SNC3

Chapter Three

A week later, Nick received another call, much like the first. And now his nerves were on edge. Oh how he hated being called "Nicky-boy". He had to find some way to calm down. The guys were coming to his room hang out and watch a movie and the very last thing he needed was for them to start asking questions. Questions he didn't want to answer. Especially Kevin, Nick thought with a mental shudder. Kevin was like a bloodhound on the trail when he thought something was up and wanted answers, he was relentless. And right now Nick just couldn't deal with that.
     He walked to the sink and splashed cold water on his face. Taking deep breaths as he dried off; he felt much better.
   A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door at the same time the phone started ringing. He groaned and went to answer the door. The phone could wait!
"Hey Nick; aren't you going to answer the phone?" Howie asked after Nick let them in.
"Naw. Whoever it is can leave a message,” Nick said nonchalantly.
     The phone continued to ring and the sound grated on AJ's nerves. He grabbed up the receiver as he threw a disgusted look toward Nick. "Hello" he rasped out.
"Very funny Nicky-boy! Disguising your voice is a good trick, but not good enough. I don't like the way you constantly hang up on me either. That has got to stop," the voice on the other end directed.
"Who is this?" AJ asked as he gave his friends a smirk and a shrug of his shoulders, as if to say, "Is this guy for real?"
     Before the guy answered, Nick snatched the phone away from AJ and slammed it back into the cradle. "What'd you do that for?" AJ asked as he studied the scratch Nick had left on the back of his hand.
"Just leave it," Nick snapped as he flopped down on the bed and flipped the TV on.
      Kevin crossed the room and unplugged the TV, knowing that if he had just turned it off, Nick with the remote, would've turned it back on. Nick glared at Kevin and tossed the remote to the foot of the bed.
"What's going on Nick? You've been acting strange for months now. When you asked us last week to use your cell number instead of the hotel's room phone, we did it without asking questions. You're jumpy and you're back to hiding out in your room. And just now, you ignored the phone and then practically ripped AJ's arm off when you snatched it from him," Kevin said, ticking Nick's infractions off on his fingers, as he stood in front of Nick.
   "Just leave it alone," Nick gritted out, his voice rising with each syllable.
"Tell us Nicky-boy" AJ said. Nick was off the bed and in AJ's face before anyone realized it. "My name is Nick; not Nicky-boy. Don't ever call me that again,” he said, his eyes wide, his fists clenched.
"Nick! What's the matter with you?" Brian asked as he pulled Nick away, trying to diffuse the situation.
   "That's not the first call you've had like that, is it?" AJ asked, his fright fading as concern took its place.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Nick responded hotly.
"Oh yes you do! When I answered the phone; that guy thought I was "Nicky-boy" trying to disguise my voice. That's what he called you... me. Nicky-boy," AJ said, sure he was right in his assumption. Nick's face paled and he lowered himself onto the bed.
    "Nick?" Howie asked, his soft voice sounding loud in the quiet room.
"All right! Yes, I've had two other calls and..."
"And what?" Kevin asked, prompting the younger man to continue.
"Letters. I've had two other phone calls and two or three letters a week for the last three months" he admitted, feeling defeated.
   “What do the letters say?” Brian asked, as he lowered himself to the edge of the bed.
“Personal things, very personal things,” Nick answered. “Like what?” Kevin demanded.
“Things like where I go on my off time, what I do. One letter had an entire day written down in detail. It was like he waited outside my house and followed me everywhere. He even had my bathroom breaks penciled in. He also knew intimate details of conversations I’ve had with friends and family. Conversations I’ve had in the privacy of my home.”
"Oh my god."
"What..."
"Nick why..."
"Why didn't you tell us?" Kevin asked the question they all had wanted to ask. His concern for Nick overrode his anger at Nick's failure to report the letters and calls.
"What good would it have done? Everyone would have gotten upset. Besides, we get weird letters from people all the time and I honestly thought it was a joke at first. The letters were being sent to The Firm and being forwarded to me. Then suddenly they were coming straight to the house. Then when I moved two months ago, you all know I listed the house under another name, but the letters still came straight to me. I didn't want you all involved... All right? I didn't want to put you all in danger," Nick explained as he ran a hand through his hair.
    Silence reigned after Nick's explanation. Each man lost in his own thoughts. "We have to let security know," Howie stated, meeting first AJ's eyes, then Brian's, Kevin's and finally Nick's.
"No! No way. You all know as well as I do, that they'll keep us locked up. It won't just be me. I can't handle that,” Nick said, before turning and looking at AJ. "And neither could you."
If he was hoping to gain an ally with that comment, it didn't work. "Sorry Nick; but I agree with Howie on this one" AJ replied.
"I'm going for Billy," Brian said, and then backed out the door before Nick could stop him.
   Nick starred sullenly at the ceiling; ignoring the guys attempts to reason with him. He hadn't wanted them to know in the first place, and now that they did; they were determined to keep him safe. It should have lifted the weight on his shoulders; instead he felt his burden get heavier.
   Brian returned with Billy and Nick was forced to repeat what the guys already knew. "Do you still have the letters?" Billy, their head of security asked. Nick nodded and silently crossed the room and retrieved the letters from his Nintendo 64 bag.
    Billy read through each letter, the guys hanging over his massive shoulders, reading right along with him. When they were finished, Billy said, "I guess I don't need to tell you what this means." Nick groaned and closed his eyes. There went what little freedom he had. He also knew that the police would be informed, and that he didn’t much like. He didn’t want this getting to the press and having the fans upset. He sighed heavily and sank down onto the chair beside his bed.
"I have an idea Nick. It'll take a couple of days to put it together. You can handle the extra security measures until then." Billy stood and moved toward the door. "No one goes anywhere, not even here in the hotel, without security. Got it?"
When they all acknowledged his order, Billy left to put his plan in motion.

Saving Nick Carter                                Chapter Four                               Main Page