CH48

Even sociopaths aren't pre-criminals.

They might lack conscience, but they understand the concept of right and wrong intellectually, and they know that committing crimes can be disadvantageous. That's why, unlike in the movies, most of them live ordinary lives.

'But that guy has already crossed the line. Ah, I really want to mess with him. What should I do?'

Despite what Ian had said to Nick, he never intended to leave it all to Austin, but seeing Carter made his blood boil.

Ian wanted to kick him in the shin, but there was something he needed to check first.

'First, I need to see how much he's noticed.'

Only then can we decide how to act.

While Ian was pondering, Carter was the first to break the silence.

"I've heard a lot about you from Nick. You're a great actor."

"Nick?"

"Ah, we're close juniors and seniors. He must've been desperate for money, yet he kept it hidden. Makes me wonder if I was the only one who thought we were close."

Wow, can you believe this guy? I don't know why he's still an agent. He should just be an actor.

Ian managed to hold back a laugh at the bitter smile on the other's face.

'It seems he doesn't know that I'm aware of the truth.'

Thinking it was time to probe further, Ian put on a sullen expression.

"Austin doesn't talk much about Nick. He's been too busy to contact me lately."

"It's not easy to find time when you're an agent."

"Compared to when we first met, he seemed to be struggling a lot. Like he's lost his leisure. Even my parents thought about changing agents."

"Oh, that. No, that's not something I should be discussing with an actor."

After a moment of seeming to regret his words, the man reluctantly spoke up at Ian's insistence.

"Phew, I'm telling you this because I'm the agent in charge. I've heard that several important projects have recently failed. There are also bad rumors circulating."

"Bad rumors?"

"I'm sorry. This really isn't something to be discussed lightly."

His words evoked unpleasant imaginations, as if reaching into a box hidden from view.

Ian was almost there. Showing the unease the other desired, he asked,

"Do you think the rumors about him are true, Mr. Baldwin?"

"Feel free to call me Carter. No, I think they're just unfounded rumors. The failures were simply due to bad luck. Austin is competent, you can trust him."

"Is that so?"

While outwardly sighing in relief, Ian was thinking,

'This guy doesn't seem to know that Austin has caught on and is investigating.'

It was as if he hoped this conversation would somehow reach Austin through a naive intermediary, to ensure that he himself could avoid suspicion later on.

It was now somewhat clear why the agent had unnecessarily followed to the shooting site.

'It seems he came to check on the spoils before making a swift exit. And those spoils would be me.'

The absurdity of the situation was almost laughable.

As Ian was rummaging through his future memories to find a way to strike back, a staff member approached him.

"Ian, it's almost time for shooting! Get ready!"

"Got it!"

Ian brushed off the idle thoughts.

It was precious time to be an actor. He had no intention of tarnishing it by thinking about trash.

Ian became Noah once again.

***

"You've awakened."

The sickening stench of formalin mixed with other chemicals filled the air.

A man in a dirty doctor's coat approached Noah, whose limbs were chained.

"Children don't turn into zombies, it seems. Why is that? Is it because of growth hormones? Or maybe because their bodies are immature."

Muttering to himself, the doctor asked Noah.

"You must have thought about it enough, right? They're the ones who left you in the underground. You must want revenge, just like you said."

"Make a promise then. If I help you catch them, you'll let me go free."

Seeing Noah's face shimmering with rage, the doctor promised with satisfaction.

"I am someone who will save the world from zombies. I always keep my promises."

"Alright. I'll cooperate."

"You've made a wise decision."

At the doctor's gesture, the people around him unchained Noah.

Touching his wounded arm and bowing his head, Noah quickly replaced his anger with calmness.

It was a change in expression that made anyone watching the screen realize he was faking his cooperation.

Approaching Noah, who was stretching his stiff body, the children laid down a bundle.

It was a protective gear made of plaster casts, bearing the phrase "We save the world."

