Year Zero
Chapter Two
February 15th 2007.
Playing in Cleveland, Ohio was always disturbing during the Summer time and with the humid heat blazing through the thick glass of the tour bus; it was enough to persuade Trent Reznor he was going to sweat tonight.
Grunting in discomfort the forty-one year old musician lifted his arm up and pulled the thick, black blind down separating himself from its menacing rays. Well the evenings often cooled down and with the time being lunch this heat was to be expected to be this blistering despite the complaints of Trent.
His thin Apple Mac computer was open in front of him, a web page open behind what looked to be a Documents folder filled icons directed to Notepad.
A figured plopped down in the seat opposite him “You look like you need a nice cold drink”
Jeordie White.
Trent looked up from his computer screen and smiled lightly not going to disagree with him. Was he really sweating that bad? Well compared to Alessandro Cortini who was lying on the sofa fast asleep he was; but then again it seemed the Italian had no glands whatsoever as he lied there peacefully.
“If you’re offering then lemonade”
Trent replied smugly before looking down at his laptop to finish what he was doing.
Trent Reznor was not a peoples’ person, he could talk to people but he found it difficult to make actual friends due to his perfectionism and misunderstanding on how to treat people. Jeordie White at the moment was perhaps one of his best friends who listened to what Trent said and tried to understand what went through his head despite how much people told him to avoid that area.
Trent thanked him for this, not personally but mentally. He relied on Jeordie; depended on him and lent on him more times then he could count. He was the friend who had it all: charm, charisma and could laugh at himself now and again.
“Where are your manners Michael Trent Reznor?”
“Please may I have a glass of lemonade Mr. Jeordie Osborne White” Trent asked politely with the best smile he could muster, “With five ice cubs, a blue straw and add some of that red colouring stuff in it too”
“No”
“Asshole”
As if on cue they chuckled at the same time.
Instantaneously Trent’s mobile phone began to buzz in his jeans pocket; the melody rang out turning all heads in the bus in Trent’s direction.
Jeordie got up and left for the kitchen area, “You’re getting a pink straw”
Shrugging his shoulders not too bothered by Jeordie’s counter Trent pulled his phone from his pocket. Raising the device to his eyesight Trent’s stomach dropped slightly, it was ‘T’, the man who had been his eyes and ears for the past year.
Closing his laptop down Trent stood up from his seat and walked to the toilet door, opened it, went through and closed it shut. It locked.
“Must be the girlfriend” - Josh Freese joked making everyone on the bus snicker like naughty school boys.
---------
“Mr. Reznor, I thought we were being discreet”
The voice on the other end of the line demanded making Trent wince as he spoke.
The other mans voice on the other end sounded aged, deep and as if it had sucked on about ten cigarettes before placing the call. Trent himself wouldn’t have been surprised if ‘T’ had done just that but confusion was more on Trent’s brain.
“I have been discreet” Reznor countered as he put the lid of the toilet seat down and sat on it, “Year Zero has no direct accusations of what File 25.8 is but will be taken more as an anti-political concept album by my fans.
USB’s have been placed as asked, information concerning the truth on them as well as a music track and a website but the rest is up to my fans; they’re clever and soon America will know the-“
“Well you weren’t discreet enough Mr. Reznor because they know it’s you, they know you have the information and are coming for you tonight”
The voice on the other end was so calm and collected, he spoke as if he was slightly amused by Trent’s misfortune which itself was burning acid inside Trent’s stomach. Trent could already feel his bottom lip quiver, they were coming for him. Trent knew too much, he had watched enough X-Files to know what they did to people who got too close to the truth.
The voice continued, “However you were discreet about our conversations and nobody seems to have picked them up. Nevertheless some men in suits shall be joining you in your dressing room tonight at 11:45pm straight after your show. They will demand you hand over the information and once that is done you will be terminated.
However Mr. Reznor, I do like you and your passion has been most captivating to the point of me wanting to see you make it through this alive. Listen to me very carefully now as I shall only say this once-“
Trent’s ears mentally perked up, he held the phone tighter eager to hear what ‘T’ had to say.
