Security risks

Rick left the office, but in order to avoid arousing suspicion, Hugo and Joseph stayed in the room and decided to leave a little later, staggering their departure time.

After seeing the office door closed again, Hugo let out a long sigh and turned to look at the bewildered Joseph. He couldn't help but reach out and wave his hand in front of Joseph, saying, "Hey, what are you thinking about?" Joseph snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Hugo in front of him. "You're not also thinking about this project, are you? Don't overthink it. Accepting a script is a matter of fate, you can't force it." Hugo consoled with a smile, "Besides, even those top figures are pushing it back and forth. Maybe Spielberg will stumble this time."

After Hugo finished speaking, he couldn't help but amuse himself. As an outstanding time traveler who knew "Schindler's List", teasing Steven Spielberg and mocking the failure of "Schindler's List" had a certain sense of ironic humor.

Joseph knew that Hugo was trying to console himself. It was evident that Hugo was very interested in this project, but why didn't he show it? If Hugo agreed to Ron Meyer's invitation and returned to Ron's side to join the "Schindler's List" project, it wouldn't be impossible. But why?

While Joseph was contemplating how to express his inner doubts, Hugo suddenly spoke up, "Oh, by the way, Ron came over to talk to me just now." This sentence instantly froze Joseph in place, but Hugo didn't notice and continued, "He came over and said a bunch of nonsense, basically trying to get me to sign with him again. What a daydream. I really don't know what's going on in his head. How could I possibly sign with him again!"

"Why?" Joseph blurted out in astonishment, but only after speaking did he realize that he seemed to be eager for Hugo to re-sign with Ron. He quickly regained his composure and explained, "I mean, the conditions he offered must be very tempting."

"Haha, the conditions are indeed good. Having dinner with Sydney tonight, discussing "The Firm", and he even hinted that I could become part of "Schindler's List"," Hugo said with a smile. He sensed Joseph's uneasiness but didn't think much of it. He thought Joseph still cared about the "Schindler's List" project. "But cooperating with someone like him is like dancing with a wolf. He's only looking for you because of the benefits, he values your worth and wants to exploit every ounce of value from you. Why should I willingly walk into his trap? I'm not a fool."

"But, he does have power, and..." Joseph's words hesitated, "And aren't all agents like that? It's all about self-interest."

At this point, Hugo finally realized that the focus of Joseph's words seemed to be not "Schindler's List", but he didn't understand the reason. He furrowed his brow slightly and said, "Joe, there are things that can be done, things that shouldn't be done, and things that we shouldn't stoop to. Working with Ron is something I refuse to do on principle. I enjoy working with you. We've been working hard together for the past year. Isn't it good like this? I don't have any intention to change."

For Hugo, Joseph was the first person he met after he traveled through time, and he was currently his closest and most familiar friend. That's why he was willing to trust Joseph, without a doubt.

Hugo's sincere and straightforward words impacted Joseph's heart. Just a moment ago, he was doubting whether Hugo would join Ron for the sake of personal gain. But now it seemed that it was all his own unfounded speculation. Joseph felt his cheeks flush, ashamed of his pettiness.

The Hugo standing before him now was not the same as the desolate, chaotic, and miserable Hugo from a year ago. The current Hugo was positive, optimistic, diligent, and eager to learn. Most importantly, he was trustworthy.

Trust was never an easy thing, especially for Joseph. However, after a year of fighting side by side, experiencing the Thanksgiving borrowing incident, having brief conversations about family, and up to this day, a seed of trust had finally sprouted in Joseph's heart. He was willing to believe in Hugo, not because of what Hugo said, but because of what Hugo had done.

Hugo, however, did not sense the turmoil in Joseph's heart. He continued with a smile, "Of course, if someday you also become a profit-driven agent, maybe I'll find another suitable agent for myself unless you have enough power to keep me."

As Joseph had said, this was reality. Every agent would inevitably go through such a phase, the pursuit of interests would never cease. Essentially, agents were businessmen. The greatest way to restrain the greed within agents was the artist's strength. When the artist became powerful enough to hold autonomy, the status between the agent and the artist would change. At that point, the agent would be a "worker" attached to the artist, doing everything to avoid being replaced.

