Dylan sighed as he looked up at the Green Records building. He had to squint at the sun reflected off the excess glass and metal. The building towered above its surrounding buildings and even had a tacky 'Richardson Records' sign in lights across the building. Soundless September had been the first band Monty Richardson had signed when he was still working out of his ex-wife's basement. In Dylan's mind, fame and success ruined everyone and Monty was no different. Back then he had been awkward and pathetically devoted to his dream. Now he was a success hungry douche bag who cared about no one.
Dylan crossed the busy intersection and entered the building. He pulled his hood back and took out his blaring ear phones. He walked up to the receptionist with bright red hair and perfectly manicured fingers. Her name plaque said her name was Mandy and she was here to help. Except she wasn't. Instead she was chatting away on her headset. Then when Dylan tried to say something she stuck a finger up in the air to stop him. Finally she finished conversation and turned to look at Dylan. "I'm here to see Monty," Dylan said gruffly. Then when she frowned, he added, "Monty Richardson."
Her frown deepened as she looked over Dylan's ripped jeans and beanie with a judgmental eye. Dylan had done his best to change his looks since the band split up so he wouldn't be recognized. "We don't take walk ins," She said disdainfully, "We have a few open days a year to recruit new talent, You'll have to come to one of those if your looking for representation." She slid a flier over the bench to Dylan then went back to tapping away on her keyboard.
Dylan sighed angrily. He didn't even want to be here in the first place. Taking the flier and deliberately ripping it up in the receptionists face, he leaned in. "I'm Dylan Green and I'm expected."
She looked up at Dylan with a glare before slowly looking back at her computer and tapping a few buttons. Then her face flushed red. "Oh, I'm so sorry. It seems you are expected." She jumped up with an awkward smile. "Come with me." She took Dylan past the receptionist desk towards the elevator and up to floor seventeen. They walked down a long corridor and eventually she brought him to a small lounge. "Mr. Richardson will be out to see you soon. Can I get you anything, lime water?" She asked politely, clearly keen to make up for earlier so he wouldn't complain about her to her boss.
"Just go," Dylan said bluntly as he took a seat on of the couches in the lounge. He picked up a magazine off the coffee table but after turning a few pages dropped it immediately. He really didn't need to know what color lipstick would make his eyes pop. His eyes turned to the tv in the corner. Though his scowl deepened when he saw it was a 'where are they now' type show that was doing a piece on Soundless September.
"Now there were records of some infighting among band members. However is came as a shock to the entire show biz world when during the middle of a live show they broke out into a fight." The Announcer said over video footage from that very show. Dylan had seen the footage of this fight many, many times. The moment he saw himself throw a fist he looked away. He couldn't block out the voice though. "Security was forced to drag the members off the stage and away from each other. After that their Manager, Monty Richardson announced in a press release that the rest of the tour was cancelled. The band Soundless September was never to be seen together again. Hard to believe its been five years today since one of music's biggest heavyweights just disappeared."
Dylan found the remote for the TV and switched it off. Was it really the five year anniversary of the band breaking up today? A few weeks ago Monty had called him up out of the blue and said that it was of extreme importance that he show up to a meeting today. It couldn't really have anything to do with Soundless September could it?