Pop: Chapter Four

     Jamil doesn't talk much, which is quite fine with me, as it allows me to work more.  I think it is because English isn't his first language, although I could be wrong.  He is definitely not a native New Yorker.  We're barely halfway back to the manor, and it is already taking longer than Cheri did with twice as much traffic.  At least I kept track of the toll stations this time.

    I'm revising the latter chapters of The Third Generation to keep it in line with what I've done in The Second City.  I'm guessing most authors would be focusing on their current book this close to publication, but not me.  My many years in proofreading/editing made the correction process go along much faster than normal.  All that's left to do is double-check the final galley proof, which I won't be getting until after my Lexington trip.  I will have to remember to thank the editors when I receive it.  I make a note of it.

    Back to the vampires  I'm having a hard time writing up this important scene where my original character finally becomes a vampire, and I'm having a difficult time getting the scene not just right, but with how it flows with the established cannon.  That is the sticking point.

    I helped create the character for the long-running chronicle my friends started way, way back in high school, and it kind of hurts relaying how he first becomes one of the undead.  His name is Vrikansya, although he usually goes by "Old Vic" by the early twenty-first century, making him active for thousands of years.  Now, I get to write how his "first death" and his first hours as a vampire, and it is scaring me.          

    I've had his backstory planned for over a decade, never mentioning his origins to any of the players in my chronicle.   He was once a servant to one of the leaders of the first city, but he made a name for himself by surviving the flood that destroyed it, as well as saving others, including an unknown vampire whose existence has been hinted at in cannon for years, but never explained.  I detail this adventure in The Second City.  It takes up an entire chapter near the end.  

    Because of his exploits, he gets promoted to head ghoul, a human bound by the mystic ties of blood to his master, for his vampire lord.  He also gets caught up in a great conspiracy which ultimately will turn him into a vampire.  That is the part of his history I can't seem to pin down.  I know the highlights of what happens to him for the next few centuries, which I hope to write about in further books if I get the chance. It's just this one scene that is holding me back.  His vampire lord "dies" just before Vic gets turned into a vampire himself, but I can't seem to get the beats lined up correctly.  I need to show both how Vic defeats his master's attackers in his first moments as one of the undead, but I also need to show how his master still exists as a sort of "god" in a purely spiritual form.  This was his master's plan all along in an effort to sidestep the curse of vampirism.  I just need to figure out how to show Vic how his master survived and how Vic can further his plans along.  

    "Mr. Burton.  We're almost at the house." Jamil pipes in, breaking me from my mental block.

    "Thank you."  I need to double check my resources and notes before I write any more.  At least the fates of the rest of the Third Generation are going to be easy compared to this one.

    I see Sam's electric monstrosity parked on the driveway, when he knows it needs to be back in the garage to charge up.  I bet he thinks we'll take it for the meeting.  No.

    Jamil stops the car, and I nod to him as I take my leave.  He nods back in acknowledgement.  He is one driver I will not miss.  I would miss Cheri, but Jamil... He just doesn't pack as much sentiment for me.

    I walk around to the back of the house instead of going in the front.  I want to check the garage for the Beretta before anything else.  I wouldn't put Sam up for causing any trouble, but he really hates that car.  Almost as much as I hate his.  Maybe he'll keep it.  I know I won't be getting to keep the Beretta.

Pop: Chapter 3b

     I walk back down to the studio for my final prep.  Since I'm still done up for my first interview, the Today crew doesn't need to do much extra.  They ask if I have a different jacket or something else to wear, just so I don't look just like I did earlier.  I didn't think I needed a change of outfit, but I take off the jacket for them, just to change something.  

    "Hi there.  I'm Natalie, and I'm going to be the one to interview you."  A youngish woman approaches from my left.  I don't immediately place her, but I think she's the new newsreader after the latest shake-up. I shake her hand as she goes over a few points with me.  

    It's obvious she hasn't read my book, but she has done some prep work on me.  She is having a hard time going over all the vampires in ancient times, but I reassure her of any mistakes she is making.

    "We'll conduct the interview as if it were live," she says as I get directed to a seat on the right side of a large monitor.  I guess there will be some visuals of my book popping up.  "Any major problems will get edited out, but we'll try to do everything in one take."

