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“Brian?! ... NO!”

Nick wouldn’t believe what he was witnessing, refused to. Nick proceeded to thrust his arm into the fountain water, only to be thrown back as a large mass exploded up at him. Nick momentarily forgot how to breathe as the life was practically scared out of him. Gaining some control, Nick focused his eyes to see Brian hoisting himself onto the stone rim beside him, huffing and puffing, water matting his hair to his head and dripping from his body.

As Brian attained a sitting position, slumped over and still gasping for air, Nick could only see one thing. A huge stain of red on Brian’s chest, contrasting greatly with his light blue t-shirt which clung to his soaked frame. Nick couldn’t believe Brian was alive... the blood... he thought...

“B- Bri’?” managed Nick, his voice soft with disbelief, “Brian?”

Brian stretched his back, groaning, “God... What hit me?”

Brian looked over at Nick when he was answered with silence, Nick was just staring at him. He raised his eyebrows, “What?”

Nick blinked, trying to find words. He ended up just pointing a shaking hand at Brian’s chest. Brian seemed confused and looked down at his shirt. His eyes widened, “Holy-!”

Brian quickly brought a hand up to his chest, touching the red liquid almost hesitantly. Contact. No pain. Well, not much pain. Brian drew his hand away, bringing the red covered fingers up to his face. He sniffed, then grimaced. Brian stared at Nick, “Paint... It’s red paint.”

Nick continued to stare, not blinking. Brian then took in how pale Nick was, his face almost ashen and his eyes stricken. Oh, God... He thought I was dead... Brian reached forward and grabbed Nick’s shoulders, getting no reaction, “Nick!” Cried Brian, shaking Nick to try and rouse him, “Nick! C’mon, I’m okay! It was paint, okay? Paint. Not blood, I’m fine...”

Nick slowly blinked, his brows furrowing. Brian watched as his friend’s blue eyes came to focus on him, “Brian?... You’re okay?” Nick’s eyes now roved over Brian, trying to convince himself that his best friend was really all right.

Brian smiled, “Yeah, Frack, I’m okay. See?” Brian took Nick’s hand and made him touch the red paint on his shirt. Nick grimaced, but soon smiled at Brian.

Nick’s eyes fairly twinkled in happiness as the looked back at Brian’s face, “Thank God!” Nick cried, throwing his arms around Brian and hugging him with all he was worth, “You scared the shit out of me!... I thought you were dead, Brian...”

Brian returned the hug, rubbing a hand on Nick’s back, “I know, Nick. I know, but I’m okay.”

Nick finally let Brian go, leaning back to reveal tears again sliding down his face. He was smiling though, and that made all the difference, the immense relief flooding through his veins making everything look better. Nick then frowned when Brian suddenly chuckled, sending Nick an amused glance.

Nick quirked an eyebrow, “What?”

With a snicker, Brian pointed to Nick’s chest. Nick looked down to see his own shirt covered in red paint. Nick smiled, then snickered. He looked up at Brian and started to laugh in a strained manner. Brian joined him and soon they were gasping in hysterical laughter, laughter consumed with obvious relief.

Brian gasped, trying to catch his breath. Suddenly a dull pain throbbed in his chest and he stopped laughing, lightly pressing his hand against his chest with a grimace. Nick noticed immediately, fixing Brian with worried and scared eyes, “Brian, you okay? I thought you said you were all right.”

“I am,” winced Brian, looking back at Nick’s concerned face, “I think I just got a bruise. It don’t hurt much.”

Nick now looked confused as he replayed what had happened, “But... How did you get a bruise? Why did you fall into the fountain and where did the paint come from?”

Brian stared out into the trees, “I think... I think it was a... uh, what do you call it... a... a paint gun? You know, those guns that shoot paint balls instead of bullets. They use them in war games.”

Nick nodded thoughtfully, then looked to the trees nervously, “You think he’s still out there?”

“No,” answered Brian, “I don’t think so. This was just another of her games. Make it look like one of us is killed and watch the reaction.”

Nick was really starting to despise that woman, she made him think Brian was dead! Not cool. Oh, SO not cool. Nick looked at Brian again, a thought confusing him, “Those paint guns are supposed to be safe, aren’t they? That’s why they use them in those games.”

