Part 43:
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"Looks like I'm the first one up," AJ said walking into the kitchen.

"No I was." D called, from behind the fridge door.

"What are you up to at 7 in the morning? Haven't you heard of sleep?" AJ
asked, reaching around D and grabbing a juice.

"I want to surprise Ty."

"By her waking up without you beside her?? She might not be too
surprised."

"Hahaha funny man. I'm making her breakfast in bed."

"Don't poison the woman." AJ sat down at the island and watched his friend
start making toast. "Since when did you cook Howie???"

D laughed, "Since Ty decided I should."


Upstairs Nick and Brian met in the hallway, "Morning man." Nick greeted
his friend, closing his bedroom door.

"Morning." Brian yawned and headed for the stairs.

"Shan not up yet?"

"Sound asleep, just like Lis is I bet."

"Yeah she's dead to the world." Nick agreed, "Probably won't even notice
I'm not there."


Alec walked into the bedroom, finding Kevin getting dressed. "Morning."

He smiled, "Morning. I think most everyone's up."

"What time is it?"

"Almost noon." he answered after consulting his watch.

She made a face, "Boy we slept in."

"Yeah, but we needed the rest." he reasoned. "Stress wears a person out."


By lunch everyone had made their way downstairs, the first time in a long
time everyone was talking to one another. They all went out and sat on the
deck.

"When do we want to get started?" Alec asked, leaning against Kevin's
chest.

"Sooner the better. I don't know if their going to want to cooperate
though." D said.

"David said he wanted to go with, they might be a little more willing to
say something then." Nick added.

"And if they don't want to, we can always say Lou can do the same thing to
you." 

"Yeah but he may not, if they know his secret." Lis stated.

"Well guess we pick one of them and see what he says. Who looks like a
talker?"

The wives all looked at one another, "Justin." they answered unanimously.


David listened intently as the ten explained what they thought should
happen, one of the wives would go along with him. None of the guys since
NSync may not be so apt to help them out, at least not right away. "So you
want to start with Justin, fine. I'll have to set up an appointment...what
else did we need to do?"

Brian took a deep breath, "Personally I have to tell Cassie the truth. But
thats hard to do since I can't exactly fly anywhere to meet her without
the story being printed in the enquirer."

"She could come here." Shan suggested.

"Here here?" Brian asked confused.

"Where else?? Its safe from the press and unless she's wearing a wire you
don't have to worry."


Howie paced the deck, tossing his cell phone back and forth between his
hands. He didn't notice the group of people watching him from inside the
patio doors.

"Do you think we should go out there?" Kevin asked no one in particular.

"I think he just wants to be alone." Ty answered.

"Has he been like this all day?" Nick asked confused. He was sure Howie
was fine all afternoon.

"Just the last hour or so."

They all stared out at him, watching as he stopped pacing and leaned
against the railing. "Well looks like its best friend to the rescue." AJ
said opening one of the doors.


Howie heard the doors open and close but paid them no attention. Instead
he kept his gaze on a point in the distance. He felt AJ's presence beside
him but ignored it as long as he could.

AJ leaned on the railing waiting for Howie to speak. When he didn't, he
decided to say something. "What's up D?"

"I'm lost. Part of me is saying sell the company as fast as I can...the
other half wants to call a meeting with Paul and confront him." he didn't
look at his friend as he spoke, just out at the distance.

AJ stared at his friend in disbelief, "Sell the company?? Howie you've
spent years making that business what it is. Plus I don't think
confronting someone with mob connections is a safe alternative." he said,
half seriously.

"What do I do?? Sit and wait to be arrested? The more I think about it the
more plausible it is that that will happen."


Shan walked into the living room, finding Brian on the phone. She knew who
he was talking to so she sat on the couch and hugged one of the cushions
to her. As soon as he set the phone down she spoke. "Is she coming?"

Brian nodded, "Cassie's gonna try and get a flight out in a few days."

She took a deep breath, "Did you tell her anything?"

"Just that I found out some things and I figured I owed it to her to tell
her in person."