And it looks like this story updated. It also looks like I took less than three weeks this time. So yay for that. Anyway, the subject of today's chapter is Mike so I hope you all like reading about him. That's about all I've gotta say for this chapter. So, you can go ahead and read the rest now.
On another morning, Chef walked towards his usual interview room while on the phone with someone.
"I really can't believe I'm almost done with these interviews." Chef remarked. "I don't even know why ya made me do this in the first place."
"Trust me Chef, I was against the idea too." Chris replied from over the phone. "But, the network executives want what they want and we have to listen."
"So are all of these guys gonna be comin' back on the show?" Chef asked.
"No, not all of them. Some of them, definitely. But most of these interviews are jus precautions." Chris explained. "Now are you just here to talk business or what?"
"Nah, I don't really have any other questions." Chef admitted.
"Well, I'll let you go then." Chris remarked. "Y'know, we should really go out to lunch sometime."
"Listen, not the best time to talk about this." Chef said. "I got a job to do."
"Right, talk to you later." Chris replied.
Chris hung up on the other end.
"It's all gonna be over soon." Chef told himself. "I should be happy, but somehow, I just ain't."
Chef went over to the room he usually held interviews in and opened up the door. Inside, Mike was waiting for Chef at the usual table.
"Oh, hey Chef." Mike said. "What's up?"
"Ya seem weirdly cheery 'bout this." Chef noticed as he took a seat.
"I'm not worried 'cause I know you'll let me back on the show." Mike explained. "I don't even know why you're having me interviewed."
"It's prob'ly 'cause of that evil alternate personality of yours." Chef pointed out.
"Oh come on, I got rid of Mal." Mike replied.
"I know, but accordin' to the producers, pressin' a button inside your head ain't scientific." Chef said.
"But it's what happened." Mike pointed out. "Honest."
"I ain't doubtin' you, but the producers are." Chef replied. "Look, I just gotta find proof that the evil guy that lives in your brain ain't there anymore."
"Sure, I can do that." Mike said. "Sounds easy."
"Great, than lemme get some questions outta the way." Chef told him. "For starters, tell me 'bout what life's been like at home. You and yer girlfriend shared the money from All-Stars, right?"
"Yep, sure did. Haven't done anything crazy with it though." Mike replied. "My parents bought us a nicer house though and I've been thinking of using it to pay for college."
Mike took notice of the fact that Chef gradually stared more and more off into space as he talk.
"Hey, are you all right?" Mike asked.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I just kinda stopped payin' attention." Chef admitted. "I'm gonna be honest, everything you're sayin' sounds so normal that don't feel like writin' it down."
"Oh... Uh, thank you?" Mike replied, not quite sure how to take the remark.
"Sorry, I'll ask you some more questions now." Chef told him. "Uh... Are you totally sure that Mal ain't in yer head. Anything weird happenin' at home?"
"Really, there's nothing out of the ordinary with me." Mike claimed. "My life's been uneventful."
"Look, the producers want me to talk to you for a certain amount of minimum time and have a certain amount of notes." Chef said. "Just gimme somethin' to work with."
"Uh... Yeah, I've got nothing." Mike admitted. "I seriously can't think of anything that would indicate that Mal's still there."
"Well, maybe ya can't think of anything 'cause he was in control." Chef suggested.
"You think that?" Mike asked.
"Look, I'm just stretchin' to find something to write down." Chef admitted.
"Oh, uh, all right." Mike replied.
"Y'know, I usually go on a walk with my contestants. How 'bout the two of us step outside. Maybe then you'll find somethin' interesting to say." Chef suggested.
"Yeah, that could work." Mike said. "It's kinda stuffy in here anyway."
"Okay, let's head on out then." Chef told him.
Moments later, Chef and Mike had exited the building and were wandering with no particular destination in mind. They walked in silence for a few minutes before Mike decided to speak up.
"So Chef, where are we going?" Mike asked.
"I dunno, I was leavin' that up to you." Chef told him.
"Really? 'Cause I've been following you this whole time." Mike said.
"Ah dammit, okay. Let's stop and try to come up with a place to go." Chef said.
The two of them stopped in the middle of the side walk and stepped to the side.
"Okay Mike, just tell me some stuff you like and we'll try to find something." Chef told him.
"Hmm... Are there any bowling alleys nearby?" Mike asked.
"Really? Ya like bowling?" Chef asked.
"So is that a no?" Mike replied.
"No, no, I'll take ya there. Just wasn't expectin' it is all." Chef said.
About twenty minutes later, Chef found himself lacing up his bowling shoes and picking out a ball.
"So, I don't really bowl much. How do ya play?" Chef asked.
"It's pretty easy." Mike replied. "Just throw your ball at the pins."
"Okay, let's do this. And maybe you'll actually tell me somethin' I can work with." Chef said.
"Yeah, sure, I'll try." Mike said as he finished tying his bowling shoes. "Let me just take this first shot."
Mike backed up and ran towards his lane with a surprising amount of gratefulness to him. He rolled the ball down the lane and knocked down all the pins.
"Woo! Strike!" Mike cheered.
He walked on back to Chef and sat down next to him.
"How'd you run like that?" Chef asked.
"What do you mean?" Mike said.
"That was just kinda, weirdly athletic is all." Chef explained.
"Oh, yeah, after All-Stars I've kinda kept the abilities of my other personalities." Mike explained. "What you just saw was what I got from Svetlana."
"That was the Russian gymnast lady, right?" Chef asked.
