Under Pressure

Chapter 28

And then the police came.

Don't ask me why I just sat there like an idiot. Maybe it's because I am an idiot. I sat there, kind of frozen to my seat as they rushed in with their guns pulled out and badges flashing. But the weird thing was that Sean and all his buddies just sort of disappeared. One second they were there and then, poof, they were gone.

And so was AJ.

I wondered if I should take this time of confusion to make my discreet exit without anyone noticing I was ever there.

"Son, we're gonna have to ask you to leave the vicinity ..."

Too late. The cop had me by the arm and was pulling me from my seat.

"But ..."

"No buts. Get outta here, kid. You don't wanna be in the middle of this, believe me."

Oh believe me, mister. I know.

"But my friend-"

"Every customer's being asked to leave, son. We're searching the building. You can find your friend outside." I watched the other officers rushing around frantically and swallowed. Shit.

"You don't understand-"

"Go home," he interrupted, dragging me to the door. I couldn't exactly fight the guy on it. He left me on the sidewalk and I noticed a crowd of people was drawing to try and catch a glimpse of what was going on.

I recognized no one. Which was both good and bad. I didn't stay around long enough to find anyone that I did.

I wasn't that much of an idiot.

-

Excuses, excuses.

What I wouldn't give for a damn good one of those right now.

I went 'shopping' for a hat with AJ. I'm coming back without a hat. And without AJ. Talk about being in deep.

I decided to walk back to the hotel rather than take a taxi. I figured I was pretty much screwed either way. If Sean killed me on the street, it might be a blessing in disguise. I mean, I was pretty much going to be killed when I got to the hotel safely anyway. It was a Catch 22. No way out.

I wondered for awhile if maybe AJ was playing some sort of joke on me. That maybe he would pop out when I got to the hotel and be so proud that he scared the shit out of me. It was something AJ might do, that's for sure.

I think I was getting an ulcer just thinking about it.

I walked slowly.

Very slowly.

By the time I got to the hotel, it was only about eleven o'clock. I had an hour until I had to show up. I sat down in a bench and lowered my head in my hands.

I debated running away.

Okay, it might work. But where would I go? I didn't want to go home.

After a few minutes, I came up with a perfect plan.

I would get enough money to buy my own boat, and then I would sail off on the ocean and never come back again. Ever. I could live on my boat and I wouldn't have to deal with anyone. I could fish for food so I would never have to come inland. And no one would ever find me.

Okay, it was a nice dream. But somehow I just didn't see it happening anywhere in the near future.

Still, running away didn't seem like such a bad option anymore. I didn't care if it was 'taking a break' or 'running away'. There wasn't any significant difference to me any longer. And I'd be safe.

The longer I sat there, the less hope I had of AJ meeting back up with me. My biggest fear was of the chance of him being somewhere with Sean. My stomach twisted just thinking about it. Why did we have to separate? Why had we been fighting?

I was an idiot. That's why. Simply that.

"Nick?"

Howie. Coming from the parking lot. I was dead. So much for running away.

I swallowed and pretended not to hear. I still had a chance. I kept my head down and hoped he'd think I was somebody else. Okay, I'm really naive sometimes. Anyway, big surprise, he didn't fall for it.

"Nicky? What're you doing out here?"

"Oh, hey Howie ..." I tried to think. "I'm just waitin' around." Good one ...

"You okay? You look kinda tired." He dropped down next to me on the bench, not waiting for an answer. "Where's AJ?"

"He's ... Uh ... He saw a girl and took off. He'll be right back."

"That's AJ for ya." He rolled his eyes. "How was the mall?"

I shrugged. No answer, no lie.

"Find the hat?"

I shook my head. Nope, no hats.

"Oh well. He's got a million anyway. You gonna come up?"

I shook my head again, looking out at the street. A lady was buying a newspaper across outside a store. She took awhile getting the money out of her purse.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothin', Howie."

"You sure?"

I shrugged. God, Nick. Can't you keep yourself under control? Everything was fine. AJ was playing a joke. This whole thing was a joke. You're just blowing it out of proportion. Majorly. "Can I tell you something, D? And you not tell anybody?"

"That doesn't sound good," he said. I felt his eyes on me but I kept my gaze locked across the street.

"It's not. Promise?"

"Tell."

"We didn't go to the mall," I started. I paused for a second and I finally looked him in the eye. "KC called yesterday when you guys were out. To make plans. I told AJ and we went to the bank today to try and fix everything."

Silence.

"Howie?"

He just gave me this look. He was surprised. "Then what?"

"Everything went wrong, D," I moaned. "I'm so dead. Me and AJ split up and I don't know where he went so I came back here ... I'm so scared ..."

"God, Nicky." He looked down and studied the ground. "And you really have no clue where Bone is?" I saw the worry on his face and cursed myself. This was my fault. If AJ didn't come back ...

"What am I gonna do?" I sounded desperate. Hell, I was desperate. I was gonna break down.

