Jenn drove through the gates and stopped the car beside AJ's. Quickly she rolled the window down, "J!!"

He looked up from where he had his head rested on the steering wheel and turned to face his wife. "Jenn?"

"What's going on?" she asked, getting out of her car.

AJ opened up the passenger door, "Surprised you're talking to me."

"Ty filled me in."

"How'd Ty...Howie!! Great." he shook his head and leaned back in his seat. "Who else knows? They tell Kev?"

"Ty only told me because I was freaking out after what I saw today."

"I was gonna come find you after I talk to Ty."

Jenn raised an eyebrow. "What's going on now?"

"More shit. You wanna tag along?"

"Why not."

"Got everything you need?"

She nodded and he started the ignition, backing slowly down the driveway.

Ty sat on the sand watching the waves crash against the shore. The lights of the beach house were still pretty visible even from where she sat. Glancing at her watch she realized she was still a good ten minutes early.

Howie parked his car in front of the office building and grabbed his briefcase, locking the car from his keychain as he hurried inside. The elevator ride up to the executive floor was extraordinarily long as he stood in silence. Just what did Paul want? He'd said they had some important matters that couldn't wait any longer to be discussed but just what did he mean? Did they know they all knew about the money laundering? As the doors opened he took a deep breath and headed towards his office.

She watched him sleep, her eyes tracing the tattoo that faced her. "Damnit Nick what's going on in that brain of yours?" she asked out loud, almost expecting an answer from somewhere. Crawling out of bed, she grabbed his cell phone from the chair and headed up the stairs, back to the top of the boat.

Brian grabbed the phone, seeing the number that was on the back. "Frack, just where the hell are you man?"

"Hey B."

"Lis! Tell me you're with him?"

"Yeah we're out on the boat, he's asleep in the cabin."

He breathed a sigh of relief, running a hand through his hair. "Good to know. I was worried since he hadn't called since he went to find you. Did you two work things out?"

"We talked..." she looked out at the water, "He wants to start over..."

"That's good."

"Somewhere else. Bri he wants to put Backstreet and everything behind him."

"WHAT??"

"He's afraid of Lou hurting all of us again. Doesn't want to take the chance of something else pulling the two of us apart."

AJ slammed the car door and jogged down to the beach, seeing Ty sitting on a bench. "Ty!!!!"

She turned and waved. "Hey J. You're late. Side tracked by McD's?"

He laughed as he tried to regain his breath. "Nah Jenn found me, so I dragged her along. She's up there sitting in the Explorer singing along to one of our old cds." he shook his head, flopping down beside her. "You okay? Not too chilly out here for you is it?"

"J I'm perfectly fine! What did you need to see me for?? You said its about Howie."

He nodded, taking his sunglasses off. "He sent me over to see you. Said to tell you he won't be coming back here tonight, he's staying in Orlando cuz of business."

Her eyes narrowed, "But why couldn't he tell me himself if that's all it is."

"I'm just the messenger honey."

"Who's he seeing?"

"Paul."

She got to her feet, "J can you give me a lift somewhere?"

"Uh oh." he said seeing the look on her face.

Nick watched Lis walk back into the cabin, "Where'd you go?" he asked sleepily.

"Went to check the water." she tossed the cell phone back on the chair. "And I made some calls. You ready to go back to land?"

"Guess so." he slid out of bed and got dressed. "What's going on Lissy?"

"Nothing."

He reached out and pulled her to him, "Yeah there is."

Meeting his stare she sighed, "I just worry about you okay? And now really can we please go back home before I start getting seasick?"

"All righty." he grabbed the keys and his cell phone and followed her out...

Paul walked into the office, "Howie you surprise me!"

He nearly jumped at the sound of the other man's voice. "What do you mean?"

"I call you in for a meeting at 9 and here you are at 8:30 hard at work!"

Howie forced a smile, "What can I say? Just the way I am."

