Episode 2: Idolize Me
Part 4
Outside the audition room, Nick and Diamond sat on uncomfortable metal chairs as they signed a second set of non-disclosure agreements that required them to stay on the MGM Grand’s grounds until filming for the next round of auditions resumed in the morning. Meanwhile, Nick’s watch crunched away quietly as it printed the world’s slowest polaroid. But Nick only smirked, staring at Diamond’s bare legs as she tapped one heel on the floor. Forced to stay the night away from HimTak with Diamond, Nick thought to himself. This mission keeps getting better and better.
With a loud sputter, the watch finally spit out the minuscule polaroid. Nick frowned as he stared at the tiny photo, wondering if he needed glasses. “I don’t know why Pearl needed to send a photo to the watch if your phone has larger pictures.”
“Pearl probably just wants to make sure everything works okay and that you know how to use it. We won’t always be on missions together, unfortunately.” She clicked a couple of buttons on her phone, then held the zoomed-in photo on the screen between them. “Here.”
Unfortunately, Nick thought as he looked the picture over. The person didn’t look that familiar, no one special or out of the ordinary, really.
“Well, what do you think?”
He shrugged. “I dunno… doesn’t look familiar to me. But the quality isn‘t that great either.”
“Yeah, but it‘s the best we‘ve got right now.” Diamond sighed. “At least until Pearl sends us anything else. Think we should get our room while we wait?”
Nick laced his fingers through hers and pulled her up from the chair. “Pearl’s good, but I don’t think she’s ever been in the MGM’s camera system before. That gives us… ” He smirked, tapping his stacked non-disclosure agreement and bib against her hip. “…half an hour to turn these in and do something more fun.”
Diamond giggled in response, but two tell-tale beeps chimed on her phone.
“That gives us one minute to turn these in and do something more fun.” Nick frowned.
“It looks like a layout of the MGM Grand, including their employee areas.” She showed Nick the screen as she tabbed across the image, then lowered her voice to a whisper, “Are you going to drag me through them before you tie me to the bed for an interrogation?”
Pulling her closer, Nick leaned over her shoulder as he stared at the screen and casually ran his hand down her waist and hip. “You’re right, we should focus on our work now so we have more time to ourselves later. What else did Pearl send you?”
“A video feed.” Diamond pressed a light kiss to Nick’s neck as the grainy video played. “Look, someone’s going in that second door.”
“Minute’s up. That’s our guy, let’s go.”
***
“We’ve got trouble.”
She looked at her superior, and when he glanced up, she pointed to what she had seen on the camera feeds. On one screen, the two blond agents of Himitsu Takana made their way into the auditorium. On the other, their man was already at the back of the large audition room beside the sound system again.
His brown eyes flitted between the two screens, watching the chase play out.
They were close, but he was moving fast. There was still a chance he could escape the agents. But if they saw him… if they caught him…
All Himitsu Takana agents were well-trained in interrogation techniques and, well, everything. If they caught him, the two 00s just might be able to get important information out of him.
He leaned forward anxiously, drumming his fingertips together.
The two agents scurried across the back of the stage, trying to reach the other side of the room. He glanced at the other screen. Was their man still inside? At first, he could not see the dark, grainy figure and thought, perhaps, that he had already pushed through the door in the far back corner and disappeared. But a follow-up sweep of the monitors revealed a hint of motion in the second to last row of seats. There, caught by the rear camera’s lens, a shadowy figure crouched, out of sight from the two agents.
Not taking his eyes off the monitor, he hissed to his female companion, “Get him back on the line, now.”
His pretty partner set to work at once, her long fingernails clicking away on the keyboard. Moments later, their blond protégé’s face appeared on the computer monitor.
“Your boy’s hiding on the other side of the auditorium,” he informed his agent in a low, deliberate voice. “Don’t attract too much attention to yourself, not with all these people around, but keep an eye on him. Don’t let him out of your sight.”
“I’m on it, boss.” The blond agent nodded, sounding cocky and bored.
His brown eyes narrowed; he didn’t like the attitude. Maybe he’d been wrong to send his golden boy on this mission. The latter was well-trained, and he was good; there was no doubt about it. But maybe he wasn’t yet in the right emotional state to serve the organization in this way. Maybe the young hotshot thought he was somehow above this, too good for this kind of mission.
He frowned. If there was one thing he hated, it was people who acted as if they were better than him, especially when it wasn’t true. He knew it wasn’t true. He was every bit as good as them, even if they had never seen it.
“Hm, look at this.” His companion’s voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts. “Saved by the judges, I guess?”
His eyes returned to the feed from the cameras. Nick had moved to the center of the stage in front of everyone. He had a microphone with him. Apparently, it was time for his “audition.” And there was no getting out of it if he wanted to look legitimate.
