Part 25:
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Brian sat at the breakfast table, picking at his breakfast. "Why is she so
stubborn?" he asked no one in particular.

"Maybe she learned from you." his father said, setting down his newspaper.

Brian laughed, "No she was stubborn when I met her."

"Then maybe you bring it out in her." 

"Could." Brian took a drink of his coffee and glanced at the stairs,
almost expecting her to be standing there.

"Does she know your flying home?" Jackie asked, setting her own breakfast
down and taking a seat.

"No, she won't talk to me so I haven't been saying much either. Guess I
should let her know."


Jackie knocked on the bedroom door, "Honey he left twenty minutes ago to
go back to Orlando."

"Are you sure?" Shan whispered from the other side.

"Positive honey." she stepped back and watched the door slowly open. "You
all right?"

"Yeah I've got a rental car waiting for me. I'm going to do some
thinking."

"Are you sure?? Your welcome to stay here and think."

Shan smiled meekly, "Its all right. I'm going to meet some friends who
wanted to get away for a couple of days."

"Okay but you call as soon as your settled."


"Its just a couple days." Nick said pulling his duffel bag out of his
closet.

"I know you keep saying that." Lis commented, leaning back on the bed.
"Something big happened huh?"

He raised an eyebrow and busied himself packing, "I don't know."

She groaned, "Don't be cryptic Nick Carter. Just give me your usual answer
of I cant tell you."

"If you know what I'm going to say why ask?" he asked, stuffing a few
shirts in the bag.

"Because maybe you'd open that big mouth of yours and say something
useful."

"You like my mouth..." he said kissing her softly.

She rolled her eyes, "Don't try to distract me."

"Who me??" he asked innocently.
				
"Yep. Face it Nicky I can tell when your hiding stuff. This is typical
Nick Carter hiding something behaviour."


David finished listening to E's tape and clicked it off. "Think Frankie's
telling the truth?"

"Seemed to be."

He set the tape recorder down and looked back at the notes he'd made. "He
skirted away from a couple things..."

"Maybe he didn't know."

"Or didn't want you to know he did. I'll do some checking."

"Talk to the band member yet?"

"Can't get a hold of him. He's out of town till later tonight."


AJ leaned against the door of his Explorer as he waited for D to appear.
He closed his eyes behind his shades and thought back.

~Flashback~

"Oh my god...we have a contract!!" Howie yelled, barely able to contain
his excitement.

"Your officially a band now fellas." Lou said from the doorway. "That's a
bond that'll never be broken easily."

AJ nodded, "Why would we break it?? This is what we all want...what we've
wanted for years."

~End Flashback~


"J?" Howie asked, getting out of his BMW he parked beside J.

"Oh hey D. You ready for this?"

He nodded slowly, pulling his briefcase out. "I think so..."

AJ patted his friend's back. "Then lets get this over with."

Howie looked at the office building and took a deep breath. "Sooner this
is done with the sooner we get our lives back."


"Lou, Mr Dorough to see you." the secretary said from the doorway.

"Lead the man in." Lou pushed his chair back and smiled seeing Howie walk
in, "Howie!! AJ...what a surprise to see you two together."

"Lou." AJ said disdainfully.

"Take a seat. I'm guessing you've filled each other in?"

"Oh yeah we're quite familiar with the lies you're blackmailing us all
with." Howie said, taking a seat across from Lou.

"Not lies, the truth. You know what they say, some people just can't
handle things and unfortunately you five couldn't. Its a shame really,
could have had so many more years up there on top...still a lot of albums
to make...records to break...awards to receive. At least you all still
have your wives or most of you. Not so sure about three of them from what
I've heard through the grapevine but you two seem to be holding strong.
More power to those lovely wives of yours."

AJ fixed him with a icy glare and fished a pack of smokes out of his
jacket pocket.

"What is it you wanted me to see?"

Lou opened up his desk drawer and pulled out another thick stack of
papers. "Seems this money laundering of yours is getting more extensive all
the time."

Howie took a deep breath and kept his eyes on the papers. "How are you
getting all this information Lou?? How do we know you aren't forging
documents."

He smiled, "You always were the smart one Howard. I've had someone do a
little investigating for me..."

AJ sat there listening to Lou's little speel and finally couldn't take it
anymore. He needed air, needed to smoke a few more cigarettes. Howie could
handle himself for five minutes he figured as he stood up, "I'll be
back, need some air" he said and walked out of the room.
	
Howie watched AJ leave the room and cursed him silently. "What is it you
want Lou?? Something tells me you want me to buy your silence."

"Now that you mention it," Lou said leaning back in his chair. "I'm always
open for discussion."

"What's the terms of silence?" Howie questioned, he was starting to get
very tired of this whole situation.

"See I think you guys as individuals can still be as hot a property or set
of properties as you were as the Backstreet Boys. There's a wealth of
opportunities out there for you."

"Uh huh..."

"I want to manage your single career Howie...and the others as well."


AJ sat outside in the waiting room, his nerves couldn't take sitting there
watching Lou try to manipulate D anymore. It took all his resolve not to
jump across the desk and attack him but finally he had to get up and
leave. He stood up and walked back into the room, finding D staring at Lou
in disbelief and Lou drinking his coffee. "What the hell is going on??
What did you threaten him with now??"