The Hallway

(Image From John Wick: Chapter 4)

"To anyone who can still hear the sound of my voice, yes I'm still here, and yes I'm gonna be spinning tracks until the titanic goes down. Back to the chase."

Stan, Cleopatra, and Molly sprinted through a hallway, it was nothing but doors wallpaper, and speakers.

"Molly?" Cleopatra looked back to their friend, who was finally out of the clown outfit and back in soccer shorts. After they’d made their escape from the circus of oversized footjobs they were completely lost.

"I don't know! It's not any kind of set!"

Stan spoke up. "This must be backstage."

Over the speakers, a sultry voice continued. "Our runaways are continuing to climb the charts. Looks like sending the B listers was for nothing. They've all been wiped out, and Skylar is hot on the trail. But we like sure fire things around here. Word is the Producers are dusting off a few classics, to show you kiddies how they used to rock in The Golden Age."

"How many hosts do they have?" Stan sweated.

Cleopatra just grabbed a Japanese sliding door and held it open. "Not enough." Her friends jumped inside, and she followed suit.

The door closed behind them and the speaker spoke to a lonely crowd.

"Watch out my fleeing fans. These Golden Oldies, are classics for a reason."

Babs stepped into the studio for the first time in two decades. The Prodcuers filled her with verve once more. Power flowed into her body repairing the damaged they'd allowed time to do to her. Her grey hair came to life and spilled down her shoulders healthy and black as hell. Her skin returned to the smooth alabaster that had seduced so many masters. Her mammaries reeled themselves back in, they were even kind enough to make a new outfit for her. Heels, stockings, and of course a corset, a top hat sat jauntily on the side of her head. She felt better than she ever had in her prime. "Mama's back." She said her voice starting out gravely but soon returning to the smokey tone that had whispered such filth into the heart of men.

The hallway was lit with emergency lights, the paint was peeling, the vents blew out soot and ash rather than cool air. Had her runaways done all of this? She felt almost proud.

Curiously she looked down the hall way to see who else they'd brought in on this. Her penciled in eyebrows raised with surprise. Tex and Arthur, they might as well have raised Colt from the dead, those two were never supposed to see the light of day again, but neither was she. Smiling she lit up a cigarette, god it felt so smooth with a young respiratory system. She couldn't wait to have sex for the first time again. But first business.

She addressed The Agent who'd brought her the offer, and blew a cloud of smoke into his emotionless face. "If I'm going to do this, I have a demand."

The agent didn't flinch. "The terms are clear, capture the runaways, turn Skylar in for cancelation, and you'll have a program slot in perpetuity. It doesn't get any better than that."

"It does." She moaned and sucked on her cigarette again. "Fuuuuck, I missed doing this without ****." She dabbed some ash on the floor. "I'll do the job, and I'll get it done before those two monsters you've awoken get the chance to burn down every studio between here and Colorado."

"Then do it."

"I will, so long as at the end of all of this, you give me Karen and Skylar. I think it's time I put my family back together."

"Skylar is getting canceled."

Babs waved her hand. "She'll be punished, don't you worry. For all eternity if I have to, but these are my terms. Otherwise leave it to those two."

The agent briefly looked to the two hosts who were dealing with their own agents. She was right of course. Those two would destroy any season they set foot on. They'd already lost Dubai, plus the thought of giving one of them another shot at hosting...

Babs had been retired because of ratings. Those two…

The agent spoke. "They agree to your condition."

Babs smirked, and threw a set of keys over her shoulder, and into her room. "Marie, take care of the place while I'm gone." She then strutted off towards the nearest exit. Her agent followed.

"Why are you protecting her?" The agent asked, meaning Skylar.

Babs just flicked her cigarette at the wall and opened the door. "Haven't you been watching Skylar's show?" She licked her fresh ruby lips. It was the salivating maw of a tiger prepared to ambush. "What wouldn't a mother do for her child?"