“With the right gear,” informed Brian, “They got padded suits when they play those games.” Brian rubbed his chest, “I didn’t exactly have the right attire. That might not of been a real bullet, but it sure as hell felt like one. The force of it knocked me back, then it took me a minute to realize that I was underwater.” Brian shook his head, “One second I’m sitting here, the next something slams into me and knocks me into the fountain.”

Nick shivered at the memory, “Let’s get back.”

Brian nodded, “Absolutely.”

Standing, Brian looks down at his soaked clothes, “Kevin ain’t goin’ to be happy.”

“Just Kevin?” smirked Nick, “AJ and Howie will probably corner you for the reason you walk in soaked to the bone and covered in red paint.”

“Yeah, well, let’s get out of here,” said Brian, wrapping his arms around his frame as a cool breeze sent a chill through him. “It’s getting late and getting colder.” Suddenly, Brian’s stomach growled. Nick smiled and Brian grinned sheepishly, “And it’s about time for dinner.”

Nick laughed and threw an arm around Brian’s shoulders, still reveling in the fact that Brian was alive. They turned and walked the way Nick had come, the path. Neither of them even spared another glance at the shadowed trees, afraid that something else would come forth from their depths.



~/~/~/~/~()~~~~~


Howie sighed as Kevin stopped in his pacing to glance at Brian’s door, only to immediately resume his tireless worrying that would wear a hole in Brian’s carpet if someone didn’t stop him soon. Howie glanced to where AJ still sat on the couch, head in his hands. Of course, thought Howie, It would have to be me that is left with that grand task.

With another sigh, Howie addressed Kevin who still paced back and forth before him, “Kevin, will you stand still? You’re making me tired just watching you.”

Kevin spared Howie a quick glance, never breaking his tireless motion, “They’ve been gone too long. They shoulda been back by now.”

Howie shook his head, “Now you know Nick, he can be pretty set in his ways when he puts his mind to it. Brian probably just took a while to catch up to him, Nick’s pretty fast.”

Kevin just shook his head and muttered, “Too long.”

Howie fell back in his cushioned chair in exasperation as Kevin kept pacing. Why’d I even bother? They never listen anyway.

Around five minutes later, Kevin froze as the front door opened and Brian and Nick walked into the living room, laughing. Kevin clenched his fists as the duo hadn’t noticed any of them yet. Kevin felt a weight lift at seeing them, but then anger flashed in him at the remembrance of all the things he had pictured that might of happened to them as he waited and worried. They looked to be having a grand ole time.

“Where were you?” he ground out, his worry now anger.

They both stopped where they were, turning surprised faces up at Kevin. Nick stuttered, “Uh, we... Um, I... the park.. and... fountain... Brian fell... blood... I thought... and then we...”

Anger vanished as Kevin focused on one of the words spilling out of Nick’s mouth. Blood. Kevin now registered the dripping clothes, then the color of red that covered Brian and a fair bit of Nick, too. Kevin’s eyes widened, scared.

“Oh, jeez! Where are you hurt? Is it bad?” The questions gushed out of Kevin’s mouth as he rushed to them, his eyes scouring them for injury. Howie and AJ had stood at Nick’s and Brian’s entrance, stuck in shock as they took in what they thought was blood covering their friends, both wondering how they could still be standing.

Brian pushed his cousin’s searching hands away, “Kev! It’s all right, I’m fine. It ain’t blood, it’s paint. I’m not hurt.”

Kevin fixed Brian with a surprised gaze, “Paint? Where the hell did you get full of paint?”

Brian glanced at the still flustered Kevin, then to Nick, “Let us change, then we’ll tell you everything.”

Still stunned, Kevin just nodded. He turned and walked to the couch as they left the living room. Kevin blinked several times as he sank heavily into the soft couch beside AJ, who had just reclaimed the seat. He looked at Howie as he sat back in his chair.

Howie met his gaze, his eyes bewildered, “I thought... the paint...”

“We all did,” Kevin nodded.

They sat in silence until Nick and Brian returned several minutes later, garbed in fresh and dry clothes. They joined Kevin, Howie, and AJ in the living room. Brian knew he was going to be the one doing the talking, Nick was still a little shaky with it.

Kevin looked at them expectantly, “Well?”

