The backstage entrance felt cramped and claustrophobic and a sense of momentum filled the room.


    Packed with studio engineers and stage crew members it was like a network of ants. The liaison had guided Audry through a maze of workers to another backroom where she passed him off to a somewhat familiar face. A woman with a bob cut and suit stood there waiting.


    It was Bradley Bean’s manager. He still hadn’t responded to her messages. Since they had never formally introduced each other she introduced herself as Janice and offered him a bottle of water. When she returned he chugged it down, satiated and slightly nervous.


    It was not the first nor the last time he’d find himself on a stage in front of people, the simple reason was that the atmosphere was pressing. There was something he could not quite put his finger on that brought him unease.


    Janice left once again, this time bringing back a balding man with a headset and a touchpad.


    He had begun his introduction by giving Audry a runthrough of the show process.


    Audry put the man off track with a clearing of his throat and a slight chuckle.


    “I know the deal,” he said as if he was reading from a list. “Don’t say anything stupid, don’t do anything detrimental to the show, NDA stuff with a sprinkle of preplanned scripting.”


    “Mr. Forge, I’m going to need you to let me do my job,” the man said, a vein popping from his forehead.


    “Did I accidentally interrupt you?” Audry replied.


    “Mr. Forge, I’m only here to ask you questions. We just need a general idea of what we are going to be talking about.”


    Audry spent what was half an hour just going over the details of the criteria the show was meeting. In the end he was escorted out of the backroom into a hall that felt like the city streets. People bustling up and down the halls, each hall intersecting each other like blocks. Pictures and plaques lined the walls next to doors where the people would disappear to.


    Janice the liaison looked back and with a whispered voice told him, “Mr. Forge, I think you came across as a bit brash. Maybe you could have eased up on the rushiness.”


    Audry passed a pair of gentlemen wearing swim trunks. Was there a swimming pool somewhere in the building? He thought.


    He raised an eyebrow noticing a bloody faced man in a dark suit walking down the intersecting end sporting a large grin.


    If only for a moment he had forgotten that they were in a film studio.


    “You look a little confused Mr. Forge,” Janice said.


    “The studio’s going to really benefit from your appearance,” interjected the producer.


    It was just what a company like Point Blank Films would want Audry had thought. If they were not showing big names and important faces they’d go under water. Suddenly, the sense of strangeness he felt had begun to click.


    At the hall’s end they stood at two doors.


    “Is this it, on the other side?” asked Audry.


    A large digital clock pinned to the wall up high read 15:30, each second passing was a countdown. He assumed that was how long they had until the show began.


    He’d been notified that the show was not live for all eyes to see. Only for those who were attending in the rows. This was a good thing. The release form he signed was less structured than any he had seen in the past. But under careful eyes he made sure he was not signing his rights away. Even taking a screenshot with his phone.


    Janice went through the doors and returned a few moments later to bring in Audry.


    Quinn had remained mostly silent through the walk along. He usually would have inserted a statement or concern but he had gone internal.


    Audry too had gone quiet the moment he stepped on the other side of those doors.


    The side stage was dark and moody, the bright center shined from behind the curtains. The exit sign glowed a vivid red and another clock flashed the countdown off to the side.


    Cords and cord covers snaked across the floor leading further back. Audio engineers, filmographers, and other specified producers disappeared to and fro the darkness.


    A man with a tout smile hurried down the steps from centerstage.


    “Just the guy I want to see.”


    He unabashedly walked up and stuck his hand out. Audry shook his hand and the two began to talk. The man’s eyes were luminescent in the dark. “Hello, I’m sure you know who I am.”


    Janice and the producer had told Audry it was important to make a fast, meaningful introduction with the host.


    Bradley Bean, host of Spoken Daily, was dressed in a dapper glen plaid suit, with golden buttons, a matching patek philippe wristwatch, and a stylish combover fade. The look of a snake in the grass.


    He took the producer’s touchpad and skim-read the questions and responses Audry had answered.


    Quickly they piled onto the stage leaving behind Audry to watch and wait for the show to begin.


    He’d been notified to enter when given the signal by the producer.


    The three talked amongst themselves. Janice gave a glance to Audry and everything began to fall into place. Bradley stood in front of his chair, the lights dimmed, and Audry watched the final minute countdown to zero.


    The curtains opened with a classic Outkast song playing in the backdrop.


    The lights brightened upon Bradley who waved and gestured to the audience, all the while Audry was preparing himself. Janice told him the night would be revitalizing. If this appearance made a difference then he’d be doing a good thing for his image.


    “Hello everybody, ladies and gents here in Liberation City, I’m your host Bradley Bean for the Independent States’s best talk show: Spoken Daily. Today we’ve got a world renowned man in the room with us. He’s contributed to not just humanitarian work in the reaches of our world but he’s also propelled—pun intended—space travel to the reaches of our solar system. A veteran, a CEO, and a brilliant innovator, I’d like to introduce you all to Mr. Audry Forge.”


    The crowd erupted in applause, standing up like a wave rising from the ocean.


