Drillmington: Launch

“What have we got?” TSL asked Julisia.

We have new viewers to our page but they’re all commenting on the fact that your sidecpiece was calling during the show. No one is saying it was the rat phone,” Julisia reassured. She looked at her watch.

TSL sighed and covered his face in a downward motion.

“You see anything else? I just scanned the sites….”

“It’s nothing to worry about. The vloggers are saying there’s another woman in your life and that I should be hot and bothered by this mistress. It’s nonsense.” She kissed his neck in the back of the Goulding.

“And the mainstream press?”

“They’re a little more speculative. They’re wondering if you had been connected to a drug deal or a shooting that happened earlier before the concert.”

“What the hell?” TSL said with bewilderment.

“Yes, so we’re going to continue on the tour without having to worry about the content of big name news or hip hop gossip vlogs.”

TSL felt a rush of confidence shoot through his veins like the cocaine he sipped.

“But don’t start waving the victory flags yet. We’re going to need to get our lawyer’s lawyer on the people who have surmised that you could be involved in a drug ring.”

“I sip cocaine. That’s been legal for a decade.”

“I know. But that’s in the state of Delaware. The Feds are not so forgiving. If they take over your supply of drugs and throw—”

“Forget it.”

“Forget it?! How am I supposed to do that, Top?”

“I’m telling you not to worry about it.”

Julisia’s face turned to onyx, black and solid.

“I just need you to be with me on this. They’re not going to stop my operation. The lawyers will be in place to keep me on the outside.”

“Yes, but if—”

“There are no ‘ifs.’ We just have to go by our wits again and banish all thought of unreason that has to do with this whole matter.”

Julisia turned away. It was like a spasm or a jolt of rejection. She didn’t have her mouth poked out, though. She didn’t pout. A strong sigh emitted from her throat.

“I just need you to be cognizant of the fact that our police operations could be jeopardized if the federal government comes down on our heads.”

“Again, don’t worry about it. Nothing can stop our acts. We’re on a pathway to righteousness as the nonbelievers in the theory of God wrapped up in this music business.”

“I’ll just have to keep our relationship with the Feds away from your cocaine supplier. I’ll reroute some of the shipments so that they come intermittently.”

“You do that.” Armand parked the car in front of their apartment.

They entered and found that everything remained intact. The idea of being able to rest their heads in a place where the cops were going to come after them despite the pair completing police work.

Julisia took a shower with TSL. He wrapped his arms around her waist as the water cascaded off of her chest. Once they were finished with the shower, they changed into night clothes. Top Shelf looked at his phone. He read the thousands of comments that had been lobbed at him not for his performance but for the mistake that could mar his career forever. Or….

“You think this might launch me? I mean do you think this might give me more light in the industry?”

“I think we should just brake on this,” Julisia said with a judicious air about her. “We will see what the future holds for us.”