章 43: Chp 43 : Candies?

All the negotiations that he has made before were all going well.

On films, he just got news from Ari that Paramount Pictures agreed for paying Al 10 million with 15% of North American box office, now Al is a superstar who can carry a film alone.

<Ferris Bueller's> will be filmed in mid-1985 because the script has a few revisions going on so the contract signing will be informed later.

So Al got many spare times until mid-1985 and he would start his plan to shoot an experimental film with the standard film length this time.

He already bought an unfinished script from Jerome Bixby in early 1984 for $50,000 although not yet complete, Al has convinced him that he could finish it and Jerome also trusted him after he knew that he wrote <Inception>, he said that really likes that novel.

He had succeeded in the negotiation of the "Iron Man" Manor he planned to build at Point Dume. Because it was still an unknown area, it only cost him $10 million for a 25,000 sq. ft. area.

He already designed the house as same as the Iron Man movie. Once the architect and contractor saw his design, he thought that Al was joking with them.

But after they read it again carefully, they were shocked that this kind of manor CAN be built. The problem is the strength of the cliff to sustain it.

Fortunately, they both are experienced in building the manor in the cliff area, they were sure that the Point Dume Manor would be the hardest and most challenging manor they would build.

So it cost another $20 million to build the manor, include building a connecting road from the manor to the main road and strengthening the cliff with concrete. This construction also could take at most 3 or 4 years.

Currently, Al, his friend, and his siblings were watching <Terminator> that was released last month.

River has become a permanent member of their group and he liked to hang out with them.

Al wouldn't keep a secret to his friend about his identity as Edward, so he told his real name to River.

The first time he knew that Edward was Alphonse, River was fanboying over him for hours, then he went back to his gloomy cool guy demeanor. Unique guy, he was not wrong to befriend him.

Not only him, but Al also brought Toby and Jon here. The girls had a girl's things to do, Laura's words.

Mostly they were having a shopping spree night with Mary & Jodie. Because of the last talk with Al when they went home after going to Disneyland, Mary would have a small talk with Jodie far in the future.

But she somehow unable to bring the topic to discuss it with Jodie because Jodie would always have distracted her with some women talks, hell now she also became super best friends with Laura, Melissa, Annie, Alice, and Drew.

So after they finished their movie, they were having lunch in their favorite fast food restaurant BK and ordered their favorite meals.

"What if Skynet is real? Look, frickin robots took over the world and kill us all! Now I'm super paranoid about these computers!" Anthony said in fear.

"Here again, E.D. please explain to him." Robin became irritated because Anthony had said this over and over again since they were out of the cinema.

"Well, the computer won't kill us." Robin nodded at Al's statements.

"But it will take over our jobs, keeping human for preserve ecosystem and breeding purpose, and rule the world." Wrong, now Robin really wants to punch this guy.

"E.D. please don't agitate this guy anymore, we can't stand his babbling about robots," Robin complained.

"Hey, my book next year also using this theme." Al immediately added.

Al also told them that he was the famous author under the pen name Edward B. Ephron. Technically it was an accident, Robin found out the similarities between him and the author, then she interrogated him.

"What's the title, I really like your book, Ed, no I love it! From <Toy Story> to <Death Note> none of the books is bad." Ione said with a star in her eyes.

"Wait! How about ASOIAF!?" Max cut their conversation.

Al laughed and said, "Too bad Max, ASOIAF series will be released every 4 years." Then Max suddenly fell on his knees and his eyes seem lost signs of life.

They were laughing at Max's condition. They very knew well that he was the ASOIAF series' hardcore fans and very happy since he knew that the writer was Al.

"It called <Ghost In the Shell>, about a soldier in a far future that has completely changed all of her body into a machine." He explained to them the synopsis.

"Like Terminator?" River added.

"Something like it, but it's all different world. All of the humans have changed most of their part of the bodies into the machine for enhancements or just following trends."

"Neat, you always have a weird idea brother," Toby said.

His new novel will be a combination of <Ghost In The Shell> with a game <Detroit Becomes Human>.

To sum it up, the novel still follows a cyberpunk theme of how cybernetic technologies have advanced so much that human could be augmented or replace their body parts with cybernetic parts

But the difference is in the brain part is just planted chips to increase their memory capacity and also connecting them into computer and internet.

The time set in 2100, not only cybernetic technology but also AI and fully functional androids that could be made human life easier.

The protagonist is the newest creation of a military weapon android who could think like a human and she was tasked as a law enforcer.

Al named the new protagonist Scarlett, and she finds herself wanting to become human because there's no difference between androids and humans.

