Part 35:
************************************************************************

"Just what the hell is with you Brian?? Do you want to jeopardize whatever
ideas we've had to get back at Lou?? Antagonizing him is not going to
change things, hell you probably just made everything worse. Did you think
once the whole time you were in there?"

Brian sighed and leaned his head against the window. "Kevin just shut up a
damn minute, you're not my father. First off, that jackass deserved what I
did and that's that. He deserved more but spending the rest of my life in
some federal pen isn't my idea of a great life."


Lis walked in with Shan behind her, "Hey guys we got dinner." Lis said
setting the chinese food down on the table. They stood there and watched
as neither Ty or E looked up from the papers they were reading. 

Shan sighed, "Hello?"

Another minute of silence filled the room and they both shrugged and
decided to sit down on the couch.

Out of the corner of her eye E saw movement on the couch, "You guys are
back all ready?" she asked lifting her eyes from the printouts.

"Yeah and brought food." Shan said taking out the containers.

"What are you guys reading?" Lis asked, getting up to get some drinks from
the kitchen.

"Just some dirt on Lou." E said nonchalantly.


David reread the list of names on the list, that one name still sounded
damn familiar to him. He pulled out the highlighter from his desk and
went over it a couple times in fluorescent yellow.


Nick leaned back in the seat watching as Brian and Kevin yelled at each
other as they drove back to the house. "Can I say something?"

"NO!!!" they both yelled.

"Fine then." he turned to AJ and shook his head, "Ya know maybe it is good
we broke up, get away from each other before we all turn out like Brian."

Brian spun around, "What did you just say?"

"Rok your acting crazy...did you see me go nuts after Lis found the pics?
D try to put Lou through the floor when he threatened him? No!! And lets
put it one way, those were a little more serious then that paperwork deal
you've got going. Hell D could end up going to PRISON."

"Thanks for reminding me Nick." D muttered, slinking down further. He
hadn't felt sick enough just seeing the TransCon building and the thought
of having to confront Lou again not to mention worrying about Ty and their
child. The stress was starting to get to him. As he heard the insults
start to be thrown back and forth again in front of him he sat up, "Shut
up!! Both of you right now. Do you know how stupid this is? Yes Brian did
something stupid. But honestly it could have been any one of who snapped.
Hell Kevin you were close to it the other day."

The vehicle quieted down as Howie's words sunk in. Finally Kevin spoke,
"Your right D. I think when we get home we better decide what it is we're
doing."


Jenn laid across the hotel bed, the tape recorder in her hand. "Can you
believe that woman?"

Alec groaned from the other bed, "She's a damn bitch. What did Kevin see
in her?"

"I don't know. Thank god he met you that's all I have to say." she heard
the click of the tape rewind and hit play and seconds later Taylor's voice
filled the room 'He is Kevin's son and I will not put him through any type
of tests just to prove that to you or you either Mrs Richardson. I don't
know what kind of game it is your playing here but I want you to get out
before I call the cops.'

Alec grabbed the tape recorder out of Jenn's hand, "She's damn lucky I
didn't belt her one." she said clicking it off.

"What now?"

"I don't know, I think we have to talk to E and David though."


David sat in the darkened office, the only light was coming from his small
desk lamp and the flickering of his computer screen going through all the
names on the list Nick had given him. "Damnit not here." he yelled,
tossing the file to the chair across from him. His eyes stopped on D's
file across his desk and he pulled it over, maybe it was in there. Five
minutes later he had the phone in his hand and was dialing the cabin.


"I'll get it." E announced as she jumped over someone's legs and grabbed
the cordless that was laying on the couch. "Hello?"

"David its E...you won't believe what I just found."

"Oh you won't believe what I think I found on Lou!! But you first."

"I need to talk to Ty for a minute first though, just confirm something
with her."

"All righty." she covered the phone, "Ty David needs to check something
with you."

Ty walked over and took the phone, "Hi David, what do you need to know?"

David checked the name one more time, "Does Howie know a Paul Hardy?"

"Yeah Paul works for Howie's company. He's his right hand man in charge of
everything."

He leaned back in his chair, "Thanks Ty that's exactly what I needed to
know."

E grabbed the phone, "What is it?"

"Paul Hardy, Howie's assistant is a part owner in TransCon. And get this,
he has a bit of a shady past I believe. Haven't found anything detailed
yet but his file looks like its flagged. What did you find?"

"That matches up...When Lou settled with Nsync he made sure the details
were kept rather hush hush but there's a few articles that speculate some
intersting facts. I'm thinking we may need to go talk to one or two of
them."

"All right. I'll dig a bit more on Paul and Lou...what do you think's
going on?"

"I don't have a damn clue."


Shan pulled her ringing cell phone out of her purse, "Littrell."

"Shan its Nick. Listen can you PLEASE just talk to Brian...please he kinda
had a bad day..."

"What?? Is he okay?"

"He's calmer now just...here..." he passed the phone to Brian and left the
room.

"Hi Shan." Brian said softly.

"What's going on?? Are you okay??"

"Uhm I say yes the others say no."

"Don't be cryptic Rok."

He smiled a little, "I uh went a little crazy and attacked Lou."

Shan sat there in silence for a minute as the words sunk in. "YOU WHAT?"

"I uh...well see I found some things out from Cliff and I kinda went a
little overboard and headed over to Lou's and attacked him."

"Okay just in case my cell's broken, YOU ATTACKED LOU??"

Lis looked over startled, "What?"

Shan put her hand up, "Bri, that right?"

He laughed a little, "Yeah well sounds worse when you say it like that.
And I didn't exactly attack him I pushed him to the ground and uh hit him
a little."


E walked in the living room, confuse to see Shan talking into the phone,
"Who called now?"

Lis waved her over, "From what I can tell she's talking to Brian and he
semi attacked Lou."

E laughed, "I knew he had some spunk in him."


Kevin tossed Nick a drink as he joined the rest of the guys in the living
room. "Still on the phone?"

Nick nodded, "Yeah sounds like Shan doesn't believe what he did."

"Heck I don't believe it." AJ interjected. "I mean I knew he was pissed
but man he could of got himself arrested."

They all nodded their agreement, "I don't think he was thinking." Kevin
commented. "He was absolutely livid when he found out Lou had been
messing with him for so long."

"I can't say I wouldn't have done the same thing though.." Nick said,
glancing at each of his friends. "Especially if it could have cost me my
marriage."

"Yeah me too." AJ admitted, "Course I might of done it a little
differently."

At that minute Brian walked in, "Hey guys."

"Well now that we're all here, what are we going to do?" Kevin asked,
setting his beer down.