‘It’s a compilation of Carpe Diem’s best songs.’
She stared at him for a few seconds, again unable to break the connection between their eyes.
‘Thank you. Some of my clients may indeed find it useful.’ She said as she copied the data. His idatron looked like a piece of junk next to her new gadget.
‘Well, actually, I thought you may want to listen to what you are selling.’
It took all her willpower to suppress her impatience and disgust.
‘Of course,’ she finally uttered. ‘Although it’s much more important that my clients like the music. And for that, the highest possible sound quality is a must. I’ll have my PA adjust your files accordingly.’
Walking out of his office, she could feel Collins’ stare on her back.
He was viewing Amaranthine’s spec when Angela appeared in the door.
‘May I come in?’ she asked.
‘Sure. What’s up?’
Angela sat in front of him, with a determined and worried look on her face.
‘Nothing,’ she said. ‘How are you?’
‘Me?’ he asked. ‘I’m ok, why?’
‘Daniel,’ she said with a sigh, tilting her head. ‘You don’t have to put on a good face for my benefit.’
‘It’s going to be fine, Ange.’
‘You sure of that?’
‘Of course.’
‘Daniel,’ she didn’t give up. ‘Do we really need her? I’m confident we can do it by ourselves.’
‘No, Ange,’ he said seriously. ‘I know we’ve done a lot of good projects together, but this is just a little over our heads. We owe it to the guys to promote them the way they deserve it. It’s their break and we mustn’t jeopardize it.’
‘I think you underestimate yourself,’ Angela said skeptically. ‘But if that’s your gut feeling… You know you can rely on us all.’
‘I know, Ange, and I appreciate it,’ he smiled.
Angela glanced at the screen. ‘When since are the band playing concerts at Christmas and New Year?’ she asked, surprised.
‘They aren’t,’ Daniel said. ‘This is the spec Amaranthine put together. She’s clearly unaware that the Christmas break is in Carpe Diem’s contract with us. I’ll ask her to adjust it.’
‘Ok, I’ll leave you to it, then,’ she said, getting up. ‘Don’t let that arrogant bitch get to you.’
‘I won’t,’ he smiled.
When she left, Daniel went back to Amaranthine’s spec. Ange was a darling, but she wasn’t right this time. He knew his own worth in the PR business, and he knew the capabilities of his team. He’d done several projects that involved Immortals, and he had some contacts in the Immortal world. But Carpe Diem were becoming huge, and to do them justice, he needed Amaranthine’s help. She had already proven him right – the list of potential advertisers and media she put together, the graphics she used to create the spec, the faults she’d picked up on in his original route, the questions she asked about details he would never have thought of – it all confirmed that he was right getting her involved. If she could do this in three days, there was no doubt she’d deliver extraordinary results in the next few months. And that was exactly what the band needed.
As to her initial attitude, he wasn’t too concerned, despite the haughtiness she demonstrated this morning. She was a piece of work, but he suspected the situation in her office must have been tense after The Universe fiasco, and expected her not to be on cloud nine at the prospect of working with him. After all, she was one of the most accomplished PR specialists in the world, and his agency, though it had a very good reputation in the industry, was no match for Elixir Vitae Communications. And that was on top of the fact that himself, his team and their clients were Mortals, whom he knew many Immortals considered degrading to work with. He was sure, though, that once she got involved in it, she’d enjoy the project and their working relationship would get much smoother. She clearly recognized the potential of Carpe Diem, which was the first important step. The rest would come in time, he was sure of it.
Daniel dialed Amaranthine’s office number and asked for her PA.
‘Perenelle Stevens, how may I help you, Mr. Collins?’ he heard in the receiver.
‘Miss Stevens, hello. I’m the MD of Collins Communications, we just began working with your agency on Carpe Diem’s tour.’
‘I’ve been briefed about your project,’ her tone was only a few degrees warmer than Amaranthine’s, but still oscillating around the freezing point. ‘What can I do for you?’