Taking a seat across from Howie, he slowly opened his briefcase. "Howard you're probably wondering why it is I called this meeting with you."

"I thought we took care of all the business we needed to the other night."

"So did I Howie, so did I." he pulled out a legal pad and glanced at it. "Ready to get down to business or are you in the middle of something?"

D glanced at the notepad he'd been writing on and quickly shoved it aside. "Not anymore. Lets get this started."

AJ pulled his car in the spot beside Howie's. "Ty honey I really don't know about this."

She glanced at him, "Why not?? This is the only place he would have a meeting. I won't even mention you brought me here. Or the fact you told me what he was up to."

He groaned, "Why don't we all go wait back at the house?"

Jenn sighed, "Let her go up there J."

"Why so she can replicate what you did earlier and bust in? Look you have no idea what's going on up there...what's being said..."

Ty raised an eyebrow as she started to open the door. "You've got an idea about what's being said up there?"

"No I'm just saying..."

"Yeah yeah." she got out and slammed the door, heading towards the doors.

Jenn leaned forward from the backseat, so she was somewhat closer to AJ. "What do you think is going to happen up there?"

He shrugged, "I'm just praying all hell isn't going to break lose."

Paul flipped through his notes, "You know Howie, I've been doing some research in light of certain events lately."

D eyed him, "What events?"

"Things...the breakup of the group, some of the allegations that have been rumored..."

"Paul what are you talking about?"

"Well people around the office talk...you know office gossip and all. Anyways I came across some things that might prove to be rather interesting."

"Like what?"

"Let me see..." he took a minute and scanned his paper, "Ah yes. Do you remember Adam Hayes?? He was one of the executives a few years back?"

"No..."

Paul shook his head sadly, "Well apparently you killed him."

"The hell I did!!! I've never killed anyone in my life!!!!"

"Howie calm down. A heart attack at your young age..." Paul stared at D, "Now come on sit down...take a deep breath and listen..."

The elevator doors opened and Ty headed towards her husband's office. She could see the lights were on and the door was open partially. She got as close as she could without being seen and sat down on the chair just outside the door.

"I'm not listening to this anymore!" Howie said, trying not to jump across the desk and attack Paul right then and there. Now he could understand how Brian felt when he went to Lou's. "You're a lying son of a bitch."

"Howie really!! I'm a businessman...I thought you above all others could appreciate that. Now back to business here, you are responsible for the death of Adam Hayes..."

Howie clenched his fists as he sat there. "Why would you think that? I don't even remember an Adam Hayes."

"To you he was probably one of the little people...one who could be easily discarded."

"Get to the point Paul..."

"Adam apparently committed suicide, but he left a letter...blaming it on you."

"Why?"

"You fired him...reason being theft or something of the sort. Didn't do too much looking into that."

"Wonder why." Howie muttered.

"Now I'm sure you're wondering what it will take to hide the blood on your hands."

"There isn't..." Howie took a deep breath, "What will it take to hide it?"

Paul smiled, "You put your rather profitable solo career under the guidance of Lou Pearlman."

"Why would it matter to you where I take my solo career. IF I wanted a solo career. And who says I do?"

"Howie, like I said before I'm a businessman, so are you and so is Lou...And believe me you WANT to have a solo career and you want it with Lou as your manager."

Outside Ty stood up shakily, her hand covering her mouth in case some sound broke out. She had heard enough, in fact more than she had ever wanted. Making sure she had everything she'd brought with her she took off down the hallway heading for the elevator. Glancing back to make sure they weren't aware of her presence she bumped into the receptionist desk. "Damnit." she hissed and took off running to the elevators.

Paul froze as he heard something. "Stay here." he ordered, getting to his feet and checking outside. All he saw was the closing of the elevator doors. Turning around he faced Howie. "Who would be in here this time of night?"

"Well for one the janitorial staff."

He glanced back down the hallway, no one was there. "Okay that seems likely. Lets get back to business."