Chapter 5: Set Troubles 3

CASSANDRA deeply respects this crew from the bottom of her heart. In the current entertainment circle, perhaps only old monsters of the circle dares to be this willful.

The current society they all lived in is very plastic in her opinion. Everything might have gone technologically advanced that some cars can now ignore gravity , planets faraway became another home for humanity, and even same sex couples can now have biological children through their genes; humans are really so vain beneath all the splendor they adorn themselves with. Everything moves upon their interest and material gains that most people forget where they began and their aspirations were long forgotten in the test of life.

It is estimated that this is the reason why Alexia was ever told by her agent to never be without an escort in her job. Due to the fact that she was someone with some background, she was also the type of person that most long corroded people in the circle hated. Never underestimate humanity's darkness, as long as one shines so purely others wants to sully that pureness out of envy or hate. And Alexia's agent and her friends are trying to prevent it from happening.

Cassandra felt a faint coldness in her spine when the producer took a glance at her before telling something to the show's host. No doubt this brilliant plan of his involves her somehow.

This is another reason why Cassandra does not like accompanying Alexia in shows. She does not know if this is the norm of things, but most sets she has stepped into tries to put the spotlight on her. Which she all means hates to be in.

Although Alexia and her agent have told her so many times that she suits the path of stardoom, she really does not like being watched by others. Her past life was already full of that and she does not want to be in the same spot again. Why did they think she wanted to be secretary other than reminiscing about her old post?

It was precisely because secretaries work on details and the boss mostly outshines them in most cases. Therefore the most convenient job she aimed for was to be a secretary. It also helps that she likes the solemnity in the upper management work environment despite not going on the managerial route. More work and less senseless nonsense.

Aware that she might need to do something for Alexia later, Cassandra sent the last of her resume to FC Entertainment in response to the newly posted job posting that just showed up. It was a weird posting that only appeared for a minute or two before it disappeared promptly. Thankfully she was able to press the link fast enough that she was able to send her resume.

Sighing a little, she shut her laptop close and carefully placed it in her bag. She then took her share of snacks and ate it, once in a while she also consumed her milk tea in resignation. Noting herself to trouble Alexia's agent to delete whatever appearance she will have later. Though she doubts that the crew will actually listen to her, Cassandra thinks it is worth a try. If she ended up being on screen, she might have to bother Serio to take care of it later.

Alexia on rare occasions saw the weirdness of the crew with how they seemed to be eyeing the assistants more than the artists. She hopes that today's episode is not some pit game that she once saw them producing. At that time she thought the whole artists and their assistants had to work together, but now she is in the shoes of those stars back then, she can't make herself smile in regards to it. One is that Cassandra is not the assistant. And secondly her friend is notorious for her dislike of most aspects of the entertainment industry.

Her smile under the camera became a little tense, which made the camera assigned to her focus on her reaction. Making their guests uncomfortable was the specialty of the crew, and their reactions were always the highlight of their show.

Alexia did not know if it was a coincidence or not, but she met the eyes of Cassandra from where she stands. The only thing she was sure of was that her friend is mouthing her that she will make her pay for this inconvenience. Which in turn made her all scared after this episode was done.

Alexia could only be dejected and watched her co-guest who is still ignorant of what is to come. For sure some of them will really destroy their images with what is prepared for them. Though she suppose these artists are aware about it as this is the purpose of this show.

As Cassandra expected, one of the crew members approached her and gave her a small microphone to be placed on her being and a hospital gown for her to dress on. The gown has some red marks on them like it was some fresh blood. And to incorporate the whole thing on her, they put some red liquid on her limbs and face.

As she was being fixed on the side, the crew member briefly oriented her on what they were going to do and what the purpose of their participation was. In her ears the crew members' words are so well-founded that she could only nod and do what they wanted her to do.

They then took her to one of the rooms the crew had been doing when she and Alexia first arrived. The inside was like an abandoned hospital of sorts. It was gloomy and very eerie that if Cassandra is not used to such lifeless places in her past life she might become scared.

The crew used a powerful holographic system that made it all so realistic. The not so taken care of corners, the sullied and dirty linens and the dusty and time forgotten atmosphere made Cassandra give them a ten out of ten in props alone.

She was then led to a small compartment which she thinks was an operating room where she was told to stay in until her artist would find her. A simple thing she was okay with and dutifully followed. Though she had to ask if she could play with her phone as she is waiting for Alexia.

Worthy of their reputation, the crew did not allow her to use those and instead gave her a monitoring device that can give surveillance to Alexia. Other than the monitoring device, she was also given a walkie-talkie that Alexia can use to ask clues about her whereabouts. Though she was warned about the parameters she can tell and not tell her friend as well as telling her that this walkie-talkie can only be used three times. After it is used the third time, it will automatically be unusable. Therefore warninging her to be careful of when and which she will help Alexia in this game.

Understanding the instructions she nodded and behaved herself the compartment she was placed into. Out of boredom she fiddled with the props on the place. To let herself be entertained in the meantime she would like to be acquainted with the tools here. They all looked so cool to her that she wanted to play with them.

The camera that was recording her actions was directly transmitted to the director. The idea for today's episode was to scare people out of their minds. But they never expected that one tough cookie appeared even before they implemented the whole setting they prepared.

"Derick, I think we should have given this assistant a doctor's gown instead of a hospital gown." One of the scriptwriters said. Cassandra was nonchalantly arranging the tools in the operating room in a more convenient manner to use. "If she was in a doctor's gown, everyone would go running when they saw her with the knife in her hand."

"Well we cannot make any changes now though." The director could only shake his head in regrets as he switched the images to the artists. "The artists are about to get inside the maze we did and time is running. We cannot use this place infinitely to our convenience even if FC Entertainment is our sponsor now."

"It's just a pity though." The screenwriter, like the director, could only sign in pity. "I think I should take notes about this idea for the next episodes we will shoot in the future. It is way too interesting to forget. By the way, why did you suddenly make a change on the plans on who the artists were to find in this episode?"

"The sponsor was here a while ago and told me to do this." The director was a little excited as he said this. In his five years of playing fire with their investors, this is the only time that one of them actually supported them in putting their guests.

"He was? The head of the company now?" the screenwriter said in amazement. "How come there was no splash when he came here?"

"The man was quiet when he was here. It also helps that only a few were aware of his real face that he can wander in without anyone alerting others." The director said as he remembered his knees softening when the man suddenly appeared behind him. "He was really the most frightening investor we had. Almost sending me into a heart attack just by dropping by. If he did not have such a memorable face, I would have scolded him regardless if he held the funds of our show for this season."