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34

Howie looked from one of his friends to the other focusing for a moment on each one. Kevin looked as if he had aged about ten years since the last time he had seen him. His hair disheveled, his clothes all wrinkly and dust all over his face.
Brian looked about the same but even paler than he was before. AJ’ s foot was nervously twitching as he bit on his bottom lip watching the numbers ascend in the elevator.

He had an overwhelming feeling of guilt about all of this, “Guys” They all looked over at Howie as he continued, “I just wanted to say that I’m so sorry for all of this. If it weren’t for me…”

“Not now D. This is no one’s fault besides we have to concentrate on what we are doing. Promise me you are focused” Kevin put a hand on his shoulder like he had done so many times before. He answered his friends gaze with a nod, “More than ever. I just want this to be over. NO matter what happens”

That was a lie. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know how deep Denise was in on this, or Lou or even Johnnie. It made him sick actually to think those people who he trusted so much could have a hand in doing all of this to them.

When the elevator doors opened Grimes and Johnnie were there waiting for them. “Hello boys” Johnnie said smiling at them all, his gaze falling on Kevin and staying there as if to say ‘don’t worry I remember what you and your stupid cousin did to me’

“Fink is looking forward to our little meeting” Grimes offered not pretending to be as cordial as Johnnie was.

“Well what are we waiting for then? Let’s get going” Howie said pushing ahead of everyone including Kevin. He felt as if it was his duty to take the lead in the situation since he blamed himself for everything that happened in the first place.

When the door opened, there was Fink sitting at the end of the table just like he had so many times before. The room was thick with cigar smoke. It was making Brian nauseous as he took a seat right next to their boss.

Lou Pearlman was sitting on Fink’s left, his eyes fixated on the table. He didn’t even bother to look up and greet the men.

“Hello Jessica so glad to see you are well” Fink said ironically ignoring everyone that entered prior to her.

“Bullshit…you are wishing I was dead”

Fink smiled and nodded to Johnnie to close the door which he did, also locking it before sitting down next to AJ.

“I think it’s time you came clean to us about everything” Howie looked over to Kevin and was surprised that he didn’t direct the question to Fink but to Lou who was now looking directly at the eldest member.

“You need patience…we know you have a ton of questions but they will be answered at my discretion” Fink answered.

“You know that line only goes so far Mr. Fink…but you have crossed over that line and unless you want us to call the police right now I suggest you…” AJ stopped when he saw the adjoining door open.

“We only did this for you honey. All five of you” There was a shocked silence as Denise went over to her son and kissed him on the cheek.

“AJ there are so many things you have to do in this business. So many roads you might not necessarily want to go down but to be famous you just have to”

“I don’t understand…” That’s when Jane came out of the same room that Denise was in, “We didn’t expect you too. That’s why we never intended on you finding out”

“I’m confused…what’s going on Mom?” AJ looked back at his mother who now had tears in her eyes.

Fink becoming impatient took over, “The best ending in the world. That’s what she’s talking about! AJ…boys. What’s better then a great scandal? Think about it” Now all the boys were standing around AJ who was still looking at his mom the same way that Nick had earlier.

Fink continued his little speech while circling the boys like a shark, “All throughout history think about all the scandals. There was Strawberry Fields when played backwards you hear Paul is dead. Think it was a coincidence that Paul disappeared for a little while after that?”

He walked past Brian and continued, “Then there was the mysterious and untimely death of Jim Morrison of the Doors. Think about what that did to their record sales”

“What is the point?” Kevin said sounding disgusted.

“The point? Well if you guys want to amount to anything you need something more than what you have. Denise, Jane and your management wanted to make sure that we supplied that for you”

“What? Our MUSIC is all we need!” That made everyone in the room except the four boys laugh. Even the two moms smiled, “That is so sweet of you to think that. That’s not true though. It’s not the music that makes people want to know about you and buy your records it’s your story.

“Story?” Howie was starting to get a headache. This whole thing had to be a dream right? Because something like this wouldn’t…couldn’t really happen.

“Yes a story. You guys are too goodie goodie. Think about what a good scandal would do for you. You know like maybe one of you being addicted to drugs” He said looking at AJ, “Being so addicted that you are actually admitted into rehab” Fink walked down to Brian, “Then imagine finding out that it was the holy boy who sold them to you”

He continued to talk, “Then we have Kevin here who possibly had a house burnt down to the ground for the insurance money…don’t you see what happens? You end up in the papers. Not only Bop or Teen people but all of the real papers. They start talking about you, giving your fans sound bites. They’ll say things like they would never do something like that. They are being framed” He paused as he stood next to Howie, “Suddenly you have people like Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters calling you for interviews. Think that would have happened before?”

“That’s about the dumbest thing I have ever heard”

Fink smiled, “Is it? You know how long this has been going on? Do you think this is new guys? This kind of stuff has been happening long before any of you were even born. Plane crashes that have never actually happened are still keeping famous people in the news to this day. Meanwhile they are out living on a little island somewhere waiting for their big return”

“We don’t want that to happen for us”

“It’s too late Kevin…”

“So is this another part of the deal? You terrorize your acts as well. Make them think their lives and their friend’s lives are in danger?”

“No…not always. Usually they are right in on it along with us. They thought it was best if you didn’t know” Fink looked over at Denise and Jane who were now sitting next to Lou and looking as if they wanted to run out of the room and never come back.

