"KEV, CAN WE PLEASE STOP AND REST?" HOWIE BEGS, AS THEY CONTINUE TO SPEED DOWN THE HIGHWAY.
"UH," KEVIN YAWNS, "I GUESS WE BETTER. I'M PRETTY RUN DOWN MYSELF." THEY DRIVE ALONG A LITTLE LONGER UNTIL THEY COME UP ON A ROADSIDE INN.
"ARE WE STOPPING HERE?" LAURA ASKS IN DISGUST, LOOKING AT THE RUN-DOWN BUILDING THAT LAY IN FRONT OF THEM.
"I DON'T CARE WHERE WE STOP, JUST AS LONG AS I GET SOME SLEEP." HOWIE WHINES, KICKING THE CAR DOOR OPEN. KEVIN AND LAURA WATCH FROM THE FRONT SEAT AS HOWIE TRUDGES DRUNKENLY INTO THE ENTRANCE, HIS DUFFEL SLUNG OVER
HIS LEFT SHOULDER AND HIS SLEEPING BAG TUCKED UNDER HIS RIGHT ARM.
"WELL, I GUESS I'LL GET MY STUFF." LAURA SAYS GROGGILY, OPENING HER DOOR.
"WHA?" SHE ASKS GROGGILY, STRETCHING HER ARMS. SHE YAWNS AS SHE SCOOTS OVER TO MAKE ROOM FOR NICK.
"SOMEONE JUST BOARDED THE BUS, AND," HE PAUSES TO YAWN. "I HAD TO GIVE UP MY SEAT."
"WOW, YOU SEEM TO BE FEELING BETTER." BRENDA SAYS, A SMILE ON HER FACE. "YOU WERE PRETTY BAD OFF LAST NIGHT."
"YEAH, TELL ME ABOUT IT." NICK AGREES, SCOOTING CLOSER TO BRENDA. "FOR AWHILE, I WAS FEELING PRETTY HIGH AND MIGHTY."
"YOU DON'T REMEMBER DOING ANYTHING WEIRD LAST NIGHT, DO YoU?" BRENDA QUIZZES, THE INCIDENT FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE STILL FRESH IN HER MEMORY.
NICK YAWNS. "NO, WHY?"
"NO REASON." BRENDA REPLIES HASTILY, AVOIDING MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH HIM.
"OH." NICK SAYS, LOOKING DOWN AT HIS LAP. "I'M STILL KINDA TIRED. AND MY STOMACH STILL KINDA ACHES. YOU DON'T MIND IF I GO BACK TO SLEEP, DO YOU?"
"NO, I WAS ABOUT TO ASK YOU THE SAME THING." BRENDA LAUGHS, GETTING SITUATED. SHE LIES HER HEAD AGAINST THE WINDOW, BUT CAN'T SEEM TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH HER HEAD PRESSED UP AGAINST THE GLASS. AND BY THE SQUIRMING COMING FROM NICK, HE APPARENTLY CAN'T GET COMFORTABLE EITHER.
"BRENDA?"
"HMMM?"
"CAN I LEAN ON YOU?"
"IT'S OKAY WITH ME AS LONG AS I CAN LEAN ON YOU." BRENDA REPLIES, SCOOTING TOWARDS HIM. SHE LAYS HER HEAD ON HIS SHOULDER AND NICK RESTS HIS HEAD ON
HER HEAD. SOON, THE SOUND OF THEIR RHYTHMIC BREATHING SLOWLY PUTS THE TWO OF THEM TO SLEEP.
"HEY, BREACH OF AGREEMENT, SLAVE." DIANA CUTS OFF. "REMEMBER, PERSONAL SLAVES DON'T TALK BACK." A.J FLOPS BACK IN HIS SEAT AND SULKS AS DIANA CONTINUES TO DRIVE.
AS SHE NEARS A GAS STATION, SHE PULLS IN, AND COMES TO
A STOP NEXT TO THE GAS PUMP. SHE TURNS AROUND TO A.J., A SMILE ONCE AGAIN ON HER FACE. "FILL HER UP." SHE COMMANDS. A.J. SIGHS AS HE OPENS THE DOOR AND PULLS HIMSELF UP FROM THE BACKSEAT. DIANA REMAINS IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, THE LOOK OF TRIUMPH NOT LEAVING HER FACE.
