+Cutting Room Gold

The editing suite was dark, the glow from multiple screens illuminating Benny's furrowed brow as he leaned in close—too close—to the monitor. A half-empty cup of cold coffee sat forgotten by his elbow.

Lex stood at the back of the room, arms crossed. Him watching Benny work in silence late into the night had started to become a habit. This was his first check up on the big movie project he invested $5 Million into with Rose and Nat playing small supporting roles.

On the screen, the raw cut of Black Wall flickered across the timeline—sharp, fragmented, and visceral.

It wasn't polished yet. But Lex could already see the shape of something dangerous and brilliant forming beneath the rough edges.

Benny didn't speak right away, fingers dancing across the keyboard, eyes narrowed like he was threading a needle no one else could see. The speakers hummed with the faint echoes of dialogue, layered under heavy, deliberate silence.

Finally, Benny let out a low breath, sitting back in his chair.

"It's good, Lex."

Lex arched a brow. "Good?"

Benny twisted his chair to face him, wiping his hands down the front of his jeans. "No—scratch that. It's better than good. It's Oscar bait. The kind that gets the old guys in the Academy to start whispering at afterparties."

Lex's smirk was faint, but there. "You sound surprised."

Benny scoffed. "I'm not surprised we made something good. I'm surprised we made something this good without anyone dying, going bankrupt, or Jason lighting the set on fire."

Lex stepped forward, letting his eyes drift back to the screen. On it, the lead actor—El Monroe—was delivering a monologue that didn't sound rehearsed. It sounded like he bled for it.

"How close is the final cut?" Lex asked quietly.

Benny scratched the back of his head. "Two weeks, give or take. I'm chopping through the last thirty minutes now. It's tight, though. I don't think I'm cutting much more."

Lex's gaze lingered on the screen as Monroe's scene faded to black.

"Don't rush. It needs to land the right way."

Benny grinned, leaning back in his chair with a lazy stretch. "Look at you. Suddenly a film critic. Should I leave you in the room with the editors next time?"

Lex chuckled under his breath. "I leave the art to you. I just make sure it pays."

Benny tapped his finger against the side of his head. "Yeah, yeah. But this one's going to pay more than you think. There's buzz—critics at smaller festivals have been poking around for an early screener. They know something's coming."

Lex's smirk faded into something more thoughtful.

Buzz.

He liked buzz.

Buzz meant Black Wall wasn't just a film. It was a bullet with his name on it, aimed straight for the industry's front door.

"Let them talk," Lex said, eyes glinting in the monitor's soft glow. "By the time it premieres, I want them begging for a seat."

Benny laughed, leaning forward with a grin. "Damn, Lex. I like when you get cocky."

"It's not cocky." Lex's voice dipped lower, but the confidence didn't waver. "It's just knowing how to win."

Benny shook his head but didn't argue. Lex felt his phone buzz and saw Natalie's name flash across the screen, he smirked and answered on the first ring.

"Miss me already." he said without preamble, leaning back in his chair.

Natalie's laugh. "So, remember those Airbnb guys I told you about?

"Yeah. The ones scraping by on coffee and ambition."

"They're willing to sell," Natalie said, her tone sharp. "Their entire startup, code, branding, concept—all of it. But there's a catch."

Lex's interest piqued immediately. "I'm listening."

"They've racked up about $100,000 in loans from friends and family. They want you to pay that back as part of the deal. And—"

"There's always an 'and,'" Lex interjected, his voice amused.

"They want a seat each at the table," Natalie finished. "Non-negotiable."

Lex chuckled, shaking his head. "Ambitious for guys begging for a bailout. But fine, I'll bite. Get them on a flight to New York."

"You're serious?" Natalie asked, though she didn't sound surprised.

"Dead serious," Lex replied. "I'll cover their flights, put them up at my place—my dad had rooms over at Smore Jazz and Supper Club. Perfect spot for out-of-towners."

"Generous," Natalie quipped. "What's the catch?"

"No catch," Lex said, his tone light but calculated. "They're getting a proper office too. I'm not buying some half-baked concept only to leave it half-built. If they want in, they're working full-time under my roof."

Natalie hummed thoughtfully. "You're setting them up to succeed, I'll give you that. But you sure about this? These guys aren't exactly polished."

"They don't have to be," Lex replied. "I'll polish them. What I need is raw talent, people who think differently. If their pitch was good enough to get your attention, I'll make it work."

Natalie laughed. "Alright, Lex. I'll make the calls. But don't say I didn't warn you if they're a little… unconventional."

Lex smirked. "Unconventional is what I'm betting on, Nat. Let me know when they're on their way."

"Will do," Natalie said. " Just keep me in the loop."

The call ended and Lex didn't even get ten minutes to plan his Tech startup before his phone buzz again.