Chapter 12
Howie
sat there stunned. he hadn't expected that to be their captors' motive. And
dying certianly wasn't helping calm his mind enough to let him think. He
wondered if that group NSYNC knew what their father's were doing.
"Do
your sons know what you are doing?" He asked in a shaky voice.
Randy
burst out laughing. It bounced off the walls of the small room and echoed
ruthlessly in Howie's ears. He cringed.
"Of
course they don't!" he shouted. "They would have been against the
whole damn thing. Last thing we need is them blabbing to the police and
ruinging our fortunes."
Howie
felt like crying. They had no where to turn. he could hear Brian's quiet sniffles
rom across the room. Take it easy Brian ,he pleaded silently.
"After
we kill you we'll leave a note for your friends." Randy continued.
"They'll find you dead."
Howie
saw Greg's face pale. He glanced at Randu and shifted his weight from foot to
foot.
"Umm,
did you say after they're dead?" He pipped up.
Randy's
eyes widened and his gaze shot to Greg's white features. Howie shuddered for
him. he knew what it was like to be stuck under those eyes.
"What
are you saying?" Randy hissed.
"Theyalreadygotthenote."
Greg spoke quickly and Howie couldn't make out what he said.
But
it was obvious the others had. Their eyes' bludged out and their jaws dropped.
Howie thought Randy might explode.
"You
what!? Where!? When!?" He screamed.
"I
taped the note to their door right after we grabbed blue eyes." Greg
sputtered. "They must have found it by now."
Suddenly
he realized what Greg had done. He had let the others know where they were.
Howies heart soared. Someone knew where they were. Someone could get help.
"Shit."
Randy growled. "Well we'll have to get right to the killing. Greg, Roy,
you grab Blue eyes. James, Joey, you take the Latino." He pulled a gun
from his waist. "I'll take them both."
Howie
let them grab him without a struggle. He heard Brian let out a strangled cry of
pain as he was yanked up the ground. Randy must have broken some ribs when he
punched him. Howie cringed when he thought of the pain Brian must be going
through.
"Who
we knocking off first?" Ray asked almost gleefully.
Randy
stopped to think about the question. Howie's whole body was tense. he didn't
want to die, but he sure as hell didn't want to see one of his best friends
die.
"Well,
let's see." Randy pondered the answer. "Latino's been here the
longest so it'd only be fair if we killed him first. But Blue eyes here been so
damn annoying that I'd enjoy killing him."
Howie's
nerves were in knots as Randy argued his point out loud. He could see Brian
trembling in his captors' hands. Howie's heart went out to him.
"Aww
hell!" Randy suddenly shouted. "I'd get more joy out of seeing Blue
eyes die first!"
"NO!"
Howie screamed, pulling against James and Joey's hold. "Don't kill
him!"
All
Howie could do was struggle as Randy aimed his pistol at Brian's chest. Brian's
eyes were wide with fear as he tried to pull his arms away from Roy and Greg.
Randy let out a frustrated groan.
"Will
you hold him still!" He snarled.
Roy
nodded and drove his knee hard into Brian's stomach. Brian howled in pain and
stopped his fruitless struggles. Randy smiled evilly as he slowly raised his
pistol again.
"Goodbye
Backstreet." He laughed as he pulled back the hammer.
Suddenly
the gun went off with a loud explosion. Howie watched in horror as Roy and Greg
let Brian crumple to the floor. He wrenched himself away from his captors and
ran over to his fallen friend. As soon as he reached Brian's side the gun went
off with another deafening bang.
A
firey pain shot through Howie's chest. He collasped beside Brian, biting his
lip to stop the cry pain. Maybe if he layed still they would think he was dead.
He squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth against the pain.
"The
jobs done." Randy announced proudly. "We better go before anybody
else shows up."
Howie
heard the feet shuffle away. The door shut with a loud clang. His heart fell
when he heard the unmistakable sound of a dead-bolt being locked. But then only
silence greeted him.
Cracking
an eye open, Howie glanced around the empty room. Nobody was there except him
and Brian. That thought brought Howie back to reality.
"Brian!"
He cried, struggling to push himself up.
Pain
engulfed his shoulder and forced a scream from his lips. Stars danced in front
of his eyes. He sat still trying stop the burning that was now spreading
through his veins. When it began to fade he eased himself up over Brian.
"Brian?"
He called softly.
"I-it
hurts." Brian croaked, making no move to look at Howie.
Howie
gently rolled Brian onto his back. He cringed when Brian let out a pained cry.
When Howie finally got him rolled over, he let out a gasp.
Brian's
whole front was covered in blood. His chest rose and fell with irregular
breaths. A small tear in his shirt showed the bullet had torn through his
stomach. Brian's bright eyes were a dull blue and fading. Howie felt tears burn
his eyes.
"No,"
He rasped. "Brian no. You stay with me."
Brian
looked at Howie concerned face. He opened his mouth to speak but instead a
gurgling sound came out. He coughed and felt a warm liquid roll up the back of
his throat.
Howie
watched in horror as a blood trickled down the side of Brian's face. His eyes
started to drift shut. Howie yelped and lightly slapped Brian's cheek.
"Wake
up Brian!" He choked on his words. "Don't you leave me now!"
But
Brian's eyes stayed shut. Howie slumped back in defeat. Tears filled his eyes
and slipped down his cheeks. Suddenly he realized how tired he was himself. His
eyelids grew heavy and began to drift shut. The last thing he remembered was
hearing Brian's raspy breaths fill the room. After that there was only black.
***
