Chapter
17
“The Firm is gonna eat us alive,” Kevin was muttering
as he unloaded his bags from the baggage claim.
“Who freakin’ cares about them?
Nick’s my only concern,” Brian was putting his small bag on his shoulders
and rushing to catch up with AJ, who was already at the car rental booth.
“Come on hurry up! You pack like a
damn girl Kevin!” Howie grabbed some of Kevin’s bags carrying them along with
his own.
“They’re not all my bags, some are
Nick’s,” Kevin snapped, “I tried to make it look like we all packed up and
left. Not Nick ran away and we’re chasing after him. I don’t want
this in the news…”
Howie stared at him, not knowing if he
should be sickened, or feel relieved for someone to be thinking about their
careers. “Come on,” he ran in front of Kevin.
AJ was nervously lighting a cigarette
and quickly lifted his single bag when he saw Howie and Kevin making their way
over, “Do we even know where to look?”
“Apparently, Mandy and Brent are
trying to stick with him,” Brian said sounding jittery, “We’re trying to meet up
with the girls.”
“BJ and Leslie,” Howie nodded, “Why’s
Leslie coming?”
Brian shrugged, “She’s his sister, why
shouldn’t she come?”
Howie decided not to ask anything
else. Brian was getting snappish. That was never a good thing.
“I think I see them,” AJ nodded to two
teenage girls making their way towards them. One tall and blond, the other was
shorter with brown hair. The blond waved.
The airport was sparsely populated,
but the Boys still wore their hats to conceal their faces. BJ and Leslie
Carter approached, “How much do you know about my brother?” BJ was direct.
No greetings or any formalities were exchanged. Her face was
hard.
“Uh,” Howie was taken aback by her
coldness, “We know he’s hurting himself…”
“Cocaine, speed, smokes the rocks when
he can get the chance,” BJ spoke in a monotone, “He loves the prescription
stuff too.”
Brian nodded, “Yeah, we confronted him
tonight. That’s why he ran.”
“Tonight,” BJ nodded cynically, “Lets
get to the car, I’m gonna call Amanda and figure out where they are.” She
walked ahead of them with Leslie close at her side.
“I think they’re pissed off at us,” AJ
said puffing on his cigarette.
“Nah, ya think?” Howie said flatly
taking AJ’s cigarette out of his mouth and dropping it in a nearby trashcan
made just for unwanted cigarettes.
Kevin coasted the rented 99’ Taurus
near the back of the club. The last thing they needed was for
someone to see them. Though he was pretty sure they had seen Nick. BJ was
out of the car first; followed by her sister. AJ held their arms, “You
girls walk in the middle of us, ok? This is a rough place.” AJ knew
the club vaguely. Bar fights broke out almost every night. The one
time AJ had come the police had barged in and nearly arrested everyone on the
scene. He didn’t need that type of publicity. There were
enough rumors about him already.
“Brent! Mandy!” BJ called almost as
soon as they entered the club. Leslie had to go back to the car. She
wasn’t near old enough to enter the club. She had pouted but took the
keys and went to lock herself in the car and lay low until they returned, with
Nick.
A young man and a young woman turned
to face them, both dark haired, “BJ,” the girl spoke. They hugged briefly.
Glares and quick greetings were shot to the Boys, who knew they deserved
it. Everyone seemed to be angry with them about Nick.
“Where is he?” AJ asked.
“Over there,” Mandy nodded to the far
side of the club to the dance floor, “We can’t get him off. But as long
as we can see him, it’s ok.”
BJ nodded, and tried to weave her way
over, but Brent caught her arm, “Not alone girl.” He accompanied her. Too
many oddly dressed strangers crowded the place, and Brent was afraid
to lose the blond girl amongst them.
Brian wanted so badly to follow, but
Mandy caught his arm, “It wouldn’t be a good idea now.”
They saw BJ and Brent now standing in
front of Nick who was with some Goth girl in black with jet- black hair
and a collar. They seemed to be arguing. BJ was yelling, and Nick was
yelling. Someone came to break it up, and Nick shoved him, thus causing a
brawl. There was screaming and yelling. There was a sea of
broken glass around the dance floor as bottles were broken over tables, chairs,
heads… Brian, Kevin, AJ, and Howie fought their way into the altercation,
careful to avoid glass and needles. Brent was dragging Nick away.
Kevin quickly caught hold of BJ and lifted her as he ran.
Mandy was outside she had found the
car, and Leslie. Brent lowered Nick to the ground. He had stopped
thrashing around so much, “God BJ, why’d you have to come?”
“To keep you from killing yourself you
idiot!” BJ screamed with tears in her eyes, “You promised you’d stop!”
“It got too hard!” Nick yelled back.
He paled and lowered his head to his knees, “Oh God…”
“What? What’s wrong now?” BJ
immediately lost her anger and concern flooded her as she knelt by her brother.
“I… I…”
AJ got down beside him too, “Nick, what
all did you take tonight?”
Nick squinted, “Boner? ‘Zat you? How’d
you get here?”
“Nicky, what did you take?” AJ
repeated louder, he shook Nick a bit.
“What did I take?”
“Yes. What did you take?” AJ repeated,
“You have to tell me.”
Nick’s eyes looked glassy, he reached
in his pocket and handed AJ a bottle.
“Prozac,” AJ frowned, “Nick you took
Prozac?”
“Whatever’s in there….” Nick mumbled
trying to close his eyes.
“Uh-uh, wake up,” AJ slapped his face,
“Did you drink or take anything else, Nick? Nick!”
“Y…Yes…” Nick’s teeth chattered, “I
had a drink… but it made me feel so good.”
AJ looked up to see the frightened
faces of the others, “We have to get him to a doctor. I don’t know how much he
took or what he drank, but it might kill him if we don’t hurry.”
***