“These men will find you Mr. Reznor; they have been trained well but on the other hand… you’re a step in front. Transfer all information I have sent you onto one USB drive and place it into the male public lavatory in the Quicken Loans Arena as you have been doing for the game, encrypt the information if you can though. Once it has been placed you leave, you run back onto the bus and wait for further instructions. You do not talk to anybody after that show, not even your band mates do you understand me Mr. Reznor?”
“Yes…”
His voice was cracked and dehydrated from the sudden wave of fear that had taken over him. The musician looked down to his Doc Martin boots and couldn’t help but regret what he had gotten himself into. He loved the album so much and it was due for release but if it meant putting his life on the line was it worth it? Even if he did call it off Trent knew too much anyhow.
“I repeat you do not talk to anybody except for me when I call you. You’re playing with fire Mr. Reznor and I hope you’re wearing oven gloves”
A click and then a dial tone made reality sink in.
Lifting up the toilet seat Trent pushed his head into it bringing up what he had eaten that morning.
It was the beginning of the end.
--------
Ten minutes had passed since Trent had left the main area of bus for his telephone call.
His lemonade was sitting on the desk beside his laptop, a pink straw and only four ice cubes, it was to see if the front man would notice Jeordie’s act of rebellion.
The Italian, Alessandro, sat where Trent had originally sat and picked up the drink taking a large suck of the straw, “Either she’s playing hard to get or Trent is constipated”
Jeordie glanced at Alessandro from across the other side of the table with a lopsided grin. Alessandro always had this way of saying the most stupid things in the most serious voice; that was what made him funny. He could come up to you and say his grandma had died and you’d laugh, he could even come up to you and ask where the dictionary is and you’d laugh. Perhaps they’re not stupid things but the Italian had some real gems when he wanted to.
Without notice the bathroom door clicked and was pushed aside.
The five foot six male stepped out from its cubicle, his face as pale as a wannabe Goth and his palms greasy with perspiration. Trent closed the door behind him and walked quite casually, rather slowly actually, towards the double seat Alessandro was sat on. He sat beside the Italian, pulled his laptop in front of him and opened it up.
He never mentioned the drink which was unusual for Trent who’d normally lecture Alessandro for stealing his stuff.
Alessandro put the drink down nevertheless, “Hope you sprayed…”
That time the humour was wasted on them all as Trent began to tap lifelessly at his laptop.
“Have you guys seen the news?” Aaron North, the guitarist gasped as he walked into the main area switching the television on, “Check it out yo”
Their eyes glued to the screen, even Trent’s took a sneaky peak.
“Today is the big day for almost every school of this country. Today is the day the Narukelistic injections are handed out rather generously, free of charge to every child in America. Doctors have advised children attending public schools or those who go outside often require these injections to fight off the bacteria known as Narugentah and Naruphlois which is present in the air of America today. It has been reported Narukelistic is very contagious and very, very dangerous and if anybody have any worries they are to contact their GP. The symptoms to this disease are-“
Trent looked down at his laptop slowly, he muttered under his breath in sync with the news reporter: “Vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive sweating and cold chills”
Aaron turned off the television set.
“Can you believe that shit? I’ve never heard of those three things in my life! Naru-blah and things oh god it’s just doctors being all high and mighty I bet” Aaron ranted sitting down beside Jeordie as he did, “It’s like you can’t eat this food, don’t drink that! Now they’re pumping kids with unknown things beginning with N!”
Alessandro nodded taking another gulp of lemonade, “I agree with you North, never have I heard such rubbish-“
“But it’s on all the websites” Trent grunted loudly displeased and fully aware of what was happening. Once ‘T’ had sent the information Trent had quickly researched all those names to find nothing at all on them, but today it was a different story. Today it was one of those well known diseases on nearly all the medical websites and on Wikipedia.
Trent pulled a USB out from the point in his laptop.
