The Princess and the Rockstar
Part 2
Better the Devil You Know, Than the Devil You Don't
By Nick Maro
Opening the door as quiet as she could, Ba Nee crawled into the bed carefully and wrapped her arms around Kimber. She felt Kimber hug her closely in return. The young Vietnamese girl smiled to herself. She liked it when Kimber allowed her to sleep in the same bed. Ba Nee lay with her head on Kimber's shoulder.
Idly stroking Ba Nee's hair, Kimber cleared her throat and spoke softly. "What is it this time? Did one of the other girls play a joke on you again?" Kimber knew that the other Starlight Girls enjoyed playing pranks on the youngest of the girls. Especially Ba Nee, since she was the most skittish and spoke very little English.
"Other sisters make Ba Nee see terror movie. Now Ba Nee see movie man in room." She looked up at Kimber in the dark. "Big sister let Ba Nee stay for night?" She pleaded with Kimber with her dark eyes and pouting lips.
Kimber sighed and pulled her closer. "Of course you can stay. In the morning I'll have a talk with the others. Neither you nor they should be watching those kinds of movies. Now just go to sleep because I'll protect you from all bogeymen." She kissed Ba Nee's forehead smiled. Kimber still couldn't believe that this young girl had found a way to make it to America by herself from North Vietnam.
Jerrica was in the process of officially adopting her while immigration made sure that Ba Nee had no relatives living in her home country. Ba Nee had quickly bonded with Kimber and Aja. Together they were teaching her English.
"I love you, big sister." Ba Nee kissed Kimber on the cheek and cuddled with her.
"I love you too, squirt." Kimber drifted to sleep cuddling with the young girl in her arms. Ba Nee fell asleep quickly as well. Feeling secure in the arms of the woman she saw as a sister.
Sitting inside the darkened windowless room, Video yawned and rubbed her eyes. She watched the array of monitors before her. Each monitor displayed a different room inside Stingers Sound, including the president of Stingers Sound Kevin Ross. Video and Clash secretly installed the camera after the semi-public firing of Kevin from Gabor Industries. Video felt that he had more secrets than he had let on.
Holding back another yawn, she sipped her coffee to stay awake. She glanced at the monitor in Kevin Ross' office as five women walked in. She looked at the time. It was nearly four in the morning and Kevin was still there. It wasn't uncommon to see him in his office at that hour. She had to admit he was a good business man and knew how to run a business.
Kevin stood and shook each of the hands of the five women. Video turned and shook Clash awake. Clash looked around somewhat dazed. She gave Video a bewildered look. Video turned Clash's face to the monitor. "Who are those women? If you ask me they look like a band."
Clash took a long look at the women on the screen. "Yeah they look like a band. As for which band, I don't know. There's hundreds in the L.A. area." She turned on the sound for the monitor. "Maybe that will help. At least we'll know why they're there."
Video and Clash listened in silence while the women and Kevin made small talk. Clash began pouring herself a cup of coffee when she heard the reason why the women were there. She immediately dropped the cup when the woman known as Frenzy told Kevin the secret she had. Clash ran over to the video recorder and smiled. "I can't believe what I just heard. Best of all, we have it on tape."
"So what? What are we gonna do with it? Sell it to the highest bidder?"
"That's what I'm thinking. Do you know how much one of those scandal shows will pay for this? We could quit this job and retire. Hell, we cou—" Clash stopped talking when she heard Kevin's plan. "Goddammit! That rich bastard will ruin this whole thing." She began pacing. "Don't give me that I told you so look, Viv."
Video chuckled softly. "I say we bring it to Phyllis Gabor. It does concern her in a way kinda. Besides, remember what she said? If anything happens to us here, she'll make sure we still have a job." Video stopped the tape and ejected it. She quickly made a back up copy as a safety measure. She put both tapes in her bag. Clash and Video left the security room together and headed back to the apartment they shared.
The faint sound of a hammer sounded through the front door as Pizzazz walked up to it. She opened the door to her home. The hammering was louder now. She saw various tools and a panel of dry wall leaned against the wall. She slowly walked into the living room. To her left were Roxy and Jetta pulling a damaged panel of what was a wall down. Roxy's right arm was in a sling. David was nailing brace together for the wall.
