Back To The Viper

by Antara Mann

  “So it’s decided…” Ashley said in the end, but was interrupted by Harry.

  “Just a moment, don’t you need me?”

  Ashley turned to him with a smile. “We’ll always need you, dear, but not in this case. It’s between the four of us.”

  Chapter 9

  “Are you ready?” Wayne asked his band mates. They gave him a sign and the guitarist played out several chords to signal the beginning of Masters of the Dark’s live concert. The drummer joined and began playing, following the melody. Wayne took the microphone to greet the people present.

  “Good evening, everyone, how are you tonight?”

  Some exclamation and clapping were heard from separate directions inside the club.

  “Tonight is a party time, let go of your inhibitions and… have fun!” Wayne said to the audience. This time the cheering was much more enthusiastic. Wayne nodded at the other guitarist and the band began to play one of their latest tracks. The vocalist had a nice, melodious voice. The song was a good piece of rock with some pop elements in it. Wayne loved to write more commercial songs. At the same time, Ashley, accompanied by Chad and Craig, entered Mr. T’s Bowl. They sat at the table they had reserved beforehand and concentrated on the song.

  “Give me a little time, I like you girl

  I wanna rock your world…”

  Ashley thought it was odd for a woman to sing such lyrics, but then she realized that the song had most probably been written by Wayne. He knew they were in the club; she had warned him earlier that day. During the break, Wayne joined them.

  “What’s up? Are you having fun?”

  “Yes, this club is pretty nice,” Craig agreed.

  “I don’t get how I’ve earned your attention. You’ve never been interested in Masters of the Dark or our shows. I always invite you, but you never come.”

  “It’s true, but when we last saw one another I felt nostalgic about when we used to play live. I want more and more to sing onstage again,” Chad said.

  “Would you like to replace Jill, our lead singer?” Wayne winked at him. “Come on, it will be fun!”

  “Uhh, Wayne, we actually came here to talk to you about something very important,” Craig interfered.

  “You sound like we are going to make a super important deal!” Wayne exclaimed. “Leave your corporate life at the office, pal! It’s party time!” He downed the tequila shot he was holding in his hand.

  Craig ignored that and went on:

  “Look, it’s about a discovery by… uhh, a chemical scientist, a friend of Ashley’s.”

  “And what about it?” Wayne asked indifferently, still swallowing the tequila he’d just drunk.

  “Well, that guy has found a way for the consciousness to travel in time,” Craig said firmly.

  This immediately attracted Wayne’s attention.

  “Is that supposed to be funny?” He left the empty glass on the table.

  “Wayne, I know it sounds unbelievable, but the three of us already tested Harry’s invention,” Ashley said. “He’s discovered a chemical compound that, on injection, lets the consciousness travel back in time to a moment of your choosing.”

  “What are you trying to tell me?” Wayne lost his cheerful expression and became cautious.

  “We’ve decided to go back to The Viper Room in 2005 during our live showcase. This time, however, we’re planning to play a song that’s famous now, for example, the one by The Dragon’s Circle that was playing at the restaurant where we met. It’s not an accident that we heard it that evening.”

  “Jesus, Ash, you’re out of your mind!” Wayne drew a little back from her.

  “No, buddy,” Craig added, “all three of us want to get rid of that feeling of failure and broken dreams. That trip lasts just a few minutes, but it will give us peace of mind.”

  Wayne was looking at his friends uneasily. At first, he thought they were all crazy, and he felt like running away from them. Then, however, he considered what they’d said. Going back in time? Even if it was possible, would it be of any use?

  “It’s obvious you’ve already made a decision, but what do I have to do with it?” Wayne said in the end and leaned on his chair. “What difference would it make if I joined you or not?”

  “A big one! When I went back in time to our first rehearsal, I remembered what a perfectionist you were. We can’t do it without you; we won’t be able to perform the song in such a way as to attract the producer’s attention, and we’ll risk getting rejected again,” Ashley explained determinedly.

