Lucas stepped out of the cafe, taking a deep breath before turning on his phone. Instantly, it exploded with notifications. Missed calls, texts, voicemails - all demanding his attention.
"Here goes nothing," he muttered, dialing Neil's number.
The phone barely rang once before Neil's voice blasted through the speaker, a mix of anger and concern. "Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to grace me with a call. Glad to know you remember how to use a phone, kid."
Lucas couldn't help but chuckle. "Good to hear your voice too, Neil."
"Don't you 'good to hear your voice' me," Neil snapped, but there was a hint of relief in his tone. "Where the hell are you?"
"I'm fine, thanks for asking," Lucas replied dryly. "Where are you?"
Neil let out a humorless laugh. "Oh, I'm glad you asked. Because I'm in fucking L.A., running around like a headless chicken trying to do damage control while you're off playing hide and seek!"
Lucas winced. "Look, Neil, I-"
"Save it," Neil cut him off. "Just... where can we meet? We need to talk face to face, and I mean now."
Lucas glanced around, making sure no one was paying attention to him. "Alright, alright. You know that little diner on Sunset? The one with the terrible coffee?"
"Yeah, what about it?"
"Meet me there in an hour. And Neil? Come alone."
There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Fine. One hour. And Lucas? Don't you dare stand me up."
The call ended abruptly. Lucas pocketed his phone, adjusting his disguise. He headed towards the meeting spot.
***
One hour and twenty minutes ticked by, and Neil found himself at the diner on Sunset, scanning the faces of patrons. His eyes passed over a nondescript man waving at him, then snapped back as recognition dawned.
"Jesus Christ," Neil muttered, approaching the table. "I can't get used to this cloak and dagger stuff, kid."
Lucas grinned, gesturing for Neil to sit. "It's not that good. I only had ten minutes to throw it together."
Neil shook his head, settling into the booth. "Well, it's effective enough. Now," his tone turned serious, "what the hell are you doing with Harvey?"
Lucas sighed, leaning back. "It's complicated, Neil."
"Complicated?" Neil's voice rose slightly. "Lucas, he's accusing you of orchestrating a smear campaign. This isn't just some tabloid rumor we can brush off."
A waitress approached, and they paused to order coffee. Once she left, Lucas leaned in.
"Look, I know how it looks. But Harvey's the one who's lying here. I've been helping some of his victims come forward, that's all."
Neil's eyes widened. "That's all? Lucas, do you have any idea how dangerous this is?"
Lucas's jaw set stubbornly. "Someone has to stand up to him, Neil. These women need support."
Neil ran a hand over his face. "Kid, I get it. I do. But this isn't just about doing the right thing anymore. Harvey's out for blood, and he's got the resources to make your life hell."
Lucas leaned forward, his voice low but determined. "I've got a plan, Neil. If Harvey wants to sue, we'll hit back harder. He's defaming me with these baseless accusations about my charity. We can counter-sue for that."
Neil listened, nodding slowly. "Okay, that makes sense on paper, but let's think this through. Going toe-to-toe with Harvey in court? That's gonna cost a fortune, Lucas. We're talking millions in legal fees alone."
He paused, taking a sip of his coffee before continuing. "And it's not just about money. Harvey's got connections everywhere - studios, distributors, you name it. He could make it impossible for you to work in this town."
Lucas opened his mouth to protest, but Neil held up a hand. "I'm not saying we shouldn't fight. I'm saying we need to be smart about this. A legal battle could drag on for years, and in the meantime, your career could stall out completely."
He leaned back, his expression grim. "Plus, think about the media circus. Every detail of your life will be under a microscope. Are you ready for that kind of scrutiny?"
Lucas leaned back, a small smile playing on his lips. "Neil, you're forgetting something important here. This isn't just about me versus Harvey. There are victims, real people who've been hurt by him."
Neil raised an eyebrow, skepticism clear on his face. "I thought you said they were backing out?"
"Some are," Lucas admitted. "But not all. There are still women out there who want to fight, who need support to come forward. Models, actresses... they're ready to speak up."
Neil sighed, rubbing his temples. "Lucas, I get it. I do. But you're putting a lot of faith in people you barely know. What if they change their minds when the pressure really hits?"
Lucas leaned forward, his eyes intense. "That's why they need us, Neil. They need to know they're not alone in this fight. And yeah, maybe some will back out, but if even a few stick it out, that could be enough to bring Harvey down."
