Chapter 90 – From the Skies to the Red Carpet
THE INTENSE TRAINING ROUTINE
In the days leading up to the 2017 Grammy Awards, Jacob Stewart dove headfirst into training for high-altitude skydiving.
Ever since deciding to do his own stunts in Mission: Impossible – Fallout, he spared no effort.
Each day was a new challenge.
He would wake up at 5 a.m., have a hearty breakfast, and head to the training base.
The jumps were performed from different altitudes, with and without an oxygen mask, so he could get used to the low pressure and intense cold.
His instructors were impressed.
— MIKE REYNOLDS: "Stewart, I'll be honest… you're picking this up faster than some Special Forces operators I've trained."
— JACOB (laughing): "Then I guess I was born for this."
— MIKE: "Or he's just a crazy adrenaline junkie."
It was true.
Jacob was addicted to the sensation of jumping from planes thousands of meters above the ground.
The wind roaring against his body.
The panoramic view of the world below.
The absolute freedom.
Each jump increased his confidence.
He could now maneuver in the air with precision, control his fall, and land exactly where he wanted.
— MIKE: "Well, Stewart, I think you're ready for any scene this movie throws at you."
— JACOB: "Great, because in April I want to impress Tom Cruise."
Mike shook his hand respectfully.
Jacob had become a true skydiver.
After intense days of training, Jacob returned to Los Angeles for a completely different event:
The 2017 Grammy Awards.
Even though he wasn't a singer, he was invited because he was one of the biggest celebrities in the world at the moment.
His popularity was at its peak, especially after the success of John Wick 2 and the recent Calvin Klein campaign.
And, of course, because every event wanted Jacob Stewart on its guest list.
Jacob was in his enormous closet, trying on the tuxedo he would wear that night.
This time, he would wear a black Giorgio Armani tuxedo, impeccably tailored to his athletic build.
He adjusted his bow tie in the mirror and analyzed his reflection.
— JACOB (to himself): "Not bad, Stewart."
When he finished getting ready, he picked up his Patek Philippe Nautilus Rose Gold watch and put it on his wrist.
He liked that watch.
It was sophisticated, but discreet.
Exactly how he wanted to look that night.
A few minutes later, his phone vibrated.
It was Richard Calloway, his agent.
— RICHARD: "Ready to shine on the red carpet?"
— JACOB: "I'm always ready." The Staples Center in Los Angeles was packed with photographers and screaming fans.
When Jacob stepped out of his car, the flashes exploded.
— PHOTOGRAPHERS: "Jacob! Over here!"
— FANS: "JACOB, WE LOVE YOU!"
He waved and smiled, walking down the red carpet with his usual confidence.
As he passed, journalists tried to get his attention.
— REPORTER: "Jacob, you're at the Grammys, but you're training for Mission: Impossible – Fallout, right? How are the jumps?"
— JACOB (smiling): "I'll just say that if I had to get here by jumping out of a plane, I could."
The reporters laughed as more questions came up.
He answered some, took photos with fans, and headed inside the event.
Inside the Staples Center, Jacob greeted several celebrities he already knew. He chatted with Bruno Mars, who that night was one of the favorites to win awards.
— BRUNO MARS: "Dude, I heard you're training like a soldier right now."
— JACOB: "Something like that. But I don't think I could dance like you yet."
— BRUNO (laughing): "If you want, I'll give you some lessons."
Jacob also met Beyoncé and Jay-Z, exchanging a few words with them.
Then, out of nowhere, he felt a tap on his shoulder.
It was none other than Rihanna.
— RIHANNA: "Look who's here! The man everyone wants to know if he's a secret agent in real life."
— JACOB (laughing): "And who says I'm not?"
— RIHANNA: "If you are, then you do a terrible job of keeping secrets."
The two laughed and chatted for a while.
Jacob admired Rihanna. She was talented, confident, and extremely charismatic.
They took a picture together, which quickly went viral on social media.
Jacob enjoyed every moment of the Grammys.
Adele's performance, Beyoncé's iconic show, and, of course, Bruno Mars' incredible energy on stage.
He felt grateful to be surrounded by so much amazing talent.
After the awards ceremony, he was invited to a few after-parties.
He went to one, organized by Roc Nation, where he met more friends and had fun without overdoing it.
But, unlike many who stayed at the party until dawn, Jacob knew he had early training the next day.
So, around 2 a.m., he said goodbye and got ready for drove back home.
The next day, Jacob woke up early as usual.
Even after a gala night, he wouldn't neglect his training.
He put on his white Jiu-Jitsu kimono and went to the gym to train.
During training, one of the students commented:
"Dude, how come you were at the Grammys yesterday and now you're here getting knocked down?"
Jacob smiled and replied, wiping the sweat from his brow:
"Because that's my life. One day on the red carpet, the next on the mat."
He knew that in a few months, he would be on the movie screens again…
This time, as a legendary villain in Mission: Impossible.
