On the brink of crisis

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"Why did you call so late? The crew is officially starting filming in five days. This our last chance to take a break" 

Being Woken up by a dozen consecutive calls, anyone would be singing full of grief and anger, not to mention Christian. He was awakened in the middle of the night by a phone call and hurried to producer Westwood's office, yawning and complaining, all while trying to assess the situation.

In the room, apart from Westwood, who had called him, the heads of all crew departments were present. Due to Christian's home being the farthest, he was the last to arrive. The room was filled with smoke and the scent of nicotine, and everyone was sitting or standing in small groups, engaged in hushed conversations with familiar faces.

"What's going on? Is this some power struggle?" Christian whispered as he patted the shoulder of an older crew member who had arrived before him. The red-bearded man, who was sitting in a corner with a can of beer in his hand, suddenly paused upon hearing Christian's words and then erupted into a fit of coughing.

"Cough, cough, cough... What do you think? Why would there be such a commotion if this were a power struggle?"

Christian understood that this abrupt meeting seemed more like an unexpected issue that needed to be addressed rather than a conspiracy to seize power. He had merely wanted to tease the older crew member but nearly choked him with his remark.

"I don't know what's going on. Westwood called me suddenly and didn't provide any specifics. I assume it's the same for you?" The older crew member, now recovered from his coughing fit, shrugged.

"Most likely. Nobody here seems to be in the know, except for the director and producer, who haven't arrived yet."

"Exactly, only the director knows the details. The rest of us are just as clueless."

It was brought up, and everyone laughed, alleviating some of the tension in the room. 

"Don't worry, it's probably nothing serious" Westwood waved his hand to reassure the anxious group.

" The Director is currently missing, after I couldn't reach Alan for two days, I reported it to the police."

"Nevertheless, the most troubling aspect now is that the one person who knows what's happening, our director, is missing"

"What?"

"WTF!!"

Following Westwood's revelation, the room erupted in exclamations and curses. After a while, the group settled down under the consoling words of the older crew member.

"What's going on, Tony?" The older crew member, who had addressed Westwood with a nickname, had an edge to his tone.

"Don't tell me, Alan ran off with the money?"

The older crew member suggested, reflecting the general sentiment that the entertainment industry in Hollywood could be chaotic and prone to various scams.

Hollywood, while a hub of the entertainment industry, was often associated with chaos. Due to the industry's secretive and gossipy nature, numerous con artists sought to exploit the environment.

Christian had his share of encounters with such schemes in the past, where directors or producers concocted various pretexts to lure aspiring starlets into bed. Some even went as far as running away with investors' money, displaying a level of sophistication that Christian found quite astonishing. Such cases were not uncommon in Hollywood, where the industry's penchant for drama extended beyond the screen.

Although Hollywood was renowned for its thriving entertainment industry, it also had its fair share of unscrupulous activities. From the outside, the industry often appeared glamorous, but beneath the surface, it was a realm where swindlers thrived.

Westwood, sensing the concern in the room, tried to allay their fears. "Don't worry, it's not that bad. After I couldn't contact Alan for two consecutive days while calling the police, I immediately checked the account—rest assured, everyone, our money is still there"

"Huh, that's a relief"

The room collectively breathed a sigh of relief, except for Westwood himself.

"However, there's a more significant issue we face now," Westwood continued.

"The police have found that Alan's last known location was likely in Vinales Valley"

"Isn't that the location we selected for filming?" Christian, who had been dozing due to lack of sleep, suddenly perked up.

In director Alan's script, the setting primarily consisted of rural roads, forests, and mountains. For the sake of convenience, they had chosen to shoot in the nearby Rocky Mountains of Los Angeles. After careful consideration, they had settled on Vinalles Valley, a location with dense forests and a perpetually misty ambiance, perfect for their horror film.

Now, with the revelation that their director had disappeared there, Christian's enthusiasm for the location quickly waned.

"What's going on? Could a grizzly bear have attacked him?"

"I hope not," Westwood replied, his face filled with concern.

Following the Los Angeles Police Department's notification, the local police department contacted them, informing them that Alan's car had been found on a rural road in Vianles Valley. Westwood had personally visited the site with the police and confirmed that it was indeed Alan's car. However, there was no sign of Alan.

Furthermore, local forest rangers had informed Westwood that there had been several mysterious disappearances in that area in recent years. Many people, like Alan, had left their cars by the roadside and subsequently vanished. Unfortunately, their scouting had not considered this information.

The revelation left the room in a state of confusion.

"So, what's the problem?" Christian asked.

The older crew member, who had been calm up until that point, suddenly grew stern. "Come on. We're not in the nineteenth century. We're not making 'Macbeth' or 'Hell's Angels.' You're a producer; your concern should be making money, not getting superstitious about curses"

"Macbeth," one of Shakespeare's famous tragedies, was long believed to bring bad luck to theaters, leading to accidents and empty performances whenever it was staged. Similarly, "Hell's Angels," a film directed by Howard Hughes, was notorious for its high investment, stringent demands, and numerous accidents during production.

Hollywood, with its artistic and creative minds, often bred superstitions among its denizens. Despite being somewhat superstitious himself, the older crew member didn't want to entertain the notion of curses or bad luck affecting their project. As an experienced professional in the industry, he was unwilling to shoulder the blame for the choice of location.

"Easy," Westwood said, recognizing the need to reassure the group.

"I'm not blaming anyone for this. It's just an unforeseeable factor. The real problem is that the probability of Alan returning in a few days has drastically reduced. However, the most pressing issue is whether we can continue filming, and if so, who will be the new director?"

"Who will be the new director?" Westwood added, emphasizing the uncertainty of their situation.

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