“That was a wise choice because now that we know we want to put an end to it”

“That’s the difficult part” Fink said now walking towards the small door that both Jane and Denise had emerged from.

“What do you mean?”

“We can’t have you guys leaving this room and going to the police. I have worked to hard for that and of course if you did that I wouldn’t hesitate to point a finger at all of these people who have worked so hard to get you to where you are”

“What are you saying then?”

Fink opened the door and led the boys inside, Denise and Jane followed, “Don’t please! There has to be another way!” Jane pleaded as they entered the room to find Nick sitting at the table, tears in his eyes but just sitting there staring into space.

Kevin picked up his pace and walked over to his young friend and kneeled down beside him, “Nicky?...are you okay?”

Nick glanced up from his trance, he hadn’t even heard the door open. Nothing much seemed to matter to him anymore. He was devastated by his mother’s own betrayal.

“Kevin? Oh my God I was so worried about you…”

Kevin placed a protective hand on his friend’s shoulder and turned to face the people he had trusted with their careers. “What is wrong with him? What did you do?” by this time Howie, Brian and AJ were now standing behind Nick and all looking at the others as if they were staring at the most evil people in the world.

“He’s had a hard day boys. Leave him be, it’s not everyday you find out your own mother sells you out behind your back” Jane stepped forward and smacked Fink across the face.

“I’m not listening to this anymore. You are an ass and I want this to end. I don’t care if I go to prison either. Come on baby we’re getting out of here”

“He’s not going anywhere Jane. He’s mine, all these kids are. So if you want to leave be my guest but the kid stays”

“Mom…don’t go I don’t want you to get into trouble…please?” Nick said blandly. Like the words were not sitting right in his mouth. the look of contempt on his face just added to the tone in his voice.

“He’s right Jane, we’re so close to being done with this. Let’s just see it through”

“Oh it’s easy for you to say…” Jane said making her way over to Denise, “It’s not YOUR son who is the endgame!”

“My son already did his time now it’s your turn” The two women argued forgetting that everyone was in there watching. Fink was smiling, finding the whole thing amusing but the boys and even Lou and Johnnie all had a look of intense disgust on their faces.

AJ however was far from being pleased. He looked ready to burst. “What the hell are you talking about… endgame?” He shouted making everyone in the room look his way.

The two women stopped fighting and now turned as Fink started to laugh.

“I’m not finding any of this funny” Howie said, anger tingeing his voice.

“I still want to know what the hell Jane meant by endgame?” AJ said once again walking towards his mother.

“This is the final act gentlemen. That’s what she means” Fink said pushing his way past the two mothers and walking right up to AJ, staring him square in the eyes. “This is what we have been leading up to…aren’t you excited? This is the moment of the big reveal” He walked past AJ this time and over to Nick who was still sitting quietly at the table, but now had his head down.

Jessica intercepted Fink before he could make his way to the young blonde, “you aren’t going to do this Fink. Absolutely not. I will not let you do this”

“Come on Jess….where’s the enthusiasm you had before? Don’t get cold feet on us now”

“Look it’s obvious this has gone as far as it can possibly go. Let them all leave and that’s that” She said placing a hand on Fink's shoulder as if to push him away.

Kevin began looking around the room for an alternate escape route. He and his cousin had done this once before and they could very well do it again. And leave those two stupid excuses for parents behind as well. He wasn’t sure how he was ever going to be able to forgive these people in this room for dragging them through hell. This was a mess, but all the talk about endgames and letting them leave made him realize that maybe if he didn’t act quick he wouldn’t be alive long enough to find out if forgiveness was in the cards.

“I have invested far too much time and money into them to just write them off. No way….we go on with this scheme as planned. Sorry you don’t like it but ah well, it’s to late to back out now”He forcefully grabbed Jessica's hand and pushed it off of his shoulder.

Kevin gave Brian a look, who was still standing behind Nick and had his arm on the kid’s shoulder. Howie was standing off to the side now staring at Kevin as well.

“So that’s that then?” Denise said as if feeling the need to prove to her only son that she was worthy of his love by finally taking a stand and doing the right thing. “you are just saying ah well? Well I don’t except that”

“Too late Denise, you should have thought about that before” He now once again walked towards Nick. Jessica knowing full well what was about to happen ran behind him and once again grabbed his arm, making him turn back towards her.

Fink then pushed Jessica away which caused Matt to come to her aid and he did this by punching Fink square in the nose. Fink wasn’t expecting that and fell to the floor with a thud. The others in the room didn’t know exactly what to do but Kevin’s instinct told them to move and move now. So he motioned for Howie to move to the door and Brian quickly followed. Kevin pat Nick on the shoulder as he moved past him and grabbed AJ as well, “Let’s go” He said to both AJ and Denise.

By this time Johnnie stood like a deer seeing an oncoming car ready to hit him. He wasn’t sure if he should run or just stay put. Maybe tackle the guys or call it a day and leave the country. Lou however had his own idea of what needed to be done as he stood blocking the main doorway along with Grimes.

Once the guys all bolted out of the smaller room Nick slowly stood up and made his way to the window, ignoring his mother’s pleas for him to stop.

He turned to her with tears in his eyes. "Why Mom? this is the endgame isn't it?" He clicked the lock and slid the window opened, taking a deep breath he slowly climbed out onto the ledge.