Kevin sat down across from Howie in his office. "Never noticed what a nice place you have here D." he commented.

"Uh thanks Kev."

"What did you find?"

"Not a hell of a lot. Paul owns a lot of stock in TransCon."

"Maybe we should have opted to buy stock all those years ago." Brian commented wryly causing several dirty looks in his direction.

"That isn't even funny." AJ said with a shake of his head.

"Cheap attempt at humor." Brian explained, "How long you been staring at all this stuff D?"

Howie shrugged, "Since I got here last night. Who knows how long that's been." he poured himself another coffee from the pot on the table and went back to the pages in front of him.

Kevin went through the report David had given them before and noticed AJ kept glancing at him. "Something to say J?" he asked, leaning towards him.

"Just thinking, why isn't Nicky here? I mean five heads can do more work then four."

"We're waiting for him to be thinking straight." Brian cut in, "I'm going by to check on him later."

"What's with him?"

"Nothing to worry about don't worry."

"You say so. We got enough shit going on right now without me having to worry about him."

*****
Waking up in a practically empty bed, Ty sat up slowly her eyes falling on a picture of her and D on the dresser. "I love you but I hate you D." she said as she climbed out of bed and studied the picture. If there was a way to somehow get through that stubborn head of his...a smile suddenly appeared on her face as an idea hit her and she grabbed her cell as she headed to the closet. Dialling a number that had grown far too familiar in the past weeks she waited till someone picked up, "I'd like to make an appointment...preferably today sometime..."

*****

Nick set Lis down, "I should check the machine."

"Can't we do that later?" she asked, "We're losing daylight."

He laughed, "Lissy we'll go on the boat as soon as we've got everything checked out in here."

She sighed, "Fine its just we..."

"I know Lissy." he leaned forward and kissed her softly. "We'll be all alone all day I promise you."

"Okay, I'll go check on the boat?"

"Wait for me, it'll only take a minute to check the machine..." he pulled her towards the machine.

Lis let go of his hand and disappeared to get herself a drink.

Nick sat on the stool at the counter and hit play, chewing on a straw as he listened to the first few messages. Mostly family checking in, he smiled at Lis as she returned with two glasses in her hand. "Anything important?" she asked.

He shook his head as the machine started on the last message.

"Hi I'm calling for Nick, just confirming his appointment Friday morning at eleven with Lou..."

They both stared at the answering machine blankly before Nick hit the button for it to replay. "What the hell..." he muttered.

The message replayed and Lis could see him start to shake. "Nick..."

He put his hand up, "Just be quiet Lis."

"No!! Forget this...its nothing..."

"Nothing? You think that is NOTHING???"

"Calm down!"

"Calm down?" Nick yelled. "I'm supposed to calm down when Lou's secretary calls to confirm an appointment I NEVER made?"

"Nick..."

"No Lis stay out of this..."

"You don't have to go. I think he's just showing he's still a presence in our lives."

"Yeah well guess what? I've about had it with Big Poppa's presence in OUR lives. Its about time someone told him that."

"And you're going to be the one to do it?"

"Who else is?"

"Anyone else?"

"They won't do it!! Maybe if I make it damn clear to him he'll finally get the damn message."

*****
Sitting behind his desk Lou listened to the newest message. Two in two days. It was unsettling. Taking a drink of his coffee he turned his walkman off. Time for some action he thought to himself. Whoever was behind this wouldn't get away with it. Lou Pearlman was not a man you could just push around.

*****
Shan passed Lis a drink. "Talk!" she ordered, taking a seat across from her friend.

"Lucky I'm not yelling."

"Nice raspy voice you've got."

Lis rolled her eyes. "Its from a yelling match with my dear husband. I swear sometimes I don't have a clue the way his blond brain works."

"Don't look at me. I have enough trouble trying to understand Brian half the time. So what went down today?"

"Everything was great until we went by the house...we'd even talked of moving back there in a few days...anyway Nick checks the machine and there's a message from Lou's secretary confirming Nick's appointment. Nick didn't have an appointment."

"That would definitely send him off the deep end."

"Sure but then he kept going on and on, finally he said if I didn't want to understand what was happening to get the hell out so I left." Shan stared at her blankly. "We couldn't stop fighting Shan...and he kept yelling so I thought I'd let him cool down."

"You two were just working things out."

"I know...he's just volatile Shan. Anything sets him off...and if I don't agree with him I turn into enemy number one."

*****
Taking a deep breath she followed the secretary into the office, "Lou, Mrs. Dorough's here to see you."

Lou stood up, "Tyler! When Kendal said you had an appointment for today I was quite surprised."

"Would of thought you were expecting at least one of the wives to make an appearance here."

"Actually no, was more expecting one of the Boys. However it is wonderful to see you out of the hospital. I hope everything's fine."

"It will be soon. Now can we please cut through all the pleasantries??"

"Course." he sat back down, she had a determined look on her face and he knew she meant business.

"What will it take for you to disappear?" she asked calmly.

Lou laughed, "Disappear?"

