"THAT'S IT! THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WORTH LISTENING TO ON THIS RADIO!" ESTHER EXCLAIMS, MOVING HER HAND SWIFTLY OVER THE OFF SWITCH. SHE FLOPS BACK IN THE CAR SEAT AND LOOKS OUT THE WINDOW AT THE SHADOWY LAND MASSES OF THE NIGHT FLY PAST HER VIEW. FINALLY TIRING OF IT, SHE CLOSES HER EYES.
THE CRAMPED STYLE OF THE CONTOUR HER AND BRIAN HAD MADE THEIR GETAWAY IN WAS REALLY STARTING TO BUG HER. SHE SIGHS WHILE PONDERING WHAT ALL HAD HAPPENED THAT DAY.
HER AND BRIAN HAD STAYED BACK AT THE BUS EARLY THAT
MORNING WHILE THE OTHERS HAD WENT DOWN TO THE STUDIO FOR PHOTO SHOOTS AMONGST OTHER THINGS BEFORE THEY LEFT FOR CHICAGO ON WEDNESDAY. BRIAN, BEING DONE WITH ALL HIS WORK UNTIL THEY TOURED TO CHICAGO, HAD TAKEN THE
DAY OFF, SO NO ONE SUSPECTED ANYTHING WHEN HE STAYED AT THE BUS.
ONCE THE GROUP HAD LEFT, HER AND BRIAN HAD SPRANG INTO ACTION, GATHERED WHAT LITTLE LUGGAGE THEY COULD MANAGE TO CARRY ON FOOT, AND SNUCK OUT A BACK ENTRANCE WAY FROM THE PARKING LOT, SO AS NO SECURITY GUARDS COULD STOP THEM.
FROM THERE, HER AND BRIAN HAD HOOFED EXPRESSED IT TO THE NEAREST RENTAL CAR DEALERSHIP AND BORROWED THE CHEAPEST THING AVAILABLE ON THE LOT. THEY PROMPTLY LOADED THEIR LUGGAGE AND HAD NOW BEEN ON THE ROAD NOW FOR ALMOST 10 HOURS. ESTHER HAD BEEN WORKING FOR AT LEAST 6 OF THOSE HOURS TRYING TO ENTERTAIN HERSELF, UNSUCCESSFULLY. THE RADIO BEING HER LAST HOPE OF
AMUSEMENT, SHE CAN'T HELP BUT SIGH AGAIN.
"YOU TIRED?" BRIAN ASKS, GLANCING FROM THE ROAD AT ESTHER. SHE WRIGGLES AROUND IN HER SEAT TO FACE HIM.
"YEAH." SHE REPLIES, STRETCHING HER ARMS AS SHE LOOKS UP AT THE CLOCK. THE NUMBERS GLOW BACK AT HER IN THE DARK. 10:15.....
"AT THE TONE, IT WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 10:15." HOWIE REPLIES IN A FAKE VOICE, HITTING THE SIDE OF HIS WATCH AS IF IT WERE A TIMER.
"MAYBE WE SHOULD REPORT THEM MISSING DOWN AT THE POLICE STATION." DIANA SUGGESTS, LOOKING UP AT KEVIN, WHO'S ALSO EVALUATING THE SITUATION.
"WE CAN'T REPORT THEM UNTIL THEY'VE BEEN MISSING 24 HOURS." HOWIE POINTS OUT, BRUSHING HER SUGGESTION ASIDE. EVERYONE STARES AT KEVIN, WAITING FOR HIS INPUT.
"FIRST, WE NEED TO KNOW WHY THEY LEFT." HE FINALLY SPEAKS UP WHILE RUBBING HIS CHIN WITH HIS FOREFINGERS.
"DOES ANYBODY RECALL BRIAN OR ESTHER MENTIONING LEAVING LIKE THIS?" DIANA QUESTIONS, GETTING FRANTIC. "KEVIN?" SHE ASKS; HE SHAKES HIS HEAD. DIANA TURNS. "HOWIE?" HE AVOIDS MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH HER BY LOOKING AT THE
CEILING AND SHRUGGING.
