[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
Blissfully unaware that her name was becoming a household word in the Nick Carter Internet Neighborhood, Melody prowled the streets of Lyon.  One more concert here and then it was off to…she wasn’t sure where.  Barcelona, she thought.  And then somewhere else.  And then home.  She sat at an outdoor café and enjoyed a cup of coffee.  She did a crossword puzzle and thought about being on tour. 

She liked it…well, except for the bit where the big star hated her and she was trapped with him in a foreign country.  But other than that, it was fun.  She was getting to see lots of cities she’d only read about.  She was going to come back here some day, she knew that for sure. 

Melody thought she’d like to learn a little French first, though.  She had found all the other countries very inviting to someone who only spoke English, but the French seemed a little… superior was a good word, she guessed.  They took pity on her when she pulled out her little phrase book.  After a word or two from her, they switched to English.  They probably didn’t want to hear her butchering their language, and that was understandable.  But they had an attitude about it.

Melody furrowed her brow.  Speaking of attitude, what the hell was up with Toby Gray?  Man, he thought he owned Nick.  He was always hovering around him…like a gnat, thought Mel.  Buzzing in his ear, trying to anticipate his every wish, handing him stuff before he thought to ask for it.  Melody guessed that’s what a personal assistant did, and Nick seemed to take it all in stride, but it made Melody want to swat Toby like a fly.

Okay, maybe it’s my attitude, she thought.  She knew that Toby had rubbed her the wrong way from the first interview.  She had tried a couple of times to be nice, at least she thought she had.  Sometimes, Toby seemed to be coming around.  And sometimes he wasn’t. 

This morning, he had been downright frosty.  She had knocked on their door to get some tourist information from Gus that he had promised her.  Gus had handed it over and then done a sweeping bow.  Mel had laughed.  It was a gross over-exaggeration of what Nick had done the night before.  Over Gus’ back, she could see Toby glaring at her. 

Melody gathered up her things and signaled for the check.  She figured out the money and mumbled ‘Merci’.  Thank goodness for the Eurodollar, she thought.  She couldn’t imagine having to learn a new currency every two days!  She carefully pocketed the receipt.  She liked to pay for things herself, but Nick insisted that the cost of any food or drink they bought be reimbursed to them.  You bought souvenirs or gifts, you paid for them yourself.  But snacks, meals, sundries…all that got billed to the tour. 

Melody chuckled to herself as she walked.  Toby could wait until hell froze over before he was getting any receipts from her for ‘sundries’.

Back in her room, Melody had a shower and got her bags mostly packed up.  They were coming back here after the show and then flying out early tomorrow morning for Barcelona.  She wanted to have as much done as possible before they left for the venue.  She looked at her watch.  There were still a few minutes left.  She picked up her guitar and played a few of the songs.  She smiled to herself.  Nick loved to rock, but when she played his songs at a slower, softer pace, they were just plain beautiful music.

Suddenly, Melody heard the pounding of feet outside her room.  People were running up the hall.  Screaming.  Hammering on doors.  What was that?  Melody didn’t hear any fire alarms.  She sniffed the air.  She didn’t smell smoke.  And the screaming didn’t sound panicky.  It sounded excited.  She put her ear against the door and listened.  She jumped back as someone pounded on her door.  She was just reaching to unlock it when she heard a female voice say, “Nick!”  Melody’s hand froze on the handle.

Fans!  Had to be!  Looking for Nick.  Crap!  They’d found the hotel. 

This was the big worry, Melody knew.  They said it over and over…what do we do if they find the hotel?  Melody hadn’t thought too much about it.  It hadn’t happened so far. 

So far.

Melody pressed her ear against the door.  Now, she heard male voices…speaking French.  Hotel security, maybe.  High pitched laughter and more squealing…and then silence. 

A few minutes later, there was a knock at her door.  Melody tiptoed over and listened. 

“Mel?” said a familiar voice. 

“Gus!”  Melody threw open the door.  “What happened?”

“Girls,” he replied, “They were looking for Nick.  Come on.”

“Wait until I get my bag!”  Melody turned back into the room.

“Come on!” urged Gus.

Melody grabbed her bag and her guitar and went past him out into the hall.  He closed the door and took the guitar from her.  He signaled with his head.  Follow me.  They went to a stairwell.  Gus put a finger to his lips and then eased the door open.  He listened for a moment and then beckoned her forward.  They tiptoed down the stairs together, stopping at every landing to listen.  Melody suppressed a giggle.  It was all too James Bond for her.

