One Man Band System

After a dinner that was awkwardly un-awkward, Eric and Emma said their goodbyes to Miranda, Kimberly, and Wesley to head back to Joe’s hotel, since they were still staying there for security reasons. The whole drive back, Eric stayed dead silent, keeping his eyes glued to the road ahead as soft, soothing music filled the car’s interior. Emma turned to glance at Eric in the passenger seat.

"What did Wesley want to talk to you about back there? You’ve been acting strange ever since," Emma asked.

"Nothing much... he just told me what you already told me, though I guess hearing it directly from the horse’s mouth was the only difference," Eric answered.

"I figured, but at least he didn’t say anything out of line, right? Because honestly... the whole thing still feels bizarre to me. I can’t just accept him as my brother out of nowhere, and I still have a lot to say to Kevin when he gets back," Emma said.

"I know. He didn’t say anything weird, everything he mentioned was just what you told me, so nothing special. I’m not adding or subtracting anything from it," Eric replied.

"Then why are you looking so gloomy?" Emma asked, studying Eric’s face.

"Because... just like you, none of this makes any sense to me... I never would have guessed that the brother I knew all my life was someone I didn’t know at all. A guy who I originally thought was just an ordinary, slightly cocky dude turned out to be a full-blown criminal," Eric answered, explaining himself.

"I get that feeling... though I guess the difference for me... is that I just never expected to have an A-list famous actor for a brother," Emma added.

"Right... which is why... I suddenly feel like writing some lyrics," Eric said.

"Hmm... okay, where’s your smartphone? I’ll type them out for you," Emma replied.

"It’s in the console box, just grab it, there’s no passcode," Eric replied.

Emma grabbed Eric’s smartphone, and Eric began humming the melody he had composed earlier. Emma caught the lyrics Eric sang and typed them down, though she occasionally paused, mesmerized by the song Eric was singing. The melody carried a somewhat dark vibe, yet it flowed like water and felt deeply soothing, except the lyrics hinted at life being nothing more than an illusion, or feelings towards things being merely a simulation. After finishing the recording of the roughly three-minute song,

"So what’s the title?" Emma asked.

"My Simulation," Eric answered.

"Oh... um... that fits. Is this the new Empress track?" Emma asked.

"No, that’s a track I’m going to record and sing myself. Now please take down the new Empress song, open up the app, load the new melody I pre-recorded, and hit play," Eric answered.

Emma followed his instructions. Moments later, an upbeat melody played—one that flowed by showcasing every instrument in harmony, making it feel like a close, tight-knit family. Free of illusions, free of lies, always trusting one another, always together, always relying on each other as partners, and accepting everyone for who they are. Emma turned to look at Eric while he drove.

"This... this song... it’s about..."

"You, Chloe, Monica, Priya, Heidi, Laura, and... me. All of us... becoming a new family, a new legacy, a new life," Eric interrupted Emma.

Emma was stunned. She replayed the melody and listened to it one more time as a smile spread across her lips. She turned to look at Eric once again.

"So... if the rest of us... treat it as if we’re all officially engaged to you... that wouldn’t be wrong, right?" Emma asked.

"Not wrong at all," Eric answered.

"And... are you still getting headaches like you did yesterday when talking to Katie?" Emma asked curiously.

Eric paused for a moment, genuinely weighing Emma’s question and checking in on his own feelings. Then he smiled without taking his eyes off the road.

"Nope, I’m not stressing over it anymore. If that’s what my dad wanted, even if I’m still trying to figure out what was going through his head when he wrote that letter and what his endgame was, I don’t mind it one bit. In fact, I’m grateful... when else do I get to be surrounded by stunning girls like you and the others?" Eric said, teasingly smiling.

"Ugh... you wish! Living the dream, huh?" Emma said, swatting Eric’s arm with a smile.

"You bet," Eric replied, pushing her buttons even more as he laughed out loud.

"So what’s the title for this Empress track? I’ll type it in while I’m at it," Emma asked.

