Page 59 of Replay
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“There’s good news, and there’s bad,” Sally Kettering announced.She rested her clipboard on the table before her, and regarded the assembled members of Black Halo with a sigh.They were squashed into the dining area of her motorhome, shoulder to shoulder, nursing a variety of beverages.Spook was sipping cherry and cinnamon tea.It smelled nice, but tasted of nothing.“Let’s begin with the bad.It was a live feed, so it’s already out there.”
A collective groan hummed around him.There’d been some hope that the Diabolic Bush interview, as it had been dubbed, could be scrubbed from history before it wound its way into the collective conscience.But no!Things were never that simple.
Spook wasn’t surprised that Black Halo was trending.The reason for the sudden spike was pretty obvious.He hadn’t seen the footage, but he’d had Ronnie’s words quoted to him.Hell, his journey between the VIP bar, where they’d been hanging out, and this here caravan, had been coloured by people yelling, Master Spook, and Sir, at him, and presenting him with their arses to spank.Ash had yelled at them to button it, which hadn’t exactly helped.
Fact was, this situation was bad.Nightmarish in exactly the sort of way he’d cringed over even imagining.He’d spent most of his adult life closeted for this very reason.Now, when he was just starting to think maybe it would be okay to live a little, his deviance was about to be plastered across every media outlet.Again.
If all he had to endure was a few days’ worth of viral videos, then maybe he could get through it, but with so many eyes on him, someone would attempt to dig deeper.And deeper.And deeper.Threads and patterns would emerge, and eventually someone would get to the marrow.
The last thing he needed was his history splashed across the front of the tabloids world-wide.
The mere possibility of that ought to have made him angry.He knew that he ought to be scared.
The reality.Hisreality was that he felt nothing at all.He was numb down to the bone.
Around him, the rest of the band were making disgruntled noises.None of them were thrilled over how they’d been described, but Spook definitely thought he’d borne the brunt of it.That Rock Giant liked soft curvy girls was hardly a secret.Ashwasutterly vanilla.And Luthor and Xane, along with Dani, were in a relationship.Anyone who’d thought about it for more than a second had probably already figured out that cocks were colliding with bottoms at least some of the time.The fan-fiction writers certainly got it.
Spook’s own proclivities though, they had been private.Likewise his relationship status.Kind of.
Not that he was exactly blaming Ronnie for divulging it.It did sound as if he’d been pushed to the point of a nervous breakdown.Truly, if anyone was to blame, it was him, for getting involved, for acting on impulse, for thinking he could let the demons out and not have everything descend into chaos.He shouldn’t have involved anyone in his thoughts, his deeds.Was it Paul or Alle who’d told Ronnie about him?What did Marshall Hutton already know that made him push Ronnie that way?
“We should probably consider making a statement,” Sally said, looking pointedly at him.Meaning, Black Halo would publish a statement, but it would be him addressing facts that had no business being a matter of public record.What was he supposed to even say?Sorry.Yes, I like hitting women, but only in a fun way.No one would believe him.Just like no one had ever really believed in his celibacy.
“Tell us the good before we get into that.”Xane had to raise his voice to be heard over the noise of the rest of the guys.
Sally adjusted her pearl necklace above the rounded collar of her twin piece.“Bang!themselves have already removed the content from the internet.And, they’re ruthlessly hounding anyone who attempts to upload it to other sites.
“Because?”
“The interview makes them look like a bunch of Stone Age dicks.The comments on Twitter alone have been ghastly.”
No one could resist a train wreck.Both Luthor and Rock Giant took out their phones, and began scrolling to locate the tweets.
Sally continued.“There are a bunch of charitable organisations and patient groups that have already condemned the interview, and there’s wider condemnation of the press in general and the bullying tactics they employ.There’s already talk of legal action brewing.The public are really getting behind Ronnie on this.Download sales, album pre-orders.Plus,Bang!have lost over a third of their social media followers across all platforms in a single afternoon.”
“How is Ronnie?”Rock Giant asked.
Sally lifted her clipboard, then put it down again.“Well, his team are saying he’s fine, but I think the truth is that they haven’t a clue where he is, and they’re shitting themselves.”
“But they have people out looking, right?”
“One assumes.”
“Let’s try not to stray off topic,” Xane said.“We’re still going ahead with the team-up tomorrow as planned, right?”
“Elspeth’s on stand-b—”
“No!”The rest of the band blurted as one.
“Absolutely, we’re on for tomorrow,” Sally replied as if Rock Giant’s remark had never happened.“Nothing has changed from our end.You’ll weather this better if you all brazen it out.It’s minor, and I think it’ll earn you respect if you’re seen to stick by him.”
“That’s assuming Ronnie turns up,” Luthor pointed out.
“Should we be out helping look for him?”Rock Giant asked, having successfully managed to remove Ash’s hand from his mouth.
“Hell, no!”Sally glared at Paul like he’d sprouted a second head.“I wouldn’t recommend you all randomly strolling about at the best of times.Right now?No bloody way.We need to get you all offsite, booked into your hotel, and I strongly suggest you keep exceptionally low profiles for the night.Stay in your rooms, watch TV, take bubble baths, order room service, and stay offsite until shortly before the performance tomorrow.”
Luthor stuck up a hand.“What about the interviews we have scheduled?”
“I’ll reschedule them all for after the show.”
“What about once this festival is done?”Rock Giant asked.“What are we doing for a keyboard player then?Cos you can all bitch about Elspeth, but she’s available, and she knows our stuff.”
Sally shot him down with a withering glare.“I don’t think inviting chaos into our midst would really be all that big a help, Paul.I’m sorry if this seems harsh, but she’s far too divisive a figure.Things have been much more pleasant without her.Also, it’s not like she’s the only keyboard player in the world.There are plenty of competent musicians out there.I know Graham is working on this.I’m certain he’ll have a long list of potentials for you to review in plenty of time for you to make a firm decision before the next live show after this one.Now, can I trust you to gather yourselves together, while I see to organising some transport?Separate cars, I think.Be ready in ten.
“Spook, a private word.”
