Larger Than Life (Backstreet's Back sequel)

Chapter 10

Sitting over opened cartons of Chinese food at about 1 o'clock in the morning the guys drew out their plans for the next day.

"You have all the materials we are going to need to cross over into the other realm?" AJ asked breaking open a fortune cookie.

"No, there are few items that we still need to pick up, and we can only get them from Nick during visiting hours. I am going to pull out everything I have to try to convince those cops to let you guys see Nick tomorrow," Robert said sipping an iced tea, "We have all our runes, and charms so you guys can cross the veil, but you need a location. The nether realm is a vast region, that you do not want to get lost in, because there may be no return."

Howie gulped," No return."

Robert nodded, "In order to be transported to the correct destination you need something of Nick's... Something of sentimental value, or..."

"Hey, we can get his Nintendo," AJ chirped.

"Or?" Howie asked ignoring AJ's comment.

"Or a hair and blood sample," Robert said simply, "I don't think the hair and blood will be all that hard to get."

"Blood?" Howie croaked, "Oh man, I refuse to play the vampire part again. Kevin, AJ, the blood part is up to you."

"Why do we need Nick's hair and stuff?" asked AJ.

"Because AJ, you need to lock into Nick. Those items will personalize the runes and send you to an area close to Nick, or possibly the very area he is in. Without it, you're lost."

AJ nodded, and unrolled his fortune paper, "Lets see if I'll win the lottery and be prosperous in my near future... Oh damn..." The paper slipped from AJ's hands, and AJ jumped away from it.

"What is it?" Kevin was on his feet looking from AJ's frightened face to the discarded paper.

"Read it man," AJ whispered gruffly, "I need a drink."

"Hey no way, nobody's getting drunk," Howie interjected.

"Who said anything about getting drunk Howie?" AJ pounced on him, "I'm getting another soda!" He got up and stalked toward the refrigerator.

Kevin looked after him, then at Howie. Howie sat with his arms folded, "What does the fortune paper say?"

Kevin sighed and picked the small white slip up, he turned it over expecting to read the typical fortune... It was a skull and crossbones, "What the hell?" Kevin muttered, he quickly tore up the paper and tossed it in the wastebasket. AJ came back to the table and clunked his soda can down, "I think Chiros is sending us a message Kev."

"What was it?" Howie demanded.

"An omen," AJ grumbled, "It was a freakin' picture of dead man to be!"

Howie rested his hand over his eyes, "Ok, so you think Chiros is out to get us too, now?"

Robert stared at Howie, "I don't think he would be Howie. Right now he is preparing for his sacrifice. If he wants you, it will come afterwards..."

"But he took Brian!" Howie argued.

"Didn't Brian do something to especially upset him?" Robert inquired rubbing the bridge of his nose.