-Track Seventeen-
Kipper felt degraded and afraid before the press conference after Billy warned him to admit everything or face long-term imprisonment. However, he took comfort knowing things were now okay with Cosmo and Lucy.
Billy, Susan, along with their legal team, waited along with Kipper backstage for their signal to enter the press conference.
“They're ready for you, Mr Numan,” announced the producer.
When the party headed out to face the press, Billy put his hand on Kipper’s shoulder and snarled. “Remember Nutley; admit everything.”
The conference room at Broadcasting House was full of reporters, photographers, and media representatives with Lucy and Cosmo sitting amongst the noisy throng of people.
Billy Numan, Susan McHale, Kipper, and the two company lawyers entered the room and walked onto a raised stage with cameras flashing, dazzling Kipper as he sat on a chair behind a podium. Susan and the lawyers sat alongside him. Billy stood behind the podium and waited for cameras to stop flashing and the small crowd to settle.
Cosmo nudged Lucy and nodded to the back of the room where two police officers stood.
Lucy looked, nodded, and whispered. “Why are they here? Numan said they wouldn’t prosecute Kipper if he owned up.”
Cosmo shrugged and said, “I wonder what’s in the envelope that copper’s holding?”
Billy Numan adjusted the microphone and then looked at the audience, who fell silent. “The country has been duped,” he announced and looked at the audience.
A grumble went around as people looked confused and intrigued.
Billy glanced back at Kipper sitting with his head lowered and announced, “Fossils do not exist!”
The audience gasped as Billy pointed to Kipper and continued, “Mr Kevin Gascoigne Nutley invented the entire thing and led us all to believe that a band named Fossils existed. He wanted to promote himself and make quick money, so entered our Search for Britain’s Next Super Group competition by deceiving his DJ friend at BBC Radio Lincolnshire who broadcast the event.”
The crowd mumbled and then cameras again flashed. The room was like a strobe disco as Billy said. “We uncovered the truth a short while ago, and I need to bring it to the public’s attention. We dismissed Mr Nutley immediately, and I want everybody to be made aware of the facts.”
Billy paused and seeing the crowd's shocked expressions, smirked and said. “Mr Nutley stole discarded demo tapes from the music shop where he worked and by using his employer's equipment to mix various tracks, he digitally added and altered his voice. Mr Nutley wanted the $20,000 prize money to feed his drug habit but when he saw the money rolling in, he continued to fool us, along with the rest of the country, that a young band named Fossils exists.”
Billy continued to set the scene, giving details about Kipper's past business failures and substance abuse.
Susan then took to the podium, reiterating what Billy had told the media. They both painted a grim picture of the lad from Cleethorpes as Kipper stared at the floor.
Billy went back to the podium and announced that they would take questions and several arms rose in the audience. Billy pointed to one reporter that he had already primed.
The man announced that he was from the Daily Mail and asked his prepared question.
“So what will happen to the conman?”
Billy sneered over at Kipper and said. “After Mr Nutley has confessed his crime of knowingly and fraudulently deceiving everyone.” He then pointed to the police officers at the back of the room and said, “They will arrest him.”
Cosmo and Lucy looked at one another.
“The bastard lied to us,” said Cosmo and glowered at Numan.
“He’s lying to everyone. We both know Kipper doesn’t even smoke, let alone take drugs,” said Lucy and sighed, “but there’s nothing we can do.” Feeling outraged, she glared at Numan.
The members of the press felt sorry for Kipper. They knew Billy Numan was an arrogant individual and setting Kipper up as a ‘Patsy’, but they were not there to judge, only to report the facts relayed to them by Numan, however clouded and distorted. A broken, demoralised Kipper sat with his head in his hands.
Billy and Susan looked smug, feeling pleased with themselves for the success of their damage-limitation scheme and their lambasting of Kipper. They wallowed in their victory, with Kipper now labelled as an unscrupulous swindler who had misled the BBC and Virgin companies, along with the rest of the country. A lawyer came to the podium and whispered to Billy.
“Yes, yes, I know,” said Billy, “don’t worry.”
Confident they were in the clear; Billy thought he would take one more question to degrade Kipper further before he made him confess to committing fraud.
He pointed to a journalist with her hand raised.
The woman stood up and introduced herself. “Camilla Burgess from the N.M.E.,” she said and then looked at Kipper. “Mr Numan and his people suggest that Fossils don’t exist Mr Nutley and that you stole the songs and created everything with hi-tech sound equipment. Is that correct?”
