This time the ride to the set was not nearly as difficult. Even the normally reticent Randi barely hesitated at climbing into the director's hand. Although they remained silent throughout the trip, this had little to do with the experience of being carried along by a giant. Instead, Caitlin was busy thinking about how she was going to explain herself, and Tania and Randi's thoughts were occupied wondering what their fellow cheerleader was up to.
When they reached their destination, Ron Collins was already there. He watched the director set the girls down with rapt interest, but did not cross the room to greet them. Caitlin gave a little wave, which he briefly returned, but he didn't attempt to say anything. His eyes never left them, however.
As was apparently the custom, they jumped right into the filming process. They began with a take in which the mad scientist Troy locked his captives in a birdcage, then stood gloating over his tiny prisoners. Caitlin and the other girls only had to look frightened and, after being locked up, shout a demand for release; but Ron had to deliver a soliloquy about how Caitlin had wronged him and all the nasty things he was going to do to the three miniature cheerleaders. His delivery was tentative and he flubbed his lines several times, so that they had to go through over a dozen takes. The director, who seemed only slightly frustrated, gave only the barest hint of advice, and in the end selected a take that Caitlin felt was weak at best.
After the director finally said "Print it," he ordered a short break. Caitlin and the others sat down on the edge of a computer keyboard, glad the seemingly endless series of takes was over.
"Man, what is wrong with Ron this morning?" Tania wondered, stretching out alongside the spacebar.
"Yeah, yesterday he never blew a single line," Randi pointed out.
Caitlin, happy her companions had, at least for the moment, apparently forgotten her midnight jaunt, gave a little shrug. "Maybe he doesn't act well this early in the day. Have you noticed how he hasn't said one word to us, except in character?"
"It hasn't stopped him from undressing us with his eyes," Tania complained. "It's creepy the way he's always watching us. See, he's doing it now."
The other two looked over at Ron, who was seated in a chair next to the desk Caitlin had ascended the previous night. He was indeed watching them, but when they looked at him, he glanced away quickly, fidgeting. Caitlin thought he actually looked embarrassed, like a schoolboy caught ogling the prom queen.
"See what I mean?" Tania said with a satisfied smile.
"If that were us out there," Caitlin replied, "and there were tiny Chippendale dancers on this desk, what would you be doing right now?"
"Probably trying really hard not to look like I was looking," Randi laughed.
"Be that as it may, when he stares at us I feel like we're in a freak show," said an obviously irritated Tania. "Normally I like it when guys look at my body, but not like this."
Caitlin didn't reply. An idea had suddenly occurred to her. While it might be difficult for one her size to find out more about the director's secret documents, that would not be the case for a full-sized person. If she could somehow enlist Ron to their side, he could make a great ally.
She glanced around. The director and producer were on the other side of the room, engrossed in a private conversation. Ron was still seated, pretending to be interested in something he was rolling back and forth between his fingers, but Caitlin knew he was watching her out of the corner of his eye.
Caitlin stood up and walked across the table. "What are you doing?" Tania demanded as she moved away, but she silenced her with a wave of her hand.
"Ron!" Caitlin yelled as she came near the edge of the desk. He did not move, so she shouted his name again, jumping up and down and waving.
He was only a couple of yards away, so he could hardly pretend not to hear her. Rolling his eyes, he looked over at Caitlin with a frown. "I'm sorry," he said in a low voice, "the director told me not to talk to you any more. I don't want to lose this job."
"But--wait!" Caitlin shouted. "I have to ask you something!"
"I...can't...talk...to...you!" His voice was forced through gritted teeth. As he spoke, he deliberately dropped the object he had been holding, his eyes following it as it fell. "Now go away!" he ordered, standing up and moving away, turning his back on the crestfallen Caitlin.
She just stood there, hands on her hips, watching him walk off into a corner of the room. What the heck was that all about, she wondered? Why had he been so friendly the day before, and so hostile today? Why would the director tell him not to talk to her? But more importantly, what was that thing he dropped?
Without getting too close to the table's edge, she moved to where she could see the floor underneath the desk. The object he had been holding was clearly visible where it had fallen. It looked like a scrap of paper rolled into a cylindrical shape. A cigarette? No, too thin, Caitlin thought. No, it was probably just a piece of paper he'd found somewhere, something that made a convenient distraction to cover up his ill-concealed interest in the three miniature actresses.
Unless it was a note!
Her heart fairly leaped at the possibility. She looked back at Ron, trying to see if he would give any sign that her idea was correct, but he still had his back to her.
That had to be it! Caitlin was sure of it. He was trying to send the girls a message, but had to keep it a secret from the other two men!
She moved back towards the computer keyboard, where Tania and Randi had watched the whole scene with great interest. "What was that all about?" Tania asked.
"Nothing," Caitlin said, trying to hide her excitement. "I'll tell you later."
Before they had a chance to question her further, the director returned and ordered the filming to resume.