3/01/2016
"Breaking New: Multi Award winning Singer, Song writer & Producer Landon Asher is missing"
"Landon Asher MIA?"
"What Happened to Landon?"
"Rookie of the year, Landon Asher has been reported missing."
"#WhereIsLandon?"
Those were some of the topics trending after the new year. Everyone from the media to fans were all anxious about the sudden disappearance of Landon. Some were genuinely concerned, while others were saying this is a publicity stub to promote his next album. But the question remained, "What if it's not?" And if it's not, where is he?
Back to the present
Landon, wrapped up in the post-recording euphoria, didn't notice the subtle shift in his friend's demeanor. "Well, good, because you got here just in time. Amala and I just finished a track. You have to hear it." He moved back to the soundboard and pressed play. As the first notes of the song filled the studio, Amala watched Alex's face, expecting a familiar expression of awe. But all she saw was a vacant stare, his eyes focused on something far away. He was there, listening to the song, but his mind was somewhere else entirely.
"Alex...you okay there?"
She asked with concern across her face.
"Yeah...never better. I...I just have a lot on my mind. Soon I'll be heading back to Cuba and all,so I just miss someone from there."
Landon look at his friend and raised a eyebrow.
"Female? Do tell, who is she?"
"Oh, no one. She's...just a friend, yeah. That's it."
Landon wasn't stupid, he could sense something was wrong in Alex's tone. But he didn't want to pressure Alex to talk about it if he was t ready to.
"Now you have my attention. Is she cute? Does she like music? I hope you told her that your best friend is thee Landon Asher."
Landon jokingly said to Alex, teasing him. But Alex just made a faint smile and shock his head. "Her name's Amalia and she's, how do I put this?" He paused for a second searching for the right words.
"Interesting?" Amala said
"Delusional?" Landon added.
"She's....Dangerous, extremely dangerous." Alex said,dropping a bombshell on them. But before they could ask he left the room in a quick blur.
"Dangerous? What was that all about?"
Amala asked,looking at Landon.
"I don't know...but Amalia from Cuba? Why does that sound so familiar?"
"You know her?"
"I don't know..."
Later
The stuff were still a bit tipsy from the party they had the night before, but now it was back to business. 1D were busy polishing up their album, H.E.R, Kehlani and Ella Mai were busy going through Landons beat Hard-drive to select beats for their songs. Billie was busy with her brother and one other sound engineer recording Ocean Eyes. The sight was pleasing, yet unfamiliar. Landon had grown to the past lifestyle of it just being him, Tatiana and 1D. Now it was suddenly too busy.
"Man, talk about a full house."
He mumbled to himself as he entered his Recording room. His chair right were he left it. The heavy studio door clicked shut, muffling the chaotic symphony of basslines and vocal warm-ups echoing through the EchoWaves hallways. For a second, Landon just leaned against the wood, eyes closed, soaking in the rare silence of his private sanctum.
He could still smell the faint scent of Amala's perfume on his jacket, a sharp, sweet contrast to the lingering aroma of stale champagne and expensive cigars from the staff party. Outside that door, he was the architect of a new era, the hitmaker everyone wanted a piece of. But inside these four walls? He was just a man trying to outrun his own shadow. He walked over to the console, the glow of the LED monitors reflecting in his tired eyes. He sank into the leather chair, feeling the familiar groove he'd worn into it over a thousand late nights. On the desk sat a half-empty bottle of water and a stray lyric sheet he had scribbled on before.
Swconds later, a light, rhythmic knock drifted through the soundproofing. Landon didn't even have to look at the security monitor to know who it was.
"Come in, Rachel," he called out.
The door creaked open, and Rachel stepped in, looking far more composed than the rest of the staff who were still nursing hangovers. She scanned the room, her eyes landing on him with a mixture of pride and business-like scrutiny.
"Hey there," she said softly. "You busy?"
Landon swiveled the chair around, a lazy, confident smirk playing on his lips. "Nah. I can't be busy for you, boss."
"How's everything coming along?" she asked, leaning against the edge of the mahogany desk. "I can't wait to hear the new album track list you put together ."
Landon leaned back, interlacing his fingers behind his head. "You're gonna love it. If you thought the first trackist was okay, this one will blow your socks off. Oh, the EP I'm doing with Amala is also Done. I just need to finish the final mix on the One Direction project, i can already tell it's going to melt servers when it drops. Honestly, the only one from the original EchoWaves circle who isn't sitting on a completed record is Tatiana. But she's a perfectionist; she'll get there when the vibe is right."
