Chapter 5

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“Is this live?” Zac said, droplets of water falling onto the back of his shirt from his hair making it damp. “Yes, it is.” Andreas looked over as Zac made his way into the gold-furnished living room, glancing at the French news channel again; The headlines were a blaring blue as they moved across the screen. “La superstar Zac Hale a rencontré une bombe à son arrivée”

“So much for a quiet arrival”

Your arrival wasn't gonna be quiet either way.” Andreas jested, throwing Zac a beige towel.

Zac hummed as he sat on the large yellow couch that hurt his eyes if he looked at it for too long. He dried his hair while watching the large tv, before pressing the towel over his eyes. Zac's chest ached slightly when he sighed, and he could hear the hoarseness in Andreas' breathing.

“Did you get to sleep?”

“No. But I'm not tired.” Andreas’ voice was shakily hoarse with the quick statement.

“I didn’t get much sleep either,” Zac replied softly.

Without looking away from the TV Zac sipped a half-empty bottle of coke. He pulled a face and licked his teeth to wipe the bitter taste of the lukewarm coke from his mouth.

“I got calls all night.”

“Well, I had to call people all night.” Zac laughed out half-heartedly, hanging his head over the couch.

“You sure you don’t want to sleep?”

“Mmno, I have one call to make.”

“I'm going to oversee the equipment inspection at three.”

“Isn’t that too risky sir?” “I was advised to not let us leave the hotel”

“It’s fine” Zac grumbled, turning sideways so he could lie down. Andreas chuckled quietly at the squeak of the yellow fabric.

“I don’t think that's a good decision, Zac. You should sleep.”

Zac hummed before looking at Andreas slyly. “Are you saying that so you can rest?”

Andreas snorted. “Please allow me some leeway, sir.”

Zac laughed, finally getting up after repositioning himself several times.

“I have a meeting with Jace and Sam. Tell me when the house has been screened”

“Of course sir.”

Zac’s feet ached as he walked through the suite, a cool breeze blowing through the large window balcony to his right. He made his way to a long intricately carved table, a computer sitting at its edge.

The cold passed through the suite, lifting Zac’s grey shirt lightly as he sat and started a call.

“Hey!”

“Good morning Jace.”

“How’d your screening go?”

“Good, and Andreas and I already had our medical check. No big problems.”

“Injuries?”

“Jace we had this conversation 2 hours ago.”

“Changes could happen!” Jace laughed out. “Hey I’m joining you soon, we can’t have both the singer and the producer get blown up. Company would not like that.” He scratched his neck nervously, his long eyelashes catching the camera well, complementing his dark brown eyes.

“No one got blown up Jace.” Zac rolled his eyes and winced at the pain that followed.

“How’s your bodyguard?”

“He’s alright, everything’s kind of shaky for us but we’ll be fine…When are you coming over again?”

“That's great kid, stay out of trouble for a bit. I’ll be coming on the 27th.” Jace replied glancing at the clock behind him.

Zac hummed, “Is Sam going to be joining us?”

“Any minute now.”

Jace leaned closer, “Really though. Take a lot of rest kid, you need it.”

“I will.”

Another camera joined the call.

“Zac!” a loud voice broke through the conversation.

“Jeez, lady you trying to get him to hear you from over here?”

“If it works it works my loves,” Sam remarked, her hands ran through her hair pulling it into a tight bun.

The breeze bit at Zac's neck sending a shiver down his spine.

“How’s Paris going guys?”

“Not there yet Sam,” Jace piped, taking a swig of a mug that was placed on the table next to him.

“I knew that.” She muttered.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Alright, let's talk serious.”

“Right…Zac we talked, everything still okay?” Sam questioned in a soft voice.

“I’m good Sam, thanks,” Zac replied, smiling softly.

“Alright then, straight to business.”

