marketing man answered.
“And what did you find?”
“That the Alfar scores—”
There was a sudden screaming burst of feedback from the speakers on the computer in our conference room. People jerked, clapped hands over their ears, and erupted into a few exclamations and curses.
“New York, it’s on your end!” Chuck was yelling into his microphone. We saw the technician come scurrying into range of the cameras in New York and rip off the microphone. Chuck was frantically dialing down the volume. The awful sound ended, and people pulled their hands away from their ears.
“What the devil is happening? Have you no control over this damn stuff,” David huffed.
“Sorry, sorry,” Chuck panted as his hands played across the console. A few minutes later and the New York technician gave us a thumbs-up.
“Is it safe for us to resume?” David asked, each word dripping ice.
“Yeah, go ahead,” Chuck said.
“Ms. LeBlanc, please continue,” David said.
“Let’s go back a little, Mr. Schultz. So you tested casting directors, producers, and directors who had worked with Alfar actors?”
“Yes.”
“And you found?”
“That the Alfar scores were almost off the charts among that group. A complete reversal of the numbers we saw when we polled only viewers,” Schultz answered.
“And do you have a conclusion, Mr. Schultz?” LeBlanc’s voice was a husky purr.
“I can only speak to what the numbers tell us, and they tell us that humans who have had direct, personal interaction with the Alfar have a much higher regard for them than people who merely view them on the screen.”
“So, in other words, whatever it is that the Alfar project, it doesn’t cross the barrier of the screen. Physically they are beautiful, but the something that makes a Julia Roberts or a Leonardo DiCaprio a star is lacking.”
Before LeBlanc had finished Gabaldon was on her feet. “Objection. This witness hasn’t been established as an expert at anything aside from taking polls.”
David looked at LeBlanc. “It’s a fair point. Please establish Mr. Schultz’s expertise in this area, aside from the company he owns.”
Schultz gave David a long, level look, clearly not intimidated by the vampire. “I have a PhD in psychology from USC and a PhD in mathematics and statistics from CalTech.” LeBlanc handed over the man’s vita and we looked at it together.
“I’m inclined to agree that Mr. Schultz is, in fact, an expert,” David said. He cocked a brow at me.
I nodded, but then a question occurred to me. I directed it toward McPhee and the studio executives. “How is this not a self-correcting problem? If the Alfar actors aren’t appealing to audiences, then the movies fail to make money. Wouldn’t the bottom line ultimately win out?”
One of the executives tugged at McPhee’s sleeve and whispered to him. The old lawyer answered me. “A movie is a collaborative effort, Ms. Ellery. Many things go into making a hit. Yes, the stars are important, but there’s thematic material and special effects. The real bottom line is that no one knows what makes a hit. For years Tom Cruise got twenty million dollars a movie because it was believed he could open a film. Sometimes it was true.” He shrugged. “Sometimes it wasn’t.”
David glanced at me. “Finished?” I nodded. “Please continue, Ms. LeBlanc.”
She returned to her place at the conference table, picked up another sheaf of papers, and handed them out. “These are the ratings from people who actually interacted with both human and Alfar actors.”
I studied the pages. The scores for the Alfar were stratospheric. Four times as high as the reactions to the human actors.
“Are there any other conclusions you can draw from these statistics, Mr. Schultz?” LeBlanc asked.
“These numbers make no sense statistically. Putting aside the fact that people respond more favorably toward people they actually meet, these numbers are out of line with the norm.”
LeBlanc looked pleased. “It’s known that the Alfar have the ability to fascinate and attract. Could that power account for these numbers?”
“I don’t know how to test for unknown powers. I will go this far: something is skewing these numbers, and the only data point we have is physical proximity.”
“Thank you, Mr. Schultz.”
Gabaldon was shuffling rapidly through her papers. Gordon McPhee leaned over and whispered something to her. She gave a sharp nod. David cleared his throat. “Ms. Gabaldon, Mr. Brubaker, Mr. McPhee. Have you questions for this witness?”
McPhee rose to his feet. “Mr. Schultz, let me see if I understand in plain English what you appear to be saying. You seem to be saying that when people meet each other in person they tend to like each other, correct?” Schultz gave a cautious assent. “And since the object of these meetings was to get hired for work, one assumes that the parties in question were putting their best foot forward, so to speak.”
“I’m not sure I follow,” Schultz said.
“Meaning the Alfar weren’t going to be rude or unpleasant.”
“Yes, that is true.”
“And people when they go to job interviews they tend to dress well, and look their best—”
“Is there a question in this, or is Mr. McPhee simply offering us pointers for our next interview?” LeBlanc asked.
The older attorney inclined his head toward LeBlanc with courtly dignity. “I’m always happy to be of service, Ms LeBlanc.”
“Is there a point to this?” David asked.
“Yes, sir. Indeed there is. The conclusion Ms. LeBlanc seems to be wishing the arbitrators to reach is that the Alfar are using their god-given natural talents to achieve their ends, namely, a job. Is that correct, Ms. LeBlanc?”
“Yes, they’re using unnatural abilities.”
“Mr. Sullivan, I should like to call Missy Able as a rebuttal witnesses to Mr. Schultz.”
That got a big reaction from the room. Missy came half out of her chair, face reddening. LeBlanc hurried over to talk with her. Despite being the person who had brought the lawsuit initially, the actress seemed deeply shaken at being singled out.
“Mr. Sullivan, Ms Able is a plaintiff in this action,” LeBlanc argued.
“I see no reason why she can’t be questioned, assuming the same right is extended to the defendants. Ms. Gabaldon?”
“We have no objection if counsel wishes to question Palendar or any other Alfar actor.”
“Very well,” David said. “Mr. McPhee, you may question Ms. Able.”
“I don’t want to!” Missy said.
“And bluntly, Ms. Able, that’s too bad. You brought this lawsuit. Presumably you feel strongly enough to defend your position. Now, you can either submit to questioning or I may be forced to decide this case right now in favor of the defendants.”
There was more hurried conversation between Missy and LeBlanc, then Missy reluctantly took the chair indicated by McPhee.
“Now, Ms. Able, or may I call you Missy? My boys and I just loved you in
“Yeah, okay.”
“Now, Missy, what is your profession?”
“You know that.”
“I know, but humor me.”
“I’m an actress.”
“An actress. That’s a tough job, isn’t it?”
