บท 56: Security!
"Arell wants to sign me? For real?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Geoffrey nodded. "Yes, for real. Arell believes you have the talent and drive to make it big, and we want to help you achieve that."
Becalis sputtered as she struggled to find words. "Why me? Why does he want me?" she finally managed to ask, her voice filled with excitement.
Geoffrey smiled, pleased by her clear interest. "Arell has been following your work, specifically your videos of your studio sessions. He sees a lot of potential in you, and he believes you have the talent and drive to make it big."
Belcalis raised an eyebrow. "But why me? There are so many talented artists out there."
Geoffrey leaned in. "Arell believes you have a unique voice and style that sets you apart. He thinks you have the potential to be a game-changer in the music industry."
Belcalis went silent for a moment, looking contemplative. "But how did he even find me?"
Geoffrey chuckled. "Well, let's just say Arell has his ways. He's been keeping an eye on you for a while now, and he's impressed with your progress."
Belcalis nodded, her mind racing with the possibilities. "So, what does this mean? What kind of deal are we talking about?"
Geoffrey pulled out a folder filled with documents. "Arell's label is looking to sign talented artists who have a strong potential for success. We believe you have that potential, and we're willing to invest in your career to help you achieve your goals."
Belcalis' eyes scanned the documents, her heart racing with excitement, yet as if a moment of realisation came upon her, Belcalis' eyes narrowed, her skepticism overturning her initial excitement. "A label? You mean, like, a real label? With a team and everything?" she asked, her voice laced with doubt.
Geoffrey nodded. "Yes, exactly. Arell's label is a legitimate business entity, and while we may not have a large team as of now, we're looking to sign talented artists like yourself to help them achieve success."
Belcalis raised an eyebrow. "How do you have even have the money for a label, hasn't he only released a few songs?"
Geoffrey smiled. "Well, let's just say Arell and I are quite adept at business. We have various streams of income that allow us to support our endeavors."
Belcalis looked at him skeptically. "What kind of streams of income?"
Geoffrey leaned in. "Let's just say we have a few investments and partnerships that have been very successful. Arell, in particular, has been very shrewd in his business dealings. He's already a millionaire, actually."
Belcalis' eyes widened in surprise. "Are you serious?"
Geoffrey nodded. "Yes, I am. Arell's financial situation is quite secure, which allows him to invest in his passion for music and support talented artists like yourself."
Belcalis took a deep breath, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. "This is... a lot to take in," she admitted, her voice wavering slightly.
Geoffrey nodded understandingly. "I know it's a big decision, and I don't expect you to make it right away. Take your time to think about it, review the documents, and if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us."
Belcalis nodded slowly, her eyes still on the documents. "I appreciate that. It's just... a lot of change, you know?"
Geoffrey smiled reassuringly. "Change can be overwhelming, but it can also be the start of something amazing. And remember, Arell and I are here to support you every step of the way."
Belcalis looked up, meeting Geoffrey's gaze. "I do have one more question," she said slowly. "What about…like… creativity? Will I still have the freedom to make the kind of music I want to make?"
Geoffrey smiled warmly. "Absolutely. Arell is very passionate about creative integrity, your voice and vision are what set you apart. We wouldn't want to change that."
Belcalis felt a wave of relief wash over her. "That's good to hear. I don't want to lose myself in all of this."
"You won't," Geoffrey assured her. "We believe in you and your unique style. That's why we're here."
Meanwhile, backstage, Hennessy was sipping on her drink, chatting with Lisa, Mariah, and Tasha.
"So, when do you think he's gonna come back here?" Lisa asked, glancing around.
"Probably soon," Hennessy replied. "You know he gotta make his rounds and talk to everyone."
Mariah nodded. "True. But I wanna get a picture with him before it gets too crazy."
As they continued chatting, the doors swung open and Arell walked in, flanked by a group of eight people. Five of them were wearing hoodies, blending into the background with an air of quiet vigilance.
Arell was drinking some juice, looking relaxed. The moment he entered, the energy in the room shifted, and everyone's attention turned toward him.
"There he is," Mariah whispered excitedly. "We should go up to him."
"Yeah, let's go," Lisa urged, and they all started walking towards Arell.
As they approached, one of the hooded figures immediately stepped in front of Arell, blocking their path. He was tall and imposing, his eyes scanning them with a protective intensity.
"Chill, Cam," Arell said, holding up a hand to signal it was okay. "They're cool."
Hennessy stepped forward, a bit nervously. "I'm Hennessy, Belcalis' sister."
Arell's expression softened into a smile. "Oh, nice to finally meet you Hennessy, really nice of you to come along with your sister."
Hennessy returned his smile, her voice dropping to a more intimate tone. "Yeah, she talks about you all the time. She's super excited about everything. I just wanted to come over and say hi."
"It's good to hear that," Arell replied. "Where's your sister now?"
Hennessy moved a bit closer, her hand lightly brushing against Arell's arm. "Your manager pulled her aside for something."
