At two PM they were meeting with three people in a conference room. The one on the lead present himself as a producer for the movie as the other two were just a.s.sistant. Seeing him, Maggie smile brightly."h.e.l.lo Mike, long time no see."
"Maggie, pleasure to meet you again." He respond with a twisted expression.
"I"m sure it is"
She knew exactly how much he was not glad to see her. They had worked in the same industry for ten years and fight hard for the same amount of time. The less he was paying an actor, the much he would get and for her, the more her actor was paid, the more she would get. No need to precise that their job put them at odd with each other. The negotiation would then turn rather ugly and n.o.body was better to fight nails and teeth than Maggie. Hence the why he was really not happy to see her.
"And you are Nathaniel Lyndon, i presume." He said, extending a hand.
"You presume correctly, glad to met you Mike." Nathaniel said good naturally, shaking his hand.
Hearing that, the producer appear to want to say something but decide against it. The fact that his name was in fact Michael and he hated it when people was calling him "Mike". That was why Maggie always called him like that but seeing the innocent way of Nathaniel of doing it, he appears to not knowing that so he let it slide.
He ask to his people to look into that Nathaniel Lyndon and to dig out everything about him. He liked to know who is dealing with before hands. He had to admit that what they found surprised him a little bit. Sixteen years old who come out of a four years coma 6 month ago. Only grandson of the tyc.o.o.n of the music industry Robert Lyndon. He start music young and did his first music with the pop star Taylor Swift. He even appear on the Ellen show two days ago. Mika watch it to know that young man better.
He start to understand why important people like Jillian, Maggie and even Ellen start paying attention to that kid. He had a magnetism around him that make you feel like he is someone worth knowing and had a unique charisma.
"I heard what happen to your family two days ago, i hope everyone home is all well." He ask pleasantly.
"Yes, my family is alright, thanks for asking. I see that you did your homework or you task someone to do it for you." Nathaniel said on the same tone, his flickering to the two people behind him before going back to him.
Nathaniel wasn"t fool for even a second, he knew that the men in front of him was not someone good as he could see the color of his soul. He was faking care for his family in hope to have an emotional attachment with him and so lower the amount of money he would have to pay to get him on board.
The producer expression flicker for a moment before getting back to pleasant. Maggie on the other hand did not try to hide her laughter and the smirk present on her face. Seeing that the producer wanted to talk business right away and wanted to use his family has leverage, Nathaniel did not bother being nice anymore.
"Well, seeing you all three here, it seems that you are ready to talk business. Alas, i"m still quite young so i"m not familiar with that but i will let you in the capable hands of my agent. Maggie, i trust that you will handle it?"
Looking at the three men in front of her with an almost predatory grin, they shudder visibly under that stare.
"Yes, i will handle it easily, you can go at peace. Gentlemen, please sit."
Nathaniel, smiling, left the room. He knew he was not needed here. As maggie got a cut on each deal that she broke, the more she got for him, the more she would get and she needed to send her daughter in college in a few years. They were nothing more terrifying than a woman seeing each deal that she make as her child future. He was leaving the room when he heard Mike asking a question.
"What did i do wrong?"
"You try to use his parents has leverage to get a better deal and he saw you come ten miles away."
"I thought he was a dumb good looking kid, i had to try."
"Well, you make two graves mistakes in that case. Let"s sit gentlemen, we have work in front of us." She finished in a ominous voice.
Hearing their conversation, Nathaniel chuckle before leaving. The producer had made his bed and now he would need to sleep in it. Nathaniel didn"t need to walk far when he was ambushed by five people who seem to wait for him. He recognized them easily as he knew they were here for some time already.
"Hi guys, fancy meeting you here." Nathaniel joked making them smile.
"Surprised that you left them talk about your future pay without you there" Jesse remark.
"Well the producer thought i was a dumb kid and try to use my family in order to pay me less. I decide he was not worth it so i let him alone going against Maggie. Thinking about it, i was maybe too harsh. I should go check out if he"s still alive in ten minutes." Nathaniel add with dark humor.
"Well it"s Hollywood, they do that with all the new actors so don"t take it personally. You should be lucky, Mike is far from the worst i have see." Woody add.
"Well, i"m glad that you are here. I know that you fight for me even if you had no reason to do so i wanted to say thanks for what you did for me, i would never forget it." He said with a smile.
"Not for no reason. We all think that you can contribute greatly to the movie, this is why we wanted you on it." Mark say.
"That will not come free. Your acting skills are almost non existent. The movie is going to start next week, that leave us 5 days to turn you into a somewhat decent actor. We are going to take turn and teach you as much knowledge as you can absorb." Morgan say sternly.
"If you think you can"t handle it, i urge you to leave now and never return. If in that period we judge that you do not give your all, we will sack you. What are you saying?" a.s.s Jesse.
Making eye contact with all five of them, he realize they were serious. If they could not make him an actor in five days with their teaching they would judge he had not talent and would be thrown out. At that point, it would not matter who he met and who is his agent, he could not be an actor here. Nathaniel start smiling brightly, he sure love a challenge.
"Bring it on."