Phoenix and Pegasus 2

Chapter 2

~X~

The weeks preceding the competition had much of Xiao Zhan's organization extremely busy. While Yibo worked with laser focus on perfecting his routine, Xiao Zhan had deployed all his resources to secretly garner information about the competition. From every angle the competition looked to be extremely legitimate; the judges were once reputable dance or music professors, and none seemed to have been bought or bribed. Still an unsettled feeling lingered within him and this had him closeted in his office with A-Feng looking at floor plans and blueprints of the competition facility, and creating extraction scenarios should something happen.

The only thing Xiao Zhan knew was the regime had no knowledge he was part of a group conspiring to rebel and remove the Dictator. If they had caught wind, then Xiao Zhan would have already been arrested and executed. However Xiao Zhan was sure this competition was a test and somehow it involved Phoenix. Whenever he thought about what could happen to Yibo if they were caught, an infusion of cold fear swirled inside his chest making him clench his hands in tight fists fruitlessly. He currently had no target to swing at; a plan that was invisible to him and phantom hands threatening to tear Yibo away.

The best he could do to protect Yibo was plan for a safe escape if he failed to win the competition. Xiao Zhan had seen the list of performers and he knew Yibo could win, but that was if the competition was based on talent alone.

A-Feng pointed to a spot on the floor plans. "If Phoenix is on stage when something happens, we can..."

A tone from a small intercom interrupted them. "Yes," Xiao Zhan said, trying to keep the impatience he felt at the interruption from his voice.

"Liu xiansheng from Trimco Plastics is here to see you," his secretary announced.

A-Feng had already begun cleaning up any evidence and was almost done by the time Xiao Zhan told his secretary to send Liu Haikuan in.

"I think you know what the utmost priority is so I'll let you complete the plans. Spare no expense," Xiao Zhan instructed his most loyal head of security.

A-Feng gave his boss a nod to indicate his understanding and opened the door when a soft knock sounded.

"Liu xiansheng," Xiao Zhan welcomed with a broad smile. "What brings you by today."

Liu Haikuan dipped his head to A-Feng in thanks for holding open the door. "Xiao xiansheng, I have some material here that I needed to bring to your attention," he said, holding out a folder.

Xiao Zhan took the folder and opened it and leafed through the first few pages. He glanced up from the papers and over to A-Feng who was still stationed by the door. "Thank you, A-Feng," he said in dismissal.

"Please take a seat," Xiao Zhan said to Haikuan when the door closed shut. "This might take a while."

~Y~

The flurry of activity backstage was one encroaching on absolute chaos. Yibo would have been slapping his knee and laughing at the backstage manager's utter look of despair if he weren't currently trying to maintain the cold and confident demeanor of Phoenix.

There were 10 minutes until the first competitor needed to grace the stage and many of the performers were still scrambling and tripping over each other to get ready. Since the stage manager had wanted all the performers to arrive and get ready at the same time, there didn't seem to be enough space for them all. Yibo couldn't blame the young man for his lack of experience. Ever since the new regime implemented the Patron system, talent competitions had basically come to an end.