"What the hell is going on here?" Pizzazz yelled above the noise. "What the hell did you do to my house?!" She pointed to where Roxy and Jetta were working. "Who the hell am I going to have to kill after it's explained?"
The three friends each looked at one another. They tried to stop from grinning but failed. "Uh, I can explain Phyllis," Roxy started slowly. "You see, Jetta and I were goofing around. You know, putting wrestling holds on each other around the living room. Well, David was watching from the doorway when Mary walked into the path of me being flung. David grabbed her out of the way. But I was momentarily distracted and couldn't stop my momentum before going through the wall. I smacked my shoulder on the support beam while going through. I'll be okay."
Pizzazz looked at her three friends and shook her head. "Where's Mary now?"
"I took her home when Roxy and Sheila went to the hardware store. She was complaining of a headache and didn't feel good. She didn't look good when she showed up. I think it might be a flu bug. Vanessa had a twenty-four hour virus last weekend." David shrugged. "I figure we can have the wall fixed tonight."
"Yeah, Rox says she spent some time with her uncle's construction company while in high school." Jetta nudged Roxy playfully. "Ain't that right, Colony?"
Roxy shoved Jetta back twice as hard. "Stop calling me that, Limey. And yes I did. Granted I didn't work on the site and do any actual construction. I was too young. I was a secretary of sorts." She saw the nervous glances that David, Jetta and Pizzazz were giving each other. "Hey! Do any of you know how to read blueprints or were shown how to put up a support beam? No? Then shut up." Roxy left the room and went to the kitchen.
"No, but at least I know how to convert to the metric system and back." Jetta mumbled softly.
"All right enough. Just get it fixed." Pizzazz looked at the wallpaper tear. "I was thinking of redecorating this room anyway. So don't worry about fixing the wallpaper." Her cell phone began ringing as she headed up the stairs to her room. A few minutes later she came rushing down the stairs. "David, I'm heading back to the office. Something's come up. I want you guys to fix this by tonight."
Jetta and David started laughing after Pizzazz had shut the door behind her. Roxy came in with a glass of water and smirked. "I don't think the boss is happy." They each laughed and began working on the wall, hoping to fix it by their self imposed deadline.
Walking back into her office, Pizzazz gave her secretary a sideways grin. She walked up to the desk and let out a soft chuckle. "No I didn't forget anything, Jean. I got a call from these two cousins, Vivian and Constance Montgomery. They asked me to meet them here. Have they showed up yet?"
Jean gave Pizzazz a puzzled look before she snapped her fingers. "There is a Video and Clash waiting in your office now. The one with the purple hair seemed too anxious. Mustn't be good for her stomach."
"That's them. Clash is always that nervous and paranoid." Pizzazz settled her hand on the handle to her office. "Thanks for letting them in, Jean." Her receptionist gave a smile and nod as Pizzazz disappeared into her office. Pizzazz motioned for Video and Clash to stay where they were. "There's no need to stand when I enter the room. Not like I'm royalty or a politician." She sat in her office chair and set her feet on the desk. "So, what's so important that you couldn't tell me on the phone?"
Video glanced at Clash and gave a slight nod. Clash pulled a video tape out of her pocket and set it on Pizzazz's desk. "Video and I recorded this morning. Some band called Banshee's Wail had a meeting with Kevin Ross at Stingers Sound. The lead singer told Kevin something that could damage your sister and the Holograms' reputation." She looked at Video quickly before continuing. "She said that Jerrica Benton and Jem was the same person. Is this true?"
Pizzazz picked up the tape and looked at it. It bore no labels on it. She then looked at both Video and Clash and took her feet off the desk and stood. She tapped the tape on her thigh as she paced in thought. "It's not up to me to tell you if it's true or not. I'm going to call Jerrica and have her watch the tape and hear what you told me. After what you did for me with Gabor Industries I trust you both fully. I just want you to know that and that's what I'm going to tell Jerrica."
