Chapter 8

“My name is Edward Baldwin. I’m your biggest fan.”

“Biggest fan or not, would you mind explaining precisely how you managed to get in here?” Hiro asked defensively.

Laughing, Edward replied, “It was child’s play, really. Your security systems aren’t nearly as powerful as you think they are.”

Beginning to sweat, Hiro muttered under his breath, “Kimiko, if you can hear me, get me out of here right now.”

“Don’t waste your breath, my friend,” Edward scoffed. “Kimiko can’t help you now.”

“What has happened to her?” Hiro asked quietly, his rage building within him.

“Oh, nothing ... yet. Just needed some leverage over you so you’d hear me out completely. I have a business proposition for you, Hiro.”

Mike awoke with a start, unsure of what was going on. Panting as he tried to gain his bearings, the room he was in seemed extremely familiar. Seeing his trumpet case on the floor ahead of him, he finally realized that he was in the soloist’s dressing room of Atlanta Symphony Hall.

“What the hell’s going on here?” he muttered to himself.

The hallway door opened just then, revealing Maestro Robert Spano. “They’re ready for you, Mike,” he said, motioning for him to follow.

“Huh? Who is?”

“The media, of course! Come on.”

Following him down the hallway, they soon reached another door. As Robert opened it, the pair suddenly found themselves besieged by a flurry of camera flashes. Trying to keep his wits about him, Mike stuck close to Robert, standing beside him as he stepped up to a podium.

“Thank you all for coming out tonight,” Robert said, raising his hand to quiet the media. “Obviously, you aren’t here to listen to an old man like me ramble on, so I’m going to go ahead and turn the podium over to our star trumpet player, Mike Braxton.”

Mike was thoroughly confused, unsure of what this was all about. Robert shook his hand and whispered, “Just smile for the cameras, and go with it.”

What the hell does that mean?

Stepping up to the podium, Mike tapped the microphone a couple of times, testing it out. Confirming that it was on, he said, “Uh, good evening everyone.”

The room of reporters immediately began shouting and raising their hands for questions. Tentatively, Mike called on a middle-aged black man in the front row.

“Mr. Braxton, Sam Powell, Fox 5 News. To what do you attribute your career-defining performance tonight?” the man asked.

“Well, I don’t know about ‘career-defining.’ I work hard every day, but there are always improvements I can make.”

“Mr. Braxton,” said a beautiful blonde in the second row. “Stephanie Adams, ABC. Critics are already hailing your performance of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony as ‘changing the way the world hears music’ and ‘the new standard for professional musicians the world over.’ Yet, you still believe improvements can be made?”

“That’s extremely kind, but I’d say the more reliable reviews are from my colleagues that performed with me tonight.”

The woman now stood, revealing that she had a beautiful, curvaceous body to go with her gorgeous face. “Are you sure? Many professionals assert that the Atlanta Symphony owes the vast majority of its recent success to your skills, and that the orchestra wouldn’t even be on the map with the rest of the personnel it has on staff.”

“That’s complete crap, excuse my French,” Mike shot back, annoyed with her insinuation. “The ASO contains the finest group of musicians that I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. They are talented, hard working, and above all, great people. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be half the musician I am today if not for the incredible people I work with on a daily basis. If these are the sorts of questions I will continue to be asked, this conference is over.”

Mike immediately walked down from the podium and exited to the side of the room, hearing the flurry of camera clicks and questions come from the various members of the media. Ignoring them, he walked straight for the dressing room he had come from, closing the door behind him once inside. He relaxed on the sofa in the room, trying to comprehend everything.

“None of this makes any sense,” he muttered. “What the hell are all of these reporters doing here? I’m a trumpet player, not an athlete or a rock star, or even a politician. Something here just doesn’t add up.”

Before he could ponder further, a soft knock came at his door. Opening it, he found himself face-to-face with a gorgeous, blonde woman.

“Ms. Adams, what can I do for you?”

“Um, may I come in?” she asked, biting her lower lip slightly.

