"I do not like this building."
Cynthia stepped out of the taxi, paying the driver and stepping resolutely up the front walkway, pushing open the doubledoors and entering the lobby. "It speaks of a coldhearted, manipulating man inside. But does it speak of one whose mind would really be easy if a murder were committed? I wonder what lengths Rory Llewelyn and his company would go to to have Jewel out of the picture for good. It does not make pleasant thought."
"Hi, Miss Ranieri." The security guard greeted her with a salute, and Cynthia snorted, tossing her head and stalking past him into the lift. Despite her claims that she was naive to the ways of humans, she had spent time observing her companions and building a database of their characteristics in order to better understand how to make Cynthia believable and real. Consequently she had Stefana's gestures down to a tee, and she knew that nobody would challenge her.
"Nobody except the real Stefana." She mused. "So I must be aware of who is here as I go. If I should see Stefana, I must hide myself so that she does not get suspicious. She knows, unlike her companions, what I am capable of. And if I am correct in my suspicions, she is not entirely innocent in all that has been going on."
At that moment the lift juddered to a halt on a lower floor and the door pulled back, admitting a young intern. The girl took one look at Cynthia and cowered back against the wall of the car, and Cynthia surmised that she had met with Stefana's harsh tongue already in her time at the music company. She pursed her lips, then,
"Hey, kid, is Ms Asche here today?"
"I...I..."
"Come on, spit it out, if you want to keep your internship." Cynthia put her hands on her hips, inwardly feeling sorry for the frightened girl.
"Yes, Miss Ranieri. She...she was with Mr...Mr Llewelyn in his office." The girl stammered. "About ten minutes ago I saw her go in there."
The lift stopped again, and the girl darted out into the safety of the corridors before Cynthia could ask any questions. The hologram looked thoughtful.
"Obviously it is not easy being an intern here." She mused. "But she told me what I hoped she would. Rapture is in the building, and that saves me a journey looking for her."
She stepped out of the car, pausing to work out which way to go. She had not been to Rebel Records before, and it took her a moment to get her bearings, before heading down the main corridor towards the turning for Rory's office. There were voices inside, and Cynthia melted back into the shadows as the door opened to reveal Rory himself, a folder in his arm. He took no notice of the new pot-plant that had apparently just appeared in his barren hall, striding swiftly towards the lift and banging the button for the ground floor. Once sure he was gone, Cynthia returned herself to her Stefana disguise, pushing open the door of the office and entering.
Phoebe was sat behind the desk, skimming over a sheet of paper. She glanced up at the girl's entrance, offering her a slight smile.
"Hello, Stefana." She said levelly. "Can I help you?"
"I thought this was Rory's office. Not yours." Cynthia observed adroitly, dropping down onto a chair. "What are you doing here?"
"Visiting an old friend...why should it matter to you?" Phoebe countered easily, folding the paper in two and slipping it into her pocket. "Was there something wrong? Surely you don't expect me to pay you for your silence as well as what you've already had from me."
"Did you know Copper was going to be abducted?" Cynthia shot straight to the point. Phoebe looked surprised.
"Are you worried about her?" She demanded, a note of irony in her tone. "Or is it that fool fiance of hers that you've lost your silly head over that's concerning you?" She shrugged. "I can't say I knew anything for sure. But you met Jason. I'm surprised it didn't occur to you what the outcome would be."
She smiled, a nasty glint entering her eyes. "Are you having a call of conscience?"
"I have no conscience." Cynthia told her coldly, returning the look with a perfect Stefana glare. "If Rory didn't tell you that then I'm telling you myself. I don't care about the Jewel brat, but this is a big deal. Why shouldn't I ask you to pay me to keep quiet? I know enough."
"Yes, my dear, you do." Phoebe pursed her lips. "But you forget, so do I. I don't need to buy your silence, and you need not worry about mine. The police will not hear from me that you ransacked Jewel's dressing room. In return, you will not tell the FBI that I had anything to do with the abduction of that snivelling Jewel brat. Don't you think that's fair? It's not like I'm staying in Los Angeles long, anyway." She patted her pocket. "That was confirmation of my flight out, the day after tomorrow. Rebel Records is not my concern - I've done what I intended and it's never good to hang around and outstay one's welcome."
Cynthia's eyes narrowed as she digested all of this, and for a moment she didn't speak. Phoebe laughed.
