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Chapter 16

May 1996

‘Ladies and Gentlemen, we are ready to land in Orlando in approximately 10 minutes, please take you seats.’

Nick leaned his head back against his seat and tabbed his fingers against the cold plane window. He and the boys had been in Europe for almost five months, promoting their debut album that was released the week before. They were now going back to Orlando to start rehearsing for their first tour that would kick off in September. Nick couldn’t wait to see his family again, and Ali. He had missed her while he was gone and even though they had spoke on the phone almost every day, it still wasn’t the same.

Half an hour later, they had collected their luggage, and were now entering the arrival hall where they were to be met by their families and friends. As he walked through the sliding glass doors, Nick looked around to see if he could spot any familiar faces. His eyes wandered around, looking in every direction, when he suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and smiled.

“Ali!”
She giggled. “Hey Prick!”
“I missed you.” He put his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground, swirling her around.
“Nick, put me down.” She hit him playfully in the shoulder as he did.
“Hey, did you grow?” He asked, tapping her head.
She nodded. “Two inches!”
Nick took a step back to look at her. His gaze stopped at her chest.
‘dang…and that’s not the only thing that grew… I leave the country for five months, and suddenly things are popping out in every direction…’ He thought, and he had to force himself to look away.
“Come on!” Ali took his hand and started walking towards the entrance.
“Hey, not so fast young lady. I have to say goodbye to the guys.”

A few minutes later, they were on their way out of the airport terminal to grab a taxi that would be taking them home to Nick’s place, where his family was waiting.

“It’s weird being here…” Nick said as they sat in the backseat, talking.
“How?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know… in Europe, everyone just gets so crazy wherever I go, and here…. It’s like no fan land.”
Ali giggled. “No fan land?”
“Howie came up with it… I know it’s weird, but it’s true.”
“I’m just having a hard time imagining girls screaming your name and crying ‘cause you smile at them. I mean, you’re just…. Prick.”
Nick laughed. “Yea… I guess I am.”
“Oh, did I tell you---“
“Oh my god!” Nick interrupted.
“What?”
He leaned forward in between the front seats. “Could you turn up the volume please?” He asked the taxi driver.
The taxi driver did as he was asked, and Nick turned to look at Ali, a huge smile on his face.
“Do you hear that? That’s ME! That’s US! The Backstreet Boys! On the radio. Oh my god!”
“It is?” Ali asked excitedly as Quit Playing Games filled the car.
Nick nodded. “That’s me singing, right there!” He started singing the words, but Ali quickly covered his mouth with her hand.
“Let me listen. I’ve never heard this song before.” Ali sat back and enjoyed the rest of the song.

‘And that was the Backstreet Boys, with their European hit Quit Playing Games With My Heart. I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot from these guys soon in America too.’

“Oh my god!” Nick said again. “They played our song on the radio. Here! In no fan land! I have to call the guys.”
Ali laughed. “You’re so weird. I love being friends with you.”

~*~

It was the next day, and Nick was still mad at Granger for not believing AJ. The fact that both him and AJ knew that something was up with Tara, made it hard for him not to run to her room and confront her about it once more. He had stayed up for hours the night before, trying to figure out what to do about it, and trying to figure out what Tara was up to, but the more he thought about it, the less sense it made. What could she possible be hiding?

He knew that Tara was set to patrol the village that next day, and he was determined to take action take matters into his own hands. The plan was to tell Granger that he and AJ wanted parts of the day off to look around downtown and put up some more posters of Ali. What they really were going to do was to hide in the village and find out what Tara was up to.

Nick was just about to sit down on his bed and call Granger to tell him that they wanted to be on their own that day, when there was a knock on the door. He walked across the room and was surprised to see Granger standing in the hallway.
“Hi Nick. Can I come in?”
Nick shrugged, but didn’t say anything. Instead, he left the door open and walked back into his room, waiting for Granger to enter.
“Nick… about what happened last night.” Granger began. “I wanted to make it clear to you that I’m not taking anyone’s side here. I am aware of what you think of Tara, and I just wanted to let you know that even though I trust her, I won’t completely dismiss what you told me.”
Nick looked at Granger, suddenly becoming more interested in what he had to say.
“And…?”
“And I’m going to ask her about it again when she gets back from Tura. She just left. I assume you won’t be joining her?”
Nick shook his head. “No… me and AJ were actually thinking about going downtown to put up some more posters of Ali, and look around a bit.”
“Sure. You could really use the day off, or at least a day away from the investigation. You look tired.”
“You keep saying that…”
Granger chuckled. “I’m just looking after you I guess.”
There was an awkward silence for a few moments.
“I should get going. We’re meeting with the Russian officers in half an hour.”
Nick nodded as Granger continued. “I’ll call you if anything happens.”
“Ok, thanks.”
And with that, Nick was left alone again.

An hour later, Nick was sitting on AJ’s bed, waiting for his friend to get ready to leave.
“So… we’ll go to the village, and hide somewhere she won’t see us, and then just observe what she does, right?” AJ said as he put on his coat.
Nick nodded. “Yea, there’s nothing much we can do right now besides that. We just need to see if she does something that she’s not supposed to be doing.”
“I hope we do.” AJ said, now grabbing a scarf to tie around his neck.
Just then, Nick’s cell phone rang.
“Granger…” He muttered to himself as he answered.
“Hello?”
“Nick, Granger here.”
“Hi.” Nick replied.
“Did you leave the hotel yet?”
“No, we’re just about to.”
“Good. Could you meet me in the lobby? I think we got something.”
Nick stood up from where he was sitting.
“What do you mean?”
“They found something. Not Ali, but a room where we think she might’ve been.”
“Really?”
“We’re on our way there right now. If you want to come, meet me downstairs in five minutes, ok?”
“We’re on our way!”

~*~

Nick and AJ stepped out of the car together with Granger, and out onto a street in the middle of the small town of Nefedowa. People were starting to gather around them as they saw the two police cars that were parked in front of a building. Nick looked up. They were standing in front of a small stable. It was obviously deserted, and to Nick, it seemed a little out of place. He followed Granger through some thick wooden doors that led to a small dark room next to the actual stable where there once had been horses. The moment he stepped into the room, he knew she had been there. There was no physical evidence that told them so, but there was something about the place that made him feel her presence everywhere.

“We found scrapings on the wooden door, and blood next to the mattress.” Granger told Nick as they walked around the small, cold room.
Blood.
“We’re running a DNA test to see if the blood belongs to Ali.”
All Nick could do was nod.
“You alright man?” AJ sensed Nick’s reaction.
Nick shook his head. “She was here. I know she was.”
She was here.