Chapter 2 Body Donation Agreements

A Dodge pickup truck drove along the highway, heading toward downtown Provo.

"Man, your old clunker is running low on gas. Make sure to fill up later," David, the driver, said. "You were drunk out of your mind last night, made me drive you home, and now I had to get up early to pick you up again."

"Thanks," Hawk replied.

"Just saying 'thanks' is lame. Show some real appreciation," David said, clearly with something in mind. "The Sundance Film Festival in Park City is about to start. It's not far. How about we check it out together? And you'll cover the expenses."

David was an aspiring actor. "If we're lucky, we might meet a big director who'll help us hit it big."

Hawk glanced over at him. This guy had blonde hair, blue eyes, and a handsome face. Without missing a beat, Hawk said, "You better make sure your butt is squeaky clean."

Anyone remotely aware of the entertainment industry knew what Hawk meant, and David wasn’t clueless either. "Is there a chance I'll run into a female director instead?"

Hawk shot straight: "Nah, you’re more likely to meet a hyena director."

David didn’t get it. "What do you mean?"

Hawk clarified, "Besides making movies, they specialize in…well, let's just say 'rearranging your backside.'"

David fell silent, keeping his eyes on the road as they drove into Provo, heading straight for downtown. This small city, home to about 100,000 people and less than a hundred miles from Salt Lake City, mostly featured low-rise buildings, except for the cluster of tall ones in the city center.

The filming location for The Singing Detective in Provo was an eight-story building, which the production had rented entirely.

David pulled the truck into the parking lot, got out, and immediately messed up his smooth blonde hair into a bird’s nest. He even grabbed some dirt from under the truck door and smeared it on his face.

"What are you doing?" Hawk asked, puzzled.

"You’re still hungover, aren’t you?" David shook his head. "Remember, the lead actor, Robert Downey Jr., is notorious for being a control freak when he’s high. He won’t allow anyone on set who looks better than him."

"Oh, right. Hungover brain fog," Hawk said, slapping his forehead.

David tossed the car keys to Hawk and pointed at his unshaven face. "Lucky for you, you’re always in the safe zone—nothing to worry about. Unlike me, who’s constantly a target for jealousy."

Hawk, not in the mood to continue the conversation, walked toward the production site, with David quickly following behind.

Several trailers were parked at the set, and the two found the stunt department’s trailer, waiting patiently.

Hawk, appearing casual, chatted with people nearby, quickly gathering information on the job. The film was being produced by Ackerman Studios, financed and led by California billionaire Buddy Ackerman.

Originally, three stunt actors were hired in Los Angeles, but after moving the shoot to Provo, the director Keith Gordon and producer Broderick decided to add more action scenes.

One stunt actor had sprained an ankle, and another had quit, citing union standards, leaving only one stunt actor available. To save on costs, the production decided to hire Hawk and David locally.

Freddy, the stunt coordinator, returned from the director’s team and looked them over carefully. "Put on black jackets and keep the black hoods on," he instructed.

An assistant immediately handed over two different jackets. Hawk waited for David to choose before taking the other one and putting it on.

He zipped up the pockets of his old jacket, where his revolver and car keys rested safely inside.

Freddy threw them the hoods. "Put these on and follow me to the set. Don’t keep the crew waiting for you two stunt idiots."

Hawk and David slipped on the hoods, which only left their eyes and nostrils exposed, and followed Freddy toward the front of the building.

The production had hired them not only to save money but also because their robber characters would never show their faces. Even makeup wasn’t needed.

As they arrived at the building, the set was bustling with activity, and another stunt actor, McKinney, arrived, although he wouldn’t be appearing in this scene.

Hawk and David began warming up while the director’s team gradually took their positions. The assistant director, with a noticeably flamboyant style, stepped onto the set to explain the scene.

Since the robber characters were added last minute, there was no script or lines. It was all about blocking and direction right before the shoot. Although Hawk wasn’t familiar with filmmaking, he figured these last-minute additions would probably end up being cut in post-production.

"You two are going to get into a fight here. Some close combat," the assistant director explained, standing on the patchy grass. He pointed a delicate finger at Hawk. "You take him down quickly and then run toward the building over there. Got it?"

"Got it," Hawk said.

The assistant director swayed his hips as he left the set.

With the slate clap signaling action, the two black-hooded robbers began fighting.

David swung his right fist at Hawk’s face.

