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<h1 align="center">Against All Odds - Chapter Twenty</h1>
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“Alright, I think I have a plan here,” Brian announced, not appearing too
confident.
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“Okay, and I can tell this is a good plan you have?” Nick asked, sarcasm
dripping in his voice.
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Brian sighed. “I don’t know NICK, it’s all I have!”
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Nick inched away, surprised with Brian’s angry tone. “Okay...okay, tell me
about your plan, anything’s better than what I’ve come up with so far.”
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“That’s because you haven’t come up with anything yet!”
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The glare that Brian cast towards Nick, told him to stop with the comments.
He quieted down, waiting patiently for the plan that Brian devised.
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“Okay, I’m going to casually walk up to the guy after I order a drink for
him....”
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“Whoa! Wait! You’re gonna buy a drink for him?”
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Brian looked at Nick. “Yeah, why? Something wrong with that?”
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Nick snickered at Brian’s innocence. “Yeah, I’ll say, you want to be labeled as
gay or something?”
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“I.. I am not gay!” Brian stammered.
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“Yeah, well I know that and you know that, but buying Fred Durst fella down
there a beer pretty much labels you as gay,” Nick pointed out.
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Brian glanced over towards the end of the bar at the unknown man. “Well do
you have any better ideas?”
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Nick grinned as he got off his bar stool. “Watch da masta,” he whispered.
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Sticking his hands in the front pockets of his jeans, Nick casually
approached the man at the end of the bar. At first, the man didn’t pay any
attention to Nick as he walked towards him, he was more preoccupied with
the cigarette in his hands, playing with the hot embers in the ashtray.
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“Hey, I’m sorry to bother you, but you look like someone I know, is your name
Michael?” Nick asked, hoping the guy would take the bait and provide him
with a name.
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“Nope, you got me confused with someone else,” the man replied, not taking
his eyes off the cigarette.
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“Are you sure? You really do look like Michael Andrews,” Nick pressed.
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Finally, the man made eye contact with Nick. “I think I’d know my own name.”
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“I sorry, my name’s Nick,” Nick stated as he held out a hand hoping the man
would take it and shake it. He drew his hand back in when it was obvious that
the guy didn’t want it.
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“Yeah I know, Nick as in Nick Carter, right?”
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Nick was mildly surprised that the man knew who he was. “Yeah, that’s right,
how did you know my name?”
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“My niece Dani is a big fan of you guys.”
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“That’s nice,” Nick replied, managing a thin smile.
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“Yeah, Dani likes you guys a lot, but she is really in love with that AJ guy.”
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“Mind if I take this seat?” Nick asked as he gestured to the empty bar
stool.
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The man shrugged his shoulders. “Suit yourself.”
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Brian watched from his side of the bar, wondering how Nick’s conversation
with the man was going.
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“Hey Jake, I’d like a coke,” Nick called out as he grabbed the bartender’s
attention, glancing over towards Brian.
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As the bartender set the drink in front of Nick, the man sitting next to him
told Jake to put it on his tab.
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“Hey thanks, but you really don’t have to do that,” Nick replied.
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“No problem, I figure since you guys make my little Dani happy, it’s the least
I can do for you, my name’s Jack, Jack McDonald.”
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“Well thanks Jack,” Nick smiled as he lifted the glass in appreciation.
<P>
After an hour, Jack excused himself to use the restroom. Nick seized the
opportunity to quickly go and talk to Brian.
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“Hey I got his name and you’ll never guess what else!” Nick beamed, proud of
his detective accomplishments. “His name is Jack McDonald and his niece is
in love with AJ! Funny thing though, he never mentioned anything about AJ
being missing.”
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Brian nodded as he listened to Nick ramble on, trying to figure out how they
can trap this man in wrong doing with AJ’s disappearance.
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“Hey, he’s coming back, I better get back down there with him.”
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Before Brian could ask him anymore questions, Nick was gone, taking his seat
back at the end of the bar next to Jack.
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“Hey Nick, your coke is empty, Jack pointed out as he held a hand up to get
the bartender’s attention. “Refill his coke please.”
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“You don’t have to do that.”
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“No, I want to, don’t worry about it, you seem to be really nice,” Jack
grinned.
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“Well thanks, hey I’ll be back in a sec, okay?”
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Nick excused himself as he left before getting his drink to use the
restroom. Brian was already away from his seat and no one noticed Jack
dump a white substance into Nick’s coke.
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