“Now, first things first,” Zac could hear the shuffling of paper from Sam's call, “The tour is going to be held off 2 weeks longer than our original date, and the entire venue and stage will be thoroughly checked. Nothing is gonna be left to chance.

An audible sigh could be heard from Sam.

“Well, what do you think about the timing Jace?

Jace seemed to be deep in thought, and even though the camera didn't do justice to his features, Zac noticed the furrow in his brow.

“It is our best option…” replied Jace slowly. “We need to push back our entire schedule.”

“I’m on that already, and I’ll be hearing from the apartment screening soon.”

“Hey, I thought I was the first to hear from the apartment inspection,” Zac interjected, resting his head on his upright arm.

“Manager gets all the first news, and after I know you know.” Sam winked before continuing. “Since the dates are pushed…” An audible groan escaped her lips, “The reformed dates have to be announced, and the stages have to be bought out again.

A creek could be heard as she flipped through some papers. Her hands moved to brush nonexistent hair from her face as she faced the camera.

“Right right…and Zac we have to go through a ton of tech checks,” Jace added.

“Alright.” Zac rubbed his temples as he thought. “So when can I start working?”

“Not for a while, and at least not until Jace gets there. And Jace,” Sam narrowed her eyes, “No tourism, no pictures and no buying.”

“I know what not to do Sam, I’m not five,” Jace sneered

“28 is close enough.”

“Excuse me?” Jace exclaimed, cocking his head to the side making his light brown hair fall.

Zac chuckled at the squabble, turning around in his chair to look at a clock behind him, instantly regretting the action as a sharp pain seeped around his neck.

“I do not have time to deal with you when you’re like this.”

“Please, do whatever you wish with your precious time.” Jace snapped back

Sam hummed before speaking to Zac.

“Alright, you should get as much rest as you can. Did you get any sleep?”

“Nope, been at the police or the hospital.”

She sucked her teeth, “As I thought. Please get some rest Zac, you need it.”

“Agreed, get your sleep pattern back in check.”

“I will” Zac smiled.

“Right, we have a lot of work guys, keep it up. I’ll be sending you some reports and files on the stage.”

Sam breathed in, “Stay safe guys, I mean it.”

“We will.” Jace and Zac replied simultaneously.

“Good, we’ll end here then. Bye!”

Numerous goodbyes followed before Zac cut the call and closed his computer, his smile dropping.

The chair creaked as he stood, making his way towards a large room, fully furnished with a multitude of lamps.

“So, what do you think?”

“I think,” the voice said sharply, “you are much too gracious to those humans”

“It wasn’t a long call.”

“I was not referring to them,” a smooth female voice answered. “You should have got to him.”

“There were people around me, I couldn't risk it.”

“He knew you.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Zac snapped, before breathing in deeply, pacing back and forth in the room. “Madité, I can find him. And if he’s not the guy from that university we’re here for, then there's more of them than we thought.”

“ I don't like the idea of them knowing you're here. You've only arrived.” Madité’s voice echoed in the room.”

“ I know,” He huffed, “I have time, and I don’t have to work for a while. I can look around.”

“You’re hurt.”

Zac chuckled, “You didn’t care I was hurt when you told me to go after him at the airport.”

“I do care.” “she muttered, “Not that much though.”

Zac clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes, and although he couldn’t see her, he could hear the smile in her words.

“Alright I’m going”

Zac turned around and headed for the closed door, struggling to make his way through the small over-furnished room.

“Watch yourself,” Madité spoke, her voice fading.

“I’m sure you’d do that for me.”

His shoes squeaked as he walked through the surprisingly contrasting empty hallway.

“Hey, Andreas!” Zac hollered, turning the corner that faced his bedroom.

“I’m going to sleep for a while, rest if you can.”

“Alright!” He heard Andreas shout back, followed by a harsh cough.

Great.

He opened his door to a large grey room, two massive abstract portraits at either side of the bed. Zac walked towards the black king-sized bed, before turning around to face the decorated balcony window.

Perfect.