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Chapter 11
I noticed something was different on my check yesterday after I got back to my office. There was no governmental stamp like there always had been.
I went back through some of my old recipes, when I got to my apartment station here in Washington, and noticed that all most a year had passed by with out my noticing the missing stamp.
I sat back at my desk and stared blankly into space, sipping my beer. I couldn't think of the reason why the stamp could have been gone. Not on just one check, but a years worth.
Where was this money coming from, if not the government? What branch of the government, exactly, do we work for?
How come everytime I tried to take two steps for ward, lately, I get shoved 10 paces back?
I thought about these things clear on to the next day.
When I got to the office I questioned my boss. Big mistake! He said that I was ungrateful and that I had no respect for this "great nation."
Some nation, I thought.
I decided to take matters into my own hands. I find out yet where this money is coming from and I'll answer all of my other questions.
My main concern now was Brian. Now that I didn't trust these people, I don't trust anyone. And as far as I was concerned, if I wasn't there to watch him, Brian was in danger.
I couldn't leave yet though. I had to find the real reason for all this. I needed to know why we were watching him and why they wanted this information.
I decided that it couldn't just be to trash his "boy next door" look. That maybe part or even most of it, but defiantly not all of it. They wanted something more. And what about all the other people they watch? What do they want with them?
I realized that I must be discreet about all my investigations from here on out. If any one discovered my intentions it could be not only my life, but also anyone it involved. I was not ready to go to that extent.
"I have to think of Brian, my family, Charles and any one they might use against me if it gets too rough," I vowed, "I won't let them hurt any of them."
Kevin
Things went a lot smother than I had thought. Veronica was right the whole time. Amanda was discussed with him in the first 10 minutes. I was the happiest I'd ever been. The whole way to the airport she talked about how horrible he was.
I wanted to fly to LA, search out Veronica and give her the biggest kiss known to man. I was thrilled.
In fact the guys had been hounding me about where I went and since I didn't tell them when I got back with a huge smile on my face they thought the worst.
"You dog!"
I laughed everytime one of the guys came up to me. They all greeted me with the same two words. I didn't let them go on thinking that way for very long, though. I explained the whole thing and then everyone was telling me that I was a bigger man then them and they'd never take their girlfriends to see him.
I just smiled a made a mental note to thank Veronica everytime I saw her for giving me the confident to go through with it.
Brian and Nick's hotel room
"Guys it wasn't that bad. Not after I talked to V. I wanted to back out so bad." Kevin shook his head and took another gulp of his Pepsi.
"I couldn't do it. Not even with V's help." Aj laughed. "Not unless it was V who was going."
"I love to see that. V and Justin…in the same room." Nick laughed. "Even better would be if they were alone."
The guys groaned knowing she'd tear him apart.
"You think she really owns a gun?" Aj questioned Brian.
"No. I think it was just a tee shirt."
"What are you guys talking about?" Howie questioned.
"Oh, V's shirt said 'I've got PMS and a gun. What was did you want to ask me?' or something like that. And now Aj thinks that she carries a gun." Brian shook his head.
"I don't see V and a gun." Howie said.
"I don't know. I could see her holding a couple of .35 mm." Aj nodded.
"You would see her holding them in a bikini." Kevin laughed.
"Oh yeah."
"Hey! She's not here to defend herself so stop!" Brian demanded.
"So Bri you gonna tell the guys about that steamy kiss?" Aj puckered up and made kissing noises.
"Not till you said something." Brian threw a pillow that was behind him at Aj.
"What kiss? You kissed Veronica?" Nick asked astonished.
"No, I kissed Pamela." Brian laughed and rolled his eyes. "Yes Veronica."
"Go Brian." Nick cheered.
"Shut up."
"When did you do that? On your date last night?" Kevin questioned.
"Why would I bring Aj on my date?" Brian shook his head. "It was in the lobby before Aj came to find me."
"It was getting pretty steamy too." Aj nodded with approval.
"I can't believe that you'd kiss her just after your first date. That's not like you." Howie said concerned.
"So? I like her a lot. What's wrong with me kissing her?" Brian began to grow defensive.
"Calm down Brian. I was just wondering. I know how you like to get to know a person before you kiss her so it just made me wonder. If you feel this close to her already good for you." Howie soothed.
"Oh, sorry." Brian relaxed.
"I think we've all had a long day and our strings are wound too tight. Let's get some sleep. Tomorrow we'll be less irritable." Kevin stood and stretched. "Night everyone."
"Night." They coursed and left to their separate rooms.
"Brian?" Nick questioned from his bed.
"Yeah?" Brian started to change for bed.
"Are you falling for V?"
Brian didn't respond until after the lights were out and he was in bed. Nick was about to turn over and go to sleep when Brian spoke up.
"I'm not sure. I don't want to say this early, because what if she doesn't feel the same way? I'll be stuck. I just want to wait and see."
Nick was glad that he was taking at least a semi rational approach to all of this.
"I understand. You remember that girl Lacy that I dated a few times?"
Brian chuckled. "Do I ever."
"She called after we landed. She's living around here now and she wants to meet up with me."
"And?"
"And I don't know if I want to. We haven't dated in a really long time. I remember blond hair, green eyes and a big chest."
They both were caught up in laughter.
"Not in that order I'm sure." Brian laughed.
"I'm not going there." Nicks smile and laugh faded. "Should I go see her?"
"I don't know. It might be a good way to see if you really like her for her chest or for something more."
"Yeah." Nick sighed and dozed off.
Brian laid awake thinking about Veronica. He couldn't help but smile at the thought of their kiss. It was a great kiss and had left him wanting more.
He had wanted to kiss her on the lips a second time, but decided against it when something flickered in her eyes.
He prayed it wasn't regret, but he hoped it was scared. He could fix scared. He could wrap his arms around her, hold her tight and fix scared. Regret he couldn't. Regret would scar him worse than anything would because he was falling for her. He was crashing in fact. And he knew the fall would hurt far worse if she let him go.
He turned the thought over and over again in his mind of hissing her over and over again. He wanted to jump on a plane right then and fly to LA to see her.
The only thing stopping him was that he didn't know where she was. They didn't have a concert for two days so he could have spent a day with her and be back in perfect timing.
Brian decided that the kiss would be what brought him to her time and time again. If everytime they separated she kissed him like that; he would have no choice but to come back.
He
yawned and faded into a blissful sleep.
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