Therefore, when Joseph heard Hugo's teasing remark, a relaxed smile appeared on his face. Although the curvature of his lips wasn't significant, the genuine joy emanating from within was undeniable. "No problem. The precondition is that you have already become a top-tier superstar. By then, you can call the shots."

"Then let's see who becomes a top-tier superstar first, you or me," Hugo burst into laughter, clearly in a very good mood. Temporarily putting aside the immense temptation of "Schindler's List", Hugo realized that regardless of whether he could become part of those classic movies, at least he had become a part of this golden era, which was already worth celebrating, wasn't it?

Hugo's smile also made Joseph laugh softly, releasing all the tension, worries, and doubts from his heart. He felt a sense of lightness.

"Oh, by the way! There were too many people outside just now, and it wasn't convenient for me to tell you. Ron came to find me and revealed a lot of information," Hugo casually mentioned, unknowingly answering Joseph's earlier question about why Hugo didn't immediately inform him about Ron's matters. Joseph couldn't help but curl his lips, revealing a slightly mocking smile. He was mocking his own inferiority and suspicion.

However, Hugo didn't stop there. He continued, "He hinted that the auditions for "The Firm" haven't taken place yet, and there might be some shady dealings behind the scenes." After saying that, Hugo realized that his statement wasn't entirely accurate. It was certain that there were hidden agendas behind auditions. Networking was an open means of operation. "No, to be precise, he hinted that Brad's agent, Martin, has been active all along, and it seems that Tracey has also lent a helping hand."

Joseph collected his thoughts and began to ponder carefully. "I have heard about Martin's situation, but I don't know about Tracey," Joseph realized that as a talent agent, his current influence was limited. However, there were still many things he could do as an agent. He couldn't continue to stay idle and had to take proactive measures. "Don't worry, I will go after Sydney in the next couple of days. We need to have a conversation. This is just an audition, not a final decision on the role. Even if you don't get selected, at least you'll receive accurate information. Dragging it on like this is not reasonable."

Previously, Joseph had concerns. On one hand, he was apprehensive because of prominent figures like Sydney Pollock and Robert Towney. He felt insignificant as a small-time agent. On the other hand, he thought that "The Firm" was a huge project worth 60 million, and he didn't want to mess it up due to his own mistakes.

But now, Joseph realized that he had been too hesitant and hadn't taken decisive action. He made up his mind to take the initiative and show his assertive and decisive side.

Hugo nodded and then mentioned Tracey and Ron, who had been planning "Schindler's List" since March. Sydney played an important role in "Schindler's List", so it was likely that "The Firm" and "Schindler's List" were interconnected. Hugo also expressed his concerns about "Sleepless in Seattle" and exchanged his views with Joseph.

After discussing all these matters, Hugo remembered Rick's actions. "Joe, why did Rick agree to help us today? Does he have an ulterior motive, or am I just being overly sensitive?" Despite Rick being friendly all along, today's conversation went beyond mere friendliness, as he revealed a lot of insider information. Hugo found it very strange but wasn't sure if he was being overly paranoid because of Ron's actions.

Joseph sighed lightly. "It's actually an internal power struggle within the company." This wasn't uncommon; any company would have internal power struggles. Wherever there are people, these issues are inevitable. "Did you see Vice President Marvin Josephson attending the lunch today? In fact, Marvin hasn't been at the company for almost two years."

"Why?" Hugo was quite surprised.

"Three years ago, Marvin gradually delegated his responsibilities to Rick and a few other partners and went on vacation himself. During these three years, Rick has become the most powerful and influential agent among the partners, and Ron and a few other agents also have considerable influence." Joseph briefly explained, "However, the power struggle between Rick and Ron is not apparent; it's mainly healthy competition. Recently, Marvin wants to intervene in the company's affairs again, for some unknown reason. He wants to regain control, so he needs to deal with Rick, Ron, and the other influential partners. He wants to weaken their power and regain leadership of the company."

Though Hugo didn't know the exact reasons or details, it was clear that it all boiled down to internal power struggles. Looking at it this way, Rick's goodwill towards Hugo, as well as Ron's attempt to win him over today, became understandable.

"So, are they trying to make you pick a side?" Hugo realized that Joseph had also been busy today, with many people wanting to talk to him.

Joseph nodded helplessly, but Hugo smiled and said, "Well, that means you do have some weight after all. Not bad! At least it shows that our efforts this year haven't been in vain."