Chapter Six #2
“Don’t be. I deserved it. It all worked out, ’cause now the band’s back together, and we’re all here to start our new journey.”
Ryan nods and slaps my shoulder. “You better hope those assholes haven’t fucked up our guitars, or you’re in deep shit, pretty boy.”
“Yeah, my bass is worth a goddamn fortune,” Matt says.
“Well then, let’s go and pick up your shit.”
As a group, we stride toward baggage claim, gather our luggage and guitars, and arrange a minibus to transport us back to the hotel. They have separate rooms, but I’ve ensured they’re next to each other.
Once we’re back at the hotel and all settled, they flock to my room, where we’re now sitting, discussing what happens next.
“So, we’re here. What do we do now?” Ryan asks.
“I’ll message Steel to see what our next point of play is.”
While Matt plucks at his bass, I retrieve my cell phone and type a message to Steel, letting him know the band is with me and asking about our next steps. Steel responds with a phone number, directing me to Techie, who supposedly has more information for us.
“Okay, so Steel says to call this guy Techie. I’m gonna do that now,” I announce to the group before dialing the number.
They all nod as Ryan punches Nate in the arm, and Matt chuckles. I have no idea what that was about, so I shrug and stand while dialing the number, unable to sit still.
It rings twice before he answers with a casual, “Yellow?”
I furrow my brows and purse my lips at his weird greeting, but quickly get on with talking. “Hey, man. Name’s Danger. I’m with the band, Recoil, and I’ve been referred to you by Steel,” I say, hoping I have followed the correct protocol.
“Yeah, he told me about you guys. I’d like to help you out. I’m a real music fan, and I’ve heard some of your stuff. It’s good, real good, so I wanna help. Can I come meet you?”
“Yeah, sure. When were you thinking?”
“Now?”
“Sure thing. We’re staying in a hotel, so there’s not a shitload of room, but we can make it work.”
“Awesome! Text me the hotel’s name. I’ll leave now.”
“Okay, great! Thanks, Techie.”
“No worries, see ya soon.”
He ends the call, and I look across to Ryan, who’s raising his eyebrow at me. “So, what did he say?”
“He’s coming here… now.”
Quickly, I text Techie the hotel’s name and room number while the guys all high-five each other.
We don’t have to wait long before we hear the sound of a rumbling Harley outside. A knock comes soon after, and I move to answer the door.
This guy could be the start of something big for us, so I have to be on my best behavior.
Upon opening the door, the guy standing before me is nothing less than intimidating.
He’s tall and has a definite presence about him.
His bulging biceps covered in tribal ink tell me he’s not one to be fucked with.
If that’s not enough, the leather vest covering his broad chest makes its own statement.
He has spiky brown hair, and his chiseled jaw is sparsely bearded, adding to his ruggedness.
The only thing that takes away from his tough biker image is his black-rimmed glasses, but somehow, he even manages to pull that shit off.
If I were a woman, I’d swoon over this dude.
“Danger?” he asks, putting out his hand for me to shake.
“Yep! Techie?” I question.
He nods, and I shake his hand. “Nice to meet you. The guys are here?”
I stand back and let him walk in. He exudes an aura of approachability, yet his imposing build and demeanor are undeniably intimidating. The cut he’s wearing doesn’t help—it’s black, covered in patches, and it’s seen better days.
We walk to the bedroom, and the guys instantly sit up taller.
“Relax. I might wear the 1% badge, but I’m not that kind of biker. I won’t break your legs… unless you deserve it,” he says with a cocky grin.
We all tense, and he cracks up laughing.
“I’m joking, boys. Having a laugh. Did you know that frequent laughter helps the human body fight harmful diseases?
It does this by altering cortisol levels in your body.
So when you laugh, it lowers your stress levels and fights off all the nasty, harmful stuff.
So you see, boys, you just need to laugh,” he says.
I raise my eyebrow at his little fact session. Lunar was right. This guy really is a geek, which is in total contrast to how he looks. It’s quite comical, and I can’t help a little chuckle that escapes my mouth.
“See… there you go. Let that cortisol loose through your body, Danger,” Techie says, and I break into a fit of laughter. He smiles like he knows I’m laughing at him.
Ryan, Matt, and Nate are all grinning, but unlike me, they restrain their laughter.
“Now we have the pleasantries out of the way. I suppose we should discuss how you can assist us in getting started here in Australia.” I sit on the couch, and Techie leans back into the cupboard, crossing his ankles and folding his arms.
“Okay, the next point of play is to get you guys into the pubs, clubs, and bars around Adelaide till you get your mojo back. Then, once I have a feel for your band and I like what I see, I’ll contact my industry mates and invite them to listen to your sound.
See if we can line up some bigger venues. ”
“Sounds good. What do you think, guys?” I ask.
“I’m good,” Ryan says, and Matt and Nate nod.
“So, how soon can you start?” Techie asks.
“Well, that’s up to the boys. Not sure how long they need to adjust and for the jet lag to settle—”
“I can’t speak for Matt and Nate, but I am eager to start as soon as we can. How about two nights? Tomorrow, we rehearse, and then we perform the next night. I’ve been itching to get back on stage and waited over a year for the band to get back together,” Ryan states.
“Yeah, I’m not letting some stupid jet lag hold me back,” Nate states.
“Me either,” Matt chimes in.
“Okay, it’s settled then. I’ll set you up to play in a couple of nights in the city at our bar. I suggest looking into hiring a van so you can transport your instruments and shit,” Techie suggests.
“I need to buy a drum kit, and we gotta get amps and other stuff we need. We’ve performed before, so we know what we want,” Nate says.
“Awesome. I’ll leave you guys to it and get in touch with the details. It was great to meet you. We’re gonna do good things. Just wait and see,” Techie says, nodding and then turning for the door.
I stand and head out with him. “Thanks, Techie. We really appreciate you helping us.”
He nods and grins. “Like I said, I’ve heard your stuff. You guys are solid. We can make this happen for you,” he says, then turns and walks away, his heavy footsteps echoing on the carpet like a force of nature, leaving an impression of determination in his wake.
Before turning, the unmistakable sound of the Harley engine rumbles, sending a shiver down my spine. That sound, that whole scene, reeks of power and determination, setting the stage for what is to come.
I head back to the bedroom, and the guys are grinning.
“So?” I ask.
“He’s cool and really pretty,” Ryan says in an all too effeminate voice.
I can’t help the belly laugh that erupts.
Nate rolls his eyes, and Matt chuckles.
“I think if he knows the right people like he says, this could be good for us,” Matt suggests.
“Yeah, this could be great. He’ll be an asset for sure.”
Our future is uncertain but filled with possibilities.
And for the first time in a long time, I’m fucking excited about my future.