  “All right, so what does that experiment look like?” Wayne was beginning to have fun.

  “It’s very simple,” Ashley went on. “The whole time, your body will be lying relaxed in the lab while your consciousness will transfer itself to a time and space chosen by you. All of this happens very quickly. You could spend several hours there, while here it’ll have been just a few minutes. Isn’t that great? Please, Wayne, say ‘yes!’”

  “Okay, let me think about it.”

  At that moment, one of the members of Masters of the Dark called Wayne; their break was over. He rose and soon after that, the club was once again resounding with the music of his rock band. They were performing “Never Say No” – one of The Jackal’s old songs.

  “Guys, this song seems to be performed especially for us. And tonight, too, when we’ve all gathered to make an important decision,” noted Ashley, who was listening to the lyrics carefully.

  “I hope Wayne gets the symbolic meaning of this coincidence, too,” Chad said.

  “Whatever he decides, at least we tried,” Ashley replied.

  When the concert finished, Wayne joined his friends again. He was in a good mood – the people at the bar had twice called for an encore.

  “You’re still here? Craig, what would your wife say if she found out you were in LA all this time?”

  “Argh, I knew we were just wasting our time with you!” Craig rose and was just about to leave when Wayne stopped him with his hand.

  “Hold on!” He paused. “All right, let’s do it! Let’s go back to that showcase! If the trip really only lasts several minutes, as you said, then I agree.”

  Ashley shrieked and spontaneously hugged Wayne.

  Several people turned around, curious to see what was going on.

  Chapter 10

  “Do you understand the way you could signal to me that you want to go back?” Harry asked Wayne in the end.

  The four had gathered in the scientist’s lab in the afternoon. All the boys had left their workplaces early, while Ashley had taken a day off in order to participate in the time travel trip.

  “Yes, I only have to move a body part and you’ll give me an anti-compound injection, is that right?” Wayne answered.

  “Yes, that’s right. Well, I think we’re ready. I suggest we start.”

  “Wait a second! What if you don’t give us that anti-compound injection? What will happen?” Craig asked. “Let’s say you can’t do it for some reason; would that mean we’d be in danger?”

  “I don’t think so…” Harry paused, considering the question seriously. “I haven’t tested this option, but I don’t think anything fatal could happen. The compound is active only for about seven or eight hours in the real world, that is, maximum four or five days, depending on how intensively you use your time. After that, you have to go back to reality.”

  “Are you sure?” Craig insisted.

  “Jesus, what’s the matter with you?” Ashley turned to him. “You don’t trust Harry or what?”

  “I just want to make sure my children will have a father.”

  “Oh, come on, don’t be so sentimental! I’m a mother, too!” Ashley snapped at him.

  Craig lay down a bit reluctantly on the towel Harry had spread on the floor. There was only one couch in the lab, which was reserved for Ashley, so the others were lying on the floor.

  “Now I want you to relax,” Harry said. “Take a deep breath, and imagine there’s lig
ht entering your body. Breathe out and get rid of the tension and the negativity that’s inside you. And now your bodies are growing heavier. Everything is heavy – your head, your torso, your legs, your shoulders.” While he was instructing them, Harry carefully drew the solution out of the test tube in which it was kept. Then he injected everyone with it separately. Finally, he set his watch in order to track the time of their absence. He sat down and began to wait. Ashley was one of the few friends he had. The fact that all four of them had agreed to test his invention made him feel proud. He couldn’t wait to learn about their experiences and to see how much time they would be absent. It was a historical day for Harry Neil.

  ***

  Wayne felt a peculiar lightness, as if he was drifting in the sky like a bird. The next moment, he was overcome by ecstasy even stronger than an orgasm. He had the feeling his body and mind would burst into small pieces. Then he saw the faces and images of all the women he had slept with in front of him. When he realized how many they were, his head started spinning. He recognized his current girlfriend among them.

  “No!” he screamed, terrified. “I want to get out of here!”

