Ch.11
Kerri stumbled to the door and touched it. Paint she realized, not blood. Who did this, she wondered, was it Tiffany? Tiffany knew where her room was. She shook the thought from her head. I can't accuse her, I don't know for sure if Tiffany did it. She quickly opened the door and ran into the room to get her shoes. Kerri composed herself before walking back to the lobby. I'm not going to tell anybody, she decided. She forced a smile to her face as she greeted the others before getting on the bus.
They arrived at the arena. Kerri found that Nick was waiting for her. Oh no, he is going to know somethings wrong. I can't let him know what happened, not yet. He immediately went up to her.
"How's it goin'? Are you alright, you look upset." He said.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She lied, "I'm just tired." She looked into his eyes and smiled, trying to convince him it was true. He smiled back, even though he didn't fully believe her.
"I heard you went on TRL earlier." He said, as his eyes lit up. Kerri thought about how stupid she must have looked and sounded earlier.
Kerri was about to reply when she heard Christina calling her. She nodded to the stage and motioned for her to come. Kerri hurried over after saying goodbye to Nick. Kerri was more comfortable with getting to the stage this time, since she had already done it once. She glanced out over the crowd, her eyes falling on the spot where she had seen Jason the night before. He stood there, staring out her. When he noticed her eyes on him, he smiled cruelly. He held up a sign that's read:
CALL ME 9-687-3323
Kerri stared at him, then the sign and memorized the number. I am going to get to the bottom of this, she thought, I can't let this go on any longer. She forgot about him as she got into the routine. Before they were led off stage she glanced at the sign one last time to make sure she had the number right. Jason smiled and left the arena. Mission accomplished, he thought, she will try to call.
"Howie!" She called as she saw him backstage. "Can I borrow your cellphone?"
"Sure," he replyed, "It's on the table over there." Then he disappeared into the bow where the Boys enter the stage area. Kerri waited about a half hour before she tried calling the number. She slid into an empty room so nobody could hear her. Her hand shook as she slowly dialed the number and raised the phone to her ear.
Kerri listened to shock as she heard "We're sorry your call cannot be completed as dialed." She cursed loudly as she hung up the phone. Why did he give me that stupid number, she wondered. Kerri jumped as she heard someone enter the room.
"You okay." David asked. "I heard you curse and I wanted to make sure you hadn't hurt yourself or anything."
"I'm fine." She said, then held up the phone. "Bad call."
"Oh, I understand. Everyone is going out to eat, wanna come?" He asked. Kerri nodded then followed him to the rest of the group. She could hear the Backstreet Boys singing and the audience screaming. She grabbed her things and walked to the bus. The sign Jason was holding stayed in her mind the whole night. She couldn't eat once they got there. Christina and Jess exchanged worried glances. Kerri's face was pale, she never smiled once the whole night, and was lost in her own thoughts.
"Kerri, come with us." Jess whispered. Christina and Jess lead her to the ladies room. After making sure there wasn't anyone else in the bathroom, they looked the door.
"Kerri, what is up?" Jess asked her. Kerri stood there like she had no clue what Jess was talking about.
"You have been acting really strange. Don't even pretend there is nothing wrong." Christina said, looking Kerri in the eye. Kerri looked away, accidently giving herself away. Christina nodded and said, "I knew it. Talk."
Kerri sighed and told the two girls about Mark, about meeting Nick, and about Jason. "He was at the show again tonight. He held up a sing that said, call me 9-687-3323. I called the number and there was no such number. I don't know what it means." Kerri looked up to see the shocked expression's on their faces.
"Let's head back to the hotel." Jess said, opening the bathroom door. Kerri nodded and followed the other two back to the table. Jess told the others they were leaving and left the six guys there wondering what was going on.
Once they were back in their room at the hotel, Kerri grabbed a piece of paper. She wrote down the number from the sign. She showed Jess and Christina. Christina grabbed the paper and stared at it for a second.
"Wait, I have seen things like this before. Look at the phone." Christina said, staring at the number.
Kerri and Jess looked at the phone as Chritina continued to talk. "There are letters on each number. This isn't a phone number, it is a code." Kerri looked up in surprise. She took the paper back and began writing down the possible letters for each number.
"wxyz-mno-tuv-pqrs-def-def-abc-def" Kerri read out the numbers. For the next two hours the three girls tried to figure out what the letters spelled.
"Wot see be, yots fead?" Jess mumbled off words, half of which didn't even make sense. She looked up to notice all the color drain from Kerri's face.
"I figured out what the numbers mean." She said quietly. She turned the paper she was writing on around and showed it to Jess and Christina. They gasped as they read it.
Ch.12
"It figures," Christina muttered, "Your dead…so much like the message on the door." She looked at Kerri. Her eye's seemed tired and her face had no life in its dreary expression. Christina grabbed the paper and crumpled it up, tossing it in the trashcan. "Don't worry about it, this guy won't do anything to you."
"I guess…" Kerri repyled softly, not very sure that that was the truth. "I'll be back in a little while." She said suddenly, then stood up and quickly left the room. I'll call Desiree, she decided, Des will know what to do.
"Is there a pay phone around here somewhere?" Kerri asked a bellboy in the lobby. He pointed her in the direction of the restrooms. Kerri grabbed the nearest phone and shoved her change into the payphone. It rang a few times, and Kerri prayed that Desiree was home.
