CHAPTER FOUR - TROUBLED JORDAN

The news of what had happened had spread like wildfire, and the public had developed strong feelings about it. Jordan wondered how they had all heard about it. The military definitely would not release any information. It must have been the actors. A heavy knock sounded on his bedroom door. Jordan ignored it. The knock was persistent.

Jordan stood up reluctantly from the bed and went to open the door. Mark came in hurriedly with Jordan’s next scene’s clothing. It had been ironed and straightened out for him. Jordan glanced at the dull clothes with distaste, his humiliation still fresh in his mouth.

"You have to be punctual, please. Our next shooting location has been approved and that... Mark clipped his tongue. He hurriedly dropped the laundry and tried to run out of the room.

"That who?" Jordan asked he knew who Mark was talking about.

"The soldier that saved you, she is at the filming set. " He said hurriedly and left the room.

Jordan sighed. He was confused. That was a given. She had risked everything to save him. She could have died in that quicksand after her hand slipped out of his.

He was not angry; he had gotten a slap, which was a first for him. No one had ever slapped him before, but no one had risked their lives for him either. His friends and family only ever looked for ways to make use of him. 

Maybe she was looking for recognition. possibly for a medal of some sort. He thought crazily. He was beyond confused. There had to be a reason why she did it, and he was going to find out. She would be a crazy bitch if she did that just to get close to him. He had to find out. He could forgive the slap; that was probably to make her act sweeter.

She was a celebrity, and she had to have known about his celebrity and wanted to be famous by being close to him.

His alarm went off, reminding him that he had just five minutes more to dress up and leave for the filming set.

His phone soon rang after that. It was his father, Jonathan Bell, who sure sucked at timing. But it was best he picked up the call. His father would probably call Mark next if he didn’t pick up. And Bitch would nag at him.

"How could you allow that to happen? That was really irresponsible of you, What if that soldier had not saved you?" Jonathan Bell screamed into the phone. His voice was agitated, though Jordan could not read any form of concern in it. He was probably worried about the image of his company.

"It was not by choice. I wanted to explore the place, but then I saw a giant snake and I started running away from it. I did not even notice where I was going. It was not until I ran into the mud that I knew I was in quicksand. But I was too far in to get out. I did not choose to die by choice. " Jordan said it just as viciously. He dropped the phone, as he began changing into his filming clothes.

"That is not enough justification. You ran away just because of a tiny snake? What are you? twelve? " His father shouted from the other end.

"Has your hearing gone bad again? I said it was  giant snake. It was really big."

"What was the specie?"

"I didn’t wait to find out. All I could think of was escape from the deadly thing. Now please stop making me think all over again about that awful experience. Find a way to quieten the media and I do not want any of my pictures on any news website. " Jordan warned his father

"Don’t worry about that. It is a good PR, by the way. We used the news to our benefit. It’s a way of getting people excited about the movie. And the way you were rescued, we could even imbibe that in a scene in the movie, probably reenact it. What do you say?" Jonathan asked as he cackled.

"You are full of shit. You sent me here against my will, yet you are trying to get me killed.  "Just leave me alone. I am a busy person, you know." Jordan cut the call.His father was too overbearing. He would no doubt go on to introduce his crazy idea to the scriptwriters.

Jordan went to the film set. He had gotten himself quite a reputation at the station. The officers all laugh as they pass him. Even for the junior officer, each one laughed as they passed by him. Offended, he walked faster to the filming set. They must all think him a joke.

She was the first one he saw when he got there. Ysablle. She stood with a commanding presence. It was hard not to notice her. Her uniform was on tight feet as she spoke with the directors, giving shooting advice. The stunt men all crowded around her, listening eagerly. Her hair, that lustrous bunch, was packed up in a messy bun; her shirt stuck to her upper body hungrily, pushing her curves to full display.

Jordan wondered why he had not noticed it before. Officer Ysabelle was a curvy female. He stared until she caught his eye. She allowed her eyes to roam lazily around him for a nanosecond. It was so short that he thought he imagined her gaze on him.

Mark ran to him. " Scene 10" will be shot first. You are not needed now. Only the stuntmen. You can sit for a while. " He said, handing him a bottle of water while leading him to an empty sofa. As a privilege of being an actor, the other crew members all stood in the cold while he was wrapped in warm blankets. Jessica was seated a few seats away from him, he prayed she stayed clear of him, Jordan sighed when he saw she was taking a nap.

