Rick left the office, but to avoid arousing suspicion, Hugo and Joseph stayed behind for a while, waiting for a few minutes before leaving separately.
Once the door closed again, Hugo let out a long breath of relief and turned to look at the dazed Joseph. He waved his hand in front of him playfully. "Hey, what are you thinking about?"
Joseph came back to his senses and looked at Hugo. "You're not still thinking about that project, are you? Don't overthink it. Getting a script depends on timing and luck—you can't force it."
Hugo grinned and said reassuringly, "Besides, even the top people are hesitant to take it. Who knows, maybe this time Spielberg will actually stumble."
As soon as he said it, Hugo couldn't help laughing at his own joke. For someone who knew how Schindler's List would become a classic, teasing Steven Spielberg about possibly failing carried a kind of ironic humor.
Joseph knew Hugo was trying to comfort him. Hugo was clearly interested in the project—anyone could see that but why hadn't he shown it? If Hugo had accepted Ron Meyer's invitation and returned to his agency, joining Schindler's List wouldn't have been impossible. So why didn't he?
Joseph was still trying to find a way to ask when Hugo suddenly said, "Oh, by the way, Ron came to see me earlier."
Joseph froze immediately, but Hugo didn't notice and went on casually, "He said a bunch of nonsense, basically trying to get me to sign with him again. What a joke. I don't know what's going through that man's head—there's no way I'd sign with him again."
"Why not?" Joseph blurted out before he could stop himself. "I mean… the offer must've been tempting, right?"
Hugo chuckled. "Oh, the offer was tempting enough—dinner tonight with Sydney to talk about The Firm, and he even hinted I could get a role in Schindler's List. But working with someone like that is like dancing with a wolf. He's only in it for profit. Once he's squeezed out every bit of value from you, he'll toss you aside. Why would I walk into that trap? I'm not an idiot."
Joseph hesitated. "But… he does have power. And aren't all agents like that? Profit comes first."
Hugo finally noticed something off in Joseph's tone but couldn't pinpoint it. He frowned slightly. "Joe, there are things you can do, things you shouldn't do, and things you just don't want to do. Working with Ron falls into that last category, it's a matter of principle. I enjoy working with you. Over the past year, we've fought and struggled together. Isn't that good enough? I'm perfectly happy with how things are. I've never once thought about changing that."
To Hugo, Joseph wasn't just his agent. He was the first real friend Hugo had met since coming to this world and the person he trusted most. That trust was absolute.
Hugo's sincere words hit Joseph hard. Just moments ago, he had doubted Hugo's loyalty, thinking maybe he'd abandon him for the sake of fame and profit. But now, Joseph realized how wrong he'd been. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He felt ashamed for being so petty.
Hugo wasn't the same broken, lost man he'd been a year ago. The person standing before Joseph now was optimistic, hardworking, and confident and, above all, trustworthy.
Trust had never come easily to Joseph. But after a year of working side by side through financial struggles, Thanksgiving dinners, and honest conversations about family—that seed of trust had finally sprouted. He believed in Hugo now, not because of what Hugo said, but because of what he did.
Hugo, of course, had no idea about Joseph's inner turmoil. With his usual easy smile, he said, "Of course, if one day you turn into one of those greedy, profit-obsessed agents, I might have to find someone new—unless you're strong enough to keep me around."
Just as Joseph had said earlier, that was reality. Every agent eventually faced that stage, chasing bigger deals and better clients. At the end of the day, agents were businessmen. The only thing that could restrain that greed was the artist's power. Once an artist became strong enough to hold creative control, the balance shifted—the agent became the one dependent on the artist, fighting to stay indispensable.
So when Hugo said that half-joking remark, Joseph actually laughed for real this time. It was a small smile, but it came from deep within. "Deal. As long as you've become a top star by then, you can call the shots."
"Then let's see who gets there first—you becoming a top agent, or me becoming a top star," Hugo laughed heartily, clearly in high spirits. Setting aside the temptation of Schindler's List for now, he realized something important: even if he never got to star in one of those legendary films, he was already living in the golden age of cinema—and that was worth celebrating.
