Chapter 162

Chapter 162

When they finally took a break, Alice came out of the sound stage and nearly bounced her way over to Jun.

She was sweating a bit, but looked amped up, energized and excited.

Oh my. Jun brother of mine, you might finally understand that Alice is interested in you tonight if you arent careful.

How does it sound Simon?

Sounds smooth Carmen my boy. Ill send this copy down Ni-Cola and see what they think ya? The producer offered up pulling out a shard and throwing a heavy arm over the Rockerboy who looked excited.

Great! Let me know what they say, we can definitely make some changes, and-

Hey hey no worries kid. You let me handle that. He waved off and then the two left along with most of Alices band.

Hey Jun! What do you think huh? I mean it was kinda cheesy stuff, but our music might be all over the city next week. Alice offered with a chirp in her voice.

It was nova. I liked it. Jun agreed, and Alice beamed, even if she didnt realize that Juns bad taste in music meant he wasnt saying she did good, but that he did actually like the commercial music.

I cringed down to my toes at the idea. But Juns taste in music was well known to me.

Thanks, hey, listen, everyone is going to be going back and forth over and over. Theres a bar upstairs we can use. So why dont we go relax for a little. She gestured for us to follow and we headed out, back down the white hall.

Alice had Juns arm in her grip as she tugged him along.

For once Jun just seemed happy to go along with it, obviously picking up how happy she was at that moment.

We went up an elevator and came out in a large bar. The cozy atmosphere was actually pretty nice. Much more classy than some of the places I had been dragged into.

High end too. With the entire wall having open windows, and a stage up in a corner, although it was empty for now.

But the bar wasnt. Lots of Rockerboys hung around, some drinking, some chatting, some drugging. I ignored them all, instead splitting off from Jun and hitting the bar, sliding into a stool.

Something for you?

Just a soda is fine. I answered and I got a funny look from the bartender, a very pretty woman that was a bit obsessed with silver chrome, but I got my drink and that was good enough for me.

I noticed Alice looking at me from a booth with Jun and the rest of her crew and threw her a wink.

There. Thats all I will do to help you with Jun. Dont say I never did anything for you.

She nodded in turn and then focused on Jun smiling.

Not a regular are you? The Bartender asked, and I noticed I was the only one still at the bar itself.

Nope. Following my gonk of a brother and the Rockerboy girl thats into him, not that he noticed. Bit dense. Place is kinda cool though. Wouldnt mind using a sound stage like that sometime.

Hey. Well the prices are crazy, but you get some perks. Theres an instrument room downstairs you can use.

Instrument room? I asked suddenly, because that sounded more fun than just sitting at a bar.

Yeah, they got everything. Rental comes with the membership.

Hmm. I mumbled. I wasnt about to pay a membership, but if this place ran that sort of stuff off a computer

I got up. Thanks. I threw her a few dozen eddies and wandered back downstairs. I should be able to track down the instrument room without too much issue.

--

I walked into the instrument room. The computer beeped confirming my access. I smirked at the noise.

Finding the control room, and breaching in from inside was easy peasy. The place did have some pretty solid ICE, if I was attacking from outside the building I might have been troubled by it.

I felt the back of my neck. No overheating issues, or problems from my Neural Link.

I rolled my neck as best as I could and while it still wasnt comfortable, the actual performance had been fine.

The instrument room lights turned on, and I whistled.

That was a lot of gear. Guitars, drum sets. Common Rockerboy things were there, but that wasnt all.

Pianos, a full brass section, and some other string instruments, were all stored in the room.

I understood why they had such high security for this room. It would be an expensive heist. Luckily I didnt steal things. Only looted. So it was all safe from me.

Instead I was just perusing. Mostly just wasting time as Jun was flirted at. I popped open a case that had a trumpet, and just snorted. It wasnt a normal trumpet, but an electro trumpet.

Something that seemed utterly silly to me, but I did have the instincts on how it worked as I thought about it.

I put it away. I didnt need a trumpet that would do all the work for me. Instead I opened another case, older, much older.

It was worn, and probably needed a good polish, but it was a trumpet all right.

I moved on, checking out different instruments. Trombone, Saxophone, the list went on.

Not that I was all that interested. I didnt have a lot of songs that I had any interest in that used a brass section.

I started humming, an ear worm in my mind as I checked on the Piano, tinkering on the keys and shaking my head. Just an electric Piano pretending to be an antique.

The ear worm was digging at me. Something my brain was trying to remember, but not getting there. Right on the tip of my tongue.

The door opened, and a man I didnt recognize entered carrying a guitar. He didnt notice me, and I took two steps to the side sliding in amongst the racks, and now he never would.

Get everyone together, and the stuff! Dont leave anything behind this time asshole! He yelled out as he popped the guitar into the case and then headed out.

The brainwave connected.

Get everybody and the stuff together Okay, Three, two, one, Lets jam. I repeated softly the only lyrics from a song I remembered vividly. One that every ounce of my being wanted to recreate.

I loved that song.

Instantly I went to work. I would need a space, and luckily I was in the perfect place to get this done. I walked out of the room, and headed back into the empty control room that quickly opened at my approach. There I simply accessed the system, and checked which of the sound stages would be open.

