Chapter 9

It had been nearly two weeks since Elena Serrano came by and asked Angie for help.  Since then, Angie visited the Federal Agent six times; two of those times were for naught.  Either the other agents couldn’t come due to other investigations or the equipment was not ready.  Both times, Elena apologized and bought the young woman lunch as a peace offering.  Angie thought it was more like Now-I-can-find-out-more-about-Rollie-pumping than lunch and an apology.  Today was no different than the first two times.  Elena seemed to want to know more and more about the Australian FX expert.

"So, you and Rollie know each other for ten years?" Elena prodded.

"No." Angie was caught in the middle of her lunch at Ruby Tuesday’s on  Long Island’s South Shore.  "Actually it’s longer; it’s more like 13, nope 14 years.  It will be 14 years in a week." Then went back to eating her lunch; it was free and since she didn’t eat breakfast this morning, she wanted to eat all of it.

"That long?  I didn’t realize that.  You met him on one of his movies?"

"Actually, he was on the set of one my dad’s movies.  My dad was the senior stuntman and Rollie showed up.  Being the new kid, my dad took him under his wing and showed Rollie the F/X business. And the rest is history."

"Interesting.  So, you were just a child when you met Rollie."  It was more of a statement than a question.

"Uh…yeah.  I was still in grammar school when my dad was teaching Rollie some of the things that he uses in his movies.  In fact, there were times that Rollie had to pick me up from school because my dad was too busy--"

"Oh, Rollie was like your baby-sitter? Isn’t that sweet?  Rollie is such a sweet person, isn’t he?" Elena kept up the questioning for another forty-five minutes, which after a full stomach was all that Angie could take.  "Angela, I am sorry to have kept you so long.  Please give Rollie my apologies.  I am sure that he doesn’t mind but too much time lost is money in the business world.  Let me take you back to Manhattan."

"No, that’s ok.  I can take the LIRR home; just drop me off at the train station, if it’s not too much to ask?"

"No problem.  Are you sure about the ride?  It would make you later than you are now.  It’s not a problem." Elena assured the young blonde woman. "Nah, it’s ok.  Plus I haven’t been on the railroad in years. It would do me some good.  Are we all set to go?"  She wanted to get out of there as quickly
as possible and get away from Elena.  She was nice and was good at her job; but all that fussing over Rollie was getting on her nerves.  Angie didn’t think that she could handle another minute of Agent Serrano asking more questions about her boss.   It would be just her luck to take the car ride and then get stuck in traffic on the Southern State with no exit out.
 

At the train station, Angie was getting to leave when she remembered that they had not yet set up any kind of run thru for the ‘show’.  "So, when is the final dress rehearsal on?  I want to clear it with Rollie.  He said that he might want to come by just for a quick peek.  I told him that was up to you and the other agents.  Remember that we still have this movie going on that we need to concentrate on."

"No,no don’t worry about it.  If Rollie wants to come on by, have him call me and I will make sure that it’s ok with the others.  If everything goes planned, then Friday should be the final drill.  Then Saturday will be it; you know that you can change your mind about this.  I know it is not easy to do. Are you sure about it?"

"Yeah, I’m fine.  A little nervous but that’s to be expected.  I mean I always get like this before a big performance. So, I guess that means everything is going along pretty much ok, huh?"

Grinning, Elena said, "I guess so.  I must admit that I am a bit nervous myself.  I don’t like bombs very much.  Even in a controlled atmosphere, things can still go wrong.  Anyway, get home safe.  If Rollie still wants to come, have him call me.  I think he has my number.  Bye." and with a wave of her hand, Elena and her car pulled out of the station.

"Bye.  You just had to get that in again, didn’t you? (Angie doing her best Elena impression), ‘If Rollie still wants to come, have him call me. I think he has my number.’  Ugh.  Like I don’t!?  Jeez, lady you have only been calling me for almost a month!"  Going up to the ticket window, she bought a one way ticket to Penn Station and then from there she would take the subway downtown home.  This way she would have some time to herself to think about this ‘show’ for Elena, the new movie coming up (thank God, she brought along some of Rollie’s drawings) and Rollie…..and Elena.
 

It was nearly two and half hours later when she walked into the warehouse. Rollie as usual was doing about a hundred different things at once.  The fax was receiving, the computer was showing email was coming in, Bluey was barking because the tea kettle was whistling and Rollie was on the phone to the
director of the new movie telling him how everything was moving at a great pace.  It was a typical Tyler response to a typical Tyler day, thank God some things never change.

Rollie was on the cordless phone running all over his studio trying to get the fax as it was coming thru and still keep up the conversation that he was having with the director.  ‘The man is paranoid’ kept going thru Rollie’s mind.  He didn’t believe it when Rollie said everything was on time.  Ok, it wasn’t on time but he wasn’t all *THAT* behind either.  He noticed that Bluey had stopped barking and looked up to see why.  Angela had come in and turned off the tea water. He mouthed, "Thank You!" to her.  She just nodded, picked up Blue and moved to her workstation.  She seemed to be out of it but he chalked it up to being tired from the day with Elena.  "Yes, I’m here, Max. Yes, everything is running right on schedule.  No, there will not be any delays.  Of course, I understand.  Money is time…oh yeah, I agree.  Uh-huh. Okay, will do.  Yes, yes I will call you tomorrow with an update." It was at that last sentence that Angie looked over the railing from her workstation to see her boss having a fit on the phone.  He was talking as if nothing was bothering him but he was strangling one of his oversized mannequins.

