Removing her glasses, Anna pinched the bridge of her nose a moment before sighing. "Okay, assuming we finish by tomorrow then that's two songs left before we're ready for the first listen-through?"

"That's right." John tossed down heavy notated sheet music and sank even more deeply into the sofa behind him. "I didn't think it'd be this exhausting."

"Welcome to the music industry." Anna checked her phone before sighing back herself. "Maybe we should take tomorrow off."

"Henry would have a heart attack if we did that."

"Let him." Anna closed her eyes, "If we don't take a break we'll break. Then what's he left with but two hollowed-out husks of performers?"

"Fair." John sighed before giving a snort. "Or, if we're not completely dead-eyed, we'll have a repeat of the 'Great Lisp', and no one wants that."

Anna frowned and turned toward John on her swivel chair. "What's 'the Great Lisp'? Did you have a speech impediment?"

"When I was younger I did." John shrugged, "Thanks to an impeccable speech therapist, and the indominable will of my father, I got over it. That and a stutter."

"Then what's the 'Great Lisp'?"

"When I'm tired or frustrated, they come back." John leaned back into the sofa, shifting to get comfortable. "So, when I was first starting out, I had this time I was exhausted to the point of breaking but felt I had to keep going otherwise what was the point of eating all that ramen yeah?"

"Of course."

"So there I was, almost finished with the set, and my lisp comes out in full force." John smiled a little, "All the videos from it were dubbed 'the Great Lisp' and got me some significant notoriety. Henry even wanted to use it as a gimmick for a bit but I said no."

"Is that how you got famous?"

"It was the tipping point, yeah."

"How so?"

"A few people here saw the video and were taking the mickey. Henry saw it and then searched some of my other work. Then he came and, for two weeks, parked his ass at the bar of the pub where I performed to see if I was better than the lisp." John chewed the inside of his cheek as Anna swiveled her chair using just her toe. "Funny how life works huh?"

"It does have its anecdotal moments." Anna checked her phone. "If he's not here in ten minutes I'm taking my weekend."

"To Yorkshire?"

Anna nodded, "It's quieter there."

"I figure." John leaned back in his chair. "Why go there every weekend?"

"People don't know me there so I can disappear for a bit." Anna shrugged. "Sometimes it's nice to not be me, you know?"

"I'm not famous enough to understand that but I could sympathize with it."

"Well, once we release your album you'll have to hide away in the country somewhere." Anna snorted and turned as Henry entered the room. "Oh damn."

"I'm so glad I invoke such encouraging thoughts." Henry took his seat and Anna noted the way Mary followed him but refused to meet Anna's eyes.

Taking a second to look between the two of them, Anna narrowed her eyes. "What's going on?"

Mary turned to Henry, as if waiting for him to speak. Henry winced, shuffled his papers, and then faced John and Anna. "It's not good."

"Excuse me?" John adjusted in his chair. "What's 'not good' Henry?"

"The execs, who aren't me, have been talking-"

"That's never a good sign." Anna shifted in her seat, eyeing Mary but Mary could only give a small shake of her head.

"Talking about what?" John tapped the table, to get Henry's attention to stop Henry's mindless shuffling of the papers.

"They…" Henry grimaced and adjusted in his seat. "They think the album won't do well enough on its own."

"On its own?" John frowned, "Were we supposed to pair it with a wine for all the sales?"

"Hard to do when most of them are online." Anna put her elbow on her chair to lean her head against a finger. "But that's not what they mean, is it Henry?"

"No, it's not." Henry took a breath. "They want to release John's debut as a dual album with Anna's reemergence."

"Dual release?" John and Anna almost said at once but their tones were completely different. John's struck of flabbergasted surprise while Anna's wrung with an edge of anxiety.

Anna turned to Mary, "We've not got any material for something like that."

"And what about the release date for the album we've already busted ass to finish?" John tried to argue but Henry raised his hands to silence them both.

"I hear you, I do but-"

"There's no 'buts' about this, Henry." John stabbed his finger toward the table. "We have a contract."