"The guys are upstairs, so come and-"

"Be killed? I can't Howie." My stomach churned. "I can't. I'll just stay here and wait for Jay. He'll come. I know he will."

"C'mon, Nicky. That's not gonna help anybody and you know it."

I brushed away the tears that suddenly came to my eyes and sniffled. My head felt all stuffy. "Do you think I should tell them the truth or give the story about the girl?"

"What do you think?"

I sighed. "They're gonna kill me you know."

"Don't say that. I didn't, did I?"

"No, but you love me."

"So do they. C'mon." He pulled me up and we started toward the hotel doors. I cast one look over my shoulder at the street behind us. The lady was still there with her newspaper.

No AJ.

-

Chapter 29

My first thought when I got in there was to make a break for my room and lock myself in there before it was too late. But I couldn't stay in there forever so I decided the next best thing to do would be to come straight out with it and just get it over with.

"Guys?"

Brian and Kevin were in the main room, in the middle of watching a taped basketball game. I could have told them the Bulls won, but I didn't want my head smashed in any more than it had to be.

"Hey, Nicky," Brian said, eyes not leaving the screen as someone got a lay-up. "What's up?"

"Uh, not much."

Howie gave me a look.

"Can I talk to you guys for a second?" My heart was already speeding up. I was just afraid of them hearing what I was going to say as I was of Sean killing me.

"Sure." Kevin looked up and grabbed the controller from Brian to pause the tape. "Where's AJ?"

"I don't know."

He cracked a smile. "Funny."

"I'm not kidding ..." I ran a hand through my hair nervously. "Actually ... we, um, we never ... I ..."

"Spit it out," Brian said, rolling his eyes with a smile. Alright, here goes nothing.

"Well ... We never went to the mall. We went to the bank. To meet with KC ... It went all bad. AJ's gone." I said it all in one breath. Then I took one look at their faces and swallowed. "Well that's what I wanted to talk about so I'll be going now."

"Hold up. You what?!" Kevin stared at me. "Come a little closer here, Nick."

I shook my head and stepped behind Howie. Brian looked like he was in shock. Oh God. Why was I such an idiot ...I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

"I shoulda told the other story, D," I whispered to Howie. He just shook his head.

"Are you nuts, Nick?! What the hell were you thinking?!" Kevin exploded. "That was a shitty thing to do."

Thanks for clearing that up for me, Kevin.

"C'mere."

I shook my head again. I wasn't in the mood to be pounded.

"I didn't know it was gonna get all screwed up, Kev."

"Why'd you lie to us, huh?"

"We were gonna go to the mall after ..." It was worth a try. Kevin glared even more. "You wouldn't've let us go."

"You ever stop and think why? Shit, Nick." He got up and I watched warily until I saw he wasn't coming near me. "Shit," he repeated, running his hands through his hair.

"Sorry, Train."

He looked at me and shook his head. "What are you gonna do now, huh?"

"What?"

"You and all your plans on how to solve this thing. What's next, Nick?"

"I don't know." I stared at the carpet. "I'm an idiot."

"No, you're not," he muttered. I looked up, surprised, but he was looking somewhere else. I made my escape to the couch next to Brian. He gave me a look.

"You don't trust me anymore?"

I gave him a confused look.

"I went with you to the other place, now you don't even tell me anything? I was there with KC when she told us about the bank plan." He really seemed hurt.

"No ..." I shook my head. "AJ made me. He found out and he made me take him."

"Uh huh ..."

"Don't be mad at me, Brian ..." I paused. "Besides, now you don't have to worry about having your ass kicked by Kevin."

"That's true." He grabbed me in a headlock and kissed the top of my head playfully. "It was nice knowing you, Nicky."

"You're not funny. Are you mad at me?"

"No." He let me go. "I'm not mad."

"I am." Kevin dropped down next to us on the couch. He knocked the side of my head softly. "Don't lie."

"I'm sorry."

Kevin let out a sigh. "What are we gonna do? Where do you think he went?"

"I don't know. He went to call you guys and ..." I trailed off. "Maybe he's doing it to spite me."

"I'll kill him too," Kevin muttered.

"Are you gonna kill me?"

"I don't know yet, baby, I'm thinking about it. I'll let you know, okay?"

I just sighed, not finding him the least bit funny.

"I need to think," he continued, pulling up from the couch and running his hands through his hair again. "I'm gonna go take a walk."

"Want company?" Howie offered.

"No thanks," Kevin answered. He looked at me and held up a finger. "Don't go anywhere."

"Okay." I watched him grab a key off the counter and head for the door. I moaned. "Everything's going so wrong ..."

"Next time you get a plan, tell us," Howie answered, dropping into the seat where Kevin had been.

"So what do you wanna do since we can't go anywhere and we don't know when Kev will come back?" Brian asked. We shrugged.

"Do you think AJ's playing a joke?" I asked desperately, inwardly begging them to say yes.

"Dunno," Howie said. "I hope so."

