Redshirts

sure?” Dahl said.
    “Yes,” Kerensky said. “I’m sure.”
    “All right,” Dahl said, and motioned to Duvall, Hanson and an incredulous Hester to clear the room.
    “Tell me I’m not the only one who thinks something unseemly is about to happen in there,” Hester said, in the hall.
    “It’s only you,” Dahl said.
    “No it’s not,” Duvall said. Hanson also shook his head. “You can’t tell me you weren’t seeing how Corey was responding to Anatoly, Andy,” Duvall said.
    “I must have missed it,” Dahl said.
    “Right,” Hester said.
    “You really are a prude, aren’t you,” Duvall said to Dahl.
    “I just prefer to think there is a sober, reasoned discussion going on in there and that Kerensky is making some very good points.”
    From the other side of the door there was a muffled thump .
    “Yes, that’s it,” Hester said.
    “I think I’m going to wait in the lobby,” Dahl said.
    *   *   *
    Two hours later, as dawn broke, a tired-looking Kerensky came down to the lobby.
    “Marc needs his keys,” he said. “He’s got a six-thirty makeup call.”
    Dahl dug in his pocket for the keys. “So he’ll help us?” he asked.
    Kerensky nodded. “He’s going to put in a call as soon as he gets to the set,” he said. “He’ll tell Paulson that unless he schedules a meeting today, he’s going to quit.”
    “And just how did you manage to get him to agree to that?” Hester said.
    Kerensky fixed Hester with a direct stare. “Are you actually interested?”
    “Uh,” Hester said. “Actually, no. No, I’m not.”
    “Didn’t think so,” Kerensky said. He took the keys from Dahl.
    “I am,” Duvall said.
    Kerensky sighed, and turned to Duvall. “Tell me, Maia: Have you ever met someone who you know so completely, so exactly and so perfectly that it’s like the two of you share the same body, thoughts and desires? And had that feeling compounded by the knowledge that how you feel about them is exactly how they feel about you, right down to the very last atom of your being? Have you?”
    “Not really,” Duvall said.
    “I pity you,” he said, and then headed back to the hotel room.
    “You had to ask,” Hester said to Duvall.
    “I was curious,” Duvall said. “Sue me.”
    “Now I have images, ” Hester said. “They are in my mind . They will never leave me. I blame you.”
    “It’s certainly a side of Kerensky we haven’t seen before,” Dahl said. “I never saw him being interested in men.”
    “It’s not that,” Hanson said.
    “Did you miss the last couple of hours?” Hester said. “And the thumping?”
    “No, Jimmy’s right,” Duvall said. “He’s not interested in men. He’s interested in himself. Always has been. Now he’s gotten the chance to follow through on that.”
    “Ack,” Hester said.
    Duvall looked over at him. “Wouldn’t you, if you had the chance?” she asked.
    “I didn’t,” Dahl pointed out.
    “Yes, but we already established you’re a prude,” Duvall said.
    Dahl grinned. “Point,” he said.
    The elevator opened and Corey came out, followed by Kerensky. Corey walked up to Dahl. “I need your phone number,” he said. “So I can call you when I set up the meeting today.”
    “All right,” Dahl said, and gave it to him. Corey added it to his contacts and then looked at them all.
    “I want you to appreciate what I’m doing for you,” he said. “By getting you this meeting, I’m putting my ass on the line. So if you do anything that puts me or my career at risk, I swear I will find you and make you miserable for the rest of your lives. Are you all clear on this?”
    “We’re clear,” Dahl said. “Thank you.”
    “I’m not doing it for you,” Corey said, and then nodded over to Kerensky. “I’m doing it for him.”
    “Thank you anyway,” Dahl said
    “Also, if anyone asks, the reason you guys were helping me into my car last night is because I had an allergic reaction to the tannins in the wine I was drinking at the Vine Club,” Corey said.
    “Of course,” Dahl said.
    “That’s the truth, you know,” Corey said. “People are allergic to all sorts of things.”
    “Yes,” Dahl said.
    “You didn’t see if anyone was taking video while you were putting me into the car, did you?” Corey asked.
    “There might have been a couple,” Dahl allowed.
    Corey sighed. “Tannins. Remember it.”
    “Will do,” Dahl said.
    Corey nodded at Dahl, and then walked over to Kerensky and enveloped him in a