They went past the main floor and continued downward.  At the bottom of the stairwell was a door that was locked.  Gus gave two sharp raps and then three more.  The door opened immediately to reveal Toby on the other side. 

“Got her!” said Gus, triumphantly.

“Okay, that’s it.  The others are waiting.  Let’s move out.”  Toby glared at Melody.  “And get your hat on!” 

Melody looked around her as Toby hustled them along.  They were in the hotel kitchen.  Melody smiled and waved at the workers as she went by.  This was quite the adventure.

Out the back door of the kitchen, past a delivery truck and there it was.  A van, a mini-bus…it looked like an airport shuttle to Melody.  She climbed aboard and looked around. 

“Hurry up,” hissed Toby. 

Melody moved quickly to an empty seat.  Toby and Gus climbed aboard, and Toby said to the driver, “Okay, go, go!”

The bus pulled out into traffic.  Melody looked around.  Rashad.  Blaine.  Tofu.  The crew stayed at a different hotel, and Nick was at an interview.  Melody looked out the window but didn’t see any hordes of screaming girls.

Toby moved from one side of the bus to the other, looking out the window, scanning the sidewalks.  It was just too over the top, and Melody had to put her hand over her mouth to hide the smile. 

Toby noticed the movement, and he wheeled on her.  “This is all your fault,” he hissed, pointing at her.

“What is?” asked Mel.

“They’ve found the hotel.”

“How is that my fault?” she demanded.  Or is every little thing that happens going to be blamed on Mel? she wondered.

“They followed you back to the hotel.”  Toby’s tone was scathing.

“How do you know that?”  Mel was losing patience.  So far they had done a lot of skulking and sneaking about, and she hadn’t seen one fan.  This whole thing seemed like a power trip on Toby’s part.

“I’ll deal with you later,” sneered the personal assistant.  “We’re there.” 

The van pulled into the underground parking garage of the venue.  Mel was half out of her seat to kill the little prick, when she felt a hand on her arm.  She looked around.  It was Blaine.  He shook his head. 

“Not now,” he mouthed. 

Mel was shaking with anger so much that she could barely make it off the bus.  Rashad put a hand on her elbow to steady her.

Toby quickstepped them all along a corridor and into the backstage area.  He walked up to Jeff and Tom and said, “All clear.”  Melody thought he was going to salute.  She didn’t see Nick.  Then Toby jerked a thumb over his shoulder at her and said, “It was her.”

That was it for Mel.  “What was her?  Why am I getting all the blame?  And what the hell for, anyway?”

Toby wheeled on her.  “They followed you to the hotel.  Did you take a direct route?”

“Do you mean did I change cabs three times and adopt a disguise?  No, I didn’t.  I wandered along by the river; I bought some postcards, I changed a travelers cheque and I had a cup of coffee.  And I wore my friggin’ hat while I was doing it.”  Melody’s voice rose with each sentence, and by the end, she was yelling.

“Calm d…”  That was as far as Blaine got.  The look Mel gave him silenced him and made him back up a step. 

She glanced over at Tofu.  You want some?  Tofu just grinned at her.  He hoped she killed the little Gestapo freak.

“Even with the hat, you are very…distinctive,” said Toby slowly, as if he were talking to a six-year old.

“And I’m the only one?!!”  said Melody, waving her arm in Rashad’s direction.

“Rashad didn’t leave the hotel,” said Toby triumphantly.  He paused, “And he’s not the one that’s all over the Internet.”

Now Melody was really confused.  “All over the…what?” 

“Educate her,” said Toby to Gus, and he went over to Jeff and Tom. 

They stood apart, conferring in low voices, while Gus brought Melody up to date – how they were all talking about how the girl in the video looked like her and there were a lot of pictures of her out there now…and how she played her guitar in the room..and you could sometimes hear it in the hall…and if the girls had followed her…

Melody’s head was spinning.  The Internet?  What the…?  And following her?  And her guitar?  And who cared anyway?  They were leaving the country tomorrow morning.

“So this is the way it is,” said Toby.  “Henceforth, you will not leave the hotel unless you are accompanied by either Gus or myself.  You will follow our directions.  You will not play your guitar in the hotel room any more.  If you do, it will be confiscated.”

That was the trouble with the Gestapo, thought Tofu.  They never knew when to quit.

