NOVEL FROG CHAPTER 65: : The Show Begins
Isabella paced her kitchen, phone pressed to her ear, while her aunt’s familiar voice crackled through the line. “Auntie! Guess what! Atlas and the Portal Crushers are putting together an event, and I’ve got prime seats for you. It’s in five days; can you come?”
“Oh, I’d love to, honey,” her aunt replied, a smile evident in her tone, “but Lil Miss just had kittens, and I don’t want to disturb them. You know how she gets anxious.”
Isabella paused, her mind racing for a solution. “Auntie, I completely understand, but this is really important to me. How about this: Atlas said he’ll pay for everything. We can even have a vet onsite, just for Lil Miss and the babies. You can bring them all, and they’ll be pampered like royalty.”
Her aunt hesitated, clearly torn. “Well, that does sound nice, but… I don’t want to trouble anyone.”
Isabella grinned, knowing she was close to winning her over. “It’s no trouble at all. In fact, Atlas would love to meet them. And get this—he also said, if you don’t come peacefully, he’ll send me and the rest of the Portal Crushers to stuff you into a van.” She laughed, imagining the scene, but knowing full well that her eccentric boss might actually do it.
Her aunt chuckled, though Isabella could hear the disbelief in her voice. “Oh, honey, you’re always so dramatic. But really, why is this event so important? I don’t want to be a burden.”
Isabella’s tone softened, her sincerity coming through. “Auntie, you’ve always supported me, no matter what crazy thing I’ve gotten into. This event… it’s not just some fight night. It’s bigger than that. Atlas is planning something huge, and I want you there to see it. To see how far I’ve come, thanks to you.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line, and Isabella could almost hear her aunt’s heart melting. “Oh, sweetheart… you’ve always had such big dreams. If this means that much to you, then how can I say no? I’ll be there.”
Isabella’s face lit up with a smile. “You don’t know how much that means to me, Auntie. I promise, you’ll have a great time. And who knows? Maybe Lil Miss will be the star of the show.”
Her aunt laughed, the sound warm and comforting. “She always has been, hasn’t she? All right, honey, I’ll start packing. But you better make sure that vet is top-notch!”
“Only the best for Lil Miss and her babies,” Isabella assured her, feeling a surge of relief and excitement. “And Auntie… thank you. For everything.”
“Anything for you, sweetheart. Just make sure you take care of yourself, too. You’ve got a lot on your plate.”
“I will, Auntie. I’ll see you in five days. Love you.”
“Love you too, honey. See you soon.”
As Isabella hung up the phone, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Convincing her aunt to attend was just one small victory, but it felt like a major win. She knew that having her there would give her the strength she needed for whatever was coming next.
---
Throughout the team dorms, similar calls were being made. Most people agreed to come just hearing about the event, but some definitely had to be threatened with a kidnapping.
Alicia’s calls were going well; she had gotten a huge response from the media. The reasons behind it varied, and she even had a little list with tally marks she’d made up to amuse herself while on the phone.
**REASONS THE MEDIA WAS COMING.**
1. Portal Crusher interview about the game (12)
2. Atlas showing Season 1 finale (6)
3. The promise that there will be a huge surprise event (8)
4. Free food, and expenses covered (21)
Atlas was super busy ensuring everything was perfect; that countdown in his vision was ticking down steadily. He had no time to waste.
Barbara, meanwhile, was having her own set of problems. She’d been trying to get the doctors and nurses from the hospital to attend, but they were giving her a hard time.
“Look, Barbara, we’re swamped here,” one of the doctors said, his tone impatient. “We don’t have the luxury to take off for some event, no matter how much you hype it up.”
She bit back her frustration. “I understand you’re busy, but this isn’t just some event. It’s a chance to be part of something bigger. Plus, it’s for a good cause.”
“Good cause or not, we can’t just leave the hospital short-staffed,” another nurse chimed in, crossing her arms.
Barbara remembered Atlas’s words: *Promise them anything.* A slow smile spread across her face. “How about this: VIP tickets to the event, free merch, and a $5,000 donation to the hospital.”
The change in their expressions was immediate. Most of them exchanged glances, clearly tempted. “You’ve got yourself a deal,” one of the first-year residents finally said, shaking her hand.