  Some of the women had already surrounded him, others were pulling his hands. He had the feeling they would soon push him down on the ground and crush him with their feet. He thought he could hear each one’s angry cry: “You lied to me; I thought I was the only one.”

  What could he do to save himself from this hell? He remembered Harry’s instructions: “Recall that showcase at The Viper Room in 2005, and you’ll find yourself there immediately.”

  Wayne closed his eyes and feverishly wished he was in the club. Suddenly, the sound of rock music and drums reached his ears. It was very noisy. He opened his eyes cautiously – the women had gone. “Thank God!” he sighed in relief. “Lord, thank you! I promise not to hurt the fairer sex ever again.”

  “Did you say something?” Chad turned to him.

  “Yes, what I heard about women was pretty interesting. I hope you’ll keep your promise when we are back,” Ashley added.

  “Oh, my God, we’re at The Viper Room! Guys, we’re back in the game!” Craig cried cheerfully. He looked around and saw a great number of visitors nearby. The club was soaked in cigarette smoke – it was the distant 2005, before the ban on smoking in public places. Everything looked exactly as it had during their first performance.

  “Oh God! I look so good! We’re eighteen!” The boys heard Ashley’s excited voice. She was giving herself an approving look in one of the mirrors by the bar on the second floor.

  “Ash, we didn’t go back for you to see yourself slim and young again, but to present our song. Are you ready for our performance?” Wayne asked.

  Everyone nodded. Before they had traveled back in time, they had unanimously agreed to play the song “Where is Your Lover.” They had been rehearsing it hard for the past few days.

  Wayne noticed the producer on whom their fate depended sitting at the bar. He tried to remember his name, but couldn’t. When the producer took notice of the band, he waved and greeted them.

  “Good evening, my name’s Mark Harris, and I’ve produced Foo Fighters, The Offspring, and Green Day. Wayne showed me a CD with your recording on it, and I admit, I liked you.”

  “We’re happy to hear it.” Wayne gave him an oily smile.

  “Let’s sit and have a drink before the performance!”

  The men hesitated. The tension, even now that they’d gone back in time, was strong, and having a quick drink to relax seemed like a good idea. Ashley signaled to Wayne and he replied reluctantly:

  “No, better not. Maybe after the showcase.”

  “That’s a professional’s answer!” the producer grinned. He gave a sign to the club manager to invite them on the stage. Wayne felt his hands shaking. He remembered the way the audience had reacted to their performance ten years before: moderately warm with mild applause. Perhaps that had been the reason why Mark Harris hadn’t approved them. Wayne shook his head – that had been ten years ago; now they had the chance to improve their performance. He nodded at Ashley and she took the microphone.

  “Good evening, music lovers! How are you tonight? Are you ready to rock?”

  The club resounded with a wave of wild cries. The Viper Room, where the whole of the Hollywood elite gathered, had nothing in common with the much smaller club where Wayne had played a week before.

  “We are The Jackal and tonight we’ve prepared a special song for you,” Ashley said. Wayne and Craig began to play. Ashley started singing “Where is Your Lover,” with Chad backing her vocals. If the members of The Dragon’s Circle could have heard or seen them at that moment, they would have probably sued them for plagiarism. The audience, however, not suspecting the similarity between the track and another from the future, accepted it with enthusiasm. In the end, the applause wouldn’t stop. They had decided to play only one song, but the audience’s wild cheers and cries of “We want more” made them go on with another song.

  “I told you they were going to like ‘Where is Your Lover!’” Ashley was screaming, overexcited. The rest hugged her and covered her in kisses.

  “They want more! I can’t believe it! We made it at The Viper Room!” Craig was crying.

  “We better focus on what we are going to sing now, as we haven’t prepared another song. Do you remember any of our old songs?” Wayne asked.

  “Yes, “We are Young” – the first song I wrote that we rehearsed in your garage,” Ashley replied. She was sure Chad and Craig would remember it because all three of them had been back to the time of their first rehearsal, when they had played that song.

