Larger Than Life (Backstreet's Back sequel)

Chapter 8

Brian woke with a start. He was sweating and shaking all over. What a dream he had had, but he knew it wasn't a dream. It wasn't a dream, it was a message. A message from Nick. An insane message! Brian shook the words out of his head. What was going on in Nick's mind over there? Kill him? Never.

He took a quick glance at the clock. It was only 5:30, but Brian knew he would never be able to get back to sleep. He needed to talk to someone. Brian sighed realizing he wanted to talk to Nick, but Nick wasn't there. Nick was unconscious in a white room waiting for someone to come and... and.. Brian dismissed the thought. Maybe he should wake up everyone and tell them... NO! No! What if they got ideas? What if they would want to kill Nick, and save the world. It would certainly be the easier way to prevent Chiros from doing his evils.

Would the other guys do it? Brian couldn't picture any of them doing it, but when it came down to life or death... Brian wasn't sure. He didn't want to take chances. What he knew, he would keep to himself. He, of course, would tell that Nick had come to him to say he was ok, but nothing else. Brian nodded to himself. Should he go to the others now, or should he wait until later? Brian decided to wait, he needed to think. The red leather bound book that had caused them so many problems seemed to glare at him

Brian got up and went to it. He might as well get some reading in while he was up.

"He said he was ok?" Howie looked relieved,"Did he say if he was gonna wake up?"

Brian looked sad and shook his head,"Chiros has him, and he's keeping him. Nick's not gonna wake up here until we stop Chiros."

Kevin rubbed his temples," Ok. I guess we'd better call Robert to see if he's ready."

Brian nodded weakly. His head was still filled with the idea that Nick would tell him to kill him! Did Nick think that, that one of them, was actually capable of murder? If Nick thought that, then there was no wonder why the cops and Nick's family would think the same thing.

Howie looked out the door of the café towards the elevators with a sad expression.

"He's not coming down. He made his decision,"Kevin said also looking at the elevators. People came in and out of them minutely, but not one of those people was AJ.

Howie nodded, "I know. I just don't think it's a good idea for us to separate right now."

Kevin sighed,"I don't either, but AJ's mind is made up. We can't force him to come with us."

"Lets just go. We're wasting time here!" Brian grumbled. He threw down a few dollars for a tip on the café table, as he stood abruptly. He made his wy quickly to the door. Kevin and Howie cast concerned looks after him.

"I'll call Robert," Howie said whipping out his cell phone.

AJ watched the guys leaving from his window on the second floor. He felt guilty, as if he were abandoning them. He shook himself briskly, shaking away those thoughts. He wasn't abandoning them, he was playing it safe. If those guys think they can stop a demon then that's them. AJ lifted the receiver to his hotel phone. He poised his fingers over the number pad about to dial room service. He got as far as the first three digits before he slammed down the receiver. He sat with his head in his hands. He was a coward; he knew it! He was also ashamed of himself. He stood up and stretched out his back. No, he didn't want to be a coward, but what the hell was he supposed to do? Those guys are going to get themselves killed. They should forget about... AJ smacked his hand to his forehead, and stared hard at his reflection in the mirror. His reflection stared back, it almost seemed to talk to him. It reached out to take AJ by the shirt collar,"Forget about what Alex, forget about Nicky?"