Meals of Misery

The drive was spent in silence. The people inside a slick limousine were lost to their own thoughts. Annetta was getting increasingly worried by every minute that’s gone by. Her soft blue eyes were gazing down at her lap, where she was nervously playing with the hem of her yellow dress. The blond sighted and looked at the passengers beside her.

Fox was on his phone coordinating the security detail, that was following their limo. He was adamantly giving instructions on what to do for each contingency matter, and Annetta was grateful that the men beside her were taking her safety and well being seriously. Aurelius was sitting at her side saying all the right things to comfort her, while Jim was on his phone talking with the people they were about to meet. The people that wanted to see her degrading herself on camera. The blond shuddered in revulsion, but the incentive of getting ten thousand euros per shooting somehow a little alleviated the situation. She still had more questions and hoped, that the answers these people will give her will help cement her decision one way or another.

As she looked out the limousine’s window, she noticed that the environs were not familiar to her. They have been driving for half an hour now, leaving the bustling capitol city long behind their backs. Now, the car’s wheels were spinning on rural roads followed closed by security detail. Her eyes gazed at how the scenery of farm houses and plough lands was slowly changing to thick forests and unpaved forest trails. After a couple of minutes, the driver turned to one of these trails, and now they were on a bumpy road.

“Well, they will be waiting”, Jim said finishing his phone call. Annetta only hummed lost in her own thoughts. “Hey, don’t worry, if those guys really do try something other than just talking about their… business proposition… our security guys will deal with them one way or another”, the man tried consoling her. “Want some snacks?” The blond shook her head while smiling politely and continued playing with the hem of her skirt missing how the trio quickly exchanged glances chancing conspiratory smiles at each other. 

Finally, the limousine arrived near a grove with a private brick paved road blocked by a boom barrier and a small mobile post for a security guard. The security guard was waiting with a pen and a clipboard. Annetta watched as the man wearing military officer's uniform approached the driver’s window and briefly exchanged some information. He then looked behind the limo, nodded, and checked something on his clipboard before reaching for his radio station, mumbling something to it and nodding for the cars to drive on further as the boom barrier lifted with a creaking sound.

The passengers in the car could not help but ogle at the lavishness of the surroundings. They were driving on a brick paved road as at both sides of them loomed meadows as if from Renaissance paintings adorned with Greek and Roman period statues. There were ponds and parks, in which various exotic birds, which were not native to the country, were chirping and flying around chasing each other. In the distance loomed a giant mansion. As the cars got closer, Annetta could see how big and vast everything was.

As the limo and security patrol stopped near the entrance to the mansion, and Annetta stepped out from the car with her male escort, they were greeted by four middle aged men wearing fancy dinner attires. Their appearance was sleek and elegant, the blond noticed that the men obviously took care of themselves.

“Well, here we are”, started Fox, who stood by Annetta from one side, while Jim stood by the other, for her own protection. “Wonderful”, smiled one of the men. His voice was gruff from years of smoking. “I cannot explain my delight in seeing you in person, Missis Mortinson”, the man said stepping up to with an outstretched hand in greeting. The blond took a step back. She watched how her escort got slightly in front of her, while security detail was not far behind ready to draw out their weapons. She noticed how the other two men seemed absolutely non plussed by all of this.

“Oh, sorry, I guess, all things considered, you are bound to be cautious”, said the man and stepped back a bit. “I assure you, Missis, we mean you no harm. Its just, that we thought of a very lucrative business proposition for you, that we’d thought you’d be delighted to participate in”.

The blond was blinking like an owl at the man. What the actual fuck is this shit-head talking about? “Funny words, for a group of people, who had one of our live shows broadcast hi-jacked and changed on a whim to try and broadcast some filth to the viewers”, said Fox Brown with his fist clenching. “I assure you”, the man replied calmly, a small smile playing on his lips. “It was only to get your attention. And, judging that you all are here, I assume that Missis Mortinson is at least considering our proposition?”

“Missis Mortinson”, started Annetta. “Is here and can answer for herself. I’m not saying that I am agreeing to anything, especially what I’ve heard you are expecting of me, but it’s not every day you get an envelope full of cash and a promise, that you will keep getting it again and again as long as you go on and make some… home videos, am I right?”

“You are absolutely on point, Missis”, said the man and clasped his hands together. “Why don’t we all go in and have a chat about what we expect of you and what you expect of us, and, maybe, we will all reach some sort of an agreement”. Seeing how the people in front of him are wary of going in to an unfamiliar place, the man simply smiled and said: “Oh, I assure you. There’s nothing to worry about. The three of us are having a business dinner here, nothing more, nothing less. I mean, you have six-armed security guards shooting daggers at us, Missis Mortinson, not to mention your three friends here. Now, what say you, do you want to come in and discuss business?”