Chương 385: Chapter 385: Hallucination
Ivan parked his car alongside Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills. He reached for the high-definition camera on the passenger seat, slung it around his neck, and stepped out of the car. Ivan headed to a nearby psychological clinic, paid the fee, and settled on a bench near the greenbelt, patiently waiting.
In just a few minutes, a black Escalade pulled up in front of the clinic. Ivan stood up, newspaper set aside, camera in hand, ready to capture the moment.
The rear door of the Escalade opened, and Martin, dressed casually, stepped out of the car, making his way toward the clinic's entrance.
Ivan knew that Martin had intentionally scheduled this time for him to take pictures, so he swiftly pressed the shutter button.
After a few clicks, Martin disappeared from the camera's lens as he entered the clinic.
Ivan put down the camera, reviewed the photos he'd taken, and was satisfied with how he'd captured Martin's worried and sorrowful expression against the backdrop of the psychological clinic.
He patiently waited for the right time to sell these images to TMZ. Unfortunately, Ivan wasn't skilled in photo editing or writing stories, so he could only sell the pictures directly to Judy.
Returning to the bench, Ivan occupied himself by reading the newspaper. An entertainment news article caught his attention Serbian actress Sibi Blažić was preparing to file for divorce from Christian Bale, citing a breakdown in their relationship.
Inside the psychological clinic, a nurse led Martin to the consulting room. Knocking gently on the door, she opened it, allowing Martin to enter.
In the room, a female doctor, Laura, in her late twenties, sat behind the consultation table. She was casually dressed in plain glasses, exuding an easygoing vibe with her pulled-back golden-brown hair.
"Mr. Davis, please have a seat," she said while observing Martin.
Martin pulled up a chair and inquired, "Can I drop all pretenses in here?"
"Of course," Laura assured him, "There's no monitoring or recording equipment, and what you say won't leave this room. I'm a psychiatrist, and I adhere to strict professional ethics."
Martin grinned, his face unadorned but still bearing the unique madness of a clown, and said, "Great."
Laura was about to speak, but Martin got ahead of her, asking, "Do you know why I chose you, even with several well-known senior doctors in this clinic?"
Laura sensed an air of clouded emotions in the man before her and replied, "I'm also curious. Why did you choose me?"
Martin chuckled, "Because you're young, beautiful, and inexperienced, making you the most likely to be influenced by me."
Laura smiled, radiating brightness like a noonday Los Angeles sun, "So you want to influence me, or do you need my help?"
Martin opened his arms and proclaimed, "I need someone who can understand the psychology of women to help me create an army of beauties."
As she considered the Hollywood star before her, Laura's inner thoughts were dismissive, but she maintained her composure, "You're just looking for some amusement?"
Martin laughed, shaking his head, "Of course not, that's too vulgar. Doctor Laura, please don't tell me your mind is only occupied with trivial matters of the heart."
His tone shifted to seriousness, "America deserves someone of refined taste. My plan is to lead a battalion of beautiful women into Washington, seize the White House, and dissolve the United States."
Laura, who had encountered a variety of patients, had never met someone like this before. Despite her best efforts to remain composed, she couldn't help but regard Martin as though he were a madman.
Martin was here to pave the way for his upcoming project. He needed to spend some time at the psychology clinic, conversing with the psychiatrist. He'd purposely chosen this young, beautiful doctor who had recently gained the autonomy to treat patients. At least her presence would catch people's attention and bring a smile.
It seemed that Martin had been influenced by Nicholson in more ways than one.
Martin shared his vision, saying, "This way, world conflicts will at least be halved. If I make such a significant contribution, I could win the Nobel Peace Prize!"
Laura realized that this man was suffering from serious delusions and aimed to bring him back to reality. She stated, "The chances of the President of the United States winning the Nobel Peace Prize are greater than yours."
Martin, undeterred, asked, "Can you provide me with an idea on how to dissolve the United States Federation?"
Laura didn't answer directly but inquired, "Why do you have such an idea?"
In response, Martin gave a bizarre reason, "I'm tired and want to take a nap." Without waiting for a response, he moved to the couch and lay down, closing his eyes.
Laura, somewhat helpless, shook her head and picked up a book to read. Martin dozed off for twenty minutes during the half-hour he spent there, paying the price for the marketing of "The Dark Knight."
When the half-hour was up, Martin sat up, put on his coat, and declared, "I'm leaving."
Laura asked, "Is the issue resolved?"
Martin grinned eerily, "I've shared so much with you, and I feel better. Just a little more." As he departed, he turned back and said, "Doctor, I'll come to see you another day, and we'll discuss how to make the world more chaotic."
