****
“There you are!” Justin’s voice echoed in Johnny’s large house. He ran up and hugged Sophie.
“Yes, was I lost again?” She asked, hugging him back.
“I’ve been calling you all day!”
“Me too.” Joey added, hugging them both. Sophie chuckled and wiggled out of the fast growing group hug.
“I’m sorry guys, I forgot my phone and when I checked my messages I got Johnny’s saying that you were all going to be here, so I figured calling would just be silly.”
“I guess that’s an acceptable answer.” JC said, strolling up behind them. “I was just going to ask why my call wasn’t returned either.”
“Is this Steve?” Sophie said, motioning to the man beside Joey.
“Yup. This is the big bro. Steve, this is Sophie.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too. Damn you’re even better looking than Joe said you were.”
“Um, thanks. So, um, guys, do you know why we’re here?”
“I know, I know. Pick me!” Chris yelled from the top of the stairs. Dani pushed past him and went down the stairs.
“It took you guys long enough to get here. Sophie I can excuse, but you four knew where you were going.”
“Four?” Sophie asked.
“Yeah, I’m here too.” Lance said, getting up from a large chair concealed by a wall. He had been watching Sophie since she walked in. Today she was dressed in dark jeans, a deep purple tank top, and a gray zippered sweater jacket. It was casual, but like everything else Sophie ever wore, she could have worn it to the Oscars and no one would have batted an eye. In fact, they probably would have congratulated her on her amazing sense of style. She seemed instantly at home in the large mansion and utterly unimpressed the way all other people were. She touched nothing and stood very quietly, yet she seemed to fill the entire room with her presence. Justin had broken whatever magic Sophie exuded when he started yelling.
“So if you’re so smart old man, why don’t you tell us what’s going on?” Justin asked with his hands on his hips.
“Yeah, I’ve got some serious partying to do tonight.” Joey giggled, winking at Steve.
“You’re here because you have an assignment for tomorrow.”
“Um, the concert?” Joey asked Johnny as the older man came into the room and took a seat on his couch. He motioned for the others to sit as well.
“Well, yes. You have a concert tomorrow night, but you’ve gotten the chance to do something else.”
“And that would be… what?” Lance said in his own managerial voice.
“Disney is doing a special with different celebrities doing scavenger hunts through different parks. They asked that you participate and I haven’t called them back yet because I wanted to discuss it with you, but I think it would be a good idea.”
“I don’t know Johnny, I was kinda hoping to sleep late and all that.” Justin said.
“And I was going to meet up with Brad and Alex at the studio to talk over some new tracks.” JC added, rubbing his face.
“This would mean that I wouldn’t be able to club all night, wouldn’t it?” Joey asked.
“If you guys don’t want to do it that’s fine. But as your manager, I have to say that I strongly recommend that you do.”
“Sir?” Sophie spoke up.
“Yeah Sophie?”
“I was just wondering, why was I included in this particular meeting? I mean, you’d have to let the other crew know what was going on anyway.”
“Actually Sophie, I was hoping that you’d help me out with this one. What’s your take on this scavenger hunt?” All eyes turned to Sophie and she pressed her lips in concentration.
“Which park would it be?”
“MGM, but they said we could request another. They’re open to any suggestions the guys have.”
“And would it all have to be completed in one day?”
“Actually no, if they decide to do this then we’d break it up into two days. Tomorrow and the twenty-sixth.”
“Does that interfere with anything else on the tour?”
“Only that instead of taking a bus to New Orleans they guys would get another day in their own beds and fly.”
“Ok, so what does this scavenger hunt entail anyway?” Sophie sat back and folded her arms; seeming to really be considering what Johnny was about to say.
“Well, the guys break up into two teams and they each have a professional camera crew and then their own hand held cameras. They start from the same point but from them on they both have different clues and find different things. It’s not really timed, but whichever team finishes first gets all the glory. And I guess there’s a few companies who are donating the things they find and also money to the charity of the guys’ choice. Which would obviously be Challenge for the Children.”
“So not only do they get to run around a theme park for two days, it’s for charity?” Sophie said, her eyes smiled at Johnny.
“Right.” Johnny returned. “But if you guys don’t want to do it, that’s completely ok with me. You’ve been working really hard and you deserve a break.”