"You know disappear, go away...get out of our lives basically. I want you to stop playing these sadistic little games of yours with my husband and the others."

"Tyler I'm sure Howard's told you that as soon as all five contracts are signed business will resume as usual. I merely don't understand why they're so reluctant to sign. Talk to AJ, its a very beneficial contract both ways."

"Beneficial to you I'm sure, them I rather doubt."

"Have you read over the contract? More time off, more money..."

"There are more important things then those Lou..."

"I'm offering them a chance at what they always wanted...lucrative solo careers. Do you know how well received they'll be?"

"What if they didn't want solo careers? They were more than happy as a group..."

"If that's the case then we'll discuss reforming the group after the four remaining contracts have been signed."

*****
Tentatively Brian walked up the driveway. "Trying to destroy the ball?

Nick spun around, still pounding the ball into the cement. "Hi B. What's up?"

"Not a hell of a lot. Just checking in." he noticed Nick's shirt was soaked through. "How are ya?"

"F'ing fantastic. Wanna play?" he asked, throwing the ball at Bri.

He caught it. "Why not? Where's the wife?"

"Probably driving as far away as she can get."

"Uh oh...Nicky..."

"Shoot the ball Bri."

He shot and missed the basket by a mile. "What happened now? Alannah?"

"No...Lou's secretary confirmed my appointment. NEVER booked one in the first place."

Brian turned around, "What? When?"

"Supposedly Friday afternoon." Nick shrugged, "Lis apparently thinks I shouldn't blow up over that fact."

"What did you tell the secretary?"

"Nothing she left the message on the machine. I'm not going Rok. I refuse to let him get to me."

"Nick he all ready has. Look at you."

"So I'm a little pissed off. It'll fade. But if I go there and see his scheming face I'm not sure I'll be able to control myself."

*****
AJ stretched out on the couch. "You know no one would believe us if we told them this whole story?"

Howie shrugged. "David and E believe it."

"Yeah but they've been part of some of it. I mean us just relaying the facts..."

"Could be right. Not that any of us are planning on writing a book right now J. We're more interested in living through it."

"Isn't that the truth." he asked, reaching for his pack of smokes on the table.

"Thought you were quitting." D asked as AJ pulled his lighter out of his pocket.

"Things have a way of changing."

*****
Lou let Paul into his office. "Thanks for coming on such short notice." Lou stated resuming his seat behind his desk.

"You sounded awful." Paul commented as he took a seat. "Not another situation I hope."

"It kind of appears that way."

"What now? I was hoping to be able to head home this week and classify this whole situation as being taken care of."

"I'd like this done and over with as much, if not more than you Paul. I can't wait to get back to business and out of this mind games situation we're in."

"So what's going on?"

"I've been getting some phone calls."

"What kind of phone calls?"

"Rather threatening ones"

"Didn't you say Nick and Brian were pranksters? Perhaps they're hoping to scare you away. I wouldn't take them too seriously."

"You haven't heard them."

"There's more then one?"

"Two in two days. I'm afraid there'll be more."

*****
Alec answered the door, "Excuse the mess. Kev dumped the suitcases in the hall and I don't have the energy to move a thing."

"No problem." Jenn answered for the rest of the wives and E as they made their way inside.

"Grab a seat anywhere." Alec said as they walked into the living room.

"Feels like awhile since we've had one of these." Shan commented, tossing her purse on the chair before sitting down.

"Definitely been awhile."

"So why am I here?" E asked.

"Because you can give us a straight answer on what was said at that meeting yesterday." Alec replied.

"Yeah, the Boys are staying pretty tightlipped and I don't want to bug David. He isn't even phoning me back when I page him." Lis stated.

E sighed as she poured herself a cup of tea. "I don't know all that much."

"But you do know more than we do. And us being in the dark in this situation is detrimental."

E sighed. "Strictly confidential all right? You don't say where you heard it."

"Course."

"Howie told them all about his original plan, offering what he thought was enough cash and collateral to buy out their supposed contracts or better put, buy their freedom and Paul literally laughed in his face. Hence we have Howie's recent snapping. At the meeting they suggested pooling the resources of the five of them...David shot it down."

"Good that would of been plain stupid." Ty stated.

"So now they're trying to find away to get them...Paul and Lou...there's an awful lot of research going on. David's working or planning on working 24/7 which explains why he never called you back."

"Are you helping?"

"They didn't ask."

"Want to help us?" Ty questioned. "We got dirt before. I think we could do it again."

"You're supposed to avoid stress Ty." Jenn reminded her.

"This whole situation is stress plain and simple. If we end it soon I can relax. Now who's with me?"

*****
AJ sat in the waiting room, flipping through one of the many outdated music magazines that sat there. He kept his eyes trained on the door to Lou's office, it wasn't like Lou to run behind and he'd all ready been waiting at least fifteen minutes. Tossing the magazine down behind him as he stood, he went over to Kendal's desk, flashing her his most charming smile. "Any word how much longer he'll be?"

Kendal looked up apologetically, "Nothing yet Mr..."

"AJ, call me AJ."

"All right, AJ he hasn't said anything to me yet."