"Lost for words are we?" She asked lightly. "I suggest you keep it that way."
She got to her feet, tapping her companion condescendingly on the shoulder.
 "It was a pleasure doing business with you, Stefana. I hope maybe one day we'll do so again." She winked. "And now that Jewel are out of the way, I expect Rory will have great things to say about Diablo."
With that she swept out of the office and down the hall, leaving Cynthia staring after her.
"Stefana was the intruder in the dressing room." She murmured. "That is no surprise to me. Then she was involved. But Marissa spoke the truth - Stefana did not know about Copper's abduction, nor is she likely to be able to tell us where to find her. This is a pity. It did not sound like Phoebe knew much more on that score, either. What did Marissa say? That she'd said something flippant about Las Vegas? Well, perhaps Rory Llewelyn knows more. It is worth a try, anyway."
Carefully she morphed her features into the older ones of Phoebe herself, glancing down at her attire with disdain.
"Heaven forbid that I have to wear these clothes for very long." She decided. "I may be a hologram, but I have my limits!"
She pushed open the door, glancing around her to make sure the corridor was deserted. Phoebe had long gone, and she was able to return to the lift unchallenged.
"But where will I find Riot?" She wondered. "He obviously does conduct business when he's not trying to sabotage my friends. I wonder."
She pressed the ground floor button, waiting impatiently for the car to reach it's destination. As she stepped into the lobby, however, she realised that Rory Llewelyn was no longer on the premises, and that his car was just pulling away. She sighed, clicking her tongue in exasperation.
"There he goes." She muttered. "And I have lost my chance for today."
"Rapture?"
A gently accented voice came from behind her, and she turned, casting the speaker a smile.
"I thought that you left with Rory. Did you forget something?" Sophie Devereux eyed the hologram in confusion. Cynthia shook her head.
"No. I was just checking my flight details on his computer. I will join him presently." She lied glibly. "I had to make sure that there was no trouble from a...a liability."
Sophie's pretty features became grave.
"I wish you were not involved in all of this, Rapture." She said softly. "I care nothing for Jewel, but I do care for this music company and it's reputation. If you are caught..."
"When have I ever been caught?" Cynthia raised an eyebrow. "Have faith in me, Sophie. I will be out of this state before the Feds even think of scouting here."
"I have faith in you." Sophie nodded slowly. "In truth, I worry about the girl."
"The girl?" Cynthia stared.
"Yes." Sophie nodded again. "Copper."
"Worried about her? Why in hell?"
"Sabotage is one thing, but if he should hurt her...even kill her..." Sophie shuddered. "I do not like to think of that. I never did like violence. I don't want the girl to die, Rapture - not because of something you did. You are my dearest friend - I will protect you with my silence as long as I live, and you know that. But I wish you had not gone this far. It was enough of a risk helping you prepare your disguise so that you could trail her at that restaurant. I had no idea it would go so far as this."
"I didn't go at all far. The fan did that." Cynthia forced herself to effect a Rapture laugh. "He didn't even tell me where he would take her, so the police would find nothing useful out from me anyway."
"Rory said that you thought he'd go to Las Vegas...but I don't like how things have gone quiet." Sophie twisted her hands together. "I heard on the radio a few minutes before that they have found her car, Rapture - abandoned in a parking lot outside a motel. I fear for her."
"Well, don't." Cynthia snapped, more harshly than she intended for her mind was whirling at Sophie's revelations. "Keep out of it."
Before the frenchwoman could say anything else, she stalked towards the door and out into the parking lot, heading into a secluded patch of undergrowth as she adjusted her features back into that of her normal self. For a moment she just stood there, carefully turning over everything that she'd learnt.
"Her car has been found at a motel, but Copper is still missing. Copper was abducted by a man, and the old woman who Copper encountered when she missed her bracelet must have been Rapture, considering what Sophie said about the restaurant. Stefana ransacked Copper's belongings and stole her earrings and the money, but it is Rapture who is the main thrust behind all of this. And Marissa was correct, Las Vegas is where he is probably taking her. But if he has abandoned her car - has something gone wrong? And how are we ever going to track her down now we don't know what vehicle he is driving? How on earth are we going to get one step ahead of this madman before he does what Marissa thought and forces Copper to become his wife?"