“I think it sounds fun. I just wish I could go.” Sophie added.
“It does sound fun.” JC said slowly.
“But the teams are uneven.” Chris piped up.
“Well, you could always bring Dani.” Johnny said. “The fans love her.”
“Can I come too Johnny?” Steve asked.
“Well sure, but then somebody else has got to come along.”
“Somine!” Justin cried happily, throwing his arm around her shoulder.
“Sophie is a definite choice.” Johnny laughed. “Does this mean you want to do it?”
“I’m up for it.” JC said nodding.
“Me too.”
“Yeah, I’m in.”
“Well…. Ok.”
“Does it have to be MGM? There’s going to be such an MMC connection.” Justin added. JC grunted and made a face.
“He’s right.”
“Hey, they’re flexible. You can have any park in the Orlando area. Well, except Typhoon Lagoon.”
“Why not there?” Lance asked, curious.
“They’re saving that for Christina Aguilera.”
“Oh, water park. Bikinis.” Chris leaned over to Dani. “It’s a sex thing.” He nodded knowingly. The others laughed.
“So everybody’s in huh?” Johnny asked.
“Yeah.” They chorused.
“Ok then, while I’m gone I want ya’ll to come up with the teams.” Johnny smiled and got up to call the people at Disney. The others just sort of looked around at each other, trying to divide themselves.
“Since we’re allowed to take other people, could I have Brad and Alex? We really do need to talk a little business tomorrow, so we could do that between takes or whatever?” JC said, making an apologetic face.
“It still works, as long as nobody else brings anybody.” Lance said.
“I’m satisfied.” Justin smiled. “So what are the teams?” They all looked around. Chris was the first to speak.
“Well, you all know I can’t go anywhere without my precious JC!” He jumped into JC’s lap and hugged him tightly.
“Dude, get off me.” JC laughed. He shoved Chris to the floor and shook his head. “Ok, so I guess Chris is with me, however scary that is, and of course Brad, Alex, and I guess, Dani?”
“Yeah.” She sighed playfully as she helped Chris to his feet. “But only because we have to split up the girls.”
“So that leaves Joey, Steve, Justin, Sophie, and myself on the other team.” Lance added.
“Ya think you can handle us all Sophie my love?” Joey said, wiggling his eyebrows.
“Bring it on Joey Beautiful. By the end of the say I’ll have all of you eating out of my hand.”
“I’d be willing to that now.” Steve laughed. Sophie blushed and lowered her head. She gasped all of a sudden.
“You didn’t tell Johnny what park you wanted to go to.”
“Epcot.” They all answered in unison, as if it were a given.
“Did I miss something here?”
“Only the fact that you’ve been wasting your time with these boys and it’s time you were with a real man.” Steve said, kissing her hand. Sophie withdrew it gingerly.
“Down boy. I meant, about the Epcot thing.”
“We love that place.” Justin said with a shrug and a smile.
“There are usually less people there, for one.” Lance added.
“And they’re usually older too. It’s less of a security thing for us.” JC stated matter-of-factly. “Besides, I love that boat ride in Norway.” They all started to laugh at the look of pure joy JC gave them.
“I’ve never been there.” Sophie said apologetically.
“Never?” Dani asked. “Dang girl, where have you been all your life?”
“England?” Sophie laughed.
“Oh yeah.”
“That settles it then Somine,” Justin said happily. “Part of our mission on this scavenger hunt is to show you the boring wonders of Epcot Center.”
“It’s boring? But I thought you liked it.”
“We do like it. It’s just, in comparison to the Magic Kingdom it’s a little… stiff.” Lance said as he yawned and stretched back on the sofa’s comfy back.
“It’s way better when you go ‘drinking ‘round the world’.” Joey whispered in her ear.
“Joey Beautiful, I’m shocked.” Sophie giggled.
“Are you coming out with us tonight?” He asked.
“Only as a chaperone to make sure you get in at a decent hour.” She said sternly.
“Who cares why you’re coming? I’m just happy. Who else is going parytin tonight?” Joey cried, jumping to his feet and pulling Sophie with him. Holding her close to his body and swaying to the music already playing in his head.