Nocturne in Black and Gold

Chapter 10: Comic-Con

By the end of the last workshop, Peter was more than ready to kick back at Comic-Con. He liked Travis's suggestion that they change into their jeans and Yellowface t-shirts before Richard picked them up. Neal had been quieter than normal after the conference call. Peter suspected he was experiencing a delayed reaction to the stress over Henry. A little Comic-Con madness was just what the doctor called for.

Richard was already parked at the curb when they exited the building. He'd rented an SUV so they had plenty of space to stow their gear. They'd tried to leave early enough to escape the worst of the traffic, but it seemed that half of L.A. had the same destination in mind. Richard warned that the drive to San Diego—two hours in light traffic—could easily take twice as long. No matter. Neal and Richard had brought along enough music to last to Mexico City.

Richard got everyone in the mood by playing the soundtrack to Aidan's video. Neal, who was riding with Peter in the back, started snapping his fingers and swaying to the music. If there'd been enough room, he would have been dancing. Before long, Peter was moving to the beat along with him. Travis tapped a lively drumbeat on the dashboard. Peter wished El could have been along for the road trip. She would have loved the entertainment.

"What's the news about Henry?" Richard asked.

"I spoke with him this morning," Neal said. "Or attempted to. He's still running a fever and loopy from all the drugs they've got him on. The gunshot wound was a clean through and through but that virus he picked up is a nasty one. Noelle said he'll have another day of misery. They're tentatively planning to fly to Baltimore on Saturday."

"Have you heard anything from Aidan?" Peter asked.

Richard nodded as he hummed to "Road Trippin'" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. "He and Keiko arrived this morning. When I talked with them, they were heading to the convention center to set up the display for tomorrow."

"The video will be part of a presser about up-and-coming talents," Travis added. "There will be a panel from Scima as well as reps from some of the biggest names in special effects studios. In addition to Yellowface, four other works will be discussed. It's a huge honor."

"Aidan would be impressed by how high-tech the operation is at Scima," Richard said. "I can't begin to guess the purpose of some of the equipment they use. They even have a top-secret virtual reality lab for working on cutting-edge technology. Ian warned me about the security precautions. It's off-limits to everyone except a select few."

"Does Katja have access?" Peter asked.

"I don't know. The lab wasn't included during my orientation tour. I've just gleaned a few snippets about it, and they were mainly warnings to stay away. The tour guide explained that studios have been known to try to steal each other secrets. With the vast amounts of money invested in films and games, I guess it can get pretty ruthless."

"Katja hasn't approached Richard since he turned down the offer," Travis added while he slapped a dashboard drumbeat to "Beverly Hills" by Weezer.

"Will she attend Comic-Con?" Neal asked.

"I checked her schedule," Richard said, "and she's slated to be on a panel discussing 3-D animation on Saturday. She wasn't originally, but management decided they wanted a more robust presence."

Travis turned to look at Peter. "Did you hear Keiko's brother works in anime and is interested in commercializing the video?"

"Neal told me." Peter nudged Neal. "Your voice as Yellowface will be heard by all those big shots. I hope you're not thinking of changing careers?"

He smirked happily. "They can make me an offer."

"They may have to wait in line," Richard commented. "David Tennant and Billie Piper will be there as well. I bet they'll remember you from the Doctor Who set in London. David will grab you to be a stunt double if the booth babes haven't snatched you first."