"They're aware of that and they're willing to compensate for the change in the contract you both signed." Henry took a breath, "And, as for the album we're already close to finishing, they've decided to delay the original release date for John's by a bit and accelerate Anna's."

"To release them both at the same time." Mary clarified but Anna only scoffed and ground her teeth. "It'll be a race but we can accelerate the timetable to compensate for the difference."

"By how much? Rocket speed?" Anna shook her head, "This is like getting hit with a truck and then having someone piss on us while calling it rain."

"I know it's not ideal but-" Henry tried to say but Anna interrupted him.

"Not ideal?" Anna scoffed, "I've barely got five songs. To write, edit, and record even those is… It'll kill us, Henry."

"And we've already started the promotions for what we've already done." John stressed from his end. "We were ready to release three of the songs to drum up attention for the album. What about that?"

"We'll push it back."

"Until when?" John lost all his steam. "This… This is buggered."

"I'm aware." Henry waited, as if hoping it might calm the two agitated individuals ready to foam at the mouth with his next comments. "But this is what they want."

"What about what we want?" Anna tried to keep her voice even but Mary held up a hand to stop Henry responding so she could.

"They don't care about that. They care about the money and they've hired some internet idiots who are convinced, through their polling, that the studio'll lose money if they try to launch with just Mr. Bates here." Mary offered a conciliatory shrug toward John. "And they're not confident with Anna's album re-debut."

"Even after they signed a contract with me?"

Mary shook her head, "It's… It's a feck-up of the greatest caliber, being honest. I'm surprised we didn't get an accidental email admitting this all to us in person… Although I think we still might get one."

"That's being a little dramatic." Henry cringed but Anna interjected.

"No, I think it's exactly right. Especially since they're fecking us like this and they've not even given us the kindness of a reach-around." She shook her head, "At this point should we consider doing this ourselves?"

"Look," Henry held up his hands and Anna noted the edge of sanity the man seemed to cling to. "They're willing to write this whole thing off as a loss right now. Or they were, until I talked them off the ledge."

"Why were they on the ledge to begin with?" John sucked in his cheeks as he twisted his chair back and forth.

Henry glanced at Mary, who nodded, and passed both John and Anna a printed page. "Apparently Greener Records has decided that they didn't like the way Anna left her contract and they have already launched a campaign to try and undermine John with their own newbie singer."

"That's infantilizing." John slid the paper away from him. "But they'll get nothing with the guy they've got."

"You know him?" Anna noted John's non-committal shrug.

"We've run in some similar circles for open-mics. He's…" John shook his head. "He's not bad but he wouldn't be strong enough on his own."

"Then it's a feint?"

"I think they're using all of this to make Talbot Tracks get cold feet so they can scoop Anna back." Mary pivoted her chair to face Henry. "Which shocks me considering it's your name on the building."

"You sell your soul a bit when you put your name on a building." Henry swallowed, "And, unfortunately, they'll not budge with the new launch dates."

"Despite the contracts we signed?" Anna clicked her teeth. "I can't imagine the news crash that'll come from them stepping out on us will look better than this shit from Greener Records that they're saying already makes them itchy."

"It's why the contracts were flexible to begin with." Henry put up a hand to stop Anna and John's inevitable arguments. "They'll not budge about the new release date and they'll not budge about dual launch for the album."

"And if we decide we're getting screwed?" John made a face. "I'd like to know what happens if I go back to busking."

"There will be legal repercussions."

"So we're buggered." John pushed back from the table and stood. He almost said something but shook his head and paced toward the corner of the room. Anna watched him, as he tucked his arms close to his body as he paced. No one spoke until he came back to the table and put his hands on his hips. "I know why they'd do this to me. I'm not stupid and I know they're taking a big risk on a no-name. I'm a nobody, without a doubt. But…"

His hand opened toward Anna and she tried to wave off his implication. "But this is Anna Smith. They're spitting on a golden opportunity to try and screw her like this because a shit studio got their knickers in a twist?"