Arell nodded, his eyes glancing at her hand, and elsewhere. "Yeah, that sounds about right. Geoffrey's got a lot to cover with her."
Just then, Lisa, Mariah, and Tasha approached, their excitement bubbling over. "Arell, can we get a picture with you?" Mariah asked, her eyes wide with anticipation.
"Sure, no problem," Arell said, stepping back slightly to make room for them.
As they posed for the picture, the girls got touchy, their hands lingering on his arms and shoulders. Arell forced a smile, trying to keep the situation light-hearted despite his discomfort. He could feel Hennessy's gaze on him, her intentions clear. Yet despite his own discomfort, he couldn't help but steal a few glances himself.
After the photo was taken, Arell gently extricated himself from their grasp. "Alright, ladies, I have to go sort out a few things, but I'll come back and talk to you in a bit. In the meantime, do you need anything?"
Lisa shook her head, smiling. "We're good, Arell. Thanks for asking."
Mariah and Tasha nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we're fine," Mariah said.
"Great," Arell said with a polite nod. "I'll be back soon."
Arell turned and called out to another person in a hoodie. "Keeve, can you come here for a sec?"
Keeve, a lean guy with a serious demeanor, approached. "What's up, Arell?"
"Is the footage good?" Arell asked.
Keeve nodded. "Yeah, everything's looking solid. Devon's got the raw cuts, and we're just finishing up the edits."
As Arell and the others moved away, Hennessy strained to catch more of the conversation, his voice fading into the background as he walked further. She turned back to her friends, her mind racing with thoughts about her interaction with Arell.
"That was intense," Lisa said, fanning herself dramatically. "Rappers are even more impressive up close."
Mariah nodded. "For real. And did you see how professional he is? He's got everything under control."
Hennessy, still processing everything, forced a smile. "Yeah, he's something else. Let's just hope he can help Belcalis."
Tasha put an arm around Hennessy's shoulders. "He will. With Arell's support, your sister's gonna go places. We all believe in her."
"Yeah…but did you notice how offish he seemed?" Hennessy asked, as she glanced in the direction where Arell walked away.
"Yeah, like he didn't want us touching him," Lisa said.
"Mmm," Hennessy murmured, her gaze thoughtful. "But you guys didn't see the eyes. They were all over me."
The others exchanged looks, understanding dawning on their faces.
"He was uncomfortable, but he couldn't help checking you out," Mariah concluded, a hint of amusement in her voice.
"I guess he's not as smooth as he seems," Tasha added, shaking her head.
Hennessy chuckled softly. "No, definitely not. But maybe that's part of his charm. A little mystery never hurt anyone."
While the group continued their gossiping, Arell was embroiled in a discussion with both his old and new friends.
"So, we got good shots," Arell began, his voice confident as he reviewed the footage captured during the event. "Darius did a great job, he knows how to capture the essence of the moment."
Around him, everyone nodded in agreement.
Besides the familiar faces, there were new additions to the group, summoned right after Arell received his system reward. The system had randomized their personalities as well as their names.
There was Keeve, the thinker of the group of five, who was always a few steps ahead. Quiet and observant, similar to Devon, he preferred to analyze situations from a distance before diving in.
Cam, on the other hand, was a tower of strength and silence. Aggressive when needed, but always fair, he was the muscle of the team of five. Tariq was rather laid back, while Jamal, a charmer, was loud and outgoing.
Rashad, similar to Keeve, was rather quiet, but unlike Keeve, he was rather aggressive.
Together, they formed a unique blend of personalities that complemented each other.
He had told Kenny, Malik, and Devon that they were security and people he hired for his team. It would be weird for him to suddenly have new friends pop out of nowhere, so he decided to keep it under wraps for now.
As Arell continued his mental review, Geoffrey walked into the room, looking pleased but also carrying a hint of concern.
"Just wrapped up with Belcalis," Geoffrey said, his voice filled with satisfaction.
"Was it good?" Arell asked, his interest piqued. "What's going on now?"
Geoffrey nodded. "Yeah, it went really well. She's interested, but she wants to review everything and make sure she's making the right decision. It's a good sign; it means she's taking this seriously."
Arell started smiling, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "That's great. I'm glad she's considering it seriously."
Geoffrey's expression then turned serious. "But there's something else we need to deal with. I just had a chat with the event manager."
Arell's smile faded slightly. "What's up?"
"You remember how they paid you half of the eight thousand upfront for the performance?" Geoffrey asked.
"Yeah," Arell replied, his curiosity piqued.
"They're refusing to give you the other half," Geoffrey said, his tone serious.
"Huh?" Arell's brow furrowed. "Why?"
Malik, standing nearby, chimed in. "Why are they refusing?"
Geoffrey sighed. "They said there were some issues with the performance, and they're claiming it didn't meet their standards."
Kenny, always quick to react, frowned. "Bro, let's get our money back. You did your part."
The rest nodded in agreement, their expressions showing their determination.
Geoffrey nodded. "Let's go talk to the event manager and sort this out."
