Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2002 20:56:46 -0800 (PST) From: RogueWolf Subject: Blind Revolution Chapter Sixteen DISCLAIMER: Story is fiction. None of it's true. Not even the imaginary lives I've created for the celebrities. So don't go running to the magazines to sell the story that Justin, Lance, Jc are really gay. It would be a lie. And we don't want you telling lies now do we. Besides, I would hate to sick Gabriel on all of you. Author's Note: For the last two years it has been our pleasure to write stories for the Boy Band section of Nifty. Over that time we've met many wonderful people who've given us nothing but encouragement for our work. But in the last few months it seems people have lost interest in the Boy Band section. Many of our fellow authors have noted the decline in email and support. So Angel and I have decided to cut short our story Blind Revolution and bow out gracefully. Maybe BR stopped appealing to the readers or maybe we lost our touch, either way we've decided to call it quits. And since I hate when my favorite story ends abruptly with no real ending, we will finish BR before disappearing in the night as it were. We just want to give our thanks for those readers who supported our work and gave encouragement over the past two years. Because our stories have always been for you anyway. Thanks and cheers until next time, Angel and Josh. BLIND REVOLUTION CHAPTER SIXTEEN: HOORAY FOR THE OUTLAW BY: RogueWolf/FireAngel In for the kill In for the kill Yankee Doodle leadin' lambs to slaughter Just for the thrill Don't fill my eyes Fill my head Till I'm overloaded You talk and you talk You know I don't hear it anymore My word's no good It's not enough...R Beach The boys of Nsync were finally alone. The Senator and his team had retired back to the hotel to rest before the concert. Leaving the five of them to do a live broadcast from Hershey Park to announce the contest winner. The winner would receive two backstage passes and front row tickets to the show. Needless to say, the fans had flocked to the park in droves for a chance at the coveted tickets. The organizers had set up a huge tent to house the broadcast. It wasn't much but at least they were out of the sun. An hour before, the local radio station, Wink104 had set up their equipment and was broadcasting live from the park. A huge crowd had gathered around the pavilion in hopes of being the lucky winner and to catch a glimpse of the celebrities. The local celebrity DJ, Lincoln Blue, was in rare form as he hyped up the contest in front of the live audience. With his trademark blue mohawk and yellow tinted glasses, he already had the crowd so excited that the security people had a horrendous time trying to keep the crowd behind the metal barriers. Standing up behind the table they had set up, he grabbed the microphone and yelled loudly, "How ya doin' Hershey Park?" The crowd of teenagers yelled loudly, whooping and hollering so loudly that the security people covered their ears. "I said are you ready." He yelled again. The reply was deafening as two hundred screaming teenagers surged forward against the barriers. "Calm down you vultures." He said with a grin, giving them his trademark banter. The crowd laughed at his stupid joke. "Okay." He continued. "That's better. In just a few moments the boys of Nsync will come out here to do a radio interview live on Wink104." The crowd screamed some more. Holding up his hand for silence, he instructed, "During the duration of the interview, I would ask everyone to remain silent so the unfortunate souls that couldn't be here with us can hear what the boys have to say. But during the commercial breaks you can act like the nutbags you are." "Without further ado, ladies and gentleman." His singular pronunciation of gentlemen going un-noticed to the crowd. "I give you Lance, Chris, Joey, Jc, and Justin, the boys of Nsync." The five members walked on stage and were greeted by a sound that threatened to knock them off their feet. Each had a smile plastered on their face that was genuine. After all, they had always been about the fans. Lincoln greeted them in turn and got down to the interview. "So you guys. I know you're on the last leg of the tour and you've got to be thinking to yourself, damn its about time all this madness is over." Joey took the question and answered, "Well, its always hard to be away from your loved ones so long but there's something about being on tour that makes all the long boring bus rides and the crappy food and the lumpy hotel beds worth while." Lincoln took the answer and ran with it, a gleam in his eye. "And what would that be?" "Come on Lincoln, the fans man." Chris stated with a grin as he stood up and waved his arms at the crowd before him. Dutifully they responded with cheers. It took Lincoln a few moments to get them settled down much to his dismay. "Seriously though." Jc interjected. "We're always amazed how the fans react to our music. After all, we're just five guys with a dream of singing." "For only being five guys with a dream. I'd say you've succeeded that particular goal." Lincoln said with a laugh. "And we owe it all to them." Lance stated in his deep southern voice. Lincoln glanced at his notes before asking, "So with the tour winding down soon, what's the plan when all this is over?" "Well." Lance started in his business like tone. "We're taking a much needed vacation." "And after that?" "Well Joey wants to concentrate on acting." Chris said, shoving his friend playfully. "And this space cadet wants to circle the earth in a spaceship." Joey nodded to Lance, who managed to blush slightly. "We thought that was just rumors." Lincoln said, a hint of amazement on his face. "No, our Lance wants to be the first boy band member in space. Though we think he's already spacey enough." Jc said with a laugh. "Lance, you do know that almost every child wants to grow up and be an astronaut but no one really ever does it." Lincoln teased the blonde. "What can I say? I'm weird." Lance shot back, grinning broadly. "I can second that." Justin said, speaking for the first time. "And what are you're plans?" Lincoln asked, staring intently at the youngest member of the band. "To rest and catch up on my favorite TV shows I've missed. My poor TIVO must be overloaded by now." Justin quipped. Lincoln laughed along with the crowd and said, "I have to take a break but more with Nsync. Don't you go anywhere kiddies." