The Spiral Path by Mary Jo Putney

not have another chance to
get this shot right."
    "I
shall endeavor to stay on my horse." He handed his coffee cup to Josh, and
swung onto his mount. "Don't worry, Rainey. We rehearsed this ride six
times yesterday. It will be fine."
    "From
your lips to God's voice mail." She jogged over to her Jeep and drove off
to join the camera crews on the other side of the hill.
    As
Kenzie waited for the signal to start moving, he became John Randall, erect and
arrogant, an officer of the empire on which the sun never set. He and his
patrol would ride west over the hill, appearing as silhouettes against the
rising sun. Though his men were in drab khaki with faces swathed against the
dust and heat, Randall wore his regimental uniform. The blood-red blaze of his
tunic would be the only color in the dun landscape as they descended the hill
to their fate.
    The
second assistant director who had been organizing the scene used his radio to
announce that all was in readiness. Another two minutes of increasing light
passed before the first assistant director's voice crackled back over the
radio, "Rolling!"
    Kenzie
set his horse into motion, letting it choose its own footing in the dim light.
Shoulders square, face determined, a man as at home in the saddle as he was in
the world. These rough hills held nothing that a true-born Englishman need
fear.
    In
typical movie fashion, this scene came before the battle scene that had been
shot over the previous days. Rainey had set up the schedule to allow him to
start as late as possible, in case his previous film ran longer than it was
supposed to. It hadn't, though. He'd arrived in New Mexico two days before,
using the time to visit the set and take long drives along remote roads.
    The
shooting schedule was a tight one. Since John Randall was in almost every
scene, from now on he'd be working six days a week. After the battle and
capture exteriors were done, the production would move to England for location
work. The final phase would be shot on a London sound stage.
    Kenzie
crested the hill and rode down toward the cameras, accompanied by the thunder
of hooves, the jingle of harness, a trailing haze of dust. Below, Rainey stood
with the two cameras and crews recording the approaching riders. One caught the
whole scene while another zoomed in for close-ups. Randall and his patrol rode
forward steadily, not expecting trouble but ready for any that might show up.
    "Cut!"
    Just
short of running over the cameras, Kenzie and his patrol reined in their
horses. Rainey called, "Great job! You all looked fantastic against the
sunrise. Dramatic. Ominous. Doomed."
    She
grinned. "Now get back over that hill as fast as your horses will take
you, and we'll do a second take, just in case."

    "Cut!" The
marker snapped shut on take sixteen.
    Kenzie
sighed. They were tying to get the master shot of the first, critical scene
between Randall and his charismatic captor, Mustafa, leader of the rebels. It
took place moments after Randall was captured, and had to establish the complex
interplay between the characters.
    Kenzie
prided himself on his professionalism, always knowing his dialogue. Usually he
could nail a scene on the first take. Unfortunately, Sharif Asuri, the young
Pakistani-British actor playing Mustafa, seemed incapable of walking and
talking at the same time. Though Sharif had done well in rehearsal and had the
physical presence to play the rebel leader, he'd flubbed every take so far.
Tension was rising among the crew, and Sharif was a nervous wreck.
    Rainey
was admirably patient. "Take a few deep breaths and we'll try it again,
Sharif. Forget the cameras and act like you did in rehearsal."
    Sharif
nodded and took his place. Kenzie was lying half-propped against a pile of
rocks, wrists tied in front of him, bruises and smudges of blood artistically
scattered over his face and hands.
    "Now."
Rainey gave the signal to start another take.
    Lithe
and cruel as a panther, Sharif knocked aside the spear one of his