Noah, kicking the protective gear, asked,

"Do you really think you can save the world?"

"Of course, that's a natural question. Don't doubt it. We can save the world. Then, we won't have to wait in fear of becoming adults."

The eyes of the children, brainwashed from a young age, held no doubt.

The kids, showing a fanatical zeal, pulled machetes from blood-stained leather sheaths and pointed them at Noah.

"So, a warning. Don't ruin our plans."

In a situation where a slight move could result in being stabbed, Noah growled lowly instead of succumbing to the immense pressure that even adults would struggle with.

"Don't interfere with my revenge. Before I kill you first."

Feeling the intense murderous intent, the children backed away hesitantly, and their leader sheathed his knife.

"…Remember that."

"Alright. Let's go."

The children started climbing the ladder to the surface, and the camera zoomed in on the sweat trickling down Noah's neck.

It was the final scene of the first episode of Invisible Children Season 2.

"Great job! It's looking good from the start?!"

The director praised loudly as he reviewed the footage just taken.

It was an important scene showing a new crisis for the protagonist and his companions, and it was not an easy scene to shoot.

'It could have easily looked like children playing make-believe.'

Contrary to worries, the footage was filled with tension, and Ian was the one who created that atmosphere.

Just by looking at the child actors sitting exhausted on the floor immediately after shooting, it was evident.

"Wow! I'm drained. Ian, have you actually killed someone before? Why are you so scary?!"

"I was so scared, I almost stabbed you with the knife I was holding."

"…I think I was the one who almost got killed?"

The knife, though it looked real, was made of rubber. It couldn't kill or even hurt.

At Ian's joke, the child actors burst into laughter, rubbing their shoulders and legs. They felt their muscles tense up from too much tension.

After a light conversation with the child actors, Ian approached Carter, who had been watching the whole shoot.

"Oh, you're still here?"

"I've come this far, so I thought I'd watch our actor perform. I enjoyed your acting. As I've heard, you're impressive."

Ian was amazed.

Getting praised for acting had never felt so unpleasant before. This was a first.

"Leo acts well too, right?"

"He does. But it's rare to see an actor who makes the staff continuously marvel like this. Mr. Price, you are special."

"Thank you."

It seemed that someone who was less capable of feeling emotions than an ordinary person judged acting based on the reactions of those around him.

Looking at Carter, who was praising him while showing his greed, Ian slightly pondered. It was uncertain when they might meet again if not today.

'After all, committing a crime for revenge isn't an option, so there aren't many ways to proceed. It might be better to try what's possible.'

If the first attempt doesn't work, he could always try another method. Throwing stones until one hits is the strategy.

Having made his decision, Ian cautiously started the conversation.

"Do you invest in stocks by any chance?"

"Stocks? Of course, I do."

Ian thought so. In the current year, 2010, the stock market was experiencing a terrifying surge. Ian had already invested his appearance fees and was reaping substantial benefits.

"Really! These days, there are so many venture capitalists flocking to Silicon Valley. The top hotels are fully booked because of them. Do you know about it?"

"I've heard."

The economy was in tatters, interest rates had plummeted to nearly zero, and social media companies were booming, sending the stock market into a frenzy.

Investors were desperate to find the next big opportunity.

"There's this incredible company there. Ah, something with 'Nos' in the name. Just a moment."

Pretending to struggle to remember, Ian tapped his foot and pulled out his phone to make a call.

-Honey, what's up? Calling me out of the blue.

Charlotte's voice rang out loudly, and Ian, as if accidentally turning on the speakerphone, glanced at Carter with a flushed face.

Charlotte was already famous, but rumors had it she was receiving love calls from the political sphere after a high-profile exposé. Her voice caught Carter's interest.

Lowering the volume so Carter couldn't hear the conversation, Ian spoke to Charlotte.

"Lotti, I forgot the name of the company we talked about the other day and called you."

-Company? Which company?