A small adjustment and the one empty room was now reserved.

Okay, lets blow this scene. I practically giggled as I hurried back to the instrument room and started gathering what I would need. Trumpet, Trombone, Sax, Drums. That took a few trips back and forth. Chello, I had to grab an electric one, but it would do.

I entered, and Denny was now inside the booth, tapping away at the drums.

Weird. I looked at the track and realized she was playing to Tank!

I jerked and hurried inside, not really caring about the sound proofing.

Inside Denny was in the groove. Slamming the drum beats, while my rendition of Tank played through the speakers above.

What is that? Alice asked, having come up behind Jun to see what was going on, but I just ignored her.

Denny was jamming out

Fuck it.

I walked over to the Sax that was still out, and threw it on, and plugged into the system. Pausing the sax track so that when it came up.

I just played it myself.

Denny wasnt playing the exact track instead jamming out, and I did the same. Entwining the sounds with her drums. We jammed out, ignoring anything else for a few minutes until the song ended.

Not bad kid. Denny agreed and then looked over Jun and Alice with a frown.

Jun only had eyes for me, smiling proudly, but Alice was looking at Denny in awe.

Denny. She uttered in shock at seeing the woman step away from her drum set.

Random gonks that all wandered into my private space. Jeeze what kind of night is this where every street kid has the chromed out balls to just move about as they please? The woman scoffed out looking at me. How much?

Hmm? I asked as I was breaking down the sax, pulling out the mouthpiece, and the reed.

For the song kid. How much?

I stilled because that was a random and very uncomfortable question.

What?

Wait, that song? Is that something you wrote Motoko? Jun interrupted, definitely not knowing who he was in the same room as. Jun didnt like Samurai to start with.

Yeah, I uh. Snuck in here and started it, but this is Dennys private booth. Which makes sense in hindsight, being the only room without a reservation Really smart there Motoko.

Yeah yeah, explain after. How much for the rights to the song. I like it. Not really modern, but because it isnt I think thats why I want it.

I opened my mouth to give some blaze answer. How was I supposed to know how much a song could be worth? But then in my head, an image of Hiromi popped up. Black chrome gleaming as she frowned at me.

Dont make any decisions about money Motoko! You are terrible with money! Let me do it instead!

Right. Mind Hiromi was probably right

Ill have to ask my manager? I questioned, not at all convincingly.

You have a manager? Denny asked, emphasizing her disbelief.

I have a manager Probably. I answered back, only muttering the last part.

She snorted and flicked me a number. Have your manager call my firm. Mention the song name, and they wont just hang up on you. Now really Clean up and get out of my booth! Denny demanded and everyone except Jun jumped. He just looked like Christmas came early.

Right, lets go Dont want to ruin your vibe or anything. Alice spoke, trying to sound casual, but it was obvious she was a bit star struck. Come on Jun, we dont want to bother Denny! She demanded but could barely tear her eyes away from the woman to grab Juns arm to pull at him.

Jun didnt budge an inch instead looking at me.

We did the sibling communication thing, I just threw him a small smile.

Ill finish cleaning up. I offered and Denny nodded as if that was obvious.

Jun nodded and let Alice pull him out, and I got to work, packing up the instruments and moving them back. Denny didnt stick around, instead leaving back out the door.

Ten minutes later everything was put away, I wandered over to find Jun. The moment I opened the recording room Alice was on me.

What the hell was that? You know Denny?

We just met tonight. I answered, and frowned as she was tugging on my jacket.

What the fuck! Denny talked to you! Wanted to buy your song? What song!?

Tank.

What the fuck. She exhaled and shook herself. I want to hear that song again. Pop it in. She demanded pointing at the recording booth.

I didnt move.

I kinda, sorta, maybe a little liked Alice. She was doing the musician thing, and while she was bitchy she had the charisma it came off more amusing than anything.

But I didnt just play music on command, and certainly not when ordered.

Motoko? Jun interrupted as the moment between Alice and I stretched and she realized I wasnt going to do what she wanted.

Jun?

Can we hear your new song? I only heard a bit there.

I scoffed at Juns obvious attempt to settle things, but I also couldnt just deny Jun like that.

I pulled a shard out of my neck and stuck it into the recording booth system, and set it to play. The speakers in the booth came alive. Instantly with the sound of horns, and then a thrumming chello.

Alice jerked at the instant noise and then settled in to listen. Looking to me at the vocals, but then just listening foot tapping at the beat.

Thats certainly different. She said finally as the song ended, but Jun just threw an arm over my shoulder in a side hug.

Awesome job Motoko.

Its nothing. I mumbled, a little embarrassed that everyone had heard it. I hadnt wanted anyone to hear it! I shook it off. Im going to head home Jun.

Hmm. I guess it is getting late. Lets go home. He agreed, and I could see Alice twitch at his words, but he then did something that surprised me. He turned to Alice and threw her a smile. Thanks Alice, this was interesting.

Ah Yeah sure! Anytime! She agreed, and Jun and I headed out.

What a weird night.