If we're lucky tomorrow you can see them live! He said. I dont really care! The girl replied. But, if I have to act as your secretary, why dont you start telling me the names of these dummies.
He smiled at her with an intuitive look and explained the details of their meeting.
The next morning Fade was extremely tired; Jag had made her visit the city almost all night long, and had never stopped talking about 'his band'. She followed him reluctantly, while he, on the other hand, walked with a quick and triumphant pace to the entrance of the Momuhts studio.
The group manager invited them to sit at the round table in satin glass of the meeting room to wait for the band to arrive.
After an endless wait, the four members came in through the door. The kid was so entranced he remained gazing at them with his mouth agape and a blithe smile, which made her doubt that he was even breathing.
They entered in sequence: Nef, the bass player Fade mentally recalled, Ted, the guitarist, Joanna called 'Sushi', the singer and Jess, the bean-pole drummer closed the group.
The first came in triumphantly, showing off the boisterous ornaments on his neck, his thumbs sunk into the pockets of tight jeans tucked in inlaid cowboy boots. The second followed him with a curved posture, his hair was so flat over his face that he seemed to have been licked by a cow; he wore torn jeans and a T-shirt. The girl was wearing thigh high boots, a short skirt, and a shaded t-shirt in glittering colours; she followed them with her gaze stuck to her smartphone, quickly writing texts. The last of the group, a young man with a deep gaze, followed them with the expression of someone who at that moment would have preferred being on another planet; all of his stature was clothed in branded high fashion garments. The four sat at the table followed by their manager who immediately began the conversation: Well, I guess you already know the names of the members, so Ill leave the presentations to you.
Im Jag and this is Fade! The boy began, recovering. Sushis quick fingers stopped for a moment in hearing those names, then they rapidly started again. I'm going to finance all of your future projects: albums, concerts, music videos, everything! I have unlimited funds, so dont be afraid to dare.
After a considerate look at their manager, the bass player, Nef, replied: And what do you want in return?
I want to be part of the band! the boy replied in such a firm tone that he no longer sounded like so. All the glances were now on him.
And what instrument can you play? asked the very tall Jess.
It's not in my interest to play, I just want to see you at work, witness the creation of new pieces, follow the rehearsals, stay here, in short.
A moment of endless silence followed those words.
Well, Nef concluded. The band will evaluate your offer, and well let you know. Said that, all the members got up and left the room.
Before closing the door behind him, Nef turned towards the two of them and said Jag, right? Come with me, I have to discuss some things with you. We'll leave your secretary here to bargain with the manager.
At those words Fade jumped, but she had been prepared for that possibility, she knew what to do. The boy immediately stood up and ran to his idol like a trained puppy. The door closed behind them.
The girl brought her attention to the manager who waited silently; she stood up on her skates and reached her handing her a large file of papers that Jag had told her to deliver without commenting. The woman took them and began to examine them closely.
Meanwhile Jag followed Nef through the long hallways of the studios, speeding up from time to time so as not to be left behind. The other three members had vanished.
After going down a flight of steps they came to a small white door. The musician took a hold of the ornaments of his chain, he singled out a key from them, with which he opened the lock and entered.
Jag found himself in a sort of privé with soft lights, purple walls, and a large, white corner sofa with a coffee table in the same colour.
The musician walked behind a large counter: What will you have? Wine, liquor, a cocktail?
I dont drink things like that the child sat with his hands resting on his knees. Of course, you're just a brat he said, pouring himself a whiskey.
Dont underestimate me was the answer as the ice dropped into the glass.
The man sat on the opposite side of the couch, stirring his whiskey in a circular motion. So you really are who I think you are?
Yes, I saw your ad on the internet and I came here in person to bring you what you asked for.
And that girl would be...? The man investigated, trying to reveal as little as possible.
She's the virgin you seek for your sect's 'party'.
He choked on a sip of whiskey; that kid didnt beat around the bush, so he decided to go straight to the point. The ritual will take place within a month and I cant afford to make mistakes. You were the only one who understood my encrypted message, and I still dont know how you did it and how you reached me, but when you said the two code names in front of everyone I had to verify that it hadnt been just a coincidence.
No coincidence, the child insisted. As to how I traced you, I have a widespread network of information, I can reach anyone.
The man drank the whiskey in a gulp spitting an ice cube into the glass. Well, then, he concluded. You can stay.
Your offer is really tempting, the manager summarized as she lifted her eyes from the sheets. We'll draw up a contract right away.
Fade nodded, though totally unaware of what all those columns of numbers on the sheets meant. Shortly afterwards, Jag reached her triumphantly, Fade! We can go visit the studios! Lets go! She barely had the time to pick up her coat that she was literally dragged away by the euphoric boy.
The two followed Nef, who proudly walked through the corridors of the studios, while explaining that he had them built on purpose. In the most intense periods especially when they had to record a new album he required all of the band members to be present 24 hours a day; therefore, he had set up rooms where everyone could sleep: returning to their own homes was almost forbidden, if not for entirely exceptional reasons. At that time, they were just recording their new album.
The man gave them a quick tour of the rehearsal room, the recording and mixing rooms, the little private cinema, the game room and the kitchen, and then the coffee room and bar-winery corner. They then climbed to the next floor using the elevator and crossed a long hallway on which many doors opened: the first had been smeared with spray cans, the second decorated with a lucky charm 'neko' cat hanging on it, the third was full of scratches, like the walls of a mental institution, and the last, carved in low-relief, depicted a great Mesopotamian demon. On all the doors hung on a 'Do not disturb' tag.
This is my room... Said Nef pulling out a magnetic card from the back pocket of his jeans and passing it into a scanner at the side of the door which opened with a dull noise.
The room stood out in front of the startled eyes of the two guests, one excited for a dream come true, the other because of what she saw inside. The place had a disturbing atmosphere; it was cloudy, with a curtain of smoke that hardly allowed to see the objects in the shade. When he turned the light on, everything became more distinct: between cactus plants, ethnic statues, plane models, full and empty bottles and cans left all over the place, hanging pendants, plasma lamps and a bear skin on the wall, the attention was drawn to overturned crosses, demoniac prints, tarots cards, tapestries with mythological figures, and on the unmade bed a bass and an ashtray full of cigarette butts. Above all there was an unbearable stench.