CHAPTER SIXTEEN – OVERCOMED
Exhausted, Brian staggered over to the door, locked it, then turned to enter the bathroom. Closing the bathroom door, he fell to his knees and crawled over to the toilet, vomiting wretchedly into the bowl. He dragged himself up and reached over to the shower, turning it on. Shaking, he stripped off his clothing and entered the shower stall, then collapsed to the tile floor. The water was too hot, but moving was too much of an effort - he hurt everywhere. Unable to rise, he let the water stream down upon his head, shoulders and back. Finally he was able to pull himself up, adjust the temperature, and let the jet of water flow onto his face. He stood under the water until it ran out of warmth then shut it off. Grabbing a towel, he wrapped it around himself, afraid to look closely at the bruises that were forming on his body. He wiped the steam away from the mirror and looked at his face though. Except for the dead expression that stared back at him, his face was fine. He sighed in relief, knowing he could hide bruises on his body easier than on his face.
He left the bathroom and wandered over to a toppled chair, righted it, then glanced around the room for any other things knocked over. Finding none, he went over the window and parted the drapes away, looking out, not sure why. He placed his forehead against the cool windowpane and gazed out, watching, almost mesmerized, by the movement of the traffic down below. Brian closed his eyes for a moment, lightheaded. Turning away from the window he crawled gingerly into his bed, flinching as his body protested movement of any kind. He willed his body to forget the pain but the mental agony was something he could not remove. Brian tried desperately not to think about the injuries his brother suffered as a result of him, how Kevin would react to his missing dog once he learned that Sam was gone, but his emotions gained the upper hand and his mind flooded with anguish at the nightmare Xavier had created. Xavier. Brian knew without a doubt that he was mentally unstable; a madman who took pleasure in inflicting pain. That Xavier thought it was a game made it all the more terrifying. Brian rubbed his eyes, trying to sort out words that clashed around in his head…game… win or lose…control… chance…but they all blurred as he stared up at the ceiling, mentally exhausted. Could he hold on, would he be able to "play" this game without losing his sanity? What about the safety of his family, his friends? Brian closed his eyes, unable to cope, and did the only thing that came to mind. He prayed.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - THE ENCOUNTER
Brian snapped upright in his bed, confused and in a panic. Scared, he vaulted over the bed and raced to the door, jerking it open and running out into the hallway. It was naked of people. He caught his breath. He was naked! He turned to see his door closing and rushed back, catching it before his closed on him. A smile of disbelief escaped briefly as he remembered Nick getting locked out before, with almost the same comical consequences.
Brian threw on some clothing and lay down on his bed. He reached over to the remote and turned on the TV, surfing the channels. He sighed, then turned off the TV and listened to the radio. Mentally, he knew what he was doing and berated himself for it. He knew he was stalling, trying not to think of what had happened. A headache was forming and he knew it was from a combination of stress and hunger. He reached into his travel bag and grabbed a couple of Advils then rummaged around the bottom of the bag searching for anything to eat. Finding nothing, he cursed himself, and wondered if it would be suicidal to sneak down into the lobby to see if anything was open this late at night. Brian snorted in disgust. I’m scared of being mobbed by fans when I have a lunatic bodyguard beating the shit outta me? He grabbed his wallet, a jacket, and left.
Brian entered the elevator alone then punched the button for the second floor. The elevator chimed at the fourth floor and he held his breath as it opened, expecting a rush of screaming girls to flood in. A small woman entered, pushing her cart of cleaning supplies in and Brian sighed, giving her a smile of relief. She gave him a puzzled look as she straightened her cart, then ignored him. The elevator chimed for the second floor and Brian stepped off, hurrying to find the staircase. He hoped coming off the second floor and then coming down the stairwell would save him from any encounters. He knew the standard procedure for requests was to phone the on-call bodyguard but with his luck, Xavier would be the one to answer.
He eased the stairwell door open a crack, then peeked. Not a soul. Brian couldn’t believe his good luck. He slipped into the spacious lobby, looking around for a snack shop, a coffee shop, anything. Nothing. He sighed, walking up to the reservation desk. No one appeared. Brian shook his head. Where the hell was everyone? What time was it, anyway? He turned away from the desk to think. Vending machines! Why hadn’t he thought of them before? Nick and he practically lived off them a few years ago!