    "Don't worry.  I am usually pretty good at such things.  This is my second interview of the day. I just wish I had more notice."  I try to keep things light, but I can't shake this feeling of suspicion.  I know there is something more going on.

    After Natalie sits down, we start our interview.  She asks many of the same questions that I got over at CBS, but nothing about my personal life.  I reply with the same spiel I used the first time, just with different phrasing.  At least I can give the correct release date for the paperback this time around.

    A few minutes in, she asks me about the book tour.

    "How has the tour been going?"

    "Well, Natalie, I have been hitting two or three cities per week the last two months.  Fortunately, my brother, Sam, is old enough that he doesn't have to be supervised as much any more.  In fact, I got to take this past week off for his graduation from high school.  I start back up Thursday with the final stops in the midwest before heading back to New York for the last few stops on the east coast before finishing in June."

    "Is there a reason for such a sudden stop?" Natalie's question comes out of nowhere.  

    Until that moment, the monitor had been showing a static pic of the hardcover version of The First Vampire, but in a flash the screen changes and a woman's face pops up.

    "Hi Chris. How is the interview going?"

    "Do you want to introduce her to us, Chris?"  Natalie knew this was coming.

    A nod my head down for a second before I answer.  I do this so the camera won't catch me glaring over at Thad.  I bet he is a little embarrassed to for his part in this.

    "Yeah.  Natalie, this is Addison Fairbanks.  She is a weather forecaster at your central Missouri affiliate. She is also my fiancé."

    A second round of questioning begins, switching between me and Addie.

    "How did the two of you meet?"  Natalie aims this one to Addie.

    "It is kind of funny.  About two years ago, I was following my baby brother, Jonnie, around for his senior year playing basketball for Missouri.  One Saturday night in February, we were in Lexington watching his team beat up the 'Cats.  Out of nowhere, I bumped into this man and spilled my drink on him."

    "Although I am living in New York most of the time, I still try to go back to Lexington as many times as I can for family, friends, and the occasional UK game."  I leave out that Addie was just a little bit drunk from all the beer she was drinking.  Don't want her to get into any trouble.  I was with Sam and Rick that night.  While Rick was drinking, I had stopped drinking around Sam a few months after I moved in.  I didn't want to be a bad role model.  I stopped all together soon after.  I don't miss it a bit.

    "We hit it off immediately, even though the Tigers beat his 'Cats by two points that night.  One of those from Jonnie's free throw the last quarter.  Anyway, we planned meet-ups whenever we could. It hasn't always been easy.  Long-distance relationships take time, but we made it through."  Addie pipes back.

    "I proposed last fall.  A few changes had to be made once my book tour got announced.  In fact, I'm having my bachelor party and the rehearsal dinner this week in Lexington, just to make sure everyone can be in the same place at the same time."

    "At least we'll be in the same city.  I'm transferring to a new station this fall as well, all so we can be together.  I hate leaving Springfield, but this is a bigger market for me."  Addie usually has a positive outlook.

    "I hope to two of you have the best of luck." Natalie responds as she finishes up the interview. "Go pick up Chris's book, available everywhere, and the new one when it comes out."

    She thanks me and Addie as the interview ends.

    "Sorry about all the secrecy, but we wanted to keep the surprise."  I'm guessing she means Thad.  I give him a harsh glare from across the studio.

    "At least I now know why you didn't give more encouragement this morning in your texts.  Is this even a real interview?"

    "Oh, it's real all right," Thad rings out as he crosses over to me with my tote.  "But when Today's producers found out about your wedding, they had to bring in Addie here."

    "See you Thursday, Chris.  Love you."

    "Love you too, Addie,"  I just manage to get in before the connection is severed and Addie fades from the screen.

    I take a quick look at my watch as I put my jacket back on.  It's a little after ten, the interview taking just over fifteen minutes.  They'll probably remove the Addie section to make the segment fit into the schedule.  Yet, that is a major reason why the wanted this.  Maybe they'll split it, or have it as bonus footage online.  I put it out of my mind.

    "Have you called the service yet?  I need to be back home by 12:30 for my appointment."  Cheri would be at LaGuardia by now, on airpot duty for the rest of the day.