"That's fair." Video shifted in her seat and ran a hand through her hair. "It's not like we're asking for a reward. I'd be lying if I said we didn't consider selling this tape to the highest bidder. But we chose to tell you first. After all, Jerrica is your sister and if we did that we'd be hurting you both. The only thing we do ask for is that you honor our previous agreement about if we get fired."
"Of course I will." Pizzazz began to dial Jerrica's cell number. "And thank you for being honest." She smiled at Video when Jerrica answered. "Hey Jerrica, I need you to come to my office here at Misfits Music. There are two people I want you to meet and see a tape they made. Yes, it's extremely important. Okay I'll see you in five then." Pizzazz hung up the phone and called her secretary on the intercom. "Jean, could you bring in some drinks and let Jerrica in when she arrives. Thanks."
While they waited, Pizzazz, Clash and Video made small talk while Video set up the VCR and TV so they could watch the tape. Jerrica arrived ten minutes later and Pizzazz made the proper introductions. Jerrica sat on the couch next to Video while Pizzazz double checked the connections. Once satisfied, Pizzazz closed the blinds and sat in her office chair. She started the tape and the group watched in silence.
When the tape ended, Jerrica dropped her empty cup in shock. She looked from Pizzazz to Video and Clash. "Phyllis, tell me honestly that you or the Misfits didn't tell my secret. And just how the hell could this Frenzy woman have learned my secret?"
Pizzazz could only shrug. "I don't know, Jer. But it looks like you're going to have to go public about your double life sooner than expected." She saw Jerrica nervously look at Video and Clash. "Don't worry about them. I trust them to keep this secret. They are after all my informants who helped me get rid of Kevin Ross from Gabor Industries. And I have a feeling they'll be working very closely with me shortly." She gave a wink to the cousins.
"All right, if you trust them this much, then I do too." Jerrica gave a crooked smile to Video. "Do me a favor and keep a close eye on Kevin Ross now that he has this information. I have a feeling he'll try to hurt me and Phyllis with this information. Just let either one of us know if he mentions what he's going to do. Okay?" She looked at Clash with the same pleading look.
"Consider it done, Jerrica. And thank you for trusting us." Video returned Jerrica's grin. "I promise we won't let you down." She nudged Clash. "Come on; let's get back to Stingers Sound. I want to check the tapes." She turned to Pizzazz. "You can keep that tape. We have a back up at our apartment." The two cousins said good bye and left the sisters alone.
"So what do you plan on doing, Phyllis?"
Pizzazz sighed in thought. "I'm not sure. But we'll think of something. I just want to know how the hell this Frenzy woman found out and who the hell she is." She looked at her clock and felt her stomach rumble. "Let's go grab something to eat. I'm buying." Pizzazz pressed a finger along Jerrica's lips when she started to protest. Jerrica finally nodded and the sisters left Pizzazz's office.
Forcing her way into Kevin Ross' office, Frenzy pushed his assistant down. She pointed a finger into Kevin's face. Her eyes radiated pure fury. "We had a deal, Ross! We agreed that it would be I and Banshee's Wail who revealed that Jem is Jerrica Benton," she turned her finger to the three blondes in the office, "not this band of Eurotrash! We had a deal and you screwed us!"
Kevin straightened his tie. "Let me put it in clear and simple terms. We had a deal, yes. The deal was honored. You have a recording contract and I have information I can use against Phyllis Gabor. As for who got to tell the secret, well that was never agreed upon. I chose the Stingers because they are a known band and you, my dear, simply aren't."
Frenzy chewed the inside of her cheek before letting out an angry sigh. She knew Kevin was right. It burned in her gut that he was. "Fine. Have it your way. But you better shove Banshee's Wail's music down every radio station's throat for our media blitz." She turned when Kevin nodded his agreement.
After leaving Kevin's office, Frenzy made her way down the stair well. She heard one of the Stingers following her. "Hey psycho!" Rapture yelled behind her. "You ever talk to us like that again and I'll personally put a curse on you."
"Funny, I thought you were a walking curse."