“Listen to me, you…you…”  Melody couldn’t think of anything bad enough to call Toby.  She advanced toward him.  “I don’t work for you, and I don’t obey your orders.  I will do what I please, when I please, and the only person who will tell me differently is Nick.  And if you think you will ever…EVER! get my guitar away from me, then you have another think coming.”  Mel grabbed the cap from her head.  “And you can take this hat, and you can…”

She stopped as she felt strong arms wrap around her from behind and lift her off her feet.  “That’s enough, Mel,” a voice said into her ear.

“Put me down,” demanded Mel, struggling to free herself.  She looked down and saw the bruised finger.  “Nick,” she said, and she stopped struggling. 

Nick set her on her feet.  “Come with me,” he said, and put his hand in the small of her back, guiding her away. 

Mel glanced over her shoulder to where Toby stood, smirking at her.  She went to turn back – the man really needed killing, she thought – but the pressure of Nick’s hand propelled her forward.  He moved her along a hall and into a room.

“Now, breathe,” Nick said, stepping away from her.

“If he ever…no one…I won’t…”

“I said, ‘Breathe!’”  He spoke sharply, trying to break through to her.

“Sorry.”  Mel stopped and held her hands up in front of her.  “Sorry.”  Tears filled her eyes.  “No one touches my guitar.”

Nick softened his voice.  “I know, I know.  He won’t.”  Then he laughed.  “But if I let you beat the crap out of him, then who’s going to bring me my bottles of water?”

Melody gave a tremulous smile.  “I didn’t mean to…I didn’t know…” Melody wasn’t even sure what she was apologizing for.

“It’s okay.”  Nick shook his head.  “It happens.  It’s no big deal.”

Melody looked over her shoulder and rolled her eyes.  It was a pretty big deal to someone.  She picked up his hand and lightly stroked his bruised finger.  “Yeah, but what if…?”

“What if…nothing.  It’s nothing.”  Nick took his hand back and turned away.  A moment later, he turned back. “Listen, Mel.  I’m sorry…about the whole Internet thing.  I guess I’m just used to it.  I can’t change my socks without it being big news somewhere.”

“Maybe you should change them more often then,” replied Melody, with a smile.  “Maybe it wouldn’t be so newsworthy.”

Nick grinned at her. 

Melody had to look away.  He was too beautiful.  She took a breath and then looked back.  “I’ll behave,” she promised.  “I just…I’ve never…”

”Stop it,” said Nick.  “You didn’t do anything wrong.  Who knows if they followed you?  Who cares?  So they found the hotel.  We’re leaving in the morning anyway.  And Mel, listen to me good now, you can do whatever you like on your days off.  Your free time is yours.  No one can tell you what to do.  Although I did kind of like that whole ‘I’ll only take orders from Nick’ part.”

“When do you get a day off?” asked Melody. 

“What?”

“I feel selfish,” she said.  “Here I am, screaming about my free time, and you don’t even get any.  When you’re not rehearsing, performing or traveling, you’re doing interviews and promotions.  When do you get a day off?”

Nick shrugged.  “I’ll get some time when we go back home.  Before we start again.  I’ll go out on my boat.  I’ll be okay.”  He was touched by her concern.  “Now, come here.”  He opened his arms.  Mel stepped into them.  Nick hugged her and rubbed her back.  He whispered in her ear.  “And no one will ever touch your guitar.  I promise.  No one will ever get between you and the music.”

Melody returned the hug and whispered, “Thank you.”

Nick stepped away from her and grinned.  “Now you owe me two!” 

Melody grinned back at him.  “Any time, Boss!” 

Nick sighed.  “Well, now I have to go rip Toby a new one.”

Melody shook her head.  “No, don’t.”   

“Are you sure?  ‘Cause he was totally out of line.”

“It’s okay,” said Mel.  “Let him have his little victory, or whatever the hell he thinks it is.  As long as you and I are on the same page…”  She shrugged.

“Okay, that’s cool.  As long as he doesn’t do it again.”  Nick sighed.  “Well, I guess we’d better get to work.”

Melody turned for the door. 

Nick’s voice stopped her.  “Hey, Mel!”

She turned back.  “Yeah?”

“Call me ‘Boss’ again.” 

Nick’s boyish grin melted some of her circuits.  Mel couldn’t speak, so she just stuck her tongue out at him and left the room.