Acquiescing, Mike motioned for her to enter. “May I offer you anything to drink?”

“No, thank you,” she replied. “I apologize for being so forceful out there. I just am having a hard time understanding your refusal to take credit for saving this great orchestra.”

“Because I didn’t,” Mike responded, sipping a can of Coke.

“Bullshit!” she said with a laugh. “You know damn well how strapped for funds the ASO was before you were promoted to Principal Trumpet. It was nearly bankrupt. Then, you come in with your charm, talent, and incredible showmanship, and suddenly people from all over are donating to the orchestra again. How can you not see the connection?”

Shaking his head, he replied, “Even if what you’re saying turns out to be factually true, I won’t allow that sort of vanity to creep into my mindset. It’s very dangerous, and leads to short-lived success. Not to mention awful performances.”

“So you still assert that you’re not the reason the orchestra has bounced back as of late?” she asked in disbelief.

“Completely. Look at the other talented musicians in this group: Darcy White, Stuart McKay, Jessica Miller, just to name a few. All would easily be starring as principal players no matter what orchestra they were in. I’m just one piece of the puzzle.”

“Doesn’t mean you aren’t the most important piece of all.”

“Again, I don’t care if that’s true or not, I refuse to think that way. Now, if there isn’t anything else, I’d like to have some privacy to call my wife, Ms. Adams.”

Sighing, she replied, “Very well done, Mike. Good luck to you.” With that, she walked out and closed the door behind her.

Very well done? What’s that supposed to mean?

Before Mike could contemplate this any further, he suddenly felt an enormous urge to sleep wash over him. Figuring he just needed a nap after the concert, he stretched out on the sofa and propped a pillow behind his head, passing out in no time at all.

“Fuck off, Baldwin.”

Edward sighed and shook his head. “Hiro, you disappoint me. I’ve made you an exceedingly fair offer, and a fantastic opportunity to join the winning side. I thought you were smarter than this.”

“With what you’re talking about? Hell no. I don’t care if you are the winning side, I want nothing to do with you,” Hiro replied defiantly.

Chuckling, Edward said, “What you want is irrelevant, Hiro. I have need of you and your abilities. You can either profit from my need, or I can use more persuasive measures. However, you will be assisting me, one way or another.”

Hiro simply stared him square in the eyes, again stating, “Hell no.”

The two men stood silent for several moments as the tension in the rose to astronomical levels. Neither conceded an inch in their resolve. Finally, Edward broke the silence.

“Very well, I suppose I’ll have to pull out the big guns.” Snapping his fingers, a flash of fire appeared behind him, which soon disappeared, revealing Kimiko, bound and gagged to a wooden post, her clothes ripped off of her.

“Kimiko!” Hiro shouted, attempting to rush to her.

“No so fast, my friend,” Edward said, grabbing him by the collar.

“You evil bastard!” Hiro spat, struggling to break free.

“Sticks and stones, love,” Edward replied calmly. “As you can see, my power is far beyond Kimiko’s, leaving you completely at my mercy. And I am merciful; after all I haven’t killed either of you yet.”

Eying him intently, Hiro then glanced over to his genie. “Kimiko, did he hurt you?”

Though tears stained her cheek and her face bore a look of sheer terror, she managed to shake her head no.

Sighing in relief, he asked Edward, “What the fuck do you want?”

“It’s simple, really. You help me out, and I let you and Kimiko go scot free afterward, no harm done whatsoever. Like I said, simple. Honestly, it’s not a matter of if you will help me, only a matter of when. After all, a refusal could be met with some ... unpleasant consequences for poor Kimiko here, all while you are forced to watch. So, do we have a deal?”

Hiro was torn. He knew damn well the likely consequences of helping this man in what he wanted to do. Not only could countless innocents die, but also if his existence proved the further existence of Heaven and Hell, it was a pretty safe bet where Hiro would be going for assisting in Edward’s plan. Still, Kimiko was innocent, and did not deserve any of this. He loved her completely, and wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he allowed this bastard to harm her, not on Earth, not in Heaven, and not in Hell. Resigning himself to his fate, he nodded his head in agreement.