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Gabriel stood back, hidden by the adoring fans pressed tightly against the security railings. The sun was warm and a faint sheen of sweat had broken out on his forehead causing him minor discomfort. The black wig he wore was hot but bearable under the circumstances. His biggest problem was the green contact lenses he wore, somehow they irritated his eyes and he was constantly wiping away the tears that formed in the corners of his eyes. Pulling on the tight T-shirt, he tried unsuccessfully to fan himself off while he waited for Lonnie to work his way over to him. The bodyguard had noticed him right away and gave him a half wave, signaling for him to stay where he was. Shielding his eyes with his hand, he peered around the crowd slowly, taking everything in, processing the information rapidly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the big man approaching casually. Turning his head, he nodded slightly to the big man. Lonnie covered the distance faster than his bulk suggested. Lonnie stood a few feet away from him and covered his mouth with a large hand before speaking, "See anything." Moving his head, he replied, "Nada." Choosing to omit his earlier blunder with Tiger Lane, his face flushed as he thought about that encounter. "Everything's quiet and normal." "Good. Maybe you're information is misplaced and you're worrying about nothing." Lonnie said quietly, peering at the stage where his charges were busy answering questions to half of Hershey Park. Smiling inwardly, Gabriel stated, "My information isn't wrong. Trust me; someone will try to assassinate the Senator today. Either at the concert tonight or at the hotel later on. It's not a question of if but a matter of when." Lonnie swore under his breath, undeterminable words but a distinct rumble emitted from him testifying to his unhappiness. The big man shifted his weight nervously and asked, "How can you stand this waiting? I don't have to do anything and I'm going crazy just waiting for it." "You get used to it after a while." He admitted as he absently stared at Justin's face. "It's all a game." He turned and faced Lonnie and looked him right in the eye and stated, "Someone is out there waiting for me to make a mistake. Carefully watching every move I make, studying me, learning my routine, waiting for that perfect moment to strike. That one moment when I'll least expect it. All I can do is wait and hope I never make that mistake. Never do that one thing that'll tip my hand. The better player wins and gets paid at the end of the day. The loser gets a permanent vacation six feet under." Lonnie's eyes widened at the finality in his voice. In that one statement, Lonnie understood the man standing in front of him. Apart from his charm, his witty remarks, his easy smile, the facade that permeated his entire being, Gabriel was a killer. A man paid to kill people. Dispassionately, coldly, calculatedly, sleep fine at the end of the day killer. A man so far removed from the human race that Lonnie feared he could never find redemption. A chill shot through his body and Lonnie felt fear. Fear for his own life if Gabriel chose to take it. Fear for whoever tried to carry out their mission. But mostly fear for Justin, who had unknowingly captured the eye of an assassin. "And the worst thing is." Gabriel admitted, turning back to stare at Justin. "The killer knows who I am and I don't have a clue about him." Lonnie nodded at one of his guys who waved at him. Turning towards Gabriel, he stated, "Luck to you. For Justin's sake, I hope everything works out." Gabriel's eyes darkened and his features soften at the mention of Justin. Lonnie noticed it immediately and mentally sighed. He actually smiled when Gabriel replied, "Me too. More than you know." Lonnie turned and focused his mind back to the task at hand. No matter what happened tonight, his guys were going to make it through without a scratch. He owed them that much at least, that much and more. Leaving Gabriel to his fate, he went over the changes in security for the concert. He needed all his wits about him if his plan was going to work. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Justin hadn't been paying attention to Lincoln, the DJ from Wink104 or the numerous fans that called in questions for the group. His mind was on a certain long haired blonde with a scar running down his cheek. He found himself turning over the morning's events, dissecting each statement, trying to puzzle the meanings behind the words. He wasn't the only one who noticed Gabriel's change in demeanor over breakfast. It was almost like the enigmatic man flipped a switch, the change was that obvious and that fast. He had become a master at masking his feelings. From an early age he started playing the game, it was the only way he wouldn't lose himself in the maelstrom that became his life. His patented smile was just that, a fiction. Just another prop in the life of a pop star. Just like the trendy clothes he wore, an image. As he mulled over the last two days, a frown crossed his face. The confidence he had shown after breakfast cracked. Maybe he should've pressed Gabriel for the truth? Maybe it would've been better to find out all the secrets. But he wasn't sure he had that right to ask. After all, he didn't