"What was that? Hey, stop right there." Rapture grabbed Frenzy by the hair. The wig Frenzy wore came off after a brief struggle. Rapture's jaw fell slack when she caught sight of Frenzy's true identity. "You're – You're –"
Rapture's stuttering fit was cut off by Frenzy slamming her against the wall and pressing her forearm against Rapture's throat. Frenzy leaned in close to her face and spoke in a low, deadly whisper. "You don't know who I am. I am nothing like the Princess. I don't look like the Princess. So think before you tell anyone what you saw here. If I hear the faintest rumor about it, I'll bury you myself." She grabbed the wig from Rapture and put it back on.
Rapture rubbed her throat while she watched Frenzy leave down the stairs. Her stomach rumbled as she felt herself begin to get sick. She ran up the stairs and into the women's restroom. There she began to vomit from fright.
Walking into the living room, Roxy saw that all the members of both the Holograms and the Misfits. As well as David, Video, Techrat and Clash were all present for the meeting that Pizzazz had called. Rio walked out of the kitchen and sat next to Jerrica. Roxy stood behind the chair that David was sitting in and waited for Pizzazz to begin.
"I just learned from Video and Clash that Kevin Ross plans on revealing that Jem is Jerrica on the Harriet Horne Show tonight. Obviously this is an attempt of hurting I and the ones I love and care about." Pizzazz took a sip of ice water. "Now Jerrica, Video, Clash, Techrat and I have come up with a plan. We decided that since Jerrica is going on the Lin-Z show tomorrow to reveal herself that it would be best that the Misfits do this. Last thing we need is something like this to overshadow her announcement."
"So what is exactly the plan, Phyllis?" Stormer blew a lock of hair of her face.
Pizzazz and Techrat smiled as Video and Clash took turns explaining the details of their plan. No one saw in the bushes the form of the Rockstar as she watched the Princess listen to the plan. She figured she could warn Kevin and the Stingers but decided against it. She wanted to see them get what they deserved after they ruined her chance at striking at the Princess and her friends.
The Harriet Horne Show aired live every weeknight. Harriet was finishing her segment with actor Sean Harrison. The Stingers were slated next for the musical number of the show. Harriet talked with the Stingers as they set up and waited for their cue. They avoided the wet floor markers on the stage. Earlier that day a water pipe burst and it hadn't dried in time for the show.
Harriet's stage producer gave her the signal that they were on the air. Harriet stood next to Riot of the Stingers and smiled for the camera. "Tonight we have a special musical treat for you. We have here performing live the winners of the Battle of the Bands contest, the Stingers!" She turned to Riot and grinned again. "Tell me, Riot, what do you have for us tonight?"
Riot took the microphone and flashed his most charming smile for Harriet and the crowd. A few of the women screamed in delight. Riot spoke in his deep voice. "Tonight Harriet we're going to playing two of our favorite songs; Destiny and Mindgames. They're both on our upcoming album entitled simply Stingers. I hope you enjoy them. Afterwards, I have a major announcement."
"My, this is exciting! Let's hear it for the Stingers!" Harriet backed off the stage and sat at her desk off camera.
The lights went down and the studio was cast into pitch black. After a few moments the lights went back on, Riot began to sing when the Misfits rushed the stage from the back and unplugged the Stingers' equipment. Jetta sat behind a preassembled drum set. Pizzazz ran up and knocked Riot down. She grabbed the microphone from him.
"I'm sorry, Riot dear. But I think these people want to actually rock!" The audience let out a scream of approval. Pizzazz looked out at them disappointed and began to pace the length of the stage. "I don't think everyone understood. Let me reclarify myself." Pizzazz then shouted into her microphone. "Who wants to rock and raise some hell?" The crowd erupted in cheers. Harriet was signaling for security. Pizzazz grabbed her guitar that was on her back. "That's more like it. Ladies, let's rock this mother fucker down."
The quartet of women began playing the heavy metal song Born to Raise Hell by Motorhead. Some members of the crowd rushed up to block security and the Stingers for stopping the Misfits. Pizzazz smiled and began singing.