Hugo's laughter was contagious. Joseph joined in, and the tension, doubt, and unease that had weighed on him all melted away.
"Oh, right!" Hugo added suddenly. "I didn't get the chance to tell you earlier—Ron actually shared quite a lot of inside information."
He said it offhandedly, but that one sentence finally answered Joseph's question: why Hugo hadn't told him about Ron's visit right away. Joseph couldn't help but smile wryly—half amused, half self-mocking. It wasn't Hugo he had doubted; it was his own insecurity.
But Hugo didn't stop there. "He hinted that the reason The Firm's auditions haven't started yet might involve some shady dealings behind the scenes." Hugo paused, realizing that phrasing wasn't quite accurate—of course there were connections and backdoor dealings; that was how Hollywood worked. "Actually, to be precise, he said that Brad's agent, Martin, has been pulling strings, and apparently Tracy's been helping quite a bit too."
Joseph gathered his thoughts, thinking carefully. "I've heard some things about Martin," he said slowly, "but I didn't know about Tracy." He frowned, a new resolve hardening in his tone. "As an agent, I still have a long way to go—but there's a lot I can do. I can't just sit and wait anymore. I'll go after Sydney in the next couple of days—I have to get a meeting with him. It's only an audition, not a final casting decision. Even if you don't get the role, we deserve a clear answer. Dragging this out like they have—it's just not right."
Before, Joseph had hesitated. Partly because Sydney Pollack and Robert Towne were such big names that a young agent like him barely had a voice; and partly because The Firm was a $60 million project—he didn't want a misstep on his part to ruin Hugo's chances.
But now he realized he'd been too timid. He hadn't fought hard enough. This time, Joseph decided to take the initiative—the decisive, determined side of his personality finally coming through.
Hugo nodded approvingly, then went on to explain what he'd learned about Tracy and Ron's behind-the-scenes scheming on Schindler's List since March. Sydney, it turned out, also played a key role in that project, suggesting that The Firm and Schindler's List might even be interconnected. Bit by bit, the hidden machinations of Tracy and Ron were coming to light. Hugo also brought up his concerns about Sleepless in Seattle and exchanged thoughts with Joseph about how these projects might all tie together.
Once they had finished talking about all that, Hugo suddenly thought of something else. "Joe, why do you think Rick was willing to help us today? Does he have some kind of agenda? Or am I just being paranoid?"
Though Rick had always been friendly, his openness today was unusual—he'd shared far too many inside details. It struck Hugo as odd, though he wasn't sure if he was simply overthinking things after dealing with Ron.
Joseph sighed softly. "It's just internal politics within the company," he explained. That was nothing surprising—every big company had its factions. Where there were people, there would always be power struggles. "You saw Marvin Josephson at the luncheon today, right? He's one of the co-presidents, but actually, Marvin hasn't been around much for nearly two years."
"Why's that?" Hugo asked, surprised.
"Three years ago, Marvin gradually delegated most of his responsibilities to Rick and a few other partners while he went off to 'rest' and take long vacations. In that time, Rick became the most influential of the partners, while Ron and a few others also built their own power bases." Joseph explained the situation plainly. "The rivalry between Rick and Ron wasn't open warfare—it was still relatively healthy competition. But lately, Marvin's decided to step back in and reclaim authority for some reason. To do that, he needs to weaken the partners who've been holding power—Rick, Ron, and the rest. He's trying to chip away at their influence and take back control of the company."
Hugo didn't know all the details, but he understood the essence of it: an internal power struggle. That explained a lot—Rick's friendliness toward him today, Ron's attempt to recruit him—it all fit together.
"So basically, they're trying to get you to pick a side?" Hugo asked, realizing that Joseph had been unusually busy today, with different people trying to talk to him.
Joseph gave a helpless nod. Hugo, however, just laughed. "Well, if that's the case, it means you've got some real weight around here now. Not bad at all—it shows our hard work this past year hasn't gone to waste."
....
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