"I guess to Rollie it’s Max.  Oh, yeah.  This is going to be one for the books, I can see it now." Angela Ramirez thought to herself.  She only hoped that nothing happened on the set until *after* they were done…that way they could at least get paid.

"I HATE BLOODY DIRECTORS!!!" Rollie roared once he hung up the phone.  "Why can’t they just get it thru their thick heads that when I say that I am on time I mean it!??!   AARGGGHHH!!" and with that kicked an empty box across the room.   "YIP!" sounded somewhere in the warehouse.  "See??  Now he made me go and hurt Blue."

"Rol, Blue is up here with me.  But he did yip; I think you scared him that time by yelling so loud.  C’mon, Max can’t be all that bad?"

"Sorry, Blue.  Angela, you have *NO* idea!!  He’s…he’s …like the devil but in a suit!!!  He scares me; this man has sooooo much power that if we really fu…(after seeing Angie’s face, he decided to control his language), frig up we are done!!  I mean done as in over and out, no more Tyler FX.  Hell, no more Rollie Tyler period end of story."  He finally sat down and let out all the steam he had been controlling while he was talking to Max.

"Rol?  Is it a problem that I am doing this thing for Elena?  Because if it is, I can just tell her that she should get someone else.  If Max is being this bad now, I don’t want you to do this all by yourself.  It sounds like you really need me here; I can stop you know."  She was peering down from her workstation to see Rollie flopped face down on his couch.  She hated it when he got all worked up over a movie before it even began.  He could become such a grouch for the weeks and months to come.

"No.  No, it’s ok, really.  He…he’s just having a power trip today.  Once we show him that *our* work is on schedule, he’ll leave us alone.  Speaking of which, how did it go today?  Or was your day just as bad as mine was?  Tell me, I need a good laugh today." he begged her as he turned on side to face her.

"It was ok, I guess.  No one got blown up…yet."

"Angela, that is not funny.  I don’t like to hear that and you know that.  I never thought I would hear a comment like that coming from you of all people. Is it that bad?"

"No, not really.  I’m just bored.  Unfortunately, most of the time the agents are going over tactical plans.  I don’t need to know this stuff but I’m there anyway.  When I finally do tell them what I know, they seem to know it or they catch on really quick."

"I should hope so.  They are after all the FBI; the best that this country has to protect it." Rollie said mockingly.

"Speaking of FBI, call Elena.  PLEASE!"

"Why? What did I do now?"

"She wants to apologize again and tell you herself that it is ok for you to come down on rehearsal." Angie stated on her way down the stairs; she was headed to the kitchen for another cup of tea.  Without even asking, she grabs Rollie’s cold cup and sets to make a new pot.

"You think she misses me, Ange?"  He speculated out loud.  He was still reclining on the couch staring up at the ceiling lost in thought. "So, what do you think?  Maybe I should give her a call. "

"Hey, one way or another, you have got to call her.  If you want to go to the rehearsal, she is the one that has the pull.  But what ever you do….call soon!!  She is making me nuts!!  She keeps asking questions about you, like--"

"Like what?" his curiosity now going into overdrive.

"See?  I told you that you can be nosy!!"  She just dodged the pillow that he threw at her from the couch.  "Ok, ok.  Like how long I’ve known you, what did you do when you met Dad, how long you were a stuntman.   Don’t you tell your dates ANYTHING about yourself?"

"Not if I can help it.  Once I start to, they end up wanting to know the whole entire Tyler family history.  There isn’t that much time in the universe to explain Dingo if I start.  So…maybe I will give her call."

Angie had a look on her face that showed exactly what she thought of it; but was smart enough to hide it before she brought the tea in. "Here you go.  It’s hot; don’t drink it fast.  Hey!  Don’t give me that look.  I’m not the one who has problems remembering the tea.  Either you burn your tongue because it’s too hot or you spit it out because it’s too cold.  Just giving you fair warning."
 

"Hey, Ange?  Know what?"

"Umm…Let me guess.  You have had a rotten day, now have a splitting headache and have decided to go for a quick nap.  How close am I?"

"Am I that predictable?" Rollie asked his partner with a smile on his face.

"Rollie that is a word that I would never, ever associate with you.  No, I just know you by now.  Ok, I’ll down the lights here and keep Blue with me. Here’s your blanket and don’t forget about the tea."  With a quick kiss on his forehead and throwing the blanket over his long body, "See ya later, boss. Have a good nap."  She then turned the lights on low and went upstairs.

"Ange?"

"Yeah?"

 "Where would I be without you?" he quizzed her.

"Well, I don’t know where but I do know that you would be a tired thirsty individual who kept on burning his tongue if I wasn’t around to warn you." she told him honestly but lovingly.  "Bye, Rol and pleasant dreams."

"Bye, Sweets." Rollie said and then went to sleep a contented man.