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7

Howie couldn't even breath by the time his phone rang. All he kept picturing was some maniac grabbing Nick and dragging him out of the building. His screams going unnoticed by the small crowd of people in the front of the building. The scariest part about that scenario was, it wasn't a totally unbelievable one. Afterall, there was a man standing on a ledge of this very building and no one seemed to be any wiser about it. He closed his eyes and hoped for the best as he said a very hesitant.."Hello?"

"Howie! Where the holy hell are you now?" It was Dave, besides a kidnapper, the person he was least excited to talk to at the moment.

"Uh...hi Dave. I can explain"

"No! No explanations Howard. I told you to stay put or tell me before you go out somewhere and then lo and behold, I find out that you have disappeared again. YOU are supposed to be the dependable one here Howie!" He was screaming so loudly, Howie had to actually take the phone away from his ear.

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"Is Nick with you too?" Howie bit his bottom lip when he heard the name. "Nick?"

"Yeah, you know, the young impressionable blonde who just loves to get into trouble. Tell me he's with you Howie"

Howie searched the lobby with his eyes once again not exactly sure how to answer that question, "Um..yeah he came with me, I can't find him at the moment" There was a pause, "What do you mean you can't find him at the moment"

"I'm sure he is probably just in the bathroom or something"

"Well, this is what you are going to do Howard, you are going to sit your ass down..where the hell are you?"

"Jive"

"Again?"

"Yes"

"Okay fine, you are going to sit your ass down in the lobby of Jive and not move until someone comes to get you. Do you understand me Howie?"

"I'm not a child Dave"

"I don't care if your ninety Howie, you are my responsibility and what I say goes. Now do you understand me?"

Howie hated to be treated like a child. But at the moment he had more pressing matters to worry about then his pride. "Yes, I understand. We'll be waiting"

"Good!"

After he hung up, he decided to try the bathrooms one more time but seeing the blonde walk back into the building in a huff made him exhale his breath. He pretty much held it since Nick had vanished. Nick noticed Howie and ran up to him.

"Hey D"

"Hey D? Is that all you have to say? Hey D? I have been looking all over the damn place for you!"

Now it was Howie's turn to scream and he was yelling. Nick put up his hands and moved them up and down hoping to calm his friend down. "D, take it easy, I wasn't gone that long and besides I found him"

"I don't care how long you were gone...All I know is I was worried si... wait a minute, found who?"

Nick smiled, "Him! My look a like guy. I found him while you were talking to that Jessica chick"

"Where is he?"

"He was walking along the street, I decided to follow him but I lost him"

"Where did he go exactly?"

"He went into a club, that's why I came and got you. I can't get in alone" Nick raised his eyebrows in that I want to go on an adventure gesture.

"Why on earth would you go in after him anyway Nick? That was a stupid and dangerous thing to do" Nick slanted his head slightly, the same way a dog would.

"Why would it be dangerous Howie?" He wanted to beat his head against the wall for even bringing that up. Out of all the guys, Nick was the ONE that wouldn't drop it. All he knew was his time was running out. He needed to find that guy. Now he felt like it turned into a personal thing. It stopped being curiosity after he got that threatening phone call.

"Nick, just sit down and wait. Dave will be here in a second"

"Where are you going?"

"To that club"

"But you just said it was dangerous. Can't I come?"

"No"

"Why?" Howie rolled his eyes and stared at his watch. If he didn't go right now, Dave was going to ruin everything. He walked over to Nick and grabbed him up, "Let's go!"

"Dave is gonna kill us for this" Howie said under his breath as he and Nick ran around the corner and down the street in search of the club.
~*~*~*~*~
They ran for about a block and a half, getting odd looks as they did so. Howie wasn't concerned about that, he was on a mission now. Even if it did seem like a semi stupid one. "D, you never answered my question, why is this dangerous?" Nick asked between huffing breaths.

"You know, if you put in some time at the gym, you wouldn't be so out of breath" Nick slapped Howie on the arm, "Seriously man, answer the damn question"

"Not now okay? But just stick by me Nick. I just don't think this is safe"

"Then why not call the police?" That was beginning to seem like the only logical choice. And coming from Nick of all people, Howie didn't understand why it was he didn't do that yet. But Jessica's fear filled eyes when he had mentioned the police to her, had him rethink that. "I don't think we should do that Nick"

"Why not?"

"I don't know"

"For a man on a dangerous mission, you don't seem to know very much about any of this do you?" Howie looked at the blonde who seemed to be getting taller then him every second of every day and shrugged. "Well, that's the club right there" Howie looked at it. The place looked like a complete dive. This wasn't a night club, this was a strip club.

"Why didn't you tell me it was a strip club?"

"You didn't ask"

"You can't go in here"

"Howie I'm 17. I have seen more then one naked woman in my day" He laughed, "Well, I don't really care how many naked girls you have seen Nick Carter, they aren't going to let you in"

"Not alone anyway, why do you think I came back to get you?"

"Because you had no idea why you were even chasing your look a like in the first place"

"Neither do you!" That was a good point. How ridiculous was he being anyway? Howie never did anything like this before. He was a strictly by the book kind of guy. About the only thing Howie ever did that would be considered living on the edge, was showing up ten minutes or more late for important meetings. He began to rethink his whole agenda. All he was really concerned about was if this guy had actually killed himself or not. But since they were following him, he obviously wasn't dead in the first place. That should be enough.

Why wasn't it enough?

"You again?" He was shaken out of his thoughts by the tall blonde man he had encountered at Jive yesterday. He looked a little more ragged today. His hair a little greasy and pulled back in a pony tail. He also looked a bit older then he had on first meeting. He also looked pissed as hell.

Before Howie could answer him, the blonde had him pushed up against the wall, "Are you following me?" Howie's heart was thudding quadruple time, he had never been in this position before.

"Get off of him" Nick said as he tried to pry the man away from Howie. The guy answered with a push. "I asked you a question!" The stranger said hie angry eyes never leaving Howie's.

"I know I know...Uh.." Howie was actually stammering.

"I said get off of him!" Nick managed to pull the blonde off of Howie, and was met with a swift right hook, knocking the kid on the ground.

"Hey!" Howie defended pulling the guy away from Nick and shoving him against the wall. Nick sat on the floor on the outside of the strip club holding his chin in his hand and watching Howie kick some ass.

"That was not cool man! I only wanted to make sure you were alive!" The blonde who had been struggling against the Latino stopped when he said those words. "What do you mean by that?" His sudden surprise caused Howie to back away from the stranger, and in response the man straightened his clothes and continued to hit Howie with a questioning gaze.

"I saw a picture in a magazine of you on a ledge, I was just worried" The man cast his gaze over at Nick who was still on the floor holding his chin now looking just totally confused and a little scared. "Why did you bring him?" Howie turned his attention to his young friend and walked over and helped him up. "You okay?" He asked gripping his arms and looking into Nick's eyes. He seemed startled and a little embarrassed. "Yeah I'm okay" Howie nodded.

"We should go inside it's not safe out here" The older blonde said. Opening the door for both Howie and Nick. He was looking around the street nervously which made Howie pick up his pace. He pushed Nick through the doors of the dingy strip club a little scared that maybe he was getting in over his head.