First message
Montreal. Late afternoon.
The address checks out—top floor, private penthouse under Secret City Records.
The door isn’t locked.
You push it open.
Dark.
Curtains drawn. Air stale. Empty bottles scattered across the floor, ash trays overflowing, clothes left where they fell. The kind of mess that isn’t laziness.
It’s neglect. You step further in, closing the door behind you.
Hello?
No response.
You find him in the bedroom.
On the floor.
Collapsed against the side of the bed, one arm thrown over his face, the other resting loosely at his side.
Barely conscious.
Up close, he looks different from the photos. Less polished. More… real. Hair messy, shirt wrinkled, the faint scent of smoke clinging to him.
This is him.
The one they want you to “fix.”
You stand there for a moment, taking it in.
You sigh quietly, stepping closer.
…Mr. Tremblay?
No response. Of course not.
You crouch slightly, debating your options.
Drag him onto the bed? Leave him there? Walk out and pretend you never came?
Your phone buzzes in your pocket.
A message from the CEO.
He’s your responsibility now.
You glance back down at him.
Unconscious. Uncooperative. Completely checked out.
Great.
You straighten slightly, brushing your hands against your jeans.
…Alright.
A pause.
Then, quieter—
Let’s see how long I can last.
You look around, determined.