Brian cleared his throat, “I didn’t catch up with Nick until he got to the park fountain. We talked, then I noticed somethin’ in the trees. The next thing I know somethin’ slams into my chest and throws me into the fountain. When I get out Nick is staring at me like I’m a ghost and pointing to my chest. That’s when I noticed the paint.” Brian looked at Kevin, “Someone shot me with a paint gun from the trees.”

Kevin, Howie, and AJ stared in shock.

“I thought he was dead,” toned Nick in a quiet voice.

“But I’m not,” added Brian quickly, “Listen, that woman did this. She’s playin’ with us.”

Kevin was furious, “That’s it. From now on, WE are protecting each other. To hell with the cops and O’Rielly, they haven’t done jack. We have to start piecing this together, we have to stop her before she tires of playin’ because when she does... Well, let’s just say it won’t be paint she’s shooting at us.”

They each sat and absorbed what Kevin said, silence stretching between them. Howie looked around, clearing his throat, “Well, I could go for some dinner. How about you guys?”

Brian perked up, “You read my mind! I say pizza!”

Kevin scowled, “Pizza? Couldn’t we have somethin’ more... wholesome?”

Brian sent Howie a brief, mischievous glance, “Sure we could, but all I got here is frozen pizza. There is a month old casserole in the ‘fridge if you want it, Kev.”

Kevin grimaced, “No thanks.”

Brian grinned, “Well, pizza it is!”

“Cheese?”

Brian gazed at Nick’s hopeful face, “You’re in luck, Frack. That’s the only kind I got!”

Nick smiled, getting up and starting to follow Brian, Kevin who was muttering under his breath, and Howie to the kitchen, but a hand on his arm stopped him. He looked down into AJ’s rueful eyes, he couldn’t help feeling bad for AJ.

“Nick... Listen, I want you to know...” AJ stopped, trying to find the right words, “I- I really hate myself for what I said, Nick. I didn’t mean it, I swear. None of this is your fault, I was just worried and angry. I don’t know why I singled you out, I- I’m sorry.”

Nick smiled down at AJ. For all the big macho images AJ put up, Nick knew that he really took things to heart. Nick reached down and pulled him up from the couch. He looked AJ square in the face as he spoke, “You’re forgiven.”

Then Nick turned AJ to the kitchen and gave him a little shove, “Now let’s go get some grub!”

Feeling a weight lift from his shoulders, AJ walked to the kitchen. He paused and glanced at Nick when the sound of pans clanging and the three missing group members’ arguing reached him. His face was doubtful, “Maybe one of us ought to go get some Mickey Dee’s.”

Nick laughed, “Now who are we to refuse Brian’s fine hospitality?”

AJ looked at the closed kitchen door at a loud crash soon followed by a curse, he looked back at Nick, “Smart?”

Nick chuckled and shook his head, “Sorry, Bone. If I suffer, you suffer.”

With slight hesitation, AJ followed Nick into the kitchen.

Kevin looked disgusted as he shut the refrigerator door, “Brian! The only thing you have in there is a six pack of Mountain Dew and a jar of pickles!”

Brian looked up from his crouch on the floor beside a pile of pots and pans, “So?” Brian then turned back to his cupboard and the search for the pizza pans.

Kevin looked shocked, slowly blinking and shaking his head, “So? Don’t you think food is a necessary item to have around your home?”

“Of course,” answered Brian, not removing his head from the depths of his floor cupboard as he continued his search for the elusive pizza pans.

Nick and AJ stood beside the door they had just walked through, both smirking at the look overcoming Kevin’s face. They didn’t think there was even a word to describe it.

“Bri-an!” Kevin cried, exasperated. Brian could really by trying sometimes, it also didn’t help that the person he was talking to was currently only showing his backside to the outside world.

“What?!” came the muffled reply from within the cupboard.

Kevin threw his arms out, rolling his eyes to the ceiling, “Oh, never mind!”

Nick and AJ couldn’t help it, they started laughing. Kevin sent them each a glare, turning away to search Brian’s upper cupboards for some edible food. AJ and Nick’s laughter was just starting to die away when Howie walked into the kitchen from the other entrance, his arms full of frozen pizzas.

“Okay, Bri’. Where do you want these?” he asked, trying to see around the pizzas covering his face.

