"Everythin' okay?"

V's voice reached him as if it was coming from far away. Kerry shook his head and took eyes off the moving city landscape behind the car window.

"Huh?"

"You good, Kerry?" asked V out of a sudden. "You seem a little… distracted. Suspiciously quiet. Thought you're a motor mouth."

"So you should be happy 'bout that moment of precious silence, then."

"And yet I am not," said V with hesitation. Barely audible, but Kerry was a musician after all and could hear the slight change in tone. "I, uh… I'm starting to get worried."

Kerry raised an eyebrow.

"Worried? 'Bout what?"

"Dunno." V shrugged. "Don't you want to drop the case?"

"Me?" asked Kerry, astonished. "How didya get that idea? We're in this shit together. An' Kerry Eurodyne isn't makin' idle threats."

The truth was, Kerry was thinking about all those people he met that day. He couldn't remember the last time he got so much warm reception from strangers. River with his politeness and immediate trust. Mama Welles, her delicious breakfast and invitation to visit again, anytime Kerry wanted. Now, Judy who was probably the most mature fan he'd ever met and who promised to help selflessly. That she actually asked if she could get a hug.

And, of course, there was V without whom that all wouldn't have been possible. All those people were his friends, after all. Apparently, thought Kerry bitterly, all the money in the world can't make people like you automatically. He didn't tell that loud, but with each hour he felt more and more grateful to V. Hadn't been for that guy, Kerry would be probably finishing the second or third bottle of booze and drunkenly cursing his staff, the media, warm vodka, current weather, uncomfortable briefs and, finally, himself.

But thanks to V, he didn't have to. Instead, he was sitting in the car, with a strange feeling in his gut. As if something was shaking up, burning deep inside. It felt like there was an extinguished, old torch inside of him and somebody lit it without any warning.

He had to admit it felt odd and also a bit unnatural, but… damn good, too.

"O-okay," said V, sounding a bit surprised, but he smiled lightly. "Cool. I hope we'll get on the right track after grillin' Hayward."

"Think he knows anythin'?"

"Family members are either the most willin' to help or the first to tell you to fuck off. But River said Hayward was quite desperate, so I guess we're left with the first option."

"Wouldn't that be nice…," murmured Kerry. He didn't even think about the possibility that Hayward might not be helpful. "Hope the girl's hangin' in there somehow."

"Yeah, me too," muttered V gloomily. "Can't even imagine how she's feelin' now."

Kerry stayed silent for a short moment. Some faded memories suddenly reached the surface of his mind.

"I… I can, actually," he let out finally.

V glanced quickly at Kerry, clearly confused, but his eyes got back on the road immediately.

"Y'know, DMS tried to make me sign a contract with them in 2019," started Kerry, before V even managed to form the question, "but I refused. Those fuckers tried to threaten me at first…"

"Let me guess, you didn't get rattled?" asked V with a little smirk.

"Shit, 'course not," snapped Kerry. "I'm not a damn pussy! They knew it too, so DMS sent five thugs to snatch me. Shitheads got me when I left the afterparty to have a slash outside… Got a smack to the head and boom, the next thing I knew, I woke up in a stinky trunk."

"I bet you managed to escape thanks to your preem skills," joked V.

"Not quite. Was too scared to even move, actually," admitted Kerry bluntly. He hated that slight shakiness which echoed in his voice. "I thought… I knew they wouldn't kill me, they were after the eddies I could earn for 'em. But you know how it is, such morons can kill people by accident. And then I realised… I didn't fear death itself. The thought of pain, however… fuckin' terrified me. Maybe I am a pussy after all, like Johnny told me once," he added and let out a short, fake laugh.

They both were silent for a moment.

"You're not. We all get afraid, Ker," said V finally, in a quiet voice. "Me too. It's a human thing to do. If you never get scared, then that's what should truly terrify you."

Me too? What could that guy be afraid of? For a second, Kerry considered asking V about that, but decided it might be too private a question. V said himself he had secrets, after all.

