"Sorry, can you do it for this price?"

So the agency called this morning after not being able to confirm my gig yesterday. They want to book me for a week and cannot even confirm if I have to work through the holidays. I am not getting the writer I brought in the last time. She is working with someone else. They lowered my rates and is chauffeuring a more expensive writer from a neighboring country. Paying for his daily rates, flights and hotel. He isn't going to make it here till next week because his family is visiting. But we have to present ideas next week. Hmmm, should I take up the gig or not? It does mean that we have to work remotely till next week and how much work can he do with family visiting? So he is going to be paid with my ideas? Hmmm...