Executive Offices

Ascendent Entertainment Enterprises

Hollywood, CA

Doug Showalter, CEO of AEE heard the faint “ding” heralding the receipt of a Teams message.

“Your ten-o’clock is here”.

At one time, this message would have come across on an intercom. Times had changed since the pandemic. Now everything was Teams, email or Slack. Employees, from the CEO down, were not supposed to use any other form of 1:1 communication so that all communication could be monitored by the courts. No texts, and for sure no Snapchats! Not for the first time Doug silently cursed the name of his predecessor and his legacy of sexual harassment that unwound as part of the same Me-Too movement that had sent Harvey Weinstein to prison. Ascendent was being monitored by the courts to ensure it was a safe working environment for women. Safe yet profitable. Two goals that were frequently in conflict with each other. Fortunately for Doug, he was succeeding in both and sexual harassment, while not completely obliterated, was becoming less and less of an issue, thanks in no small part to creatives like his next visitor.

“Send them in, Jocelyn.” Doug stood and walked around his desk. His visitor had become much too important to the success of AEE to not be met at the door. Jocelyn ushered two men through the door and into Doug’s spacious, modern brightly lit office with its view of the hills surrounding Los Angeles.

“Tyler! Good to see you brother. Morning Andy,” he said to the men. Tyler was Tyler Sherman, creator and show runner of the most successful scripted TV series currently airing on television. Accompanying him was Andy Daniels, Senior VP for streaming for Ascendent. Doug led them to the white leather conversation group in the corner.

“What can I get you guys? Coffee? Cola?” Both men declined a beverage so Jocelyn smiled at everyone telling them to let her know if they needed anything. Despite being beautiful, Jocelyn maintained a very professional and business-like approach to her work. But there was no way to hide the fact that she had an amazing body. Doug noticed that neither Tyler nor Andy turned to watch her rear as she left. Times are definitely changing he thought, not without some sense of satisfaction.

“So, Tyler, how are things on the ranch?” The “ranch” in question was the Straight Flush ranch in Central Texas and the setting for Tyler’s most popular TV show, “The Captain.” It was a highly fictionalized version of the life of Scottish sea captain Angus McQueen, who had left a sea-faring life to start a Texas ranch. At over 800,000 acres, the McQueen ranch was the largest ranch in the United States and one of the largest in the world, although there were ranches in Argentina and Australia that dwarfed the McQ, as it was popularly known. While some exterior scenes were filmed at the McQueen ranch, most of the filming was done at the Straight Flush ranch, which happened to be owned by Tyler Sherman.

There had been fictionalized stories of the McQueen Ranch filmed previously, but in the case of “The Captain,”, the TV series was filmed with the complete cooperation of the McQueen family. McQ branded merchandise was flying off retail shelves and as part of their contract with Ascendent, the McQueen family had retained all merchandising rights. They were very happy with their deal and Ascendent had the most popular show on TV. Tyler had created spin-offs from the “The Captain” that had aired on Ascendents streaming service to great acclaim. They had jump-started AEE’s streaming plans and gave them a major boost over the competition in the streaming wars.

“Well, we just wrapped,” Tyler drawled. Despite having worked in Hollywood for twenty years, Tyler retained the speech and mannerisms of the ranch kid he was. Tall and rangy in his early forties, with square-jawed good looks, he had tried acting and despite some bit parts in movies and recurring roles in a couple of series, his acting career had never gained traction. It was when he tried his hand at screenwriting that he struck gold. Out of his first three screenplays, two were nominated for Academy Awards for best original screenplay. The screenplay that was not nominated was a film that Tyler also directed. It performed modestly at the box office but had gained a passionate following on streaming. That led to a production deal with AEE. “We just have to finish cutting the last three episodes,” he said, referring to the editing process.

“So, we’re on target for the premier of the first episode?” Andy asked.

“Was there ever any doubt?” Tyler ran a tight ship and everyone knew it.

“I can’t wait for it to start,” Doug said. “I’m as big a fan as anyone out there.” He sat back in his chair and studied Tyler, who seemed to have a slight smirk on his face.

“Now what’s really on your mind Tyler?” he asked.

Tyler flashed him a grin. “I’m going to need two-hundred million from you boys. Give or take.”