Pizzazz finished up the song and looked over at David. He was dressed as a security guard. David motioned that they still had time left and for her to fill the gap. She nodded and turned back to the audience. "Well, that was a blast! How about one more song, huh?" The crowd went wilder. "Here's another Motorhead classic called The Game. Listen up, Stingers. This one is for you guys."
Jetta clacked her drumsticks together and began the song. Pizzazz smirked wickedly at Riot and the two blonde women. Roxy and Stormer joined in on their guitars with a rhythmic guitar rift. Pizzazz walked closer to Riot and started singing. Half way through the opening of the song Pizzazz let out a maniacal cackle.
David gestured that the time was up and the show was off the air by the time she finished the song. He pushed past a few guards and made it out a stage door. Pizzazz nodded to the Misfits that it was time to leave. The lights in the studio went out again. After a couple of moments they came back on. The Misfits had vanished.
Confused, the crowd, the Stingers, Harriet and the guards look around. Harriet grabbed her stage manager by the lapel. "I want the Misfits banned from this show. I want them smacked with a lawsuit and most of all I want whoever let them in fired and sued. You hear me?" The manager nodded. "Then get moving!" She shoved him as he ran down the hall.
Watching the tape of their performance on the show, the Misfits laughed wildly. Eric sat watching the tape in shock. "Now, how did you do this? I thought for sure they would've killed the cameras."
Stopping her laughing, Pizzazz turned to him. "It was easy. Techrat made each of us some quickly produced hologram projectors. They were very limited and could only turn us invisible. Earlier in the day Roxy broke a water pipe near the stage. She made sure it was close enough to airtime so that we could set up a cheap drum set for Jetta. We put a projector on it. Jetta removed it when we left.
"Now, as for why the cameras didn't cut off. That was thanks to Clash, Video and Techrat controlling the cameras remotely. The studio had complete control of the cameras until we rushed the stage. That's when they took over. Since it was only about six minutes tops that we had the cameras under remote control. There was no way they could trace it." Pizzazz smiled proudly at her friends' work.
Eric rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. "I swear you ladies are going to put me in an early grave or in prison." The Misfits stopped laughing and looked at each other. Slowly they each started chuckling to themselves. Eventually Eric joined in.
It was the day after the Misfits take over of the Harriet Horne show. The Misfits stayed out late celebrating their victory with Eric and the rest of their friends. An unmarked police car pulled up to Stormer's home. Shana climbed out of the car and a Hispanic female officer with pink hair followed her. Shana turned to her. "Carmen, let me handle this, okay? I've known Mary a long time."
"Not a problem, Shan."
Shana knocked on the door softly. After a few minutes, Vanessa Phillips opened the door. She hugged Shana quickly and tightly. "Look at you! Oh Shan you're an officer already?"
"No Nessie, not yet. I'm still a recruit. They're letting my partner and I just go on routine, non-violent calls." Shana shifted uncomfortably. "That's why I'm here. Is Mary home? If so, can I speak to her?"
"She's upstairs asleep." Vanessa covered her mouth and gasped. "Is this something to do with the Harriet Horne Show?"
Shana couldn't resist smirking and laughing. "Hell no. Personally I think justice was done there." She let her tone go more serious. "Nessie, I need to talk to her, okay?"
Vanessa nodded and went upstairs. Two minutes later Vanessa and a sleepy Stormer came down the stairs. Stormer blinked the sleep from her eyes and tried to smile but yawned instead. "Hey Shan, what's going on? I was having a great dream about last night."
"Mary, my partner Carmen and I are here to bring you down to the station for some questioning. It's about the fire that burned down the original Starlight House." Shana tried not to look at Vanessa or Stormer's face as she told them the reason. She felt that they'd best hear it from a person that they knew rather than a stranger.
Stormer quickly changed into her clothes and followed her long time friend out the door. She was in a daze of confusion and shock. Vanessa stood in the doorway to entrance of her home, forcing back tears.
TO BE CONCLUDED IN "SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL"
PART 3 OF THE PRINCESS AND THE ROCKSTAR