Jack Morani was thirty-four years old and he had been a screenwriter for eight years and the screenwriting had been the scripts and the scripts had been the money and the money had been the life and the life had been Los Angeles and the Los Angeles had been the 1987 and the 1987 had been the Reagan era and the Reagan had been the politics and the politics had been the background and the background had been the world and the world had been Jack's and the had been the ownership and the ownership had been the self and the self had been the man and the man had been Jack and the Jack had been the screenwriter and the writer had been the words and the words had been the scripts and the scripts had been the career and the career had been the path and the path had been the life and the life had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied and the multiplying had been the preserving and the preserving had been the multiplying and the multiplying and the preserving had been the compromises and the compromises had been the six and the six had been the reasonable and the reasonable had been the steps and the steps had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the nothing and the nothing had been the absence and the absence had been the no moment and the no moment had been the design and the design had been the system and the system had been the compromises and the compromises had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied.

Compromise one: The studio executive asked Jack to change the ending of his second feature. The ending had been ambiguous and the ambiguity had been the art and the art had been the truth and the truth had been the story and the story had been the script and the script had been the work and the work had been the career and the career had been the life and the life had been Los Angeles and the Los Angeles had been the 1987 and the 1987 had been the Reagan era and the Reagan had been the politics and the politics had been the world and the world had been Jack's and the had been the choice and the choice had been the compromise and the compromise had been the first step and the step had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the nothing and the nothing had been the absence and the absence had been the no moment and the no moment had been the design and the design had been the system and the system had been the compromises and the compromises had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied. The executive had said: The audience needs closure. And Jack had said: The audience needs honesty. And the honesty had been the ambiguous ending and the ending had been the truth and the truth had been the art and the art had been the work and the work had been the script and the script had been the career and the career had been the life and the life had been Los Angeles and the Los Angeles had been the 1987 and the 1987 had been the Reagan era and the Reagan had been the politics and the politics had been the world and the world had been Jack's and the had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the question and the question had been the art and the art had been the market and the market had been the money and the money had been the life and the life had been the career and the career had been the path and the path had been the steps and the steps had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the nothing and the nothing had been the first step and the first had been the one and the one had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the step and the step had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied. Jack changed the ending. The change had been three lines of dialogue and the lines had been the words and the words had been the script and the script had been the work and the work had been the career and the career had been the life and the life had been Los Angeles and the Los Angeles had been the 1987 and the 1987 had been the Reagan era and the Reagan had been the politics and the politics had been the world and the world had been Jack's and the had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the question and the question had been answered by the change and the change had been the step and the step had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the nothing and the nothing had been the absence and the absence had been the no moment and the no moment had been the design and the design had been the system and the system had been the compromises and the compromises had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied.

Compromise two: A producer asked Jack to add a romantic subplot to a political thriller. The subplot had been unnecessary and the unnecessary had been the bloat and the bloat had been the studio and the studio had been the money and the money had been the life and the life had been Los Angeles and the Los Angeles had been the 1987 and the 1987 had been the Reagan era and the Reagan had been the politics and the politics had been the world and the world had been Jack's and the had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the question and the question had been the art and the art had been the genre and the genre had been the market and the market had been the audience and the audience had been the money and the money had been the life and the life had been the career and the career had been the path and the path had been the steps and the steps had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the nothing and the nothing had been the second step and the second had been the two and the two had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the step and the step had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied. The producer had said: Romance sells. And Jack had said: Politics sells too. And the politics had been the script and the script had been the work and the work had been the career and the career had been the life and the life had been Los Angeles and the Los Angeles had been the 1987 and the 1987 had been the Reagan era and the Reagan had been the politics and the politics had been the world and the world had been Jack's and the had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the question and the question had been the romance and the romance had been the subplot and the subplot had been two scenes and the scenes had been the pages and the pages had been the script and the script had been the work and the work had been the career and the career had been the life and the life had been Los Angeles and the Los Angeles had been the 1987 and the 1987 had been the Reagan era and the Reagan had been the politics and the politics had been the world and the world had been Jack's and the had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the step and the step had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the nothing and the nothing had been the absence and the absence had been the no moment and the no moment had been the design and the design had been the system and the system had been the compromises and the compromises had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied. Jack added the subplot. The addition had been sixteen pages and the pages had been the romance and the romance had been the love and the love had been the scenes and the scenes had been the script and the script had been the work and the work had been the career and the career had been the life and the life had been Los Angeles and the Los Angeles had been the 1987 and the 1987 had been the Reagan era and the Reagan had been the politics and the politics had been the world and the world had been Jack's and the had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the step and the step had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the nothing and the nothing had been the second step and the second had been the two and the two had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied.