His only answer was a “Found ‘em!” from within the cupboard. Howie continued into the room, “Huh?”

The following events will forever be etched in Nick’s and AJ’s minds. They watched as Howie suddenly lurched, his feet tangling in Brian’s pile of pots and pans. They watched as Howie fell with a surprised cry, his feet kicking at the pots and pans, making a huge racket.

“Son of a-” cried Howie as he fell, his arms throwing the frozen pizzas up in the air in abandon. Howie’d rather have his arms free to break his fall. Screw the pizzas.

Brian spooked at the sudden and loud clattering of the metal pots and pans, forgetting he was inside a cupboard and jerking his head up in surprise. Nick and AJ heard a loud thump and then a loud “Ow! Son of a-... God-damn it! That smarts!”

Then their eyes followed the pizzas’ airborne flight... straight at the startled Kevin. Kevin’s eyes widened at the projectiles sailing toward him, throwing his hands up with a “What the hell?!” and reeling back against the counter as several pizzas collided with his helpless form.

As the last pizza hit the floor the kitchen was filled with: a grumbling Howie slowly picking himself off the floor, a cursing Brian trying to extricate himself from his cupboard, a seething Kevin rubbing his soon-to-be bruises, and, of course, a hysterical Nick and AJ.

Nick clutched his middle, straining for air, “Oh... my... GOD!” Nick had to double over as his laughter started to overtake his form.

AJ was leaning against the wall for support, tears streaming down his face as he squinted at Nick’s gasping form. One of his arms held his stomach as his shoulders jerked with laughter. He managed to say some words to Nick’s struggling form, “Breathe... Nick!” hiccup “You... gotta breathe...” hiccup “man... breathe!” hiccup

AJ’s hiccups did Nick in and he collapsed to the floor in helpless giggles, rolling back and forth in absolute hysterics.

Brian heard the laughter and scowled, he couldn’t get out of the cupboard. Something was blocking his feet and he knew what that ‘something’ was.

“Howie! Get the hell out of my way!” Brian emphasized his words with a swift backwards kick.

“Ow! Damn it, Brian! I’m movin’, jeez!”

Brian finally backed out of the cupboard, but he wasn’t as far out as he thought and the thump was easily heard as his head contacted with the hard wood. “God-DAMN it!”

Howie smirked, “Ha! Serves ya right!”

AJ’s knees buckled and he joined Nick on the floor, hiccuping all the way.

Kevin scowled as he surveyed the chaotic scene before him, soon shaking his head as he proceeded to pick up the pizzas. This was gonna be a long night...



~/~/~/~/~()~~~~~



About six pizzas(not including the one that AJ dropped in the oven... or the two that were the nice shade of black because they got carried away in listening to Kevin and Howie tell about their car chase) later, and a lot of water and MD, the guys are all sprawled out in the living room. None of them could bare to move.

Brian groaned, “I haven’t pigged out like that since... since... Ah, hell! I don’t think I’ve ever pigged out like that before!”

“Well,” toned Kevin from his position in a recliner, “We haven’t really eaten anything all day and all you had here was pizza. What’d ya expect?”

Brian shrugged, “I don’t know. And hey, I haven’t had time to stock up the place since we got back from tour. I wasn’t exactly expecting all this company.”

Kevin nodded, understanding, “Why didn’t you jus’ say that?”

Brian’s gaze snapped to Kevin and he opened his mouth to speak, but Nick was faster.

“Are you kidding?!” cried Nick in a pretty good imitation of Brian, “And miss the chance to get on your nerves? Nevah!”

Brian and AJ smirked, while Kevin and Howie shook their heads. Nick never looked up from where he lay on the couch, his lithe body stretching its length, forcing AJ to sit on the floor as the other places of rest were occupied.

Brian chucked a balled up napkin at Nick, “You know me too well, Nicky.”

“Nick.”

Brian was confused, “Huh?”

“It’s Nick, not Nicky. You know I hate that.”

Brian rolled his eyes, “Okay. Whatever, Nick...”

“Thank you.”

Brian smirked, “...-ee.”

“Ha. Ha,” retorted Nick, waving his hand in the air and chucking the napkin back at Brian, “Funny.”

Brian smiled, “I thought so.”

