Chapter 9: Allies and Ambush
The Monday morning after the "Rebel Rising" concert, Sam Rivers sat in a cracked vinyl booth at a downtown LA diner, the kind with sticky menus and waitresses who called you "hon." Across from him was Mia Torres, sipping black coffee, and Javier Reyes, the pro bono lawyer, flipping through a legal pad scribbled with notes. The Hitmaker System's interface hummed faintly on Sam's phone, tucked in his hoodie pocket: "Mission Progress: 90%. Objective: Secure industry support before legal hearing. Target: Partnership with an indie label or promoter. Reward: Legal Defense Module (Level 1). Warning: Competitor narrative gaining traction. Counter-strategy: Strengthen alliances and counter disinformation."
The "Rebel Rising" concert had been a triumph—7,000 in-person attendees, 20,000 streamed viewers, and #IndieRebels dominating X for 48 hours. "Unsilenced" had surged to 300,000 streams, and "Rebel's Anthem" was climbing fast at 150,000. Clips from the show, especially the moment Mia called out Eclipse's suits, went viral, racking up millions of views on TikTok and YouTube. KXLA's live broadcast had cemented Sam's underdog status, but Eclipse Records wasn't backing down. Their injunction hearing was set for 2 p.m. today, and Lily Voss's latest X post—"#StarlightReign is about truth. Don't believe the lies"—had reignited her fanbase, with some accusing Sam of "smearing" her for clout.
Javier tapped his pen, his face grim. "Eclipse's filing is aggressive. They're claiming you violated a non-compete clause from your old contract, plus copyright infringement on 'soundalike' tracks. It's shaky, but they've got a top-tier law firm. We need a counter-narrative—something to sway the judge or force a settlement."
Sam rubbed his temples, the diner's fluorescent lights buzzing overhead. "What about the fans? They're ripping Eclipse apart online. Can't we use that?"
Javier nodded. "Public pressure helps, but judges care about evidence. Your best shot is showing you're a viable artist independently. If you can prove you're building a career without their resources, it weakens their case."
Mia leaned forward, her leather bracelet clinking against the table. "That's where Soundwave Collective comes in. You got that message from their rep, right? They're legit—an indie label with a rep for backing artists screwed by majors. If they sign you, it's a middle finger to Eclipse."
The system pinged: "Networking Module Active. Contact: Rachel Kim, Soundwave Collective. Suggested action: Meet and pitch partnership." Sam checked his phone—a reply from Rachel, sent last night: "Loved Rebel Rising. Let's talk. Coffee @ The Beanery, 10 a.m.?" It was 9:30 now. Sam shot back a quick confirmation: "See you there."
"Got a meeting with Soundwave in 30," he told Mia and Javier. "If they back us, it could change everything."
Javier raised an eyebrow. "Good. But be careful. Eclipse has spies everywhere. Don't sign anything without me looking it over."
Mia smirked, grabbing her guitar case. "I'm coming with. Soundwave's cool, but we're a package deal. They get Sam, they get me."
The Beanery, a hip coffee shop in Arts District, was all exposed brick and overpriced lattes. Rachel Kim, Soundwave's rep, was waiting at a corner table, her short bob and vintage blazer giving her a no-nonsense vibe. She stood as Sam and Mia approached, shaking their hands firmly. "Sam Rivers, Mia Torres," she said, smiling. "You two are the talk of the indie scene. That Grand Park show? Ballsy."
Sam slid into a chair, nerves tingling. "Thanks. We're just trying to make music without the corporate leash."
Rachel nodded, sipping an espresso. "I get it. Soundwave's about artists owning their work. I saw your X post about Eclipse's lawsuit—dirty move. We're interested in signing you, Sam, maybe both of you. Small advance, but you keep your masters and get creative control. Interested?"
The system chimed: "Partnership viability: 85%. Recommended: Negotiate for marketing support." Sam leaned forward. "We're interested, but Eclipse is coming hard. We need a label that can push our music—Spotify playlists, radio, maybe a tour. Can Soundwave deliver?"
Rachel's eyes narrowed, appraising. "We've got connections—KXLA, indie blogs, even some festival promoters. We can't match Eclipse's budget, but we're scrappy. Mia, you in?"
