Chapter 317: A Graceful Figure Brighter Than the Sun

Duke had no idea how Google had originally developed, who had first invested in those two relatively poor students, or how much equity they took in return. Even in an era where the internet had changed the world, few people bothered looking into that kind of history unless they had too much time on their hands.

All Duke knew about Google was that it would later become one of the largest internet companies in the world.

Duke couldn't clearly remember whether this Page and Sergey that Tina Fey and David were negotiating with were actually the founders of Google. Still, securing a thirty percent stake for a mere two million dollars was a risk worth taking. Even with inevitable dilution during future financing rounds, as long as this was the real Google, it was a guaranteed win.

Besides, under the terms of their agreement, he could continue to invest in the future.

"The company name is finalized. The two founders decided on it a long time ago."

Beneath a beach umbrella, Tina Fey, fresh off a flight from Los Angeles to Wellington, lay on a beach chair next to Duke.

After a brief rundown of the negotiations, she added, "The name is Google."

Duke nodded. It seemed they had the right guys.

Tina Fey turned to look at him.

"You look tired," she said.

"The work for both crews piled up over the last few days. It's been busy."

Lying on the beach chair, Duke did his best to relax and block out any thoughts of work on The Lord of the Rings.

"Daylight has officially wrapped. A few days of rest will be enough," he said. "Now that you're back, I can take it a little easier, too."

Outwardly, Tina Fey rolled her eyes, but a hint of joy swelled inside her. When a major director famous throughout Hollywood and the world felt she was important, it meant she truly was.

"Was your flight delayed again coming over?" Duke asked.

"Flights everywhere are like this," Tina Fey replied with a touch of resignation.

Duke thought for a moment before turning back to her.

"Have Nancy or David find a suitable private jet manufacturer and place an order," he said.

He had been flying constantly over the last few years. On top of that, he lived in Los Angeles while his mother lived in New York; a private jet would undoubtedly make things much more convenient. Given his current net worth and his earning speed, maintaining one was just a drop in the bucket.

After chatting about the plane for a moment, Tina Fey steered the conversation back to movies.

"The Matrix has finished its global theatrical run," she said. "Jeff Robinov wants to know when preparations for the sequel will begin."

"Let Warner know that the editorial team at Duke Studio is currently writing the script," Duke said.

Duke had figured out his plans for The Matrix sequel a long time ago.

"Once we finish filming The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Zack will transition over to it," he added.

A massive fantasy epic like The Lord of the Rings required too many shots for one person. Duke needed experienced assistant directors with styles similar to his own. It wasn't just for prep work; during production, he planned to set up separate second units for Zack Snyder and Anna Printz so the two of them could shoulder a considerable amount of the shooting.

"Hi, Tina. Hi, Duke."

The party on the beach was still going strong as Liam Neeson strolled over.

"It's very quiet over here," he remarked.

Tina Fey greeted Liam Neeson and pulled off her long white T-shirt.

"I'm going for a swim," she said to Duke.

Having worked by Duke's side for so long, she knew exactly when to give him space.

"Grab a seat, Liam."

Duke pointed to a white plastic chair nearby. He propped his beach chair up a bit to face him, pulled a can of beer from the ice bucket beside the table, and handed it over.

"Not joining the festivities?" Duke asked. "Something on your mind?"

"At my age, you prefer a quieter environment," Liam Neeson replied.

Cracking open the beer, Liam Neeson took a sip.

"Nothing important. I heard The Matrix finished its theatrical run, so I wanted to come over and say congratulations," he said.

Duke grabbed another beer for himself and shifted into a plastic chair opposite Liam Neeson.

"No need for all that," Duke said.

"I'm not being polite," Liam Neeson laughed. "I'm envious. This year's North American and global box office crowns are going to you again."

He truly felt a touch of awe. The Matrix had grossed 327.58 million dollars in North America and 665.87 million dollars globally, shattering the North American and worldwide box office records for R-Rated Films—records previously held by Duke himself. With the end of the year approaching and all the major blockbusters already released, The Matrix was guaranteed to finish as the annual box office champion.

"You're not even thirty yet, Duke."

Liam Neeson clinked his beer can against Duke's and took a large gulp.

"And you've already claimed three annual box office titles," he added.

Independence Day in 1994, Saving Private Ryan in 1995, and now The Matrix this year. Three annual championships might not sound like a massive number, but Liam Neeson found the ratio terrifying. The young director sitting across from him had only ever released six movies!