Kevin smiled and ducked his head. He sobered when AJ’s serious voice filled the room.

“Well, Kev, you said we should start figuring this shit out.” AJ reached into his pocket and chucked a crumpled wad of paper at Kevin who neatly caught it, “That’s the note I found when I looked for Squeaker.”

Kevin straightened the note and quickly scanned it, passing it to Howie when he finished. As the note circulated between the others, Kevin addressed AJ, “You didn’t find anything else?”

“Nope,” answered AJ simply, shifting his position against the couch. He leaned his head back in frustration, only to have it shoved back up as it was Nick’s foot he had leaned it against. AJ sent Nick a mock glare, Nick returning it with wide, innocent eyes.

Howie shook his head, “I don’t know if there’s anything we can do about this, Aje. There’s nothin’ to go on.”

AJ frowned, “Well, there’s is somethin’.” AJ met the four sets of eyes that stared at him in askance, “She said she was gonna return him. She’s gonna do somethin’, I just know it.”

Kevin pursed his lips, “Well then, we’ll just have to keep our eyes open for when she does.”

“We should anyways,” added Brian, “I mean, look at what’s happened. It’s only been one day. We’ve been bombed, attacked by car, had a squirrel kidnapped, and been shot at. I’m seriously not liking the looks of tomorrow, or have you all forgotten that we have a concert tomorrow night?”

Brian heard the collective groans, they had forgotten. Kevin suddenly slapped a hand to his forehead. Brian smirked. Hey, it looked funny.

Kevin stared apologetically at his friends, “I forgot to tell you something. When Howie and I had that press conference... Well, she was there. Came right up to us and talked like she wasn’t aware of the cops surrounding her. Her hair was different, but otherwise she looked the same. She kept goin’ on about havin’ control of our lives and shit. Then she disappeared.”

AJ scowled, “So, basically, she’s as cocky as last time.”

Howie nodded, “Pretty much. One thing we can’t argue is she’s damn good at this crap. Plus, I find it troubling that she can always find people to do her dirty work.”

Kevin sighed, “All we can do is keep our eyes open. Maybe we’ll catch a break.”

Nick scoffed, “Good luck.”

“Who knows,” said Brian, “Maybe the cops will come up with something.”

Brian received four ‘you’ve got to be kidding’ looks, he put his hands out, “You never know.”

“Look,” announced Kevin, “Why don’t we go to bed. It’s pretty late and we have had a long day. We need the rest.”

AJ pushed himself off the floor, “That and we have rehearsals at 7 am.”

Nick groaned, “I ain’t movin’. You go, I’m stayin’ right here.”

Nick turned more into the couch cushions. Brian walked over and tapped him on the shoulder, “C’mon, Frack. You can sleep in a bed, jus’ get up.”

“No,” was the moaned reply, “Not movin’.”

Brian sighed, “Nick, let’s go.” Brian grabbed Nick’s arm and began to drag him off the couch.

“No!” Nick pulled his arm back and then pushed roughly out, throwing Brian back. Brian grunted as his butt hit the carpeted floor.

“Nick!-”

“Jus’ leave ‘im be, Bri’,” soothed Kevin, lifting his cousin off the floor. “If he wants to sleep on the couch, let ‘im.”

“Fine,” relented Brian, then he looked at Nick’s form, “But don’t come cryin’ to me when you’re all stiff tomorrow!”

All he received was a grunt in reply as Nick pulled a pillow over his head.


~/~/~/~/~()~~~~~


O’Rielly stretched his arms as he leaned back with a groan, his chair imitating the sound. He dropped his arms to this lap with a sigh, glancing tiredly up at the clock above his office door. 10:21 pm. He’d been on duty since 5 o’clock that morning, the Backstreet case falling in his lap by mid morning. Why’d I have to be stuck with it?

O’Rielly leaned forward and over the papers and files on his cluttered desk, once again looking through all the information they, the police, could find. Mostly it consisted of information on the Backstreet Boys and what could be had of when they were kidnapped the year before. In other words, they had jack shit to go on. The woman was a complete mystery, with no past to find.

