Page 10 of Abraxas

“If they let everyone eat there every morning, they would be overwhelmed.”

“You're right, but we would still be able to go as paying customers. I wonder how expensive this would be?” Abe questioned.

“You're famous, and you probably don't have to worry about this like a poor working girl does.”

Abe chuckled. “I didn't mean it that way," Gloria exclaimed.

She was so sweet and naive that he was sure she didn't. He would have thought nothing of the working girl reference if they hadn't been warned that even here, there were some. That was something a god wanted to avoid because there were complications. Lu didn't want to find out that it might hurt their popularity. Abe thought it would increase their popularity, especially since they had a bad boy theme. Some of their songs even referred to that bad boy image. Lu had one song about how he looked like a bad boy, but inside, he was sweet and just wanted a good life for himself and his family.

He doubted that anyone believed it, but it was true. That was all any of them wanted. While they enjoyed playing songs, they commercialized their songs to have money to survive. Lu was doing a good job of reinvesting most of the money into making their island a haven for tourists and fans. A small part was invested in the stock market, and their boss seemed to have a way with those because it was making a ton of money, too. The demons were running it almost like a tribe, except that everyone got a percentage if they were a registered demon. That was in addition to the wages they paid for any jobs they might do. The pay was based on a predetermined scale.

Their mates and children also became registered demons. They had managed to buy the whole island they were living on and renamed it Demon Island. Abe had no idea how Lu managed that, and he didn't care. It was just cool that he had. Once the construction was complete, they would have room for every demon that wanted to come and a few gods if they wanted to join them.

That did not include the huge resort with guests constantly in and out. It was a grand plan for the band to play with otherbands in the huge amphitheater they were building next to the hotel. The restaurant he and Gloria had spoken of would also be close to the motel. It would be within walking distance for most people. A water park and Recreation Center would be next to the hotel. Lu didn't do anything in a small way. He even planned another restaurant on the hotel's roof, enclosed in glass. Expensive? Yes! But damn well worth it. It would serve gourmet cuisine from around the world. There would be an area for dancing, and a small band would play.

Since it would be difficult for most people to get cars in, there would only be a small parking area. The beach was nearby, and snorkeling, diving, surfing, and other water activities would be available. There would even be rental boats to go deep-sea fishing. The resort would be more of a family destination, but there would be romantic things available for those who came as couples. There were already agreements with cruise ships to stop for the weekend and allow people to go to a concert or partake in other activities, like the small casino they were building. When it was all done, it would be like a small city.

It would have to be a small city because space was limited, but other things were possible now that they had the whole island. Fans could run into one of the band members in the restaurant or anywhere else around the property. They would also set up activities where fans could get items signed, and the gift shop carried an unbelievable number of items. They were in it to win it. It was not just for the band. The island was for all demons, and they intended to prosper as a group. No individual would be more important than the others.

He was certain that as the numbers increased, they would add more properties than other locations around the world, just as the gods were doing. Abe suspected that some of the money that their fearless leader was putting up was for property in Vegas. He didn't have his eye on anything yet, but you never knew whensomething would come up. New York was another possibility, and eventually, maybe Orlando or Los Angeles.

Lu wouldn't limit his thinking to big tourist areas. He also looked for places in big tourist areas. There were also a lot of areas in the world beyond the USA. He wouldn't be limited, and there was no imagining what he might come up with. Could you imagine a demon theme park? They were considering it.

“We should finish and meet the others," Gloria suggested.

While lost in his thoughts, he had nearly cleaned his plates. “You're right. We need to find out when we're leaving so we don't miss the bus.”

Moving around with so many people and all the supplies they needed wasn't easy. That was why they always rented a bus for extended trips. They could move to and from the concerts' locations. Even though they were leaving a few people behind, the ones who didn't want to go to the concert and didn't need to work it, they would need at least two buses. He was sure that was what they had rented if not three. While sometimes they used items already at the location, that wasn't always true.

In this case, where they were having the concert, they usually had sporting events. The stage would have to be built. So, they brought the items for that. Abe felt bad for the stagehands because they often had missing items and went a little crazy at the last minute trying to get things ready. Everyone had their own issues that they had to deal with. They left the table and headed down to the large meeting room that Lu had secured. He went over all the information about that night

's concert.

It would not discuss the next day's mission. Only an exclusive group would gather to hear that information before they left. The mission was why they were here, but the concerts had to go on like clockwork because they were the cover story. Origindidn't realize that a third of the attacked facilities were in cities where the demons had concerts. They must not be very bright. How did they miss that a facility was liberated whenever a concert was nearby?

Abe had always thought Origin employed smart people because of what they had managed to do. Maybe many things were done by people no longer in Origin. Those left behind weren't bright, but they made up for it with horrible cruelty.

“Have we covered everything?” Lu asked.

It seemed Abe missed most of the discussion. Looking around, he saw he wasn't the only one.

“Who is in charge of the gear I brought?” Gloria asked.

“Arnie is in charge. He says it's all here and will be loaded when we arrive.”

He could see that she felt relief because Arnie was good, and he was responsible. He loved the concerts and enjoyed putting on a show, but he wanted to be a movie star, and that wasn't something that they could do. His demon’s name had been horrible, and he had changed it to Arnie after a movie star that he loved. Stef had suggested they make some videos and give Arnie a part in them. It could even jumpstart his career, depending on how things turned out. They were all willing to give it a shot, and it was a good idea to have videos occasionally. They only needed to decide which song for the video's focus.

“I will admit I was worried. Lu usually mentions the gear type by type, but this time, he didn't, " she admitted.

“I understand your concerns, but everyone does a good job. They are beginning to load the buses. Do you have anything you need to do before we go?”

“No, I'm ready to go. How long is the trip?”

“An hour if there are no problems.”

“All right. We'll have plenty of time to get everyone fixed up. Lu wanted to highlight one of his songs. It's out of this world, and you guys get to be aliens.” Gloria chuckled.

There was no point in worrying because she would want to do whatever she already had planned. While Abe was sure they would look good, he was worried about what they would have to deal with. Hopefully, it won’t be too irritating. Was he kidding? He'd probably do more than she expected if she asked. The other guys probably would, too. Lu had squirmed at the idea of wearing makeup, but eventually, he wore something for every concert. Stef had told him it made him look pretty. That didn't sit too well, but he did it anyway.

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