A Man For All Seasons (Queen or Freddie Mercury Fanfic)

14. Regroup

John

The most frustrating thing about trying to act natural, be inconspicuous, is that more often than not the extra effort only makes you stick out all the more. Stuff your hands in your pockets, take long, leisurely strides, force your eyes in any direction except straight ahead, and you're bound to draw a few stares. That is, unless, like me, you've spent the last twenty-some odd years living a disappearing act, where every time you step into the outside world, you work at being as invisible as humanly possible. And as I hurry down the corridor, there's not one head that turns my direction.

It's without much difficulty that I return to Freddie's hiding place. Once I get there, though, I nearly have a stroke. All around the risers I hear a pair of feet loudly marching. So loudly, in fact, that it seems intentional. Nevertheless, Freddie's still (I assume) camped out behind the robing room door. He's got to get out of there sometime. Against my better judgment, I take my fears by the throat, inhale, and come face to face with the person.

When I enter the room, however, I find it completely empty- and the hammering in my rib cage doesn't quite know whether to relent. My heart is in no condition to have any bad-tempered minions jump out at me and drag me off into a dark corner somewhere. I'm going to get enough of a browbeating when I return home as it is.

It's doubtful that Preus and his friends would have anything to do with me, I assure myself. I look like a typical, clueless old man and I can play the part very nicely as well. If there was any interrogation to be had, it happened this morning. It's the other two I've got to watch out for; while they may not know me well, nor have they ever, they certainly know better than to believe the things I say- just like they know better than to give up when things start to get interesting.

I shudder quietly. It was no accident, Roger's phone call last night- and it was no help that innocent, earnest Danny picked up the phone and nearly let all the cats out of the bag. Only time will tell if what the boy said was enough to bring them to Julia's neck of the woods.

When it comes to tenacity, though, I suppose I mean Roger exclusively rather than the two of them together- in this context, anyway. Brian didn't seem to be buying any of the Freddie doppelganger theories last time I checked. What's more, Roger's relationship with Freddie was more personal than professional, while I would consider the case with Brian to be the other way around. So the motivation is very different. Even with that in mind, however, the outcome remains the same.

That is, they're looking for him- or us, I should say.

"John?" My back stiffens at the sound of Roxie's voice. "You okay?"

I turn toward the entrance of the choir room, where she stands peering in at me. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you."

Her voice lowers to a stage whisper. "Would you like to, uh- you know-"

"I was just about to do that, actually."

"All right, I'll stand here and keep a look out if you like."

"That -won't be necessary," I begin to say, but before I can finish, the door bursts open. There he is, looking as authoritative as ever while his fingers tick restlessly against his hip and those piercing eyes survey the two faces gaping back at him.

"I suppose we're clear now?" Freddie asks coolly, as though it's somehow no longer a miracle that he's breathing, let alone standing right here before us and sliding a bloody smartphone into his back pocket.

"At the moment," I answer.

"That's good," he mumbles, quietly popping his neck and shoulders. "Did they already leave?"