If he remembered correctly, the other three—Speed, The Rock, and Chicago—had all broken into the top ten of the North American annual box office charts, too!

How many directors in Hollywood could achieve that?

Liam Neeson's intent in coming over was clear enough: he was showing goodwill. Not long after he left, another principal actor approached.

Gerard Butler's performance during filming had generally been quite good, and Duke had decided to continue casting him. Since Sean Bean had ultimately turned down the role of Boromir due to scheduling conflicts, Gerard Butler would be joining the training camp for The Fellowship of the Ring after a short vacation.

"Duke, I just wanted to express my gratitude," Gerard Butler said. He didn't elaborate further, offering only a simple pledge: "Thank you for giving me these two opportunities. In the future, whenever you need..."

He made a "call me" gesture, smiled, and took his leave.

"Hi, Duke."

A little girl holding a balloon wandered over.

"Hi, Ellen."

Looking down at Ellen Page, Duke gently rubbed his forehead. The little girl walked up and suddenly held out her hand to him.

"This is a present for you," she said.

"For me?" Duke reached out, asking curiously, "What is it?"

"You gave me a lot of direction and help during filming."

The little girl tilted her head, her expression completely serious. "So I wanted to give you a gift I made myself."

As she spoke, she placed a small shell, about an inch long, into his hand.

"My mom took me to the beach to find it. I asked the prop masters over at The Lord of the Rings Crew for help, and we made it look like this together. Isn't it pretty?"

"Thank you."

Duke held the shell up to the sunlight. It was vividly colored, with a smooth, glossy surface—clearly polished and treated.

"It's beautiful. I love it," he said.

"You have to take good care of it," Ellen Page urged.

"I will definitely treasure it," Duke said with a solemn nod.

Ellen Page smiled sweetly and waved at him.

"I'm going to play by the water now. Bye, Duke!"

Loud music drifted faintly from the beach in the distance. The crew's wrap party was bound to evolve into a full-blown rave. Had this been the past, when he was brimming with energy, Duke would have definitely headed over to join the revelry and scope out beautiful women for a chance at a deeper exchange.

Perhaps filming two movies back-to-back while simultaneously prepping The Lord of the Rings trilogy had drained too much of his energy. Or perhaps, as he grew another year older, his mindset was gradually shifting. Duke just wanted to stay here in peace and get some proper rest, as far away from the noise as possible.

He really was tired.

Slipping on his dark sunglasses, Duke lay back in the beach chair and slowly closed his eyes. He stopped thinking about the fame and temptations of Hollywood. He stopped thinking about heart-stirring beauties. He stopped thinking about the work he had finished and the work still left to do. He just let his thoughts drift on the ocean breeze, floating toward the azure sky, the fluffy white clouds, and his home in New York...

Duke fell asleep. In his dreams, all he could think of was going home.

Stepping lightly over the soft sand, Tina Fey returned to the beach umbrella. She glanced at Duke, lying motionless behind his sunglasses, and caught the sound of his faint snoring. Unable to hold back a smile, she went to the basket in the back, pulled out a thin blanket, and draped it over him.

Toweling the water from her long hair, she wrapped herself in another blanket and lay back in her own beach chair. She slipped on her sunglasses, tilted her head to check her watch, and closed her eyes, too.

Mid-afternoon, Duke was roused by Tina Fey. Shaking his somewhat groggy head, he took the wet towel she offered and wiped his face, finally feeling awake.

"Tina, pass me the satellite phone."

Taking the receiver, Duke dialed the New York number directly. As was usually the case, his mother didn't answer; one of her assistants did. Duke exchanged a few brief words with the woman, confirmed his mother's itinerary for the Christmas season, and hung up.

Glancing over at the rave still raging in the distance, Duke couldn't muster any interest. He stood up, pulled on his T-shirt, and slipped into his sandals.

"Let's head back," he said to Tina Fey.

Someone else would clean this up. Tina Fey grabbed her bag and followed Duke, who had slung on his backpack, toward the parking lot just off the beach.

"I need to take a long vacation," Duke told her as they walked. "Notify Charles that he and Zack will be temporarily in charge of the prep for The Lord of the Rings. If anything important comes up, they can contact me via video call."

Reaching the car, Duke opened the passenger door instead.

"I'm a little tired, Tina. You drive," he said.

As the car merged onto the main road, Duke spoke up again.

"I'm going to spend Christmas and the New Year in New York," he said. "Tell Mike Dawson that post-production editing for Daylight can wait until after the New Year."