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“WEB-DL,” Henry murmured. “That means someone ripped it from a streaming service. Which means somewhere, someone cared enough to preserve this.”

Roman grinned. “Spectacularly. But this time? It’ll be preserved in 1080p.” A black screen with white text: This episode of Party Down does not exist. But the WEB-DL does. And somewhere, someone is seeding it. Are we having fun yet?

The next morning, Henry’s phone rang. Unknown number.

“I left it in that dumpster on purpose. It was a test. I’m launching a new platform: CaterCore — streaming for hospitality workers. I need hosts. You, Roman, the unhinged older woman with the confetti. Come pitch me at 2 p.m. Don’t be late. And Henry?”

Roman’s eye twitched. “The one where I had to wear a motion-capture suit and explain string theory to a man dressed as Sub-Zero?”

There, in the background of a craft services shot, stood Ron Donald—wearing a Party Down polo, smiling maniacally while arranging shrimp cocktail into a pyramid.

“I prefer ‘strategically separated from the production ecosystem.’”