Chapter 234

“Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!” I groaned as I rolled over throwing my pillow over my head.

 

There goes my potential eight hours.

 

“Hiromi.” I grumbled as she kept cheerfully calling out, bouncing up and down on my bed.

 

“It’s time to wake up Motoko! We have so much to do!” She called out, and I just grumbled a bit. What time was it? The fact I hadn’t woken up naturally after eight hours meant it was super early.

 

“Hiromi, it’s early.” I grumbled as I sat up, looking at my choom who was practically buzzing with excitement. She looked like someone had given her some of those super dangerous energy drinks. “Did you even sleep?”

“A little! But we have our meeting with MSM Records! We have to go in and sign! C’mon c’mon c’mon!”

“Do we have to do it this early?”

“Yes! This was the time we agreed to head in… Do you need an energy drink? Breakfast? Are you too tired?” She suddenly shifted from leaping on me to worried.

 

“What? No, it’s fine. Not the first time I’ve been woken up early.” I yawned as I stretched out, letting the play of muscles flow through me, from my fingers down through my chest to my core, to my legs to my toes. “Alright let me get ready. What’s so important about doing this so early? Shouldn’t Rockerboys get a ‘don’t do anything until after noon’ pass?”

Hiromi scoffed at my joke as I slipped out of bed and started looking for a pair of jeans… Crap had I forgotten to do laundry?

 

Sweaty dirty jeans were probably not a great first impression to a bunch of corpos…

Then again, I smiled. It’s not like I cared, and I doubt they did too.

 

I found a mostly clean pair and under Hiromi’s not so pleased eye shook them out and slipped in.

 

“Really Motoko?”

“I forgot to do laundry! I’ve had a busy week!” I argued and Hiromi looked so disappointed in me for a moment.

“We should stop at a clothing store, we can buy a new pair before we get there.”

“Hiromi, I’m not buying a new pair of jeans just to meet some corpo guys and sign a contract.” I argued, as I turned and continued getting ready.

 

Pointedly ignoring Hiromi’s glare.

 

—–

 

We pulled into the MSM Records parking garage, and found a spot, Hiromi taking care of the parking pass and everything apparently, we were already keyed in to their security?

 

Either way I found a spot and stepped out feeling the slight stretch of brand new jeans as I moved. Hiromi was acting so smug.

 

Ignoring that we both walked over to a security checkpoint, that after they scanned us we were waved inside.

 

“Alice and the others are already here… They didn’t have to stop for clothes.” Hiromi whispered the last part at me, so I jabbed her with an elbow, earning a yelp.

 

“Yep, if only someone hadn’t started cry-”

“I didn’t! It was an effective tactic to get what I wanted!” She argued and I looked at her.

 

That hadn’t been faux crying.

 

I reached over and patted Hiromi on her head. Which made her get a little red as she puffed up at me. “This has to go perfect.” She whispered, demanding and I nodded.

“I know. Hiromi worked super hard on this, so I’ll do what I can to make sure it all goes perfectly.”

“Yes, exactly! Motoko worked hard on this too, so I’d hate to have all her work go in the dumpster because of stinky jeans.”

“They weren’t stinky!” I hissed and Hiromi just sent me a smug look as the elevator door opened.

 

“Welcome to MSM Records!” A well dressed Secretary called out as we stepped off from the elevator. “Oh hello! Motoko Kusanagi, and Manager Hiromi Mitsunashi! We’ve been expecting you!” The woman called out and I nearly flinched at just how chipper she sounded.

 

“Thank you.” Hiromi said confidently as she strode forward. “Our meeting should already be ready?”

“Yes Ma’am! Please follow our guide to the office!” She waved to our right where another woman was already waiting offering us a little bow and a big smile.

 

And of course a very low neckline. Right, this was a record company. Of course they knew what their usual clients would be like.

 

We followed the woman down the hall, and then we could hear the noise before we reached it.

 

The boys Jared and Klein both were making a fuss of some sort, I could just barely recognize their voices.

 

Then we were guided to the door and it swung open.

“Apologies for the interruption. Motoko and Hiromi are here.” The guide called out and stepped aside letting us enter.

 

“Yo! Motoko! Come in check this out!” Jared called out, he was still wearing his Rockeroy set up, with all his flashy lighted clothing.