"Think so?" asked Kerry bitterly.

"Yep. I actually think you're brave. You stepped in this kidnapping muck up to your knees, just 'cause you have faith in me? Fuck, even my balls are not that steel." V laughed. "How did you escape eventually?"

"Morgan Blackhand came for me. Beat the shit out of all five of 'em so fast, I honestly didn't have any idea what happened."

V blinked.

"No way… You're pullin' my leg! The legendary solo saved you?"

"The very same." Kerry nodded. "Still have no idea who hired him, but I suspect Johnny. They were all buddy-buddy."

"Sorry to disappoint." V touched his temple. "Your friend's just eagerly denied being that caring. Says you're his friend indeed, but he never asked Blackhand to save you. He apparently had no idea you were captured."

"Shit," snorted Kerry. "How typical of Silverhand. Don't blame him, though, the afterparty was really wild. But gotta admit… started using the bog since then. Huh?" He winced upon seeing the most hated turns all the way up the hills. "We're goin' to North Oak?"

V nodded.

"You're practically neighbours with Hayward. Didn't know that?"

"Nope. Ain't interested in who lives next door."

It quickly turned out that V was right, their destination was literally a stone's throw away. They passed Kerry's own villa, drove through the tunnel and stopped in front of the first mansion after they left the passage. It was huge and visibly expensive, but – which Kerry noticed with some idiotic and unexplained satisfaction – still smaller than his house.

"Hayward knows we're gonna grill him?" asked Kerry, when they left the car.

"He does. Sent him a message."

"Shit, V." Kerry sighed. "Now that fucker's prepared."

"Relax, Ker. I'm a pro, forgot that already?" V smirked. "And pros got their secrets. Let me do my job."

When they entered the property, the first thing that jumped out at Kerry was a big, well-maintained garden. In fact, garden was actually not the most accurate word – upon the second inspection, he thought it looked more like a park with all those small alleys, trees, shrubbery and a kitschy fountain with a fat cupid. As they ventured into the park a bit further, a very old-fashioned wooden gazebo grew up before them, emerging from the greenery as unexpectedly as Kerry's ex-wife who demands money for nonexistent necessities. The gazebo was surrounded by a pond and a small, artificial waterfall which was the source of the pleasant sound of flowing water.

"Fuck me, someone's here got green fingers. Watch out for elves or some other fantasy shit hidin' in the bushes."

"Hm. Not sure 'bout elves, but we've definitely got some nosy fairies here," said V and nodded towards the closest tree. "See those cameras?"

Kerry frowned and looked carefully at the trunk, then at the crown.

"Can't see shit. Never got scannin' optics installed."

"Well, there are plenty of these in this garden," explained V. "Found motion detectors and microphones too. Apparently, Hayward is a very cautious man."

"Yeah, maybe. Or he simply wants to keep all the scums away from his house. Just like that. Have this problem too, actually, with fans, so I got the security bots."

V snorted.

"Your bots? Don't make me laugh, Ker. Took me five minutes to break in. Your security system is a joke, compared to this fortress. Not that I couldn't hack it," he added on second thought, "but there's no need to. We're here on an official visit."

Kerry's first instinct was to talk back – after all, he chose the security system by himself and here V dared to criticise it – but he instantly felt as if all the air had been squeezed out of his lungs. He suddenly realised that if the system was any better and took V one more minute, one more fucking minute to disarm… Kerry felt shivers down the spine. That memory of bathroom filled with steam was still too vivid.

"There he is." V's voice got Kerry out of thoughts. "Put on the hood and the sunglasses."

Angelo Hayward was waiting for them near the front door. Kerry had seen the producer before a few times at events, but they never introduced themselves. He remembered Hayward as a sharp-dressed, very handsome man in his early forties and that memory turned out to be still accurate. Kerry knew that this could be deceiving, though. They both were rich bastards, so Hayward might as well turn ninety next week. Up close, Kerry noticed a few wrinkles on his face, but that could have been left on purpose, as influential men often decided to keep that more mature look to appear more professional. That could be true in this case, as there were also a couple of grey strands in his dark brown beard and hair.

