Chapter 19:

 

The Visit

Nick sighed impatiently, shifting from one foot to another, and glanced at Brian who was leaning over a glass counter. When Brian said he wanted to go shopping Nick didn’t think he meant this. He walked over to his friend, ignoring the stare of the two women employees, and gazed down to see what Brian was examining.

"Come on Bri, decide. Jeez." He reached over and grabbed what was in his friend’s hand, whistling at the price. "Eight thousand dollars?" He remembered the joke Xavier made this morning. "You’re buying this for X? Damn! You’ve never bought me a watch."

Brian took the watch from Nick’s grasp and gave it back to the salesman, nodding his approval. "You never saved my life, Frack," he said dryly.

"Picky, picky," complained Nick good-naturedly. He was relieved to see the salesman wrapping up the package, eager to head over to the sporting goods store he had spied nearby. Brian shoved the small box into Nick backpack, then placed his oversized sunglasses and red baseball cap on.

Nick did the same, only with wrap around frames and a blue cap. Both surveyed their disguises. "You look like a dork," teased Nick. Brian stuck out his tongue. "Yep, act like one too."

Brian held the door open and waved Nick through dramatically. "Okay, your turn to pick."

Nick pointed out the store across the street. Brian smiled, turned to Nick and said, "Race you," sprinting off before his finished speaking the dare. Nick swore, tearing off after him.

* * * * *

The cab driver swung into the coliseum parking lot and came to an abrupt halt at a maintenance entrance. Brian and Nick both leaned over to inspect the meter and Brian groaned. Nick, on the other hand, crowed with delight at the amount displayed and punched his friend in the arm. "Twenty-eight fifty!" he boasted, delighted. "I‘m the closest. I win. Pay him."

Nick jumped out of the car and waited as Brian fished out his wallet. He barely had time to hand the driver his money before the cabbie took off, screeching his tires as he left.

Shaking their heads, they watched the cab driver race away, then looked at each other and began to laugh.

"Damn, he’s almost as bad as those drivers we had in Florence!" Brian commented, remembering the tour they had in Italy.

Nick held open the side door as he and Brian walked through. "Almost," he agreed. They hurried down the hallway, searching for the rest of the gang. They had decided to meet them here at 4:00 p.m., but due to an intense game at an arcade shop, Nick and Brian were late. They jogged swiftly until the reached the arena, scanning for life. Except for a few hands milling about on stage, Kevin, AJ and Howie were nowhere in sight.

Guess we aren’t so late after all," said Nick, relieved.

"Yeah. Let’s go find the others," Brian suggested, nodding towards the backstage. They hopped up easily onto the stage, nodding their hellos to the stagehands.

"Nick!"

Both Brian and Nick turned around to see Aaron come flying down a side aisle. Nick met him halfway and Brian smiled as he watched the two greet each other. Brian’s smile faded as he saw Xavier, slowly walking down the steps behind Aaron. His stomach tightened into knots as he watched Xavier catch up to the two brothers, placing a hand on Aaron’s head and giving a playful ruffle with his hair. Not being able to hear what was said Brian watched their movements, seeing Aaron excitedly turn to Xavier. The young kid’s face was animated, his arms enthusiastically waving as he told some interesting story to Nick that obvious involved the bodyguard. Xavier nodded at something Aaron was describing to Nick then looked up over Aaron’s head to gaze at Brian standing up on the stage. Holding Brian’s eyes with his own he smiled, then in an exaggerated gesture brought his hands around Aaron’s throat, in a dramatic mock strangle.

Sick to his stomach, Brian heard Nick and Aaron laugh at Xavier’s antic, knowing full well Xavier’s real goal. He kept his face impassive, realizing Xavier’s need to get a rise out him. He held Xavier’s stare, calm, not giving an inch. Xavier finally nodded, a faint smile of defeat twisting the corner of his mouth as Brian recognized that he had won this round. Brian exhaled with a shaky breath, not realizing he had been holding it in. He continued to watch the three down below him, his mind racing. He knew with out a doubt that Aaron was in danger. Desperate to get Aaron away from Xavier he nervously bit his lower lip, anxiously searching for an idea. Preoccupied, Brian never heard AJ sneaking up. He grabbed Brian’s shoulders and gave them a shake, leaning close enough to yell "Boo!" in his ear.

In shock, Brian swore angrily at AJ, upset by his mischievous prank.

"Whoa! Bri, chill out, okay?" said AJ, surprised by his hostile manner.

Brian replied with a glare and turned his attention back to Xavier, Nick and Aaron. AJ followed Brian’s lead. "Hey, there’s Aaron. Aaron! Dude!" AJ yelled to catch his attention. Aaron waved at AJ then continued talking to Nick and Xavier. "Cool. When did he get here?"