"Maybe it's how they get off." Mary sighed, "They're screwing everyone with this, nobody or somebody. We're all alike in the treatment here."

Anna almost opened her mouth to speak but stopped herself, satisfying herself with shaking her head. Her read over the report before tossing it away like John. It took the weight of all the eyes on her before she spoke again. "What concessions are they offering now that they've buggered us?"

"They're willing to give you two weeks to prep new material. They'll review what you've done so far and then combined it with what you come up with after your… working holiday." Henry sighed, "It's all 'pedal to the mettle' until it's all finished for the release."

"Feck that." Anna stood up, her voice steady. "Feck that. Feck them. And feck this whole process that's exactly the kind of thing I left Greener Records over."

"Anna-" Mary reached out a hand but Anna dodged it.

"Nine months, to try and get my own album out was ridiculous but I agreed to it because I thought I had the support of this studio to do it." Anna pointed at John. "We agreed to a race of a schedule to get this album out because we thought we had the support of this studio. And now, because Greener Records is pulling a publicity stunt, they're going to get cold feet about us? And, to top it off, screw us in the process while telling us to be grateful?"

No one spoke. Henry and Mary could not meet her gaze. John had his head leaned into his hand. Anna snorted.

"They can take me to court and I'll wipe the floor with them if they try to force this on me. What's more," Anna pointed toward the door. "I'll have my name on this studio and each and every one of them'll be on their asses licking paint from the curb when I'm finished."

She left the room and entered the first women's restroom she found. Locking the door behind her, Anna walked to the wall and sank to the floor. After a moment someone knocked at the door. She stared at it, waiting for them to go away – almost willing it – and yet they persisted.

"Occupied." Anna called out and frowned at the voice that answered.

"I know that. Let me in to occupy it with you."

"This isn't a group party Mary."

"It's a pity party and I intend on joining it." A moment passed. "Please, Anna, I'm not having this conversation through a loo door in a corridor."

Anna sighed and forced herself to stand. Using the wall for a second, refusing to touch the floor of the loo with her hand, she crossed the distance and unlocked the door. Cracking it to peek out, Anna confirmed Mary was alone.

"What, did you think I brought back-up with me?" Mary pushed into the loo and preempted Anna locking the door by flipping the metal latch herself. "There, now we can speak like adults."

"I don't feel much like an adult." Anna considered risking hoping up onto the sink counter but thought better of it and retook her seat on the floor. "Especially not after the absolute buggering I received in that room."

"It does all reek of unprofessionalism." Mary made a face and joined Anna on the floor, a touch more ginger in her descent than Anna. "I could get to the bottom of it, if you wanted to know more."

"How's that?"

"I've got my ways." Mary nudged Anna with her elbow. "Just say the word and I'll rain holy hell on them."

"I appreciate your use of a paradox there but, at the moment, I'll let the threat dangle in such a way that I don't have to actually endure the excruciatingly painful legal battle we'd have to wage to carry out my promise." Anna gave a little smile, "But I can't say the idea of having my name on something wasn't a little bit enticing."

"Then let's put your name on something productive, like a women's shelter or something." Mary made a face, "A recording studio is… Beneath you."

"You wouldn't have said that this morning."

"This morning I didn't think we would get thoroughly fecked by a board of people pissing their pants at the thought of Greener Records coming after them." Mary gave a derisive snort. "Trust old men to be afraid of other old men."

"What are they going to do, duel with their walkers and gnaw on one another with their dentures?" Anna laughed with Mary. They allowed it to die before Anna grew somber again. "I don't think I can do it Mary."

"Gnaw on an old man with dentures?"

"No, you prat." Anna half-heartedly shoved at Mary before growing serious again. "I mean try to take on the challenge of finishing two albums in less than a year. I… I can't do it."

"I know." Mary chewed the inside of her cheek and turned to Anna. "Do you want to fight it?"

"Would you let me?"

"I'll sharpen the swords myself." Mary reached out and put her hand over Anna's. She squeezed once before releasing. "All you have to say is 'go' and I'll let slip the dogs of war."