 

There was a person I didn’t know sitting up against the desk in the middle of the room. Ian Carver, the rumpled man looked slightly less rumpled than last night, and he was sitting back watching everything with a sharp look in his eye.

 

Alice was actually the one to fill me in. “This is Raney! She’s the lead for Point Break Candy!” She gushed and I just nodded, looking the woman over.

 

“Nice to meet you.”

“Hey you as well! Welcome to MSM. Ian is the one that found me as well. So he asked me to be here for the meet and greet.” She offered, languidly. Her smile was fairly fake, I don’t think she really wanted to be here, but she was trying at least.

 

“Raney here is working on a new single, everything we’ve heard is that it’s going to hit the top of the charts.” Ian spoke, smiling with a sharpness like a shark. “But we aren’t here just to talk up the talent of MSM Records, or just how much we can help a new musician rise to the top. We’re here because Stand Alone Complex is joining our illustrious family.”

There was already a contract on the table, and I noticed it was already opened, and it looked like Alice, Klein, and Jared had already signed. Hiromi sent them a look because of it, but she moved forward like a shark herself, smile just as sharp.

 

“Of course Ian. We’re all here because we can help each other make a whole load of eddies.” Hiromi said cutting to the heart of the matter, she picked up the contract and started looking through it, obviously going to specific sections and nodding pleased.

“You’ll find it’s the contract we agreed upon last night. No need to rock the boat now. You got what you wanted Ms. Hiromi.”

“Good.” She said firmly, and then looked at me. “You just need to sign.”

“Sure, let me just sign my soul away.” I mumbled as I walked over. I trusted Hiromi though, and honestly, even if I read through this stupid contract I wouldn’t understand it. They were made that way.

 

So I flowed my signature across the page. Besides, there was a secret to contracts and laws and things that most people didn’t like to accept.

 

If you murder enough people, they weren’t worth the paper they were printed on. I smiled at the man behind the desk as I finished my signature.

“Well congratulations then!” Raney said, her wild hair shifting as she leaned off the desk. “Welcome to the MSM Family. I hope we end up working together, and hope we don’t end up competing.” She said, offering a wink at the boys when she said that, earning smiles from them both.

 

“Thanks.” I said even though I had no idea what was going to happen next. What a shift.

 

I just signed a contract to make music for a record label.

 

What was I thinking? I killed people for a living!

 

“And now my new friends, and family, we celebrate!” Ian called out, and the door opened, and in came a cart pushed by the guide woman with alcohol… Lots of alcohol.

 

“Hell yeah!” Klein called out, arms rising up into the air showing off his bare chest and cyberware as he rose to get a drink.

 

It only took a second but I noticed the guide woman was already flirting with him.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

 

I rolled my eyes, but Alice instead shifted to Raney, looking almost awe struck as she awkwardly tried to chat, and looked super excited when the woman responded positively, and soon Alice was asking all sorts of questions about Raney’s path through MSM.

 

I ignored the drinks, and noticed Hiromi was chatting with Ian. Setting up plans and plots already from what I could hear.

 

Jeeze how did I get myself into this sort of thing?

 

—–

 

Unfortunately while the party seemed to carry on in the background, the actual meeting wasn’t over, and there were plans. Thankfully Hiromi took care of most of it.

 

Ian wanted Stand Alone Complex in MSM’s studio to record an official album, along with a sound editor to spice them up, and all that sort of thing.

 

That wasn’t where it ended though.

“No.” I argued back, as Ian had offered an in studio ripper, along with some sponsored chrome. “I already have a ripper, and he’s the only one I trust, and I can’t just put in garbage. I’m a merc.”

“Well, there are some issues with your chrome Motoko.” Ian offered, kindly, but I noticed he was basically ignoring what I had said. “We don’t have a deal with Arasaka to sponsor their chrome, so that Neural link has got to go. And maybe some adjustment to your arms? We do have a great deal with Kiroshi. Feel like getting a real upgrade?”

I looked at the man with my face blank.

 

“Of course that goes for all of you! Any of you want a pair of brand new Kiroshi?” Ian offered, and I could see Alice and the others were interested.

 

Heck so was I. I still had a pair of old Mk.1’s An upgrade, especially a free one sounded preem.

 

I shook my head. “I’m not changing my chrome.” I said bluntly, so there was no confusion.