Chapter 32: Backfire
Meanwhile, earlier that afternoon across town, inside the executive boardroom of Pierce Studios...
Donovan Pierce was nursing a glass of scotch, a smirk resting on his face. Surrounding him were the studio’s top shareholders and vice presidents.
"Gentlemen, you can put your concerns regarding Apex Records to rest," Donovan announced, raising his glass. "I have it on good authority that their music division is about to suffer a catastrophic PR disaster. Their lead asset is compromised."
"Are you certain, Donovan?" a vice president asked cautiously. "Lawson just injected capital into the conglomerate. If Stellar renews their contracts, Apex will dominate the Q3 charts."
"They aren’t renewing anything," Donovan laughed, taking a sip of his scotch. "Trust me, the girl’s brand is about to be ruined."
Donovan felt a rush of satisfaction. Silas Grey was a professional.
By now, the photos were probably being shopped around to the tabloids...
Apex Records was going to burn, and Jude Lawson’s billion-dollar investment would go up in smoke.
"Prepare a press release," Donovan commanded, waving his hand. "When the scandal breaks, I want Pierce Studios positioned to absorb their sponsorships. It’s a two-birds-one-stone strategy."
"Sir?"
One of the executives at the end of the table spoke up, his voice trembling.
He was staring at the television mounted on the boardroom wall, which was tuned to a news network.
"What is it?" Donovan snapped.
"I... I don’t think she’s resigning, sir," the executive stammered, pointing a finger at the screen.
Donovan frowned and turned his head.
The television screen was broadcasting a live feed from the VIP atrium of Apex Records.
Standing in the center of the room, looking radiant and unharmed, were Lyla and Mia.
The headline banner scrolling across the bottom of the screen read:
BREAKING: APEX RECORDS SECURES STELLAR WITH UNPRECEDENTED $200 MILLION RENEWAL CONTRACT.
On the screen, Lyla was smiling for the cameras, holding up a signed corporate binder.
Donovan Pierce’s eyes bulged out of his head. He spit out a mouthful of scotch, the liquid spraying across the table.
"What?!" Donovan shrieked, his voice cracking.
He stared at the screen, his brain short-circuiting.
*How is she standing in that lobby?!* Donovan’s mind screamed. *Wasn’t she supposed to be locked inside Silas Grey’s warehouse?!*
***
Later that night, high above the city in the penthouse suite of the Obsidian Grand...
"You are actually terrifying when you want to be, Jude," Maya’s voice crackled through the phone line. "I just saw the financial blogs. Derrick Vanguard’s stock is already tanking in aftermarket trading."
Jude stood by the windows of his penthouse suite at the top of the Obsidian Grand, looking out over the glittering city skyline.
The banquet had been a legendary success...
When The Sirens had arrived, Derrick Vanguard had fled the hotel.
Jude sighed. "Tomorrow morning, when I officially sign the integration contracts, Apex Media and Zenith Motors will be unstoppable. Every piece of the board is moving exactly as calculated."
Maya laughed, her voice filled with admiration. "I never doubted you for a second. The way you restructure these massive conglomerates is on another level."
"I appreciate that," Jude said, feeling a wave of warmth. "Speaking of tomorrow, are you still planning to review the new Zenith expansion ledgers in person?"
"Absolutely," Maya said, her excitement palpable. "I’ll be at the penthouse first thing in the morning. I need to see exactly how you plan to merge our logistics with Apex’s new talent contracts."
"Perfect," Jude smiled. "I’ll have the blueprints ready. Have a good night, Maya."
"You too, boss," she replied, ending the call.
Jude slipped his phone into his pocket.
He had conquered the domestic entertainment market in a single afternoon, and tomorrow would solidify his empire... But for now, he needed to decompress.
He walked over to the digital intercom mounted on the wall and pressed the direct line to the hotel’s head concierge.
"Mr. Lawson," the concierge answered instantly. "How may we serve you tonight?"
"I’ve had a long day," Jude said. "Have the head chef prepare a Wagyu ribeye, seared rare, along with a bone broth. I want it sent up to the penthouse in one hour."
"Consider it done, sir. We will begin preparation immediately."
Jude severed the connection and headed toward the master bathroom. He stripped off his suit and stepped into the shower, cranking the temperature dial all the way to cold.
After ten minutes of silence under the freezing spray, Jude stepped out, drying off with a towel.
He bypassed his collection of bespoke suits, opting instead for a pair of dark tactical cargo pants and a fitted black shirt.
Feeling refreshed, Jude made his way down the floating glass staircase to the penthouse’s private screening room.
The theater was a masterpiece of modern design...
Jude sank into the center recliner, picking up the remote. He bypassed the financial news networks and flipped the channel to a live broadcast of an underground mixed martial arts championship.
The arena lights were bright on the screen. The two fighters stepping into the hexagonal cage were a study in contrast.
One was a hulking brawler. The other was a lean striker, built for speed.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
"Tonight, we witness the ultimate clash of styles for the undisputed title!"
Jude leaned back, watching intently.
The massive brawler charged forward with brute strength, throwing looping hooks.
But the leaner fighter used his agility to slip under the onslaught, delivering a kick to the back of the giant’s knee.
The crowd on the screen roared as the big man staggered, but he recovered instantly, grabbing the smaller fighter by the waist and slamming him into the canvas with a crash.
Jude winced slightly.
The brawler fought exactly like Donovan Pierce and Derrick Vanguard...
As the match dragged into the later rounds, the lean fighter weathered the storm.
He absorbed the punishment, waited for the giant to overextend, and then struck with surgical precision.
In a stunning reversal, the tactical fighter slipped his hips, wrapped his legs around the giant’s neck, and locked in a triangle choke.
The giant thrashed, using all his remaining strength to break the hold.
A few seconds later, the brawler tapped the mat in defeat.
Jude slowly clapped his hands in the theater, appreciating the victory.
Seeking a change of pace, Jude flipped the channel to a horror film.
The movie opened with a chilling orchestral score. The setting was a Victorian mansion, isolated in a rainstorm. A group of college students arrived at the estate.
Jude watched as the characters began making every illogical decision imaginable.
They willfully ignored the warning signs on the gates. They split up to explore the unlit basement.
When the power was cut, rather than grouping together to secure a perimeter, they wandered into the shadows.
The cinematic tension was supposed to be terrifying. Supernatural entities began picking the students off one by one. But Jude was profoundly annoyed.
After twenty minutes of watching a teenager slowly back into a dark closet while a monster was standing right behind her, Jude couldn’t take it anymore...
He hit the power button, plunging the theater into darkness.
Jude sighed, shaking his head. "I’ll stick to the financial markets."
Sitting in the quiet darkness of the theater, Jude’s mind pivoted away from the screen and back to the true layout of his growing empire.
He closed his eyes, visualizing the blueprints for the new Zenith Motors headquarters he planned to build in the city’s commercial district.
He pictured a towering, sleek monolith of black glass and steel that would overshadow the surrounding corporate skyline.
Jude wouldn’t rely on standard corporate guards. He would contract elite private military firms to secure the perimeter.
He saw himself expanding beyond the domestic borders. With The Sirens under his control, he had a direct pipeline into the global entertainment market.
A sharp knock echoed through the penthouse.
Jude’s eyes snapped open. The food wasn’t due for another thirty minutes, and the concierge always called before sending staff up to the private floor.
"Who is it?" Jude called out.