After Scotty Bowers introduced himself, he hurriedly said farewell to them because he said he didn't want to waste any more time and losing any potential client at the celebration party.
Al also wanted to have a longer conversation with him regarding his experience and Scotty promised to talk with him at the party.
After they both shook hands, they excused themselves while Scotty gave him a thumbs up and mouthed 'Good Job', slightly leering at two girls behind him.
Al rolled his eyes out and turned back his body and faced those girls who were eagerly waiting for him. He asked Ione first whether she minded letting her riding with them. She said yes and agreed with him but her tone was full of suspicions and he shuddered after seeing her gaze.
Then he asked Kristy again if she wanted to have a ride to the party with him and she accepted his offer with a delighted face.
On their way to InterContinental Hotel, he made some conversation with her.
Kristy was rather stiff at first and kept glancing in Ione direction. There was no triumph smile on her like she did with Ione before when they met in the theatre hall.
He didn't know if she was afraid of Ione or maybe she was still shocked knowing that she almost accepted Scotty Bowers' offer to get an easy buck and some roles by prostituting herself.
Then Ione decided to butt into their conversation and started to talk with Kristy. After talking with Ione, she seemed to regain her bearing. The playful and cheerful nature of her was back because with a sunny personality of Ione, her invisible wall started to crumble.
They became a fast friend and started to talk about him even sometimes sneered in his direction.
Ione from seeing both of the conversations they had before, could see there was a chemistry between them. Maybe a bit of affection came from him.
After both of them finished chatting, Ione nudged his suit and said, "Both of you seemed close to each other." She abruptly spoke.
"Uhm, yeah, we had few dates back before but not too serious, right Kristy?"She nodded and smiled in reminiscing.
Ione squinted her eyes, humming with interest. "Is this before Gwen or after?"
"It was last year Ione, relax," Al told her with much conviction showed on his face.
"Are you really not his girlfriend Ione? Because sure you are acting like it." Kristy teased, he was right that she regained her playfulness.
"No, it won't work out. We never tried it but we knew it. But he already had a girlfriend Kristy. But relax, as soon as he was open to the market, you'll be the one who knows it first." She teased.
"Okay, stop becoming my matchmaker again Ione. I think it's time for me to be yours. Oh, by the way, we have arrived." He said.
Ione puffed her cheeks after he said he would be her matchmaker and saw that they have truly arrived here.
They got out of the car and swarmed by dozens of paparazzi. 2 girls got off from his car and they started to wonder about what headlines they would write.
'Birth of the new Howard Hughes'; 'Hollywood new playboy'; 'Sexiest boy today and his girls'; and many more.
After struggled with the press, they finally appeared inside InterContinental Hotels convention hall.
He was then greeted by Ned Tanen, who seemed a lot nicer and humbler than he was before. Then he was later dragged by him to meet the other Paramount executives.
Ione assured him that she and Kristy would be okay to be left alone and gone socialize without him. Also, he warned them both not to agree to any advancement or accepting an offer from anyone and told them that she came here with him. Kristy too had the same instruction as her, but if she wanted to do it, she could gladly do so.
Meeting with Frank, the CEO of Paramount and any other executives was not exactly a comfortable moment for him.
A lot of ass-kissing and any other bullshit by everyone else in the room had taken a lot of toll for him.
If not for John Hughes who was also in the same room with him to have a conversation with, he would be expected to throw up in any other seconds.
The party was a lot bigger than he expected. But this was the norm. Hollywood is not what it is without its party every day.
Of course, a few call girls were able to soothe the party atmosphere that can be called boring.
Someone he was not expected to see was Ari Emmanuel, his agent.
"Ari, what a surprise!?" Al said excitedly.
"Of course, I was here." He smiled, "My golden mine is here, of course, I have to be here as well. Heck, I miss that little arrogant boy that impresses the hell out of me. Me a junior agent got to be promoted to a senior agent in 2 years."