"Hello?" A voice on the other end of the line asked. Kerri paused for a moment, then realized who it was.
"Hey Amanda! How are you?" She said, happy to be talking to her friend.
"Not as good as you. Girl, how did YOU manage to get to be on the tour." Amanda joked.
Kerri laughed, "I know, I know, but I will say hi to Kevin for you, ok?"
"Alright, I guess that will due for now. I guess you want Desiree, I'll get her, hold on." Amanda set down the phone, Kerri could hear her call for Desiree. Kerri waited a little while before she actually picked up the phone.
"Hey dude! How's it goin'?" Desiree said cheerful into the phone. Kerri didn't say anything and Desiree knew something was wrong. "Kerri, what happened?"
"You know Mark's friend Jason? Well, he's following me and has been threatening me." Kerri told her, now mad to no end at Jason and Mark.
"That jerk! I can't belive he would do that. It's only common sense to know that Mark must have sent him. I have even worse news Kerri. I wasn't going to tell you because I thought it would upset you. I guess you should know, after what has happened with Jason." Desiree told her, then paused as if she still really didn't want to tell her.
"Des..." Kerri started, she wanted to know what Desiree was talking about.
"Mark got out today, they couldn't even keep him in there for the week. He has disappeared and no one knows where he is at. He might be headed your way since Jason knows where you are. I would watch yourself, you could be in real danger if Mark gets a hold of you." Desiree said quickly.
"I'm gonna need a few people to help watch myself. How would you and Amanda like to come with me to Washington DC tomorrow and the day after." Kerri suggested, even though it was more of a plea than a simple request.
"Of course I will, let me ask Mandy." Desiree said, then held down the phone to yell to Amanda. "Mandy, want to go visit Kerri?"
Kerri held the phone away from her ear as Amanda started screaming and then started chanting, Kevin, Kevin, Kevin! Desiree laughed as she put the phone back to her ear.
"Oh, it doesn't sound at all like she wants to go." Kerri said sarcasticaly. For the next half hour the girls planned out how they would get them to DC. Once they had it all worked out Kerri hung up the phone. She smiled a little, having her friends with her would help out a lot.
Kerri wandered around the hotel, not ready to go back to her room and pack. She didn't even realize that she had made her way to the hall where the Backstreet Boys rooms were. She stopped cold when she saw Nick standing in front of his room, staring at the door. She slowly turned her eyes to the door. A red DIE, exactly like the one on her door.
"Nick!" She called hurrying down the hallway. He looked up at Kerri, still in shock at seeing what was on his door.
"Nick," She said, this time quieter, "I know who did it." Nick didn't say anything, he just kept looking at her. "It was Mark's friend Jason. He followed me here, and has been doing things like this to me. I'm sorry he went and did this."
"It's not your fault." Nick replyed, "We have to do something about this guy."
"I know, but there is another thing I haven't told you yet. They let Mark out of jail today and Desiree thinks he may be headed our way." She told him, cringing at the thought of seeing Mark again. "Desiree and another friend of mine are coming out tomorrow to stay with me for a while. It will help with them being there."
"I guess it will a little, but Mark and his pal probably won't care how many people you have with you." Nick said, hoping Kerri wouldn't become careless being with her friends.
"I know." Kerri yawned, "It will all work out, I'm sure. I haven't packed yet so I need to go."
"Only if you promise me that you will come straight here in the morning, I don't want you to be alone at any time. Ok?" Nick said, looking into her eyes as she promised to.
Kerri headed back to the room and packed her things. She couldn't wait to see Desiree and Amanda the next day. She was careful not to wake Christina or Jess as she moved around the room. She climbed into bed.
Kerri suddenly woke up, someone was pounding on the door. Kerri reached out and turned on the light. Christna and Jess were gone. Funny, she thought, she hadn't even heard them leave. That must be them at the door.
"I'm coming!" Kerri called, pulling on her robe. She walked to the door and looked through the peephole on the door. She couldn't tell who it was. Slowley she unlocked the door. The next moment the door was thrown wide open to reveal Mark.
Kerri jumped back as she stared at him. He was dirty and appeared to have been traveling for a while. He had a wild look on his face that frightened Kerri, she shrunk back into the room.
"Mark, what are you doing here?" She stammered.
He didn't answer, he just walked towards her. His steps were slow, but every time he stepped down he seemed to create a small earthquake that was sent straight to Kerri's heart.
"Mark stop, leave me alone!" She begged.
Mark forced her further back into the room, but not before turning to close and lock the door. He looked at Kerri shivering with fear, and he smiled. The evil grin only caused Kerri fear to grow more. She watched as he slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a metallic object.
A gun, Kerri thought, he has a gun! Her mind went wild and she did the only thing she could. Kerri reached out and made a grab for the gun. Mark pushed her away easily and knocked her to the floor. He aimed the gun down at her, and smiled again. Thinking quickly Kerri threw her leg up with all her might and kicked the gun from his hand. He titled his head and frowned at her.
"I guess I will have to do it the old fashion way." He rasped, reaching out and wrapping his fingers around her neck, choking her. She struggled against his grip, but couldn't get him off and slowly she felt herself go weak.