"Yep." Mike replied.
"Hmm... Interesting. I'll be sure to write that down." Chef said.
"Are you ready to bowl?" Mike asked.
"Hold on, I just got one more question before I do that." Chef told him.
"Okay, go ahead and ask." Mike said.
"If you kept parts of your other personalities... Does that mean there's still Mal in you?" Chef asked.
"No, I don't think I kept the parts of all my personalities." Mike replied. "I haven't been wanting to take vacations to Jersey and I haven't been having any back problems either."
"Hmm... If you say so." Chef said. "I'm still a little skeptical though."
"Look, can you bowl?" Mike asked.
"Fine, but you're gonna come with me." Chef said. "C'mon, this way."
Chef walked over to the lane and Mike followed him. He took aim and looked over at Mike.
"So Mike, how're things with you and Zoey?" Chef asked.
"Doing fine." Mike said. "We don't live in the same town but we keep in contact. And sometimes we visit each other."
"Jeez, you are painfully normal sometimes." Chef remarked.
Chef threw the ball and knocked down about six pins.
"Oh, uh, sorry." Mike said.
"No, no, it's my fault." Chef replied, now turning to look at Mike. "I've just been talkin' to so many weirdos that talkin' to you don't seem right."
"Okay, I guess that kinda makes sense." Mike said.
Chef walked over to the ball return spot and grabbed his bowling ball out of it.
"Do you have any more questions?" Mike asked.
"Lemme think..." Chef replied. "Nothin' yet. Let me just take this next shot and we'll see."
Chef rolled his ball down the lane but it went right into the gutter.
"Ah, dammit. Gutterball." Chef remarked. "C'mon, let's go sit down and talk for a bit."
"What about my turn?" Mike asked.
"We'll do that after the talkin'." Chef said. "Now let's sit."
The two of them went back over to some chairs and sat down together.
"So what questions do you have now?" Mike asked.
"Hmmm... Still got nothin'." Chef admitted. "Hold on... Oh, hang on. You got a therapist, right? What do they think about the whole 'Pressin' a button inside your head' thing?"
"Oh, I still see my therapist actually." Mike remarked. "She's still not entirely convinced my personalities are gone."
"Uh huh. You realize yer not helpin' yourself get back on the show, right?" Chef pointed out.
"Hold on, I'm not done yet." Mike replied.
"Okay, okay, fine. Keep on goin'." Chef said.
"Anyway, my therpist isn't too sure about the whole button in my brain thing." Mike repeated himself. "But, it's been a while now and she hasn't noticed anything."
"All right, that's fair." Chef remarked. "In that case, I really don't see a reason not to let you back. But just a warnin', if that Mal guy comes back, the execs say we gotta ban you from the show."
"Don't worry, I'm absolutely sure he's gone. Besides, if he did come back, it would probably be for the best if I got kicked off the show." Mike said.
"Nice to see you understand." Chef replied.
"Yeah, I mean, if I turn into some kind of evil mastermind again I don't see why you wouldn't keep me away from the show." Mike remarked. "But trust me, that isn't gonna happen."
"All right, all right, I believe you." Chef said. "You can come back on the show."
"Wow, really?" Mike asked.
"Yep." Chef remarked. "I really think ya might be the most normal person I've talked to on this show."
"Oh, uh, thanks." Mike said. "But do you wanna finish bowling before you leave."
"Ah, why not." Chef replied. "I ain't got anything else goin' on right now."
"Awesome." Mike said. "Well, looks like I'm up now."
"Good luck." Chef told him.
About an hour later, Chef was walking out of the bowling alley by himself.
"Unbelievable, how's that guy so good at bowling..." Chef muttered to himself. "Well, 'least I tried. Okay, so if the producers weird timin' works out like it always does I should be gettin' a call right about-"
Chef's phone began to ring.
"How do they do it?" Chef wondered.
Chef answered the phone.
"Chef here, who's this?" Chef asked.
"Ah, Chef, glad to hear you." The voice of Di Giovanni said. "So, how'd the interview gone."
"Just as I thought it would. Nothin' wrong wtih Mike." Chef told him.
"Great, great, just what we like to hear." Di Giovanni remarked. "Listen, Chef, I got some great news for you."
"Oh yeah, what's that?" Chef asked.
"You've only got one last person to interview." Di Giovanni explained.
"And who's that?" Chef continued to ask.
"Ah, c'mon buddy, that'd ruin the surprise." Di Giovanni remarked.
"Tell me." Chef said more forcefully.
"Okay, okay, fine. God, you're such a spoilsport." Di Giovanni said. "It's Courtney. Have fun talking to her."
"Oh, right, I think one of you guys mentionefd her a while ago." Chef recalled.
"Sure did." Di Giovanni remarked. "Anyway, I'll be seeing you later. Peace out."
Di Giovanni hung up on the other line.
"Just one more left." Chef repeated to himself. "If they ever do this again, they'd better hire a professional."
And that's the chapter. It was surprisingly difficult for me to write. Don't get me wrong, I like Mike. But it's hard for there to be conflict in the chapter when Mike's such a nice guy. Hopefully though, I did a good job on the chapter. Anyway, the next chapter, featuring Courtney, isn't going to tbe the last chapter. It'll be the last interview, but not the last chapter. I still have an epilogue planned. I'm aiming to have Courtney's chapter up before the end of the year. That's mostly a joke, but I have slacked off before. Anyway, that's all I've got here. Thanks for reading.