Chapter 151: Girls? What girls?
[Chapter 151: Girls? What girls?]
"Achoo~"
Jared sneezed while sitting in the car.
"Is this how nightclubs welcome their VIPs? This business probably won't last long," his younger brother Joshua remarked indignantly.
"On the bright side, at least the 'Bad Room' is doing well," Jared replied.
...
The brothers were actually in Florida to attend the upcoming Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Miami; otherwise, Jared would have been in his office on the 40th floor of 660 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The Kushner Companies had paid $1.8 billion to acquire the building last year.
Jared boasted an impressive background, having graduated from Harvard University with a degree in sociology, followed by a law degree and MBA from New York University. At just 27, he became the CEO of Kushner Companies.
However, Jared hadn't precisely excelled in high school. The year before his graduation, his father, Charles Kushner, had donated $250,000 to Harvard, which somehow led Jared to graduate with top marks.
Charles had fallen on hard times, getting sentenced in 2005 for illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and witness tampering, among other charges. He received a two-year prison sentence.
The Federal Election Commission had imposed the largest fine in history on his father, and the committee's chair, appointed by the president, had ironically been the opponent of the president Charles donated to during the 2004 election, Democratic candidate John Kerry.
Of course, the New Jersey prosecutor who launched the investigation against his father was Chris Christie, also a Republican. Evidently, it had been a direct reckoning.
Strangely enough, this same Chris Christie would later admit to the media, eight years later, that the investigation into Charles was "one of the most disgusting and revolting crimes of my life."
Before long, Charles became the U.S. Ambassador to France. As for Jared, he personally took revenge on Chris Christie, leading to his dismissal.
At that moment, Jared still had no clue that his whole family would soon ascend in fortune, all thanks to a woman - or rather, her father.
...
"She still won't answer my calls," Jared said, setting his phone down, his frustration evident.
"You're infatuated with her," Joshua shrugged. Like his brother, he had also graduated from Harvard and was set to intern at Goldman Sachs after the Christmas break. This year, he and some friends had founded a startup named Unithrive, designed to match alumni lenders with cash-strapped students -- yes, it was a P2P venture.
In the original timeline, Joshua would eventually date and marry a model named Karlie Kloss. Yes, Karlie Kloss and the ill-fated 'living in her father's shadow' princess would end up as sisters-in-law.
"She won't convert, and that's a dealbreaker," Jared shook his head. As devout Jews, his parents certainly wouldn't accept him getting involved with a woman who, despite her enthusiasm for wanting to become a businesswoman, was just selling lemonade in her backyard.
Jared felt stuck in the middle, quite frustrated.
"And her father doesn't approve either," he mumbled.
At the mention of her father, the brothers burst into laughter simultaneously.
"Next time you fire someone, don't forget to say 'You're fired'!" Joshua teased, adding a mock eyebrow raise as if wearing a ridiculous blonde wig.
"He found the right career path for himself; he should be a celebrity rather than a businessman," Jared said, feeling slightly better, as he held a certain contempt for that woman's father.
"Alright, let's forget these annoying matters for now; let's not forget we're in Florida!" Joshua clapped Jared on the shoulder, eager for what lay ahead in the nightclub.
He had just received a text from the driver that they were finally in the queue.
...
"What's this for?" Joshua asked, staring at the cotton swab in front of him, utterly bemused.
"When in Rome, you've got to abide by local customs," Jared said as he opened his mouth, and put the cotton swab in his throat.
The brothers both started coughing violently one after another. Growing up in a conservative and restrained environment, Jared still remained quite innocent, far from delving into that kind of revelry.
Finally allowed inside the Bad Room, Jared noticed a group of people arguing at the door with the nightclub security...
Upon entering, they were greeted by a male server who promptly guided them, providing the brothers a hint of VIP treatment.
...
As they moved deeper, the server directed them to a merchandise stall.
"They even have my size? I can't find this back in Europe; who would have thought I'd find it here!" Joshua exclaimed, spotting an oversized outfit that thrilled him. He immediately pulled out his credit card, prepared to "Shut Up! And Take My Money!"
Jared showed little interest in this "fashion," scanning the surroundings instead, keenly observing the flow of people entering the night club.
In just a few minutes, nearly thirty people had passed by the entrance.
"Cool! As far as nightclubs go, this place is definitely booming," Jared thought.
"Did you see that waitress? She was really something!" Joshua remarked as they left, still reminiscing about the stunning face they glimpsed.
If even the merch seller was that beautiful, what sort of incredibly attractive people must be in the club? Joshua couldn't help feeling increasingly animated.
...
Soon, they were invited into the club's most luxurious private room on the top level, which boasted a vast outdoor terrace where they could see the dance floor below.
The space was sprawling enough to comfortably accommodate thirty to forty guests.
"Are you sure it's just the two of you tonight?" the server asked before leaving.
"Is that a problem?" Jared sat back, not sensing anything unique about the room's decor. It was all new yet felt somewhat standard.
"Of course not," the server nodded vigorously.
"When will the girls come in?" Joshua was already getting impatient.
"Girls? What girls?" the server inquired, confused.
