Chapter 62 THE SUSPECT PART 1
Friday morning came in no time. Vivienne arrived at the studio thirty minutes early, which gave her time to watch people filter in. She positioned herself near the coffee station where she had a clear view of the entrance.
Victor showed up first, camera bag slung over one shoulder. He was scrolling through his phone and frowning. Or maybe texting someone? Vivienne made a mental note.
Eliza came in next with Riley trailing behind her. They were deep in conversation, heads bent close together, voices low. When Riley noticed Vivienne, she straightened up quickly and gave an awkward wave before hurrying to the equipment room.
Strange.
"Morning, Ms. Cross." Eliza walked over. "How are you feeling today?"
"Fine," Vivienne lied. She had barely slept. "What's the schedule?"
"Mr. Hunt wanted to introduce your new coach before we start." Eliza checked her watch. "He should be here any minute."
The studio door opened again. Priya walked in first, followed by Alexander and a ridiculously good looking guy Vivienne didn't recognize.
Priya was carrying her usual tote bag and a to go cup from the café down the street. She caught Vivienne's eye and smiled, waving with her free hand.
Vivienne waved back, studying her. Priya had always been friendly. Helpful. But that didn't mean anything. Friendly people could be dangerous too.
"Alright everyone, gather up!" Alexander's voice carried across the studio.
Vivienne turned to see him standing near the green screen with the new guy.
The guy was tall. Not just tall, but the kind of tall that made you look more than once. He wore black joggers and a fitted gray t shirt that showed off strong arms that definitely spent time in the gym. His dark hair was pulled back in a low bun, and when he smiled at something Alexander said, Vivienne noticed the dimples.
Riley literally stopped walking and stared.
"This is Kai Nakamura," Alexander said, gesturing to the man beside him. "He'll be taking over movement coaching for the remainder of the project."
Kai stepped forward.
"Hey everyone." His voice was warm and deeper. "Looking forward to working with you all."
"Kai specializes in martial arts choreography," Alexander continued. "He's worked on some major productions in Asia and Europe. We're lucky to have him."
"Happy to be here." Kai's eyes swept across the room, landing briefly on each person. When they reached Vivienne, they stopped. "You must be our Athena."
It wasn't a question.
Vivienne nodded.
"Great to finally meet you." Kai walked over, extending his hand. "I've seen some of the footage. You're really talented."
His handshake was firm but not aggressive. His palm was warm, slightly rough. When she pulled back, she could still feel the pressure of his fingers.
"Thanks," she managed.
"I'm looking forward to working with you." He held her gaze for a beat, then turned back to the group. "Alright, let's get started. I want to see what we're working with."
Kai didn't waste time. He jumped right in, demonstrating the movements and making Isabella's complicated explanations seem ridiculous.
He broke down each sequence into smaller parts, then showed her how it all flowed together.
"See how the energy moves through your core?" He executed a spinning kick that ended in a low crouch. "That's what we're going for. I need you to show effortless power."
During this time, Riley and Priya seemed to be enjoying the show as they whispered to each other occasionally. Both of them were staring at Kai like he had just descended from Mount Olympus.
"Ms. Cross, want to give it a try?" Kai straightened up, pushing a loose strand of hair behind his ear.
Vivienne stepped onto the green screen. She had been so busy on watch patrol that she had barely paid attention to the actual choreography.
"Just follow my lead," Kai said, moving to stand beside her. "We'll go slow."
He talked her through the sequence step by step. When she stumbled on a transition, he placed his hands on her shoulders to adjust her positioning.
"Relax," he said, his voice close to her ear. "You're too tense."
Vivienne tried to focus on the movement, but he was standing very close to her. Maybe too close. His hands stayed on her shoulders a second longer before dropping away.
"Better," he said. "Let's try it with the full sequence."
They ran through it three times. Each time, Kai corrected something small. A hand position. The angle of her hip. Her movement.
"Perfect." He grinned at her, those dimples appearing again. "You're a fast learner."
"She is," Alexander's voice cut in from behind the monitors. He had been watching the whole time. Of course he had. "Let's take five before we move to the next section."
The crew scattered. Riley and Priya immediately huddled together, giggling and glancing at Kai. Even Eliza seemed a little flustered, fanning herself with her clipboard.
Vivienne grabbed her water bottle and moved to the side of the studio where she could observe without being obvious about it.
Victor was in the corner, his phone out again. He typed fast, then looked up, scanning the room. When his eyes landed on Vivienne, he shoved his phone in his pocket and busied himself with his camera.
Suspicious?
"You okay?"
Vivienne turned to find Kai standing beside her, close enough that she could smell his cologne.
"Fine. Just catching my breath."
"You sure?" He tilted his head, studying her. "You seem distracted. Like your mind is somewhere else."
She was distracted. But certainly not by the choreography.
"I'm good," she said. "Just processing everything."
"Fair enough." He took a sip from his own water bottle. "It's a lot to learn in a short time. But you're doing great. Really."
There was a hint of sweetness in his tone. And it felt like more than just professional encouragement.
Vivienne moved away slightly, creating more space between them. "Thanks."
"Kai, can I borrow you for a second?" Eliza called from across the room.
"Duty calls." He flashed that smile again before walking away.
Vivienne watched him go, then immediately went back to scanning the room.
Riley was on her phone now too, typing. Who was she texting? And why did she look so nervous?
Priya had moved to her usual spot near the equipment, rummaging through her tote bag. She pulled out her phone, checked it, then put it back.
Normal behavior. Or was it?
"Alright, let's get back to work!" Alexander called out.
The afternoon session was more intense. Kai pushed harder, demanding more concentration, more agility. But unlike Isabella, he never made it feel like criticism. He would demonstrate, then step back and let Vivienne try. When she got it right, he nodded approvingly. When she did not, he adjusted and tried again.
"That's it," he said after she nailed a particularly difficult sequence. "That's exactly what I wanted to see."
"She's gotten better," Victor commented from behind his camera.
"She was always good," Kai corrected. "She just needed someone to trust the process."
Alexander, who had been quiet for most of the session, finally spoke up. "Let's break for lunch. Back in twenty minutes."
Everyone headed toward the break room except Kai, who started reviewing footage with Victor.
Vivienne hung back, pretending to adjust her mocap suit while watching everyone again.
Priya was at her bag again.
This time, when she pulled something small out of it, Vivienne saw clearly.
It was black and rectangular.
A camera.
Vivienne paused and tried to get a better look without being obvious.