know how Gabriel felt about everything. Anyone who lived a fabricated life couldn't be trusted to tell the truth or even be honest about his feelings. And the silent question in his mind asked if he really understood his own feelings. He knew what he felt in his heart when he was around the blonde and the way he felt empty when they parted. He knew for at least a while, he was truly happy. But what about tomorrow? His own life was complicated enough. Just being a celebrity brought him more problems then anyone one person should ever contend with. Add Gabriel's own secrets and unbelievable lifestyle to his own and you got a whole new set of problems. Scanning the crowd, he saw Lonnie standing in the back of the crowd. He was standing next to a man that looked oddly familiar to the singer but he couldn't place him. As he watched the two men absently, he noticed they were talking. Though they weren't looking at each other, he could tell that whatever they were talking about was serious by the look on their faces. He leaned forward slightly, squinting his eyes to see the man better. Something about the way the man stood jogged his memory. He should know the man standing next to Lonnie. A picture flashed in his mind of Gabriel standing at the bar last night, his long blonde hair down and free. As he looked closer at the tall man, he started to smile again. The tall man had to be Gabriel. He would recognize that nose anywhere; after all he had spent over an hour just staring at it all morning. He had to cover his mouth to stop from shouting out. Lance looked at him out of the corner of his eye with a questioning look. Justin gave him a crooked grin and shrugged his shoulders as if to say sorry. Lance flashed him a weak grin and then turned his attention back to the DJ as he prated on about going up in space. When Justin turned back, Lonnie was gone and Gabriel was leaning against a rail, a smile played on his face. Just then Lance nudged him again and whispered for him to pay attention. For the next thirty minutes, he answered the same boring questions that everyone asks. Afterwards, Joey picked a winner for the contest and everyone made a big deal about giving the lucky girl the two backstage passes and front row seats. Then Lonnie was there escorting them back to the safety of the arena. Justin wanted to ask why Lonnie was talking to Gabriel but the opportunity didn't present itself. With a growing curiosity, Justin followed everyone back on the bus. They had three hours before the show and they had decided to rest back at the hotel. Chris and Joey both decided to catch a few minutes of sleep and Lance and Jc disappeared somewhere. That left Justin alone and he decided to find Lonnie. He had some questions that needed answering. When he found Mike, he was informed that Lonnie and stayed at the arena to oversee the last minute changes in security. Frowning, he made his way up to his room, his head filled with unanswered questions. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ For all casual glances, the man looked like any other employee of Hershey Park. He was wearing the same pocket less pants, the same striped shirt, the stupid hat with the logo splashed across the bill of the hat. But the high powered sniper rifle he carried in a duffel bag definitely wasn't Hershey Park standard issue. Nor was the night vision scope that was packed carefully in a wooden case normal for any employee to carry. The man was big, chubby, pocked face, an average looking thirty-something. He fit in with all the other summer workers perfectly. But that was intentional, exactly what he was going for. He smiled at the guard as he walked into the Giant Arena, the duffel bag slung over his shoulder haphazardly. The guard waved and went back to reading the magazine that was on the table in front of him. Inwardly smiling, the man walked up the stairs till he reached D level. On D level, he turned right and walked down the brightly lit corridor. Passing dozens of private boxes, he walked till he reached the end. Pulling a security badge from his bag, he swiped the electronic card reader and opened the door. The access way led him to the very top of the arena on the metal catwalks the electricians used to service the lights. After walking out to the center of the catwalk, the man knelt down and opened his bag. Assembling the rifle quickly, he fixed the scope on it and brought it to his shoulder. He had no trouble finding the booth he waited. Earlier in the day he had sprayed the outside of the booth with florescent paint that only showed up under the light of his powerful scope. Smiling as he squeezed the trigger, dry firing the powerful weapon, he mouthed, "You're dead Senator." He started whistling as he took apart the rifle, placing the pieces back into the bag. When everything was stowed away to his liking, he traversed the catwalks back to the access panel. Looking around, he reached up and hid the bag on some pipes that ran overhead. After making sure the bag couldn't be seen, he opened the door and walked quickly down the corridor. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he turned right and walked to a door that was marked security personal only. Taking the badge from his pocket, he opened the door and disappeared into the heart of the arena. His co-workers greeted him as he went to the locker room and changed into his security uniform. Glancing at his watch, he saw that he had little less then three hours till show time. Everything was right on schedule; so far his plan had worked perfectly. Now it was just a matter of time before the Senator and Gabriel would be dead, just a matter of time before he became forty million dollars richer. The man started to laugh as he walked out of the locker room and headed towards his station. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ TBC Copyright 2002 Glacier Boy