Andy’s mouth dropped open in shock. “Two-hundred million?” He squeaked. “Dollars?”

“Give or take,” Tyler confirmed.

“That’s a big number, even for you,” Doug said. Tyler was good, but he was expensive. Most of his series were filmed on his Texas ranch, for which he charged a daily fee. Every cow and horse that was used in production had a daily rate charged against production costs as well. Every wrangler, veterinarian, and cowboy extra were employed by Tyler’s ranch and their pay was also charged against their production cost. Even the guy who shoed the horses (a farrier as the accountants at AEE had learned) was billed against production cost. Tyler was making money hand over fist but with the results he was giving AEE, no one was complaining. That’s why he was not as shocked as his VP of streaming. “What do you have in mind.”

Tyler reached into the leather messenger back he had placed on the floor as he had taken his seat. He pulled out two trade paperback books and handed one each to Doug and Andy.

“The Lawyers?” Doug read the book title aloud.

“Two-hundred million for a TV show about lawyers?” Andy groaned in dismay. He firmly believed in kissing the ass of their biggest talent, but fucking lawyers?

“Not just lawyers. A specific bunch of lawyers. You guys ever heard of Bonham-McLeod-Garcia?”

“No,” said Andy.

“Yes” said Doug. Andy looked him in surprise. Doug just smiled. “B-Mc-G. We’ve used them down in Texas when we needed local representation. They’re big and they’re good. And Expensive. God are they expensive.” Doug shook his head as he remembered his dealings with B-Mc-G. They had first declined to represent AEE in a wrongful death suit filed by the family of an extra that was killed on the set of a movie that had been filmed in Dallas. It was only when AEE was able to convince the partners of their innocence by showing that the death was due to the film extra being intoxicated on the set that they agreed to take the case.

“They’re the oldest law firm in Texas and one of the oldest in the United States. Congressmen, senators, supreme court justices and one vice-president came out of B-Mc-G. Not to mention a whole slew of circuit court and appeals court judges. They have a reputation for honesty and integrity that is unmatched by any law firm anywhere,” Tyler explained.

Doug nodded his head in agreement. “Okay, but how does that make compelling TV? Why are people going to tune in every week to watch a show about a bunch of Texas lawyers?”

Tyler pointed to the books he had handed them. “That’s my source material. And it’s good.”

Doug thumbed through the thick novel. “Give me the elevator pitch.”

“Two brothers came to Texas from South Carolina in 1834. Their names were James and Robert Bonham. They opened their law office in what is now Austin, Texas. They quickly aligned themselves with the group pushing for Texas independence. Eventually they separated and continued fighting. Robert joined General Sam Houston and was appointed a lieutenant. James joined their cousin Colonel William Travis where he was commissioned as a major.”

Doug raised his right index finger, pausing Tyler. “Travis was the commander of the Alamo with Bowie and Crockett, right?”

Tyler nodded his head. “Bonham actually left the Alamo on a mission for Travis. He snuck through the Mexican army and delivered a message to Sam Houston. He then rode back to the Alamo, through the Mexican army to fight and die with his comrades. After the war and Texas independence, Robert went back to practicing law. He married, and had kids. His oldest daughter married a Scottish immigrant named Alexander McLeod. He learned the law and eventually became a partner.”

“And the G? Garcia was it,” Gary asked.

“Tomas Antonio Garcia. His father had saved Robert’s life at the battle of San Jacinto, where the Texans defeated Mexican general Santa Anna. Tomas’ father was killed in the battle. Robert took it upon himself to pay for school for Tomas and his sister Angelica who were teenagers at the time of their father’s death. Tomas was taught the law and joined Bonham-McLeod, eventually becoming B-Mc-G. Robert was only ten years older than Angelica. When his first wife died in childbirth, he married Angelica.”

“Quite the incestuous law firm, isn’t it?” Andy snarked.

Tyler quirked an eyebrow at him and Doug looked at Andy slightly annoyed. Andy raised his hands. He realized that this was a passion project for Tyler and he had better rein in his usual Hollywood sarcasm.

