The Price Of Fame (Zoe Michaels & Ravenofpoe)

[Zoe Michaels]

Zoe Michaels stands under the stage, microphone in hand as she hears the opening video package play on the big stage screen that will lead into the opening song of her set. She can hear the crowd, all seventy some thousand that fill the massive football stadium to see her, the hottest new act in music. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath as the first song on the set list, A Real Fine Place To Start, starts to kick in. She begins to sing the first few lines before she is raised onto the stage from the platform she stood on and seeing the loud stadium go crazy for her. She dances around the stage as if she was having the time of her life, her world famous smile showing through as the fans sing along.

The first song ends and goes straight into the second song, Something Bad, which was her newest single off her third album. The place erupts as the entire stadium sings along with the chorus. Near the end, she gives the crowd a chance to sing along before the rocking country song comes to an end.

The stage lights go black, giving her a chance to grab a drink of water. She walks toward the microphone, a single spotlight shining down on the end of a large catwalk into the crowd. The fans all begin to cheer "ZOE... ZOE... ZOE..." She can only giggle and smile for a few moments before finally stepping to the microphone.

"How are you Atlanta!" She calls out in her sweet southern accent as the fans scream out. "Thank you all so much, thank you for coming out! Tonight, how about we play some music and have a damn good time?" She steps back from the microphone for a moment before she steps up to introduce the next song, "Because we got nothing better to do!"

From there, the she starts to play some of her smaller hits in order but still massive fan favorites like Right Road Now, I Miss Me More and Mean Girls. Finally, she slows the concert down when she begins to play one of her personal favorite songs Smokin and Drinkin.

Meanwhile backstage, her agent looks at his watch as he patiently waits for her new bodyguard to arrive. When he finally sees Alex walk in, he breaths a sign of relief. He walks up and extends his hand, yelling so Alex can hear him over the loud music from the concert. "Nice to meet you Mr. O'Connor, my name is Sebastian Wayne. Please follow me so we can talk." He leads Alex from the backstage area, to a private dressing room in the back for Zoe. "Please have a seat."

The dressing room is fully decorated with LED lights around the top of the walls, flashing different colors. On a table is Martini and Rossi white wine on ice with all kinds of appetizers to eat. "Help yourself to whatever you want, your part of the crew now" Sebastian tells him as he opens the fridge and takes a Smirnoff Ice out. He opens it and sits down. "To get down to business, I hired you to protect Zoe from the nut cases we see on the road and such, trust me there is a lot of them." He pauses for a moment, sitting his drink down and grabbing a vanilla folder. He tosses it to Alex. "Then there is this guy."

Sebastian does not say anything as Alex opens the folder. There are pictures of her taken from outside her large mansion as she swims at night, cooks in the kitchen, and in a towel after exiting the shower. Those are all from a distance and zoomed in with a powerful camera. The were others though, that look as if they were taken from just outside the window of her sitting on her couch wearing a large sweater and one of her asleep in her bed. "Zoe has no idea about these, we've been keeping it quite. All she knows about are the random phone calls. She answers the phone and someone plays that old song "Chevy Van" that was supposedly about kidnapping and raping some girl. I don't know, it's all bullshit. However, the night before we left to come on this tour, her security cameras caught a photo of an old Chevy Van parked near her house. We couldn't make out who was driving it but they were taking pictures."

 

[Ravenofpoe]

Alex O’Connor served two tours in Iraq. A war that was an adult now by some standards. While he didn’t show it the reason he was late stemmed from the last tour. HE was discharged on medical for taking a shell fragments that destroyed his knee. They saved the leg but he still had a limp when it rained too much. HE hated concerts and wore his headphones. It canceled the noise and he didn’t here the man in front of him say anything till he was in the private office. Dropping his back pack he sat down and rubbed his bad knee. There was rain coming he felt it.

He said in the Irish lit, “No thank you. I don’t drink on the job.” He eyed the envelope and listened the music that could still be heard. Girl could sing. He was partial to Faith himself but then again who wasn’t. This was his seventh or eighth job since being home. His buddy from the service had set up the deal to get him the job interview. He scored high in all areas and very high in the small arms firing range. He was proficient with the personal .45 he had tucked in the holster. Taking the envelope, he arched a brow. High end equipment was in play to get some of these. “Did you get a license plate? You really should not keep her in the dark. Do not think I will either. If you hire me everyone has to follow the security protocols to the letter. I will do the assessment tonight and forgo sleep because it is necessary in cases like this.” He saw why the girl was being stalked. Fame has a cost paid in many ways he had learned in the last two years. Top that with beauty and she had professional stalkers after her too. “The press will know something is up if you hire me anyway. Though I have ways to get rid of the paparazzi.” He hated them the regular news was bad gossip mongers. The professional gossip peddlers though annoyed him more than anything.