  Wayne began to play his guitar, trying to remember it. Soon after that, the melody rang out, confident and compelling. Again, it was received with wild applause that wouldn’t calm down. The producer was looking at them with obvious approval.

  The Jackal was encored several times. Joyful and pleased, they played “Where is Your Lover” twice. When the showcase was over, they joined Mark Harris at the bar. Wayne almost downed a whole glass of whiskey. Craig and Chad followed his example, but acted more moderately.

  “Guys, you did great!” The producer spared no superlatives. “You… you are just born to be stars!” He laughed and took a drag of his cigar.

  Encouraged by his approval, Ashley offered:

  “If you really like us, as you said, can you get us a contract with a music label?”

  The producer fixed his eyes on her and for a moment, she lost her breath. The boys, surprised by her boldness, also riveted their eyes on her in anticipation of what the producer would say. At length Harris broke the silence:

  “I like your lead singer! That’s a very practical and direct question. What’s your name, darling?”

  She mumbled, slightly uneasy, “Ashley Greendale.”

  “Ashley.” He put out his cigar in the ashtray. “If I’m honest, I knew almost nothing about your band before I listened to your live performance here. Now I’m aware of what your possibilities are, and I believe you’ll achieve success if you record an album with a label. That’s why I’ll talk to a friend of mine as soon as possible; he’s an A&R at one of the major labels.”

  “And when exactly? ‘As soon as possible’ sounds too vague,” Ashley asked him insistently.

  The producer fixed his eyes on her again and said, with a hardly discernible smile at the edges of his lips, “Miss, aren’t you too young to worry about time? How old are you?”

  “Please, excuse Ashley, she’s been quite nervous because of the showcase, but she’s an introvert by nature,” Wayne interfered, giving Ashley a reproachful look meaning “Be careful what you’re talking about; Harris is a bigwig.”

  “She’s right,” Mark Harris said, lighting up another cigar. “Time is money and the sooner you sign a contract with a music label, the better.”

  “That’s awesome!” Chad cried excitedly.

  “I’ll try to talk to that friend of mine from Warner
tomorrow; I also have an old acquaintance at Sony, so let’s see what they say.” Mark sighed and took a gulp of whiskey.

  The four of them looked at one another cheerfully.

  “All right, so what’s the deal? Are you calling us or do I…” Wayne didn’t finish because Mark interrupted him.

  “Buddy, don’t worry, I’ll take care of this. Once I like a band or an artist, it’s in my interest to promote them. But I have one condition.” He looked at all four of them searchingly. “If I strike a deal with a label, I’d like you to sign a contract stating I’ll be your producer. Is that okay?”

  Wayne held his breath – that was beyond the sphere of his competence and he had to consult an entertainment attorney.

  “Okay, let’s see if a label will like us first, and then we can negotiate!”

  After a while, Mark Harris left and they could no longer contain their joyful exclamations.

  “Yes!” cried Craig, who had been silent during the conversation, having let Wayne do the talking. His corporate work had taught him how important it was to listen closely to the people he would make business with. “This feels good. I have the very good feeling we’re going to sign a contract!”

  “Don’t make conclusions too quickly,” Chad warned him. “Although I have such a feeling, too…”

  “Cut off that thinking; it’s party time!” Wayne ordered four shots of tequila with a complacent smile on his face and then gave one to each of his friends. “To success!”

  They laughed and each of them downed their shot. While Ashley was swallowing the sharp taste of tequila, a girl approached them timidly.

  “Excuse me, can I have an autograph?” She held out her cap shyly. Wayne winked at her.

  “Don’t you have anything sexier I could sign?”

  The girl blushed and Ashley jabbed Wayne.

  “Don’t be a jerk! We are here for a purpose, not for you to go hunting.”

  Craig and Chad burst into laughter, mimicking him, “Lord, thank you! I promise not to hurt the fairer sex ever again.”

  “Oh, shut up,” Wayne downed another shot of tequila. He was starting to enjoy being twenty again – he was young and ambitious and the women in the club were exactly the type he liked.