On one of her mission, she and her team must track the hackers that turns out to be an AI and groups of androids who hack some government-related secrets, and she finds the truth that she was not an android at all.

She used to be human but her brains turned into a fully cyber brain in the project called Ghost In the Shell.

The crime thriller, the conflict between "humans" and androids, philosophical conflict of self-identity in technological advancement, which is how Al wanted this book to tell.

"When the book release?" Max asked.

"Middle of 1985, then I would stop writing books for a while. I plan to focus on learning about directing and continue my acting career."

"Oh, what do you want to start filming?"

"Yep, next January. I already get some actors candidates from Ari, I will do the casting and... Robin, I will need your help to become my assistant in editing."

"Roger boss, I need payment this time." She said bluntly to her future boss.

"Hey, you are the one who is supposed to pay me for the course fee."

Anthony cut off and said, "Okay guys stop it, this filming stuff making me dizzy, but I hope you made comedy this time Ed, I could become your advisor about comedy. Do you know that black film comedy called <Beverly Hill's Cop> that will be released next week? I heard it was funny shitze and I guarantee you Ed we blacks are the best in this field."

"Oh I definitely do Tony, I have a plan for us, but wait for us at least 18. This comedy movie I direct will be a goddamn pureshit, and you Anthony, Max, River, Toby, Jon, Ione, and Robin will be part of this."

The boys were laughing while the girls groaned. Ione even doubted that she would become a normal actress with Al around.

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"So please introduce yourself Mr..." Actually, Al already knew this person, but to keep his ignorance and professionalism, he pretended not to know.

Today is almost the end of the year, but he also needs to rush his preparation for his next film.

He was in the room with 3 other people, 2 people from the casting department of Muspelheim Films and 1 is his assistant Jessica.

"Morning Mr. Brandt, my name is Liam Neeson. I have active since 1976 and last year I got the roles of Charles Churchill on <The Bounty> starring Mel Gibson."

"Okay Mr. Neeson, could you please read this part and the situation is, you are revealing the secrets that could destroy a person's faith."

He read the passage and Al was sure he will be the main character. His voice and acting are good, no wonder he will get an Oscar Nomination as Oskar Schindler.

"Okay Mr. Neeson, you convinced me, you got the role. Do you have agent Mr. Neeson?" He nodded.

"Great, the payment will be discussed by your agents and Muspelheim Films' negotiator, I hope we could cooperate Mr. Neeson."

Then Al shook his hand and continued the audition for his film.

The audition was held successfully, the notable characters he saw was only Liam Neeson.

Al also saw a famous face in the future, the one who will play a female lead. Her name is Sandra Bullock and she was here because she saw an advertisement for an experimental film audition on her campus and she is interested in joining to gain experiences.

But she was surprised to see that the director is Alphonse Brandt. For the cast other than the main lead, Al only informed it as experimental film auditions in some area as the campus, acting school, or Screen Actors Guild (SAG) board.

Sandra Bullock is still 20 years old this year and she still looked young and beautiful. If he was older, he would ask her for a dinner after the audition. Age may be just a number but that number could take her to the FBI for interrogation.

Because they were both has a German descent, he tried to talk with her in German and they both became close in no time.

After the audition, Al sighed and opened the Skittles pack and ate it. Now there are only 2 people in Muspelheim Films office audition room, him and Jessica.

"Want some Jess?" He offered her his Skittles.

"Sorry Al, I don't eat sugar at night. I have never seen you eating it before."

"Only when in the high-pressure occasion, maybe diving includes. Ah, write it on your note Jess to always prepares a pack of Skittles and carry it in case of emergency."

"Noted, but don't eat it every day. Sugar is bad for your health."

"Okay Mom, what could I do without you?"

Jessica also seemed to want to ask him something and finally, she said, "Do you like older girls Al?"

"Huh? Well, I don't have any type of girls I like, but beautiful is one of the spots. Where is this come from anyway"

"Because you have a very good relationship with older girls. Mary, Jodie Foster, Courteney Cox, Vivian Kubrick, and now this Sandra Bullock. I will just have to warn you Al that these girls will be taken to police if you chase them."

Al just gave her an eye roll and continue to eat his Skittles. "Maybe I'm really charming and they have been hypnotized by me, so be careful Jessie and increase your vigilance or you will have a cruise vacation with S.S Alphonse Ship."

"Don't worry, I won't." She gave Al a meaningful smile then took a Skittles candies scattered on the table by Alphonse and ate it.

"Wow, it is good." She said surprised.

"I wonder if they sell the Skittles Company," Al muttered loudly.

Jessica then gave Al white eyes.

To Be Continued...