“It’s another version of the truth”
Playing in Cleveland, Ohio was always disturbing during the Summer time and with the humid heat blazing through the thick glass of the tour bus; it was enough to persuade Trent Reznor he was going to sweat tonight.
Grunting in discomfort the forty-one year old musician lifted his arm up and pulled the thick, black blind down separating himself from its menacing rays. Well the evenings often cooled down and with the time being lunch this heat was to be expected to be this blistering despite the complaints of Trent.
His thin Apple Mac computer was open in front of him, a web page open behind what looked to be a Documents folder filled icons directed to Notepad.
A figured plopped down in the seat opposite him “You look like you need a nice cold drink”
Jeordie White.
Trent looked up from his computer screen and smiled lightly not going to disagree with him. Was he really sweating that bad? Well compared to Alessandro Cortini who was lying on the sofa fast asleep he was; but then again it seemed the Italian had no glands whatsoever as he lied there peacefully.
“If you’re offering then lemonade”
Trent replied smugly before looking down at his laptop to finish what he was doing.
Trent Reznor was not a peoples’ person, he could talk to people but he found it difficult to make actual friends due to his perfectionism and misunderstanding on how to treat people. Jeordie White at the moment was perhaps one of his best friends who listened to what Trent said and tried to understand what went through his head despite how much people told him to avoid that area.
Trent thanked him for this, not personally but mentally. He relied on Jeordie; depended on him and lent on him more times then he could count. He was the friend who had it all: charm, charisma and could laugh at himself now and again.
“Where are your manners Michael Trent Reznor?”
“Please may I have a glass of lemonade Mr. Jeordie Osborne White” Trent asked politely with the best smile he could muster, “With five ice cubs, a blue straw and add some of that red colouring stuff in it too”
“No”
“Asshole”
As if on cue they chuckled at the same time.
Instantaneously Trent’s mobile phone began to buzz in his jeans pocket; the melody rang out turning all heads in the bus in Trent’s direction.
Jeordie got up and left for the kitchen area, “You’re getting a pink straw”
Shrugging his shoulders not too bothered by Jeordie’s counter Trent pulled his phone from his pocket. Raising the device to his eyesight Trent’s stomach dropped slightly, it was ‘T’, the man who had been his eyes and ears for the past year.
Closing his laptop down Trent stood up from his seat and walked to the toilet door, opened it, went through and closed it shut. It locked.
“Must be the girlfriend” - Josh Freese joked making everyone on the bus snicker like naughty school boys.
---------
“Mr. Reznor, I thought we were being discreet”
The voice on the other end of the line demanded making Trent wince as he spoke.
The other mans voice on the other end sounded aged, deep and as if it had sucked on about ten cigarettes before placing the call. Trent himself wouldn’t have been surprised if ‘T’ had done just that but confusion was more on Trent’s brain.
“I have been discreet” Reznor countered as he put the lid of the toilet seat down and sat on it, “Year Zero has no direct accusations of what File 25.8 is but will be taken more as an anti-political concept album by my fans.
USB’s have been placed as asked, information concerning the truth on them as well as a music track and a website but the rest is up to my fans; they’re clever and soon America will know the-“
“Well you weren’t discreet enough Mr. Reznor because they know it’s you, they know you have the information and are coming for you tonight”
The voice on the other end was so calm and collected, he spoke as if he was slightly amused by Trent’s misfortune which itself was burning acid inside Trent’s stomach. Trent could already feel his bottom lip quiver, they were coming for him. Trent knew too much, he had watched enough X-Files to know what they did to people who got too close to the truth.
The voice continued, “However you were discreet about our conversations and nobody seems to have picked them up. Nevertheless some men in suits shall be joining you in your dressing room tonight at 11:45pm straight after your show. They will demand you hand over the information and once that is done you will be terminated.
However Mr. Reznor, I do like you and your passion has been most captivating to the point of me wanting to see you make it through this alive. Listen to me very carefully now as I shall only say this once-“
Trent’s ears mentally perked up, he held the phone tighter eager to hear what ‘T’ had to say.