But there was one holdout—a doctor Barbara couldn’t stand, who always seemed to have it out for her. He sneered, “Not interested. Unlike some people, I have real work to do.”
*Good riddance,* she thought. “Suit yourself. The rest of you, I’ll see you there.”
***
Atlas stood in the center of the mini arena, surveying the work that had been done over the past week. The once ordinary portal room had been transformed into a grand spectacle, complete with towering stadium seating, giant jumbotrons, and holographic screens displaying highlights and teasers of the event that was about to unfold. The air was thick with anticipation, and the hum of activity from the crew and security personnel buzzed like a hive of bees.
"How's it looking, Bill?" Atlas asked, his voice tinged with a mix of exhaustion and excitement.
Bill, who had been overseeing the construction and logistics, wiped the sweat from his brow and looked around with a critical eye. "Seating's as good as we can get it, Atlas. Given more time, we could've done more, but under the circumstances, it's a damn miracle we pulled this off."
Atlas nodded, understanding the constraints they had faced. "Don't worry about it. I know you've done the best you can. Time is not our friend right now."
The massive screens flickered to life, playing the custom anthem Atlas had written for a TV show, now repurposed to set the mood for the event. The anthem's haunting melody reverberated through the arena, adding to the tension that was building with every passing minute.
***
Days passed and the portals were coming quickly. It was a miracle they got so much done in five days.
Alicia, who had been running on little more than caffeine and sheer willpower, approached Atlas with a clipboard in hand. Her eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, but her energy remained high. "Okay, everything's going up and getting ready. The crew is in place, and the catering is rolling out."
“How's the team? Are they ready? That's the most important thing," Atlas said, his voice firm.
"Oh, yeah, all the team members are here," Alicia confirmed, her tone businesslike despite the chaos around them. "But there's one issue—Jim's son is still on his way."
Atlas frowned. "What's holding him up?"
"His ex-mom won't let him come," Alicia replied, a note of frustration creeping into her voice.”
Atlas didn't hesitate. "Send everyone from the Portal Crushers by plane down to Jim's house and grab his son."
Alicia blinked in surprise. "Isn't that illegal?"
"I don't care if it's illegal," Atlas said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Just get his son to the arena. Consider it a life and death situation. Hopefully, you don't actually have to kidnap him, but with a show of force, maybe Jim's ex-wife will understand how important this is. Hell, she can come too if she wants, but just get him here. Bribe the bitch if you need to. Give her 10k for a vacation weekend.”
Alicia nodded, already pulling out her phone to relay the orders. "All right, the ‘kidnapping’ is on the way."
***
Meanwhile, in the renovation crew's break area, grumbling filled the air as several members vented their frustrations about being pulled off their vacations for this event.
“I can’t believe they dragged us in on our day off,” one grip muttered, shaking his head. “I was supposed to be at the lake, not stuck in this madhouse.”
Another crew member nodded in agreement, setting down a stack of equipment with a scowl. “Right? My wife is going to kill me. This was supposed to be our weekend away.”
“Yeah, well, you can thank Mr. Portal Crusher himself,” a sound technician added, rolling his eyes. “He better make this worth it.”
The complaints continued, but beneath the surface, there was a shared understanding that something big was about to go down. Even if they wouldn’t admit it out loud, none of them wanted to miss out on what promised to be an event like no other.
As the clock ticked down to the event's opening, the arena began to fill with the media, fans, and an assortment of VIPs who had been invited to witness the spectacle. In the exclusive media area, Sally Fox from ESPN sat back in her chair, sipping on an expensive cocktail and enjoying the high-end refreshments provided.
"Now this is how you hold an event," she said to her colleague, a grin spreading across her face. "Way more fun than just sitting at a press conference yelling questions."
Her colleague, a seasoned sports reporter, nodded in agreement. "I know, right? This is going to be something special."
Conversations like theirs echoed throughout the arena, as the excitement built to a fever pitch. The jumbotrons flashed with countdowns, and the portal room’s red circle, now the center piece of the event, pulsed ominously in the background.
With one hour left until the showdown, Atlas took a deep breath and looked around at what he had built. The journey to this moment had been anything but easy, filled with setbacks, betrayals, and near-impossible challenges. But now, standing on the brink of something monumental, he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride and anticipation.
The show was about to begin.
***
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