So one agent was temporarily out of commission, but the second had crept off the stage and hid somewhere in the wings, out of sight.
Watching the cameras closely, he held his breath and waited to see what she would do.
***
Diamond sprinted behind the curtain, crossing the stage from behind with Nick close on her heels.
A production assistant forcefully grabbed Nick’s arm and pulled him back. “You’re late! We’ve been waiting for you! Where’s your bib? What’s your name?”
“Uh, I already… Carter? Nick Carter,” Nick stammered.
“Next up is… Carter…Nick Carter,” the production assistant called out as he handed Nick a microphone and pushed him on stage.
“Uhh, I…I can’t right…”
Nick glanced at Diamond, who gestured for him to go on. At least he could distract the judges for her as long as he picked a better song. Looking around as he made his way center stage, he took the mic from the stand in front of him and started to sing, keeping a watchful eye on Diamond. “Another night in any town, you can hear the thunder of their cry. Ahead of their time, they wonder why…”
Turning, he made his way to the right of the stage so he could continue to watch Diamond. “In the shadows of a golden age, a generation waits for dawn. Brave carry on, bold and the strong,” Nick sang, his eyes widening when he noticed the suspect move from his hiding spot and head towards the exit of the auditorium.
Nick pointed towards the back of the auditorium, trying to get Diamonds attention. When the judges started to turn in their seats, he quickly rushed to their table and hopped on top of it. Having regained their attention, he walked across it, internally sighing with relief. “Only the young can say, they’re free to fly away. Sharing the same desires, burnin’ like wildfire,” Nick sang as he executed a perfect dive roll off the table when he noticed the person lift what looked like a gun with a silencer attached.
Moving into a squat position, Nick started to crawl back toward the stage. “They’re seein’ through the promises and all the lies they dare to tell. Is it heaven or hell? They know very well…”
A quick glance back confirmed that Diamond safely crept toward their suspect, however, he lifted the gun again, aiming toward the stage. Nick grabbed a startled stagehand, causing her to drop the cardboard cutout in her hands. Dropping down to one knee with her, Nick sang to her: “Only the young can say, they’re free to fly away. Sharing the same desires, burnin’ like wildfire.” He winked at the girl before pulling her into his arms and standing back up. He spun with her so he could scan the entire room. Diamond had managed to catch up with their suspect and hid behind him.
“Only the young can say, they’re free to fly away. Sharing the same desires, burnin’ like wildfire…” Nick led the girl off the stage before heading back towards center stage, while still watching Diamond slinking toward their suspect.
“Only the young can say…only the young can say… only the young can say…” Nick finished, as he set the mic back on the stand, his arms spread open wide.
There was dead silence in the auditorium before someone cleared their throat.
“I have to say, that that has to be one of the worst performances I’ve ever seen,” the British judge announced.
Nick, who was still watching Diamond, mumbled a distracted “thanks” before hurrying off the stage. After ducking behind the curtain, Nick sprinted towards the back of the room.
“Hold it right there!” Nick called, pulling his gun out and aiming it at their escaping suspect.
The suspect froze, then whirled the other direction to see Diamond standing behind him with her gun raised as well.
“Hey buddy, I said freeze!” Nick repeated.
He turned back to Nick. “Great performance. You’re such a Steve Perry wannabe.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. Now, who are you? Who do you work for?” Nick pressed.
The suspect remained silent, but glanced between them.
Diamond took a step closer. “Look, you can make this easy, or you can make it hard; it’s up to you.”
The guy stared at them for a moment before responding, “I would think it’s quite obvious. I work for FANS. My name is DC.”
Nick glanced at Diamond and then back at DC. “DC, is it?”
“That’s what I said, didn’t I?”
“Shut up! Tell me…”
“Well, I can’t tell you if I’m supposed to shut up, right?” DC smirked.
Nick exhaled loudly, exasperated by their suspect’s sarcasm.
Diamond smirked at Nick, then took another step, focusing back on DC. “What are you doing here? Why were you trying to kill Nick?”
“Hey, why are we assuming it was just me he was trying to off here?” Nick frowned.
“’Cause he couldn’t see me, Nick.”
“Does it really matter? In the end, you’re both gonna get it.”
“From who? And why?” Nick inquired.
“Simple, there’s–” DC’s body jerked and he slumped to the floor.
“Who’s there?” Diamond called, hurriedly turning toward the shadows as she stepped backward over DC’s limp body to stand beside Nick.
In that same moment, a figure emerged from the darkness, their raised gun glinting in the light.
Nick gasped, unable to form a coherent sentence.
“It’s you!” Diamond cried.
The figure gave a single nod. “Diamond.” He glanced at Nick with a seething expression. “Nick.”
Nick swallowed, then finally spoke. Diamond uttered the same name simultaneously: “Justin.”
***