"Ah, Theranos, right? Thank you! I had such a hard time remembering."

-Hey, you're not planning to cause trouble again, are you? What are you up to this time?

It seems that once you've worked together as partners, they catch on quickly.

Ian replied with a bright smile.

"Yes, thank you. I'll call you again later."

After hanging up, Ian laughed awkwardly.

"The company was called Theranos. They say you can test for many diseases with just a drop of blood from your fingertip. And it's supposed to be very cheap."

"If that's true, it sounds quite remarkable."

"Does it? I can't see how. It sounds painful to prick your finger. Even my parents don't see the appeal."

Ian and his parents were elementary students and the owner of a hot dog stand, respectively.

Carter didn't doubt Ian's claim of not understanding the technology's significance.

"Oh, and they're supposedly going to sign a contract with Greenwill this year."

"Greenwill?"

Greenwill is the second largest pharmacy chain in the United States, with thousands of stores nationwide.

Carter, who was listening with interest, asked calmly.

"But why are you telling me this?"

Right, it would seem suspicious.

No matter how naive a child might be, recommending stock picks to someone they've just met today would be foolish if taken seriously.

Ian gestured for Carter to come closer.

"Actually, I really want to invest, but my parents are against it. They say the stock market is dangerous. Charlotte won't help me because my parents said so."

"And?"

"If you have some time, could you look into it for me? Since you're close with Nick, I thought I'd ask you. Is it possible?"

Carter appeared to ponder.

Silicon Valley is just a short flight away. There wouldn't be a problem going there and back.

'After chasing away Austin, there's that matter to consider, right?'

Having come to make an impression and having seen the filming site, would he be able to resist forming a lucrative connection by turning down a secretive request?

"Alright. I'll look into it myself."

"Wow! Thank you so much!"

Ian smiled genuinely. Theranos claimed to have created a diagnostic kit that could conduct over 200 blood tests with just a few drops of blood from a fingertip and was a unicorn company valued at $4.5 billion. It also became notorious in 2015 as a fraudulent company in the United States.

'Believing in a technology without any proven experimental results or papers and investing so heavily in it. It's unbelievable.'

That made CEO Elizabeth Holmes remarkable. Influential people in politics and finance were enchanted into investing in her.

Even now, when it's not well known, the names of those who invested are impressive.

'I wish I could reel in just one more person.'

If it's well packaged, he planned to burst the scam a few years early.

Ian believed in Elizabeth's ability to turn the United States upside down.

***

June was so busy that the meeting with Carter was momentarily forgotten. First off, the summer season drama Beverly Hills Moms began airing.

– Beverly Hills Moms, featuring the educational fervor and affairs of Beverly Hills mothers.

– Beverly Hills Moms catches viewers' attention with provocative subjects!

Beverly Hills Moms started off with positive responses, and as behind-the-scenes stories were released for promotion, Ian became busier.

– The periodic table scene that surprised viewers. Ian: "I memorized it because it seemed necessary."

– The reason a real Harvard-Westlake School official ran into the shooting!

With interviews for Beverly Hills Moms and the forthcoming release of Dragon Village, which garnered interest with Ian's pre-released song, he was overwhelmed with promotional activities and drama filming.

Finally finding some breathing room, Ian inquired about Carter and Theranos through a private investigator Austin had recommended.

"This agent recommended a company called Theranos, right?"

"Yes, I found it strange and asked to check it out. Has he invested in the company?"

Hoping for affirmative news, Ian was presented with an unexpected photo by the investigator.

It was a picture of Elizabeth Holmes and Carter together.

"My investigation suggests they're in a relationship."

…What?

Ian was stunned.

"They're dating? Both of them?"

"Yes. It doesn't seem like it's been long, but they are."

Ian hadn't expected such a perfect package.

A fraudster and a sociopath had become a pair.

'Have I inadvertently built a burning bridge?'

It seemed he wouldn't have to go through the trouble of seeing them off.