“Pass.” Saul said as Angela stepped up.

 

“You fucking well know who I am!”

 

“You want in, show me your pass.”

 

“Fuck you!”

 

He smiled at her. “I thought you didn’t want me touching you. Either show me your pass or step aside.”

 

“Just show him your pass,” Arnold said stepping up behind her, holding his card so Saul could see it.

 

Saul gave his head a nod, and as Arnold stepped around Angela, she tried to step pass with him, but Saul took he by the arm. “No pass, no entry. You wanted a secure location, you got it.”

 

“I’ll have you fired for this!”

 

“Go ahead, but until you do, you have to show your pass.”

 

“Angela, for Christ sake, just show him your pass,” Cora said holding hers out for him to see. “I’m glad he’s being thorough.”

 

She glared at him as Cora stepped through, then Bradley flashed his pass and was admitted.

 

“I don’t have mine,” she finally muttered.

 

“Set aside please. I need Ryan Hayes to the check point to sign in a cast member,” Saul said into the walkie. He spent a moment checking IDs and comparing those he didn’t immediately recognize to names on a clipboard before passing them in, then when there was a break, took a thick marker and wrote Angela Moncrief on a white card and slipped it into a holder.

 

“Who is it?” Ryan said as he approached. “Angela!” he said loudly when he saw her standing to the side. “Why did you stop her?”

 

“You’re the one who said anyone who didn’t have their pass or wasn’t on the clipboard was to only be admitted by you or Johnny. She doesn’t have her pass, so that’s what I’m doing.”

 

“I didn’t mean Angela, or one of the stars! Jesus H. Christ on a popsicle stick, what’s wrong with you?” he shouted, staring at Saul as if he’d grown another head.

 

“You set the guidelines, I’m just following them.”

 

“Yes! Let her in!”

 

“Ryan, I need to see you!” Angela said as she grabbed the lanyard and holder from Saul as she passed.

 

Saul smiled. He knew the shit was about to hit the fan now, which was why he wanted to be the one checking IDs the first night, for situations just like this.

 

“Good for you,” the man he’d seen working the camera said as he stepped up and showed Saul his pass. Saul said nothing, kept his poker face, and passed him through.

 

***

 

“Saul, I can’t have you harassing Angela. It has to stop.”

 

“What are you talking about? I haven’t been harassing anyone.”

 

“The water. Grabbing her yesterday. Making her wait this morning because she forgot her pass. And of that ring any bells?”

 

“You said we had access to what food and water we needed. You’re the one who said anybody who didn’t have a pass or wasn’t on the list could only be admitted by your or Johnny’s say so. And if she’d slapped me, I would have punched her into next fucking week, so be glad I caught her hand.”

 

“Why are you being such an asshole?”

 

“I’m not being an asshole. Why is the only person here who seems to be having a problem Angela? Have you ever asked that? Why do you put up with her shit?”

 

“Because she’s the goddamn star of the movie, that’s why!”

 

“So? ‘She’s the star’ doesn’t cut any shit with me. If you want me to run security, fine. You tell me the parameters and we’ll follow them. But I’m not going to let anyone, not you, not Johnny, not Angela Moncrief, bully me into letting them ignore the rules. You don’t like it, then find someone else.”

 

“You don’t understand—”

 

“No, you don’t understand,” Saul said, cutting him off. “You agreed to let me run security. Either get out of my face or find someone else. Those are your only two options.”

 

“You can’t talk to me like that! Who do you think you are?”

 

“I’m the guy who solved your fucking problem, that’s who. Now you’re standing here questioning me.”

 

“Get off my production!”

 

Saul nodded. “You got it. I’ll send you a bill.” He shoved the clipboard into Ryan’s chest and handed him his location pass before he walked away to collect his men. As he spoke to each man, they dropped their lanyard where they stood and began to file away. When everyone was at their bikes, they rumbled to life like distant thunder before they rode out as a group.

 

***

 

Angela watched as Saul and the rest of the Pagans pulled away on V-Twin thunder, a weight settling into her stomach as the heavy roar of their bikes faded into the night. This wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted to put that fucking Saul in his place, sure, but she didn’t think he would actually quit. Or had he been fired as she’d demanded?

 

Taking a deep breath, she held her head up high. The standard security would just have to do. The Pagans had gotten the crowds under control so now the production company should be able to handle it. She turned and walked back toward the crew where Ryan had called together the heads of each department and was talking to them.

 

“You what?” Johnny’s voice carried. “I can’t believe you fired them before the river shoot. Ryan, you have to get them back.”

 

“I’m not calling them back,” Ryan said as Angela stepped up behind the crew to listen. “They’ve been nothing but a pain in the ass since they got here.”

