Billy was writing in his notebook the story he o submit in a few days, barely paying attention to the two men walking briskly by. James Cameron, just like before, was a bit older this time, while Billy’s features were now more mature, refleg adulthood, enhanced by a tailored suit.

  -Billy.-

  -Allow me to introduce you to one of the people I value most in the produ world, Mr. John Landau. He has been a breath of fresh air throughout the Titanic process,- Cameron remarked.

  The young man lifted his gaze, still lost among the lines of fantasy. The writing was often a perpetual struggle of ideas; the information in his head, filled with multiple stories, felt like a river of knowledge, flowing with various topid allegories that iwined with Billy’s time. He used to study these ideas, but sometimes it was simply plicated tanize a world and break it down into a refreshed starting point.

  -It’s great to see you! We have so much to discuss, and I fear some of it will catch your attention, Mr. Cameron,” Billy said, shaking the director's hand. - For now, the produ system and the Titanic movie are frankly the top priority of the day. A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Landau.-

  -Well, if that’s the case, this meeting is more iing than I expected. Whenever I have to discuss something with you, I end up making quite a bit of money, - James joked.

  -Gold, no matter how hidden or tarnished, remains gold, - Billy ented.

  The three men took coffee in sileheir ideas and expressions starting tahemselves. The casual versation, apanied by a notebook desigo express the past achievements of each person, was the perfeent to address certain topics.

  -Speaking of the top priority of the day, you’re peting for the role in Titanic. Do you believe you have what it takes to be part of a film of that caliber?- James Cameron asked.

  -I do, - he replied firmly. -I’m an actor, and I either do my job well or not at all. In the ing months, success will prove me right.-

  -We're betting a lot of money and my reputation. I ’t take on anyone who isn’t qualified enough for this, -James responded.

  -I inquired about purchasing Paramount’s position for 65 million dolrs... that should be enough to prove my itment to the role. I’ve been in various produs, and my work speaks for itself,- Billy stated.

  -You would bet that much money… why? We haven't made the script public,- John Landau asked.

  -But the produ is underway, and I’ve read part of the script; it’s simply magnifit. I believe a story like this is what ema needs—proposing a cept elevated to the sky, without w about anything else but telling a story, slow-paced but not too much, with great actors, an incredible cast, and remarkable people in the saga who will mark this film as a ematic property for perpetuity,- Billy expined.

  It was Titanic; its success was an avanche of fvors, enjoyable or not. The twonists had the time and space to do whatever they pleased in the ing years. The actors’ appeal was evident, illuminated by their performances. While it was true they could be typecast... he had already thought about that; after all, he could i in his movie anytime. As many times as he wanted, he just o earn money.

  -You’ve improved your w,- James ented suddenly, calm, his eyes bright and somewhat cheerful. He wao burst into ughter at the young man’s audacity; it was that energy, that force of doing things with suterest.

  -Growing is part of the business… Plus, I’m an artist,- Billy replied. James’s gaze was strong, but the young man didn’t falter; he held his own serene identity.

  -You would buy Paramount's stake, even if you lost the role? - John Landau asked.

  -I would,- Billy answered. - I don’t want to soften people with ideas that aren’t true. I’m betting on ema, and ema has to be risky. It’s the joiure that makes me think… what if I fail? I grow again? I , and that’s why I believe Hollywood has grown the way it has. The best time to i in such things is now, - Billy stated, surprising both men.

  -I’ll take note. But now I like that challenge, - James replied, gaining a clearer idea of what his new film represented. - What would the sed priority be?-

  -Terminator. I want to create an animated series… I think you know my produ pany, Lux Animation. I’ve been w on some ic deliveries, but I believe the step for the series is to tell aype of story, perhaps one about the aftermath, or life, or create a series that discusses deeper stific issues, - Billy responded.

  -I had fotten about Terminator,- James sighed. -Of course, go ahead, just like before; once you have everything ready, we carry the discussion forward. I think it’s also a good excuse for this meeting.-

  -It is, and that’s why I propose a third priority of the day. I want to delve into special effects, and a special effects pany could be a great asset for the ing years. I want to buy 33% of the distributed stake from your three partners. I’m willing to i 45 million dolrs aablish a headquarters,- Billy remarked.

  From his backpack, he pulled out a small bck portfolio with a tract outlining the terms drafted by his wyers and approved by Anne. Nothing passed him by without Anne's approval.

  ***

  Raimon finished making progress with numerous distribution panies, pulling strings and w nearly around the clock. He executed three business promotions in three major tracts, the first with the NBA, for which he had long wanted another card brand. Using Billy's es, he got Michael Jordan’s phone number and called him.

