The news of the $100 million "Jones Fortress" didn't just cause a media frenzy; it triggered a cold war. The major studios—Paramount, Warner Bros., and Universal—realized that if Anastasia finished this campus, she would never need to rent a soundstage, a light, or a lens from them again. She was effectively seceding from the Hollywood economy.
The Hostile OfferOn a Tuesday afternoon, a black sedan arrived at the Granite Sanctuary. It wasn't a contractor or an actor. It was Arthur Sterling, the legendary, ruthless Chairman of a rival "Big Seven" studio. He didn't come to congratulate her; he came to shut her down.
In the library, Sterling sat across from Anastasia, Sarah, and Beth. He didn't even touch the tea Sarah offered.
"Anastasia, you've had a brilliant run," Sterling began, his voice like gravel. "But this... this hundred-million-dollar 'campus' is a vanity project that will bankrupt you. The overhead alone for a private digital array of that size will eat your liquid capital in eighteen months."
He slid a thick, gold-embossed folder across the table. "My board has authorized a $450 million buyout for the Jones Firm. We take the land, we finish the studio as a satellite of our main lot, and you and your sisters walk away as the wealthiest young women in the history of the state. You keep your 'Circle' of talent, but they move under our banner."
The Circle's Counter-StrikeAnastasia didn't even open the folder. She looked at Sarah, who was already holding a laptop, then at Beth, who was leaning against the bookshelf with a look of calm amusement.
"Arthur, you're misreading the room," Anastasia said, her voice quiet and razor-sharp. "You think I'm building a 'satellite' for your system. I'm building the replacement for it. You aren't offering us $450 million because you're worried about our bankruptcy. You're offering it because our private infrastructure is already three years ahead of your best tech."
Sarah turned the laptop screen toward Sterling. It showed a live feed of the construction site where Diego Asareta was overseeing the installation of the proprietary server farm.
"We've already secured the fiber-optic lines through our own tech holdings," Sarah added. "And our talent? Keanu, Jennifer, and Jodie have already signed iron-clad, 'Direct-to-Firm' exclusivity agreements. They don't work for 'Hollywood' anymore, Arthur. They work for the Circle."
The Final UltimatumSterling's face reddened. "You're making a mistake. We can blackball your films. We can tell the theaters not to run your prints. We can make sure your 'fortress' is an island that no one can visit."
Anastasia stood up, signaling the end of the meeting. "You can try. But while you're talking to theater chains, I'm talking to the people who build the home video players. While you're protecting the 35mm film print, I'm owning the digital master. You're fighting for the theater seats, Arthur. I'm fighting for the living room."
She walked him to the door, her green eyes bright with the "burn" of total victory. "The $450 million is a generous offer for a company that's dying. But the Jones Firm is just being born. Don't come back unless you want to discuss distribution fees for our movies on your screens."
The Sovereign VictoryAs Sterling's car pulled away, the sisters gathered in the foyer. The tension broke into a triumphant laugh from Beth.
"He was terrified, Ana," Beth said, shaking her head. "He actually thought he could buy us out with a check."
"He doesn't realize that the check is just paper," Anastasia replied, looking at the blueprints on the wall. "The power is in the dirt we're digging up in the valley. Sarah, tell Diego to double the shift. I want the Soundstage Alpha ready for Keanu by the fall. We aren't just building a studio—we're building the future."