It had also come to Kerry's attention that Hayward seemed really exhausted. The bags under his eyes and pale face were a clear sign that he hadn't been sleeping well recently. Well, no wonder, thought Kerry. On the way here, V mentioned the dossier stressed a few times that Diane and Angelo Hayward were a happy couple. They met twelve years ago on the BD set, were married for eleven and there had never been any scandal involving those two. Apparently, Hayward had never even dared to cheat on his wife, so it was either a great business arrangement or simply true love. Kerry suddenly felt sorry for that guy. Losing someone you love must be a terrible feeling.

At least, that's what he sang in a few songs. They sold well, so he probably imagined it right.

"Mr. Hayward," said V, as they came closer. He reached out his hand to greet the man. "Thank you for taking the time to meet with us."

"My pleasure," answered Hayward, but the tone of his voice said otherwise. "V, I suppose? And that other gentleman is…?"

"He's… Jerry. My apprentice."

Jerry. How fuckin' original.

For a few long seconds, Hayward stared at Kerry with a wry smile. His bright blue, piercing eyes instantly reminded Kerry of Mama Welles. What a sad déjà vu. Too many people today decided to torture him with insolent stare. Out of the corner of his eye Kerry noticed V moving nervously and just when the thought of having been recognized appeared in his mind, Hayward finally shook his hand with a firm grip.

"Nice to meet you, sir," said Hayward politely. "Let's get inside. I'm not going to entertain my guests in the doorway."

The inside of the Haywards' home looked surprisingly ordinary. After seeing their old-fashioned garden, Kerry expected the interior being a relic of a bygone era too, but the main room was actually reminiscent of his own house. Equally modern, equally expensive and equally lifeless. Disgusting.

"Do you fancy a drink?" asked Hayward, as he came closer to a giant table in the middle of the room. He didn't wait for an answer and poured whiskey to three identical glasses. "Please, be my guests. It's a good vintage."

Kerry looked longingly at the glasses. He could have a drink or two, but since V didn't make any move, he decided it would be wise to keep a low profile.

"With pleasure, but it's an official visit," pointed out V and sat on one of the velvet chairs next to the table. "We want to ask you some questions."

The mix of emotion that appeared on Hayward's face after V's words was difficult to name. He looked angry, scared and sad at the same time and for a second Kerry was sure they would get kicked out of the house.

"I know. About Diane," said Hayward with hoarse voice and emptied his glass in one gulp.

Kerry noticed how Hayward's hands were trembling, as the producer was trying to tighten them around the glass.

"Yeah. When was the last time you saw her?"

"Ten, maybe twelve days ago," answered Hayward quietly. "I called River Ward on Saturday, when I got the chip."

He reached for the bottle to pour some more whiskey and took the chair across the table, in front of V. Angelo Hayward was still the same well-dressed and handsome BD producer they met just a few minutes ago, but at that moment he looked rather pitiful. The impression of a confident man who was standing tall before his mansion had disappeared suddenly and even the expensive suit that Kerry thought was perfectly fitted, now seemed to hang on his hunched body.

"You've been waitin' more than a week?" V asked surprised. "Didn't you wonder where your wife was?"

"I'm her husband, not a father," snapped Hayward harshly. "Diane is an adult woman. If she needed to leave home for a few days, I've never stopped her. It happened from time to time, so I wasn't worried at the beginning."

"You knew where Diane was those times? Did she tell you?"

"Yes, she would always let me know. That was our deal, to keep in touch. Once she went to Japan for a week because she wanted to have real sushi. The other time she was in one of our studios for five days in a row. I thought this case would be the same."

V hesitated for a fraction of second before he asked the next question.

"Was she recordin' porn for those five days?"

