The car pulled up outside James Gunn's studio. The private screening for Guardians of the Galaxy was set for two in the afternoon.
Cassius climbed the stairs and heard laughter echoing down the hall before he even reached the door.
Inside, Dave was trying to shove a donut into Zoe's mouth while she dodged him. "I'm Gamora right now! Gamora doesn't eat donuts!"
"You're not even in makeup," Dave shot back.
Bradley Cooper sat on the couch with headphones on, fingers moving in the air as he rehearsed Rocket's lines. Vin Diesel wasn't there yet—Groot's voice work had already been recorded.
Gunn stepped out of the back room and lit up when he saw Cassius. "Cass! Congrats, man. Fast 6 is absolutely killing it."
Dave dropped the donut and clapped Cassius hard on the back. "Dude, you're on fire. Let me borrow some of that luck."
Zoe smiled. "Looks like we picked the right guy. Cassius is officially the box-office charm."
Bradley pulled off one earcup. "My wife saw the Fast 6 trailer and asked who the hot Asian cop was. I told her you were my coworker and she demanded an autograph."
Everyone laughed.
Cassius rubbed the back of his neck, a little embarrassed. "Just lucky timing."
"Not just luck," Gunn said seriously. "You delivered, and audiences responded. Hollywood's brutal that way—box office doesn't lie."
He checked his watch. "Everyone's here. Let's roll the film."
They filed into the screening room. The lights dimmed and the Marvel logo hit the screen.
The opening—young Peter Quill at his mother's hospital bedside—landed hard. The music, the performance, the editing all clicked perfectly. In just a few minutes, Star-Lord's core was clear: a lost kid still searching for home.
The room stayed quiet through the emotional beats.
Dave leaned over and whispered when his Drax appeared, "I was jacked as hell during those scenes."
Zoe rolled her eyes. "You still are."
Rocket and Groot's entrance got big laughs. Bradley's voice work was pitch-perfect, and Groot's limited dialogue somehow carried everything through body language and eyes.
Cassius watched closely. The film felt tighter and clearer than the version he remembered—more explanation about the orb, Ronan's motives, the Kree and Nova Corps conflict. Those were changes he'd pushed for during shooting.
Gunn had listened. The extra setup helped non-comic fans stay grounded without slowing the story down.
The prison escape scene played. Dave muttered, "Cass, that step on my shoulder still hurts when I think about it."
The Guardians' team-up energy felt alive. The humor, the clashes, the reluctant bonding all worked.
Then came Groot's sacrifice.
The room went dead silent. Even in the finished cut, the moment hit harder than Cassius expected. The way Groot's branches spread into a protective shield, the gentle delivery of "I am Groot"—it was devastating.
Zoe wiped her eyes. Dave stayed quiet. Bradley didn't say a word.
The final battle and Star-Lord's ridiculous dance sequence landed perfectly. What could have been awkward became the exact right note for this crew of misfits.
When the credits rolled, the room erupted in applause.
Gunn stood up, eyes a little red. "Well?"
Dave was the first to shout. "That's the best movie I've ever been in!"
Zoe nodded. "The pacing, the heart, the humor—it all balances. The character chemistry is even stronger than we felt on set."
Bradley took off his headphones. "Rocket's going to be iconic. I'm calling it now."
Everyone turned to Cassius.
He took a beat, then spoke honestly. "It's the most complete Marvel origin story I've seen. It tells a great story, builds characters you actually care about, and opens up a universe worth exploring. Gunn, you nailed it."
Gunn walked straight over and gripped Cassius's hand hard. "Thank you. Every note you gave during production—about pacing, character motivation, world-building—made this better. Especially Star-Lord. You gave him a soul."
He looked around the room. "This movie worked because of all of you. But Cass, you were the one who helped lift everything."
Cassius shook his head. "I just did the job."
After the screening, the studio threw a small celebration. Champagne corks popped. Dave raised his glass. "To Guardians, to Gunn, and to all of us."
Glasses clinked.
On Twitter, #Fast6Presales was still trending when a new tag started climbing: #GuardiansInternalScreening.
Word had already leaked. Fans were buzzing that the early reactions were explosive.
Cassius's phone lit up with messages. Rob's voice note came through excited: "Time magazine wants a cover story—'The New Face of Hollywood Leadership.' You in?"
Cassius thought for a second. "Yeah. But keep it grounded. No over-the-top hype."
The celebration wound down as the sun started to set. Cassius was heading out when Gunn caught him and handed over a USB drive.
"Full cut's on there. Watch it when you get a chance. If anything feels off, tell me. We can still tweak a few things."
Cassius took it. "Thanks, Director."
Gunn clapped his shoulder. "Keep going, Cass. Hollywood needs more people like you."
The next morning, Cassius boarded Universal's private jet. The Fast 6 world tour was officially underway.
Inside the cabin, Vin Diesel was already going over the itinerary on his tablet. "London, Paris, Berlin, Tokyo, Sydney, Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing… I'm gonna need three months off after this."
Paul didn't even look up from his game. "You said that last time and were back on set in eight weeks."
Michelle walked past with a drink. "Don't listen to him. He thrives on this."
Cassius settled by the window as Los Angeles shrank below them. The next stop was Tokyo.
The reception there was massive—thousands of fans packed the airport. Security had to form a wall just to get the cast through.
In Seoul the energy was even wilder. Fans camped outside the hotel all night.
By the time they reached Sydney, the numbers were huge but the vibe felt warmer.
Then came Shanghai.
The moment Cassius stepped off the plane, the sound hit him like a wall.
Thousands of fans filled the terminal and spilled outside. Red banners with gold lettering read "Welcome Home, Cassius." People held handmade signs with every role he'd played. Some were even cosplaying as Star-Lord.
The chant started immediately.
"Cassius! Cassius! Cassius!"
Vin Diesel muttered, "This is bigger than L.A."
Paul just whistled.
Cassius kept walking, signing what he could, thanking people, trying not to get swallowed by the crowd.
Inside the car, Rob turned around. "That arrival just hit the trending charts. Last time you were here for Hunger Games 2, it wasn't even close to this."
Shanghai was covered in Fast 6 posters. Bus stops, mall walls, subway entrances—Cassius's face was everywhere alongside Vin and Paul.
The premiere was at Shanghai Film Center. The red carpet stretched from the street all the way to the doors. Fans had been camped out since the night before.
When Cassius stepped out, the screaming was deafening.
He walked the carpet, posed for photos, and gave short answers to the host's questions. When asked if he planned to work in China again, he kept it simple.
"If the right project comes along, I'd love to."
Inside, the theater felt electric. Before the movie started, Cassius went on stage.
He looked out at the packed crowd and remembered sitting in a tiny L.A. screening years ago with almost no one there.
"Thank you," he said. "This movie means a lot to me. I found a real family making it. I hope you enjoy it."
When the credits rolled, the audience stayed on their feet, clapping for a long time.
Afterward, fans refused to leave. Cassius signed until his hand cramped.
On the way back to the hotel, Rob showed him the latest numbers.
Fast 6 was on track to break franchise records across multiple markets.
Cassius leaned back in the seat and watched Shanghai's lights blur past the window.
He was home.
And the fans had shown up in force.