But before that, he had a lot of work to do.
Chapter 91 – Taking Flight to New Heights
THE NEW MISSION: PILOT A HELICOPTER
The day after the Grammys wasn't a day of rest for Jacob Stewart.
His skydives had been a success. He already had the highest skydiving certification, including the military HALO (High Altitude – Low Opening) and HAHO (High Altitude – High Opening) jumps.
Now, it was time for the next challenge:
Becoming a helicopter pilot.
This wasn't just a whim.
In the script for Mission: Impossible – Fallout, there was an insane aerial chase scene where Jacob's character would pilot a Eurocopter AS350 in an action sequence.
And, of course, he wanted to do it alone, without stunt doubles, just like Tom Cruise.
For that, he would have until January 25th to train and obtain his helicopter pilot certification.
It would be a race against time.
But Jacob loved challenges. The next day, Jacob arrived at the Van Nuys airfield, where he would take his intensive course.
He was greeted by Daniel Grayson, a veteran aviation instructor with over 20 years of experience.
— DANIEL: "Stewart, do you really want to learn to fly or is it just to look cool in the movie?"
— JACOB (smiling): "I want to fly. And I want to fly well."
— DANIEL: "Great. Because there's no room for error here."
They went straight to the first lesson.
The theory.
Jacob spent hours studying manuals, learning about flight controls, aerodynamics, emergency procedures, and all the science behind piloting a helicopter.
It was a lot of information.
But Jacob absorbed it all like a sponge.
At the end of the day, Daniel was impressed.
— DANIEL: "I'll tell you… you learn fast. Tomorrow we start the real flights."
Jacob smiled, excited. The real challenge was about to begin.
The next day, Jacob donned his flight suit, put on his headset, and climbed aboard a Robinson R44, a light training helicopter.
He was in the co-pilot's seat, while Daniel took the controls.
— DANIEL: "First thing, Stewart… Helicopters aren't like airplanes. They don't want to stay in the air. You need to control them all the time."
— JACOB: "So he always wants to kill me?"
— DANIEL: "Basically."
Daniel showed him the controls:
Cyclic (the joystick that controls direction)
Collective (the lever that controls altitude)
Pedals (which control the tail rotor and rotate the helicopter)
After a few minutes, he handed control to Jacob.
— DANIEL: "Okay, now it's up to you."
Jacob felt the weight of responsibility as he held the controls.
He moved the cyclic control slightly, and the helicopter began to oscillate.
— JACOB: "Wow, this is harder than it looks."
— DANIEL (laughing): "And you haven't even tried landing yet."
Jacob spent the morning practicing takeoffs, basic maneuvers, and hovering.
The helicopter trembled and swayed, but little by little, he got the hang of it.
When they landed, Daniel patted him on the shoulder.
— DANIEL: "Not so bad for the first day. But there's a long way to go."
Jacob smiled, determined.
He loved this feeling of learning.
And now, he just wanted to improve.
In the following days, Jacob trained intensively.
Each morning began with theory.
Each afternoon, he was at the controls of the helicopter.
He learned:
How to make smooth and fast turns
How to perform an emergency landing in case of engine failure
How to fly sideways and backward (essential for chases)
How to land on sloping terrain and uneven surfaces
The evolution was rapid and constant.
Until, finally, the most difficult moment of all arrived…
FIRST AUTOROTATION LESSON (ENGINE FAILURE SIMULATION)
Daniel looked at Jacob with a sinister smile.
— DANIEL: "Today we'll see if you really have what it takes."
— JACOB: "That sounds worrying."
Daniel shut off the engine mid-flight.
The helicopter began to fall.
Jacob instinctively gripped the cyclic, trying to maintain control.
— DANIEL: "Relax, use autorotation. Let the blades spin naturally."
Jacob took a deep breath, adjusted the collective, and stabilized the helicopter.
He managed to land smoothly without an engine.
— DANIEL: "You just survived your first engine failure."
Jacob let out a long sigh.
But deep down, he was loving every second.
After weeks of intense training, the day of the certification exam finally arrived.
He would need to demonstrate:
Precise flight maneuvers
Perfect landings
Correct reactions to emergencies
Jacob arrived at the airfield early, took a deep breath, and concentrated.
His examiner was a pilot from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration).
They took off.
Jacob executed each maneuver with precision, controlling the helicopter like a true professional pilot.
When they landed, the examiner looked at him and smiled.
— EXAMINER: "Congratulations, Stewart. You are officially a helicopter pilot."
Jacob laughed and raised his arms, celebrating.
It was another achievement for his list.
Now, he was ready for the most insane scenes of his film career.
He called Tom Cruise.
— JACOB: "Hey, Tom… Looks like I'll be keeping you company in the skies in Mission: Impossible."
— TOM CRUISE: "Hahaha! I knew you could do it! Now, let's make movie history."
Jacob smiled.
He could hardly wait.
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