefighting aid unless Gov. Gavin Newsom, whom he referred to repeatedly as “Newscum,” enacted his policy priorities on issues such as water and taxes.“Those fields are going to be all green instead of 1% green. And maybe even more important, you’re not going to have illegal immigrants pouring into your country and killing your family. You’re not going to have the problems that you have right now. We’re going to lower your taxes. … But with this group, everything is dead. … The water coming here is dead, and if he doesn’t sign those papers, we won’t give him money to put out all his fires. And if we don’t give him all the money to put out the fires, he’s got problems,” Trump said in response to a question about helping Americans struggling with natural disasters, such as wildfires in California, without specifying which papers he was referring to. “He’s a lousy governor.”Newsom responded on X that Trump was revealing who he was.“Every voter should be made aware of this. @realDonaldTrump just admitted he will block emergency disaster funds to settle political vendettas,” Newsom wrote. “Today it’s California’s wildfires. Tomorrow it could be hurricane funding for North Carolina or flooding assistance for homeowners in Pennsylvania. Donald Trump doesn’t care about America — he only cares about himself.”Despite losing the 2020 presidential by 5 million votes in California, the former president claimed he would win the state if votes were properly counted.“You don’t have an honest voting system. They send out millions and millions of ballots. They go all over the place,” he said. “You have a very dishonest system over here. If I ran with an honest vote counter in California, I would win California.”There is no evidence to suggest elections in California or any other state have been conducted improperly, and voters have overwhelmingly favored Democratic candidates in statewide votes for many years.Trump pledged to increase Californians’ access to water if elected.“I’m going to give you more water than almost anybody has, and the farmers up north are going to be able to use 100% of their land, not 1% of their land, and the water is going to come all the way down to Los Angeles, and you’re going to have more water than you ever saw,” Trump said. “So California, vote for Trump, and you’re going to have water, and you’re going to have growth, and you’re going to have prosperity.”In his first news conference since his debate with Harris on Tuesday, Trump spoke for more than an hour. He repeatedly railed at the moderators as biased, claiming he won — though post-debate polls suggest otherwise — and also pledged he would order mass deportations, starting in Ohio and Colorado, if elected.Ohio is the home of Springfield, which has a large population of Haitian immigrants. Trump claimed during the debate that they were eating people’s pets, an unfounded assertion that has been rebutted by local officials.

Asked about the city receiving bomb threats in the aftermath of his debate remarks, Trump said, “The real threat is what’s happening at our border.”Trump was repeatedly asked about his association with far-right activist Laura Loomer, who has earned the ire of some Republicans for promoting conspiracy theories and bigoted rhetoric.Before the debate, Loomer wrote on X that if Harris wins, “the White House will smell like curry & White House speeches will be facilitated via a call center.”Trump said he was unfamiliar with what Loomer wrote, but said she was a supporter and held strong opinions. When a reporter noted that Loomer had been seen traveling on his plane, Trump responded, “A lot of people do. It’s a very big plane.”During a news conference full of dark imagery and angry pronouncements, Trump also found time to brag about his golf course.“It’s world championship course, it fronts on the Pacific Ocean. … Very few courses front on the Pacific Ocean,” he said. “I have the ocean; Pebble Beach has the bay. The ocean’s better than the bay.” (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)Trump bought the golf course in 2002 for the discounted price of $27 million after the 18th hole fell into the Pacific three years earlier. The property played a role in Trump’s New York fraud trial, with the state attorney general suing Trump, three of his children and his company for allegedly inflating the club’s value and conservation easement as part of a broader lawsuit that included other Trump properties across the country.The former president is seeking to build as many as 23 homes around the golf course, which is a half-mile from the active slide area. His campaign said it was “monitoring” conditions in the city.The Harris campaign called Trump’s appearance “bizarre.”“Donald Trump took his trainwreck on the debate stage straight to California,” said campaign spokesman James Singer. “In a rambling, defensive, often incoherent event to promote his golf course, he yet again showed the country how he is melting down.”The golf course is in Rancho Palos Verdes, a city that is under a state of emergency issued by Newsom this month because of extreme land movement triggered by back-to-back rainy winters.Hundreds of homes nearby have had their electricity and gas cut off. Neighborhoods near the golf course are under a city-issued evacuation warning, with the fissured land moving about 9 to 12 inches a week and houses cracking and sliding off their foundations.John Cruikshank, the city’s mayor, met with Trump and spoke briefly about the need for state and federal aid to shore up the land.Trump was in the midst of a two-day fundraising swing through Harris’ home state. On Thursday, donors paid up to $250,000 to attend an event in Beverly Hills.The former president is scheduled to attend a Friday afternoon fundraiser in the Bay Area hosted by relatives of Newsom’s wife. Couples are being asked to pay up to $500,000 to attend the Woodside event hosted by Tom and Stacey Siebel. Tom Siebel is a billionaire software developer and businessman who has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Trump’s 2024 campaign and is a second cousin once removed of Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the Democratic governor’s wife.On Thursday, Trump called the debate “a monumental time,” telling an audience in Tucson that he won. He lambasted the moderators and falsely claimed Harris supports allowing babies to be killed after birth and wanted to confiscate people’s guns. He also hammered on immigration — one of his campaign’s top issues and an important one in the border state.“People said I was angry at the debate,” Trump said. “And yes I am angry, because he allowed 21 million illegal aliens invading our communities,” he added, apparently referring to President Biden.Trump announced a new economic plan, “no tax on overtime.” He has already called for an end to taxes on tips and on Social Security benefits.“That gives people more incentive to work,” Trump said about his new proposal.

“The people who work overtime are among the hardest-working citizens of our country, and for too long, no one in Washington has been looking out for them.”“Former President Trump presented a dystopian image of California as a warning about what would happen to the nation if Kamala Harris is elected president…”Source Link: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2024-09-13/2024-election-trump-rancho-palos-verdes-news-conference http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/g1307972fe28ea5fb947276ee8c90a69c5b0bb6a2e0806f4d106c2bfee2185bd70e803940793e1fc8330151cdac8a1b5fe7f.jpeg #GLOBAL - BLOGGER Former President Trump painted a dystopian image of California as crime-ridden, water-starved and flooded with immigrants in the country illegally, which he cast as a warning about what will happen to the nation if Kamala Harris is elected president. “I’m here today in California with a very simple message for the American people: We cannot … Read More