Chapter 27
“That does not sound good,” Howie was biting his
nails as they heard the fourth or fifth gunshot and scream of pain from
upstairs.
“Maybe the FBI got in,” Brian was shaking like a
leaf. He was trying to finish a glass
of water, “It’s only the FBI...”
Howie stared at Brian’s blanching face with concern,
“Brian, you may want to lie down. You’re gonna faint.”
Brian nodded slowly and obeyed, letting his legs come
from underneath him, he fell onto the floor.
Howie continued to bite his nails and say silent prayers.
The harsh noises of throwing up came from the pantry
area, where Kevin was holding a trash bag under AJ. How Nick was sleeping through it all Howie did not know. He lie
perfectly still on the couch. Howie
frowned at his pallor and moved closer to him.
He touched Nick’s cool clammy skin, and laid his hand under his
nose. After a few seconds Howie felt
fear turning itself inside-out in his stomach, “GUYS, GUYS... HE’S NOT
BREATHING! HE’S NOT! WHAT DO I DO?!!” Brian and Kevin’s head snapped towards
Howie who was shaking Nick and demanding that he wake up and stop playing
around. Brian ran to them and fell
beside the couch, Kevin was soon to join him, glancing back at AJ who was
hurling his guts in the trash bag once again.
Kevin and Brian placed Nick flat on the floor and Kevin checked his
pulse, “It’s there...” He said with a sigh.
He tilted Nick’s head back and opened his mouth to make sure there was
nothing blocking his airways.
“I’m gonna give him mouth to mouth, see if it’ll
bring him around,” Kevin kneeled over Nick and pinched his nostrils
closed. After about two breaths, and
Brian’s second, “Please God”, Nick sputtered and came around. His eyes fluttered open with the oddest
expression in them. Kevin still leaned
over him staring at him like he was some new creature. Nick stared at Kevin and narrowed his eyes,
“Kev.... I don’t even wanna know why you’re straddling me.”
Kevin’s eyes got wide with incredulity. Brian
laughed, as Howie almost shouted, “Nick he just saved your life! You weren’t
breathing a minute ago!”
Kevin and Brian shot glares at Howie, then they all
looked back down at Nick who looked frightened, “Shit... What the hell
happened? I don’t even remember feeling me not... Oh my God.”
“Shh....shh,” Kevin sat him up slowly and held his
trembling body in his arms, “It’s ok now.
You’re gonna be fine.”
“But I... But I,” He broke off to cough.
“Shh...” Kevin soothed him, “We’ll be out of here in
a little while, and we’ll get you to a doctor.”
Brian and Howie sat for a minute watching Kevin
consoling Nick. Nick was a wheezing,
crying, trembling mess in his arms. They both jumped as AJ slumped down in
between them. Brian put his arms around
AJ letting him lean his warm head on his shoulder, “Are you ok, AJ?”
AJ nodded, “What happened?” he stared at Nick and
Kevin.
Howie stared at AJ, “We have to get out of here
Aje...”
AJ could have said “duh” to this, but after seeing
the dark look in Howie’s eyes he decided to keep it to himself. He sighed and stared back at Nick and
Kevin. Nick seemed near hysterical,
which wasn’t too good, since Nick was usually the one keeping them calm with
his dumb jokes. Kevin, who was the
collected one, looked like he was about burst into tears along with Nick.
“What the hell happened?” AJ blinked, he looked to
Brian and Howie who simply sat and trembled. The door at the top of the stairs
slammed open.
“Shit,” Brian glanced up at the door, “Shit.... They’re gonna shoot us... they shot everyone
upstairs, now they’re gonna shoot us.” His voice was high and whiny and his
breathing was as unsteady as Nick’s.
“Shut up, how do we know its not the FBI?” AJ
snapped, but changed his tune as he saw the skin tight black of a ninja suit,
“Damn... Damn...” He felt the contents
of his stomach revolting again. Not
again, there was nothing left. He
swallowed hard once, then twice.
Two ninjas in black now stood at the landing holding
their rifles firmly across their chests.
“Some things had to change around here,” the ninja in front spoke, then
paused and said in an almost whimsical voice, “As you’ve probably.. Heard...”
It had to be Brendon, “I am in charge now.”
“Oh God...” Brian had his head down in prayer.
“Zalia just wasn’t getting the job done, settling for
less money my ass. I know how much you boys are worth, and what we are
demanding is nothing less than highway robbery, for us!” Brendon began to pace
around the landing, as his accomplice stood firm in his one position. “Now...how shall we go about this? Should I shoot one of you for every hour
late they are with the money....Or should I... I.. Shoot you all anyway and
take the money and not have to worry about a risky exchange? You have all been more trouble than you’re
worth, especially him!” Brendon jerked his gun at Nick, who kept his head
buried in Kevin shoulder. His dry
heaves shaking Kevin’s body as well as his own. “We might just have to take Blondie out now, put him out of his
misery, what do ya say boys?”
All five of the Backstreet Boys remained silent.
Brendon laughed, “All right, so I see how it is. You want the weight of this whole decision
on my shoulders? Ok. Tell ya what? I’ll
go upstairs and talk the options over with the FBI, and then I’m gonna sleep on
it some.... Then I’ll, I’ll decide.”
With that he turned back towards the stairs. Brian choked back a scream when he saw the blood that had been
splattered over Brendon’s back areas.
Brendon chuckled, “Sorry, sat down in a bad place... I didn’t know
shooting a face off could be so messy.”
He disappeared through the door followed by his accomplice, “Sweet
dreams.”