 

[Zoe Michaels]

Sebastian listens to him intently as he takes another drink of his beer. "So what do you suggest we do? She is a twenty two year old kid, this will scare her to death." He takes a moment think, everything Alex was saying made all too much sense. This man was good, he knew that and him being here already made Sebastian feel more comfortable about Zoe's safety. "Whatever you suggest is what we will do, as long as it does not interfere with her concert dates or public appearances."

He gets up and walks to a bowl full of pretzels, taking a hand full and eating a couple of them. "I've been doing some research on stalkers, most tend to do something stupid thinking it will impress whoever they are infatuated with. You don't think he will do anything like that do you?" Sebastian makes his way back to his seat.

In the background, the next song on the set Take You Home begins to play. "I should warn you too, she is very spoiled. Her daddy was never around and mommy raised her like a best friend. Throw on top of that she became a music star at eighteen..." he chuckles for a moment. "Good luck, you'll need it just to protect her from herself."

 

[Ravenofpoe]

With a shrug Alex pulled his notebook from the bag he brought. That was fun trying to get through security. Even with the email Sebastian sent there was hassle. The notebook was worn and a faded black with a rubber band marking his most recent page. “You want psycho analysis go to the BAU. I know a guy I can give you his number he will most likely send a curt response. He tends to like complicated cases. This wont count as such.” He began writing his initial ideas. He would need a full copy of the schedule. He mentioned that adding, “I think I can manage her.”

Truth was most clientele was spoiled. They were onboard till the realization came in that security was not convenient. Football stars mad they can’t go to club after a game. Gymnasts that want to do off the cuff interviews only to learn that when the background check comes back it was for a nonexistent magazine. No security was never convenient and he did take joy in saying that. “I need tour dates and break dates. Also, any interviews she has set up need to be verified asap.”

 

[Zoe Michaels]

Sebastian listens to what he had to say and what he asks for. "Yeah, I'll get those to you real quick." He pulls out his cell phone and starts to scroll through his phone, finding the number he is looking for before he begins to type out a text message. "She enjoys to party, I should give you fair warning and her female fans are crazy" he laughs. "There is big money in rally girls around guys who do them wrong." He goes back to typing out another text message for a quick moment, the chirp of a text message coming through quickly afterwards. "My assistant is getting all of the information together and will email it to me shortly."

They can hear someone start to play a guitar solo in the background, quite impressive for a country music act. "Have you ever listened to her music Alex?" Sebastian asks as he listens to the guitar. "That's her playing right now! She's the real deal in this age of bullshit and no talent." A few more seconds go by and she leads the solo right into the next song, one of her biggest hits, Passenger Seat. "She wrote that one running around with one of her ex-boyfriends. Sold millions on digital download!" The agent tells him. "We can head out and watch the rest of the show if you want, she is getting to ger biggest stuff now!"

 

[Ravenofpoe]

He arched a brow. He had heard of her music and she was good. He liked music from when he grew up and when a new person came on the scene, he usually gave them a listen. Though he said, “Mr. Wayne to be frank. I don’t care. If she was being chased by a man in a bat suit, I would not care. My job simple keep her safe. I do that job without bias and without emotion in most cases. I get results.” He smiled and put the book back into the bag. “Her fans are not going to be an issue and until there are rules in place, she will keep the meet and greets to a minimum.”

Alex was still a solider at times. At nearly thirty-five he was able to do his job effectively. He came brash and in the bottom of the bag was whatever book he was reading this week. He believed it was a Greg Iles. He grew up in the south so he was familiar with the scene of country concerts. Opening the bag he pulled out his contract. It specified he was going to be her shadow effectively and when the issue was resolved his contract would be terminated. There was a clause that if the issue was not solved in six m9onth a new signature would be needed continuing services. It also specified the employer would follow all instructions in matters that related to security. He was grateful she was a country signer thankfully because his last ward was a hip-hop artist whose music bled through his headphones even at full volume. “She needs to also sign this.”

 

[Zoe Michaels]

Sebastian smirks at Alex's poke at his name while he takes the contract from him. He glances over it a few moments. "I know she is not going to be fond of this idea but if it keeps her safe, I quite frankly do not care. I want this sick freak caught before he hurts her." He stands up and extends his hand to shake Alex's. "When she comes off stage, I'll have her sign it right away. As for tonight, she will want to go to a local club to party like she always does. I'll let you handle that however you want too."

