NOVEL NEXT Chapter 861: Hello, Are You Doing Okay?
New York, Central Park.
The Avengers production had shifted to New York for exterior shots. Central Park, a frequent backdrop in the film, was bustling with activity.
Chris Evans cruised down the street on a motorcycle, a wind machine tousling his blonde hair. The shot would be sped up in post-production to create a high-speed chase vibe.
"Cut! Perfect, Chris, that's a wrap on this one," Martin called.
Chris dismounted, only to hear Robert Downey Jr. ribbing him. "Man, Captain America's such a serious guy. No wonder Iron Man can't stand him."
Chris fired back, "Iron Man's a smug prick. No wonder Cap doesn't like him."
Martin ignored their banter. A middle-aged woman in a red coat approached, whispering, "Martin, we found a perfect spot for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s exterior."
"Got photos?" Martin asked, perking up.
The crew had scoured countless locations for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s base, but none had met Martin's vision. He couldn't recall where the original Avengers filmed it, forcing the team to keep hunting.
Hope this one's legit, Martin thought, noting the woman's confident demeanor.
She was Victoria Alonso, who joined Marvel Studios in 2006. Starting with Iron Man, she'd co-produced nearly every Marvel Cinematic Universe film up to 2023. Under her tenure, the MCU became the highest-grossing film franchise in history—a formidable woman.
At a makeshift table of stacked equipment cases, Victoria opened her laptop and a folder of high-res photos, explaining as she went.
"This is a public high school in New Mexico, Atrisco Heritage Academy, west of Albuquerque…"
"Here's a drone shot of the campus. This is the main building, the library…"
"We can build a helipad here—low cost. The school's on board…"
"There's a mushroom farm nearby, perfect for Loki's underground escape tunnel…"
The images aligned with Martin's mental picture. This was it—the original Avengers S.H.I.E.L.D. location.
"Great. This is the one," Martin decided.
Victoria exhaled, relieved.
As a strong-willed woman, she wasn't thrilled working with Martin, an equally dominant figure with far more clout. Collaborating with him often left her feeling like a glorified assistant, stripped of producer prestige. She'd felt it on Iron Man, and even more on Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America.
She hadn't wanted Martin for The Avengers. Early on, she'd pushed for Joss Whedon, director of Serenity.
Marvel's execs overruled her, choosing Martin to launch their superhero ensemble, just like Iron Man. Unable to change their minds, Victoria adapted to the diminished authority of working with him. In Hollywood, flexibility was a survival skill for a woman like her.
"Next scene!" Martin called, resuming work.
This one had Captain America grappling with disorientation in the modern world after waking from decades of sleep—a rare moment for Chris Evans to flex his acting chops.
He nailed it.
"When I went under, the world was at war," Evans delivered, voice heavy with unscripted melancholy. "I wake up, they say we won. They didn't say what we lost."
Martin captured the nuanced grief perfectly.
Even Downey, rarely generous with praise, nodded. "Didn't know you had it in you, man."
If that counted as praise.
As the day's shoot wrapped, Martin left with Scarlett Johansson and Rachel McAdams.
Chris Evans watched them go, turning to Downey. "I heard Martin's got a ton of women, and they all get along. Thought it was exaggerated, but seeing it here? It's real."
Then, curious, he asked, "How does he do it?"
Downey shrugged. "You're not the first to ask. Leonardo, Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, Will Smith—they've all wondered."
"And? Any answers?"
"Yup."
"Really? What?"
"Talent."
"What the fuck?!"
"Haha, that's exactly what Leonardo and Jack said."
…
Driving home, Martin flipped on the truck's radio.
"Now, let's hear the song that's held the number-one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for nearly ten weeks—HELLO, written by Martin Meyers, performed by Taylor Swift. It broke the record for highest first-week single sales in the U.S. and became the 24th song to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, holding the top spot for ten weeks with no sign of slowing down."
"Not bad for a timeless track. Let's dive into Taylor Swift's enchanting vocals."
Hello, it's me.
I was wondering if you'd pick up, if after all these years you'd still want to see me.
Maybe catch up, reminisce, count the old times.
They say time heals all, but that doesn't seem to work for me.
Hey, are you listening?
I dream of the past, those beautiful California days, you and me.
So young, chasing freedom, you and me.
I almost forgot, but it all comes rushing back…
"God, this song's gorgeous," Scarlett said, visibly moved.