[Chapter 485: Take Your Positions]
Link was unaware of what had happened to Harvey. He continued his vacation in Hawaii, flying to Lanai Island every week to practice piloting and also started storyboarding the script for The Talented Mr. Ripley. The Talented Mr. Ripley was about a clever boy from a poor family who killed a wealthy playboy heir and assumed his identity to live among Italy's high society.
This was an art-house thriller, comfortably within Link's expertise, and not too difficult to shoot. He chose to direct the film himself because, first, the screenplay was well-crafted and had Oscar potential if done right. Second, in recent years, shooting three big productions a year left him little time to rest or manage his company and family affairs.
The Talented Mr. Ripley was a smaller, low-budget project and comparatively simple to make, so it could also serve as a break. Moreover, intelligence from Blackwater indicated the employer hadn't given up on the attempt to assassinate him. Danger still lurked, so he needed to be extra careful during filming. Shooting with a smaller crew also reduced unexpected problems.
...
The crew for The Talented Mr. Ripley was already assembled, with some staff having flown ahead to set up locations around the Bay of Naples and Tuscany in Italy. The principal cast was confirmed, featuring Matt Damon, Jude Law, Julie Delpy, Cate Blanchett, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
The choice of leading lady had been complicated. Last year, upon receiving the script, Jennifer Connelly was initially tapped for the role of Marge, the female lead. But when Jennifer became pregnant, the part was open again. Link's circle of girlfriends had many suitable candidates including Cameron Diaz, Angelina Jolie, Charlize Theron, Kate Beckinsale, Liv Tyler, and Naomi Watts.
To avoid conflicts, Link held auditions at his Moon Beach estate, appointing Monica Bellucci, Jodie Foster, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sofia Coppola, and Winona Ryder as casting directors, while other girlfriends voted. After three rounds, Julie Delpy stood out. She embodied an elegant sensuality fitting for Marge along with an artistic quality the others lacked. Additionally, her fee was more affordable, helping control costs.
From a market perspective, the top three leads were American Matt Damon, British Jude Law, and French Julie Delpy, complemented by Australian Cate Blanchett. This mix was expected to boost overseas box office.
...
After casting, Link took the opportunity to fly to Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Sydney to promote his new film Armageddon. He also checked in on a few companies' business for the year and spent time with girlfriends including Chen Chong, Norika Fujiwara, and Izumi Sakai.
Chen Hong, Jiang Qinqin, and Zeng Li accompanied him for two weeks in June, during which Chen Hong became pregnant and was currently resting at a villa in Hong Kong, with more children expected in the family next year.
While Link was traveling the globe, the assassins waiting in Los Angeles grew impatient.
...
"Damn that Link, just hides out on the island after shooting movies, nowhere to be found. When he finally leaves, he's on a plane traveling nonstop, giving us no chance to take him out. So frustrating," Johnson complained, punching the walls of their cheap motel room.
They had originally come from Chicago to Los Angeles intending to stay only a few days to kill Link and then return to Chicago. Yet the mission faced many setbacks, and their short-term stay dragged into months, costing them two more months' rent.
Summer in LA was hot, and the motel was shabby; the longer they stayed, the worse Johnson's mood became.
"Calm down. Link's home base is in Los Angeles. No matter where he goes, he'll come back eventually," said John, throwing a dart that stuck perfectly in the bullseye.
"The papers say Link went from Singapore to New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, then Hong Kong, and Japan, and now he's heading further on. Are we supposed to wait here forever?"
"What else can we do? If we don't wait, all our planning was for nothing," John replied helplessly.
They could have followed Link abroad by plane, but the cost was too high, and they lacked the funds. Rumors inside their organization said richer assassins had tried overseas hits but none succeeded. No media reported Link's death, implying many failed -- and some might have died.
"Is there even a chance if we keep waiting?" Johnson asked. John had no answer.
Then the pager beeped. "Link's back."
Immediately revitalized, John said, "Link's back and reportedly will stay in Los Angeles for a week before flying to Italy to shoot a film next week. If we want to finish this quickly, this is our chance."
"Got it. I'm taking Link down this time and going back to Chicago. I don't want to spend another day in this damn city," Johnson said grimly while pulling a pistol from the sofa, glaring at Link's poster on the wall.
...
Upon hearing Link had returned to LA, they sprang into action and drove to Beverly Hills. On Coldwater Canyon Drive, they spotted Link's convoy. Surrounded by multiple bodyguards and equipped with armored, bomb-resistant vehicles, it was nearly impossible to kill Link with their current firepower.
They kept watch from a distance and bided their time.
While observing through binoculars, John noticed many other assassins nearby -- he identified three and suspected many more hidden around buildings and vehicles.
"Looks like many are interested in that million-dollar bounty," John said, both excited and pressured, aware competition to take Link's life was fierce.
"Why don't they investigate the identity of the employer and earn the $1 million reward offered by Link?" Johnson grumbled.
"Because we are all killers, we are better at killing people than investigating the information of the employer. I believe that there will be a lot of people participating in the investigation of the employer's information at this time," John replied.
"So, do we keep waiting for Link to show?"
"Yes, observe if his schedule changes in the coming days," John said, watching the luxury cars on the Beverly Hills roads and sprawling mansions. His eyes gleamed with ambition.
...
Unfortunately, two days passed without Link leaving the estate. On the third afternoon, things changed. Link drove to Hollywood Boulevard and entered a high-end cafe, sitting in a patio booth chatting and drinking coffee with Quentin Tarantino.
"This is our chance. I'm taking Link's head," Johnson exclaimed excitedly.
"Wait!" John set down his binoculars and grabbed Johnson, who was about to get out of the car.
"Why hesitate? We've waited months for this moment -- to put a bullet in Link's head. This is the perfect opportunity. Why not pull the trigger?" Johnson asked.
"Don't you find it suspicious? Since the assassination attempts began, Link's always been cautious when going out. Now he's casually drinking coffee outdoors. Isn't he afraid of death?" John frowned deeply.
"You're overthinking. Link's given a secure spot behind glass, looks safe. Look there, someone's moving. We gotta be quick before someone else gets him first," Johnson urged eagerly.
"Hold on. Find a good position and try a long-distance sniping shot."
"Haha, Link, I hope you live longer, don't get killed too soon."
Johnson slung his sniper rifle case over his shoulder and followed John out of the car, stealthily taking cover upstairs across the street.
*****
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