“These men will find you Mr. Reznor; they have been trained well but on the other hand… you’re a step in front. Transfer all information I have sent you onto one USB drive and place it into the male public lavatory in the Quicken Loans Arena as you have been doing for the game, encrypt the information if you can though. Once it has been placed you leave, you run back onto the bus and wait for further instructions. You do not talk to anybody after that show, not even your band mates do you understand me Mr. Reznor?”
“Yes…”
His voice was cracked and dehydrated from the sudden wave of fear that had taken over him. The musician looked down to his Doc Martin boots and couldn’t help but regret what he had gotten himself into. He loved the album so much and it was due for release but if it meant putting his life on the line was it worth it? Even if he did call it off Trent knew too much anyhow.
“I repeat you do not talk to anybody except for me when I call you. You’re playing with fire Mr. Reznor and I hope you’re wearing oven gloves”
A click and then a dial tone made reality sink in.
Lifting up the toilet seat Trent pushed his head into it bringing up what he had eaten that morning.
It was the beginning of the end.
--------
Ten minutes had passed since Trent had left the main area of bus for his telephone call.
His lemonade was sitting on the desk beside his laptop, a pink straw and only four ice cubes, it was to see if the front man would notice Jeordie’s act of rebellion.
The Italian, Alessandro, sat where Trent had originally sat and picked up the drink taking a large suck of the straw, “Either she’s playing hard to get or Trent is constipated”
Jeordie glanced at Alessandro from across the other side of the table with a lopsided grin. Alessandro always had this way of saying the most stupid things in the most serious voice; that was what made him funny. He could come up to you and say his grandma had died and you’d laugh, he could even come up to you and ask where the dictionary is and you’d laugh. Perhaps they’re not stupid things but the Italian had some real gems when he wanted to.
Without notice the bathroom door clicked and was pushed aside.
The five foot six male stepped out from its cubicle, his face as pale as a wannabe Goth and his palms greasy with perspiration. Trent closed the door behind him and walked quite casually, rather slowly actually, towards the double seat Alessandro was sat on. He sat beside the Italian, pulled his laptop in front of him and opened it up.
He never mentioned the drink which was unusual for Trent who’d normally lecture Alessandro for stealing his stuff.
Alessandro put the drink down nevertheless, “Hope you sprayed…”
That time the humour was wasted on them all as Trent began to tap lifelessly at his laptop.
“Have you guys seen the news?” Aaron North, the guitarist gasped as he walked into the main area switching the television on, “Check it out yo”
Their eyes glued to the screen, even Trent’s took a sneaky peak.
“Today is the big day for almost every school of this country. Today is the day the Narukelistic injections are handed out rather generously, free of charge to every child in America. Doctors have advised children attending public schools or those who go outside often require these injections to fight off the bacteria known as Narugentah and Naruphlois which is present in the air of America today. It has been reported Narukelistic is very contagious and very, very dangerous and if anybody have any worries they are to contact their GP. The symptoms to this disease are-“
Trent looked down at his laptop slowly, he muttered under his breath in sync with the news reporter: “Vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive sweating and cold chills”
Aaron turned off the television set.
“Can you believe that shit? I’ve never heard of those three things in my life! Naru-blah and things oh god it’s just doctors being all high and mighty I bet” Aaron ranted sitting down beside Jeordie as he did, “It’s like you can’t eat this food, don’t drink that! Now they’re pumping kids with unknown things beginning with N!”
Alessandro nodded taking another gulp of lemonade, “I agree with you North, never have I heard such rubbish-“
“But it’s on all the websites” Trent grunted loudly displeased and fully aware of what was happening. Once ‘T’ had sent the information Trent had quickly researched all those names to find nothing at all on them, but today it was a different story. Today it was one of those well known diseases on nearly all the medical websites and on Wikipedia.
Trent pulled a USB out from the point in his laptop.
“It’s another version of the truth”