March 1999.
A small leap through time brought them to March first, a date marked by promising beginnings. The first of these was the release of Tinker Bell as an independent spin-off film from Peter Pan, paving the way for the later release of Peter Pan itself, alongside another prequel exploring the origins of Neverland and the creation of Peter Pan's world. To Billy, this was simply the natural rhythm of the film industry: everything had to be prepared in advance so audiences would have time to embrace things "the Billy way," which meant anticipating trends and always staying ahead of them.
The Tinker Bell project was designed as a calculated gesture to win the affection of little girls and young ladies alike, and from a commercial standpoint it promised to become an enormous success. That was precisely why, back in 1993, Tinker Bell Productions had quietly opened its doors. Three writers had been assigned the task of completing five separate screenplays before the year 2000. Those scripts were delivered by December of 1997, filming began shortly afterward, and now, in March of 1999, the projects were finally complete after a year and a half of work.
Bluebeard would premiere near the end of March, while Madagascar was scheduled for December of 1999. Without question, they already had four films lined up in a single year, one where quality increasingly became the absolute priority above everything else.
--Handle the premiere from London. - Billy commented during a meeting regarding the film.
Being a producer had become a form of escape for him. Amid the countless responsibilities, the producer was ultimately the true administrator of the movie, while others merely invested money, and some existed only to make demands according to their own interests. Billy now understood Arnon Milchan perfectly—the kind of man who spent his breaks surrounded by twenty-year-old women, handed them money afterward, and then returned obsessively to work like a complete addict. Even so, Billy already dreamed of retirement. He imagined 2010 as the beginning of his old age, a future where he would simply travel the world recklessly spending his fortune.
Billy stood in the middle of the room while Monica smoked quietly in the corner near the window, dressed only in sheer lingerie that revealed the beauty of her body like an unveiled symbol of desire. He remained near the television. They had spent an entire month living in the small hotel near the village where the film was being shot. Billy had rented out an entire floor for an extravagant sum and devoted himself almost entirely to rest.
Monica watched him with her dark eyes, her gaze intense and demanding.
--I'll make every arrangement necessary so people not only love it, but come back wanting more. - Billy replied, lost in his own thoughts.
He hung up the phone and walked closer to Monica. Up close, he could see the sheen of sweat against her skin, the damp strands of hair clinging to her body, the droplets tracing down her thighs, and the tan she had begun to develop beneath the Italian sun. The urge to take her into his arms was overwhelming, yet all he could do was weigh his options in silence.
--Smoking isn't good for you. - Billy said as he approached her.
She laughed softly while her beautiful figure reflected the luxurious intimacy of love itself.
--Tomorrow we're going to London. - Monica commented.
--We'll return the very same day. - Billy replied.
--I rented a small plane so we'd have complete flexibility. It's only a three-hour trip, very manageable. - Billy explained without changing his tone.
He knelt before her, breathing in the scent rising from her thighs to her stomach while she instinctively curled her body inward, consumed by restless desire.
--Tomorrow we could go to Soho. - Monica commented.
--Of course. -
--That little town we invested in fascinates me. - Monica said, her eyes widening as she considered Billy's approach toward the fashion brand.
Becoming the producers of their own operations would increase costs dramatically for a low-end company, but when you were building a luxury label, controlling production became almost a necessity.
Monica continued speaking.
--I spoke with a few friends. It would be good if you hosted a party in Soho. I have many contacts, and several of them are willing to join our crusade. - Monica commented.
--We could rent one of those luxurious nightclubs, reserve a private section—maybe even half a floor—and invite whoever wants to be there. - Billy replied, fully aware of the pressures that came with fame and the betrayal that could come from outsiders who would sell you out for two hundred dollars or euros without hesitation.
***
Halfway through the month, the disaster consuming the automotive industry continued escalating with ruthless intensity among competing businessmen. Billy's capital still appeared remarkably effective, and the company's growth kept accelerating despite the massive number of bank loans operating entirely under his own responsibility.
--It's nearly seventeen billion dollars, sir. - William Dommer's butler, Charles, commented delicately as he stood behind him explaining the numbers in detail.
The Rockefeller estate had now become the operational center for nearly all automotive management, as well as part of the video game division. Precisely because of that, William himself appeared considerably healthier and more energized, largely thanks to the work of his many advisors, who allowed him to keep pace with Billy and Raimon—two geniuses in business and mathematics, respectively.
--It would seem our investment alongside young Mr. Carson is becoming considerably more ambitious than expected. - William Dommer commented.
By now, he had begun to realize they were spending far beyond what they reasonably should. As a result, they sold large portions of their holdings across various groups and even sought funding from a certain Bernard Madoff, who promised them annual returns of thirty percent. Within five years, their capital had doubled. To William, it was not a bad return at all—but with Billy, one gained something far more valuable than money: power.
Negotiations in South Dakota were progressing perfectly. The money invested there was finally beginning to show results, and sponsorships were becoming increasingly visible, along with partial recovery of the project itself as major automobile brands decided to join the racing park. They wanted to become part of the media circus surrounding motorsports, where NASCAR, Formula 4, Formula 3, Formula 2, karting, and countless two-wheeled competitions all thrived because of one magnificent thing: humanity's passion for speed.
--We're buying Volvo. There's no other option. And we're buying Bugatti as well. There's simply no alternative. If we execute this properly, within fifteen years we'll own the largest driving company in existence. - William commented.
He had always envied Ford and the flourishing success the company achieved during the 1950s after enduring so many failures and hardships.
--It seems to me that the strategy proposed by Mr. Billy and Mr. Raimon depends entirely upon their ability to inject money continuously for the next five years without interruption. - Charles commented.
--He'll do it. There are things even you still don't understand. - William replied, referring to the upcoming sale of shares and the carefully orchestrated wave of transactions set to begin in June of 1999, when Billy's capital would strike aggressively against every obstacle in its path and launch one of the boldest financial offensives imaginable.
--At current valuations, if funding itself is not the issue, I believe you could also strengthen distribution relationships by creating the new R&D factory in Carolina. We could expand recruitment efforts and attract certain assets still scattered across competing companies. - Charles suggested.
William nodded in agreement. What they needed now were three extraordinary minds: a genius in mechanical engineering, a genius in industrial automotive processes, and a genius in materials science and advanced manufacturing development.