Now all he had to do was locate them. Great. With a hotel this big, there should be some somewhere, shouldn’t there? He was reluctant to go searching the floors of the hotel and equally reluctant to wander aimlessly. The pool! There were always vending machines there. He pushed a side door open, but not before scanning the area. It looked deserted. He stood still, taking a breath of the cool night air and trying to adjust his eyesight. He saw a small neon glowing to the right and headed over. The vending machines blinked in pink and green as they advertised their wares. Brian slipped a dollar bill in only to have the machine reject it. He tried again with the same results. He used another bill and wound up looking at the returning dollar. He swore mightily under his breath, pissed.
He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see two shivering girls, soaking wet from the pool. They stared at him wide-eyed, their mouths open from surprise. They barely looked in their teens.
"It is him!" said one, pushing her friend.
"Oh my God, " quivered the other. "We heard you guys were here at the same hotel as us!"
Brian took in the two, hoping they wouldn’t start shrieking and knowing if he didn’t act fast, he’d be in trouble. "Girls," he pleaded, "don’t scream, okay? Please? I just want something to eat. Um, could you help me? You wouldn’t happen to have change for a dollar, would you?"
The taller of the two nodded, unable to take her eyes off him, while the smaller one raced over to her lounge chair. She came back with a fist full of change, which Brian politely picked out some quarters and handed her his dollar bills. He punched in the numbers for a candy bar and a bag of chips then scooped them out of the bin. He turned to find them standing, staring at him, shaking from the cold. Brian had to laugh at the sight, feeling sorry for them. He opened the bar, looking at one girl. "Care for a bite?" he offered. She shook her head, unable to speak. Brian smiled again then took a large bite.
"You guys are freezing," he commented. "Go get your towels." They continued looking at him, ignoring his suggestion, and he sighed, shaking his head. He walked over to their lounge chairs and grabbed their towels, turning to find that they had followed him. He handed them each one and then sat down on a lounger, finishing up his food.
"How’s the water?" he questioned, motioning at the pool.
"Heated," replied the tall one who found her voice. "It’s nice."
"Brian, can I ask you something?" questioned the smaller one.
"Okay," agreed Brian. "Ah....?"
"Oh! Jessica."
"Ok Jessica, what?" inquired Brian, apprehensively eyeing the eager teenager, praying she wasn’t going to ask for some strange request. Jessica leaned forward, her face hopeful.
"Well...do you know Justin Timberlake?"
Taken aback, Brian stared at her for a moment, then broke into laughter, shaking his head. He started coughing violently and covered his mouth, bending over to keep from hurting his bruised side anymore than possible.
The taller one punched her friend, worried. "Great Jess! Now look what you’ve done."
She ran over to the vending machine and brought back a cold water bottle. "Here," she offered to Brian, who was now regaining some of his composure. Brian gratefully took the bottle and opened it. He drank slowly, noticing his throat was still sore.
"Thanks..."
"Melissa."
"Thanks, Melissa."
"You’re welcome. Can I ask you a question?"
"Wait..." Brian held up his hand to Melissa, then turned to look at Jessica, remembering she asked first. "Um, Jessica, I’ve met Justin occasionally but I really don’t know him. Did you want his autograph or something?"
Embarrassed, Jessica mumbled a reply, which Brian didn’t catch so he looked questioningly at Melissa.
"Jess loves N-Sync." she explained. "I do too," she added.
"Oh," replied Brian, feeling slightly foolish at thinking they were Backstreet fans. "Well, uh, yeah. They’re a good group."
There was an awkward silence until Melissa spoke up. "We like you guys, too. Just not as much. Sorry."
"It’s okay." Brian smiled at her apology, privately enjoying the humor of his mistake.
"It’s just...that Justin is so hot!" Melissa said, trying to explain. Jess nodded her enthusiasm at Brian.
Brian shifted uncomfortably. "Really."
"And, oh my God, his voice!" Melissa went on, waving her hands for emphasis.
"Whatever."
Jess jabbed her friend. "How about his dancing?"