Laura couldn't refuse her patient, "Mr. Davis, you're welcome to come by anytime."
Exiting the clinic, Martin was accompanied by Bruce, who had been guarding the door. Martin planned to continue his treatment regularly.
Bruce inquired, "You didn't unsettle anyone, did you?"
Martin assured him, "I had a great conversation with the doctor, discussing some grand ideals and aspirations. The doctor was quite impressed and may be of help in the future."
As they walked toward their parking spot, Ivan, on the other side, raised his camera once more, capturing Martin with the clinic's entrance in the background. He continued snapping shots until the Escalade drove away.
Ivan reviewed the photos to ensure they were without issue. While heading to the parking area, he dialed Judy's number, "It's me, Big Ivan. I just took some pictures of Martin Davis visiting a psychiatrist. Do you want them?"
Judy's interest was piqued at the mention of Martin Davis, "Of course, let's meet at our usual spot."
Ten minutes later, Judy arrived at a park and honked her car horn in the parking lot. Ivan approached with a box, and he settled into the passenger seat.
Judy took her laptop and asked, "Where are Martin's photos?"
Ivan opened the box, handed her the card reader, and reminded her, "Bruce mentioned that Martin hasn't been seen in Los Angeles for months. He's been busy with 'The Dark Knight,' playing the Joker. Nicholson had some concerns about it."
Judy connected the card reader, waiting for the computer to recognize it, and said, "Is playing the Joker too intense and potentially problematic? Martin's young and could be hard to control."
Ivan nodded, recalling, "Yes, that's what Nicholson implied. Do you think Martin's sudden visit to a psychiatrist is related to this?"
Judy contemplated it, "It's quite likely. Nicholson has a wealth of experience, and his concerns aren't unfounded." She examined the photos closely.
The initial pictures showed Martin entering the psychological clinic, his face gloomy, emitting an eerie vibe that was far from normal.
In the subsequent images of Martin leaving the clinic, his expression remained serious, but the discomfort was noticeably reduced.
Ivan remarked, "The contrast between the before and after photos is striking."
Judy agreed, "Indeed." She got to the point, "Let's discuss the price."
Ivan quoted a figure.
The two parties had a long history of collaboration, and Judy, seeing no need to haggle, promptly wrote a check, handing it over to Ivan. After he left the car, Ivan made his way back to the company. He spent some time reviewing the photos and stumbled upon news of Jack Nicholson's fiery critique of Martin. Once again, he delved into online articles related to "The Dark Knight."
The internet was teeming with news about Christian Bale, the actor behind Batman, facing psychological and emotional challenges.
"Are Batman and Joker Actors Struggling with Mental Health Issues?" inquired numerous headlines.
The film crew had issued a statement, albeit vaguely, hinting that Christian Bale had been affected by his character.
Judy's curiosity was immediately piqued. What intense clashes had Batman and the Joker in "The Dark Knight" endured that led both lead actors to grapple with psychological problems? She couldn't help but recollect that the 1989 Batman movie starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson hadn't encountered similar issues.
Judy scoured news related to the film crew, paired it with the photos, and began crafting news articles to accompany the images.
Even though TMZ was known for its entertainment gossip, it held high standards for news authenticity. Judy and her team were proactive in generating news, but they never fabricated stories out of thin air. In many respects, they prioritized "news authenticity" more than many journalists covering serious societal matters.
"Martin Davis recently sought consultation at a psychological clinic, raising suspicions of psychological and emotional challenges while filming the new movie 'The Dark Knight.' Nicholson had previously warned Martin that the Joker role was excessively dark, and if he became too immersed in the character, it could very well lead to inner turmoil..."
With limited evidence, Judy's news coverage could only go so far.
First, she published Martin's story along with the relevant supporting images.
Then, she drew attention to the news of Christian Bale's psychological and emotional struggles, linking it to Martin's situation.
As soon as TMZ's reports hit the internet, they rapidly drew the interest of many.
Several members of the media contacted the psychological clinic, inquiring about Martin's visit.
The clinic confirmed that Martin had sought treatment but declined to provide any further information.
Media outlets could only report what they could confirm.
Some, including TMZ, revisited the stories of Nicholson's anger towards Martin and Nicholson's visit to Atlanta, juxtaposing them for comparison. They suggested that Nicholson's attitude had significantly changed before and after, pointing to the possibility that Martin had played a part in reshaping the Joker character, perhaps causing this shift.
However, the reporters who sought interviews with Nicholson were left with no substantial information. Nicholson simply hinted, "You'll find out when the movie is released."
Fans of Martin also reached out to him through his blog and the official website of the Coke God Cult, inquiring about his well-being.
Martin's response was rather vague: "The issue is not particularly severe."
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