Mia grinned. "If Sam's in, I'm in. But we want a clause protecting us from legal interference. Eclipse is trying to bury us."
Rachel jotted a note. "Fair. I'll have our lawyer draft something. Can you meet tomorrow to sign? We'd love to drop 'Rebel's Anthem' as your first single under us."
Sam's heart raced. A real label, not Eclipse's machine. The system flashed: "Mission Progress: 95%. Secure agreement to unlock reward." He nodded. "Let's do it. I'll have my lawyer review."
As they left The Beanery, Mia fist-bumped him. "We're building an empire, Rivers. Eclipse is gonna choke on their own BS."
But the high was short-lived. At 1 p.m., as Sam and Mia headed to the courthouse with Javier, a new X post from Eclipse Records hit: "We support fair competition. Sam Rivers' actions harm artists like Lily Voss. Legal accountability is necessary. #StarlightReign." Attached was a polished video of Lily in the studio, looking vulnerable, saying, "I just want to make music that matters. Please, no more hate."
The comments were a warzone. Lily's stans rallied—"Protect Lily!"—while #IndieRebels fans fired back: "She stole Sam's songs!" "#BoycottEclipse." Sam's stomach twisted. Lily's victim act was gaining traction, swaying neutral fans.
The system warned: "Competitor narrative impact: +15%. Counter-strategy: Release exclusive content to refocus attention." Sam whispered to Mia, "We need something big before the hearing. A teaser for 'Rebel's Anthem'—maybe a live clip from Grand Park."
Mia nodded. "Dani's got footage. I'll tell him to rush a cut. Post it during the hearing, steal their thunder."
The courthouse, a gray monolith in Downtown LA, loomed like a fortress. Inside, the hearing room was sterile, with polished wood benches and a judge who looked like he'd rather be golfing. Eclipse's legal team—three suits led by a sharp-eyed woman named Diane Carter—sat smugly, clutching thick binders. Javier, in his slightly rumpled blazer, stood firm, arguing that Eclipse's claims were "speculative" and lacked evidence.
Sam and Mia sat in the back, tense. Diane presented Eclipse's case: "Mr. Rivers signed a contract assigning production rights to Eclipse. His recent releases mimic our artist's sound, causing market confusion." She played clips of "Faded Whispers" and Lily's "Echoes of Us," cherry-picking similarities—a chord here, a tempo there.
Javier countered: "These are common musical elements. Sam's work is original, created independently. Eclipse is attempting to suppress a rising artist to protect their monopoly."
The judge, peering over his glasses, seemed unmoved. "I'll review the evidence. Injunction remains pending. Next hearing in two weeks."
As they left, Sam's phone buzzed—Dani had sent the "Rebel's Anthem" teaser, a 30-second clip from Grand Park, fans chanting under Mia's soaring vocals. Sam posted it on X: "They can't stop the truth. 'Rebel's Anthem' coming soon. #IndieRebels." Within minutes, it racked up 10,000 views, fans flooding the comments: "This is FIRE!" "Eclipse who?"
The system chimed: "Mission Complete: Partnership secured with Soundwave Collective. Reward Unlocked: Legal Defense Module (Level 1)." A new feature appeared—legal argument templates and PR strategies. Sam showed Mia, who grinned. "Your magic app's got our back."
But outside the courthouse, trouble waited. A black SUV idled nearby, windows tinted. A man in a suit—Jake Harlan's assistant, Sam recognized—stepped out, handing him an envelope. "Consider settling, Rivers. Save yourself the pain."
Sam tore it open: a settlement offer—$10,000 to cease all releases and sign a gag order. He laughed bitterly, tossing it back. "Tell Jake to shove it."
As the SUV sped off, Mia grabbed Sam's arm. "They're desperate. We've got Soundwave, the fans, and KXLA. Next move?"
Sam's eyes burned with resolve. The system fed him a lyric: They'll try to buy us, break us, chain us tight, / But we'll keep burning in the rebel light. "We drop 'Rebel's Anthem' with Soundwave," he said. "And we plan a tour. They want a war? We'll give 'em one."