"Thank you, Marc Anthony." Anna forced herself to stand and waited for Mary to tower over her again. "But I think we should see if we already forced any kind of conversation from what I already said."

"Or capitulation." Mary carried a hint of smugness in her smile. "I always did love a debate that allowed me to crush the opposition."

"I'll remember that you've always got a taste for blood." Anna unlocked the door and stopped when she saw John leaning on the wall opposite the loo. "Were you waiting to use it?"

"No." He pushed off the wall so quickly he stumbled slightly but righted himself. "I've got an idea."

"Do you?" Mary raised her eyebrow at him. "And what's that?"

"We combine the albums."

"It's already a dual release."

"I'm not talking about releasing the albums simultaneously." John shook his head and directed his next comments to Anna. "I'm talking about releasing them as two parts of one whole."

Anna folded her arms over her chest. "What's your pitch?"

"Okay." John opened his hands, gesticulating as if he could form his words in the air. "We'll name them 'Re-Introducing Anna Smith, Part I' and 'Introducing John Bates, Part II'."

"Not a bad set of titles." Mary shrugged and turned to Anna. "What'd you think of those?"

"The titles are good." Anna took a breath, "It doesn't solve the problem that we're short the songs we need to justify two albums worth of content."

"I might've come up with a solution to that too." John gave a little wince, "We'll theme the albums."

Anna's eyebrows rose and Mary let out a breath. "I'm not sure we're at the stage for A Night at the Opera… yet."

"Maybe not but it'll at least give us direction and a flow between the albums so we're not just plucking from thin air." John bit his lip. "And we'll argue for taking the next two, three weeks off to write and arrange."

"Three weeks might be at the limit of what you'll wrangle from old men with dentures." Anna shrugged at Mary. "It's not a bad plan."

"I'll give Henry the broad strokes and then help him twist the brittle arms of some old men." Mary appraised John a moment, "I think I underestimated your creativity Mr. Bates."

"I'll take the compliment." John waited until Mary walked away before he spoke again. "There's a hitch in the outline."

Anna blinked at him, "It sounded pretty tight to me."

"It's more about…" He stuck out a finger and moved it between the two of them. "About our situation."

"We're professionals, John." Anna spared him a small smile. "But what's got you tiptoeing over eggshells?"

"Because we'd be taking these three weeks together. And… Well, London's a shit place to try and do the work."

Anna's mouth formed a soft 'O' when she realized what he was saying. "We're taking a secret holiday together?"

"Working holiday, technically." John shrugged, "I've not got any ideas."

"I…" Anna pursed her lips before swallowing. "I've got a place but I've got three conditions about sharing it."

"What are they."

"First," She ticked off on her fingers. "You can't tell anyone where we are. If anyone asks, except Mary, we give general location answers."

"Okay." John shrugged, "Next."

"Second, whatever we do there we keep to ourselves." Anna gave a little smile at the raise of John's eyebrows. "It's not my intention for anything… salacious, but if it does then…"

"Then we keep it to ourselves." John nodded, "Done."

"Third," Anna took a breath, "Whatever you see you can't tell anyone about. Same goes for anything you learn."

John frowned, "Are we going to some kind of government black site?"

"No." Anna offered a conciliatory snort. "We're going to my parents' house in Yorkshire. I don't want any reporters to know where it is because it's a little bit of peace for me."

John nodded and his face opened as comprehension dawned. "Oh… Is that… Is that were you go on weekends?"

Anna nodded, "And if we go there then you'll be one of the few people in on a very exclusive secret that I want kept that way."

"I'll sign a contract swearing me to silence if you want."

"I think we've both seen how shit the contracts around here are." Anna sighed and then winced, "I'm sorry about that in there. The way they're treating you is… It's abominable."

"You too."

Anna shrugged, "I'm, unfortunately, used to men trying to screw me over so this is terrible but not entirely unexpected."

"It shouldn't be."

"Too bad the world's not the way it should be." Anna took a breath, "But I'm curious about your plan to align the albums."