“The book follows the firm through the growth of Texas as a republic, and then statehood. Then it goes into the issue of slavery, the civil war, reconstruction, the growth of the cattle empires, the growth of the oil and gas industry and into the space race and the 1960’s. They’re just as powerful, if not more so, than they were fifty years ago. Their story is about as Texan as it gets. Can you think of another law firm in which the attorneys were involved in gunfights with bandits, rustlers and Comancheros?”

“Wow,” Andy said. That sounded a hell of a lot more exciting than watching some Wall Street lawyer talk about arbitrage.

“Any surprise casting choices?” Doug asked. Tyler had shocked Hollywood with who he had cast in one of the spin-offs from “The Captain.” He had chosen retired two-time Superbowl champion quarterback Kyle Kinzler and Kyle’s wife Megan Bond-Kinzler, the gorgeous, also retired, former captain of the U.S. women’s soccer team. The two had appeared in commercials and guest starred on TV sitcoms (generally playing some version of themselves) and so had received their SAG cards. Even so, they were not actors nor did they claim to be. They had agreed to the roles thinking it would be an adventure. More fool them. Tyler had put them through a six-month acting class and one-month cowboy college to prepare them for their roles in the 19^th century saga. The critics had agreed that they both did a more than adequate acting job (Kyle more believable that Megan) but that their on-screen chemistry was electric and jumped off the screen.

Tyler gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. “Mark Tibbs has signed on to play James Bonham. He appears in the first two episodes.”

“Tibbs? You got Mark Tibbs?” Andy asked excitedly. Mark Tibbs had recently won the best supporting actor Academy Award. “Can you extend his role for more episodes?”

“Since he dies at the Alamo, no. Once he’s dead he’s dead. There’s no Alamo zombies planned,” Tyler said with a deadpan tone.

“Who do you have for Robert?” Doug asked.

“I have a couple of ideas on who I want to cast as a young Robert. That decision is going to depend on who gets cast as the older Robert. I have an idea that I’ve been bouncing around in my head for who I want. If that plays out like I hope, then I’ll make a decision on who gets cast for young Robert.” Tyler sat back and casually examined his fingernails before dropping his big bombshell.

“Maria Elena Montoya has signed on to play Robert’s wife, Angelica.”

Both Doug and Andy gaped at Tyler in open-mouthed astonishment.

“How?” they asked in unison.

“She supposedly retired from acting when her husband died. Hasn’t she been in seclusion with her family?” Doug asked.

Maria Elena Montoya was the oldest daughter of the youngest sister of King Juan Tomas Vega Montoya of Spain. After college, she had modelled in Paris and London before being approached about an acting role. She found that she loved acting more than she loved modelling. She had taken who her new craft seriously, attending drama classes and gaining experience by going to casting calls for off Broadway plays. It had paid off. Nominated for Academy Awards on two separate occasions, she had yet to win, although everyone knew it was a matter of time. Until the accident.

Maria had been pregnant with her first child with husband F1 driver Jean Pierre Degas when he lost control of his car at the Bahrain Grand Prix and slammed into a wall. He was killed on impact. Maria had been in attendance watching from a suite and saw the impact and resulting fireball. She knew immediately that her husband was dead. She miscarried that night. She had been flown back to Spain on a chartered jet and heavily sedated. She had been in seclusion for three years and until recently had made no public appearances. Her agent and manager had declined everyone who reached out to her. On Christmas, she was photographed going to mass with the Spanish royal family. This was her first appearance in public since the memorial service for her husband. The fact that Tyler casually threw out that she was making her return to acting by way of his TV series left Doug and Andy dumbstruck.

“Wow. Okay. I think we’re good with proceeding. And your source material ... it’s solid?” Doug asked. He picked up the book and looked at the cover. “Who is this author? Jack McLeod. I take it he’s related to the McLeod of B-Mc-G?

Tyler nodded his head. “He is related. All the family members either go into the law or join the military.”

Doug read the brief author biography on the back cover. After retiring from the Army, General Jack McLeod began teaching history at Central Texas State University. This is his first novel.

“Not much of a bio is it?” Doug asked.

“He’s got a Wikipedia entry. You should read it.” Tyler said.

Doug reached into the breast pocket of his suit coat, extracted his iPhone and began tapping. He read for a few seconds and his eyebrows arched up.

Doug chuckled, “This guy is the real deal, isn’t he?”

Tyler just nodded his head.