Melissa sighed and looked at Brian. "You should see him dance!"
"Alright, alright, I think I get the picture."
"What about JC?" questioned Jess to her friend. "He’s good too." Both girls squealed in delight and looked at Brian for his approval.
"If you say so," commented Brian, ego bruised. He turned to Melissa. "Uh, did you still want to ask me a question?"
Melissa nodded her head vigorously. "Well...do you think you could get us tickets to your concert?"
Brian tried not to choke, amazed at their nerve. Oh, this is too priceless. "Sure. Want some backstage passes?" he gleefully offered, watching as they bobbed their heads in unison. He could hardly wait to have the guys meet Jessica and Melissa. He smiled inwardly at the thought of the ego deflating comparison awaiting his friends. AJ is gonna kill me.
"Thanks, Brian."
"No problem. I’ll have the tickets waiting for you at the arena’s box office, okay?"
"Great!"
Brian sensed, by the way the girls were whispering to each other, that another question was coming. He rolled his eyes. "All right, what?" he asked.
Jessica looked at him sheepishly. "Well, if you have a concert tomorrow, what are you doing here so late at night? Shouldn’t you be sleeping or something?"
Before Brian could answer he saw the girls’ attention draw up from his face to over his left shoulder. Two heavy hands came solidly down onto Brian’s shoulders and he felt the sickening familiarity of it sink home.
"These girls bothering you, Mr. Littrell?" Xavier eyed the girls, giving them a sour smile.
Brian angrily stood up, shaking Xavier’s hands off. He knew the girls were watching with interest, so he composed himself and turned to face the bodyguard. "No. Just talking to some fans. You may go." Brian made the dismissal sound formal.
Xavier looked at Brian, mouth twisted into a tight smile. "Wish I could, Mr. Littrell, but there’s a long distance phone call for you." He coolly looked into Brian’s eyes and both knew he was lying.
"I’d suggest you hurry back to your room," added Xavier.
So the game begins, thought Brian. Fear and control. Brian stood his ground, not moving.
"Tell them I’ll call back later; I’m talking to these girls right now." Brian noticed a slight twitch in the bodyguard’s right eye.
A heavy silence followed, neither one willing to break the tension. Finally, a faint smile spread on Xavier and he turned his attention to the two teenagers, and then back to Brian.
"Looks like jail bait to me, Mr. Littrell," he commented in a low tone.
Melissa shifted uneasily, glancing back and forth at the two men. She watched as Brian’s face grew dark and noticed for the first time the ugly bruises covering the side of the large man’s face. She drew in a sharp breath, suddenly suspicious of him.
"Who are you?" she demanded, rather loudly.
"Security," said Xavier bluntly. "Kinda late to be out, isn’t girls? Come on, I’ll walk you back to your room." He rested his hand on Jessica’s arm and gave the Backstreet singer a knowing look.
Brian saw the danger immediately. "They’re old enough to find their rooms." He tilted his head towards the hotel. "He’s right. It is late. Nice talking to you." Brian hoped his tone was casual as he pleaded with his eyes for them to leave. Melissa and Jessica gave Brian a perplexed look, but they obeyed and scooped up their belongings. Walking to the side entrance, they stopped then turned to glance back at him. Go! Go! screamed Brian silently. He waved as casually as he could and they smiled back before entering the building.
Brian sighed in relief as he watched as the two exited.
"Not bad," he heard Xavier drawl, and Brian turned away, angry. Xavier noticed his face and laughed. "Oh, not about the girls," he explained, "I was talking about you."
Brian spun around to face Xavier. "Me?"
"Yes. I think the game between us is going to be challenging, don’t you? I’m glad I picked you." Xavier clasped a hand onto Brian’s shoulder and Brian promptly smacked it away, hard.
"Listen, you son-of-a-bitch. Get this straight, okay? First, don’t touch me again. Ever. And second, I’m not going lose in your little game of fear and control, got it? You’re in for a fight."
Xavier studied Brian for a moment, expressionless, then a slow smile began to form. He took a few steps towards the singer then reached out to grab him by the front of his shirt. Xavier yanked Brian hard, bringing him face to face.