SUDDENLY, THERE'S A TAP ON HER WINDOW. WITH A SIGH, SHE ROWS DOWN THE WINDOW. "WHAT DO YOU WANT, A.J.?"
"I NEED TO PAY FOR THE GAS. GOT YOUR CREDIT CARD?" HE ASKS, STICKING HIS HAND THROUGH THE WINDOW.
DIANA LOOKS AT HIS HAND BLANKLY, THEN LOOKS BACK UP AT HIM. "DON'T YOU HAVE YOURS?" SHE ASKS INNOCENTLY. A.J. GRUMBLES SOMETHING AND TURNS BACK AROUND.
"OH, AND A.J.?" DIANA CALLS BEFORE ROWING UP HER WINDOW. "BRING ME A COKE AND A MAGAZINE WHEN YOU'RE DONE, OKAY?"
"WHATTAYA WANT?" THE MAN SNEERS, STILL GLARING AT KEVIN.
"WE'D LIKE ONE BEDROOM SUITE, PLEASE." KEVIN YAWNS, RUBBING HIS EYES.
"NOTTA ANUTHER ONE!" THE MAN BELLOWS, CAUSING LAURA AND KEVIN TO JUMP TO ATTENTION. " I SWEAR, YOU CITY SLICKERS ARE ALL ALIKE!" HE SNORTS AS HE PULLS OUT THE RECEIPT BOOK AND THROWS IT ON TO THE DESK. "WHY, IT WASN'T EVEN A FEW HOURS AGO THAT SOME YOUNGUN' FROM KENTUCKY AND HIS GIRLY-GIRL OR WHATEVER CHECKED OUT OF THIS HERE PLACE, ALL UPSET ABOUT HOW WE AIN'T GOT NO SUITES, GRIPING ABOUT HOW THEY WERE HEADING UP TO 'OL CHICAGIE AND NEEDED MORE SLEEP BEFORE THE TRIP, AND ALL, AND I JUST GOT FED UP AND TOLD THEM TO JUST..."
"WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WAIT A SECOND!" KEVIN INTERRUPTS, JUMPING TO LIFE. "DID YOU SAY A GUY FROM KENTUCKY AND A GIRL?!"
"YEAH, AND THEY'S WAS GRIPING ABOUT HOW..." THE GUY CONTINUES.
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEIR NAMES WERE?!" KEVIN ASKS, EXCITEDLY. LAURA SUDDENLY COMES TO AND JUMPS UP BESIDE HIM AT THE DESK. HOWIE REMAINS COMATOSE ON THE FLOOR.
"SORRY, SON. THAT INFORMATION'S CLASSIFIED. NO ONE HAS ACCESS TO IT BUT ME." THE MAN BELLOWS, OPENING UP THE RECEIPT BOOK.
"NO, PLEASE, SIR! WE'RE LOOKING FOR MY COUSIN, AND HE'S FROM KENTUCKY ,AND WE GOTTA FIND HIM...." KEVIN EXPLAINS.
"BECAUSE THEY'RE THE BACKSTREET BOYS AND IF THEY DON'T FIND HIM IT'S THE END OF THEIR CAREER AND THEN..." LAURA CONTINUES.
"ALRIGHT, THE WHOLE LOT OF YOU, OUT!" THE MAN YELLS, SLAMMING THE RECEIPT BOOK SHUT. "YOU'S ALL PLUM LOCO! AND THERE AIN'T GONNA BE NO CRAZIES RESTIN' UP HERE AT MY MOTEL, SO YA'LL JUST SKIDADDLE!"
"NO, PLEASE SIR, YOU GOTTA TELL US THEIR NAMES!" KEVIN YELLS, AS THE MAN COMES OUT FROM BEHIND THE COUNTER. "OUR CAREERS DEPEND ON IT! PLEASE, SIR! YOU GOTTA HELP US!"
SUDDENLY, THE MAN REACHES BEHIND THE COUNTER AND EXTRACTS A SAWED-OFF SHOTGUN. "BOY, YER RUBBING ME THE WRONG WAY." THE MAN GROWLS, COMING TOWARDS KEVIN, GUN IN HAND. KEVIN BACKS AWAY, EYES WIDE AND SET ON THE
GUN.