Compromise three: A studio executive asked Jack to change the villain from a corrupt politician to a corrupt corporation. The politician had been the truth and the truth had been the reality and the reality had been Washington and the Washington had been the politics and the politics had been the world and the world had been the 1987 and the 1987 had been the Reagan era and the Reagan had been the administration and the administration had been the friends and the friends had been the donors and the donors had been the money and the money had been the campaign and the campaign had been the election and the election had been the year and the year had been the time and the time had been the pressure and the pressure had been the executive and the executive had been the studio and the studio had been the system and the system had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the question and the question had been the truth and the truth had been the politician and the politician had been the reality and the reality had been Washington and the Washington had been the politics and the politics had been the friends and the friends had been the donors and the donors had been the money and the money had been the life and the life had been Los Angeles and the Los Angeles had been the 1987 and the 1987 had been the Reagan era and the Reagan had been the politics and the politics had been the world and the world had been Jack's and the had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the step and the step had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the nothing and the nothing had been the third step and the third had been the three and the three had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied. The executive had said: Corporations are safer. Politicians sue. And Jack had said: Politicians are more interesting. And the interesting had been the truth and the truth had been the politician and the politician had been the reality and the reality had been Washington and the Washington had been the politics and the politics had been the world and the world had been Jack's and the had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the step and the step had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the nothing and the nothing had been the absence and the absence had been the no moment and the no moment had been the design and the design had been the system and the system had been the compromises and the compromises had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied. Jack changed the villain. The change had been the corporation and the corporation had been the faceless and the faceless had been the distance and the distance had been the truth and the truth had been the politician and the politician had been the world and the world had been Jack's and the had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the step and the step had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the nothing and the nothing had been the absence and the absence had been the third step and the third had been the three and the three had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied.

Compromise four: A network executive asked Jack to add more action sequences to a drama. The drama had been the truth and the truth had been the story and the story had been the characters and the characters had been the people and the people had been the world and the world had been the 1987 and the 1987 had been the Reagan era and the Reagan had been the politics and the politics had been the action and the action had been the genre and the genre had been the market and the market had been the audience and the audience had been the numbers and the numbers had been the ratings and the ratings had been the money and the money had been the job and the job had been the network and the network had been the system and the system had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the question and the question had been the action and the action had been the sequences and the sequences had been the scenes and the scenes had been the set pieces and the pieces had been the explosions and the explosions had been the noise and the noise had been the volume and the volume had been the effect and the effect had been the spectacle and the spectacle had been the market and the market had been the numbers and the numbers had been the ratings and the ratings had been the money and the money had been the life and the life had been Los Angeles and the Los Angeles had been the 1987 and the 1987 had been the Reagan era and the Reagan had been the politics and the politics had been the world and the world had been Jack's and the had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the step and the step had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the nothing and the nothing had been the fourth step and the fourth had been the four and the four had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied. Jack added the action. The addition had been four sequences and the sequences had been the set pieces and the pieces had been the explosions and the explosions had been the noise and the noise had been the volume and the volume had been the effect and the effect had been the spectacle and the spectacle had been the market and the market had been the numbers and the numbers had been the ratings and the ratings had been the money and the money had been the job and the job had been the network and the network had been the system and the system had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the step and the step had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the nothing and the nothing had been the absence and the absence had been the fourth step and the fourth had been the four and the four had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied.