    Audry entered onto the stage waving. His first thought was to remain humble. His second was to give Bradley Bean and his people meaningful responses. He had to make up for any suspicions regarding his event. The show was just the time to do it.


    He seated himself on the sofa to Bradley’s right.


    “Thanks for having me here today Bradley.”


    “Oh, no please, call me Brad.”


    Audry wanted to laugh at the host. “Sure thing, Brad.”


    The suit leaned to one arm with a cup of coffee in the other.


    “In light of your debut enfranchisement, Project Skorpio, I wanted to ask you a few questions.”


    “Sure thing,” Audry said, adjusting his suit on the sofa. It was better to get comfortable than to look on edge the entire time. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    “So first and foremost, I want to say you’re CosmiCon Year 5 absence was disheartening but we are all very glad to see you’re healthy and active again. With your illness we had begun to grow worried here at the studio. We never know if the chance of interviewing someone like you will happen. So we’re blessed. Did the process go well?”


    Audry smiled, tilting his head for a second’s thought.


    “I made a fairly fast recovery, yes. But as you can see, I’m trying to be a little cautious. Move a little slower. Be a little bit healthier.”


    “Absolutely. Today’s medicine is good but the Accord’s medicinal branch is revolutionary.” Bradley seemed to be over promoting things. To which Audry was already growing weary of.


    “I wouldn’t say revolutionary. There’s still things we’re trying to figure out but research can only go so far until you have to start thinking outside of the box.”


    Bradley looked at the little piece of paper on the stand next to him.


    “Thinking outside the box, eh? That relates to the next question: What was your thought process when creating Project Skorpio? Did you do it only because you had a legacy to uphold or was it out of your own freewill?”


    Audry was taken aback that those words could even leave such a person''s mouth. Regardless, he became more intrigued with the question rather than who it was coming from.


    “I’d say it’s a little bit of both. There’s always two sides to every story, right? So the story for me is both a personal one and one of ambition. I just want to let those watching that I’ve dedicated my life to doing the right thing with my father’s legacy. It’s not just his anymore. It’s mine. And in some respects, it’s yours as well.”


    He leaned forward, feeling mentally winded as if he had just ran for his life.


    “Fascinating. So have you found the recent news of the war in Eurasia a problem since it’s encroaching on our future or do you think you may be able to play a part in quelling it before it spreads any more?” Bradley furrowed his brow, taking a sip of his coffee, adding sugar cubes in moderation.


    “Brad, I think my company will only be able to win the war through traditional means. The Wildfires are not just hitting us on the frontline. So we’ve got to figure something out. Together. If not, I do believe the end of civilization will come and I’m just one man. I can’t stop that.”


    “That’s pretty haunting but we are all hoping you succeed in the Eurasia conflict. Aside from that, with all of the humanitarian missions you dabble in do you ever think there’s more you could do?”


    Audry had never been asked so many serious questions in a row during an interview. He did not recall it being on the producer’s questionnaire either.


    “If I think I’ve done all that I could I guess that means the world’s a better place. So far, it’s not. If that answers your question.”


    “Your contributions to the War on Transhumanism have made you one of the posterchilds for warfare innovated by technology. Your father was not exactly the most war centric. Did you do that in spite of him?”


    “I just wanted to do my part. Before I even earned CEO I applied what I learned from his technology, repurposed them, and helped win the war.”


    Bradley pulled out large cards in a woven basket from beneath his chair.


    “Ready for some rapid fire questions?” He asked, taking a gleeful glance at the crowd who had remained strictly silent through the first half. Suddenly an uproar echoed through the stage; clapping and whoo’s, cheering and excitement.


    “I hope,” Audry chuckled.


    Bradley scooted to the edge of his chair, patting Audry on the knee. “You don’t sound too sure. Don’t worry, it’s strictly movie-based. Your job is to answer each with the movie of your choosing.”


    The crowd chattered amongst themselves as the host stared at the first card.


    “You’re a movie watcher aren’t you?”


    Audry nodded. “Of course, of course.”


    A screen between and behind the two of them flickered on. An animated alarm clock popped up, the crowd grew anxious then. “Alright. Ready?”


    “Yes.”


    Bradley cleared his throat, Audry cleared his mind.


    “Favorite science fiction film?”


    “1986’s Aliens.”


    “Favorite anime movie?”


    “Akira.”


    Favorite apocalypse film?


    “The Road.”


    Favorite creature feature?


    “Super 8.”


    Favorite horror movie?


    SAW.


    Favorite fantasy movie?


    “Lord of the Rings. All three of them.”


    The animated clock pinged and ringed through the surround system. Confetti blew up from behind the screen, Bradley clapped along with the audience. Grandiose music played as if Audry had just triumphed. Yet, he was simply answering questions.


    “Outstanding. I think you’ve got some pretty solid opinions.”


    “I appreciate it,” Audry said.


    “Well that’s that, folks. You heard it hear first. Mr. Audry Forge’s favorite movies. So what’s some stuff you do for fun? Are you too preoccupied for fun?”