Rachel raised an eyebrow, impressed but not surprised. "You're a machine, Landon. I don't know how you're churning out this much high-quality material. It's like you already know what the people want before they do."
Landon's smirk widened, though a flicker of irony danced in his eyes. If she only knew he wasn't a machine, just a man with a very long "To-Do" list from a future that hadn't happened yet. To her, it was genius; to him, it was a race against time to claim what was "his" before the original owners even thought of the lyrics.
"I just stay ahead of the curve," he said smoothly, pivoting the conversation. He glanced toward the empty lounge area visible through the cracked door. "By the way, where's Alex? I haven't seen him since earlier"
Rachel checked the thin gold watch on her wrist and gave a knowing smile. "Alex? Probably at the gym. You know how he is. It's between twelve and two, if he's not sleeping, he's lifting something heavy."
She leaned back against the desk, crossing her arms as she caught the way Landon's eyes lingered on the door for a second too long. A playful, teasing glint sparked in her expression.
"What? Don't tell me you already miss your best friend," she poked. "He's only been gone a few hours, Landon. I didn't realize you two were joined at the hip."
Landon felt a brief heat rise to his face, and he quickly swiveled his chair back toward the glowing monitors, waving a hand dismissively as if to brush the comment out of the air.
"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled with a half-hearted eye roll. "I just needed to ask him about a something, that's all. Don't make it weird."
Rachel let out a light laugh, heading toward the door. "Sure, Landon. Whatever helps you sleep at night. I'll let him know you're pining for him when he finishes his sets."
"So, honestly. He Saud something about a girl he's seeing in Cuba by the name of Amalia."
"What,are you feeling jealous all of a sudden? You got Amala."
Rachel said teasing him
"Nah, as if. It's just that I know of an Amalia in Cuba and she's not the friendliest of people to have around."
"A wildcard?"
"The wildest wildcard around. So if my hunch is correct, he might just have gotten himself into something bad."
"Ohh? How bad are we talking here?"
Landon looked at Rachel, although he doesn't want to lie to her he knows the truth would break her and cause her to panic to he decided to put on a smile and lie.(not kije he wasn't lying before anyway.)
"Like through breaks at your house bad. Nothing too serious."
Rachel looked at him and blink in confusion as she watched him stand up from his chair, grabbing his jacket and heading out.
"And where are you going?"
"Relax, I'm just gonna have a word with my best friend a bit. Oh, and I'm leaving Sam to guard amala. I should be back in two hours or so."
Landon said, waving goodbye to a still confused Rachel.
lucky the gym wasn't too far from Echowaves, by the time Landon reached there he could see Akex get into his car. Landon who was hiding from a distance called a cab over.
"May I help you?"
"Yeah, follow that Mercedes."
"Sure, hop in."
The driver said. As they followed Alex, the driver noticed something...he finally got to see who was in his cab.
"HOLY shit, you're Landon Asher. My name is Stu, my daughter and wife are big fans if you."
"Is it? Please Passmore greetings to them. Tell them I am lucky to have them as fans."
"Hey, do you mind if I can get a quick picture?"
"Stu, was it? I'll be happy to take a picture with you next time we meet. But today is just not a good day for me,so I'll have to turn you down. But, what I can interest you in is this...how about the next time I drop an album you come straight to Echowaves with your family and I'll have signed Merch ready for you guys?"
"Y-you'd do that?"
"Yeah, I mean I'd be nothing without you guys. So I might as well."
"I can't wait to tell my wife. Man, you're one cool guy. But I gotta ask, why are you following that car?... don't tell me, is that guy chawing your girl?"
"My girl?"
"Yeah, the one you picked up in LA. I've been following the story, you know."
Landon looked at Stu and shock his head in disagreement.
"No, stu. It's nothing like that. That's my best friend, amd I got a hunch that he is involved in something bad. I'm just following him to make sure I'm wrong."
"Something bad? Like what?"
"I'm afraid I can't tell you."
"Celebrity stuff, I get it. Looks like we've reached our destination. You're friend is stopping. Wanna get off here?"
"Yeah, thanks. How much do I owe ya?"
"Are you kidding? I got to ride with a celeb in my busted down cab. I should be paying you! It's free."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I am."
"Alright then,I guess I just have to add a meal to what I already owe you then."
"What? Why?"
"I don't like owing people, that's all."