"HOWIE?" LAURA THREATENS, STEPPING TOWARDS HIM WITH THE REST OF THE GROUP ALSO ENCIRCLING HIM. "WHAT DO YOU KNOW?"
"WELL," HOWIE STARTS, CLEARING HIS THROAT, "I KNOW YOUR BASIC ALGEBRA, A LITTLE CHEMISTRY, MASTERED THEATRICAL ARTS, AND YOUR SHAKESPEAREAN LITERATURE...."
"YOU KNOW WHAT WE MEAN." LAURA GROWLS, AS THE GROUP CORNERS HOWIE ON TO THE COUCH.
"UH," HOWIE SQUEAKS, "BRIAN MIGHT HAVE MENTIONED SOMETHING TO ME..." IT TAKES ONLY A FEW MINUTES FOR HOWIE TO CRACK AND CONFESS ALL HE KNOWS TO THE GROUP. OF COURSE, HE HAS EVERYONE'S FISTS IN HIS FACE FOR
ENCOURAGEMENT.......
INSTANTLY, N'SYNC'S "I WANT YOU BACK" SURROUNDS HER AND BRIAN, WHO LOOKS AT THE TAPE PLAYER IN DISGUST. "HOW DARE YOU LISTEN TO THE ENEMY." HE GROWLS SARCASTICALLY. "AND IN MY PRESENCE, NO LESS."
"OH, C'MON." ESTHER LAUGHS, CRANKING UP THE VOLUME. "YOU HAVE TO ADMIT, THEY ARE PRETTY GOOD."
"BUT THEY'RE THE ENEMY!" BRIAN EXCLAIMS, OPENING HIS EYES WIDE.
"YEAH, AND THEY'RE ALSO SIGNED TO THE SAME LABEL AS YOU TOO!" ESTHER FIRES BACK, SMACKING HIM LIGHTLY ON THE ARM. "YOU KNOW, THAT JUSTIN DUDE IS A LOT LIKE YOU."
"THEN THAT MAKES THEM TRAITORS AS WELL!" BRIAN LAUGHS LOUDLY. "DEATH TO THE TYRANT!"
"HEY, THAT JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE IS FINE!" ESTHER DEFENDS BREATHLESSLY, LETTING HER TONGUE HAND OUT AS SHE PANTS DRAMATICALLY.
"AND I'M NOT?!" BRIAN CRIES, A CRUSHED LOOK ON HIS FACE.
"OH, NOW I DIDN'T SAY THAT." ESTHER REPLIES SWEETLY WITH A SMILE. SLOWLY BRIAN LEANS OVER AND KISSES HER TENDERLY....
"HE JUST SAID THEY'D LEAVE WITH NO TRACE." HE REPLIES IN A SMALL VOICE. "YOU AREN'T MAD AT ME FOR NOT SAYING ANYTHING SOONER, ARE YOU?" DIANA MAKES LIKE SHE'S GOING TO SLAP HIM AND HE SCURRIES OFF BEHIND LAURA TO SEEK PROTECTION.
"SHOULD WE CONTACT J?" A.J ASKS WITH CONCERN.
"MAYBE WE SHOULD CALL THE POLICE." LAURA ADDS, REACHING FOR THE PHONE.
"GUYS, GUYS," KEVIN BUTTS IN, RAISING HIS VOICE OVER THE COMMOTION. AS THE GROUP CALMS DOWN, HE CONTINUES. "OK, ESTHER AND BRIAN ARE GONE. THAT MUCH WE KNOW. AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE. IF WE WERE TO CALL J OR THE POLICE, IT WOULD ONLY CAUSE MORE TROUBLE."
"SO WHAT DO WE DO?" DIANA HUFFS, HANDS ON HER HIPS.
"WE'LL HAVE TO THINK OF SOMETHING." HE SIGHS, GOING BACK INTO HIS TRANCE.
"HEY, I HAVE AN IDEA!" HOWIE BURSTS HAPPILY, CENTERING HIMSELF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GROUP. LAURA SNICKERS BUT IS SHUSHED BY KEVIN AS HOWIE CAREFULLY LAYS OUT THE PLOT OF HIS HAIR-BRAIN SCHEME.