"Probably, yes." Hayward's voice was ice cold. "And before you ask, I'm okay with that. I would never think of limiting her freedom by forbidding her anything."

The fuck was wrong with this guy, thought Kerry. He was listening to the interrogation, staying aside and not saying a single word, because he didn't want to disrupt V's plan. That was, if V really had any… But Hayward's words confused Kerry, they contradicted what V told about that marriage. A happy couple that doesn't give a flying fuck about the other person? You can do whatever you want and I'm not even interested?

Kerry tried to recollect his own ex-wife. Louise and he have been divorced for many years and even though now he realised that marriage was doomed to fail from the very beginning, he would never agree if she had an idea to star in porn braindances. Just… no. They had their problems, like cheating on each other, yet it still was different.

There was no way that was the secret of being a happy couple. No fucking way.

V seemed equally confused, but didn't make any comment on that last remark.

"Okay, Mr. Hayward. But I need to know if your wife had any enemies. Did she mention anythin'?"

"As far as I know, she doesn't. Diane is the sweetest person you could ever meet, I can't even imagine her having enemies. She was a lone wolf, if I can say that," said Hayward and became gloomy again. That guy's mood was fluctuating faster than eurodollar exchange rate.

"How 'bout your enemies, then?" blurted out Kerry, without a second thought.

Uh-oh.

Hayward slowly turned his head in Kerry's direction. Shit. Kerry knew he was supposed to stay silent because of his big mouth but, well, seemed to fail that simple task. The producer's cold look was disturbingly intimidating, but Kerry managed to not avert his eyes.

"There are people in this city who are not quite pleased with my success," said Hayward finally, after a few long moments. "But believe me, good sir, they wouldn't dare to lay a finger on my wife."

The way in which Hayward said the last sentence convinced Kerry that the producer was one hundred percent right. He believed that instantly and without any proof.

"Then I'll ask you straight." V neatly took the initiative again. "Do you suspect anyone who could kidnap her? And why?"

Hayward pondered for a moment.

"I'd like to help you, but I have absolutely zero idea." He shrugged. "I thought someone wants my money, but all I got was that BD… With her scared to death, god knows where…" Hayward's lips started trembling. "And no clear message what do they even want from us. I can't understand. Is this some kind of a lame joke?"

"We don't know either," admitted V. "We've consulted a braindance editor and we're pretty sure it's someone who knows their stuff. You must've noticed the static at some points…"

"Not quite," interrupted Hayward and frowned. "I was focused on something else."

Even if V got thrown off a bit, he kept his face perfectly still.

"Those moments have been cut out and there's probably no way to edit the BD," he continued casually. "So we don't know yet who recorded this."

"Oh." Hayward's eyes widened. "It was locked?"

"Wai… What? You heard 'bout that?" Now it was V who seemed genuinely surprised. "Our editor said 'twas a new thing…"

Hayward stared at V with pity.

"Even though my job is mostly about fronting the cash, I know a thing or two about braindances. We were discussing at the label any business potential of this feature."

"And what did you conclude?"

"That," said Hayward dryly, "is a trade secret, Mr. V. But let me assure you, it's irrelevant. Boring business stuff. All I ask you to do is find Diane." Hayward's voice became determined. "I know I'm not much of a help, but if you need money for your investigation, I can provide you with any amount. Just… Bring her back to me, safe and sound," he started and bit his lip. "I miss her so much it hurts. I can't imagine her being tortured by a random cyberpsycho."

Kerry noticed shiny teardrops that appeared in the corners of Hayward's eyes. His behaviour was a bit odd, indeed, yet the despair felt honest. The testimony didn't sound like a lie either. Maybe Hayward was a sly motherfucker but the man who was sitting in front of them seemed truly devastated after losing his dearest wife and the thought that she's in danger made it even worse.

Will they even be able to solve this?

"One last question, Mr. Hayward," said V and stood up. "What was the last place Diane visited that you know 'bout?"