13. The Surprise and a Flashback.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works. If you recognize it from somewhere else, surprise, it isn't mine.

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Recap of the previous chapter –

Mark picked up his friends from the airport, reconciled with Jess and told them about his new writing project that will be a lengthy series consisting of 17 books as of that point in time. The book series that Mark has begun is called – "The Legends of Runeterra". With a lull in the conversation, they arrive at the estate.

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~ Janet's POV ~

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April 13th, 1990, same day, 01:53 pm, entering the estate.

We had finally arrived at our destination. The house was exceptionally beautiful, but it looked, somewhat aged, like it had been lived in before by other people.

Janet thought about what she had heard from Mark before, 'Mark said that the estate was newly built, is this supposed to be part of the surprise? ...

...It's somewhat underwhelming I suppose, or maybe I just need to look "underneath the underneath" as he always tells us while examining something.'

We piled out of the van with our luggage and Mark had that smile on his face when he had planned something special like a prank or a surprise.

There was a stunning Redhead standing on the front porch.

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~ Mark's POV ~

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Evelyn was waiting for us at the front door. Just looking gorgeous in a loose summer dress.

"Guys, meet Evelyn Throne, she's my agent, manager and close friend from childhood" Mark said as he introduced Eva to the group.

"Hello everyone, I am Evelyn, we talked on the phone when I arranged for you guys to be flown in at Mark's request. I am Mark's CAA agent, but please call me Eve. As you have heard, I have known this dork from childhood, so any friend of Mark's is a friend of mine as well." Evelyn said with a smile on her face.

"Come in, I hope you all like the house." Evelyn said, beckoning everyone inside.

A grand and opulent foyer greeted them as they step inside Harlan Thrombey's beautiful home. The walls are adorned with antique paintings and tapestries, whispering tales of a storied past.

A crystal chandelier, dangling from the high ceiling, casts a dazzling light that shines upon the beautiful oak wood floor beneath.

The space is vast and elegantly decorated, reflecting the wealth and taste of its owner. A sweeping staircase with ornate iron embellishments leads up to the upper floors, seemingly inviting them to explore the secrets that lie beyond.

To the left, an intricately carved wooden door stands ajar, revealing a glimpse of the lavish study within. Books line the mahogany shelves from floor to ceiling, their leather-bound spines adding warmth to the room. A large desk, adorned with family photographs, stands at the center, a testament to Harlan Thrombey's personal life amidst his success as a world-renowned author.

Further ahead, a set of double doors swing open into the lavish living room. The space is bathed in natural light, pouring in through tall windows, framed by rich velvet drapes. Plush sofas and armchairs, upholstered in luxurious fabrics, offer comfort and elegance to guests who may have gathered for one of Harlan's famed family gatherings.

The room was also adorned with a very peculiar display. It was a wire net with dozens of knives in a circular pattern that pointed towards the center. A simple, elegant chair was in front of the display.

It is there that they realize where they actually are, Jess speaks up, "This can't be real, we are at The Thrombey estate from Knives Out." She says in disbelief and awe.

Jan couldn't resist asking, "How long did it take you to build this place and how much did it cost?"

Mark replied with a grin, pleased with their reactions. "I bought the land for quite cheap, around $2.5 million, the house, I am not so sure, maybe 7 million. Evelyn, how much did the house cost me?" Mark asked, not knowing the exact number himself.

"It's $7.3 million, you should really try to remember these details, Mark." Evelyn said, reprimanding Mark.

"It's fine, I got you with me for that." Mark said in a relaxed way.

"Come on guys, there is more to see, then I will take you up to your rooms. I hope you don't mind sharing them." Mark said.

And they moved along to the other side of the huge living room. A grand piano rests against one wall, its polished wood gleaming under the sunlight. Musical notes seem to linger in the air, echoing the melodies played by talented family members during countless evenings of entertainment.

From the living room, French doors open onto a sprawling terrace, overlooking meticulously manicured gardens. The vibrant colors of flowers in bloom provide a contrast to the stately stone statues that dot the landscape. A fountain, sculpted in the likeness of a mythical creature, gushes water, adding a soothing soundtrack to the picturesque scene.

As they move further into the estate, a dining room comes into view. A massive oak table, adorned with fine china and crystal glasses, awaits the next sumptuous feast. A chandelier, hanging low above the table, casts a warm glow, setting the stage for intimate conversations and cherished family moments.

In every corner, every nook and cranny, the estate exudes a sense of history and elegance. It stands as a testament to Harlan Thrombey's success and affluence, a backdrop for the intricate web of secrets and lies that unravel within its walls

Mark, done with showing the first floor, leads them upwards towards their rooms while quizzing them about the house.

"So did you guys notice anything different about the rooms?" Marks asked, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Hmm, the height of the ceiling is unnaturally high." Chris answered after thinking for a while.

"Yup great eye Chris, the ceiling is higher to accommodate the lighting equipment, the screens and boom mic." Mark explained happily.

"The floor seems weird, the wooden panels aren't spaced out evenly," Jess said after a while.

"See I told you Jess, you have an eye for details. The flooring is done with the use of a camera dolly in mind. So it's easier to lay down the tracks and take 'em out later without damaging the floor." Mark explained again.

"Ok, we have arrived. The last door on the right is my room. The rest are free, choose whichever one you like, all of them come with two single beds, so three rooms for the six of you. Get fresh, change and meet me downstairs in 30 minutes for lunch." Mark spoke in a calm tone with authority, as a leader should.

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~ Kevin's POV ~

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The rooms were nice, pretty spacious; they even came with two separate work areas and wardrobes.