Jack and Kathy McLeod Home

Round Rock, TX

Jack McLeod (Brigadier General, USA, Retired) was excited and could not wait to give his wife the news. Unless you knew him well, you might not have been able to detect his excitement. If you did know him well, the giveaway was the half-grin that quirked into a split-second half smile. Throughout his military career, McLeod had always been able to maintain a tight grip on his emotions and for him, this brief flicker of a grin was the equivalent of unbridled glee.

‘A TV series,’ he thought to himself. ‘They actually want to turn my book into a TV series.’ And not just anyone; it was Tyler Sherman. You could not pick up a newspaper or read a magazine; print or on-line without reading about Sherman’s mega-success as a prolific TV producer. Jack didn’t watch much television but he did watch, “The Captain.” Sure, it was a bit of a sagebrush soap opera, but it was riveting nonetheless. And this was who was going to turn his book into a TV show.

The phone call from Alex Cordell, his agent/attorney had led to McLeod cancelling his classes for the day, an unheard-of event that had the faculty of the history department of Central Texas State University (the other Austin university) speculating about what could have happened. Was it military related? Was it personal? Why did the general cancel his morning classes? Faculty was curious and students were just happy for a suddenly free hour. Meanwhile, Jack sped home to share his good news with his wife.

The red Corvette in his driveway created a knot his Jack’s stomach. The personalized license plate reading “DaBull” created the sort of anxiety that he had not experienced since the last time he was in combat. Having to park in the street in front of his own home created an additional annoyance and led Jack to do what he did best; confront the situation head on.

He opened the front door and entered his house. Seeing no one in the living area, he paused and turned, listening for sounds; which he soon heard coming from the area of the master bedroom. Jack could hear the wet slapping sounds as he approached the bedroom and by the time he was at the door, there was no doubt what he would find. Kathy was on all fours facing the foot of the bed as a strange male thrust himself into her. One hand held her brunette hair like a brood mare while the other slapped her ass as she cried out, “fuck me harder!” The bedroom smelled like a whorehouse.

His wife looked up at him in shock as she finally noticed Jack standing in the doorway, a furious look on his face. The piece of shit didn’t so much as pause. He kept thrusting into Kathy while smirking at Jack. Kathy scrambled to her knees and said, “Danny, stop it!” She at least had the grace to look somewhat embarrassed. She got off the bed and began putting on her robe. Jack had seen her naked a thousand times and yet she was hiding her nakedness from her husband and not her lover?

“Jack, I’m sorry you had to see that. I was hoping to tell you in a better way than this.” Jack could feel his anger building so he began the process of reining in his emotions, otherwise he would be tempted to kill the smirking asshole that was slowly getting dressed next to his wife. He had the large build of a football lineman that had not seen the inside of a gym in several years. Fat over layers of muscle. And body hair. A lot of body hair. “Danny, wait for me in the car. I’ll be along in a minute.”

“Are you sure, Babe? I can wait for you right here.” He continued to smirk at Jack with an insolent grin.

Kathy smiled at him, “I’ll be okay. Jack won’t cause any problems. Will you?” Kathy glared at Jack.

Jack looked at his wife with revulsion. “Yeah, no worries there. I wouldn’t touch her. As far as I’m concerned you can take her with you. I never want to see you two again.”

A hint of anger flashed across Kathy’s face. “Really Jack? After twenty years of marriage that’s the respect you show me?”

Jack looked at Kathy with a neutral expression and ignored her idiotic question. “I’m not even going to ask why or how long. I just want you out of this house. Pack your things and get out.”

Kathy nodded. “That’s our plan. I was hoping to break this to you more gently. I’m leaving you for Danny. He’s going to give me a much better life than I could have with you.” Kathy grabbed a couple of suitcases out of her closet and began filling them with clothes.

“I thought you had so much potential. I thought you were going places. I thought you would get a third or fourth star. Then Congress or the Senate. I was going to be someone in DC. Then you capped out at Brigadier, retired and got a job teaching school” Kathy shook her head in bewilderment. “How could you expect me to settle for that? I put up with twenty years of being an army wife and this is my payoff?” She waved her hand in the air as if pointing out the modest house than until five minutes ago had been their home. “I need better than this. I need better than you.” Kathy continued to stuff clothes into her suitcase.