    "Don't worry," Thad intones as he hands me the tote as we walk back to the exits.  "Someone will be waiting just outside the Center.  I will walk with you to make sure you get there before I get back to the office."  It's just a blocks away, so he can hoof it there.

    "I just need to get there in time.  This appointment is just as big as these interviews were."  

    Only my and Sam's future.  Nothing too major.

Pop: Chapter 3a

    We walk back down to the reception area and sign out before leaving.

    "What do you mean by this 'second interview?'  You never mentioned one before now."

    "Well, I had always planned for more publicity, and this spot opened out very fast.  I took the lead as soon as I could.  I'm sorry for not being able to tell you about it sooner, but it is what it is." Thad explains as we step outside.  It's just a little after nine.

    "I need to call the service so that Cheri won't be ..."

    "Don't worry about it, Chris," Thad interrupts me.  "I've already called.  They'll send someone over to the Rock around ten.  There won't be any problems with you getting to your appointment."

    "There better not be."

    As we start walking down to the Rock, I grab the meal bar from my tote and start eating it.  To be honest, I would rather wait a little bit longer, but I am so upset at Thad that I would be yelling at him if I didn't have something in my mouth.  At least this will keep him quiet too.

    The Rock.  Rockefeller Center.  That means The Today Show.  NBC.  This is too much of a coincidence not to mean something.  Thad knows what's going on, but what isn't he telling?

    I finish up my bar, perhaps a little to quickly, and stuff the wrapper in my jacket pocket.  Thad has been on his phone the entire time, jabbering to someone.  Maybe multiple someones.  I haven't been paying attention.  Just keeping track of the traffic flows is enough to keep me busy, but Thad is a native New Yorker.  He can handle the steady lines of cars and the pattern of traffic lights.  I will never get the hang of it.

    We reach The Rock in less than fifteen minutes, something I usually don't think is possible.  We make our way in and are whisked straight through to the set by a production aide.  Thad had to have called ahead.

    "It will be a few minutes more.  We will be taping the segment to air tomorrow, so feel free to take your time.  We usually don't to much in post, as the interview looks more natural that way.  May I get you anything while we finish setting up?"  Lloyd, the aide, advised us while walking us through to the main set where the interview would be held.

    "I think I'm good, but I would like to go to the restroom first.  Before anything else.  If that's okay."

    "Sure.  Just take that door to the right and go down the hall.  The door is on the right."  

    "Thanks, Lloyd.  Thad, can you stay here while if clean up?"   

    "No problem.  Just hurry up.  I can tell that your makeup needs touching up."  Good old Thad.  Always looking out for me.

    I walk briskly out the door and down the hall to the men's room.  I take a quick look around.  Empty, just as I hoped.  I rip out a loud one as soon as I can.  Guess I shouldn't have eaten so fast.  I've holding that one in for almost a block.  I rearrange my tote and go over to the urinal to relieve myself.  Not sure if I need to, but after letting a big one out, everything seems to shift inside.  I make sure there aren't any drops as the urinal flushes on its own.  I hate those, but I guess it keeps things cleaner.

    I go to the sink to wash my hands.  Automated as well.  I dry off my hands and do one last check on my zipper.  All good.  I take a brief look in the mirror as well.  Still presentable.  Here goes nothing for my second interview of the morning.

Pop: Chapter 3

    Thaddeus "Thad" Drubbnick is my rep.  I would have to ask legal to see if he's my agent, manager, both, or something else entirely.  I try not to pay too much attention, as long as he gets the job done and everything is legal and over the board.  Sure, he might dress in shabby navy suits that went out of style years ago, but he is good at his job.  He might be balding, but he is not even forty.  Most people in his position would let an underling handle the task of covering a client interview, but since this is my first time on national television, he wanted to be here for the big event.

    He chats up with the aides guiding me to makeup.  I hand him my tote before he gets too caught up in the conversation.  He's a talker.  You can't pick up the middle European accent at all, unless you knew his family immigrated to the America before he was two.  I sit down before I get dragged into the convo as well.  I really don't need makeup, not at all.  Maybe at little touch or so, that's it.   I feel I look fine as is.