"You're too overestimating me, Ari. If not for your help to arrange the audition with my Steven Spielberg for his film. I wouldn't be here anyway. So, how's CAA has been treating you?"
His question made Ari's brows furrowed and it couldn't be a good sign. "Al, let's go somewhere else we could talk to."
Al then followed him to a more secluded place in this hotel.
"So, Ari; what's the urgency?" He asked.
"You know the payment for actors kept increasing right?" He started.
"Yeah, but what's up with the face? I thought you would be the one happy about this."
"If the process is gradual of course I'd love it. But the agents began to play harder, especially CAA. Packaging project, it is threatening the production company."
Al smiled, "I know that because I also got the short-term benefit with it as the actor. But for my long-term career, of course, it soon threatened me."
"I thought so, you also have a film company and Mary also had just joined the Producers Association. This is what I'm afraid of, Al. Next year, the Producer Guild will renegotiate the terms with other associations, and of course actor guild and screenwriter guild also become the main head of this negotiation, especially about payment. I expect that they will blame CAA for becoming a game-changer."
"Don't be afraid Ari, with how CAA works, even they would blame CAA, actors would threaten them with a strike."
"You don't seem upset?"
"I have my ways Ari, rather than playing their games. I will create my own set board. Now, what's the thing you want to talk about the most?"
"I need your support Al, to make my own agency. Let me tell you a secret. 1 year ago, a CAA agent came to one of the production companies, demanding a high payment for his client. The studio rejected him but he threatens to let all of the actors of that film quit and let the studios be banned from the CAA partnership."
"No way!?" Al said, but on his mind, he thought that the CAA already played this game earlier than he predicted.
Ari then continued, "The production company was forced to comply and after the film was out, the box office was flopped and forced the company to apply for bankruptcy. I started to get sick of their games Al. We slowly becoming a cartel, not an agency.
Also, I'm sick with their treatment. Although I'm a senior agent because of my achievements, I was still the youngest there and I did not get respect from anyone over there. Some of my friends still work in the mailroom I can't even help them. I got this naive thought about changing things from the inside but as long as Michael Ovitz is there, it was an impossible task. He also got a back up from the current Disney's CEO, Michael Eisner and he was too strong to be fought on."
Al then nodded, "Of course Ari, you had my full support. You are one of the people I trusted. Let me tell Mary, and for the funding, I'll ask help from Nancy."
~~~
After they went back to the convention hall, he also met and was introduced to some CAA senior agents by Ari who came here. Ari also seemed to want him to know them and it meant that they were his associates who also unsatisfied with CAA's treatment.
Then a woman in her early 30s came to greet him. She was amazingly stunning, she was tall for a woman, her golden locks reflected the dimmed light of this hall, her piercing blue eyes gazed deeply at his soul.
"Hello All, finally I was able to meet you. How's Mary and Nancy by the way?" She immediately said without introducing herself but from her tone, she looked like to be known him for a long time.
He was confused at her bluntness, so he replied with an unsure tone, "Uhm, they were fine. I'm sorry, it's should be hard for me to forget meeting a beautiful woman like you but have we ever met before?"
She beamed brightly, "Oh you had a slick tongue as well, Mary didn't say that," Then she extended her hand to him, "I forgot to introduce myself, I'm Wendy Marvel, the CFO of CAA. I, Mary, and Nancy were best friends in colleges. Also, I know it's too late but I'm really sorry, I didn't know they would send a junior agent to handle you."
"You were her acquaintance that recommended an agent to me! Thank you very much for recommending Ari to me. He is the best agent any artist could get."
"Yes, I am. I also glad they sent competent ones." She again beamed with a stunning smile, she really was the definition of an American Bombshell.
After spending a long time having a conversation with her, like a magician; Al out of nowhere with his slight of hands, a card with Yggdrasil Corps. font beautifully engraved within it suddenly appeared on his hand.
"If you decided to quit from CAA, I would always welcome you here. Although it's still small, we have infinite potential to grow."