"I’m impressed," he spoke softly. "I was hoping you’d show some backbone. But I think you’re forgetting who’s in charge." With that statement, Xavier pushed Brian back, releasing him from his grip and slapped him open handed across the face. The vicious smack caught Brian squarely on the side of his left cheek. Brian stumbled back, eyes watering from the stinging blow. Xavier walked next to him, grabbing Brian’s upper arm.
"It’s late. I suggest you go back to your room," he advised, waiting for an answer. Brian yanked out of Xavier’s hold, then wiped the corners of his eyes with the back of his hand, glaring at him. Not giving the bodyguard the satisfaction of a reply, Brian turned and walked away.
Xavier watched as the young Backstreet Boy slipped into the lobby, but his attention was drawn away when he noticed movement to his left. There, crouched next to the vending machines, were the teenage girls. Their hiding place discovered, the two jumped up and quickly ran back inside the hotel. Xavier watched as the door closed behind them, frowning.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN – THE NEXT MORNING
Beating AJ by a heartbeat, Howie jabbed his fork at the last waffle on the serving tray and placed it on his plate.
"Hey!" complained AJ, nudging his friend, "that was mine!"
Howie ignored the protest, going over to the serving cart to look for the maple syrup. He found it next to the other condiments and reached for it, drowning his waffle. He turned and found a seat next to Nick who was already working on his second plate of eggs.
Kevin, already done with breakfast, leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee. "Anyone see Brian?" he questioned.
Nick, mouth full, waved his fork in the air, to indicate he hadn’t. AJ sat down next to Kevin, but not before snagging a piece of Howie’s waffle on the way over. He gave Howie a victorious smirk and then answered Kevin. "Nope."
Kevin glanced at his watch and shook his head. "Alright, who is going to get him?" The three continued eating, not listening to the request. "Howie?" pleaded Kevin.
"Why me?" grumbled Howie. "I just sat down. You go get him, you’re done." Howie turned to AJ, who was trying to sneak another piece. "Don’t even think about it Bone," he warned, brandishing his fork like a weapon for effect. AJ shrugged and slumped back into his chair, continuing his meal.
Kevin downed the rest of the coffee in one quick gulp, got up and stretched. "Ok, guess I’m elected," he said dryly. He edged around the cart trying to get to the door. The room service had been decent for once, but Kevin hated the confusion it caused by always having it in his room. AJ declined his, complaining that everyone practically lived there anyway, and Nick’s and Brian’s were a constant mess. Howie wisely never offered his.
"Save something for Brian," he warned Nick.
"Yeah, don’t hog it all," came Brian’s tired reply as he entered the room. All four glanced in his direction then stared at Brian as he sat down in Kevin’s empty seat.
"Damn!" swore AJ, tilting his sunglasses to get a better look at his friend. He noticed the red marks on Brian’s neck and face. "I sure hope she was good! Can I have her number?"
"Me first," chimed in Nick, getting up to inspect Brian. Brian waved off Nick’s curious stare and got up to see what food was left. Howie and Kevin glanced at each other, then at Brian, concerned. Something was wrong, and both Kevin and Howie recognized it.
Brian slowly spooned some eggs onto his plate, then grabbed a piece of toast before sitting down back down. He kept his head down as he ate. Kevin walked over to Brian and placed a hand on his shoulder, feeling his cousin flinch under his touch.
"Brian, look at me."
Brian continued eating.
"Brian!"
He stopped and looked up at Kevin. "What?" he said flatly.
Kevin and the rest of the guys stared at Brian, amazed. Brian looked exhausted, his eyes weary and bloodshot. Kevin got a closer look at the angry marks on Brian’s neck and the splotch of red that was covering the left side of his face. He drew a swift breath, astonished, then signaled to Howie. Howie walked over to Brian and crouched down, coming eye level with him. "Okay, give," he demanded, worried. The others waited quietly for his reply.
Brian had been dreading this moment; at best, he was a lousy liar and he knew it. Unable to rest after going back to his room last night he had wracked his brain for a believable story. Now that the time had come, the lame excuse he invented disintegrated before him as he looked into Howie’s concerned face.
Uncomfortable, Brian lowered his head and mumbled, "I don’t wanna talk about it, ok?"