Hawk blocked it with his left hand, instinctively aiming a kick toward David’s groin. Fortunately, his reflexes were fast, and he adjusted his aim just in time, landing the kick on David’s thigh with a loud smack.

David’s eyes bulged as he let out a scream. Before he could react, Hawk locked him in a chokehold, using his strength to turn the grab into a hard push while tripping him.

David fell flat on his back with a thud.

Hawk turned and ran toward the building.

From the director’s chair came a shout: "Cut!"

In the background, the Hollywood stunt actor McKinney, hands in his black jacket pockets, couldn’t help but comment to Freddy, the stunt coordinator, "This guy’s got some skills."

Freddy nodded in agreement. "He’s a natural."

On set, Hawk helped David off the ground.

David couldn’t hold back his complaint. "Dude, you weren’t supposed to improvise like that. We didn’t plan it this way."

Hawk, unsure of what had happened the day before, just said, "I got caught up in the moment."

The assistant director, with his signature flair, re-entered the set, giving Hawk a once-over. "Follow me."

He led Hawk to the front of the building and pointed to the second floor. "In the next scene, you’re climbing up and breaking into that second-floor window."

Hawk examined the setup carefully. The second floor was more than thirteen feet high. There were lampposts standing around eight meters tall but positioned about three meters away from the building, making it difficult to use them for leverage. The building’s exterior was covered with matte granite panels, and every so often, there were protruding decorative walls forming right angles.

Hawk positioned himself between one of the corner walls. Using the narrow gap, he jumped and climbed up like a spider. He barely made it two meters before sliding back down. "Does this work?" he asked the assistant director.

The assistant director waved him off to get the director.

Once the crew set up the equipment, the filming resumed.

Even though Hawk’s body had softened a bit over the years, he still had solid fundamentals. Within a few seconds, he was back up on the second-floor window ledge and climbed inside the open window.

The scene was completed in one take.

Afterward, Robert Downey Jr. arrived on set, signaling the temporary end of the stunt shooting.

There was another wire stunt on the roof scheduled for the afternoon. To kill time, David invited Hawk to the production’s makeshift entertainment room on the second floor to play some video games.

During lunch, they left their hoods in the break room.

After getting food from the catering truck, David sent Hawk back to grab the hoods. "You owe me, man. My leg is busted because of you. You need to make it up to me."

Hawk flipped him off and headed inside the building. He was about to enter the elevator when Freddy, the stunt coordinator, rushed over from the other direction.

Inside the elevator, Hawk casually greeted Freddy. "In a hurry?"

"Producer wants to see me," Freddy replied.

When the elevator reached the second floor, they parted ways, heading in opposite directions.

The crew’s entertainment room and the producer’s office were on opposite ends of the second floor.

Hawk walked into the entertainment room to find someone hunched over a glass table, snorting something.

Robert Downey Jr. looked up when he heard the door, his gaze sharp as an arrow directed at Hawk. He wiped the white powder from his nose and barked, "Get out! Now!"

Not wanting to deal with a junkie, Hawk spotted the hoods hanging on a rack. He grabbed them along with a newspaper and casually said, "Don’t mind me. Carry on."

The interruption clearly annoyed Downey, his eyes growing darker and more sinister.

Hawk left the room, putting his hood on like a hat. He rolled up the newspaper and used it to carry David’s hood like a black flag.

A group of people exited the elevator ahead of him and turned into the opposite hallway.

Two white men and one Black man in suits stopped to guard the hallway. Three more people approached the producer’s office, with two standing at the door.

The five men were clearly security.

Hawk quickly scanned the group, and based on his past experience, he judged that they had shoulder holsters underneath their suits.

"Five bodyguards... must be someone important," he thought as he turned into the elevator room and headed down to the set behind the building.

The crew was busy setting up the location. Several cranes for the wirework had already been erected on the rooftop.

Hawk found David and tossed him his head covering, then sat on a nearby folding chair. "When's the shoot?"

"Don’t know," David replied with a shake of his head. "We’re waiting—Freddy hasn’t shown up yet."

Hawk opened the newspaper, and on the front page was a news article about The Singing Detective.

"The crew of The Singing Detective, dedicated to public welfare and charity!"

The article featured the main actors, Robert Downey Jr. and Katie Holmes, who had recently given an interview stating that to promote social welfare and charity, they had signed body donation agreements and urged others to do the same.

Hawk knew that most of the charity and donation talk was just a Hollywood PR stunt.

Hollywood wasn’t exactly filled with drug addicts and junkies, but it wasn’t far off either.

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