Chapter 36: Buenos Aires' Eternal Flame
The Buenos Aires night pulsed with a sultry, passionate intensity, the city's eclectic skyline of colonial spires and modern towers aglow under a southern hemisphere moon as the tour van weaved through Palermo's vibrant streets toward Niceto Club, a legendary 2,800-capacity venue known for its raw indie and tango-infused energy. It was Saturday night, one week after the São Paulo inferno that had propelled "Rebel's Fire" to 7.5 million streams and solidified Rebel Sound as a global indie colossus. The Hitmaker System's interface glowed on Sam Rivers' phone, its holographic text a radiant manifesto: "Mission Progress: 100%. Objective: Ignite Buenos Aires to cement Rebel Sound's global apotheosis. Target: 4.5 million streams for 'Rebel's Fire' post-performance. Reward: Empire Module (Level 10). Warning: Starlight Media's final desperate act may target personal credibility. Counter-strategy: Debut new Rebel Sound signing and amplify fan loyalty to crush rival narratives."
São Paulo's Audio Club had been a volcanic triumph—Fogo Vivo's signing and "Inferno Livre" had set Latin America ablaze, with #IndieRebels dominating global charts and burying Starlight Media's Cine Joia flop. Javier's legal victories had erased Eclipse Records' legacy, and Jake Harlan's Starlight Media was a fading whisper, its rumored Buenos Aires pop-up at La Trastienda drawing negligible buzz. Lily Voss remained silent, her #StarlightReign hashtag extinct. Rebel Sound's roster—Foc Viu, Jax Windy, Rainshadow, Neon Pulse, Electric Han, Tidal Surge, Outback Static, Kiwi Ember, and Fogo Vivo—was driving streams, with Sony's arena deal expanding and Sub Pop and Rough Trade pushing for global stadium tours. The system's Empire Module (Level 9) had unlocked global cultural initiatives, and a new Buenos Aires act, Llama Rebelde, was set to join Rebel Sound tonight.
Sam stepped onto the balmy pavement, Niceto Club's neon sign casting a crimson glow over fans waving #IndieRebels banners in Spanish and English—"¡Fuego de la Rebelión!"—their LED wristbands pulsing like a tango riot. Mia Torres, in a black tank top scrawled with "Rebel Sound," slung her guitar case over her shoulder, her grin fierce despite the humid heat. "Buenos Aires is pure passion, Rivers. No Jake, no Lily—just us and the city's heartbeat. Let's make Rebel Sound immortal."
Sam's grip tightened on his phone, the system's Security Module at maximum—encrypted backups, offline mode, secured in Tara's lockbox. "Starlight Media's desperate—Jake might try a personal hit, maybe a smear on us. We need to make Llama Rebelde's signing massive, show we're untouchable."
Mia's eyes blazed. "Announce Llama Rebelde and drop a Buenos Aires track with them. This city'll burn."
The system pinged: "Empire Strategy: Announce Llama Rebelde signing and debut collaborative track onstage. Projected impact: +95% global credibility." Sam texted the #IndieRebels global chat: "Buenos Aires rebels, tonight's Rebel Sound's Latin crown! Guard Niceto Club—spot any rival moves, join our empire. #RebelRising." Replies surged: "¡Estamos listos!" "Rebel Sound forever!"
Inside, Niceto Club was a pulsing cathedral—vaulted ceilings, a stage rigged with Soundwave's pyrotechnics and LED screens flashing the Rebel Sound logo. Tara, Rebel Sound's operations lead, met them backstage, her tablet glowing. "Security's locked—local crew's vetted, Leo's on the board with redundancies. A Starlight Media rep was spotted at La Trastienda, pushing a pop-up. Could be a smear or sabotage."
Sam's jaw clenched. "They're out of plays. Can we lock the stream?"
Leo, testing mics, nodded. "System's fortress-tight—closed circuit for KXLA's 120,000 projected viewers." Dani set up cameras, capturing Palermo's chaos, while Rachel, label manager, rushed in. "São Paulo pushed 'Rebel's Fire' to #1 globally. Llama Rebelde is ready—tango-punk fusion. Announce their signing tonight, and Sony's locking stadium slots in Argentina."
