Chapter 1 MR. PERFECTIONIST PART 1

Alexander Hunt didn't work with small businesses, but he was in the lobby of CrossLight Entertainment, his expensive Italian shoes on the scuffed tile floor, wondering why his assistant thought this was worth his time.

The room was plain. Walls made of exposed brick. Framed headshots of actors he had never seen or heard of.

Nothing like the big corporate agencies he usually worked with.

"Don't judge too quickly, Mr. Hunt. Just believe me when I say they have the best, most talented models," Jane, his assistant, said for the third time. "The kinds of faces that look good on camera and really tell a story, just like you asked. You'll have a lot of options."

Alexander looked at his watch. "Jane, thirty minutes. If I don't see what we need in thirty minutes, we're done."

A young woman with bright pink hair ran up to them with a clipboard in her hand. "Mr. Hunt! Welcome to CrossLight. I'm Bianca. We've selected our best talents for you today. Please follow me."

Alexander nodded his head. This month alone, he had seen a hundred auditions. A lot of them were pretty, but they didn't have the features he really wanted.

Bianca took them down a hallway with pictures on the walls. Actors in the middle of a scene, models in fashion magazines, and musicians caught in the act. Alexander slowed down when he saw a black and white picture of a woman laughing. He took a closer look. It didn't look like it was acted out. She was really laughing, like she had heard something funny, and he could feel her happiness.

It made him feel better. Maybe he'd find his model here after all.

"Please come this way." Bianca opened the double doors to a large studio. The lights were set up, and there was a simple background. Two women sat along the wall with what he thought were the same copies of the scripts on their laps.

Alexander sat down in the director's chair that his assistant had set up for him. His team gathered around him with cameras and tablets ready.

"Whenever you're ready," Jane said.

The first model stood up. In her mid-twenties, she had striking features and walked with confidence. With a big smile, she told them her name and then started talking about her experience in the field and what she could do. She used every keyword from the requirement brief Jane sent three days ago for Tyranny. After that, she went right to the performance.

Alexander didn't say anything as she got into position. He just nodded when she was done. She was technically perfect, but not the face he wanted.

The second one was a little better. When she introduced herself, she sounded more at ease. She looked like she had more experience, and Alexander was interested at first, but his smile quickly faded when she started her performance. She was pretty and sure of herself, but she wasn't an actress.

The third person had just begun her introduction when Alexander raised his hand. "Thanks. That's all I need."

Jane moved closer. "Mr. Hunt, they haven't even begun yet."

Alexander stood up and buttoned his suit jacket. "They're all doing it wrong. This is going to be a waste of my time."

"Sir, please." Bianca ran up, her voice full of panic. "We can get other people. Different kinds. Whatever you need."

"I'm looking for..." Alexander stopped. He didn't want to sound shallow by saying they weren't pretty enough. But Tyranny needed a certain kind of woman. A certain look. "These women are fine," he said again. "But that's not what I want."

He turned to leave, and his team rushed to catch up.

That's when he saw her and stopped.

The control booth was a little higher than the studio floor, and it had glass windows that looked out over everything. A woman stood with her arms crossed in front of the glass and looked at the monitors in front of her.

Who is she?

Alexander turned around to look at her closely.

She wore a dark V-neck that showed off her beautiful collarbones. Her hair was styled and pulled back to show off a face that stopped him in his tracks. She had high cheekbones, full lips, and eyes that were smart and focused. She was beautiful in a way that didn't require any work, the kind of beauty that cameras would worship. She was completely focused on the screen, and it made him think of how he used to be at board meetings when he really cared about what was being talked about. She leaned forward a little, frowned, and then stood up straight. Like she was judging something.

Her face was full of life, and every emotion showed on her face as if she couldn't hide anything. Great for motion capture, and she would look even better on billboards.

She was just right.

"Who is that?" Alexander finally asked.

Bianca looked where he was looking. "Oh, that's Ms."

"Bring her down here."

"What?" Jane quickly came up to him. "Mr. Hunt, she isn't..."

Alexander didn't pay attention to her. The woman moved her weight and tilted her head slightly toward the screen, not knowing that anyone was watching her.

"That's who I need for Tyranny," Alexander said.

The room was quiet. His team, the other models, and everyone else looked at each other in confusion.

"Mr. Hunt," Jane said again, "we don't even know if she's a model here. She could be crew or..."

"I don't care. I want to see her."

Bianca turned her clipboard. "Sir, I really think I should explain..."

"Don't explain anything. Just bring her down here."

"But Mr. Hunt, she isn't..."

"Please." Alexander's voice got softer, but he kept looking at the woman in the booth. He could tell when he saw a good cast. And that woman had just what his project needed.

Bianca looked hopeless. "I'll go get her."

Jane leaned in as Bianca rushed to the stairs. "Sir, you have a meeting in twenty minutes."

"I'm not going."

"Mr. Hunt..."

"Cancel it. Set it up for tomorrow." He argued. "I won't leave until I see her."