"NOW, I ADVISE YOU AND YER FRIENDS TO SKIDADDLE BEFORE YOU GOTTA TAKE IT UP WITH ME AND 'OL BESSY HERE." HE WARNS, PATTING THE GUN. LAURA QUICKLY STEPS BESIDE KEVIN AND BACKS TOWARDS THE DOOR.
"OKAY, OKAY, JUST DON'T D-DO ANYTHING DRAS-DRASTIC-TIC, PLEASE." KEVIN STUTTERS. "WE'LL B-BE LEAVING NOW." SLOWLY HE REACHES DOWN TO TAP HOWIE. HOWIE STIRS, BUT DOESN'T WAKE. "H-HOWIE? HOWIE, M-MAN? GET UP. WE'RE
LEAVING."
"WHA? WHAT?" HOWIE SQUIRMS, COMING TO. HE SITS UP AND BLINKS, LETTING HIS EYES ADJUST TO THE LIGHT OF THE ROOM. HE TURNS TO SEE THE PUDGY MAN COCK HIS GUN AND STEADY IT ON HIM AND KEVIN. "KEVIN?" HOWIE ASKS
WORRIEDLY, EYES WIDE. "WHY IS THERE A MAN POINTING A SHOTGUN AT OUR HEADS?"
"'CAUSE I'M TELLING YOU AND YER OTHER FRIENDS TO GIT OUTTA HERE!" THE MAN SNORTS, NOT LETTING THE GUN FALTER.
"GEE, NOT A FIRM BELIEVER IN THE "SERVICE WITH A SMILE" EPIC, IS HE?" HOWIE QUIZZES, LOOKING UP AT KEVIN.
"GIT OUT!' THE MAN YELLS, STEPPING CLOSER TO THEM.
"NOW, NOW," HOWIE BEGINS, PLAYING HIS SIGNATURE ROLE OF THE PEACEMAKER, "MAYBE WE SHOULD SIT DOWN AND TALK THIS ALL OUT..."
IN RESPONSE TO HOWIE'S SUGGESTION, THE MAN SHOOTS OUT THE LIGHT ABOVE THEIR HEADS.
"OR MAYBE NOT!" HOWIE SQUEAKS, FROZEN TO HIS SPOT ON THE FLOOR IN FEAR.
"GIT OUT!" THE MAN SCREAMS, FIRING 'OL BESSY AT THEM ONCE MORE. NOT HAVING TO BE TOLD TWICE, THEY GRAB THEIR LUGGAGE AND DASH OUT THE DOOR; LAURA RACING AHEAD OF KEVIN, WHO DRAGS A SCREAMING HOWIE INTO THE PARKING
LOT LATCHED ON HIS LEG. THE PUDGY MAN PURSUES THEM OUT INTO THE PARKING LOT, STILL FIRING THE RIFLE LIKE A MADMAN.
HOWIE REMOVES HIMSELF FROM KEVIN'S LEG AND DIVES INTO THE BACKSEAT AS THE OTHER TWO JUMP INTO THE
FRONT. WITH THE MAN ONLY A FEW YARDS AWAY FROM THEM, KEVIN GUNS THE ENGINE TO A ROAR, AND PEELS OUT OF THE PARKING LOT ON TO THE BARREN HIGHWAY.
THE PUDGY MAN FINALLY COMES TO A STOP AND WATCHES AS THE TRIO SPEEDS AWAY, A SMILE OF SATISFACTION SPREADING ACROSS HIS FACE. "YEP, BESSY," HE SIGHS, LOOKING DOWN IN ADMIRATION AT HIS GUN. "WE SURE TAUGHT THEM YOUNGUNS NOT TO MESS WITH US." HE CHUCKLES AS HE WALKS INSIDE THE ENTRANCE AND STEPS UP TO HIS DESK.
"YEP, WE SURE TAUGHT THEM.... NOW HOLD ON HERE." THE MAN EXCLAIMS, LOOKING AT HIS DESK. "MY RECEIPT BOOK IS A-MISSIN!" FUMING MAD, HE WHIRLS AROUND TO FACE THE DOOR. "THEM YOUNGUNS TOOK MY BOOK!" HE GLARES OUT ON TO THE HIGHWAY, EYES SQUINTED INTO LITTLE SLITS. "BUT THEY AIN'T GONNA GET AWAY WIT IT." HE GROWLS, COCKING HIS GUN. "NO SIR, THEY AIN'T." HE FINISHES AS HE MAKES HIS WAY TO THE DOOR.