Neil studied Lucas for a moment, then shook his head with a wry chuckle. "You know, sometimes I forget how stubborn you can be. Alright, let's say we go this route. How do we proceed without putting you directly in the crosshairs?"
Lucas grinned, sensing Neil's grudging agreement. "Well, that's where your expertise comes in. We need a strategy that supports these women while keeping me at arm's length legally. Think we can manage that?"
Neil took a long sip of his coffee, his mind already working on possibilities. "It won't be easy, but... yeah, I think we might be able to work something out. But Lucas," he fixed him with a serious look, "you've got to promise me you'll follow my lead on this. No more lone wolf stuff, okay?"
Lucas nodded, extending his hand across the table. "Deal."
Just as they sealed their agreement with a handshake, Neil's phone buzzed insistently. He glanced at the screen, his brow furrowing.
"Hold on, I should take this," he said, answering the call.
Lucas watched as Neil's expression shifted from surprise to intrigue. After a few minutes, Neil ended the call and turned back to Lucas, his face unreadable.
"That was someone from your father's office," Neil said cautiously.
Lucas's face immediately darkened. "What the hell does he want?"
Neil hesitated before replying, "Vince is offering to help with the Harvey situation. Says he's got resources that could be useful."
Lucas let out a derisive snort. "Yeah, right. I'm sure he's just itching to play the concerned father now that I'm in the spotlight. Tell him thanks, but no thanks. I don't need his help."
Neil nodded, knowing all too well the complicated history between Lucas and his father. "Alright, I'll let them know. Just thought you should be aware of the offer."
Lucas shook his head, a bitter smile on his face. "Typical Vince. Always shows up when he thinks he can benefit from the situation."
Neil studied Lucas for a moment. "You sure about this? I know things are rough between you two, but in a fight like this, we could use all the allies we can get."
Lucas's jaw clenched. "I'm sure. I'd rather go down fighting on my own terms than owe that man anything. Let's focus on what we can do ourselves."
Neil nodded, respecting Lucas's decision even if he didn't fully agree. "Alright, kid. It's your call."
***
Meanwhile, the internet was ablaze with the Lucas-Harvey controversy. Within hours, the story had exploded across social media platforms.
At first, Lucas's detractors seized the opportunity:
"I knew Lucas was too good to be true."
But the tide quickly turned as high-profile figures began to speak out in Lucas's defense.
Jessica Barth tweeted: "I stand with @LucasKnight. He's been nothing but supportive of Harvey's victims."
Her friend, Seth MacFarlane, followed suit: "Lucas Knight is doing what many of us should have done years ago. He has my full support in exposing Harvey's behavior."
More voices joined the chorus. Actresses and models who had remained silent for years began sharing their own stories of encounters with Harvey.
Rose McGowan tweeted: "Lucas gave me the courage to speak up. Harvey Weinstein is the real criminal here. #TimesUp"
As these allegations poured in, news channels scrambled to keep up. CNN ran a breaking news banner: "Multiple women come forward with allegations against Weinstein in support of Lucas Knight"
The narrative was shifting rapidly. What had started as an attack on Lucas's character was turning into a flood of support for him and condemnation for Harvey.
On Reddit, users were furiously discussing the latest developments:
u/Fuc-King:"Holy shit, did you see all these actresses coming out against Harvey? Lucas might have just opened the floodgates!"
u/NotInside: "This is bigger than just Lucas vs Harvey now. We're watching Hollywood history unfold in real-time."
***
While the internet was buzzing with support for Lucas and condemnation for Harvey, both men knew the real battle would be fought in the courtroom. Lucas, having shed his disguise, sat in a hotel room with Neil, discussing their next moves.
Suddenly, Lucas turned to Neil with a serious look. "I need you to set up a meeting with Bob Weinstein."
Neil nearly choked on his coffee. "What the fuck, Lucas? Bob Weinstein? As in Harvey's brother? Have you lost your damn mind?"
Lucas smiled, a glint in his eye. "I think Bob might be willing to testify against Harvey."
Neil let out a soft, incredulous laugh. "Kid, you've got to be kidding me. Bob's not gonna turn on his own brother. That's not how these Hollywood dynasties work."
"Maybe not usually," Lucas countered, "but I've got a feeling about this. Bob's always been in Harvey's shadow. Maybe he's ready to step out of it."