Kiss Me if You Can — Chapter 9

I QUIT.

HENRY...

HENRY, I'M REALLY SORRY ABOUT TODAY... I CAN'T PROMISE SOMETHING LIKE THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN,

BUT WE'LL COMPENSATE YOU ACCORDINGLY.

WE'LL DRAFT UP AN ADDITIONAL CONTRACT-

I'M DONE! WHAT DO YOU TAKE ME FOR, SOME BROKE LOSER?! YOU THINK MONEY SOLVES EVERYTHING?

COMPENSATE ME? AFTER THE SHIT I WENT THROUGH TODAY BECAUSE OF THAT PSYCHO?

YOU COULD GIVE ME THE ENTIRE GODDAMN UNITED STATES, AND IT WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH!

HENRY, CALM DOWN!

CALM DOWN? HE GOT KICKED INTO A CROWD FROM MIDAIR!

A HOMELESS GUY IN A HURRICANE WOULD LOOK LESS PATHETIC THAN HE DOES RIGHT NOW!

JUST CALCULATE MY PAY UP TO TODAY. I'M HEADING BACK TO BOSTON IMMEDIATELY.

WAIT, HOLD ON-!

IF MY FLIGHT BACK ISN’T FIRST CLASS, I’M SUING!

LAURA, DESPITE SIR MILLER TREATING US LIKE TRASH,

WE’VE ALWAYS DONE OUR BEST.

LET’S NOT PRETEND WE DIDN’T HAVE TIME TO PULL HENRY BACK IN BEFORE TAKEOFF. SIR MILLER KICKED HIM OUT OF THE CHOPPER ON PURPOSE!

WE LEFT HIM BEHIND WITH A MOB OF LUNATICS ALL BECAUSE HE COULDN’T WAIT A FEW GODDAMN SECONDS.

I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FEEL, BUT WE HAD NO OTHER CHOICE AT THAT TIME.

IF WE HADN’T TAKEN OFF AT THAT EXACT MOMENT, SIR MILLER REALLY WOULD HAVE JUMPED OUT OF THE HELICOPTER.

HONESTLY, MAYBE WE SHOULD’VE JUST LET HIM GET TORN APART BY HIS FANS. IT WOULD’VE SAVED US A LOT OF TROUBLE.

IT WAS JUST HENRY WHO GOT UNLUCKY THIS TIME.

IN MOMENTS LIKE THIS, IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A GAME OF WHOEVER DRAWS THE SHORTEST STICK.

IT COULD'VE BEEN ANY OF US, AND IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN.

THIS ISN'T SOMETHING LAURA CAN FIX.

EVEN IF SHE MAKES YOU A PROMISE ON HIS BEHALF, SIR MILLER IS JUST GOING TO IGNORE IT ANYWAY.

THE ONLY WAY TO DEAL WITH THIS IS TO CONFRONT SIR MILLER DIRECTLY.

JOSH IS RIGHT.

NO AMOUNT OF PROMISES OR MONEY IS GOING TO MAKE THIS OKAY.

SO WHAT DO YOU PROPOSE?

YOU WANT TO CONFRONT SIR MILLER RIGHT NOW?

WHY NOT?

what did you just say?

YOU'RE GOING TO CONFRONT C?

WHY WOULDN'T I?

WELL, OF COURSE YOU SHOULD, BUT-

DON'T WORRY, MARK. I'LL HANDLE IT.

YOU'RE REALLY GOING, JOSH?

YEAH. AFTER ALL, I WAS THE ONE FLYING THE HELICOPTER THAT LEFT HENRY BEHIND.

IT WASN’T YOUR FAULT. YOU DIDN’T HAVE A CHOICE.

EVEN SO, IT’S SOMETHING THAT DOESN’T SIT RIGHT WITH ME.

I’M SICK OF BEING FORCED TO MAKE DECISIONS I DON’T WANT TO. IT MAKES ME FEEL DIRTY.

I MIGHT AS WELL CLEAR THE AIR WHILE I’M AT IT.

I’LL GO TALK TO HIM NOW.

WAIT, JOSH–!

...FINE. I’LL KEEP AN EYE ON THE CCTV IN HIS ROOM JUST IN CASE. BE CAREFUL.

...YEAH, I’LL BE BACK.

SO, WHAT DO YOU WANT?

AN APOLOGY FOR WHAT HAPPENED TODAY.

WHILE WE’RE AT IT, I’D LIKE TO COME UP WITH SOME PROPER MEASURES FOR THE FUTURE.

WHY IS THAT MY PROBLEM? THIS IS YOUR JOB.

OUR JOB IS TO PROTECT YOU,

NOT GET JERKED AROUND BY YOUR WHIMS AND BEAT UP FOR NO REASON.

ISN'T RISKING YOUR LIVES FOR ME WHAT YOU SIGNED UP FOR?

I WOULDN'T SAY YOUR LIFE WAS IN DANGER TODAY.

THAT'S JUST YOUR PERSPECTIVE. I WAS TERRIFIED.

WHY ARE YOU PUNCHING THE WALL? AREN'T I THE ONE YOU WANT TO HIT RIGHT NOW?

...IT'S NOT MY PLACE TO HIT A CLIENT.

WHO CARES? IF YOU WANT TO, GO AHEAD.

OH, CAN I? REALLY?

IF I'D KNOWN THAT, I WOULDN'T HAVE WASTED MY TIME TALKING.

SO, HOW MANY? HOW MANY TIMES CAN I HIT YOU?

SHOULD I AVOID YOUR FACE

SINCE YOU'RE AN ACTOR?

...ARE YOU SERIOUSLY THINKING ABOUT HITTING ME?

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF I GAVE YOU THE CHANCE?

I'D HIT YOU AS MUCH AS I COULD.

THERE'S NO WAY AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THIS WOULD COME AROUND AGAIN

IF YOU REALLY THINK THAT YOU CAN,

THEN GO AHEAD.

ARE YOU BEING SERIOUS? YOU'RE NOT GOING TO COME AFTER ME FOR DAMAGES LATER, RIGHT?

I'M TELLING YOU TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, SO DO IT.

I'VE GOT MORE MONEY THAN I KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH. DO YOU THINK I'D CARE ABOUT WHATEVER CHUMP CHANGE YOU'D BE ABLE TO OFFER?

YOU'RE REALLY SERIOUS?

WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? CAN'T DO IT? YOU DON'T HAVE THE GUTS AFTER ALL.

YOU'RE JUST ALL TALK, HUH? NOTHING BUT--

I NEVER SAID I'D LET YOU HIT ME WITHOUT FIGHTING BACK.

...HUH?

YOU'RE BLEEDING...

...DIDN'T YOU SAY I COULD HIT YOU WHEREVER I WANTED?

AH...!

YOU LITTLE BASTARD-!

STOP IT, BOTH OF YOU! JOSH, KNOCK IT OFF!

I SAID STOP-!!