Back on stage, she grabs a bottle of water for a quick drink as a banjo starts to play the opening chords to her very first hit song, Songs Like This. The crowd goes crazy, buying into the pissed off rocker image she has from the style if songs she plays. She flies through a few more hits in a row as she gets closer to the end of the set. Jezebel, Twisted were nested followed by the massive ballad Tonight.

This would bring her to her biggest hit ever, and the song that took her from arenas to stadium's. As the dark stadium is forced to wait a few moments to know what the next song it, a spot light follows a red guitar as it is lowered from the rafters. They go nuts as Red starts to play. The entire place starts to sing along with her throughout the chorus and she plays the guitar solo herself near the end if the song. As the song ends, the band goes straight into the last song on the set before the encore, America's Sweetheart.

As soon as America's Sweetheart is nearing the end, she walks off stage to get a quick breather and drink of water. She was covered in sweat, beads of it rolling down her toned sun kissed skin as she walks up to Sebastian who had made his was to the side of the stage. She looks to the side and also sees Alwx for the first time. Her eyes tell the story as she looks him up and down like candy she was ready to eat up. "Whose he?"

"Zoe, this is Alex" he tells her as she extends her hand with a smile. "Alex meet Zoe. He will be your body guard moving forward."

She rolls her eyes. "I don't need a bodyguard."

"I think you do" he quickly replies.

She rolls her eyes as her and her band turn to head back onstage just as the opening lines to the first single from her third album are played, Two Step.

 

[Ravenofpoe]

Alex nodded and put his headphones in after she went back on stage he was still staring. He smiled this was going to be harder than he thought at first. “I see what you mean. I’m going to wait here till her set finishes.” He watched the crowd in front of the stage. So many people. It was not going to be possible to narrow down suspects here. Or any venue. He sighed. What could he do? Checking his watch, she should be done shortly till she was she watched the crew work and sat on a stool. The stalker could be one of them he would have background checks on them as well. He was going to be on the phone all night.

Stars had to be put back in to reality at times. He knew that was going to be the case here. Stretching he walked dropping his bag on a table he walked to dressing area and then stood in a dimly corner. With just cutting out a light with a quick turn of his wrist he leaned waiting for her to come back to get her things. Complacency killed more than people thought. It was a sickness in so many security professions.

 

[Zoe Michaels]

As he watches from the side of the stage, the song comes to an end and the entire stadium goes black. Someone walks past them and hands her a guitar, through the flashlights, she glances at him and flashes a flirty smile. He was very handsome after all. She starts to back away slowly and play the haunting guitar riff for the next song, Girl Crush. The stadium goes crazy as cell phones and lighters appear everywhere, like a see of white light. She slowly steps to the microphone, only a single spotlight on her as she sings. It was a song that shows off her true talent but also a vulnerable side to her. The crowd sings along, to the point she stops singing and just plays guitar.

After the song ends, she stands at the microphone smiling and blushing. "OMG you all, that was amazing!" She giggles for a second. "We have had such a great time tonight, thank you for coming out. We've got one more for you and then we're done!" The crowd erupts when she says Done, that title of the last song. After she is done singing the song, the band continues to play as she waves to the crowd then pulls a sharpie out.

"Shit!' Sebastian says watching her. "She's gonna sign autographs! I told her not to do that!" They watch as she walked to the end of the stage, stopping to take selfies with some fans, signing shirts and accepting flowers from them. She giggles and carries on, not realizing how easily one could just simply grab her.

 

[Ravenofpoe]

Alex sprinted to two security people told them to go into the crowd. It was too late as a male fan grabbed her wrist and began to pull her into the crowd. It was a problem at times and Alex knew this was not the same as just a grabby fan. Breaking into a full run he stopped twisting his knew as he slid grabbing her to pull her back on stage. His leg throbbed and he fought the pain.

The two guards dove into the crowd grabbing the guy and breaking his hold. Once free he took her to the back and sat her down in her dressing room. He sent someone to fetch his bag. He collapsed on a stool and rubbed his now throbbing knee. It was hurting worse than ever and he groaned in pain. “You will listen to every security measure I put in place.” He held a hand up to cut her off. You will either listen or I will make you listen. What just happened is minor compared to what could have happened. Do you understand. When his bag arrived he pulled out a bottle of aspirin and popped six pills. He had something much better but would not take it in front of her or any client. It didn’t inspire confidence when your body guard needed Vicodin for a bum knee.