“Splendid!” Edward said cheerfully. “Now then, let’s get to it. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Mike felt a twinge of excitement as he pulled into his neighborhood that evening. After all, it was video game night with Darcy and Stuart, one of Melody’s favorite times of the week. He pulled into his driveway and saw Darcy’s car already parked next to the mailbox. Walking up to the front door, he unlocked it and stepped inside their cozy townhouse.

“Melody, I’m home!” he called out. “Stuart, you ready to get your ass kicked?”

“Stuart couldn’t make it tonight,” he heard Darcy say from the living room.

“Just the three of us then, I guess,” Mike said, dropping his bags on the floor near the coat closet. Walking into the living room, he was surprised to find only Darcy there, relaxing on the sofa under a blanket. “Uh, where’s Melody?”

Giggling, Darcy replied, “She had to run to the store; said she had quite a few things to pick up and won’t be back for quite some time.”

Now thoroughly confused, Mike could swear he detected a hint of ... something in Darcy’s voice. “Ok ... are you alright? Want me to turn the heat up?”

“Oh this thing?” Darcy asked while motioning to the blanket draped around her. “I was actually just about to ... take it off.”

As she slid the blanket off and laid it next to her, Mike was shocked to find her dressed in a sexy, sheer nightie. The satiny, pink material hung loosely from her shoulders and accentuated her perky tits masterfully. Mike could even make out her hard nipples poking through the fabric. Every curve of her body was outlined as she sauntered across the room towards him.

“Wha ... what the fuck are you doing?” he barely managed to ask.

Giggling, Darcy replied, “Well, if you must know, I am trying very hard to have my way with you.”

Swallowing hard, Mike said, “D-Darcy, you’re married, I’m married. This ... this is wrong.”

“Oh, Mike,” she pouted pathetically. “You’re hurting my feelings.”

Mike continued backing away as she approached, but soon ran into the wall. She gently placed her hands on his chest, pinning him to the wall. As bad as this was, Mike couldn’t help but notice how great she looked. And the smell of her perfume, it was completely intoxicating. Darcy leaned forward and kissed his neck softly, causing Mike to gasp in response.

“Oh my,” she said seductively, grinding her leg against the raging boner hidden within Mike’s pants. “Feels like you’re rarin’ to go”

“No, no I’m not,” he replied firmly.

“I see, you need a bit more help then?” she said with a smile.

“N-no, that’s not what I me-”

Placing a finger on his lips to silence him, Darcy said, “Shh, don’t you worry. I know how to get you completely ready to go.”

Before Mike could protest, Darcy began to drive him absolutely wild. She first ran her fingers through her light brown hair, pulling it back into a sporty ponytail as she did so. Next, she crossed her arms in front of her chest and slipped the straps of her nightie off her shoulders. Letting the garment fall to the floor, she now stood completely nude before him, her perky tits and nipples growing harder by the second. Finally, she began to run her hands all over her own naked body, tweaking her nipples and jiggling her breasts before traveling lower. As she reached her bare pussy, already glistening wet with her juices, she stared Mike seductively in the eyes.

“Please, Mike. Give me that cock of yours. Stick it right ... in ... here...” she said, pushing her middle finger into her slit as she spoke. “You know you want to.” Closing the distance between them once more, Darcy slipped her arms around Mike’s neck. “I know you’ve wanted me for all these years. It’s the worst kept secret in the universe,” she whispered into his ear. “So just relax. This is what you’ve always wanted. This is love.” Planting her lips on his, she kissed him sweetly for several seconds. Mike nearly gave in, feeling his hands subconsciously begin to move towards caressing her body. In the nick of time, however, his common sense was able to kick back in.

“NO!” he shouted, pushing Darcy away from him. “You’re wrong, Darcy. Melody is all I’ve ever wanted. You’re a fantastic girl, but you won’t come between us. This isn’t love; this is just lust. We’re done here.”

Cocking her head to one side, Darcy replied, “Very well done. Most interesting.” She immediately gathered her clothes and left the room to dress.