O’Rielly took a moment to think, he went over the day’s events. First, the car bomb, my first meeting with the Backstreet Boys. In truth, what Kevin had said was partly true. I had thought of them as just some boy band, some famous spoiled brats. O’Rielly picked up a pen, absently tapping it against his desk. Well, I don’t think that anymore. In fact, those five young men impress me. Here they had went through a dangerous and traumatic experience just one year ago, now they were going through it again. Yet, they are on top of things. They are handling the situation quite well, better than anyone else ever had before in similar situations.

O’Rielly dropped the pen, leaning back in his chair and lifting his legs to rest on his desk. He clasped his hands over his flat stomach, still lost in thought.

He mentally went through the list.

Kevin.

Kevin was being practical, looking at the situation with an almost outsider point of view. That is, until something sparks his fuse. Then he becomes angry and strikes out. I have already received the brunt of two of those attacks. Kevin is a good man, though. He just really cares about the others.

AJ.

Whoo. Now there is a spitfire. Right from the get go, that wild young man was glaring me down to the most bottomless scum bag imaginable. He can’t fool me, though. His anger and smart comments can’t cover it up from me. AJ is scared shitless. He can’t bare the thought of anything happening to his friends. The man has a soft heart beneath that flashy, bad boy exterior.

Howie

Complete opposite reaction as AJ. He’s quiet, off to the side. He almost appears detached from the situation, but I know better. That boy has a head on his shoulders. He’s thinkin’ this stuff over, mulling through the events and trying to find a way to stop it. All the while he’s doin’ that, he’s also keeping the guys from losin’ it. He calms the storm before it gets out of control.

Brian

Nice boy, real gentle mannered. Seems he keeps tryin’ to lift the group’s spirits, lighten’ the load. He’s a smart one, too. He’s thinkin’ real hard on this stuff, but I think he’s tryin’ to see it from that woman’s point of view. He figures if he can figure her out, he’ll be able to put an end to this. Brian also seems to be the rock holdin’ the Carter kid up. Never left his side.

Nick

Now I’m worried about that one. He’s strong, I know that, but he ain’t really accepting this. He ain’t believin’ that it’s happenin’. He keeps tellin’ himself that and its workin’ to a degree, a degree of indifference. Not good. If he keeps that up it can only lead to bad things, either with that woman or with his friends. He has to accept it and then face it, otherwise it’ll haunt his thoughts until he can’t stand it anymore.

O’Rielly started in his chair, jerking out of his musings at a knock at his door. He lets his feet drop from the desk and straightens.

“Come in.”

A young officer opens the door and glances at O’Rielly apologetically, “Sorry to bother you, sir, but we just received this letter addressed to you.”

“Well, hand it over, son.”

The young man handed O’Rielly the envelope, “Would you like me to do anything else for you, sir?”

“Nah, I’m fine.”

“All right, I’ll leave then.”

O’Rielly absently nodded, already examining the strange letter and beginning to open it. The door to his office closed once more as O’Rielly pulled a small paper note from the plain envelope. Scanning the message his eyes narrowed. He pressed the button on his intercom, “Trevors! Get in here, pronto!”

Less than a minute later, and young man, perhaps in his early thirties, walked through the door, “You bellowed, sir?”

“Don’t give me any of that smart shit, Trevors,” scowled O’Rielly, Trevors was as bad as that AJ, “Look at this,” he said, handing Trevors the note. “What do you think?”

Trevors read the short message...

You won’t be able to save them, O’Rielly. They are mine and no one can change that. I will have my revenge for what they did, for what they took away from me. My justice will be served, until then...

Lalita

Trevors was surprised, “She gave her name!”

O’Rielly nodded, “Yeah, and she implied that the Backstreet Boys took something from her and that is why she is doin’ this. Any ideas what?”

Trevors shook his head, “I can research this name, though.”

O’Rielly sighed. It wasn’t much, but it was something, “Get to it.”

Trevors left. He returned two hours later. O’Rielly looked up expectantly, “Well, what have you got?”

Trevors frowned, “Not much, I’m afraid. I did find something out that is interesting... wait, more like disturbing.”

“What?” asked O’Rielly, almost afraid of the answer.

Trevors handed O’Rielly a sheet of paper, “See for yourself.”

O’Rielly took the paper, reading the sparse contents. He cursed and leaned back in his chair, laying the paper on his desk...

Lalita- Arabic name meaning: She who plays