He was pretty happy with the accommodation. He knew Mark had already planned things out, even though he had to scrap the old plan.

But he also knew that Mark already had a new plan ready for them to take on. It's his strength and one of his best qualities, he never gets complacent, or too comfortable; always planning his next move.

"Hmm, Mark's going to want things to be organized as soon as possible for when the new crew arrives. We need to bring our A-game, as they are professionals who have worked in the industry for at least a decade."

"The only reason we are so high up in the chain of command is because we're his friends and Mark trusts us, and I don't want to let him down." Kevin said to Chris while getting out of the bathroom.

Chris replied getting ready to enter the shower, "Neither do I and don't worry, I'm already on it. I made a list of things we would need to take care of to keep things running in the crew smoothly, It's on my desk. Go through it and let me know if I missed something. I will be right back with you in 10 minutes after I'm done with my shower."

"Thanks, Chris, I will look through it." Kevin was grateful to have Chris as his partner, as he is someone who is always organized, on time and dedicated to his task. He is a little stiff and awkward around strangers, but he has a good heart.

It's what he noticed after observing the group throughout the years they have been together. At first, it was just Janet, Mark and him. No, it was Janet, Marc and him. There leader was so into the rest of his life that he forgot telling his real name – Mark Spencer. It was only later that they found out and Janet even to this day teases him about it.

But soon other people started joining their group, many left and very few stayed, but finally the seven that stuck together were actually talented, passionate and good-hearted people.

He knows it's something that Mark did, he is not a 100% sure how he pulled it off, but it's too much of a coincidence to have such talents and personalities in one group.

He's aware that Mark is the most creative person in the group, but Jess and Melissa have also written books, with one of Melissa's recent fantasies about the end of the world becoming a top-selling book on the New York Times bestseller list.

Chris and Janet are some of the best AD's he's seen. With Jan being in almost perfect sync with Mark, always knowing what he wants or is thinking. It's like she can intuitively understand people, it's her kind and caring personality that made her become the big sister of our group. The one we look for help whenever Mark's busy or unavailable.

Whereas Chris has his focus and vision for details in the film. He observes and learns from Mark's every action, asking why and how to do things. He is kind, humble and very patient with people.

Then there's Sarah "the analyst," she was able to guess the top 10 box office winners with 73% accuracy for the last two years we were together. But for me the cake was the time where she was able to accurately guess 79% of questions on the paper for our exams.

Its no wonder, even Mark admires her skill with numbers, because in Mark's own words, "What I guess is mostly based on my instincts. But she –

She just sees things different from the rest of us mortals", and coming from Mark, that is the highest compliment he had ever seen Mark give someone.

Mark is fiercely protective of her, of everyone in the group, actually. He just tries not to show it or flaunt his authority or wealth in front of us. We listen to him not because he is better than us, but because we believe him to make the best decision with the interests of the group in mind.

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I still remember, it was in the beginning of the second semester. Some girls from Sarah's class were bullying her, making fun of her braces and choice of clothes. But Sarah never reacted to them or even responded. It got to a point where they stole her shoes to get a rise out of her.

When Mark came to know about what had happened from Jan. He knew immediately that Mark was pissed, he had never seen Mark be angry at something.

He always remains calm and composed, like nothing life ever throws at him, can or will ever phase him.

But this time he was different, he acted calm and was trying to get Sarah to talk about everything those bullies did to her. His eyes were sharp and cold, his aura felt different, like a tiger out on a hunt.

He turned to me, and realizing that I had seen him. He gave me the look, like he was saying, "we will talk about this later."

And he left with that, I don't know how he did it. But the next day, the bullies came around and returned Sarah's things that they took. They even gave an apology to her in front of the class.

And there is me, the oddball. I was never really great at anything, never really excelled at anything. But Mark chose me as a part of the group, when I confronted him later. He told me what he saw in me that even I couldn't see myself.

I still remember, he looked at me dead in the eyes and said, "Kevin, you have an eye for people, you can understand them, their motive and drive. You are able to pick up their tells, their general demeanor, it's how you are able to understand their unsaid needs and wants."

"You're socially dynamic, successful at networking, charismatic, and personally gregarious. It's your gift, and it will help you a lot in your journey to become a star producer in Hollywood."

I had never felt more validated in my life. It just made me look up to him even more. On that day, I made a commitment to myself that I will follow this man to the peak of Hollywood, that I will help him achieve his dream.

He is broken out of his thoughts by Chris, coming out of the shower and calling him.

"Did you read it, kev. Do you think something is missing or some points I overlooked?"

"Ah, yeah, it's good. It's just that you forgot to take into consideration the food and lodging for the crew, and their transport to and from the set. But don't sweat it, it's part of my job anyways.

"Hmm, thanks, I will keep that in mind next time. Let's go, we have only 5 minutes left till the appointed time for lunch." Chris said while putting on some comfortable shirt and jeans.

"Yeah just give me two minutes I will be right there with you." Kevin said, putting away his clothes.

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{Author's Note: And bam, here we get to see the first look into the character personalities of Mark's friends from the POV of Kevin. We see some of their qualities and character traits and what makes them unique.

They are the central group of side characters in this story and will be featured more in short POV's throughout the story. Hope you guys enjoyed this character building chapter. The next one is a planning and discussion one and after that the pace will pick up again. So please look forward to it.

Anyways, Thanks for reading my work. I am entirely motivated by interaction, suggestions and feedback. Please leave a comment or review about what you liked or disliked about my book.

If you like my work please throw a power stone my way so my book can climb the rankings. I hope you all have a beautiful day

Update schedule for this book: 1 chapter every 2 days.}