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Alastor smiled amicably, careful to keep his exterior jovial and unthreatening. Internally he reveled in the chaos. After a long and exhausting battle, his careful planning was finally rewarded.
Everyone loved radio. It was the universal language of mankind, or whatever nonsense salesmen were peddling these days. To Alastor radio was so much more than that, radio was power. His charm and cunning were always undermined by his appearance. People failed to give him the respect he was owed. With radio fame, prestige, and control over the narrative were finally within his grasp. It was perfect.
It took weeks just to get an audition. Alastor was less greeted, more judged, by the station’s three producers: Joseph Brown, Walter Chambers, and Howard Turner. It was painfully obvious they didn’t want to give him the job, but Alastor knew better than to let first impressions get the best of him. He had to bide his time, play the long game. Soon they’d all be putty in his hands. Alastor put on his best smile and continued through the audition unbothered. The show must go on after all.
He got the job. His charisma was undeniable, much to the producer’s disappointment. They gave him a late night show with barely any listeners. Alastor was sure they got a sort of sick pleasure out of taking away his sleep whilst side-lining him. They’d pay. On day he’d make them pay.
Joseph was the easiest to manage as he wasn’t hateful, just greedy. The type of man without values, happy to support whatever lined his pockets. At the audition he regarded Alastor with heavy skepticism. Joseph didn’t believe a black man, even one with mixed ancestry, could be respectable. Once he saw Alastor’s skill behind a mic, he had no problem hiring the radio host. Alastor still detested Joseph. He hated anyone who thought they were better than him, but Alastor could respect greed. Greed was understandable, and easy to use.
Alastor truly loathed Walter and Howard. The feeling was mutual. He could tell from the looks of outright contempt during his audition that their bigotry was large enough to dwarf self interest. One day, when their reputations were so smeared no one would miss them, Alastor would enjoy killing them. He would make it slow, dragging his knife gradually through their abdomens. Oh how he would dance to the sound of their screams. But now was not the time for that.
After months of grueling effort, Alastor was promoted from late nights to the daytime show. He made the station’s popularity boom. Alastor Laveaux was a household name across the bayou. In other words, he was indispensable. With his place cemented it was the perfect time to strike.
Walter was having marital troubles. He thought he was being subtle, but it was painfully obvious. Alastor noticed every time he showed up with dark undereye bags from an uncomfortable night’s sleep on the couch, the days his wife didn’t pack him a lunch, and the way his voice was slightly hoarse from yelling. Alastor could go on, but he had better things to do than dwell on this pathetic excuse of a husband.
Walter and his wife were very careful to maintain their public image as a happy couple. Their acting skills were regularly put to the test by Howard’s wife, who loved to host dinner parties. She was such an energetic socialite. What a shame all that outgoing personality got stuck in the body of a stay-at-home wife. Howard was perfectly willing to indulge her, happy wife happy life after all. Alastor would casually suggest to Howard that it might be time for a dinner party whenever things were particularly bad between Walter and his wife. After months of this Walter was bitter, convinced Howard was trying to expose his marital issues. Howard was just trying to keep his wife happy, and got very offended his friend was being so cold and distant towards him.
No one thought to look at little unassuming Alastor smiling in the corner. Everything was coming together very nicely. His smile widened at each petty squabble between the two.
Building contention between Joseph and the other producers was the challenge. Howard and Walter easily let their emotions run away from them. Alastor got secondhand embarrassment just looking at their revealing expressions. Joseph acted as the voice of reason, often bridging the divide between his doltish colleagues. Alastor would need a different approach; appealing to his greed.
It started with casual conversation. Mentioning their rival radio station had great quarterly numbers this year over morning coffee. Perhaps it’s because they use a single producer management system? Alastor’s idly curious what that single produce is getting paid. Must be a hefty sum. He was always careful to stretch this over several conversations, never saying too much at once.
Gradually, Joseph began seeing his colleagues as dead weight. He was fed up with their petty bickering, lack of self-control, and overall arrogance. Alastor basked in the growing tensions.
And now the sweet moment had finally arrived. All three producers were shouting angrily at each other, despite nothing serious happening. A simple discussion (turned disagreement) over their October broadcast schedule had been the final straw. There was no way they would resolve this on their own. The issue would go to the station’s owner, who would dub all three men too immature and fire the lot. A new single producer would be hired. Alastor wasn’t bluffing about how well their competitor’s system worked.
The new producer would technically be his boss. However, Alastor’s radio reputation preceded him. He wouldn’t have to fight and claw for respect anymore. It’s so easy to manipulate a man when he knows you’re better than him at something. Soon this Radio station would be under Alastor’s control. For once, his smile was genuine.