Kipper looked at Camilla.
“I think we have already established that fact, Miss Burgess,” interrupted Billy Numan.
Camilla ignored Billy, pointed to him and the others sat behind Kipper, and said. “Virgin and BBC representatives have ridiculed Mr Nutley throughout this press conference and labelled him a deceitful fraudster,” she then glared at Billy. “Mr Numan, you told us that Mr Nutley stole discarded demo tapes.” Camilla frowned and not waiting for a reply, asked. “Please tell us Mr Numan, how can you steal something that had been discarded?”
Camilla, looking around the audience now focused on her, said. “Nobody has yet pointed out that by using your diligence and skills Mr Nutley, you created the new music from unwanted sounds.”
Kipper looked at Camilla as she announced. “Therefore, Fossils do exist.” She paused for a moment, looked at Kipper, smiled, and said. “Surely Mr Nutley... YOU are Fossils.”
The room went silent with all eyes now on Kipper.
Kipper, thrown by this unexpected statement, looked over at Billy and Susan for guidance, but they looked puzzled. He glanced over at Cosmo and Lucy in the audience, who smiled and nodded at him.
Kipper thought. ‘Admit to everything, that was my instruction.’
He looked around at everyone staring at him, shrugged, and said. “Yes, I suppose I am.”
The room went silent for several moments. The photographers and journalist then erupted into a frenzy as the story now took on a surprising twist.
They now focussed on Kipper, the music industry's new sensation.
Billy and Susan looked aghast as the press fired questions at them about the stupidity of the powerful media empires of the BBC and Virgin. The newshounds, seizing upon this opportunity, humiliated the arrogant Numan and McHale. The dubious duo, along with their cronies, realised that their scheme to discredit Kipper and make him the fall guy had backfired as the press bombarded them with questions.
With cameras snapping pictures of them, they rushed out of the conference room. Kipper, with a beaming smile, glanced at Cosmo and Lucy before being ushered away by Numan.
Cosmo and Lucy hugged each other and laughed.
They saw the policeman looking angry as he put the envelope in his briefcase, and with his colleague, left the room
Cosmo and Lucy looked overjoyed and felt confident that the Fossils saga could soon be over.
Numan and his team ushered Kipper up to his office.
“Sit there, Nutley,” Billy ordered and pointed at the sofa. He, Susan, and the two lawyers sat at Billy’s desk.
Billy slapped his desk, glared at Gerald Highgrove and asked. “So what do we do now?”
Gerald sighed and said. “I don’t know, but I told you to hurry and get him to admit fraud.”
“Without that admission and with the current turn of events, we have no case,” said Walter Sharples sounding concerned.
Billy fumed and looked over at Kipper smiling.
“Stop smirking Nutley, you have got away with nothing and have only made matters worse for yourself,” said Billy and laid into Kipper, threatening him again with prosecution and prison.
Kipper just smiled as Numan ranted.
Eileen interrupted ten minutes later when she brought in Lucy and Cosmo.
“Why have you let these people in here?” Yelled Billy.
Eileen stepped back looking aghast by his outburst, said. “I’m sorry sir, but they have been coming here over the past few days to see you and I wasn’t instructed otherwise.”
Cosmo and Lucy stood at Billy’s desk.
Lucy looked at Kipper, who, although smiling, could tell by his nervous demeanour he was under pressure.
“Well, it now appears your father is in the clear,” snapped Billy.
“So it does,” replied Lucy. “Are you okay Kipper?”
“No, he bloody well isn’t okay,” interrupted Numan. “We have to find a way out of this situation,” And he glowered at Kipper.
Lucy smirked at Numan and then glared at him. “You landed yourself in this quandary by lying and pressuring him to conceal the facts. This is your mess, Numan… so you sort it. Come along Kipper, we are leaving,” said Lucy and Kipper stood.
Numan glared at her. ‘How dare this small town nobody speak to me this way,’ he thought.
“Sit down Nutley,” he snapped and then looking at Cosmo and Lucy, yelled obscenities, accusations and threatened them all with prosecution for aiding and abetting a criminal. Numan finished his hysterical rant and glared at them. The lawyers cringed and looked concerned.
Lucy remained unruffled; being a doctor, she was more than capable of dealing with arrogant little pipsqueaks like Billy Numan. She leaned over the desk, stared him straight in the eyes, and with a fierce expression, tore into Numan, bombarding him with facts, and countering his claims.