    Within minutes, I am up front to shoot my teaser that will air just before the show breaks for the local update.  I was hoping to get some work in, just so I can say I actually worked.  I'm so close to finishing.  The assistant comes over with some last minute suggestions as we set the table up for the segment.  Because of some wild coincidences, none of the regular hosts could be here today, so I will be talking with the fill-ins this morning.  I'm not that familiar with any of them, so I get quick introductions all around.  I'm fortunate that one of them, Liana, is familiar with me.  She doesn't look the type for this.  

    An assistant director calls out that we were going back to live in thirty seconds.  This was it.  I sit back into the chair facing the hosts as we go live.

    "Welcome back to CBS This Morning," Liana chimes in.  "Next up, get ready for an up-and-coming author whose personal struggles could be said to be 'stranger than fiction'."

    The taped package starts on the monitors.  A camera crew followed me at my signing in Chicago last week, before I went on break for Sam's graduation.  Pretty standard footage of people waiting in line in a book store.  Then, the old footage kicks in, of me as child, my father and his firmly, my mother, some school pictures.  Basically, the entire incident of how I met my brother occurs in the voice over.  

    Dissolve to footage at the house, taken just last Thursday.  I'm in the library, of course.  Where else would there be enough books to convey "author" after all?  I'm giving the highlights of the house and how Sam and I had been getting along.  One could just see Sam wandering by, just before he got his hair cut.  I think one of the crew pointed out how long it was.  Sam wouldn't have gotten it cut if not for that, I think.

    The package ends, and the actual interview begins.

    "So, Chris, how did you come up with the idea for your book?" the male host, Vance, I think, takes the lead.

    "Well, I had started on an online program to get my Master's degree in writing," I begin.  "While not an actual part of the program, I was encouraged to post some of my work on sites outside of class.  As it just so happened, I had been working on something for over a decade in my role-playing campaign."

    "Role-playing.  So, you've been doing this for a fairly long time?"  Liana gets to ask a question. Good, as she seems to knew where this is heading.

    "Yes.  Although I was a little young for it, I really got into these old "World of Darkness" games through Jim, the older brother of one of my friends in high school.  While the rest of my friends ultimately drifted off, I was able to keep the campaign going through proxies and other players.  Part of that game let me to develop my own spin on some of the material.

    "Anyway, I posted some of the historical background information on a forum one day, and the other commenters really liked some of my ideas.  They encouraged me to create some community content for the game.  A few months later, I submitted the first few chapters of what would become my book.  It was an instant bestseller.  In fact, it was becoming so popular that the current publisher and holder of the property wanted to use my work as the basis for one of their own.  I was hired to write out a full book based on what I had already wrote.  This was about two years ago.

    "When they published my novel, it was a fairly big hit, at least in the game fan circle.  It went through four printing in six months.  That's when the publisher realized that there might be a bigger market for the work, so they set up a deal with Random House and me.  Last fall, a deluxe hardcover edition of my work, The Chronicles of Caine:  The First Vampire, was published.  It took a few weeks, but it landed on the bestsellers list.  Not top ten, but not too shabby a showing either."

    "And you've been touring this spring?" the other female host, Julianna, pops in.

    "Yes, in conjunction with the deluxe trade paperback edition.  I took a break this week to be at my younger brother's graduation, but as of Thursday, I'm back to finish up the tour, starting in my hometown of Lexington." Well, I consider my hometown now.

    "The paperback edition, it has a surprise for fans, right?" Liana asks the pertinent question.

    "Yes.  It feature the first few preview chapters to the follow-up, The Second City,  coming out this September..."

    I panic and stop before I continue.  The book was originally due out September fourth, but Random wanted to push it back so that it would be closer to October and Halloween.  I know it wouldn't be the eleventh, but was it pushed to the eighteenth?  I can't remember, so I immediately stop talking.

    "I guess you'll be touring again for that one."  Vance, again.

    "Not too much," I respond.  "Mostly in October and early November.  I think there will be a second leg starting next year, but I'll have to check into that."

    "You mentioned trying to get your Master's degree.  How far along are you with that?" Great follow-up from Julianna. 

    "Actually, I finished up last December."  I try not to act to smug with this.  "I was officially awarded my degree soon after."

    "Well, it was great talking to you Chris," Vance is hurrying up to finish up.  I had a feeling we were running long.  "Next up, the latest on the set of the new hit series..."

