And just like that, the scene at the Kremlin was winding down for the day.
Next up was filming how Luke makes his clean getaway.
You see him sprinting like mad, but when he hits this massive gate, he slams on the brakes.
Luke takes a few deep breaths to steady himself, straightens his military cap, and strolls out calm as can be.
Right then, a bunch of guards with rifles come charging past him, but they don't give him a second glance.
Luke weaves through the grand hall at top speed—big strides, quick steps, but no outright running.
Bolting through a crowd? That'd just draw every guard's eye like a moth to a flame.
But the second he hits an empty stretch, bam—he's off like a shot.
Switching back and forth between stealthy power-walking and full-tilt sprinting shows off his cool head under fire.
While Luke's hauling ass, director Cohen's got two handheld cameras rolling, no static setups.
That shaky, in-your-face footage? It pulls you right in, like you're pounding pavement alongside him.
Gotta hand it to the guy—Cohen knows his way around killer visuals.
Finally, Luke reaches one of the Kremlin's big gates.
The guards spot him and snap to attention with crisp salutes.
But instead of bolting, Luke barks in Russian at the top of his lungs: "Close the gate!"
As they hustle to obey, he ramps it up: "Faster!"
Only then does he slip out through a side door, cool and collected.
The minute he's clear, off comes the cap. He rips away the fake beard glued to his face. The shirt and tie peeking out? Just a strip around his neck is real—he yanks it all off and chucks it into the bushes.
Then he flips his general's uniform inside out, and wouldn't you know it—the other side's a pilot's jacket.
He throws it on and steps into the square, pulling out a pair of shades and unfolding a map. Tourist mode activated, blending right into the crowd.
Escape mission: accomplished.
But then, out of nowhere, Luke's mind flashes back to that mysterious voice from earlier: "Captain, I'm waiting on your signal. Ready to blow it."
Wait... no way?
There really a bomb in play?
A chill hits him, and he picks up the pace without even thinking.
BOOM!
A thunderous roar erupts behind him, and the ground shakes like an earthquake under his feet.
He stumbles, nearly face-planting, the map fluttering to the pavement.
Luke whips around, and the camera nails his wide-eyed shock.
There's this massive blast leveling one of the Kremlin's clock towers, turning it to rubble.
But that's just the opener—a chain of explosions rips through next.
Kremlin walls, the square—boom after boom, lights up the sky.
Luke doesn't hesitate; he turns tail and runs for his life.
The blast waves are insane, flipping parked cars end over end like toys.
One goes off way too close— the shockwave launches him airborne, and everything goes black.
"Cut!"
Man, these Kremlin scenes today? Smooth as butter.
Director Cohen's grinning ear to ear, can't wipe it off if he tried.
Time's money, right? Shaving off shoot time means big savings on the budget.
And the footage? Top-notch, lightning-fast. Working with Luke on a movie's like a dream gig.
The whole Kremlin infiltration arc? Once it's edited down, it'll clock in under 12 minutes, tops.
Tight, pulse-pounding plot with killer twists, high-tech spy gadgets, and some laugh-out-loud banter. Audiences are gonna eat it up.
What'll really blow minds? Watching the Kremlin get lit up like the Fourth of July.
Hollywood's blown up the White House plenty, but the Kremlin? That's fresh territory.
Luke's got pull like you wouldn't believe—hooked up the filming permit, real Kremlin guards as extras, and yeah, they greenlit blowing chunks of it to smithereens for the flick.
Cohen's over the moon. What director wouldn't kill for a setup like this?
He shoots Luke a look that's pure approval.
Meanwhile, Luke's off chatting with Yuffie and her mom.
First time overseas on a shoot for Yuffie, so of course Mom's tagging along.
"Your acting's on another level, Luke," Liu Xiaoli says. "Got any free time to coach Qianqian a bit? Those profs at her film school in Beijing? They got nothing on you."
"Totally," Yuffie chimes in. "I've seen you kill it on the big screen before, but watching you work up close today? Next-level stuff."
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But nah, my skills go way beyond that!
Wait, what? No—I'm talking acting chops!
Sure, everyone's hyping his performance, but for Luke, today's stuff was just dipping a toe in. Barely scratches the surface of what he can do.
Pantomime? Objectless acting? He's a wizard at it.
Your average actor nails a noodle-slurping bit and calls it a win. Luke? He'd serve up a full-on feast, like devouring a Thanksgiving spread with all the fixings.
Zero props, and he'd make you taste every bite through sheer performance.
That's the magic of [Life's a Stage]—for actors, it's the ultimate cheat code.
Thing is, dropping god-tier skills like that on Yuffie? Might not stick the landing.
Still, he plays it smooth: "You got it—I'll put in the work to teach her right."
"Oh, and heads up," Liu Xiaoli adds outta nowhere. "After this, when you all head to Dubai for the next leg, I won't be coming along."
"Huh? Everything okay?" Luke asks, thrown.
"Qianqian's all grown up now, and with you keeping an eye on her, I don't gotta hover. Got some stuff back home to square away, so I'll bounce early."
Message received loud and clear: She's handing off her girl to him, full trust.
Luke nods, dead serious. "Auntie, don't sweat it. I'll look after Qianqian, no question."
As for how he'll look after her? A little spark of mischief lights up in his head.
But Yuffie—grew up with the guy—catches that glint in his eye.
Oh, he's definitely scheming something R-rated.
Her mind drifts back to that sticky mess under the table the other day.
Cue the blush creeping up her cheeks.
...
...
The next few days fly by—the crew knocks out the rest of the Moscow shots and gears up for Dubai.
Before they split, the Kremlin's big boss hosts a fancy dinner for the cast and crew. Total shock and awe for the team.
They know it's all riding on Luke's coattails, but sharing a meal with a guy whose power game's top-tier worldwide? That's brag-worthy for life.
The bald-headed waiter dishing out the grub? Leaves Luke quietly reflecting in his head.
Who could've guessed how wild things get down the line?
Life's thrill is in the surprises. Reborn and all, what's his next chapter gonna look like?
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