August 1.
Raimon took a seat, almost able to feel the shares of Proton falling like leaves in the air. With a sharp sense of intuition, he carried himself with utmost respect and followed every suggestion from his acquisition advisors. Beside him stood an interpreter from Malaysia.
–It's simple. Our offer is £150 million, payable over five months, for the acquisition of 89% of Lotus. My client already holds 7%, and we're currently negotiating the remaining 5%, which we will also assume - Raimon stated.
–It's no secret that the price is fair. Moreover, this would position Proton solidly in the Asian market. With excess capital, if managed wisely, the company can gain a strong foothold—especially in the steel, coal, and heavy machinery sectors, which are, frankly, far more profitable than Lotus's luxury car line, despite the prestige of the British brand – Raimon added, with a smile that reached his eyes. He was closing a deal that was initially beneficial. He had just looted Malaysia four times the stated amount and only wanted to wrap up operations and return to Hong Kong to begin the looting of Indonesia and Korea—an idea that, by early August, seemed more promising than ever.
–Sir, that is a very generous offer – one of the negotiators replied cautiously. Their expectation had been a ceiling of £100 million; dropping below that wasn't an option. They had prepared for a tough price battle, but it appeared the man before them not only held firm during a crisis—he was actually offering a fair price. Still, the glimmers of greed began creeping into their minds.
–We'll consider the offer – the man responded.
–No problem. But the offer stands only until tomorrow. After that, don't bother calling. I'm a man with too many matters to handle, and haggling over settled prices is something I detest. Good day – Raimon said flatly, closing the conversation and exiting the room. Even if his suit seemed a little juvenile or his shirt too snug, there was no doubt he had learned a few things about negotiation during his years at Lux Animation.
So far, Billy's bet had been a $500 million credit from the State of Nevada at 7% interest and $300 million in savings. The gross profit: $1.7 billion—an unimaginable sum, which would be duplicated in Korea and Indonesia, like a wave, reaching at least $2.6 billion. The ultimate goal: to reshape the automotive industry once and for all, while seizing the obvious opportunities in front of them.
August arrived with a brutal heatwave. The sun was, without a doubt, a fierce enemy to conquer. The pain, like a blaze, hit before he even got a response. He looked up—Volume 6 of Eyeshield 21 hovered in the air. It was a high school football game. He had done everything to capture the Arizona setting. The characters' faces, the illustrations, top-tier.
The chapter was a graphic glimpse into a low-level American football game, from a team still forming. It was an achievement to portray such honest depictions. What Billy accomplished, he did through simple, masterful means: great illustrations, confident line work, vivid color—it was like watching a still image come alive. A football match told through strategy and precise positioning; the drawings were accurate and captivating.
–I'm always impressed seeing you work without rest. You create believable windows into your worlds. Your stories live in my heart – said Andy Wachowski.
–What can I say... I guess I'm just lucky – Billy replied, who had been spending all his free time drawing. Comics had become a strange fragrance he wore constantly. What he loved most was the delicate nature of the protagonist. This time, she was blonde, with skin as white as milk, and green eyes so bright it was hard to find the right tone when coloring her.
Capturing the details of American football was as difficult as basketball. Making an image convey action is incredibly satisfying, but it remains one of the toughest challenges for any illustrator starting out—there's no doubt about it.
–Calling it luck feels too trivial for what your talent truly is – Andy said, taking a seat. – The next scenes are ready. We're just missing the final script—the fight against Agent Smith. And we still need to see if our filming schedule aligns. I hope you already have ideas for the next shoots. They're fight scenes, and they can't be pushed back. You've done great work with Laurence. Now it's time to go further. –
–I've got it. I've been working on the sequence, but I need more time. We could move the shoot on the Nebuchadnezzar to a bit later. Two extra weeks would help me produce something even better – Billy explained. He'd been working long enough that his arms now understood the essence of karate. He was also adding judo to his routine at night, but it was still tough to master.
–Then it'll be done. We know the direction. But I can only give you a week and a half—our filming window is tight. It's out of my hands. In the coming months, we'll be shooting three parts – Andy said, already planning a trilogy. Each film was fully developed, scheduled for release in June of 1998, 1999, and 2000. The trilogy would go on to become one of the most iconic franchises in pop culture, beloved for its vision and inherent philosophy.
–I understand. I'll keep improving, Billy said with a nod. The time he once had was now gone, as the burdens he'd shed were replaced with entirely new ones. With his combat training ongoing, he knew it was time to start rehearsing with a lightsaber. His next project was The Clone Wars—two animated series and a voice role. He had to give it everything, from performance to choreography.
–It's a pleasure to see you fulfill your role... Larry says you'll need to adjust your character soon—he's starting to change – Andy added, before leaving for good.
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