"Of course, the bottles and entertainment girls! I know the rules of nightclubs; you better hurry up!" Joshua urged, showing signs of impatience.
But the server shook his head, "I think you might misunderstand; aside from the performers and servers, there aren't any additional women working at the Bad Room."
"WHAT? This isn't an April Fool's joke, is it? Do you think we can't pay?" Joshua exclaimed, incredulous now.
"I'm afraid that's true. We sincerely apologize," the server expressed regret.
Joshua was left speechless.
...
Half an hour later, staring at a lineup of expensive drinks on the table, Jared and Joshua exchanged glances.
"Fraud, pure fraud! This star just toyed with us, making fools out of us!" Joshua raged.
"Well, they didn't exactly promise a bunch of beauties were waiting for you in the VIP room. Maybe they don't do that sort of business?" Jared replied as he stood closer to the terrace railing, observing the guests arriving.
"If they don't do that kind of business, then what do they do? All these people couldn't have come just to listen to music, right?" Joshua grumbled.
Just then, a loud cheer erupted throughout the nightclub.
Ryan had arrived!
Jared sprang up, standing on the height to look down.
...
"Welcome to the Bad Room, everybody! We have many VIPs tonight, so let's give them a warm welcome!" Ryan announced, grabbing the microphone as the spotlight shone down on the third-level private room, crowded with people.
Jared looked down and immediately recognized the most lively person in the crowd: Paris Hilton.
"Of course, aside from the VIPs, I imagine many of you are here to hear the latest in electronic music, right?" Ryan pulled the mic towards the crowd near the DJ booth.
A massive cheer erupted, reminiscent of a tsunami.
"Recently, during a workout, I had a flash of inspiration, and I decided to name this song Strong!" Ryan energetically twisted.
The deep rhythm surged, engulfing everyone in the nightclub with waves of sound...
♫ Reach up, reach for the starsYou are brave, you are strongRise up, rise like the sunYou are loved (I am loved)
You are strongYou are strong ♫
As the rhythmic pulsing sound filled the room, an enormous energy erupted, making the nightclub feel like it was shaking.
...
In the VIP room, the Kushner brothers noticed the liquid in their glasses sloshing.
A man-made earthquake!
Jared even instinctively grasped the railing.
...
Including Ryan's previously invented saw wave sound effects and the "vocal slicing" technique from his last track, this song represented another classic of big-room music, and the intense climax fit perfectly with the nightclub atmosphere.
As the new track neared its end, golden glitter rained down from above while Ryan stood in front of a row of female dancers, a few of whom performed live choreography for Where Are U Now.
"This song will be released under the Bad Room name, and aside from an additional remix version, the original can only be played in this nightclub!" Ryan stated, grabbing the mic again.
...
In the top-level room, upon hearing that, Jared suddenly understood why the Bad Room had such loyal fans.
The decor here wasn't particularly different from other nightclubs, nor did it claim to be luxurious, but the clientele didn't pursue those things.
What these people sought was... a unique musical experience!
Excited, Jared returned to the private room, pacing in front of his brother.
"When are we leaving? I've had enough; we'd be better off at Church Street," Joshua lamented, utterly bored and wanting to leave.
"No, we have to wait until the end; I want to meet Ryan!" Jared insisted, planting his feet, resolutely determined.
...
"Now, onto two more things..." Ryan didn't lower the microphone at the DJ booth.
"This Christmas holiday, the Bad Room will celebrate with you all, including myself! There will be a brand-new event, and we'll be inviting a special team that's never visited a nightclub before -- so stay tuned!"
At first, Ryan had truly considered those Victoria's Secret models, but they were far too expensive, and in a nightclub, unlike the runway, these models wouldn't dance or want to move around; they were practically useless besides just being pretty, and the cost-to-benefit ratio simply didn't add up.
Ryan switched to Sean's suggestion instead, bringing Paul a few members from the University of Florida's cheerleading squad to discuss this event.
"Additionally, besides my new song, I will also be producing a 'yearly remix,' expected to release at year-end! It will also be limited to my personal performances."
The yearly remix would compile all the music Ryan released throughout the year into one blend totaling over thirty minutes. Besides having a final wave of fans, it meant that next year he wouldn't need to produce a long remix separately for music festivals.
...
After playing some of his previous tracks for about forty minutes of DJ performance, Ryan returned backstage, where his expression had dulled compared to earlier; today's "double-detection" outside had raised some issues.
"What's going on?"
"Berwick was taken by the local police, and in addition, several injured went to the hospital, more than half of which were our people."
"Did we find out where these guys came from?" Ryan asked.
"It's been found out, led by a couple of Miami Dolphins players, running back Ronnie Brown, linebacker Joey Porter, and wide receiver Davone Bess. These guys are all mainstays for the Dolphins this year, and the team drew significant attention as they won the AFC East, bringing about thirty friends along, booking two VIP rooms on the third floor. Many were held back due to screenings," Sean reported.
With the NFL season winding down, this crew of wealthier players was on the hunt for a place to unwind, making the popular Bad Room their destination.
