The Prince of Astoria-Chapter 91: XCI - The DJ (Part 3)

Hundreds of people packed the plaza leading into the Rose Center. Their voices blended into a low, constant hum punctuated by bursts of laughter and excited shouts. Bodies pressed together in loose clusters. Groups of friends and fans huddled close. Strangers excitedly shared their enthusiasm to see Derrick and Inez. Couples danced to music that leaked out of their shared earbuds.

The smell of street food trucks mingled with perfume, cologne, and the pungent smell of cigarette smoke. A food vendor called out over the crowd, hawking hot dogs and pretzels, while the sizzle and pop of grilling onions carried on the evening breeze rolling in from the Willamette River.

Etienne groaned, "I know this was a bad idea. We’re not going to get in until after the show starts, and that’s assuming we can even buy a ticket at the gate."

Gabe crossed his arms, "It seems like I underestimated how popular those two are. I didn’t think two DJs could draw a crowd this big by themselves."

People around them shifted their weight from foot to foot, craning their necks toward the entrance doors. Some clutched their phones tightly, refreshing ticket apps or snapping selfies with the venue’s modern glass entrance glowing behind them. Others fanned themselves with paper tickets.

The crowd rippled and surged whenever the doors seem like they might open. Conversations grew louder and overlapped, debates about setlists, predictions about special guests, stories about the last time they saw the duo.

Etienne sighed and pinched his forehead, "You can go back to the car, Gabe. This is taking way too long, I’m just going to have to sneak in.There’s only thirty minutes until the concert starts, and we still don’t know if the tickets are available to purchase..."

Gabe patted him on the back, "Got it. Just...be careful Eti. Even though I said it’s unlikely, there could be other members of the Black Company could be here for backup. Or the members of his entourage could be meta humans. Or..."

Etienne laughed, "I’ll be fine, Gabe. Trust me. I feel...good. Confident."

Gabe nodded his head slowly and exited the line. Etienne stepped out of line as well, and slipped past crowds of people as he made his way to the side of the stadium. The temperature dropped, the sun dipped lower and the brick seemed to change colors as he walked.

Etienne pulled up the mask on his black battle dress and placed his hands in his pockets.

"This outfit is surprisingly comfortable," Etienne thought to himself, "And it doesn’t look as strange on me as I thought it would. Thank you, Jacquet-Droz."

Etienne continued to walk on the side of the stadium, the crowd of people thinning out as he moved away from the entrance.

He slowed to a stop and looked up at a camera sitting on top of a pole. The air began to distort like a rock being dropped in water, and a high-frequency ringing sound began to emanate from his palm. After a few seconds of this, there was a spark and a fuse blew in the camera.

Etienne continued walking, "It wouldn’t surprise me if someone is sitting on the camera watching the live feed. I need to hurry up."

Etienne walked for a minute or two longer before approaching an emergency exit. Two guards armed with assault rifles stood confidently and watched the area around them.

One of the guards spotted Etienne sauntering up and pointed their gun at him.

"Hey!" The guard shouted, "What are you doing there? The entrance is back the other way!"

Etienne continued to approach and examined the guards, "Huh. They’re a little less intimidating than I thought. Not the hardened guards I would’ve expected. I have just the thing for them."

He made a hand sign with hands and heat began to emanate off of his body.

"Hidden Ninja Art: Fearmonger!"

The guard pointing the gun at him dropped it immediately. He stared at Etienne, shaking in fear.

"W-what’s happening? It’s l-like I can’t control my body. What did you do to me?" The guard yelled out.

The guard hyperventilated and stared at Etienne before soiling himself and running off.

The other guard lifted his rifle, despite his hands shaking violently.

"Come on then!" The guard shouted, attempting to sound tough despite his fear, "I’m not scared of you!"

Etienne took two steps forward and stood in front of the guard, the barrel of the gun only a few inches from his chest.

Etienne inhaled, and in a single fluid motion he drew his sword and sliced the rifle in half. He sheathed the katana before the rifle hit the ground.

The man opened the emergency exit and retreated into the stadium. Etienne put his foot in the door and stopped it before it closed. He entered and walked down the poorly lit narrow hallway.

Etienne was flanked on both sides by dozens of unmarked doors.

"Way too many doors," Etienne muttered to himself, "The show is going to start soon."

Etienne opened a random door, which housed piles of equipment: microphones, turntables and speakers. Etienne closed the door and continued down the hallway. He opened another door and found a table full of food, and a few people standing around it eating.

"Hey, who are you?" A young woman questioned, "And what are you wearing..."

Etienne slammed the door and continued down the hallway.

"This could take all day," Etienne thought to himself, "I need a better way to find them. Wherever Derrick and Inez are, music will follow. I need to listen..."

Etienne closed his eyes as he walked down the hallway and listened for music from the doors he passed.

"Damn it, there’s not even a guarantee he’s down this hallway at all. He could be somewhere else entirely, or maybe he’s not at the venue yet..."

Etienne stopped walking and opened his eyes once he heard the soft murmur of techno music from under one of the doors. Etienne grabs the door handle and pulls the door off its hinges, tossing it into the hallway. Derrick sat in the middle of the room in an office chair. His hair was short and wavy, and he wore a two piece jumpsuit, which did little to hide his muscular. He was surrounded by people on both sides. The woman closest to him held a makeup brush near his face. The other people around him held clipboards and tablets. All conversation immediately ceased as Etienne entered the room, his hand hovering over his sword. They all stared at Etienne with their mouths open.

"I’ll be damned," Derrick stated flatly, his voice low and monotone, "It’s Ninjaman. Everyone, exit the room within ten seconds or you’re fired."

The people in the room still remained frozen, unable to take their eyes off of him.

"Go!" Derrick commanded. The people dropped their tablets and clipboards and scrambled to get out of the room. Etienne let them go past without any resistance.

Derrick stood up from his chair and got into Etienne’s face. He grabbed a pair of earbuds from his pocket and placed them in. He smugly smiled in Etienne’s face.

"Ninjaman," He laughed dryly, "You didn’t even have that name the last time I face you. I see you’re not playing with kitchen knives anymore."

Etienne gripped the handle of his sword, "I thought a sword is more appropriate for a ninja. It might be little overkill for someone on your level though."

Derrick crossed his arms, "I told you last time if we were at our full strength, we’d kill you. Are you chasing your death that eagerly?"

"I remember you not being able to get the full sentence out because I was choking you so bad," Etienne looked around the room and sniffed, "I know you’re here to assassinate someone Derrick. Did you do it already? I don’t smell any blood on you."

Derrick tilted his head and looked at him, confused, "Now how in the world could you possibly know that? Unless, there’s a rat in our kitchen..."

Derrick paced around the room, stepping over abandoned tablets and clipboards, "I knew we couldn’t trust that little hero prick. He thinks he can play double agent...anybody who’s risking their life for someone else’s benefit is a naive idiot."

Etienne pulled his sword ever so slightly out of the sheathe, "Who is the target, Derrick?"

Derrick stopped pacing and frowned at him, "See, what you’re asking about is my side gig. DJing is still my main job. I’d appreciate if you didn’t ask about my side gig—" Derrick pulled out an old MP3 player and pressed play, "while I’m at my main job!"

Etienne swung the sword at Derrick but he disappeared before the sword reached him.

"Damn it!" Etienne yelled aloud.

He sheathed his sword, and darted into the hallway.

"Now he’s alerted to my presence. Great," Etienne thought to himself, "I need to take out him and Inez before they can execute their target. If they didn’t plan to before, they’ll definitely try to do it before the show starts now."