Chapter 304: Taking in Advance

[Chapter 304: Early Occupation]

Nicole shrugged and said, "Well, it doesn't matter. I received quite a few other offers while I was here. Eric's been helping me choose; his taste has already spread all over Hollywood. I heard you played a part in that."

Hearing this, Drew shot the girl an annoyed look and asked, "Where's Eric?"

"In the study, discussing something with a guest."

"Can you help me put my stuff in my room?" She pushed her suitcase toward Nicole and dashed toward the study door.

Nicole looked at the small suitcase in front of her, furrowed her brow slightly, and then a cryptic smile appeared on her lips as she pulled it along and headed toward the stairs.

...

Upon reaching the door of the study on the lower level, Drew quickly punched in the code on the keypad, and the door opened automatically. She walked down the spiral staircase but didn't see Eric anywhere. Then it hit her; Eric must be in the study on the second floor, and with all those scripts and sensitive materials in that room, he surely wouldn't let just anyone in.

As she stomped up the stairs to the second-floor study, she pushed open the door and immediately spotted Eric seated across from a brown-haired man, discussing something.

The brown-haired man turned at the sound of the door, and Drew recognized him instantly. She had a good memory; the middle-aged man was Michael Krauss, the publisher behind Eric's Jurassic Park. "Hello, Mr. Krauss."

Michael Krauss, surprised that Drew had called out his name without hesitation, stood up. "Hello, Miss Barrymore. I didn't expect you to remember me. We only met once at last year's party, right?"

Drew shook Michael's hand and then spun back to Eric, throwing herself into his embrace and rubbing her face against his. "Eric, I missed you so much."

Eric smiled and patted the girl's hair. "Alright, stop it. We have a guest here. Go make us another pot of coffee; we just finished the last one."

"Hmph, making me work right after I got back," the girl grumbled playfully but brightened up and skipped toward the door.

"Drew always acts like this, sorry about that," Eric said, explaining with a resigned look to the stunned Michael Krauss.

Michael Krauss chuckled awkwardly before adding, "No, no, it's fine. Let's continue discussing The Matrix, Eric. I think the novel is a bit short, only a little over fifty thousand words. A lot of things seem vague to me. It would be great if it could be expanded to two hundred thousand words."

"I'd like to do that, Michael, but you should understand I barely have that kind of time right now. Writing fifty thousand words is already quite an accomplishment, and you know I wrote this just for the film rights," Eric replied, gesturing. They were discussing the highly anticipated The Matrix.

After the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and some past events, Eric's insight into movies had reached all of Hollywood. As a high-risk industry, Hollywood people tended to become superstitious about such matters, which is why Drew's quiet acquisition of the rights garnered attention.

Following the incident, Eric's original plan to obtain the screenplay for The Matrix from the Wachowski brothers couldn't be executed anymore.

The Matrix didn't appear until '99 in his old life. Right now, the concept was merely some scattered thoughts in the minds of the two carpenter brothers. Eric had written it out without reservation and made some vague alterations that set the book apart from the movie, but the main storyline remained essentially unchanged. Even though he only wrote a little over fifty thousand words, it was enough to secure the rights and not worry about copyright issues in the future.

"Eric, this story is quite exciting, so I think maybe I could find someone to expand on it to two hundred thousand words. Don't worry, there won't be any issues with the rights; I guarantee we'll sign a thorough contract with whoever we hire," Michael said, proposing an idea.

Eric shook his head immediately, "Michael, hiring a ghostwriter is a risky business. Once the profits reach a certain level, I can guarantee that writer will come out seeking their cut. So I won't take that risk."

While they were talking, Drew strolled in with a pot of coffee, curious as she picked up the novel manuscript between them. "What are you two talking about? Hmm... The Matrix sounds like an interesting name."

Michael Krauss glanced at Drew, who had taken a seat on the nearby sofa and was flipping through the manuscript. He looked helplessly at Eric.

"It's fine, we can keep chatting," Eric reassured Michael with a calm glance. He understood Michael was worried Drew might overhear something inappropriate and spill it later.

Michael then asked, "So, Eric, since you disagree with that, I'd like to ask about the rights to Running Out of Time. Have you thought about adapting that story into a novel?"

"Michael, the rights to Running Out of Time are jointly held by Firefly Films and Columbia. The first installment already grossed over four hundred million globally, so with the sequels, the revenue might surpass 100 million. Given the immense financial stakes, Columbia wouldn't agree to novelize the series for just a few hundred thousand or a few million in royalties."

"That's quite unfortunate," Michael replied, shaking his head. Then he continued discussing details about the publication of The Matrix with Eric. After some time, Michael declined Eric's invitation to stay for dinner and bid farewell.

Eric saw Michael Krauss out of the villa and returned once he drove through the gates.

...

"Wow, Eric, how did you come up with this? It's just brilliant." As soon as she stepped into the living room, Drew excitedly waved the manuscript in front of Eric.

Eric snatched The Matrix manuscript from her hands and asked, "When did you get back?"

"I came straight here from the airport," Drew grinned as she linked her arm through his, walking with him into the study on the lower level.

"Why were you on the set of The Silence of the Lambs? If it were filming in Los Angeles, that would be one thing, but you, this little girl, ran all the way to Pennsylvania?"

*****

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