I sniffled and wiped my eyes. I didn't care if I looked like a baby. If AJ was playing, I was gonna kill him.

"Aw, don't cry." Brian wrapped his arms around me. "It'll be okay."

"I don't see how," I got out. "Everything that could possibly go wrong has."

"Then nothing else can go wrong," Brian answered with a shrug. "Right, Fracky?"

"I don't know ..." I sniffled again and shut my eyes. Maybe if I went to sleep everything would be okay when I woke up. I know it hadn't worked the hundred times before, but maybe this time it would after all.

-

Chapter 30

I had the weirdest, weirdest dream. What happened was that AJ hadn't disappeared, he'd left me on purpose and joined up with Sean to try and kill me. He wanted to get back at me for everything I'd ever done to him. So AJ was a bad guy but no one but me knew about it and everybody still trusted him and nobody would believe me when I tried to tell them.

I woke up suddenly with a jump, right before AJ killed me. Weird ... I rubbed my eyes and looked around the room. Brian still had his arm around me, but Howie had moved to the armchair across from us. And Kevin was back, sitting on the other end of the couch. I looked past them and toward the rest of the room, the door.

"He's not back?"

Brian literally jumped. "Hey, Nicky, you're up."

Thanks Brian, I didn't know that. I sat up a little and nodded.

"He's not back yet?" My voice sounded strained. I had convinced myself AJ would be back when I woke up. I looked around the room. Come out, come out, wherever you are. Nothing. I rubbed my eyes again and Brian caught my wrist.

"Not yet." Yet.

"But I thought ..." I trailed off. What'd you think now, Nicky? Like Kevin said, you and all your fantastic plans. I looked toward the door, not saying anything else.

"You hungry, Nick? We were gonna order a pizza."

I stared at Kevin. AJ is missing and you want to order a pizza. Great, Kevin, just great. I shook my head.

"Not hungry."

"Maybe you should try and eat."

"Maybe not."

"Carter, don't start. Please."

Start what? I sucked in a breath. Why was I always the one starting things?

"Guys, come on-"

A knock came at the door, interrupting Howie's peacemaking speech. He got up to get it.

Who could it be ... Sean? His goons? A cop? The terminator?

"Sorry, D, I forgot my key."

AJ?

I jumped up, Brian and Kevin behind me. AJ was shutting the door, he grinned at me when he looked up. I didn't smile back.

"Where the hell'd you go?!"

"I got dinner," he told me with a laugh, holding up a bag of McDonald's. "See?"

Dinner? He was gone that whole time getting to McDonald's? Scaring the crap out of us for a Big Mac?

"Were you scared, Nicky?"

That was it. I punched him. In the stomach. Not very hard, but he sucked in a breath and glared at me. The look of death.

"What the hell's the matter with you?"

"You," I answered as Kevin wrapped an arm around my neck and pulled me to him. Like I was going to attack AJ or something. Yeah right. I'd already taken my chances.

"Me? What'd I do? Look, I'm sorry I'm late and everything," he started. "I was kinda delayed by some cops." He paused and gave me a look. "I assume they know?" He motioned to the guys. I nodded.

"Yeah, we know," Kevin said dryly.

"Cops?" Howie repeated.

"Yeah," AJ scoffed. "I mean, for God's sake do I look like a criminal?"

Well, AJ, you definitely don't look like a Catholic school kid if that's what you mean. Of course, I didn't say anything. Kevin still had a hold on me.

"What happened?" Brian asked.

"Can we eat while we talk?" AJ lifted up the paperbag with a sigh, giving us a sad look. "I've been carrying this around and I'msooo hungry."

"Yeah sure." Kevin laughed and finally let me go. "C'mon."

We ate in the main room, on the couches. I actually was kind of hungry too, and nobody yelled at me to eat for once. Thank God. AJ's story was actually pretty entertaining.

Seems like, what happened to him was that after he had left me, he got to the phones, but they weren't really in working order and he wasn't able to make a call. He was hitting the payphone to try and get it to work, so then when the cops came to get everyone out of the building, they got suspicious of him being back there and took him in for questioning. That was the funny part.

"Did they catch anybody else?" I asked.

"I don't know really. But they gave me a number that if I saw and remember anything else, I should call." He pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket and tossed it on my lap. "That's for you, big guy."

I made a face and picked it up. It was an 800 number. Police hotline?

"Here Nick," Brian joked, pulling the phone off the end table and dropping it in my lap. "Dial away."

"I'm eating," I complained, pushing it back at him. They couldn't argue with that.

Brian just laughed and put it back up on the table.

I could call later. Maybe the police had been quick enough and had caught up with Sean and the rest of the guys too. Or found KC, wherever she was. I could hold onto that hope until I called at least.

"So you guys were upset with me gone, huh? You were worried about me?" AJ was grinning. I shook my head. Never give AJ the satisfaction.

"No, we were upset when you came back," I anwered disappointedly, giving him a smile to show I was joking.

He dumped the rest of his fries over my head anyway.