Free Emergence (Fox Meridian Book 5) by Niall Teasdale

processed, but both nodded politely as she stepped out of the elevator. Fox returned the nod and continued down a short corridor. There she turned right toward the group of suites where Sakura had been housed and made it as far as a small antechamber before she was stopped.
    ‘What are you doing here?’ The speaker was a man who had had far too much bodysculpt work done. He was, probably, naturally quite tall, though Fox’s heels gave her several centimetres of height advantage. Everything else looked like it had been modified one way or another. Muscle grafts, sculpted nose, jaw, and cheeks, smoothed skin with an artificial tan… His eyes were a reflective blue never found in nature, and his blonde, dreadlocked hair looked like most of it was extended.
    He went on before Fox could say a word. ‘No, no, no! No fans! Those idiots at the elevator should have turned you around. I don’t care who you are. Out. Out!’ Kit supplied a name for the artificial features as the man reached for Fox’s arm, which was the only thing that stopped her punching him. Instead, she braced herself as he tried to drag her backward, and he gave her an annoyed look when he could not move her.
    ‘My name is Tara Meridian, Mister Palomino,’ Fox told him. ‘I’m with the idiots at the elevator. I’m here to talk to Miss Sakura.’ Kit was supplying the fact that this was Sakura’s manager along with a name.
    He covered embarrassment with irritation: another feature which did not endear him to Fox. ‘Why didn’t you say so? I–’
    ‘Because you didn’t give me any chance to. Please let go of my arm.’
    Palomino took a step back. ‘Nishi is busy. What is it you wish to talk to her about?’
    ‘You’re the manager assigned to her by the Independent Music Channel, is that right?’
    ‘I am.’ His spine straightened as he said it.
    ‘Then I’d like to talk to you as well. Miss Sakura should be expecting me.’ Fox set off through the reception area, heading for the room directly opposite the entrance corridor and leaving Palomino to trail behind her.
    Palomino did not like that. ‘Nishi isn’t expecting anyone. She would have–’
    He stopped as the door opened before Fox got to it and Iberson took a half-step out. ‘Fox. Thanks for coming. Nishi’s… not exactly happy, but she’s going to listen to what you have to say.’
    ‘She shouldn’t be disturbed,’ Palomino said. ‘If her performance is–’
    ‘Shut up, Wally,’ Iberson snapped, and Fox saw the better-known face of Charlie Iberson emerge as ice-cold eyes glared at Palomino.
    ‘I thought his name was Brett,’ Fox queried silently.
    ‘He changed his name to Brett Palomino about a year before joining IMC,’ Kit replied inside her head. ‘Prior to that, he was Wallace Booth. Miss Iberson clearly knows about his original name.’
    ‘Apparently.’ Aloud, Fox said, ‘I think Miss Sakura’s performance may suffer more if she’s attacked by some obsessed fan. I’d like to discuss the situation, determine a strategy, and handle it. That should put her mind at ease more than ignoring the situation, don’t you think?’
    Iberson was already turning to lead the way into the suite’s reception room. ‘Welcome to the Big Top, Fox.’
    ‘Sorry?’
    ‘The circus that is the media business. Lots of glam and glitz hiding the peeling paintwork and rotten foundations. Marie hasn’t had to deal with it all yet, and she seems like a pretty grounded girl anyway, but she’s going to have to learn to put on a brave face when she wants to cry, and be nice to people she wants to stab in the eye.’
    ‘Doesn’t seem like you do.’
    ‘Oh, I really want to stab Wally in the eye, but I haven’t. Yet.’ She walked through another door on the far side of the little lounge and into a much larger room. ‘Tara Meridian, meet Nishi Sakura.’
    The singer-songwriter got to her feet as Fox walked in, regarding the newcomer shrewdly and with a hint of annoyance. She was a