You Can Go Now

….

"That movie is going to work."

?!!..John, standing behind him, froze, blinking in confusion.

He stared up at his higher employer, unable to mask his bewilderment. If the movie was going to work, why reject it?

"Sir…?"

Brad ignored him, picking up a pen and idly tapping it against the desk. His tone remained indifferent. "Contact the director and negotiate to buy the complete rights to the film. Keep it under 1 Million. The lower the price, the higher the bonus for you."

John gawked, unsure if he had misheard. "A million!"

Brad's eyes flicked to John, his irritation breaking through. "Do I look like I am joking? If the actual film is even half as good as the storyboards and clips, it will be worth it."

Still reeling, John nodded quickly and made his way to the exit. "Y-yes, sir. Right away."

"Oh, and John."

The assistant stopped, turning back at the call.

"Don't let them know it was me. Keep my name out of it." Brad's warned firmly, leaving no room for errors.

John nodded solemnly. "Understood, sir."

As the door clicked shut behind him, Brad leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling for a long moment.

"Seraphsail…" He muttered under his breath. "Do I know someone with that name?"

The words hung in the air, unanswered. His brow furrowed slightly as if digging through distant memories.

Then, with a slight shake of his head, he returned to the pile of unread scripts on his desk, the thought slipping to the back of his mind - for now.

….

John, once outside, sighed to himself, before making the call, and was thankful that Regal and Keanu were still in the vicinity.

The receptionist at the studio had jotted down their contact details earlier, making it easy to arrange a meeting.

With a sense of unshowcased urgency, John set it up for as soon as possible, opting for a neutral location - not too far from the studio - to keep things discreet.

"Why do you think they contacted us again?" Keanu asked thoughtfully, actually enjoying his brewing imagination.

Regal leaned back in his seat, his calmness intact, though there was a flicker of something unreadable in his gaze. "How would I know?"

Actually, Regal despite not showing much emotions, he was kinda pissed after getting a call right after being rejected.

However, pride doesn't make movies happen.

Not when you are starting out.

Once he is in a position where he can call the shots, maybe.

For now, he values opportunity more than pride - of course there are certain boundaries to it.

….

John arrived a few minutes later, scanning the area before spotting Regal and Keanu sitting at a modest outdoor café table.

He was surprised by how casual Regal seemed, his jacket slung over the back of his chair, an empty plate in front of him.

Regal waved him over, gesturing to the seat across from him. "John, right? You can take your seat."

John nodded, a little flustered by his rather contrasting personality but tried to keep his composure.

The meeting spot had been Regal's call - not that he cared much where it happened, as long as it wasn't at the studio.

It worked out perfectly for John, too, given the sensitive nature of his instructions.

Ignoring the remnants of their meal lay on the table as John settled in.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet so quickly." He began, taking a professional stance despite the informal setting.

Regal leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table. "You said you had an offer. Let's hear it."

John hesitated under Regal's direct and unyielding stare.

The young director didn't flinch, didn't rush to respond, he wondered if he already knew the game being played here.

"I actually read your script." John began, forcing enthusiasm into his tone. "It was brilliant. And the visuals? Absolutely amazing."

"Thanks." Regal's curt response didn't match the flattery.

His face remained unreadable, devoid of the gratitude or excitement John had expected.

Keanu, sitting quietly to Regal's side, bristled.

He was ready to jump in if this conversation took a wrong turn having no intention of letting anyone walk all over them again.

John, unaware of the storm brewing in Keanu's head, pressed on, his voice gaining a faux sincerity. "I will try to convince my boss again. Maybe we can arrange a private screening next weekend. He was in a bad mood today, but if he is feeling more generous then, there is a good chance he will buy the rights. And don't worry about the money. I will push for a solid deal, something worth around a half a million or even more if you are lucky."

Keanu was completely baffled by the dudes rumbling and his face contorted at John's audacity.

Buy the rights? Who said they were selling? And half a million at that?

Regal wouldn't want to for all he cared.

The words churned in his mind, threatening to explode out of him. He shot up from his seat, his chair scraping the ground. "Hey–!"

"Aughh~" Before he could finish, a lazy groan interrupted him.

Keanu turned sharply to find Regal leaning back in his chair, loosening his tie with a deliberate, almost dismissive motion. The younger man unbuttoned the collar of his shirt, dragging the tie down with a faint sigh.

"Man…" Regal muttered, his voice tinged with exhaustion. "So that was it?"

John blinked, confused.

Regal straightened slightly, his tone dropping into something sharper.

"It wasn't even a one percent chance, was it?" He gestured vaguely, as if waving off the entire interaction. "If you are here to spew this nonsense, you could have done it over the phone. Why waste our time?"

John sputtered, his face darkening into threatening. "Hey, do you even realize what you are throwing away because of your temper? You have got to be more patient if you want to succeed in this business."

Keanu's eyes darted between Regal and John, his anger simmering just below the surface.

"100 million." - the words left Regal's lips with calm finality, slicing through the tension in the air.

"That's the money I will make from this movie." He added in clarification, his tone unshaken, as if he were stating a simple fact.

"...?!" John froze in confusion, then realizing what he meant he broke into a stupid laugh. "Pfft, 100 million?" He repeated, the ridiculousness painted all over his face.

Even Keanu couldn't suppress his shock from the side - the 100 million mark was no easy feat, even for veteran directors with big studio backing couldn't promise for certain, let alone an Indie debut director.

It is simply ludicrous.

"You are out of your mind." John sneered, shaking his head. "What makes you think this dubious little film will even come close?"

"...." Regal didn't flinch.

His eyes locked on John's with a quiet intensity that made Keanu's pulse quicken.

It wasn't arrogance in Regal's gaze. No, it was something far more unsettling.

Confidence. Unshakable, unnerving confidence… almost bordering on overconfidence.

Keanu, against his better judgment, started to believe it too.

The audacity of the number, combined with Regal's unwavering demeanor, planted a seed of possibility in his mind.

John, however, was unimpressed.

"I thought you were a clever guy, but it turns out you are just a fool." He sneered, adjusting his jacket. "Mark my words. You are going to regret this for the rest of your life."

He gestured vaguely toward Keanu. "And who is this clown? He looks more unhinged than you."

Keanu's face drained but did not act out.

John scoffed, turning on his heel. "If you ever come to your senses, give me a call. But don't forget to add 'please' when you beg."

He took a few steps before Regal's voice called out, firm and calm. "John, right?"

John turned back with a smug smirk, clearly expecting Regal to fold right away.

Keanu, on the other hand, shot Regal a confused glance.

But the expression on Regal's face was not what John anticipated.

No desperation.

No regret.

Just an icy stillness.

Regal pointed to Keanu without looking away from John. "Remember his name. Keanu Reeves."

John's face contorted in confusion, then irritation. But he still waited for a moment, only for Regal's stare to not waver.

"You can go now…" Regal added dismissively.

Keanu blinked, utterly dumbfounded.

"What the hell just happened?" He muttered under his breath, watching John storm out steamingly.

….

.

[To be continued…]

★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★

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