"Okay, just I can't wait that much longer." he said patting the desk.

"Give him a few more minutes. I'll call in if he isn't out soon."

"Thank you."

Just as he was halfway back to the couch he'd been waiting on, the door to Lou's office opened and AJ turned around, his mouth opening in surprise as he saw who walked out. He turned his head as Paul walked by him and decided to follow at a safe distance. Kendal didn't see him leave as he slipped out of the outer office and down the hall behind him. What business did Paul have there? Or better question, what were they up to now?

*****
Lou walked out of his office, "AJ still waiting?" he asked.

"He was here a minute ago." she commented, looking out at the empty waiting room. "Maybe he went for a walk to stretch his legs. He's been waiting awhile."

"Well I'll leave the door open, tell him to just come in whenever he reappears."

"Sure." she set the files down on her desk. "Lou?"

"Yeah?"

"You all right?"

"Fine, just tired."

"I could reschedule AJ if you wanted...I'm sure he'd understand."

"No no that's all right. He's here anyways."

*****
Ducking around the corner, AJ leaned against the wall as he strained to hear Paul's conversation on the cell phone. All he could make out was mumbling. Damn the luck. He leaned his head back and watched as Paul walked to the elevators clicking his cell off. Checking his watch, he realized he'd been following him around at least ten minutes. Better get back to the office before they wondered where he disappeared to.

"This is a surprise AJ. I thought we were squared away for awhile." Lou said, leaning back in his chair.

"I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done Lou...with not putting out that press release and all...and backing away from the guys the last few days. I really appreciate it."

"No problem, you asked, thought it was only the right thing to do."

"It was."

"You look awfully zoned out Alex."

AJ sighed, fumbling for a cigarette. "Yeah well, been a stressful weekend ya know? Fights, Ty, not enough time with the wife..."

"Things will hopefully come together soon."

AJ lifted his eyes from his lighter at Lou's words. "Yeah you think?"

"Hopefully my keeping back the release and everything this weekend will show the other guys that I do care about the five of you...that I have only your best interests at heart."

"Wouldn't hold your breath Lou."

"Why not?"

"They're awfully pissed. I mean basically you've fucked with everyone's lives."

"That's what Tyler said earlier."

"Tyler?" AJ nearly choked on his cigarette.

Lou nodded, pushing a bottled water towards him. "Yeah, we had a little meeting. Nothing to serious."

*****
"Hello?"

"Ty what the hell..."

"AJ??"

"Yeah! Now do you want to tell me what the hell you were doing going to see Lou?"

"I needed to see him J."

"Oh really."

"Yeah, if you all can't find a way out of this mess I thought maybe he'd listen to me."

He laughed, "That's a good one."

*****
AJ frowned as he pulled up to the beach house and found it dark. It was nearly ten at night. Someone had to be there. Letting himself inside, he walked through the darkness, turning lights on as he went. "Hello? Anyone here?" Stopping at the bar he poured himself a drink. Seeing something on the table in the living room he turned the light on and headed in, stopping as he saw what lay there. Staring up at him were the other four contracts.

*****
Howie shook his head. "How the hell..."

"All the wives are out...having dinner together and looking after Ty. Haven't been here in hours. You, me and Kev have been at the office. Nick's been who knows where all day and Bri left a few hours ago. There's no way Rok would have laid them out like this...hell he probably would of tore them up and set them on fire."

Howie stared down at the contracts, beside each was an official TransCon pen. "We should get David here. Maybe call the cops...you check out the rest of the house?"

"Not yet..."

"Maybe we should wait..." D said anxiously.

AJ chuckled, "Afraid big poppa's hiding somewhere with a briefcase full of money?"

*****
David walked through the house. "No sign of forced entry anywhere." he informed the two men.

"Then how did they get in..."

"Picked a lock...jimmied a window..." David answered, "All sorts of ways..."

"Lou isn't that skilled..."

"What's the purpose though? Putting the four contracts in here...they'd have to know none of us would signed."

"Maybe he's hoping to get one of you to sway. Look at it this way. Howie's unstable at least in Paul's eyes right now. Maybe he'd sign just to save face."

"But he must of seen the fall out in the hotel lobby between us. He HAS to know I wouldn't be here." Howie stated.

"Maybe, maybe not. AJ stood up for Ty and Kev for AJ so they could think you're all mending the fences quicker."

*****
David opened the door to his office and stepped inside. Flicking on the lights his mouth opened in disbelief, half the room was trashed, papers were everywhere, the file cabinets were opened and his computer was on. "Shit."

E walked in behind him, "What the hell..."

"My thoughts exactly." he said as he walked through the files on the floor. "Right now I'm doubting this is a random act..."

"Who do you think?"

He laughed, "Come on E, you're not that naive are you? Lou...hell he printed off the charges to Nick..."

*****
Rereading what was on the computer screen he made a few final last minute changes and sent it through to the printer. Oh yes, this was a master touch. A beautiful piece of work. Taking the sheet of paper out he slid it into the envelope he'd addressed earlier and sealed it. Time was indeed beginning to run out.