“I’m not going to have this conversation with you. Just leave. I’ll have my attorney contact you about the divorce.”

Kathy sighed. “Fine. You’ll probably try to embarrass me or shame me. I get it. But I’m leaving you for a much bigger and better opportunity. He’s Danny “DaBull” Bullard. He played in the NFL. He owns the largest Chevy dealership in Texas. He’s going to give me the sort of life you could never give me. It may not be as glamorous as being a senator’s wife in DC but I’ll manage. I don’t expect you to be happy for me, but don’t be such an angry little boy. It doesn’t suit you.”

Jack looked at her with the sort of flat look that he would give prisoners of war in the theater of operations. She was now the enemy. He turned his back on his soon to be ex-wife and walked out of the bedroom and to the bar. He poured himself a couple of fingers of bourbon and exhaled slowly. He turned around and noticed his wife’s boyfriend sitting in Jacks’ chair. His fucking chair.

“Get the fuck out of my house you miserable piece of shit.”

Danny stood up and laughed without any signs of mirth. “Hey, I get it. You find out that you’re a cuckold and have been eating my cum out of your wife’s pussy for months. It’s gotta be a shock to the system.” He chuckled again. “I’ll leave when I’m good and goddammed ready and not a minute sooner.”

Jack took three quick steps putting himself in front of Danny. Danny’s eyes opened wide in fear. What he saw in the face of Jack McLeod was a peek at his own mortality. He held up his hands and backed quickly away.

Kathy ran into the living room. Jack was calmly drinking a bourbon while Danny stood with his back against the wall, face pale and heart beating wildly.

“Dammit Jack! Act like an adult and not a child who had his toy taken away from him!”

“I told him to get out and now I’m telling you the same thing. Go. Now.”

“We’re going. Danny, go get my bags. This could have gone easy Jack. But you want to do it the hard way. Fine. We’ll do it the hard way.”

Danny walked out of the bedroom carrying Kathy’s suitcases and smirking at Jack, his courage back now that he had Kathy to run interference for him. “Don’t feel bad; the better man won.”

Jack looked at him. “Congratulations. You won the prize. And what a prize she is. A cheating wife.” He shook his head in disgust.

Danny looked first at Jack then at Kathy, his swagger less noticeable than before. He walked out without another word.

Kathy looked at Jack, anger written across her face. “You’ll pay for that you asshole! I’ll get the rest of my things later!” She slammed the front door behind her.

Jack took a sip of bourbon and wondered to himself how a day that began on such a high note had gone so horribly wrong. He sighed, and reached for his cell phone. Time to call his daughter Kelsey and let her know that her parents were divorcing.

Jonathan (Jack) McLeod had never been the typical army officer. Both of Jack’s parents had died while he was in high school and he had spent the last two years of his high school career being raised by his maternal grandfather, Lonnie Boudreaux, a Cajun oil refinery worker that had never met a law that he was not willing to break. Lonnie was a usually a nice guy, but he could go from zero to son-of-a-bitch with that one extra drink. The problem was, you never knew when that drink was going to hit him. Once Jack graduated from high school and knowing that he was not ready for college, he had enlisted the day he turned 18. Jack entered service as an E1 private with an MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) of 11B (infantry rifleman, also known in military speak as ‘target; pop-up, non-electric.’) Based on his test scores and performance in basic training, he had been approved for jump school and then Ranger school. By the time he had received orders for his permanent duty station at Fort Bragg, he had been promoted to Private First Class (E3) and sported both jump wings and a Ranger tab on his uniform. Shortly after arriving at Fort Bragg, he had enrolled as a part-time student at Fayetteville State University. FSU’s student body in both the undergraduate and graduate department was comprised of a large number of active-duty officers and enlisted men and women. They were equipped for both on-campus and distance learning so Jack was able to attend classes while on base, or by correspondence when on temporary duty (TDY) elsewhere or when he had a change of duty stations. By the end of July, 1990, Jack had settled into a groove of training and school. And then on August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait.