‘Would you mind sending me the info regarding the make and model of Miss Quinn’s idatron and details of the software she uses? I want to make sure our equipment is compatible so we can exchange files without any problems.’
‘Of course. Is there anything else?’
‘No, thanks, that’s …’ the line went dead before he could finish his sentence.
‘And nice talking to you, too,’ he sneered. ‘Aren’t you all lovely up there.’
He dialed Frankie’s number.
‘Any plans for lunch, buddy? No? Good. I need your help with some shopping. It’s time we invested in some latest gadgets.’
Amaranthine sent Eiko a mental signal and the temperature of her bath went up by a couple of degrees. Feeling the softening effect of the hot water and aromatic bubbles on her skin, she closed her eyes and tried to let the ambiance of the bathroom, created by candles, gentle music and pleasant scent, take care of her stress. She tried to let go of all the thoughts and emotions that roiled within her all day. She tried very hard.
But to no avail.
Every time she shut her eyes, images from her morning encounter with the Mortals and their world, flooded her mind. She saw the run-down buildings closing down on her as her hovercar reached the ground level, as if they wanted to squash her. She could smell the underground parking lot and its claustrophobic, unpleasant darkness. She could see the screaming face of the baby in the elevator, lustrous with tears, and the cheeky smirk of her brother as he pressed all the floor buttons, giving Amari nausea. She saw the old man, with his grotesquely slow moves and his face, creased and wrinkled, with sunken, droopy cheeks, skin completely drained from collagen. She saw all the Morals that passed her on the way to Collins’ office, each displaying various stages of ageing on their faces, necks, hands and in their postures. The whole thing was like a surreal vision that she was dragged through, over and over again.
She sat up, annoyed, and slapped the water. Why can’t I get all of this out of my head?
‘Amaranthine?’ Eiko’s soft voice resounded.
‘Yes, what now?’ Amaranthine snapped back, realizing how stupid it was to vent her anger on a computer.
‘Phoenix’s hovermobile is approaching. Shall I grant access?’
Phoenix.
She thought quickly. She was still mad at him for his selfish outburst after The Universe opening, but it all seemed so distant and irrelevant now. At least he belonged to her world and shared her feelings towards Mortals. She felt a sudden surge of excitement at the prospect of seeing him.
‘Ok, let him in,’ she decided, getting out of the bath.
‘He will be here in 37 seconds.’
‘Ok, make him a drink whilst I get ready.’
She wrapped herself in a big towel and went over to the hairstyling machine. It brushed and dried her hair into a storm of silky, wavy strands in a few minutes. She decided to let them cascade freely down her back and shoulders. She then programmed her make-up machine to apply foundation, powder, shades, mascara and lipstick, but making sure it was all very light. She would rather reveal her age than dream of showing herself to him without any make-up on, but she didn’t want him to think she was doing herself up on his account.
She put on a silky nightgown and examined herself in the mirror. The reflection was more than satisfactory.
He was sitting on her couch with a glass of Scotch in his hand, watching sport. As soon as she entered the room, he ap
proached her with a charming smile.
‘You look amazing, Amari, as usual,’ he said.
Not so fast, dear, she thought. Don’t think that a couple of compliments is all that it’s going to take to gain my forgiveness.
‘Did you know,’ she said with merely a shadow of a smile, ‘that this is what you say every time you come to see me? Well, almost every time.’
‘That’s because it’s true, every time I come to see you,’ he replied, still smiling seductively.
‘Is that so,’ she said without being provocative.
He stood right in front of her, his eyes fired up with desire. She could tell it wasn’t his first drink that night.
‘It is,’ he said, bending down to kiss her. She turned her head away, only allowing his lips to brush against her neck below the ear. Then she freed herself from his embrace and headed for the bar.
‘So how is work?’ she said coolly, pretending she didn’t notice his smile as he realized what game she was playing with him.
‘It’s all good, thanks,’ he said. ‘Got a new case. You?’
‘I’m ok, considering.’
‘Yeah, I’ve heard. The famous Mr. Paramonos of all people. Quite a surprise, wasn’t it.’