"Huh?" came Nick’s reply. "What do you mean, you don’t want to talk about it? Look at you! You look like shit. Come on Bri, wassup?"
Brian felt his heart racing as he glanced from one friend to another. What could he say? That in a span of 8 hours his life had turned completely upside down? That the bodyguard they all trusted was a complete lunatic and their lives were in danger if he didn’t quietly obey Xavier’s insane game? Panicking, Brian felt his resolve crumble before the guys’ intense stare, and afraid he might break down before them, he jumped up, knocking over his plate of food.
"Damn, what is it with you?" he yelled. "I said I don’t want to talk about it! Is that so hard to understand?"
The guys were taken aback by Brian’s outburst. "Jeez, Bri, chill out, okay? We were only wondering. Excuse us for caring!" Angry, Nick turned away from Brian giving Kevin a disgusted "who cares" look.
Brian sighed heavily. "Nick...hey...I’m sorry. It’s just that last night..."
"Brian and I had a rough time last night," interrupted Xavier coming into the room unannounced. All five Backstreet Boys turned towards the door. Xavier walked over to the breakfast cart, calmly surveying the remains while Kevin, Nick, AJ and Howie gawked at the bodyguard before them. The left side of his face was scattered with a colorful mass of red and purple bruises. AJ swung his attention from Xavier, to Brian, then back to Xavier again.
"Okay," he said firmly. "I’m not leaving here until you guys tell us what the hell is going on." He crossed his arms defiantly, glaring at the two. Xavier turned away from the cart empty-handed, and caught Brian’s eye, holding it for a commanding second, then looked at AJ. On edge, Brian felt a small bead of sweat trickle down the back of his neck as watched Xavier.
"Last night Brian and I encountered an intruder in his hotel room. He tackled Brian by the throat, knocking him down. I managed to drag him off Brian, but not before he gave me a couple of pretty nasty kicks to the face." Xavier turned to look pointedly at Brian.
"Holy shit!" exclaimed Nick. "Who was the guy?"
Xavier shook his head. "I don’t know. The kick stunned me pretty hard, and he escaped before I had a chance to stop him."
"Do you know what he wanted?" questioned Howie.
"As for what he wanted," Xavier continued, "I’m not sure. Robbery is a possibility. However, there is another problem. A few days ago, management started receiving some anonymous threats against Brian; I’ve been checking them out. That’s why I came to see Brian last night. I’m thinking this intruder might be linked to the threats."
"Did you call the police?" asked AJ.
Xavier looked at Brian. "No, Brian doesn’t want any. Reporters, TV and such. Right, Brian?"
Brian was caught off guard. "Uh, yeah. Too much publicity," he mumbled.
Kevin sat down next to Brian and shook his head, trying to absorb it all. "Do you know how he was able to get into Brian’s room?"
Xavier shook his head. "No. I’m looking into that, maybe a master entry key, possibly a maid. However he managed it, he won’t get in again. Believe me, I’m right on top of it."
Brian was stunned at Xavier’s composed manner, the ease at which he lied to the guys and the skill and cleverness of his story. He bowed his head so that the guys couldn’t see him, fearful of what his expression might reveal.
Xavier dug out of pocket a group of cards, passing them around and announced, "Okay, I’ve taken the liberty of changing everybody’s code, here are your new cards. Only I have the new access number." He handed the last one to Brian. Brian reluctantly reached out to take the extended card only to discover Xavier holding firmly onto it, forcing Brian to look up at him. The bodyguard’s dark eyes bore into Brian’s as he spoke.
"I’ve talked to management and the other bodyguards and they are in agreement that I will be acting as Brian’s chief bodyguard during the rest of the tour. Obviously I’ll need and expect your complete cooperation, okay guys?"
Brian choked down the bile he felt rising in his throat. Not only had Xavier expertly managed to gain access to everyone’s room, he had made himself look like Brian’s personal savior. Brian felt the now familiar anger and resentment building up inside him.
Nick came over to Brian, placing a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "God, Brian, I’m sorry. You gonna be okay for tonight?" He pointed to the red marks on Brian’s throat.