  -Mr. Jordan, this is Raimon from Lux Animation… Lux ics, you must know this better than I do,- said the young operations director.

  -Why didn’t you speak to my agent? He hahese types of matters,- Jordan said, not wanting to hang up.

  -Well, I tried to do that… but I thought, is that really what I should do? If it were just a simple tract or a regur business deal, I’d do that, but what I want to propose to you is somethier,-Raimon replied.

  “What could be so important that you o call me? Jimmy is great at that,” Jordan said.

  -He is, he is, it’s just that I thought you’d want to be a promoter for the Lux Animation brand. You know, when Billy mentiohat you’re a huge fan and the best basketball pyer in history, I just thought you’d want to be a promoter for our ics. There will be details about the Sm Dunk movie, of course, the sed part of Sm Dunk, which is based on the NBA, our new real manga… I know what yoing to say; don’t think about money… money is very banal for a superstar like you. The money is already included in the deal; I’m talking about something more important—status,- Raimon plotted his schemes like a slippery underling.

  Jordan listened ily on the line.

  -The story is tough, and many greats are fotten, Mr. Jordan. you he best golfers of the 1920s, the best baseball pyers of the 1960s, or perhaps hockey pyers? Oblivion is a terrible mistress. What I’m proposing is eternity—a story beyond basketball. Being an Ameri idol not for basketball but for who you are, from your fierce demeanor to your discipline, is to create a Jordan that parents tell their children about before bed. That’s why I believe you could be the first promoter,- Raimon decred.

  -Hahahaha, so who is truly remembered... it’s just words or...-

  -Who is truly remembered? Martin Luther King. When you do something for an ideal, that’s when people admire you. Look at Nelson Mande; I pn to include him in my work, but that’s a topic for another discussion, - Raimon said with strength.

  What did he want to do? Why was he doing this?

  The call was to Anne.

  It seemed somewhat difficult to grasp, but for Raimon, it was as clear as water; he o use his cartridges in the sky to cover the disproportionate expenses of Star Wars cards and to implement a new idea that had emerged in his mind. A brand cept, even hiring Jordan for the Golden Warriors, was something Raimon wouldn’t hesitate to pursue if given the opportunity.

  Thus, he tacted the NBA, secured a tract for cards over five years, charged 5 million, spoke with Nike, and subtly added another 2 million for including the Nike brand on the cards. After that, he aimed to vince Jordan to step in as a promoter for Lux id started drafting pns with Nike for a five-on-five basketball tour—Jordan versus the World. Anywhere would do; you just need a team of five, and the best team would pete against Jordan in something akin to the All-Stars.

  But he didn’t stop there; promoting real ge, he talked with the NBA to support disabled sports and create a cup for disabled athletes. He spoke with such vi about the NBA’s image and the ISMGF (Wheelchair Basketball Federation) that he proposed they would only o hahe event while he would secure the sponsorships—Lux Animation being one, Nike another, alongside Pepsi and Ameri Airlines.

  He made multiple calls ran all over the try, and the event was scheduled for July 1996, he even got Brad Parks to join the campaign, Brad is a tennis pyer who has been pying in a wheelchair sin act in 1977, he did not stop there, and talked to the iional paralympiittee, to promote sports for the disabled, and will have a meeting in Vonn Germany where it is headquartered. He will present a report, with the possible tax gains for the promotion of the underprivileged csses of 3% and 2% respectively.

  If he wao fill a gap, he had to do it properly, and in doing so, he needed a e, and a precise time to activate the Lux animation page to the public, the web portal of the Lux pany started to be built to be promoted by June 1996, but he had to and needed another promoter, with no clear idea of it, he used what he had at his disposal, talked to uies he had affiliations with, Stanford, a slight iment to improve prosthetics for people with disabilities and help him set up the lux animatión web site, a wellness portal.

  -You've done a lot, and I think it's for some reason that you ignore in versation, the costs of all this work, how much are they? - Anne asked.

  -That's the surprising thing, nothing. - Raimon ented, -with the NBA sponsorships, it's enough, sure and I owe Philip Knigt a favor, but I think it's worth it, we will save 4.5% in taxes year on our issues, talk tanizations that deal with these guys, and they will help us in some other way.

  -Did you check the video game panies?- Anne asked.

  -I did, we will buy eleic Arts, that's my final decision. Video games have brought us a lot of money, i few months, we made more than we should have, I even think the Forza Horizon game will be the best-selling game ever, I made a tract with Volkswagen, the brand that sponsors Billy, and Chevrolet, they gave us funds, to cover a lot of expehe promotion sells itself - ented Raimon.

  -The cost of Eleic Arts is not something we afford, -- ented Anne.

  ....