With Geoffrey leading the way, Arell and his team made their way through the venue, heading towards the event manager's office. They found him, an old, fat man, speaking to some security and staff members. His face showed signs of stress, and he looked up as the group approached.
"Mr. Donnelly," Geoffrey began, addressing the event manager. "We need to discuss the payment for Arell's performance."
Donnelly sighed, his face taking on a defensive expression. "I already told you, there were issues with the performance. We can't release the rest of the payment."
Arell stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "What issues are you talking about? The crowd was hyped, and I delivered what was promised."
Mr. Donnelly shook his head. "There were complaints about the sound quality, and the performance started later than scheduled. Those are significant issues."
Devon crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing. "Sound quality was on your staff, not us. And the delay was because your setup crew wasn't ready on time."
Cam stepped closer, his voice low and threatening. "Yeah, Arell did his part, and you owe us the rest of the money. We're not leaving without it."
Mr. Donnelly looked around nervously, clearly feeling the pressure. "Look, we can negotiate something, but I can't just hand over the rest of the payment right now."
Geoffrey stepped in, his voice authoritative. "We fulfilled our end of the contract. We expect you to do the same. Either you pay us the remaining amount, or we'll have to take further action."
"Or how about I don't pay you at all." Mr. Donnelly's eyes narrowed, and he turned to the security guards around him. "Get these guys out of here." he ordered, his voice firm.
The security guards, a group of burly men with tattoos and a rough demeanor, stepped forward. Their leader, a tall light toned man with a shaved head and a menacing scowl, looked at Arell and his team with disdain. "You heard the boss. Get outta here, niggas."
Cam's eyes widened, and his hand immediately moved to something under his hoodie. "What did you just say?" he growled, his voice low.
Arell quickly raised his hand at Cam, indicating for him to settle down. He had bought weapons for everyone he had summoned but he had no intention of having them use them unnecessarily or have legal issues occur because someone couldn't simmer their temper.
Yet, even he felt a cold anger rising but kept his composure as best as he could.
One of the security guards moved past Cam, seeing his hesitance and stepped up to Arell, his chest puffed out, clearly trying to intimidate.
Geoffrey watched the scene unfold with a hint of amusement in his eyes, as if he already knew how this would end.
As the security guard stepped closer, everyone behind Arell moved in sync, stepping up to the guard. Rashad moved to put his hand around the guard's neck, but Arell intervened.
"Hey, bruh," Arell said, his voice calm but firm. "Don't look to be stepping to me or whatever."
The guard hesitated, feeling the tension in the air.
"Let's handle this like professionals," Arell continued, addressing Mr. Donnelly. "We did our part, and now it's time for you to do yours."
Mr. Donnelly looked flustered, he glanced at the security guards, who were now visibly uncertain, and then back at Arell.
"Fine," Mr. Donnelly said, his voice shaking slightly. "I'll get the rest of the payment. Just give me a moment."
As Mr. Donnelly hurried away to arrange the payment, the security guards stepped back, their earlier bravado dissipating.
Geoffrey chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Well, that escalated quickly."
Arell shrugged, a slight smile on his face.
A few moments later, Mr. Donnelly returned, a check in his hand. "Here," he said, handing it to Geoffrey. "This covers the rest of the payment. Now, please, let's not have any more trouble."
Geoffrey took the check, glancing at it to make sure everything was in order. "Thank you, Mr. Donnelly. We'll be on our way now."
Arell nodded to his team, and they all turned to leave, the security guards parting to let them through.
Once they were outside, Geoffrey handed the check to Arell. "Nice work, everyone. We handled that perfectly, but lets try to be a bit less aggressive next time. Ok?" He said, his gaze lingering on Cam and Rashad.
Arell chuckled as he watched Cam and Rashad clearly become uncomforted by the reubuke. "Hey, Cam," he said lightheartedly, "no need to shoot people or anything. It brings a lot of other issues."
Kenny laughed. "Yeah, you was ready to up it one time."
Cam chuckled his earlier unease disipating as he relaxed.
Then Geoffrey, looking around the parking lot, asked, "How are we going to leave now, there's ten of us and the girls need to be taken back to their hotel, and only two vehicles, it's not exactly corteous to get them an uber either."
Arell stared at Geoffrey and then looked down at the check in his hand. He wanted to splash some cash on himself but now, like always, they had something else to consider. "We should buy another car or two," he said, handing Geoffrey the check and his bank card. "Agreed?"
"Agreed," Geoffrey replied, taking the check and card. He turned to the rest of the team. "Kenny, Malik, Devon, Tariq, interested in coming along?"
"Sure," Kenny said, nodding. Malik and Devon echoed the sentiment, while Tariq gave a thumbs-up.
They all walked off and piled into Geoffrey's SUV, which he had bought not long ago with his own money. Arell watched them drive off, then glanced at those around him. "Well, I guess we could go get the girls and walk around until they get back. I doubt we could all fit in my Subaru."
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