Jordan took his seat, fully watching Ysabelle. She moved towards the other crew members. She walked to the other officer standing nearby. Jordan watched her give her commands. She walked off and began leaving the premises of the set. Jordan threw the blankets off. He had something else to cook him off.

"Where are you going? Shooting will start soon. You can't just leave. " Mark threw after him.

Ysabelle had rounded the corner and gone off. Jordan cursed at Mark. The guy behaved like a woman, nagging at every opportunity. "I will be back, I will be back soon," he said as he ran after Ysabelle.

Ysabelle said there was no one in sight when he rounded the bend. Jordan looked around. There was a building down the road. He ran to it but was shocked into silence as he took in what was before him. A bunch of officers are sitting down to eat. The building was a canteen. He looked at the officers one after the other as they all turned to him.

"Looking for someone, actor?" Ysabelle's unmistakable mocking voice drooled behind him as she entered the hall. She had sidestepped him, she must know he had followed her.

"No. I am not. " She cocked her head, giving him a sceptical look. "Yes, I am,"he corrected himself.

"Okay, who are you looking for?" She asked casually as she went to take her seat, peeling off her jacket. Jordan swallowed hard and exposed her skin.She was stunning in every way.She was more beautiful than she revealed. She was a piece of art.

She noticed he was staring at her body and gave him a look. 
"I will not repeat myself," she called out as her food was served. She dug in straightway. Jordan dragged his feet and went to sit in front of her. The waitress dropped a plate in front of him, but he waived her off. He didn’t take a meal before shooting. It would mess up his acting.

"I wanted to ask you a question," he said cautiously. She stopped chewing and gave him a look.

"Shoot, my patience is fast running out." She warned. Her large eyes are watching his every move now. He could drown in those eyes; they were so intent.

"Why did you save me?"

"Should there be a reason why a military person saves the life of a stupid civilian who ran into his own death?" She threw back with no hesitation with as much venom as possible.

Jordan swallowed the hurt at her words, but she was right. It was her duty. But he could let go of the lingering feeling that there was more to her saving him.

"Others might think so, too. But I think you did it for a reason. "

She dropped her spoon angrily on the table. The other officers all straightened up. Jordan became agitated a little but cautioned himself. He had read the code of conduct their agency had signed. The soldiers had no permission to molest any of them. So he was sure she would not hurt him.

"And what might the reason be? actor. I don’t even know who you are. " She emptied her drink.

Jordan chuckled. She was such a pretty little liar. He was a very popular figure. Everyone in Yusama knew who he was.

"I think you are in love with me, Ysabelle. I think you saved me because you like me. "

Ysabelle’s face was blank for a second, then she burst out into laughter. Jordan held her challenge. He refused to cower. His deduction was correct. She didn’t save him out of duty. There was something more to this.

"Or was it because of money? Did you need money that badly that you hoped to get recognition by my dying? "

That was it. She slapped him hard, his reflexes too slow to catch her movement. Her hands connected with Jordan's cheeks two days in a row, and he concluded in my mind. He was going to unravel this hell cat. By the time he was done seducing her, she would be the one begging him never to leave her. He will make her fall in love with him. There was no way he would give her up. He would not .

And to back up his point,Jordan dragged her forward and pressed his mouth to hers, despite the several gasps and boos. Her eyes widened in shock. Jordan allowed himself to press in for more, willing her to open her mouth. The coke she had just finished taking was heavy on her tongue, and Jordan wished to lap it up.

But not for long. She shoved him off her, Jordan at the loss of her soft mouth on his. She tried to slap him, but he held her hands.

"Not this time, princess."

She jerked her hands from his, picking up her chicken soup plate. She upturned the plate on his head, staining his dull shooting cloth just as Mark ran into the hall. He paused, taking in the situation. Ysabelle left the hall angrily.

One of the officers came to meet Jordan, slapping a hand on his shoulder, "You had better run far away from here and hope to the heavens you leave this place with all of your bones intact. Ysabelle is not an easy officer and would not permit your trysts. It's best you divert your attention somewhere else, actor. Because the next time you lay your hands on her like that, she might break your arm. Trust me, she is capable of so much worse, especially after what you did today. I would avoid her like the plague if I were you. She is a very vicious cat and will look for a way to scratch at you by all means."

Challenge accepted, Jordan thought. She had done it first; she had turned his thoughts mushy first of all. She had risked her life for him, something no one ever did, and he was not going to let her go, not at all. She was the one for him. He could not wait to get his hands all over her curvy form. He would unravel all her hidden buttons.

So she could come with all her attacks and he would face them with courage.