    I stop paying attention as an aide rushes up to remove my mic setup.  Thad is close behind with my tote.

    "Great job, Chris.  I don't think anyone could tell that this was your first time on television."

    "Don't mention it.  You did great work too, Thad.  I just need to get home for my afternoon meeting. I need to call Cheri to pick me up."

    "Uh, about that, Chris," Thad starts to speak.  I can tell something is wrong.

    "What, Thad?"

    "Well, I need to get you down to The Rock for your second interview."

     

Pop: Chapter 2a

     "Sorry.  I guess I've got a lot on my mind."  I click the app again just as we pass the station.  I really should have paid for the monthly pass.  Too late now.  

    "What's gotten into you this morning?  You're usually up on these things, even when you're working.  Is it your interview?  Something that big has to be weighing on you."  Cheri asks.

    "No.  I stopped prepping for that days ago.  Don't want to come off as wooden, you know?  As prepared with set answers.  I did to be at least a little spontaneous.  This is too important to make the wrong impression."

    "Would you like to talk about something else?  We still have one last station just as we enter downtown."

    "Go ahead.  I need to concentrate for a few more minutes."  Cheri knows that I usually don't like having a conversation most of our drives, but I do need a distraction from staying inside my head so much.

    "Okay.  How was the party this weekend?  I saw Sam drive by I as was driving in.  He must have had a great time finally graduating."

    She saw Sam drive by?  He said he was going to Mark's place.  It's in the other direction from her usual way in.  Maybe he was getting ready to pick up some more of his friends.  Although, I can't remember if any actually live down that way or not.

    "Actually, it wasn't that big of a deal.  Without the pool, most of the celebrating was kept indoors, and the manor is really just too big for the type of party we were throwing.  Many of the guests left after an hour or so.  I heard a few got drunk at their one of their parents' houses." I make a show of clicking the app as we press into Manhattan.  Not yet eight.  Great time.

    "What happened to the kids?  Did anyone get hurt or anything?"  Cheri continues on as we start to get into heavier traffic.

    "Fortunately no.  They never left the house, so no one was driving.  They were making a lot of noise, though, and the police got called in.  They were taken in, but I don't think any charges were filed."  The police came to see me just to confirm that I wasn't the one dishing out the alcohol.  I wasn't, but I'm positive that one of the parents tried to push some of the blame on me to protect their child.  Probably the Murphys, they always had a problem with me and Sam.  At least Sam wasn't that close with their daughter.  Obviously.

    The traffic keeps picking up.  It's a little heavy for a Tuesday, but it was just Memorial Day.  That would make today almost a Monday, business-wise.  Still, Cheri will keep me on schedule.

    We stop taking these last few blocks so that she can concentrate on the traffic flow.  I still don't see how she can makes the right moves to keep us steadily progressing to midtown.  By ten after, we're in front of the midtown building where my interview will take place.

    "Here we are, Mr. Burton.  When should I be back to pick you up?" she asks.

    I climb out of the back seat, making sure I have left nothing behind.

    "The interview is at 8:45, so I should be out about ten minutes or so after nine.  So, nine fifteen at the latest."

    "I hope so.  I'm on JFK airport duty at ten, so you might have to get another driver.  Good luck, Chris." she replies, waving at me as she starts to pull out into traffic.  I swear she winks at me, just before she starts to go.  Not like her at all.

    I walk quickly through the doors to the reception desk to sign.  Just as I finish, a short, balding man in a navy suit rushes towards me from a side door.

    "Chris!  I knew you would be here a little early.  I was just about to call you, but I thought it would be better if I checked down here first."

    "What's up Thad?  Has something bad happened?"  If something really bad had happened, Thad would have called immediately, no matter what.

    "Maybe.  There was a cancellation, so they are moving your interview up to the 8:30 spot.  You should have enough time to finish getting ready before you go on," Thad breathlessly responds. He must be worried if he ran that fast to catch me.  Or at least excited.  Well, that's another work opportunity I'll be missing out on.  Should have tried working in the ride over.

    "Well, I better get back there to get ready.  It's not everyday that one has their first nationwide television interview. Lead the way."      

    Thad leads the way to the makeup room.  I hope I'm ready for this.