Chapter 45 - The Paramount Theatre
Friday evening arrived with a bone-chilling drizzle that coated the streets of downtown Seattle in a slick, reflective sheen. The neon lights of the historic Paramount Theatre cast long, colorful streaks across the wet pavement as campaign supporters, protesters, and media vans crowded the grand entrance.
Tessa and I arrived twenty minutes before showtime, dressed in dark, understated coats that allowed us to blend seamlessly into the bustling press corps entering through the side loading docks. Thanks to Marcus Vance’s media credentials, we were escorted directly into the master control booth overlooking the sprawling, chandelier-lit auditorium.
Down below on the brightly lit stage, three podiums stood waiting. Two of them were occupied by minor independent candidates; the center podium was reserved for Senator Thomas Sterling.
Sterling looked immaculate. His silver-gray hair was perfectly styled, his dark navy suit tailored to absolute perfection, and his smile radiated the practiced, charismatic warmth of a man who believed he was destined to rule. He was chatting effortlessly with the moderator, totally unaware of the digital storm brewing just floors above him.
“Systems are green,” the lead broadcast engineer muttered, his fingers flying across a massive digital mixing console. “The override script is loaded into the primary audio switcher. The moment Marcus gives the signal, we cut Sterling’s live mic feed and route the Mercer Island micro-cassette audio straight into the broadcast matrix.”
I checked my watch. 7:59 PM.
Across the room, Marcus stood by the back door of the control booth, his phone pressed to his ear, his eyes locked on the stage below. He raised two fingers, then one.
“Showtime,” Marcus whispered.
The red ON AIR light above the auditorium doors flashed brilliantly. The introductory music swelled through the speakers, and the moderator’s voice boomed across the packed theatre:
“Good evening, Washington, and welcome to the final gubernatorial debate of the twenty-six election cycle. Tonight, we welcome our candidates—Senator Thomas Sterling, Representative David Vance, and—”
May you like
“We’ll take it from here,” Marcus interrupted quietly, giving the engineer a sharp nod.
The engineer slammed his palm down onto a large, illuminated master key.