"Today," Brian answered, noticing Howie and Kevin entering from the far left of the arena with their duffel bags. AJ, noticing Brian’s curt answer, studied his friend who was studying Xavier. Feeling again uncomfortable, AJ figured now was a good time as any to talk to Brian about the bodyguard.

"Hey Brian," AJ began, "what do you think of Xavier?"

Brian stiffened at his question, alarmed. "Think? What do you mean?"

AJ shrugged. "I don’t know. He makes me sorta uneasy, ya know? Like he knows a secret that we don’t. I don’t like him."

Brian felt a rush as his heart began to beat faster. That AJ noticed something peculiar about Xavier was alarming. AJ had good instincts and if he decided to investigate further, the results could be disastrous. Sickened by the prospect, Brian’s fear gave way to anger at AJ’s chillingly accurate opinion. In alarm, Brian turned on his friend.

"You don’t like him?" he sneered. "Because he’s good at his job? Because he saved my ass? Because he’s my bodyguard instead of yours? I think you’re jealous."

AJ, stung by Brian’s vicious attack, was at loss for words, but not for long. "Fuck you, Littrell," he hissed, not wanting the others to hear. "I just thought I’d tell you how I felt."

"Nobody cares what you think, especially me. I like Xavier, so screw you."

AJ took his glasses off to glare at Brian, pissed. "Fine, asshole. Just don’t come running to me if you have a problem."

Brian matched AJ’s glare. "I won’t."

AJ left the stage, ignoring the hellos from Nick and Kevin, who were walking up on stage. Howie jerked a thumb at AJ’s retreating figure. "What’s up with him?" he questioned Brian.

Brian, shaking inside from his confrontation with AJ, shrugged and mumbled, "Who knows?" He felt nauseous and hurried from the stage, in a hurry to find a restroom. He fled past Nick and Aaron, ignoring the interested look from Xavier. Banging the men’s room door open with his foot he ran to the sink, hyperventilating. He grabbed the sides of the porcelin sink with both hands, letting the bowl hold him up as he panted, fighting the urge to vomit.

"Brian?"

Brian twisted his head at the sound of his name and saw Aaron standing in the doorway, a curious look on his face. Brian turned away, not willing to face him. He grabbed the sink tighter, trying to compose his thoughts. Finally he swung his head back look at Aaron, hoping he had the guts to do it. First AJ, now Aaron. He took a deep breath.

"What the hell do you want, Aaron?"

"Uh, I just wanted to say hi, see if you’re okay."

"Do I look okay?" Brian barked.

"No."

"Smart boy. Now why don’t you just leave? Better yet, why don’t you go back home?"

"Huh?"

Brian could hear the confusion in Aaron’s voice and forced himself to go on. "You heard me. You really are a pain-in-the-ass, Aaron, you know that? Nobody wants you here, especially me. I had planned to do some things with Nick, but we can’t, now that you’re here."

Aaron couldn’t answer, the stunned look on his face preventing him from speaking.

Brian smiled grimly at Aaron, shoving himself away from the sink and walked menacingly over to him. Aaron stepped back a few paces, alarmed by Brian’s presence.

"Go home," Brian whispered cruelly. "And quit hanging around Xavier. He’s my bodyguard. I’m not gonna pay good money to have him babysit you."

"But Nick wants…" Aaron started.

"Nick doesn’t want you around either. He only took you because of your whining. Grow up, you little asshole."

Aaron looked down at his shoes, shaken at Brian’s words. "Okay," he said softly.

Brian sucked in his breath, not daring to hope. "Okay, what?"

"I’ll leave."

Brian tried not to show the relief in his voice. "Good. And if you’re a man, you won’t whine and cry about it. Just keep it to yourself, okay?"

Aaron didn’t reply, and Brian anxious to make sure, grabbed Aaron’s face with his hand.

"Right?"

Brian saw the tears forming in Aaron’s eyes but they didn’t spill. "Right," he whispered.

"Good. Now get the fuck outta here."

Brian watched as Aaron fled, weak with relief. He could hardly believe it. It worked. He started to laugh shakily at the thought of using intimidation to get what he wanted. That was Xavier’s trick and he had just used it successfully in the game of wills against the bodyguard.

Brian walked tiredly over to the sink again and turned on the faucet. He stuck his hands under the cool water then brought them up to his face, watching himself in the mirror. He stared at his reflection for a moment. He thought about the pain and hurt he caused and would probably cause again to insure everyone’s safety. But I can do it, he thought with wonder. I can survive this game and I’m going to win. Even if it kills me.

***

 

 

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