"Our Forever and Ever," Eric answered.

"Hahaha... still as cheesy as ever, but I love it. Alright, typing it down," Emma replied, laughing.

The atmosphere, which had started out tense, finally thawed out completely. All through the drive, Eric and Emma chatted about anything and everything, without either of them bringing up their families or the problems lingering ahead. When they arrived at the hotel, Eric and Emma played both songs for Chloe, who was looking a bit banged up after getting dogpiled, along with Monica, Priya, Heidi, and Laura.

The five of them listened intently to both tracks, and naturally, the two songs flowed right into each other, completing one another like partners ready to accept each other for a lifetime. Without saying a word, Chloe, Monica, Priya, Heidi, and Laura pulled Eric into a group hug all at once, with Emma joining in too. Brightened up, they began chatting openly and freely about whatever came to mind, putting all their worries entirely out of sight.

***

Meanwhile, at that very same moment in the hospital, Melissa was relaxing after just finishing dinner. She was reading something on her smartphone with a smile, earphones plugged into her ears. Suddenly, "blam," the door was kicked open violently and slammed shut. Melissa looked up toward the door thinking it was Norman stepping inside, but her face instantly froze solid and her entire body stiffened like a statue.

"What... what do you want here, and how did you even get in... Jason?" Melissa said in sheer terror.

Standing right in front of her was Jason, his face still covered in dark bruises, wearing a shirt that looked like it came off a retail store rack, his hair a tangled mess, his eyes sunken with heavy dark bags beneath them, and an unkempt beard. He looked as though he hadn’t bathed or cleaned himself up in days.

"How are you doing, Melissa? Don’t be so harsh. Your fiancé worked so hard to sneak in here quietly and wait until those two cops outside went on break," Jason said with a smirk.

Melissa sat bolt upright, sliding back until her spine pressed hard against the headboard. She immediately reached around for the button to call the nurses and security, but Jason moved like lightning, lunging over to grab her wrist and pinning her hand above her head. Then, Jason scanned Melissa’s face and body.

"Whew... you’re still as drop-dead gorgeous and sexy as ever," Jason said with a smirk.

"What do you want... get off me!" Melissa screamed in panic.

"Give me the address of Eric’s new building... and tell me where Vivian is... I have business with them," Jason said.

"Eric? What do you want with Eric?" Melissa asked.

"I want Eric to sign over his inheritance and take me to see Dad... that’s it. Relax, I won’t lay a finger on your precious little brother... the one you always cared about way more than me back then," Jason answered.

"Over my dead body. I’m never telling you where Eric’s office is. Besides, didn’t you already investigate everything about him yourself?" Melissa asked.

"All his data was wiped and grabbed by Joe Whitmore’s people and that Tony Malini guy. I have no idea where that bastard kid is... hurry up and tell me, and I’ll let you go," Jason answered.

Jason whipped a knife out of his pocket. Melissa gasped in horror at the sight of the blade, staring into Jason’s eyes, which looked completely unhinged. Suddenly, Jason snatched Melissa’s smartphone, and Melissa was too late to stop him before the blade flicked toward her neck. Jason unlocked the screen.

"Ha... you still haven’t changed your passcode. Perfect," Jason said.

"Give it back... hurry up and give it back!" Melissa scrambled, trying to yank her smartphone out of Jason’s grip.

Jason paid no mind to Melissa. He found exactly what he was searching for and smiled, jotting down Eric’s new address and shooting off a text to Vivian. Right after that, he slammed Melissa’s smartphone onto the floor, shattering it into pieces. He folded his knife back up and walked toward the door. Melissa stared at her destroyed smartphone, then looked at Jason’s back as he pulled the door open.

"Hey... don’t you dare pull anything!" Melissa yelled in rage.

Jason didn’t answer. "Blam," he walked out and slammed the door behind him. The color drained from Melissa’s face entirely. She looked down at her ruined smartphone again, "tch," clicking her tongue as she smashed the nurse call button repeatedly with frantic urgency.

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