"You mean the theme?" Anna nodded and John cleared his throat. "I figure we could do two, three covers of your best songs in your new style. We'd release those before the album to get a feel for how the audience'll like them."

"You're assuming they will."

"Of course I am." John blinked at her. "Why wouldn't they? You wrote them and they're good songs."

"Not that you're biased or anything."

John put a hand on his chest, "As a fanboy, I am unbiased."

"Okay, fanboy," Anna shook her head, "I'll agree to three covers if you give me two of the covers of my work you've done."

"That's not necessary."

"It is if we want to put forty-plus songs on two albums and we're more than nineteen short." Anna crossed her arms over her chest. "We're putting your covers on the album."

John made a face, "I'll look like I'm ripping you off."

"Some people like the covers better than the originals, I'll have you know." Anna nodded at him before cringing. "I've never covered my own songs before."

"I can help you a bit there." John conceded a smile. "Plus, there are some remixes I've been aching to try but never had the resources for so…"

Anna smiled at that. "I'm depending on you, fanboy."

"Well…" John coughed, "In addition to the covers, I figure we can look over the songs we've already done and fit them together to give a narrative."

"Are we making Folklore?"

"I'd like to think of it more like a Broadway soundtrack… Or a movie score." John made a motion with his hand. "We're connecting ideas. Like… Variations on a theme or… I dunno. Think of it more like Vivalid's Four Seasons. We're linking ideas and feelings through words but it doesn't have to be coherent."

"Implied meaning through negative space?"

"Yeah." John nodded, "Then we go through the songs they originally rejected from my album and see if we could rework any of those to compliment the narrative we decide we're telling."

"We'll have to carefully select the covers of my work we're doing then."

"Or make them the backbone of the narrative." John shrugged, "It's all in an outline form in my brain right now so I can't claim it's too coherent yet."

"We're all working to make rags to riches here." Anna sighed, "Alright, we take those, with the covers, and what we've got and we're still short… twenty songs or so?"

"I'd say about twenty-two, yeah." John cringed, "It's not great but-"

"It's a whole other album." Anna ground her teeth a moment. "But we saw that coming so I guess we shouldn't be too surprised."

"And that's before we comb through my rejects and any of the ones you've already penned out."

Anna snorted, "What makes you think I've got any songs lying around?"

"You're an artist. Specifically a singer," John opened his hand to her, "You've got something waiting in the wings."

"Maybe." Anna conceded and let out a breath. "We'll see how they fit into this grand scheme you've devised."

"It's a rough sketch but…" John clicked his teeth. "You interested?"

"I'd be an idiot to refuse the life raft you're offering." Anna put a hand through her hair before tying it up into a messy ponytail. "That doesn't solve the other half of our problem."

"Which is?"

"The screwing we're getting." Anna pursed her lips and chewed her cheek in thought a moment. "We won't back down from anything less than one-third of final sale profits."

John almost choked. "You can't be serious."

"I'm deadly serious." Anna allowed herself a smile. "And we're taking one-third from advertising, controlling the time they can force us to promote, and either cutting two inevitable concert dates or we're taking the revenues from one concert each. A hundred percent and nothing less."

"They'll never agree to that."

"Then they'll roll over in their graves and get buggered when I finance the dual-album you're suggesting myself and take all the profits." Anna only offered a smile to John's dumbfounded expression. "I wasn't kidding when I said I'd make sure to kick them to the curb."

"You're putting them through the wringer."

"Do you think they deserve less?"

John's face screwed up a moment before he shook his head. "Nah, screw them. And screw whatever bean counters try to argue."

"Good." Anna grinned, "Because I'm going to enjoy thoroughly fecking them back for the cock-up they've caused."

"I've never screwed anyone over before." John rubbed his hands together, "I've got a lot to learn."

"We'll learn it together." Anna took a breath, "But right now we need to get our rears in gear and be united in this."

"I won't break if you won't."

Anna smiled at him, "I'm platinum Mr. Bates."

"Then I've nothing to worry about."