Chapter 10: Contract signing
Getting out of the bed David walked to Michael room that was across his and his wife room knocking on the door gently David spoke in a soft voice.
"Michael?.. Michael?, if you're awake can you please open the door I would like to have a talk about what happened today." After saying all that David waited for a few second in front of the door.
As he was about to knock on the door again it suddenly opened revealing Michael who seemed to be in a dazed as he didn't aspects to be visited by his father so late. Michael was a little confused too why he's dad would wake him up so late at night as he had school tomorrow.
After waking up from his sleepiness and gain some clarity he heard he's father voice coming from outside his room.
Michael was surprised by his father actions he already agreed not to work with Alex on creating any more video games just like he asked. Now he just wanted to convince Alex to sign the contract when they meet again. After thinking for a while he finally got up switched on the lights in his room and open the door to see his father standing outside.
"Can I come in?" asked David
"Umm.. Yeah, you can come in." Said Michael nervously as he was worried about what his father was going to ask him to do.
After entering the room David set on the bed and looked around the room. "You know your mother doesn't like it when you live your room in such a mass right?" Said David trying to light the mood around them.
"Right, I'll clean it up before going to school tomorrow." Answered Michael while smilingly as he always became happy when someone mentioned he's mother.
Michael had always seen Maria as his real mother as she and Gabriella were the ones he spent the most time with growing up with. Hence why he so unhappy when he was separated from her and his father as unlike his father. Michael biological mother never had time for him. As she would either be talking to her friend or going out somewhere.
As times she would leave him at home for weeks when his dad went on business trips which made Maria and her daughter Gabriella to basically live at their house on those occasions. So throughout his entire childhood he always left like she was a stranger to him and even tried to take him away from his father.
Which made him very depressed at that time as even when his father who had to work would always make time to play with him.
"So about what happened today with you and Alex, I would firstly like to apologize for the way I react. I didn't give you a chance to explain why you want to become a game creator or what ever you guys call that occupation. So I want you to tell me your plan for the future and where do you think this will take. If you can convince me about that I am willing to allow you to continue working with Alex alright?" Explain David while staring intently at his son.
Hearing this words Michael expression chance and his whole body was filled with energy. As his heart beat faster enjoy at the prospect of pursuing his own dream.
"Yes, I won't let you down father I promise you." Said Michael excitedly while clenching his fist tightly.
"Hey! Slow down I said if you can convince me about your future plans, you guys have okey? So I'm giving you until the end of the week to prepare your pitch. Until then I still don't agree with you making those games you future occupation." Reminded David to his overly excited son
"Okey, I'll start preparing with Alex and will tell you our plans for the future." Replied Michael while trying to keep his emotions under control
"Alright, than we have a deal." Said David standing up and rising his right hand for a hand shake this also represents that David treated this matter like real business negotiation. Michael seeing his father rise his hand for a hand shake made him happy this was his father acknowledgement.
Shaking hands the two men both smiled happily the previous tension between of them disappearing.
One week later three parties met again in David office the first thing they did is sign the first contract that had to do with the Jurassic Park deal. After that Michael presented the plan he and Alex had written up to present in front of David.
After spending fifteen minutes explaining their plans on how they would sale their games and expanded their brand in the next five years. After Michael finished explaining the plan they came up Michael set down and waited for his father's answer.
David kept silent for a long time which made Michael very nervous while Alex also didn't say anything. This was because Alex was very confident in the plan he and Michael wrote, and practiced very hard on Michael presentation. He delivered it in the very claim and unhurried manner even pausing in the right places to give David more time to think.
Michael was also not flustered when David would stop him mid sentence and ask for further details. On certain points and details overall it was a very good presentation which impressed Alex as well.
As Michael personality was more like a sort of innocent boy next door who in most movies was soft hearted and shy where this lead to him eventually get the girl. However, you couldn't underestimated Michael as he was someone who knew when to get serious when given a task.
Not letting his playful personality get in the way of his work which is why Alex wanted to groom Michael. Into someone who could take the lead in difficult situations. When he isn't around to fix the problem but, for now he would let Michael enjoy his teenage years as much as possible.
On the other hand David was in a delama as throughout the whole presentation he had been trying to find fault in Michael and Alex's plans. However, Michael was able to answer all his concerns claimly and logically until David was convinced it could possibly work. And if David were to say he wasn't convinced about the possibility of success, their plan had it would be a lie.
The only other way was if the games the two of them weren't popular enough and couldn't generate enough profit for them to keep making more in the future.