    Audry relaxed, his heart still pumping at unnecessary speeds.


    He was beginning to enjoy the questions. It was as if he had been challenged. He fixed his posture and thought of his answer. “Well as many can attest, I truly love get togethers. Celebrations, parties, ceremonies. It just gets me closer to more people. Living the lonely life isn’t really my cup of tea.”


    “Do you consider yourself a nerd?” asked Bradley.


    “I like reading. Not sure if that counts.”


    “Have you ever wanted to do something different with your life? Like, just drop everything and start over?”


    “Most of us do. I think we all wish we could choose different paths at some point.”


    Bradley seemed to be bored of asking the more personal questions and began to pair him with the Rion Accord’s intentions.


    “Your company isn’t just a part of the arms industry, it’s an integral piece to the travel into the depths of space. Is there anything you can tell us about that? Have you found any connection between the Wildfires and extraterrestrial discovery?”


    “There’s a lot I cannot say out loud. The company is very secretive and cautious about what information comes and goes. We examine things we find though. The Wildfires were theorized to be alien but if we ever find the truth we’ll let the world know.”


    Bradley seemed half-contempt with the answer even while the crow applauded. He looked down at his paper and a more serious look crossed his face.


    “There is an article by the Morning Sun Post about the supposed issue between you and Alto Robotics. It says that you did not receive any pay for your iteration of the up and coming Shibboleth assault armor. So you decided to depart from them last week. The general conception was that you did not want anything from it anyways. The article says Alto Robotics is now looking for ways to take back what was theirs because of an agreement the two company’s made. If you can tell us that.”


    The general conception? Audry knew his veins were popping at everything that left Bradley’s mouth. Keeping himself under control would be the next goal when finding an answer to such a question.


    “I did get paid. I’m not a cash-mongerer. I know what it’s like being poor and well off. But I won’t lie and say I didn’t get anything from it. I demanded it. I got my pay in the end because I’m not letting some conglomerate push me around. There’s a lot of monopolization going on and everyone is turning a blind eye. I don’t know what you wanted me to say and I’m betting you’ll edit this to twist my words but that’s what I did.”


    Audry fixated his ruby cufflinks and reached to his stand for his glass of water.


    Bradley gave him a dead stare with a dead smile.


    “Well everybody that just about wraps things up. But before we go Spoken Daily has been given special access from the Rion Accord.”


    Audry looked him in the eyes and felt the room get colder. Bradley broke eye contact and gave the audience his full attention. Audry looked to the side stages as if he was looking for an answer.


    “Ladies and gentlemen,” Bradley looked at the crowd with a smirk. “I present to you the moment of truth...”


    The screen behind them played footage of a very important place Audry had not intended others remembering nor seeing. A large black anvil logo carved and painted into a marble sculpture stood in the middle of a courtyard filled with hundreds of people. Fireworks blistered the dark skies, popping in the air like flares. A large sign revealing the event’s name planted itself right at the momentous gates across the courtyard.


    “It was 20 years ago that the Rion Accord had tucked away a special event from it’s co-founder’s history, the One Step Forward exhibition.”


    The very blueprints and diagram of the renovated expo showed on the screen and the crowd went into a frenzy.


    Audry’s heart sank into the bottom of his stomach. He could not fathom what he was witnessing. Quinn chimed in to tell him to stop the show but it was just background noise to him.


    “Hey. No, stop.”


    Bradley stood up from his seat holding his arms out to the people as if he was giving a hug to them all. “Mr. Forge is bringing it back next month! You heard it here folks. I’m your host Bradley Bean of Spoken Daily. Goodnight and goodbye.”


    The show’s outro music blared on the hidden speakers, drowning out the rows of clapping onlookers. Curtains began to close in that instance. Bradley diverted his attention to Audry with a sly stare.


    “I know we didn’t tell you about this segment but it was all for the viewership.”


    Audry darted towards Bradley. He was quickly interrupted by backstage personnel. “Where’d you get that information?”


    “You were going to reveal it anyways.”


    “You’re cashing in on something nobody was supposed to know about. Who the fuck told you?”


    Bradley grinned. “We were given permission. I don’t see the issue.”


    “Who told you? I’m not asking again.”


    Audry slipped through the others and pushed Bradley onto the floor.


    “Can somebody remove him from the building please? He’s causing a scene,” Bradley cried out.


    Op-4 sprung from the backstage, hooking around him and pulled him along. Audry slung a guard from his arm. Another collided with him and put him in a rear lock.


    “No, get the hell off. I’m not causing anything. That wasn’t meant to get shown yet. That was special to me. You fucking idiots. Get off me. Get off of me right now!”


    Bradley chuckled, combing his hair back and gathering himself. “The world’s most quintessential man is having a fit.”


    “What? Fuck you, man. Fuck you!”


    Audry glanced to Janice who was holding a different release form than he had originally signed. She pointed at his forged signature and passed it off to one of her personnel.


    “Sir, this is where things go south,” Quinn stated as Audry was drug away.


    “We should’ve known.”