The others in the room looked on in amazement as this middle-aged, friendly looking woman reduced the arrogant Billy Numan to a quivering chastised schoolboy. Numan’s team could offer no support, not only because Numan had overstepped the legal boundaries with his threats; they were also afraid to speak as the mild-mannered Doctor had turned into a demon.
Numan cowered, and realising that he had lost all respect from his team, bawled at the three. “Leave my office, now!”
Cosmo leaned over the desk, grabbed hold of Billy’s shirt, and glared at him.
“Calm down Cosmo, he isn’t worth it,” said Lucy putting her hand on Cosmo’s shoulder.
“Eileen, call security,” yelled Billy, who then looked at the lawyers and said. “You all saw that; Sugden assaulted me.”
The lawyers shook their heads, ignored him, and got up to leave.
Billy pointed at the three. “You three haven’t heard the last of this; I will still see you all go to prison. There’s already a warrant out for your arrest Nutley, so none of you better leave London,” yelled Billy looking enraged.
Susan McHale looked pale and shell-shocked, while Billy glared at the three as he snorted like a bull.
Cosmo, Lucy, and Kipper smirked at Billy, left his office, and went into the corridor.
“What’s so funny Cosmo?” Kipper asked, puckering his brow.
“Did you see the look on Billy Bullshits face when Lucy tore him a new one, it was priceless,” said Cosmo giggling, and then he saw the poker-faced security guard trudging down the corridor. “Marvin!” He exclaimed. The guard ignored him and escorted them into the elevator, with Cosmo cracking paranoid android jokes.
Pandemonium ensued outside Broadcasting House as the media surrounded the doors, waiting to see and hear from Mr Fossils.
“The car is waiting for you in the underground car park Mr Nutley,” said the receptionist.
“Don’t worry Kipper; Cosmo and I will help you with any legal problems,” said Lucy, seeing Kipper looking worried.
“Yeah, don’t worry lad. We have a pit bull on our side,” said Cosmo, looked at Lucy, and smiled.
They went into the Hilton reception, where Lucy called Steve.
“Only Kipper could fall in a pile of shit and come up smelling of bloody roses,” said Elvin and laughed.
“It’s not over yet, but Lucy and Cosmo are helping him. The good news is that we can go home. Lucy told me we should wait a while longer until everything settled. That means we can experience more of this amazing little place,” said Steve, sounding relieved.
Delighted and relieved by Lucy's news, they bought drinks for everyone at the bar. Elvin looked embarrassed and kept getting dirty looks from Pen, now sitting the other side of the bar. More customers walked into the bar and Soi 7 now bustled.
They moved to other bars along the noisy strip until they reached Beach Road.
“Let’s go in here,” slurred Steve as they stood outside a large go-go bar on the corner, “Martin said they are all air-conditioned and we are all sweating like Jews in a shower.”
The unsteady old-timers went into the lively go-go bar and quickly surrounded by bikini-clad Thai women. They bought drinks and sat around the centre stage as girls removed their bikinis and molested the chrome poles.
“Blimey,” said Elvin as the girl who he had bought a drink, crouched down in front of him, opening and closing her legs, giving him an eye full of her pink chalice. “At least I know this one's not a bloke,” he said sounding relieved.
Now spannered, Steve and Elvin were escorted back to their hotel by two go-go dancers after lavishing them with lady drinks and paying the high bar fines. Charles and Wayne staggered back with them. Wayne missed Nit but could not call her, with Waynit not being telephone friendly.
The go-go dancers felt happy they had snagged prized catches. They knew from experience that with the wrinklies age and condition, they were in for a good night’s sleep with pay.
Elvin smiled as he watched the dancer go to the shower.
‘I better prepare to give her a good seeing too,’ he thought, taking a box from his pocket. He opened a bottle of water and took a little blue wonder pill.
Quivering with expectation, he lay on the bed with his hands behind his head smirking, and then promptly fell asleep.
The following morning, feeling hung-over, they went to Martins for breakfast and they discussed plans for going home.
Steve and Charles said they would return to the Philippines for a few days, while Wayne and Elvin would go to Cambodia and have their instruments shipped home. However, they would spend a few more days in Pattaya before going their separate ways and meeting back at Fossdyke when Lucy gave them the all clear.
“When we get our gear back, we can ask Cosmo for our old gig at the Wellow,” said Steve and chuckled.