The fire in the fireplace was still burning, the wood crackling. But the warmth seemed to have been sucked away by the wind, and the air suddenly felt several degrees cooler.
Russell gripped the empty bottle, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. The glass groaned in his palm. He looked up, the fire reigniting in his blue eyes.
"So..." he said hoarsely. "That fat pig wants to buy a whole zoo now."
No one laughed.
Cameron didn't speak; she just instinctively shifted closer to Link, reaching out to grip his arm. Jennifer closed the book in her hand and looked at Link, her expression calm.
Link didn't move.
He just stood by the window, looking out at the lake, which was as black as ink.
MGM. 007.
Harvey's move wasn't aimed at Pangu Pictures.
It wasn't even aimed at Link himself.
But he knew the era of small-scale guerrilla warfare was over. Now, Harvey was ready to roll out the tanks.
"We're going back," Link finally spoke, his voice quiet, devoid of any discernible emotion.
"Now?" Cameron asked.
"Now."
---
On the private jet, the air pressure was so low it felt suffocating.
Russell and Jennifer were both staring at their scripts, neither turning a page. Cameron leaned against the window, lost in thought, gazing at the clouds.
Link leaned back in his chair, eyes closed.
In his mind, that familiar pale blue panel silently appeared.
[Influence Score: 7000]
He stared at the number, and the knot of frustration in his chest eased a little.
If Harvey has a tank, then I need a battleship.
He concentrated, and his thoughts activated the system.
"Initiate 'Spotlight' active scan. Target field: Film projects. Filtering criteria: Era-defining influence, highest box office potential, technological disruption."
[Spotlight Scan Initiated... Consuming 2000 Influence Points]
Against the low hum of the engine, the panel glowed, swirling with light, like a supercomputer processing in a dream.
Seconds later, the light settled—
[Target Locked: Project Concept Titanic]
[Potential Rating: S++ (Century-Defining)]
[Current Originator: James Cameron (Approximate Completion: 1%)]
[Project Bottlenecks: 1. Unprecedented budget requirements, far exceeding the capacity of any current Hollywood company. 2. Visual effects needed to realize the shipwreck, far exceeding current technological standards.]
Link's breath hitched.
A current of pure euphoria shot from his tailbone straight to the top of his head.
Titanic.
In his previous life, this was the super-juggernaut that single-handedly pushed the global box office record to an incredible, unbelievable height.
The legend that crowned James Cameron the "King of the World."
Now this was a battleship.
No, this was a damn Starship Enterprise.
But the two bottlenecks the system pointed out were like two colossal mountains crushing the air out of him.
Money. Technology.
Pangu had neither right now.
This ship was still just a sketch on a napkin. And Harvey's tank was already rumbling up to the front door.
Link opened his eyes and let out a long breath.
Don't rush it.
This chess game has to be played slowly. First, build the wall. Then, stockpile supplies. Finally, wait for the wind.
The jet landed in Los Angeles.
The four got into the car heading back to the city, the mood still heavy. The driver turned on the radio, which was playing some smooth jazz.
Just as the car turned onto Sunset Boulevard, the music stopped.
An excited male voice cut in.
"...And listeners, this is KFWB News! We've just received a box office flash! Pangu Pictures' phenomenal film, Pulp Fiction, distributed by Miramax, has officially broken the one hundred million dollar mark at the North American box office in its sixth week!"
"BOOM!"
The air in the car instantly ignited!
"YES!!" Cameron was the first to shriek. She grabbed Link's neck from behind and shook him hard. "We hit a hundred million! Link ! Did you hear that!"
Russell's face, which had been tight all morning, finally broke into a huge grin. He punched the back of the driver's seat and roared, "Nice job!"
Jennifer didn't say anything, but the look in her eyes as she watched Link was bright as stars.
Link gripped the steering wheel, listening to the announcer on the radio repeat the words "one hundred million dollars" with the kind of gravitas usually reserved for a moon landing broadcast.
He smiled.
It was a genuine, slightly manic smile.
Money.
The conditional contract was won, and Pangu Light & Magic's tech team was secure.
The box office royalties were coming in, and Pangu's cash flow was alive.
The bricks for the wall and the supplies for the pantry were all there.
He picked up his cell phone and dialed Lawrence Bender directly.
"Lawrence."
"Link ! Did you hear it! One hundred million! We fing—"
"I heard it," Link cut him off. "Cancel all my afternoon meetings."
Bender paused. "Why? Taking a break?"
"No." Link looked toward the Hollywood sign on the hills ahead, the huge white letters gleaming in the sun.
"We're throwing a party."
"A celebration party."
He paused, the corner of his mouth widening into a big smile.
"To celebrate our first movie to cross a hundred million at the box office."
"And while we're at it, to welcome our new partners from Industrial Light & Magic."