“Nick! I’m open!” AJ waved his arms about wildly. “Hey! Over here!”
Nick wasn’t listening. He was concentrating almost desperately to the hoop. He had to get this one in. Dribble, dribble, dodge, dribble, dribble… all other sounds faded except for his own breathing, and the hollow sound of the ball bouncing off the floor, into his palm, then again and again…
A flashing apparition flew by his eyes and suddenly, his hand was empty. He whirled around and saw Brian darting away with the ball, and grimly went after him.
“What’s the matter with him?” AJ muttered, watching Nick nearly wrenching the ball out of Brian’s grip. “I was wide open!”
Kevin joined him. “I dunno,” he said slowly. “He looked like he was going to bulldoze through a wall.”
“We should get a new hoop,” AJ mused. “He’s getting too fond of that one.”
“Or it might be the ball,” Kevin remarked fleetingly before running back into the court again. With a groan, AJ followed.
The paramedic looked at her somewhat apprehensively as she handed out the aspirin and plastic cup of water. Rachael took it with a nod, about to swish the tablets down when the smaller woman said hastily, “You have to sign this,” and thrust a clipboard towards her.
Rachael frowned and took it, giving it a glance. “What’s this?”
“we can’t give out medication without keeping a record of it.” the paramedic said hurriedly.
Rachael looked at it for a while, then a name leaped out at her.
Julian Whitestone.
Casually, she signed the form and handed it back to the paramedic. “Thanks.” She said, and walked out of the room, the details on the manager already registering themselves into her brain.
Interesting.
The tablets tasted bitter.
“You trying to wipe out before the show or something?” Remo asked, falling in step with him.
Nick barely glanced at him. “Wouldn’t that be a sight,” he muttered, climbing into the bus.
Puzzled, Remo followed him inside. Mark looked equally puzzled when he stepped in, his gaze questioning. Remo shrugged. “He looked fine this morning,” he started by the way of defence.
“I know.” Mark rubbed his beard absently. “You think he’s having a relapse?”
“What do you mean?” Remo asked sharply.
Mark looked around cautiously before answering in a low voice. “You know ‘bout what happened last night?”
“Yeah. Someone told me he got a real fright from a note or something.” Remo said.
Mark nodded. “I think it’s that.”
“The note? Oh come on, man- it’s only a piece of paper. Besides, he looked like he was on top of the world this morning.”
“I know.” Mark motioned for him to get closer. When he did, he whispered, “Personally, I think it’s that new woman.”
“Rachael?”
“Yeah, whatever.” Mark snorted. “Anyway, things got worse after she came aboard. I reckon she’s gonna be a real pain in the ass. Someone should retain her.”
“I don’t know,” Remo said uncertainly. “I really don’t think it’s our business-”
“He’s safety is our business,” Mark growled. “You think about it, man. What if anything happens to him? The blame will be on us. Now this Harrison woman could go and make herself look important and dance under the management’s strings, but in real life, if anything does happen, she won’t be able to do a thing. It was a crazy idea to begin with anyway,” he said contemptuously. “I reckon they made the biggest mistake of their life.”
Remo sat there, turning it over and over thoughtfully. “I guess you’re right,” he said finally.
Mark grinned. “I knew you’d agree with me, man.”
“So what’s going on? You gonna make a formal complaint or what?”
“It might come to that,” Mark said in a conspiratory tone. “But for now, we’re keepin’ low.”
“We?”
“Carlos thinks so too. He hates that woman. Sooner or later he’ll tell her ‘nicely’ to step off.” Mark chuckled as if it was a private joke. Remo chuckled with him, all the time watching him carefully. He had the undeniable feeling that someone was going to get hurt. Very soon.
Howie quietly slipped out of the catering, leaving the others to have their lunch. Billy, who had been waiting at the doorway, followed him. “it’s alright, Bill,” Howie told him. “I’m just going to the dressing room.”
Billy nodded and fell back a little, but still followed him. Howie shook his head wearily. He understood that the securities were doing, but sometimes it was just a little too much. They were just doing their job, he thought. But to the dressing room? Next they would be insisting on following him into the bathroom. Some sight that would make.
Before he could open the door, it flung open and Mike hurried out, looking stressed. “There you are! Where’s the others?” he nearly shouted.
“In the catering. Why-”
Mike was already running. “We got emergency. Come on!”
Bewildered, Howie stared after him. Rachael came out into the hallway.
“Know what’s going on?” he asked her.
She shook her head. “He got a phone call. Something about canceling the photo shoot.” She said placidly, as if she was discussing the weather.
Howie’s eyes widened, his nap completely forgotten. “Holy shit!” he yelled before turning on his heels and running after Mike. The two bodyguards looked after him silently.
“I think he’s stressed out,” Rachael said finally.
Billy couldn’t think up another explanation. “ya’ right. that ol’ boy needs a vacation.”
