Chapter 86:

 

Confusion

It took all of his willpower to concentrate on what Sam was saying while at the same time trying to discreetly watch Xavier. Tensing up whenever the bodyguard spoke, Kevin kept himself as distant as he could from Xavier, not completely confident of his own ability to mask his feelings. He sighed inwardly, wanting badly to know how AJ and Nick were faring with Brian but knew he'd just have to wait and find out later.

Sam seemed to be doing a pretty good job at keeping Xavier busy, posing all sorts of questions to him and the other bodyguard, Eric. Kevin sneaked a quick glance at his watch as the three rounded the corner ahead of him, trying to gauge how much time Nick and AJ needed. He bumped right into Xavier, who had halted abruptly in front of him and Kevin looked up, startled.

"Oh, sorry about…," he blurted out then stopped, his voice fading as he saw Brian standing next to Xavier. His cousin's face was flush, his eyes too bright and Kevin had to stop himself from asking frantically what was wrong. Xavier knew though. With a special smile he fished out a small bottle, shaking two pills out. Brian impatiently snatched them from his hand and swallowed them whole, closing his eyes. When he opened them a second later, he looked directly into Kevin's eyes, daring him, challenging him to pass judgment.

Knowing Xavier's eyes were upon him, Kevin shrugged indifferently, as if bored by the whole interruption. Inside, his mind was screaming. What was Brian doing here? Where were AJ and Nick? What could have possibly happened in that short amount of time?

He listened carefully as Brian told Xavier in no uncertain terms that he wanted to leave. The bodyguard nodded and turned to Sam, his eyebrows raised in question. "Need me for anything else?" Xavier didn't give Sam time to object. "No? Okay. Guess I'll take Brian back to the hotel." He slapped a heavy hand onto Brian's shoulder and Kevin watched his cousin wince as they walked away.

Throwing Sam a concerned look, Kevin quickly turned and shouted, "Hold up!" Xavier and Brian twisted their heads to see Kevin hurrying to catch up with them. "I need a ride to the hotel too," he informed them bluntly and walked ahead of them, opening the exit door with a flourish. He ignored Brian's peculiar stare and smiled grimly to himself, vowing to find out once they reached the hotel just what the hell had happened.

* * * * * * * * *

AJ grabbed Nick and hauled him back, keeping him from running after Brian. "Don't!" he said harshly, shaking his head. "Brian is in too much pain. Let him go. We can find him later."

"But.…," began Nick, his head turning frantically from AJ to Brian as he watched his friend disappear around a corner.

"Nick! I said let him go! If you follow him, he'll only get angrier!"

Nick ran his hand through his hair, spinning on his heel in frustration. "God, AJ! What the hell are we going to do?"

AJ closed his eyes in resignation. "I don't know." He followed Nick out of the conference room and stopped for a second to put his glasses on. "Let's go find someone to take us to the hotel. We gotta talk to D."

* * * * * * * * *

Brian could sense the slight aggravation in Xavier's attitude as he drove them to the hotel, but was too tired to give it much thought. All he wanted to do right now was to make it to the hotel and sleep for about a hundred years. Sleep. It had such a soothing, alluring appeal, something he thought about constantly. It offered everything he wanted. No pain, no fear, no nothing. Glancing at Xavier's coat pocket, Brian felt a flush of anger surging through him, resentful that he had complete control over the pain killers. Brian wondered how many Xavier still had, how many it would take to guarantee no more pain, ever. A dull throb pulsated down his back and jolted Brian out of his daydream, slightly shocked at where his thought process was going. Was he thinking about himself or Xavier? Did he wish it was him or the bodyguard that was dead? Dismayed and shocked at how the medication warped his thinking, his pressed his lips together tightly, vowing to wean himself off the pills, regardless of how desperately he wanted them. He needed to be thinking clearly for the next few days. Just a few more days and then this nightmare would be over. He could last till then. He must. He would.

* * * * * * * * * *

Kevin kept his face turned towards the window, his elbow propped on the armrest, his hand covering his mouth as if casually contemplating the passing scenery. Instead, his mind was racing, screaming with worry, trying without success to figure just what had happened back at the arena. The plan had seemed so simple, so perfect. Find Brian. Convince Brian. Save Brian. End of story. Only everything had exploded into one big mess. Not only did it look like AJ and Nick were unsuccessful, Brian's wild-eyed plea to leave only confused things further. And what the hell had Xavier given Brian? He had seen Xavier's knowing little smile, had known that Brian frantically wanted the pills. Was Brian addicted? Is that how X had control over him? Through drugs? Kevin shook his head. There was more to it than just that. Much more. But what exactly?

Kevin turned his gaze away from the window to glance at his cousin. Brian seemed asleep, something for which Kevin was grateful for. He wanted Brian to get all the rest he could cause as soon as they reached the hotel he was going to get to the bottom of this, once and for all.

* * * * * * * * * *

Nick felt AJ slap him on the arm, pointing down the hallway to where the rest of their bodyguards stood. He nodded, following the smaller singer over to where they were, his mind playing over and over again what had happened just moments before. He was still in a state of disbelief, in complete shock over Brian's appearance and behavior. He had been so sure, so positive that everything would be all right once they reached Brian that it never dawned on him that things might not turn out as planned. Everything had exploded in his face, gone so wrong, so horribly wrong that it took all he had not to cry out in despair when he saw Brian's chest. He felt like breaking down right then and there when he realized what Brian had suffered because of their stupidity with the accountants. Now, Brian didn't want to have anything to do with them and rightfully so. Nick knew he had been no help to Brian at all, in fact he had only exasperated the situation further to the point where he felt like a complete failure. Nick wondered if he could ever again redeem himself in Brian's eyes, to make up for all the mistakes, the grief he had knowingly and unknowingly caused. A bitterness so intense, so deep overwhelmed him that it took the excited shouts of crew members and the soft boom of a crash a few yards away to snap him out of it. Nick looked over to see a portable cart, filled with sound equipment scattered over the floor, an excited stagehand yelling defiantly that it wasn't his fault. Nick eyed the young man curiously, a slim, weasely type of person that had recently hired on. Nick had heard some strange rumors, some wild gossip floating around about him but had shrugged it off, not really interested at the time. Now as he studied the red-faced youth more closely, and idea began to form and suddenly he was interested. Very interested indeed.

***

 

 

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