The system chimed: "Counter-strategy: Amplify live stream to dwarf rival narratives. Suggested collab: 'Eternal Flame' with Llama Rebelde. Projected streams: +90%." Sam posted on X: "Buenos Aires! We're at Niceto Club, building Rebel Sound's empire. Stream live with KXLA—#IndieRebels #RebelRising." The post hit 160,000 likes, fans replying: "Palermo's yours!" "Rebel Sound rules!"
Soundcheck was electric, the system crafting "Eternal Flame," a Rebel Sound-Llama Rebelde collab blending punk fury with tango rhythms: We spark the flame, we break the chain. Mia's harmonies soared, Llama Rebelde's bandoneón pulsing, Jax's virtual rap adding fire. The system suggested a live mix with crowd chants for viral impact.
By 9 p.m., Niceto Club was a furnace—2,800 fans packed in, the stream launching at 110,000 viewers. Llama Rebelde opened with a blistering set, their lead, Sofía, dedicating it to "los rebeldes." Fan texts buzzed: "No rivals here!" "Starlight reps at La Trastienda—ignored!"
Lights crashed down, and Sam, Mia, and Llama Rebelde stormed the stage, pyrotechnics flaring like a Buenos Aires carnival. Sam seized the mic, voice a thunderclap. "Buenos Aires! You're the fiery heart of rebellion—city of tango, fight, and soul. Rebel Sound welcomes Llama Rebelde to our empire. This is 'Eternal Flame'—for you!"
The crowd roared, shaking the rafters. "Rebel's Anthem" detonated, fans moshing under flashing LEDs, Mia's guitar a siren wail. The stream hit 120,000, comments wild: "Rebel Sound's global king!" "#IndieRebels forever!"
"Faded Whispers" hushed the frenzy, its ache echoing Buenos Aires' sultry nights. Sam's voice cracked, Mia's harmonies a lifeline, their eyes locked—a spark caught on camera, trending instantly. "Unsilenced" reignited the fury, ukulele to rock explosion, fans chanting "¡Libertad!"
Mid-set, Sam paused, the system urging: "Reinforce empire vision." He held up a fist, screens flashing the Rebel Sound logo and Llama Rebelde's tango-inspired art. "This is Rebel Sound—music for the free, built by you. Rivals tried to break us—Seattle, São Paulo, Auckland. You stopped 'em. Now we rise with Llama Rebelde and 'Eternal Flame'!"
The crowd roared, and "Eternal Flame" debuted, pyrotechnics blazing, the system boosting the mix with tango-infused rhythms. Sofía's vocals soared, Mia crowd-surfing, Jax's rap cutting through: Flame's alive, we'll never fade. A power flicker hit—Starlight Media?—but the system's firewall held, Leo countering instantly. The stream hit 130,000, "Rebel's Fire" surging to 4.4 million streams.
"Chi-Town Chains" brought Jax's virtual face on screens, his rap a global blade. "City Lights" glowed with Buenos Aires' skyline, fans singing Concrete nights like a vow. "No Surrender" was a seismic chant, the crowd a sea of fists.
"Seven Nation Army" closed, the riff a war pulse, pyrotechnics raining gold. Encore: "Sparks in the Dark," acoustic, Sam and Mia's voices intertwining, their chemistry raw—a spark that felt like love.
Backstage, Rachel hugged them. "Starlight's pop-up flopped—5 fans. 'Rebel's Fire' at 4.6 million streams. Mexico City wants a show!"
Javier called, voice steady: "No rival moves—Rebel Sound's untouchable. Sony's stadium deal is global."
Sam's heart raced. The system chimed: "Mission Complete: 4.5 million streams achieved. Reward: Empire Module (Level 10)." It unlocked global cultural festivals. No word from Jake—silence.
Mia grabbed his arm, eyes fierce. "Mexico City next. We're eternal now."
The system flashed: "Objective achieved: Rebel Sound reigns eternal. Next: Global divinity." As the van rolled through Buenos Aires' neon streets, Sam felt the rebellion's fire eternal. Rivals were dust, and a future—with Mia—burned brighter than Palermo's lights.