"Sure, Frack. My throat’s just a little sore. I’ll be okay." Howie walked over to Brian, handing him a glass of orange juice with a "want it?" look. Brian accepted it with a small smile, grateful for his concern.
Kevin stood up from his chair, relieved that nothing worse had happened to his cousin. He studied his new entry card before pocketing it. He was disturbed about the threats and attack but knew without a doubt that if anyone could handle the situation, Xavier could. Kevin walked over to where Xavier was, slapping an appreciative hand onto his shoulder. "Thanks for all your effort, Xavier. We’ll help in anyway we can."
Kevin turned to Brian, joking. "Hey Bri, you need to give Xavier here a huge raise!"
It took all of Brian’s willpower not to choke on the O.J. he was drinking. "A raise."
Xavier grinned, enjoying Brian’s discomfort. "Naw," he said cheerfully. "But I do need a watch. How about a Rolex?" he questioned in a joking manner, but glanced significantly at Brian. Brian understood the game. It was not a request.
Kevin and Howie whistled, joining in the fun. "Yeah, like one of those Presidentials, right?" Howie turned to AJ. "Hey man, you should buy yourself one of those. Then maybe you’d be on time."
AJ was playing absentmindedly with his card, still slumped in his chair, and ignored Howie’s dig. There was something not quite right here, a feeling he couldn’t shake. Since meeting Xavier he had felt uncomfortable around him; he still felt uneasy even after Xavier had saved their asses at the radio station, then kept Brian from being seriously injured. The guys all seemed at ease with Xavier, which confused things further. Experiencing an unshakable gut feeling that Xavier was not all he seemed to be, AJ rose from his chair, eager to leave. He put his shades on, grateful more than once for the cover the glasses gave him. He didn’t want Xavier looking directly at him right now, unsure of how perceptive he might be. He considered talking to Brian later about his feelings but then dismissed it. By the looks of his friend, he needed one less worry right now.
He slapped a reassuring hand onto Brian’s back, giving him a thumb’s up signal. "I’m bailing. See you tonight, okay?" Brian nodded, also standing up. "Later, Bone."
Kevin and Howie decided to leave with AJ, each giving words of encouragement to Brian before they left. Nick came over to Brian, a playful grin on his face. "Hey Bri, wanna come with me to the airport? I’m picking up Aaron."
"Aaron’s coming here?" Brian looked at Nick in disbelief. He hadn’t seen him in quite awhile.
"Yeah, just for a short visit. He’s been whining to come visit, so I said okay."
Brian smiled, thinking about Aaron. He could be a real handful. "Sure, why not," he agreed.
"Let me go get him."
Nick turned to Xavier, surprised at Xavier’s offer. He didn’t notice the look that was exchanged between the bodyguard and his best friend. "No, that’s okay, X. I don’t mind," Nick said, refusing his offer.
"Nick, think this out. You don’t have a car, you don’t know the area, and if you and Brian go, you’ll probably create a scene at the airport. I know this area, and I can pick up Aaron easily. It would be no problem."
"Well..."
Brian thought furiously, wondering how he could stop Xavier from getting Aaron. The idea of Xavier near Nick’s brother sickened him. "Xavier, I thought you had to go check on some security problems at the arena."
"All taken care of." Xavier gave Brian a sly grin, which Brian didn’t return.
"Well, we don’t mind picking up Aaron. Thanks for the offer, anyway."
"I insist."
Brian caught the dangerous tone in Xavier’s voice but Nick shrugged, unaware. "Well, ok, sure. Guess you’re right about the airport scene. Thanks. Aaron’s coming in on United. Around 1:30. Flight 202."
Brian wanted to scream, except he felt more like throwing up. He watched as Xavier walked to the door, turning to face them before he left.
"What time is it?" he questioned.
Nick looked at his watch. "8:45."
"Great, thanks. I don’t have watch on me." Xavier explained, then smirked at Brian as he left.
Nick picked up a small backpack, flinging it over his shoulder. "Guess we’re free. Wanna do anything?"
Brian was still looking at the door, lost in thought.
"Rok?"
"Huh? Oh, uh...let’s go shopping."
Nick raised his eyebrows in surprise. AJ was usually the shopaholic. "Cool. Where to?"