Logan
The shit needed to come to an end. We needed to find the sick fuck! I was getting madder by the day as I watched Maya smile less. I wanted my playful Maya back. I wanted to be alone with her. I wanted to skinny dip in her pool with her. I wanted to cook and play in the kitchen. I wanted to hike up the canyons and enjoy the beauty instead of worrying if someone would be waiting to pounce.
We needed a normal life.
It was nice to come home and not find any unwanted decorations since the cameras were in place. Nothing had arrived in the mail either, but we were constantly waiting as we attended several comic book events in big venues and in small book stores.
I stayed as close to her side as possible while Hawkman had his eyes focused on everything going on around us. Neither of us liked what we saw appearing in the crowds: No Wings! No Flight! T-shirts with her character’s name along with bloody looking chicken wings worn by a few people at every event. They had us worried that we were dealing with a radical group rather than one sick individual.
It had even gotten to a point that the studio took notice. Maya had been called in to talk about reshooting a few scenes to make it clear that she wasn’t flying in the movie. It had the potential to be a huge box office success and it sounded like they didn’t want negative publicity for their film that was only in the promotion phase.
The only bad thing—as far as I was concerned—was that the studio wouldn’t allow Maya to tell anyone of the changes that were being made. It also had me wondering how so many people knew about the film when it was mainly being seen by industry people and some film buffs that went to film festivals.
“The group is getting smaller,” Hawkman assured Maya. “We’re narrowing down to a certain group of people.”
“I’m not sure that makes me feel good knowing that it involves my peers.” There was a long, sad expression on her beautiful face and there was no sparkle in her green eyes.
A couple months was all it took to watch Maya sink into depression and I had a hell of a time getting her to eat and she was napping and sleeping too much. I don’t think it helped that they had removed her from the film schedule for her next movie. I think she was worried that they were going to permanently remove her from the movie even though she had a contract.
I tried to assure her that things would get better but without the sicko making a wrong move for us to catch him, we had nothing to go on. We couldn’t round up all of the fans wearing the t-shirts. She tried to get out of going to a few things claiming to be sick but Hawkman told her that she needed to remain in the public eye.
Being the trooper she was, she painted a smile on her face and marched into every venue happy to see her fans. “More people love you than dislike you.” I supported and comforted her every step of the way.
I was thrilled to see a change in her once her agent informed her that she was to go back into the studio to reshoot a few scenes and that some scenes had already been edited. The film was not to be shown until the few changes were made and then it would go out to select public showings to get responses and they asked Maya if she would go to a few of them.
“Maybe whoever was upset will get into one of the new screenings and see that I am no longer flying.” That was the first thing Maya said when she returned to a trailer she used for filming to have some lunch with me.
“Unfortunately, we can’t be too careful. It’s not like what you’re doing is being publicized. If it’s someone in the loop or in the room when you’re shooting, you might be in the clear with them.”
The rest of our time together was filled with eating burgers and fries that I had ran out to get when she texted me that she was about to get a break. I even bought her some ice cream. If only we had been alone I would’ve asked her to show me just how much she appreciated my gesture. Instead, I was just pleased with her new attitude.
“Off to make the comic book fans happy. See you in a bit!” Those were the last words I heard from her as she went back to film a bit more. I loved the kiss she gave me and the way she practically skipped across the parking lot to the studio door. I hated that they wouldn’t let us in the room while she filmed, but at least Hawkman was waiting right outside the door for her.
“Where is Maya?” I asked as Hawkman walked in without Maya in front of him or behind him.
“Her assistant just took her to do an interview.”
I don’t know why, but his words hit me. Maya’s assistant often directed her and informed her when and where she needed to be. But she hadn’t been around much since we had returned and Maya had been keeping her out of the loop with the bird arrivals since the film festival. We had just been talking about an insider since the first note arrived before the public knew anything about how Maya’s character was being portrayed.
“Where was she taking her? Maya never mentioned doing any interviews today.” I was already out the door of the trailer and looking around. I wasn’t sure what I was hoping to see, but I couldn’t just stand by. “Her assistant has had access to her…”
“Isn’t that her up there?” Hawkman asked, pointing up to a building in the distance. I wondered if that was another reason for his nickname—eyes like a hawk.
I didn’t bother to answer but headed toward the building and he was hot on my trail. I prayed I was wrong about my thoughts as I moved inside the building and searched for a stairway.
Please let Maya be okay.