Mike plopped down onto the sofa, his face in his hands in shame as he tried to comprehend what had just happened. Not only was Darcy more than willing to cheat on Stuart with him, he had very nearly gone along with it. He couldn’t deny that she was an extremely attractive girl, but for her to go so far as to try and seduce him, it was all beyond anything he had ever thought she was capable of. As he continued to ponder all of this, he suddenly heard the front door open and close.

“Mike, I’m back!” Melody called out.

“I’m in here,” he replied.

Sauntering in wearing her favorite black tank top and a pair of khaki shorts, she sat next to him on the couch. “How’s my sexy man? Have a good day?” she asked, kissing him sweetly on the lips.

Yeah, called that one right, he thought to himself. She’s still my dream girl.

“Uh, yeah, ‘bout normal,” he replied, though his voice was still uneasy.

Looking intently at him, she asked, “You ok?”

“Oh, yeah I’m fine.”

Before she could inquire further, the pair heard Darcy descending the main staircase. “Bye guys,” she said. “Sorry I can’t stay tonight, Stuart had something come up.”

“Not a problem,” Melody replied with a grin. “Next week!”

After Darcy had left through the front door, Melody was about to stand when Mike gently grabbed her elbow.

“Wait, hang on a second,” he said.

Sitting back down, she gently stroked his hair with her fingers. “You sure you’re ok?”

Going back and forth in his mind, Mike debated about what he was about to tell her. After all, the only way she would know about what had just transpired was if someone told her. Chances were that she would never find out. Still, Mike already felt the guilt setting in, even though he had not done anything. He knew it wouldn’t go away, not until he did the right thing.

“Ok, here goes ... Melody, Darcy just came on to me. She ... tried to seduce me. I didn’t go along with it, told her no, but still...”

Melody sat in stunned silence for several moments before replying. “Wow. Mike, you know I would have never known if you hadn’t told me, right?”

“I know.”

“And you know that if you had slept with her, I’m completely incapable of jealousy, right?”

“I know. But it still would have been wrong.”

Nodding, Melody asked, “Because of Stuart?”

“Well yes, but also because of you,” Mike replied. “I don’t care that you’re a sex genie incapable of being jealous if I slept around; that doesn’t make it right for me to do that. And you deserve to know the truth. The last thing I want is for you to somehow think that Darcy is someone who would never do such a thing. Besides, I still feel guilty.”

“Why? You didn’t do anything?”

“I ... I nearly did. Holy shit I nearly touched her, kissed her back ... I’m sorry, I just-”

“Shh,” she said, placing a finger on his lips. “Don’t worry. The important thing is you didn’t. That means more to me than anything.”

Sighing in relief, Mike reclined back stretch out on the sofa, with Melody soon joining him, laying her head on his chest.

“I love you, Melody,” he whispered, beginning to fall asleep.

Kissing his cheek softly, she replied, “I love you too. Very well done.”

Before Mike could ask her what she meant, he had fallen asleep.

Awaking in her bed, Melody was about to venture into the palace to forage for some breakfast. She knew damn well she would need her strength once she managed to find Edward Baldwin. As she finished dressing in a black t-shirt and a pair of blue gym shorts, a knock came at her door.

“Yes?” she asked, opening the door.

“Good morning, ma’am,” a guard said politely. “King Farzan is holding a grand breakfast in the banquet hall, and attendance is mandatory for all. Breakfast begins in thirty minutes.”

“Oh, ok, that will be fine,” Melody replied.

“Very well, good morning.”

Closing the door as the guard left, Melody began to wonder what this was all about.

Mandatory attendance? Something big must be going down.

She wandered the halls of the palace for a little bit, admiring the artwork on her way to the banquet hall. Soon, traffic began to increase with breakfast time drawing near. Arriving at the large hall, another guard greeted her and escorted her to her seat at a circular table near the front of the room. Servants soon began bringing out all manner of delicious foods, from the freshest of fruits and pastries, to succulent meats such as bacon, sausage, and ham. As the guests began to enjoy the food, the lights dimmed and a large curtain at the front of the hall was illuminated.