"Thanks, Al, I can't wait to be working with my best friends." She smiled and left him all alone.
Soon a voice was heard and startled him, he knew it belonged to Scotty Bowers.
"That's smooth Mr. Brandt. You are natural at seducing women. You sure you're not interested in the job? It could generate you a lot of money."
"Money was no problem to me, Bowers. Even if I need your service, I would ask for an escort, not to be an escort. Besides, I'm more vested in your life experience. I could buy the rights for your experience with a heavy sum."
"And risk my reputation for telling the dark side of Hollywood? Not a chance man, you see they were all-powerful people who rented their service. By telling my life experience would also break Hollywood's rules man."
"Of course I also will protect your identity and serve it as anonymous. You forgot there was a book called Hollywood Babylon, but your experience might be more fun than that book."
He shook his head, "Maybe, but I don't want to die yet. I will call you when I change my mind. If you want to get some Hollywood actress to accompany you just call me. Do you like an older woman, I can get you either Kim Basinger or Sean Young."
He saw his playful smile and shook his head, "Maybe someday when I really need it."
"Suit yourself boy, just call me when you need some." He gave his business card to him. "Oh, by the way, your girls are being harassed by your friend it seems. That famous actor's son, that Sheen guy. Man, he was my loyal customer, even his son start using my services to get laid with some small-time models."
Al's pupil widened, "Where's he!" He forcefully grabbed Scotty's shoulder and demanded an answer from him.
"Uhm, they were near the poolside." He pointed the way to the poolside with his index finger and soon Al disappeared from his vision.
Al walked at a fast pace, going out of the convention hall to see Charlie Sheen was molesting either both Ione and Kristy while holding a bottle of scotch. And the most important thing was that he is heavily drunk.
His hand roamed to touch Ione's body and she jerked her body backward in reflex. Everyone saw him doing sexual harassment to both of them but no one seemed to care to stop him.
Not only he was the son of the famous actor but also he was the rising star of Hollywood along with Alphonse Brandt. So everyone seemed to be afraid and let him get his own way. Of course, Al went mad at not only Charlie Sheen but also at everyone else who did not help a damsel in distress.
Al immediately came close to them and placed both Ione and Kristy hid behind his back.
Charlie Sheen who was still in a drunk state was surprised to see a man came out of nowhere to disturb him for getting laid by two beautiful yet naive girls. But when he refocused his vision and see it was his self-proclaimed arch-nemesis, Alphonse fuckin' Brandt, madness possessed him.
"Not again, fuck you, Brandt. Why don't you fuck off and let me have a nice moment with those belles." He slurred.
"Why don't you back off, Sheen. These girls are with me."
Charlie's gaze turned to the girls behind him and said, "Hello girls, why don't you go with me tonight? I can show you how the alphas like me can handle both of you." He slurred again.
"Sheen, I told you the girls are with me. Goodbye, let's go girls." He turned around and grabbed both of Ione and Kristy's hands.
Kristy also agreed to get off from this party. Ione also agreed with him and added, "Let's go home, Al,"
"Stay right there you dork! You won't get away from me!" He ran straight into him and raised the bottle in his hand, ready to strike him.
Everyone who became the spectators in the poolside at first wants to see how the show was going to be, but they didn't know that Charlie Sheen went crazy and was going to hit Al's head with a bottle of scotch.
Everyone was screaming. Al who had known Charlie in his drunken rage would retort to violence already braced himself for retaliation.
Charlie swung the bottle to his head, which he quickly grabbed and twisted his wrist, making the bottle fell to the floor and broke into pieces.
Then he grabbed his body with his other hand, slung him across his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and threw him off to the pool.
His body then flew 2 meters above the ground and landed gracefully on the water. Then he rose above the surface while screaming like a madman.
"That's should sobber him up. Let's go girls." The two girls just giggled and followed him.
They also realized that their conflict has been photographed and recorded by some reporters who happened to be there and he was sure that this event would be hot news for tomorrow.
To Be Continued...
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