New Story - again written exclusively on Steemit - WiP - Bouncer Part 37

This is turning out to be quite a tale (I know, my opinion...) and I think it'll make a novel-sized story.

I'm listening to the feedback and if something resonates, I've decided that I'll go with it (thanks @kiwideb).

Feel free to give feedback on characters, storylines etc - even if you think it's harsh.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21, Part 22, Part 23, Part 24, Part 25, Part 26, part 27, Part 28, Part 29, Part 30 Part 31 Part 32 Part 34 Part 35 Part 36

Pictures from Google free to use search

Please note: This is the FIRST DRAFT, no editing, written straight onto paper. I don't know how to highlight that any more than it is. I'll NOT be making any alterations to what's already been written. As a good friend and excellent author has said, First draft is a race to get the story down before it decides to stop telling itself to you. Thanks Glenn. @alienbutt

83 pages, 32,664 words so far.

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“Take your hand off my arm, sir,” Zack said in a voice so low that the guy he was speaking to only just heard him and none of his friends did.

“Look, dude,” the guy said, lowering his hand. “I only want to know how to use these priority invites.” He emphasised the words so everyone in the vicinity could see just how important he was.

Zack looked at the tickets the guy had printed from his computer. They were indeed ‘priority invitations’ – but so were the other 1493 Liz had sent out in a block email to people that had responded to the ads in magazines, on television, and ads across the internet.

“Why didn’t you say so, sir?” Zack said.

Zack beckoned to Crackers who came across to listen to what his boss needed to tell him.

“These priority invitation holders,” Zack said, matching the emphasis the guy had placed on the words. “These people need to be shown how to use their tickets to best effect. Is it OK to leave them in your capable hands?”

“Sure, Boss,” Crackers said, catching his hint. “Leave them to me.”

Zack made his way past the door team, saying hello to a few customers he recognised. He nodded to the girl on reception and she gave him a smile that lit up her face. Zack recognised her from somewhere too and was determined to recall where that somewhere was before he spoke to her.

He got a call over the radio and opened the side fire escape. A group of people stood there, waiting for him to open the door. “Viktor told us to ask for him when we got here. I’m so sorry we’re late. Traffic is bad,” the young woman at the front said in a polite and apologetic voice. She handed him six tickets that Zack recognised as the ones Liz had personally sent out by mail.

He nodded and opened the door wide for them to enter the building.

“Viktor just told me to let you in,” Zack said. “I’ll take you up, I’m just going up there, myself. Welcome to The Cobalt.”

The group followed him up the stairs. Unlike the pseudo VIPs he’d just handed over to Crackers, these guests were quietly admiring everything they encountered.

At the top of the stairs, Zack opened the main door and showed them into the club itself. They saw Viktor and everyone thanked him as they passed.

Outside, Crackers took the little group of expectant VIPs to one side. “I shouldn’t really tell you this, but there’s a way to use these tickets to the very best advantage,” he said in a conspiratorial whisper. They all huddled close so they wouldn’t miss the instructions.

“If you go back the way you came,” he said, pointing.

The group looked to where his hand indicated they should walk.

“Turn right at the top. Walk along the road to the first right turn, take that and you’ll see a small group of people,” he said. Crackers held his mini audience in thrall as they hung on every word of his instructions.

As he spoke, more people flowed through the doors and the guy with the tickets kept glancing at them.

“That’s the back entrance to the club!” the guy said, catching on.

“Follow that small group of people and they’ll lead right inside. Be patient, it could take a few minutes. You know how things are,” Crackers said. “Wave those tickets at the guys on the door, they know what to do with priority invitations.”

“Come on,” the guy said, leading the way. “Queuing up is for losers!” the group ran off in the direction Crackers had indicated, with excited squeals and laughter.

“They’re gonna be angry when they get back here,” one of Crackers’ team said, laughing.

“Yeah, but by then, I’ll be inside and you can explain it to them,” Crackers said.

The Doorman laughed. “Yeah, shit doesn’t roll uphill, does it?” He told the rest of the team what had happened and gave them all a good laugh. Cocky teenagers need to learn the ropes.

Upstairs, Zack watched people flooding to the bar, the first stop when they got into the club.

Viktor stood with the friends that Zack had let in through the side door and by the smiles on their faces – Viktor included – Zack thought things were going well.

Liz arrived at his side. “How is everything going?” she asked.

“Great so far,” Zack said, never taking his eyes off the crowds. “I think your idea of allowing a few people in on the pre-opening night is going to work.”

“Yeah, I’m glad Taylor brought it up,” Liz said. “The pre-opening night wouldn’t have looked anything without a crowd to fill the place.”

“I think it’s still going to look a little deserted,” Zack said. “Fifteen hundred people in a four thousand capacity club will look sparse.”

“For the first night, it’ll be fine,” Liz said, her tone hardened as she realised Zack was probably right.

He looked at her and realised he’d overstepped the mark.

“No, on second-thoughts,” he said. “The VIPs won’t want to be battling their way through crowds of teens. It’s going to be great.”