‘More like a blow to the head with a sledgehammer,’ she said, picking up her cocktail.
‘How did Nectar take it?’
‘Couldn’t be much worse,’ she said. ‘He forced me to work with Mortals, having blamed me for not spotting anything unusual in Paramonos’ behavior when we worked together on The Universe.’
‘He went into business with Mortals? Is he nuts?’
‘No, he is just shit scared with the situation. He made a few hasty decisions when we got exclusivity on Paramonos’ account, which has led the company to the verge of bankruptcy. Plus we are not exactly popular with Immortal companies just now, as you can imagine.’
‘I can. So how are you finding working with Mortals?’
‘What do you think?’
‘It’s just work, Amari, don’t stress over it too much. Think about the money.’
That’s ironic, coming from you, she thought. But she didn’t say it out loud. She didn’t want to go back to the argument.
‘That’s exactly what I’m doing.’
‘And there is a bright side to it, too,’ he went on.
‘A bright side? Somehow it managed to escape my notice,’ she said sourly.
‘You don’t have to worry about another duovitaery scandal braking out,’ he said.
‘And that’s meant to be your bright side?’ she wasn’t impressed.
‘Do you know what I think?’ he said, coming over to her again, ‘I think you need something to take your mind off all that,’ he said, assuming the same seductive tone as before, and put his arm around her waist, not hiding intentions.
‘Really? Like what?’ she said, looking him in the eye this time. Sensing approval, his hand slid lower and stopped on her buttock.
Phoenix took the cocktail off her hand and put it away. She didn’t escape this time.
‘Like this.’
He kissed her on the lips, his eager hands travelling along her body. What the hell, she thought, I need this. It will help me sleep and take my mind off things. She let Phoenix pick her up and carry her to the bedroom.
CHAPTER SEVEN
‘I’m not saying it’s not an interesting project,’ Athos McLaren said. ‘But I’m not entirely convinced the kind of audience that this boy band attracts, would be interested in our products. What do all those Mortals know about hovercars? And can they even afford them? Aren’t they all still ground-bound in their fossil-fuel cars from two hundred years ago?’
‘Many still are, sir, but not all,’ Amaranthine explained patiently, trying to infuse her voice with enough conviction. ‘There is definitely a large group that would be a great new target audience for you. We are talking about young, childless Mortals here, the ones who are still very likely to become immortal, so making them aware of your brand now is a great investment. But above all, Carpe Diem is quite popular within the Immortal community, and we are targeting them more than the Mortals.’
‘That’s unusual,’ he said. ‘I’ve never heard of Immortals frequenting mortal bands’ concerts.’
‘It’s not very common, I admit, but this band is extremely popular amongst Immortals. It’s a very new phenomenon, which is also the reason it’s worth giving it a shot. According to our simulations, this group is going to be at the top of all music charts by the time they have done a quarter of the tour. It’s an amazing opportunity for your company, sir.’
‘I find that hard to believe,’ he said, and Amaranthine puckered, feeling he was slipping away. ‘I happen to have come across some mortal music, and it was all to do with some religious superstitions...’
She was thinking fast in desperation. Athos McLaren was a mogul of the hovercar industry and one of her key clients – if he bought an advertising package, his name would convince others. It was crucial that she won him over, but she was out of arguments.
‘Carpe Diem offer a very different type of music and themes which appeal to Immortals,’ she tried again, putting as much confidence in her voice as she could muster. But she knew that if she didn’t come up with a new argument now, she’d lose him for good. Suddenly, she had an epiphany.
‘Sir,’ she decided to go for it. ‘Why don’t I send you a selection of their best hits, the ones that are winning them immortal audience. I promise I won’t bother you any more if you don’t think their music can attract your target clientele.’
‘Ok, that sounds fair,’ he said. ‘Send them over and I’ll get back to you when I’ve listened to them.’
‘Excellent,’ she replied, trying to rein in the relief, so it wouldn’t ring in her tone. ‘I’ll do it right now. Speak to you soon, sir.’