Compromise five: A financier asked Jack to insert product placement into every scene. The placement had been the advertising and the advertising had been the money and the money had been the investment and the investment had been the film and the film had been the project and the project had been the work and the work had been the career and the career had been the life and the life had been Los Angeles and the Los Angeles had been the 1987 and the 1987 had been the Reagan era and the Reagan had been the politics and the politics had been the world and the world had been Jack's and the had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the question and the question had been the placement and the placement had been the product and the product had been the brand and the brand had been the name and the name had been the word and the word had been the dialogue and the dialogue had been the script and the script had been the work and the work had been the career and the career had been the life and the life had been Los Angeles and the Los Angeles had been the 1987 and the 1987 had been the Reagan era and the Reagan had been the politics and the politics had been the world and the world had been Jack's and the had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the step and the step had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the nothing and the nothing had been the fifth step and the fifth had been the five and the five had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied. Jack inserted the placement. The insertion had been every scene and the every had been the all and the all had been the total and the total had been the complete and the complete had been the transformation and the transformation had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the nothing and the nothing had been the absence and the absence had been the fifth step and the fifth had been the five and the five had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied.

Compromise six: A studio head asked Jack to write a draft for a franchise. The franchise had been the intellectual property and the property had been the brand and the brand had been the money and the money had been the investment and the investment had been the future and the future had been the career and the career had been the life and the life had been Los Angeles and the Los Angeles had been the 1987 and the 1987 had been the Reagan era and the Reagan had been the politics and the politics had been the world and the world had been Jack's and the had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the question and the question had been the future and the future had been the franchise and the franchise had been the series and the series had been the multiplication and the multiplication had been the preservation and the preservation had been the multiplying and the multiplying and the preserving had been the franchise and the franchise had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied. Jack wrote the draft. The writing had been the work and the work had been the career and the career had been the life and the life had been Los Angeles and the Los Angeles had been the 1987 and the 1987 had been the Reagan era and the Reagan had been the politics and the politics had been the world and the world had been Jack's and the had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the step and the step had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the nothing and the nothing had been the sixth step and the sixth had been the six and the six had been the compromise and the compromise had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied.

There had been no moment of suddenly bad. There had been no single decision that had transformed Jack from a screenwriter into a fixer, from a man who told truths into a man who sold franchises, from a person who believed in art into a person who believed in market. There had been six compromises and each had been reasonable and the reasonable had been the step and the step had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the nothing and the nothing had been the absence and the absence had been the design and the design had been the system and the system had been the compromises and the compromises had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied and the multiplying had been the preserving and the preserving had been the multiplying and the multiplying and the preserving had been the reasonable and the reasonable had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the nothing and the nothing had been the six steps and the six had been the compromises and the compromises had been the descent and the descent had been the change and the change had been the threshold and the threshold had been the crossing and the crossing had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied and the multiplying had been the preserving and the preserving had been the multiplying and the multiplying and the preserving had been the compromises and the compromises had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been a man who had built a loom that built looms that built looms that built looms and the looms had multiplied and the multiplication had become the compromises and the compromises had become Jack and Jack had become the screenwriter and the writer had become the fixer and the fixer had become the reasonable and the reasonable had become the threshold and the threshold had become the crossing and the crossing had become the nothing and the nothing had become the six steps and the steps had become the descent and the descent had become the change and the change had become the threshold and the threshold had become the crossing and the crossing had become the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied.

Jack Morani was thirty-four years old and he had been a screenwriter for eight years and the screenwriting had been the scripts and the scripts had been the money and the money had been the life and the life had been Los Angeles and the Los Angeles had been the 1987 and the 1987 had been the Reagan era and the Reagan had been the politics and the politics had been the world and the world had been Jack's and the had been the inheritance and the inheritance had been preserved and multiplied.

Preserve. Multiply. Compromise.