Stockholm

‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍Rue’s been a screenwriter living in L.A. seven years, but the last four years her scripts have been being turned into films. It is all because of one man, Benny Mann.

Benny is in his early 40′s. Which is young to be the head of a studio, even a small one. Benny has a lot of experience though, because he is the younger brother of George Mann; fourteen years younger to be exact. George Mann makes big blockbuster movies; he has Oscars and starlets. Some might say he owns the town.

Rue met Benny when he decided to go at Hollywood on his own. He was looking for fresh new undiscovered talent, mostly because he did not have the money for anyone established. Rue was one of his first writers, hell she was one of his first employees. 

Soon Rue’s scripts were greenlit. She has written a few ABC family originals and her big claim is a Disney Channel Original movie. Unfortunately, once her script is chosen it was the end of her say. The directors and producers would twist and turn it into something unrecognizable.

Rue was ready for a change. So, she locked herself away and tried to balance her mix of Adderall and Gin, hoping to get a great screenplay or die trying. To Rue’s luck an impressive script emerged, a space opera with action scenes and a love story. After seven years of screenwriting her skills were fully on display in this script. When she pitched it to Benny he loved it.

Benny: That’s a summer blockbuster baby!

He tells her he is going to be meeting with some other studio heads and it will be at the top of his agenda.

Benny: You did good kid, now get out, I have work to do.

The next two weeks Rue is anxious, but time flies by as she works on the script and storyboards. When the meeting finally arrives, she can hardly contain her thrill walking into Benny’s office.

Benny: Sit down kid, I don’t have much time.

His words do not panic her, because he starts all their meetings with “I don’t have much time”. Rue cannot hold back her excitement.

Rue: So, what did they think about the script?

Benny: What script?

Rue: The space one.

Benny: Oh, they loved it! They are getting one of the Fast and Furious guys to direct it, and the writer of the last Terminator film is doing the story.

Rue’s mouth drops open.

Benny: Everyone’s excited about it kid.

Rue: What am I doing on it?

Benny: You? Nothing, this is for the big boys. You’ve never worked on anything this huge.

Rue feels shock and heartbreak all at ones. Over the last year Benny’s started passing Rue up for projects, always wanting to give them to a bigger name and usually a man. Now he is passing her up on her own projects, her own ideas, her own scripts.

Rue: You can’t do this! It’s my story!

Benny’s eyes go dark.

Benny: You work for me, whatever you think is yours is really mine. That’s how Hollywood works kid. You’re an ungrateful brat! I called you in here to give you an opportunity, and all you can do is bitch about a project you could never handle. 

Rue grips the sides of her chair trying to contain herself.

Rue: Opportunity... what opportunity?

Benny leans back.

Benny: I’m sending you to Sweden for a few weeks.

Rue: Like a vacation?

Benny: No. There are some brothers; The Gustafsson’s. They are heirs to a furniture company in Sweden and want to break into American film. And they have the money to make it happen.

Benny turns his chair slightly and leans towards Rue.

Benny: I need you to go there and help them write a script, help them come up with some ideas.

Rue: Like a ghostwriter?

Benny: I don’t care what you call it. Whatever you produce they are going to invest a shit ton of money in this studio to get it made.

Rue: Benny this is weird, you have never sent a screenwriter...

Benny cuts her off.

Benny: This is an opportunity Rue. I said I would send my best and here you are.

Rue folds her arms.

Rue: If I were your best, I would be working on the space movie.

Benny chuckles.

Benny: True, but I wouldn’t let them know that.

Benny puts both his arms on his desk, leaning forward towards Rue.

Benny: Look kid, you make this work, and you can be the script supervisor. Fuck! You get them to spend some real bank and you can produce.

Rue’s eyes go so wide she looks like a cartoon character.

Benny: You leave in four days. It is cold there so dress warm. Also, you will be staying with the brothers so try to keep your brattiness to a minimum.

Four days later Rue is sitting on a plane still racking her head for ideas. She had thought about a wartime period piece, only to find out Sweden has not been in a war for over 200 years. Next, she tried to look up brutal murders, taking a cue from Peter Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures. But found that Swedish newspapers keep details to a minimum.

Rue felt hopeless, but mostly suspicious. Who sends screenwriters to other countries for three weeklong brainstorming sessions? She thought it had something to do with George Mann. These Swedish brothers have money and ambition. Benny wants to snatch them up before his brother has a chance. 

Rue gets off the plane and grabs her bags and looks around at all the people holding up signs, searching for her name. She spots the sign before noticing the gorgeous man holding it up; he is surrounded by two other similarly gorgeous men. 

All three men are tall, like over six feet, with different hues of blonde hair and model like facial features. Not Abercrombie hot, no, like Greek Gods; a living image of Apollo. Rue instantly feels insecure in her sweats and no make-up.

Rue: (Under her breath) Thanks for the heads-up Benny.

She walks over to the men smiling, it is her only defense. 

Alexander: Rune Paxton?

Rue: I go by Rue, but yeah…that’s me.

She is taken aback when Alexander hugs her.

Alexander: We’re thrilled to have you here. Welcome to Stockholm!

Rue just awkwardly smiles. She does not know if it is from the long flight, half a dozen Gin and tonics or the sleeping pills, but everything feels surreal.  Alexander does not miss a beat though.

Alexander: Let me introduce you to my brothers. 

Leading Rue with his hand on her lower back, he presents her to the other two men.

Alexander: This is Valor.

Rue: Rue.

She makes a pathetic handshake.

Alexander: And Samuel.

Rue: Rue.

She takes a step back hoping the ground will suck her into oblivion, when the floor stays stable, she follows the boys out of the airport.