‘Bye now, Amari.’
As soon as he was off the line, she gave a big sigh. She still had a chance to convince him. She didn’t count on him liking the music, but it gave her more time to finish the simulation that she’d been working on for a few days now. It was based on a very comprehensive statistical data regarding Carpe Diem’s popularity in recent months and it was almost perfect. She was sure it would convince her clients about the project, including Athos McLaren.
She heard knocking at the door.
‘Come in!’
Nectar walked into her office.
‘Hey, what’s up,’ she said, giving him a short glance, as she was busy sending the music file to her client.
‘Not much,’ he replied. ‘Just wondered how you were doing. I feel like we haven’t spoken for ages.’
Three weeks to the day, she was about to fire back, but she stopped herself. Nectar had been avoiding her ever since he set her up with the mortal project, and she didn’t want to see anyone, especially him. She was still angry.
‘Yeah,’ she said. ‘I’ve been busy, and so have you, I guess.’
‘Yeah, it’s been hectic,’ he said, though they both knew he had very little to do, just like everybody else. The industry was still shaken up by the bankruptcy of Paramonos Enterprises, emotions were still hot, continuously stirred up by the media reporting every detail of his trial that had just started. So it was best for Elixir Vitae Communications to stay out of the picture. The less connection was made between the two companies, the better. They needed to give potential clients time to forget about it a little, before trying to win any new business.
‘So,’ he started carefully, ‘How is it going with the Mortals?’
‘Fine,’ she said, lip-tight. ‘I’ve got a few advertisers confirmed already, and I’m working on more. It’s going quite slowly, though. The majority of them find it hard to believe that Immortals frequent any Mortal events.’
‘Yes, I imagine that’s very new to them. But they’ll thank you for it in a few months’ time.’
‘Let’s just hope that’s the case.’
‘And how is work
ing with Collins going?’
‘We don’t interfere with each other’s work, so I guess it’s fine.’
‘I see. And Carpe Diem? What do you think of them? Do you like their music?’
‘Why?’ she crossed her arms. ‘What difference does that make?’
‘I’m just curious.’
She gave him a cold stare. She knew what this was about. Nectar had a lot of time to get a perspective on things, and he felt guilty about blaming The Universe fiasco on her and forcing her to work with Mortals, but he was too proud to say sorry. Coming to her office ‘to check on things’ was his way of letting her know he didn’t blame her anymore, hoping he could just smooth things up, and everything would be back to normal. It wasn’t the first time, and she never liked it about him, but this time she wasn’t letting him get away with it.
‘Their music is a product that I’m selling,’ she said. ‘I like it because my job requires that I like it. When it’s over, I will stop liking it, because I won’t have to anymore.’
A knock on the door saved Nectar from having to answer.
‘Excuse me, Amaranthine,’ Perenelle said, poking her head in. ‘It’s that guy Collins. He says it’s important.’
What now, she thought, feeling the anger boiling inside her again. Why can’t he just put it in an email or tell Penny? He’s so importunate. She felt Nectar’s eyes on her, which annoyed her even more.
‘Okay, put him through,’ she said. ‘Excuse me, Nectar, I’d better take this.’
‘Sure,’ he said. ‘I’ll leave you to it, then.’
She waited till the door closed behind him before picking up.
‘Hello, Mr. Collins. What can I do for you?’
‘I’m just calling regarding the updated list of advertisers you sent me. About Mr. McLaren...’
She didn’t let him finish.
‘I’m working on it. He is to come back to me with his decision shortly.’
‘Well, I wondered if I could help. I happen to know him quite well, we worked together before. First on the advertising of their Buzzard Galaxy hovercar, and later on the Black-Winged Kite model.’
What is he playing at?
‘Forgive me, Mr. Collins, but as I remember from our initial meeting, you and I agreed to deal with the Mortal and Immortal side of things, respectively. Weren’t these your own words?’
‘Of course. We do, however, work as a team, and whilst we have our own areas of responsibility, I believe help and cooperation are not forbidden.’