A herald stepped in front of the curtain and greeted the room. “Esteemed members of the Water Jinn, honored guests, I welcome you this morning on behalf of our wise and powerful ruler, King Farzan. He has called each of you here today for an important announcement on the future of our people. Without further ado, I give you King Farzan!”

As he stood aside, the curtain parted to reveal the large, powerful man. Melody applauded with the rest of the hall, and couldn’t help but notice that he seemed to have an exuberant smile on his face, far larger than normal.

Wonder what’s got him in such a good mood?

Farzan bowed graciously before raising his hands to quiet the crowd. “Thank you, thank you one and all. As you know, we of the four tribes of the Jinn have learned of some startling events in the world around us in the last twenty-four hours. A servant genie of our friends, the Fire Jinn, has rebelled against the Council of Four and allied with a man that we believe poses a significant threat not only to us, but also to all of humanity. Make no mistake, my friends, there are trying times ahead for all of us.

“With such trials in store for us in the near future, I have paused to reevaluate the state of our tribe. I have concluded that, while we are certainly strong and prosperous, we must also put ourselves in the best position to succeed for millennia to come. As such, I have decided to take a bold step forward towards ensuring that, regardless of what happens in regards to the new threat we now face, the Water Jinn shall continue to have wise, trustworthy leadership. Therefore, it is with deep pleasure that I introduce to you ... my wife. Queen Selena of the Water Jinn!”

“No way!” Melody gasped in surprise.

For several minutes, the room was filled with thunderous applause as Selena joined Farzan from behind the curtain. Melody noticed that she was now wearing a golden necklace with a brilliant sapphire pendant.

Must be their version of a wedding ring.

Again quieting the crowd, Farzan said, “Thank you very much. You are all too kind. I wish to convey to you that, while I have taken Selena as my Queen out of love and admiration for her, my wish is also for her to truly rule at my side. I have the utmost faith and confidence in her leadership, and if the day should come that I am incapacitated, then there is no other that I would trust my people to than her. Now then, with the official business out of the way, a celebration is in order. Continue the feast!”

After another round of applause, Farzan and Selena worked their way through the crowd toward Melody’s table. As they approached, Melody immediately popped up and grabbed Selena in an excited hug, nearly throwing her to the floor in giddiness.

“Ohmygod ohmygod oh, my, GOD! Congratulations!” Melody squealed.

“Thank you, my friend,” Selena said, returning the excited hug.

As they sat at the table, Melody’s mind was racing at a mile a minute. “Ok, wow ... um, first question. When?”

“Last night,” Selena said with a slight giggle. “As my wound was healing, Farzan kept talking on and on about the threats you and I faced, how I could have died, and the future of our people. He never rambles like that, but in hindsight, it was rather adorable.” She glanced affectionately at him and rubbed his leg as she spoke.

“Well, I was a nervous wreck, but it was worth it in the end,” he said. “I felt that I had to tell her the truth of how I feel. The last thing I wanted was for that to be a secret I took to my grave.”

“I am glad he did. I was ... hesitant at first, as you can well imagine, Melody.”

“Because of your past?”

“Indeed,” Selena said with a nod. “But after much careful consideration, I finally came to the realization that this is what Ahmad would want for me.”

“Good girl,” Melody replied with a wink. “So, is there a formal wedding or anything like that?”

“In our tradition, no,” Farzan answered. “This public announcement and banquet is the closest thing to that. Our joining together has already taken place, just this morning.”

“Forgive me for not telling you sooner, Melody, but this is a very sacred and private matter in our customs,” Selena said quietly.

“Please, no worries at all! So, what happens in the ‘joining together’ that you mentioned?”

Selena began to explain, “When a Genie and a Jinn decide to devote their lives and existences to each other, they essentially become as close to one entity as is possible. This is accomplished by a special incantation that effectively melds our magical energies together. No matter how far apart we are, Farzan and I are now always connected.”