Sighing David finally opened his mouth after a strong internal struggle with his emotions, "Alright I agree to help you find a game studio to distribute the game for you guys. However if this game isn't able to generate a profit my firm won't continue helping with this endeavor in the future agreed?"
After hearing this both the boys said at the same time, "Yes, we agree."
After that David took out a piece of paper and three of them all signed the paper. Alex also took out a CD in an envelope with the demo of the game and handed it over to David.
After receiving the CD David couldn't help but, still ask the same question he asked during Michael's presentation. "Why did you have to make the game so violent?" While shaking his head. Pressing a button on his desk a person than spoken into the intercom. "Hello, Kim can you please sent Tom to my office please thank you."
After waiting two minutes a knock came from outside the room after David allow the man to enter into the room. This was person one of the employees who worked under David firm, he was a man of average height at 5 foot 10, brown hair and eye, soft facial features and stood with a straight posture.
His appearance was off someone people would find it difficult remembering his face after their first meeting. Enter the room the man politely greeted everyone and then stood still for a moment and waited his orders.
"Tom I called you hear to give you an important task these two young men here today will be your clients from now on. And depending on how you do you may be promoted. You can discuss the rest of the details about cooperation with them okey?"
Umm..Yes, Sir I'll do the best I can to help them in any way possible." Said Tom in a very excited voice as he had only been working at David law firm for only a year and now had the chance to be promoted after this job.
David nodded his head at Tom answer, Tom Stewart was only twenty six and was still pretty young so David thought it would be easier for someone his age to help the two boys find a game publishers.
David than handed Tom the document with the contract describing the details of the deal between themselves. However, David would still need to get Alex's mother or fathers to sign off on the contract since Alex's was still a minor.
He had already talked to Oliver and agreed on a time to meet and get his signature on the two contracts before moving forward with his plans. Oliver and Martha had already read the contract after they allowed him to approach Alex with the offer to help him with Jurassic Park.
The two families had also known each other for 16 years now so they trusted each other with their children. David and Maria were also the guardian parents to Alex and his siblings if something ever happened to Oliver and Martha.
As Oliver and Martha weren't very close to with their family members and Oliver younger brother was also another option if David and Maria couldn't take care of their children in difficult situations.
Alex and Michael left David's office with Tom to go over the details. Tom didn't realize at the time that Alex had pacifically asked for some who could become their company illegal represented. So David had chosen Tom to be that person for Alex as David saw a lot of himself in Tom when he was younger.
And if Tom did his job well and kept proving he could become one of the best lawyers under his firm. David began preparing to contact few book publisher to distribute Alex book than see if any movie studio are interested in turning this book into a live action movie.
Meanwhile Alex's, Michael and Tom want to a small diner across the street and discuss the details of want they wanted accomplish from this deal.
"So let me see if I get this you want me to go to a big gaming companies that makes and distribute their own games." Asked Tom
"Yes, our game is unlike any other game on the market right now. As it's more bloody and violence you can play it on your computer for yourself and you'll understand what we mean." Said Alex
"Okey, tell me why the two of you don't want big companies like EA and Capcom? Giving them the licenses to distribute your game would be the best choice wouldn't it." Said Tom not getting why Alex was so disagreeable to the idea.
"Look in the future we plan to start up our own gaming company just like EA and Capcom. And these two companies wouldn't agree to ours contract of only being a distributor and having no say. The will most likely do everything in their power to make us either work for them or make something similar to ours." Said Alex
Well Alex couldn't be sure if this would be the case since this were still the early years of the gaming industry. The 1990s would be the gold years of the gaming industry and big companies like EA had probably already started to change their strategy on how they treated third-party developers.
Alex was planning on leaving most of the game development to his future subordinates and just act as the brains behind the projects. He didn't want to deal with this big companies yet until he was at least on equal footing.
"Alright, can I at least present them with the game and see what their offerings first. " Asked Tom.
Alex stayed quite while Michael on the other remained silent. He also thought Alex was being a little to unreasonable with his request. He understood that dealing with big game companies is a little more difficult. But, at least they should be open minded about this matter.
Alex also released he was a little bit unreasonable with his request. Alex didn't want to end up in a contract were they would be required commit to making games to their future competitors. Hence why he would like to work with a small game distributor but, he also knew he shouldn't close all the doors.
" Alright, than but, if they want to try to own the license to our game or require as to develop exclusive titles games in the future than forget it. " Alex didn't have the concept of benefiting other who would most certainly stab them in the back later on.
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