Four months had passed in a blur of high-stakes production. Cameron had wrapped her epic performance in The Silver Horizon, leaving the French crew in awe of her stamina. Across the globe, Keanu had completed Ghost Protocol, transforming from a quiet subway traveler into a leading man with a presence that the dailies suggested was "magnetic."
But as the "Jones Firm" touched down back in Los Angeles, the victory felt exposed. The incident in Paris had been a warning: the world was no longer just watching them; it was hunting them. Their current home, once a sanctuary, was now surrounded by paparazzi and over-eager fans. The fortress needed literal walls.
The $2.7 Million HarvestWhile they were filming, the seeds Anastasia had planted in the market had begun to bear fruit. The early-1985 surge in tech was no longer a secret.
The Apple Position: Their holdings had continued to climb as the Macintosh redefined home computing.
The Oracle Stake: The database revolution was quiet but immensely profitable.
Between their stock dividends and the final production bonuses from both films, the Firm's liquid capital was at an all-time high. Anastasia didn't want another rental; she wanted an estate.
The Real Estate BriefingAnastasia sat in the back of the armored Mercedes, a high-end real estate mogul named Marcus sitting across from her. He had handled properties for the likes of Spielberg and Lucas, but he had never seen a sixteen-year-old with a checklist as rigorous as Anastasia's.
"I'm not looking for a 'celebrity mansion' with glass walls and a view for the neighbors to see," Anastasia said, her voice cool and decisive. "I'm looking for a sanctuary."
Anastasia's Requirements:
Privacy: A minimum of five acres, tucked behind double gates with a long, winding driveway.
Security: A state-of-the-art perimeter system and a dedicated "War Room" for the Firm's servers and telex machines.
The Layout: A main house for the Jones sisters, but with a fully integrated, luxurious guest wing for Cameron—giving her the independence of her own home with the security of the family circle.
The "Fortress" Aesthetic: Stone, steel, and high-tech amenities hidden behind classic architecture.
"I have a property in the hills of Bel-Air," Marcus said, wiping his brow. "It's an old estate owned by a reclusive oil magnate. It's built like a bunker but looks like a Mediterranean villa. Completely invisible from the street."
The Homecoming PlanWhen they arrived back at their current house, the street was already lined with long-lens cameras. Cameron, sitting next to Anastasia, looked out the window with a weary sigh.
"I can't even go for a run anymore, Stasia," Cameron whispered. "It feels like we're under siege."
Anastasia took her hand, her thumb tracing a reassuring circle. "Not for long. I've found the place. It's going to have a private gym, a screening room for your dailies, and enough land that you can disappear for days without ever leaving the gates. We're moving the entire operation."
"And the sisters?"
"Sarah gets her own library and a direct fiber-optic line for the trades," Anastasia explained. "Beth gets a PR suite. And you get the west wing. It's our house, Cam. All of ours."
The Firm's New HeadquartersThat night, as the sisters packed their most sensitive documents and stock certificates, the feeling in the house was one of transition. They weren't just a family anymore; they were a corporate entity that required a sovereign territory.
"We're putting down $1.8 million in cash for the down payment," Sarah noted, marking the ledger. "The rest we'll finance through our holding company to keep our names off the public records."
Anastasia stood on the balcony of their soon-to-be-old home, watching the flashbulbs of the paparazzi at the gate. She felt a cold, satisfied sense of power. Let them take their pictures tonight. By next week, the Jones Firm would be a ghost in the hills, operating from a fortress that no lens could penetrate.