 

“How?” Boggs, the director of photography asked. “Because Angela didn’t like him? This production was a fucking train wreck until he got here and got control of the crowds. We’ve made up a full shooting day since you hired him. I’ve spoken to him a couple of times, when I wanted to change an angle or something, and he has been nothing but accommodating and polite. He’s gone out of his way to make this shoot easier for us. So tell me, Ryan, exactly whose ass has he been a pain in?”

 

“It doesn’t matter,” Ryan said. “What’s done is done. We’ll take over the crowds like before.”

 

“When we couldn’t get shit done?” Asher, the Giraffe operator said. “Why don’t you come out and hold the boom mic in the hot fucking sun for a while as we wait for the crowds to quiet down, and do that ten times because they ruined the take. Then you tell me ‘what’s done is done.’”

 

“It’s my decision and I’ve made it. Now, We’ve got a full night of shooting ahead of us, so let’s get to it.”

 

Angela ducked her head and tried to slip away but Arnold intercepted her. “Good job, Angela. I hope you’re happy.”

 

“Why are you taking that asshole’s side?” she flared.

 

“Because you’re acting like a spoiled brat.”

 

“He was being an asshole!”

 

“No, he was treating you like everyone else. I’m glad to see someone who wasn’t tiptoeing around you like they were walking on eggshells. I’ve been doing this for forty years, so let me give you a little advice: you’re one of the most talented young actresses I’ve seen in a long time, but I don’t care how good you are in front of the camera, if you are big enough pain in the ass behind the camera, nobody will hire you. Think about it.”

 

“Angela, you’re needed in makeup,” Eva said, walking up.

 

Angela stared at Arnold a moment then turned to Eva. “I’ll be right there.”

 

***

 

“That’s right, Jafet, at the bend near the El Pico Treatment plant. The nearest road in is, let’s see…” Saul paused at he looked at his notes. “Here it is. Go in on Minerales Annex Road, which is off Mines Road. They’ll be setting up at first light. Get there early for a good view. They’ll be there all day.”

 

“Okay, but you owe us one,” Jafet said from the phone. Jafet Hernandez was the President of the LRLs, the Low Riders of Laredo. The LRLs were strictly legal, but they had helped get the party started around the production. The Pagans had been providing security for their bi-annual shows, ever since a guy flashed a gun in an argument several years ago.

 

“They told me they wanted local flavor in their movies. You’re just helping them out.”

 

Jafet chuckled. “I don’t know about this first light shit, but yeah, it’ll be cool to go watch them film. Maybe I’ll get my uncle’s boat and go out on the river and watch from there. I’m not going to have to worry about you showing up and knocking heads am I? I heard what happened.”

 

Saul grinned. Brand B should have good crowd watching them work tomorrow. “I bet they would like that and, no, you don’t have anything to worry about. They decided they didn’t need security anymore.”

 

“Like the first time.”

 

“Just like the first time.”

 

“I think we can help you out, then.”

 

“I appreciate it, Jafet.”

 

“Don’t worry about it, bro. You’ve been helping us out; we’re just returning the favor.”

 

“Your next two shows are on us.”

 

“Been a pleasure.”

 

“Same here,” Saul said and hung up. He sat the phone aside and took another pull from his beer. There was probably going to be fifty or sixty people at the shoot tomorrow, not counting however many showed up on their own. With the LRLs and Rolling Thunder, the car stereo enthusiasts there, it should be an interesting day for Brand B.

 

Saul sighed as he toed his boots off. It had been a hectic few days. Tomorrow he would catch up on his paperwork for Houston Framing and his sleep. Granted not all the production crew had to be at the location at the same time, and his people did, but he didn’t realize just how long the days were when shooting a movie. The night shoots, like tonight, where they were shooting inside the mall while it was closed, were the real ball busters.

 

The club didn’t need the money, and it wouldn’t bother him a bit if Brand B just packed up and went home.

 

His phone rang and he picked it up. “Alicia. What’s up?”

 

“I just found out you were home. Want some company?”

 

Saul grinned. “Are you offering?”

 

“No, dumbass. I just called to see if you wanted company because I needed to come feed your goldfish.”

 

He chuckled. “Sure. Come on over, but I need to get some sleep tonight.”

 

“Okay, but since you don’t have to go do the security stuff tomorrow, is there any reason you can’t fuck me in the morning?”

 

“None at all.”

 

“Good. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

 

He hung up and grinned before he shook his head. He didn’t know who he was kidding. Alicia wouldn’t be here an hour before he was fucking her. His grin grew wider as he got to his feet, drained the last of his beer from the bottle, and chucked it into the trash. He moved back to his room, switching off lights and stripping for his shower as he went. He could sleep when he was dead.