Blinding Lights: Despite Everything GeminiFourth

*55* NuNew's secret

Everyone who was on stage with them approached them.  The screens behind the backs of the performers, on the other hand, showed recordings from their private archives and about everyone.  They also included a recording provided to them by Professor Zee Pruk, who stood slightly to the side of the stage, smiling sadly.  Only he and NuNew were not happy about what was happening around them.

Zee looked in silent despair.  Gemini only recently found out why: Professor Zee, or rather Lieutenant Zee Pruk Panich, working under this cover, in order to obtain information about NuNew's criminal activities and discover his connections with the mafia, entered into a very risky affair with a young artist.  NuNew could be so charming and cute that Zee soon fell head over heels in love with him.  Rumors about their relationship have been circulating in the entertainment industry for a long time, but until today Gemini didn't believe them, remembering that social media is not just the truth and the whole truth.  What was visible on the Internet was often a tactical move, a neat maneuver by PR specialists.

Just as P'Singto had predicted, NuNew was overcome with an uncontrollable frenzy of rage.

NuNew walked up to Gemini, giving him an evil, hateful glare.  Everyone knew that Gem was responsible for the recordings shown on stage.  He was the one who collected them from everyone.  NuNew handed him a completely different video, not the one in which Zee was lying on the bed almost naked, tied to a metal frame with strong ropes, with a clearly terrified look on his face.  You could almost read the words on his lips: "What are you doing?  What you want to do?!" Zee was clearly scared and all what was happening, happened against his own will. Gemini knew how much it costed P'Zee to gave them this recording.

Fans started screaming when they saw this. Other artists looked shocked and terrified. Only Gem was calm.

“Where did you get this recording?”

“Oh, P'New!  I got them from you, don't you remember?” Gemini became an actor again, playing the role of a goofy, not very intelligent and forgetful artist with too much self-confidence. He did quite well, judging by the furious reaction of NuNew, who pulled him  by the arm and then started pulling him towards the exit from the stage.

“Where are you going? I'm coming with you,” Fourth offered, seemingly carelessly.

“If you really love this idiot, you'll wait here nicely.  Unless you want me to pulp him?  Or would you rather have a police pathologist scrape his brain off the wall?  You can be sure everyone will think you killed him.  I will personally make sure they think so.  You want it?  I'll gladly do to you what I did to Heart and Gun”.

This was the confession P'Singto wanted.  Gem could hardly keep from smiling triumphantly.  In this state, NuNew became so sure of himself that he didn't allow himself to think that someone could outsmart him.  Meanwhile, Gem knew that P'Singto's subordinates were listening to a live feed from a wireless microphone placed under his shiny white shirt.

Fourth tried to suppress the urge to slam NuNew into the ironically smiling face of a criminal who pretended to be a charming and lovable musician every day.  In vain.  His hand shot forward on some impulse, striking NuNew in the jaw.  NuNew released Gem and prepared to attack Fourth.  Gemini didn't have time to react.  NuNew hit Fourth so hard that the boy staggered.  Suddenly, Gem received a powerful blow to the head that he could not have expected.  The last thing he remembered was Professor Zee's sad voice.

“I'm sorry Gemini, it's for your own good.  I'll explain to you later”.

And then everything was covered with darkness.

* * *

A few hours later, Gemini, fully conscious, locked in an empty basement with only a tiny window, stinking of cat feces and damp, wondered whether he had not exaggerated his provocation.