Hollywood Zenith



" Why didn't you say that earlier?" Aurelie screamed. It was her second time hearing that name in a span of a week.

" I could have if you only listened before shouting at me! Do you understand why I rushed over to you?" Alain sighed.

" Continue; you said he was asking for a ticket or something...don't tell me he wants to tour the presidential palace, Elysee?" Why else would he contact them suddenly?

" Hah, it's not that. It's regarding an upcoming concert, they want VIP seats. I am told it falls under your department, and they already talked with the organizer, who didn't even listen before rejecting them!"

" Shit! How dare he? We already disrespected him on this visit, so I can tell even the president will not stop him due to such trivial things." She clenched her finger on top of the chair's handle, feeling angry.

" Calm down! I think he made a great move. I don't know if he did so knowingly, but a subpar treatment will only disappoint him."

" Subpar? Why?"

" This girl! It's not a simple meeting; many people will attend the concert together with them. You should know how much care we have to offer to entertain foreign guests. It's a logistic nightmare, and that's not even the most important part: the band is not native!"

" Come on, old man, I know you like to think of yourself as some patriot, but classifying European singers as not native is a bit too much." She said with a teasing smile.

" Idiot! They are a Korean band! I can't believe they let some kid run the cultural department who doesn't even know what's happening under her nose!"

" What did you say?! Is it my fault that your department failed to notice who you were dealing with? You can't even control one boy's rampage that got me in this mess!"

She was not exaggerating when she lamented; not just her but most of the ministers were expecting shadow attacks from different directions. There were clear signs of it, but suddenly, everything disappeared like the threat never existed in the first place. So, they had to backtrack most of their preparation, which meant hours more of gruelling work!

" Well, let's not talk about that. What should we do now? This time, we must sincerely make up for our past mistakes."

" You are not wrong about it. But it's not something we should face alone; I will gather everyone and leave the downstairs to you. We should contain the news as much as possible and only call whoever is currently in the building."

Alain nodded and hurriedly left her office; Aurelie also left after telling her secretary to cancel today's meetings. She didn't know how much time they would need to devise a solution, but it became her utmost priority!

...

...

...

" That's the gist of it. About the venue, it is Le Zenith."

Le Zenith is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Paris, France. It is located in the Parc de la Villette in the 19th district on the edge of the Canal de l'Ourcq. Its ability to seat up to 10,000 people makes it one of the largest venues in Paris. It could hold a few more thousand people with few adjustments, but they have to either stand or sit far in the back.

" Zenith, huh, it's flexible but not the 'best' he is looking for." Minister of Administrator Reform said with deep thought.

The cabinet room was filled with different ministers; they sat while their secretaries sat in the back, recording their conversations. It was an impromptu meeting, so no one had time to prepare much.

" I am glad someone had the same thought as me; I also think we have to think what this 'best' signifies for him." One of the government's spokesperson added. She was a little nervous sitting with the big dogs but felt a certain way when she heard Alain's conversation with Samuel's representative.

" What are you guys blabbering about?" Aurelie, who was clueless, asked bluntly.

" They are talking about that she specifically mentioned the best seat; it could be several things. The best place to view the concert? Is it the best acoustic spot? the closest place where one can see performers' faces clearly?" Booth, the foreign minister who came to Samuel's rescue, chipped in. Finding meaning behind empty words was like a second habit to him; dealing with diplomats across the globe was not an easy job!

" Are you serious?"

" You might not meet with these types of people, but they are very picky with their words. They-" someone said, but the housing minister stood up to interrupt him.

" I think we can do something about it. Dave, did you get the blueprint?"

" Here, sir." his assistant handed him a large tablet.

" If you look toward this place, it has a solid foundation. It could become an excellent viewpoint if we can make a small drill hole and connect the podium to the lower floors. Accessing the elevator could be limited, but we can put a few guards there."

" Leave it up to me! I will have my best men patrol the area regularly; we can deploy a few special individuals that could protect him without making him feel uncomfortable." The defence minister chimed in; his time was valuable, so he just wanted it to end!

" Hahaha, you don't have to worry about his safety. Every fan of his knows the trouble of getting a glimpse of him whenever he goes out; it is practically impossible!" The female spokesperson who commented earlier said enthusiastically. 

" W-why?" The defence minister didn't seem knowledgeable about Samuel's 'cult' that started when he first appeared in the Rothschild Estate.

" There are many theories, but one thing is clear: it is nigh impossible to get close to him due to many hidden soldiers surrounding him while erasing their presence. Many have tried to photograph them, but there are only a few blurry images to show as a result." She said.

" What bullshit are you sprouting? Wasn't there a recent video that someone posted on social media when they were roleplaying as a butler and princess or something? I thought everyone saw those 'hidden' soldiers!" Aurelie even made a supposed gesture with her fingers to make it look more dramatic.

" Wha, you- how-" the female fan who was previously drunk on power got her switch flipped as she sat down with a blushing face.

She was not entirely wrong, but it was physically impossible to be aware of every camera on the streets when there was a massive influx of smartphones, excluding a few people who trained their awareness to the maximum. 

" If we are done with security, I have a suggestion too! I, along with the minister of environment, could decorate the venue with organic flowers that are in trend. We can make a separate entrance for them and the performers to highlight the show." The Minister of Agriculture said enthusiastically he had been highly fond of flower patches since he was a child, and even as an old man, his hobby only grew with him.

" Bah! Are you in kindergarten? If you want to grow flowers, grow them in your own backyard! We only have a few days to prepare!" The Minister of Health smirked.

" What do you say, you little punk! After getting your job because of your grandfather, it seems you are acting like a tough guy."

" What!?"

" Alright, calm down. We are not here to fight!" Alain shouted.

" If you want to make him comfortable, how about I lend a few of my best translators? They are perfect for this event, with such a mixture of different languages. It would be easier for them to communicate with one another." The Minister of Tourism, who was an old woman, suggested. So far, her suggestion was the only one that sounded sane.

" Kekeke, It seems like I have to jump in again! There is no need for a translator because Samuel knows about six known languages that his fans know from past interviews!"

" What? Six! How is that possible? Didn't you say he was only a kid?"

" If you can't believe me, search the internet! This time, I am one hundred per cent right!"

" What about transportation?"

" Hold on, it's my turn; what about food and refreshments? Everyone loves food!" a chubby guy said as his face flapped with his every move.

" I bet no one likes it more than you!"

" Are you suggesting I am fat!?"

No one knew when it happened, but suddenly, everyone started speaking simultaneously. The noise grew louder and louder, defining Aurelie's ears, but before she could scream, someone entered the cabinet room and roared instead.

" What the hell are you doing here? I have been waiting for twenty minutes now! Why are you here instead of room number one!" It was the president who roared. He was a fit person in his fifties, but his voice still carried the heavy weight of a leader.

Everyone's arguments died down immediately as they simultaneously looked at the person in charge of the country.

" Sir, we are sorry to make you wait, but something fundamental has come up, so I need everyone's opinion!" Aurelie came forward and apologized. She called this meeting, but she didn't want to include the fucking president in this mess, but now he was here because they were making so much noise!

" What's more important than our meeting!?" The president was dumbstruck by what she said. It was nearing the new year, so they had a lot of things to shift through, but now she was making excuses for them? Unacceptable!

" I-it's about Samuel Rothschild, sir..." She said meekly, and his anger immediately subsided.

" Is that so?"