Typically, being held back would lead them merely to find another place, but these players disputed the screening results, going so far as to accuse the Bad Room of discriminating against Black people, calling them racists. Eventually, that led to a confrontation with Berwick and his team.
"Putting aside the others, how many of those star players have problems?" Ryan asked.
"All of them." Sean replied, somewhat exasperated.
"No wonder they would react so aggressively." Ryan caught the drift; players often had contracts containing clauses restricting their behavior, so now that they found themselves caught at the Bad Room, they certainly wouldn't admit it -- on the contrary, they'd defame the Bad Room.
"Ryan, they sent someone to deliver a message: unless the Bad Room acknowledges an error during the testing process leading to inaccurate results, these guys won't let this slide."
"Are they trying to threaten me? They're the ones who walked into the fire and are blaming the Bad Room? That's ridiculous." Ryan scoffed.
"But if they keep spreading damaging remarks, like claiming we discriminate against Black people..." Sean hesitated to voice his thought.
"What percentage of the night club staff is Black?" Ryan queried.
"Only two, and one of them is a janitor."
"In that case, hire a group of Black female dancers quickly and resolve this matter," Ryan instructed.
This wasn't because Ryan had biases; the Bad Room had stringent hiring practices and wasn't going to alter their recruitment process. Hiring a few Black women to dance would just be a surface-level fix until the dust settled.
"What if journalists ask how we handle this?"
"Just state the facts," Ryan replied.
The proof showed the testing process was rigorous, and the chances of mistakes were very low.
"If you want to maintain a good nightclub environment, don't think about compromising," Ryan reminded. This entire incident stemmed from those players' inability to accept responsibility, and Ryan wasn't afraid of them blowing it out of proportion.
"Have Tyran put out a statement on the room's social media, saying anyone doubting the testing results may undergo retesting under the media's eye, with an even more meticulous hair test..." Ryan continued.
The hair testing period is as long as three months, but the results cannot be obtained in time.
"If the results reveal a blunder on the Bad Room's part, we'll compensate them for any damage to their reputation. If not, they will owe damages to the Bad Room.
Lastly, send someone to pick up Berwick."
...
"Ryan, your new song was phenomenal! My heart is racing even now!"
Back in the office, Paul exclaimed as soon as he saw Ryan return, thumping his chest.
At the same time, three girls stood up, their expressions a bit nervous. One of them had been to the Bad Room with Paul on the first day of opening, and was sent to the bar by Ryan. The remaining two were meeting Ryan for the first time.
Ryan's gaze swept over them, feeling somewhat let down; all three looked rather average, far from breathtaking.
Having seen so many beautiful women, Ryan's standards had inadvertently risen significantly, making him much more picky about Tyran as well.
These three didn't stand a chance compared to her.
"We need prettier ones," Ryan casually remarked in front of the three.
"Boss, I've already picked the best of the bunch; how many can even compare to Amber?" Paul expressed his helplessness, thinking Ryan was being unrealistic.
"What matters is their cheerleader identity. It's so dark in the main hall; who would notice their faces?" Paul muttered.
Ryan examined the three again.
"They're not hot enough," he shook his head; for the performance's sake, he needed to be strict.
"If we change into more revealing clothes, the effect will be no worse than those dancers," one of them joked. "You see, the Gator cheerleading squad functions collectively, with different sub-teams. For example, I'm from the spirit team, with girls who are mostly sweet-looking but not strong dancers. The girl next to me is from the baton team, performing alongside a military band, while the last girl belongs to the dazzling (Dazzlers), a dance team performing at halftime for basketball or volleyball."
"In that case, you three should recruit inside, and I will personally select the specific individuals you bring. You'll get a bonus for each one recruited," Ryan nodded seriously. "We need the list confirmed before Christmas."
Paul was just a football player, while these cheerleaders knew their situation better.
Next were some detail discussions; when they perform at the nightclub, they certainly couldn't use their school's name. Ryan suggested they wear similar costumes, and he would be careful with how he marketed it. Lastly, he assured them, "This will only be a performance; nothing else, and you'll be well protected."
"We absolutely understand; your screenings are so strict here that those who get in won't misbehave. Additionally..." She appraised Ryan, "What if those girls have other requests, like wanting to be closer to you?"
"Then that will depend on my schedule," Ryan replied, shaking his head; he couldn't make any guarantees on that front.
"Well, at least you'll show up on Christmas Day, right?" she pressed.
"Of course, I'll be here for the event; I'll sacrifice my Christmas holiday for it," Ryan nodded, reluctantly aware he couldn't avoid it. It wasn't that he didn't want to be with his fiancee, Taylor; she'd be busy that time as well, having secured the ABC gig for Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2008.
"Then this should be a breeze," she laughed confidently.
These college girls wouldn't have the foolish notion to think they could win over Ryan during Christmas. Glancing at her smile, Ryan felt a little uneasy.
...
Just then, Sean knocked and entered.
"Boss, the people in the top-level private room want to see you; these two men seem very extravagant, and one claims to be the CEO of Kushner Companies, a real estate group. He seems to want to discuss a partnership with you."
*****
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