During operation Desert Storm, Jack was shipped to Kuwait and then on to Iraq for that short-lived scuffle. He had shaken his head at some of the decisions made by his superiors. It was there he received his first bronze star and first purple heart. The bronze star was for being at the wrong place at the right time and was also why he was awarded a purple heart. The incident was so minor that Jack never spoke of it and was almost embarrassed to wear the award. Getting shot in the butt by a frightened twelve-year old was nothing to brag about. He was shipped back to Fort Benning a week after receiving the awards. As he stood on the tarmac waiting to board the C130 taking him back to Benning, he looked around the airport and thought to himself that this would not be the last time he played in this sandbox.

Between classes, correspondence courses and CLEP tests, Jack was able to receive a BA in history in six years, two years longer than time it ordinarily took. By now Jack was a Sergeant (E5) and had decided that although he liked the Army, he would enjoy it more as an officer. Jack applied for Officer Candidate School and after going before a three-person board, was accepted for OCS.

OCS was a cakewalk for Jack. As a junior non-commissioned officer, he had a thorough understanding of military protocol and procedures. The senior NCOs in his unit had all noted his calm, collected demeanor and his natural leadership abilities. They all felt that when the shit hit the fan or a situation went tits up, Jack McLeod was the type of soldier you wanted with you. After the twelve-week class at Fort Benning ended, Jack was promoted to 2^nd Lieutenant and had his gold bars pinned by his instructor since he had no wife and no family. Upon receiving his commission Jack was placed on orders for Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty) for his first assignment as a platoon leader with the 82nd Airborne.

Jack had been in the army for eight years and had been promoted to 1^st Lieutenant when he met Katherine (Kathy) Bascombe. Kathy was working as a bartender at an Irish style pub in Fayetteville when Jack strolled in with a couple of other platoon leaders assigned to the 82^nd. The Lion’s Den was not a particularly popular choice among the soldiers of Fort Bragg; this was its appeal to Jack. Between the Celtic music and food selections Jack and his friends knew that they could have a quiet evening. All three were immediately entranced by the brunette beauty that was their server. Around 5’8” and 130 pounds with brunette hair worn in a ponytail, she possessed the classic beauty that is often seen on the covers of fashion magazines. The three junior officers were rendered tongue-tied and awestruck. For her part, Kathy was ready to dismiss the trio until she looked into the gray eyes of the tallest of the three. Whipcord lean, with a buzz cut and eyes that seemed they were looking into the depths of her soul. Kathy found herself tongue-tied for the first time around another man. And this one a Lieutenant for Christ’s sake! She had dated majors and colonels and even a general. But this 1st Lieutenant had her completely frazzled! They made a date for the next night and were soon joined at the hip when not working.

Jack continued to do well in the Army. He had completed his Master’s degree in American history and had begun work on his PhD. He was not sure what he was going to do with a doctorate, but he enjoyed academia and felt that teaching was a possibility after retirement.

On September 11^th, 2001 Jack was a Major (O4) and commanded a company within the 82^nd. Within hours they knew that they were being mobilized. Within weeks Jack’s company was on patrol in the mountains of Afghanistan.

This was war unlike any type of war that military leaders had experience with. Everyone could be considered an enemy. Or a friend. Or both. There was a reason that the decades long British-Russo rivalry in Afghanistan had been called ‘The Great Game.’

It was for actions on patrol along the Unai Pass in the Maidan Wardak province that Jack received the Distinguished Service Cross.

Jack’s DSC had actually started as a recommendation for the Medal of Honor. Senior officials were reluctant to hand out too many medals too early in the conflict. One of the lessons learned during Desert Storm was that if too many people receive medals for bravery, then the medals become worthless. Several instances that were truly deserving of a Medal of Honor were downgraded to either the DSC or a Silver Star during the early days of the Afghani conflict.

Bravery is often just looking at a situation calmly and thinking to yourself, ‘today is good day to die.’ His platoon was pinned down by an enfilade, that is to say a line of fire along the length of the platoon column. Since Jack was at the head of the column, and the enfilade fire was being directed away from the head, he did the only thing that he could think of; he charged the enfilade. Running along the length of the attacking force, Jack was able to kill six Afghani fighters and severely wound four others. This broke the will of the other Afghanis and they bolted. The entire action had been witnessed by an embedded journalist with the New York Times and for a short time, Jack was famous. A situation which he despised and Kathy loved. She would attach links to news stories about him in her weekly emails. Links that he did not read or acknowledge in any way. Jack’s moment in the sun was soon over.