The doors to the van open and several men in white jackets grab us and pull us out of the van and into different rooms to be debriefed. I looked around the room I was in, waiting for someone to come in and explain what was going on. I sat there for what seemed like several hours before someone finally comes in. I stand up, "Where the hell am I and where are the others?"

"Sit down and relax Mr. McGrath." The woman smiles, "I'm Madeline. I need to talk to you for a few minutes before I can let you join your friends."

"Fine. What do you want?" I state, sitting down in the only chair in the room.

She circles around the chair and continues to smile. "So...you jumped out of the van and didn't think twice about pulling James to safety?"

I remained quiet.

"That's admirable but you didn't follow orders. We can't have you not following orders. If you are to be a member of the team, you must learn to follow orders. Do you think you can do that?"

"If I had any idea what the hell you were talking about, I might be able to answer that question better."

"Hmmm. Rebellous. I don't know if he can do anything about that. He may be good but he always takes a liking to the ones who want to do their own thing. Good looking, more than likely bisexual. Strong. Independent. Very headstrong." She looks at me, "What group are you in again?"

"What? Sugar Ray. What's that got to do with anything?"

"Research Sugar Ray. Is that one word or two?" She asks.

I furrow my eyebrows, realize that I'm not gonna get anything out of her and sigh, "Two."

"Thank you. Quick learner. Seems to be intelligent. Do you have any formal education?"

"Degree in communications." I state.

"Good, we can work with that. Yes sir. He's ready. Right. Send him in."

The door opens and JC walks in, "Hey. That'll be all Madeline, thanks."

"Yes sir," she states as she walks out the door.

"So...How you feeling?"

"I'm good. Just a couple of stiches." I smile. "What about you?"

JC lifts his shirt, "Good as new."

"Damn. Can't even tell you were shot. How'd they do that?"

"Can't tell you that just yet. I do have to ask you a couple of questions though."

"Sure, shoot."

JC moves in close to me, "Operations can hear everything we say so don't do anything crazy." He whispers. "They wanted me to ask if you'd like to join my team? I lost a couple of really good operatives today, and I could use you on my team." He states quite loudly, then leans in and whispers, "You don't have a choice really. You either join my team or someone else's or die."

The look on my face pretty much answers his question and he leans in again, "You have to answer me. Please Mark."

"Fine. I'll join but only if you're my leader. I ain't doing this crazy shit for just anyone."

JC nods, "Good. Welcome to the team. I'll see you in a couple weeks. Don't worry about your friends, they'll be fine. They only take one person from each group."

"But...What about you guys? I thought all of Nsync was in on this?"

"We are but only because they all asked to join. Since you were actually on the mission, you sorta forced their hand. That's why I didn't want you in the field."

"You mean you knew they'd make me join?"

"Yes. That's why I wanted you to stay at the hotel with Kevin and Jeff. Next time I tell you to stay put, please...do us both a favor and do it."

"I'll try...But if your cute ass is on the line, I can guarantee I won't be able to." I smile.

JC looks around the room and his eyes settle on a spot in the corner, "Shh. Don't say that so loud."

"What they don't know about you? That Madeline woman guessed it about me right away."

"No...They know. It's just that if they find out that I like you or that you like me, they'll pull you from my team. It's a danger to both of us and all the others on the team if we become involved because we'll lose focus on the missions. That's like a death sentence for the whole team."

"That sucks. Good thing I didn't jump you and plant a big kiss on you when you came in then isn't it?"

"Mark please." JC growls.

"Sorry. It's just kinda hard to take this all seriously."

"What? Yes. Right. Tell him I'll be right there." JC smiles at me, "Sorry. Operations wants to talk to me. I'll try to be back soon."

"K." JC walks out and leaves me alone in the room once again. "Great. Alone again. What to do with myself. Well...guess I could workout a bit...haven't done anything in a few days." I lay on the floor and start doing situps.

About ten minutes later a new man walks into the room. I look up from my spot on the floor. The man looks at me, "What are you doing on the floor?"

"Just doing a few situps, crunches, you know working out. Got a bit bored sitting in this well decorated room you have here."

"Well, Madeline was right. You are a smart ass. I would suggest when you address me you don't use that attitude or tone of voice. Understood?"

"Well...maybe if you explained who the hell you were, I might be inclined to respect you a bit more." I state as I get to my feet.

"I'm Operations. I run this place. 'I' decide whether you walk out of here or are carried out in a body bag."

"Really. Why am I not scarred." I state.

"James." The man states. Lance and AJ both enter the room, "Take care of him."

"No." Lance states. All three of us look at him. "You can't hurt him and you know it. You may be operations but there are people higher than you that would be pissed if you kill him and you know it. Let us take him and work with him. You know JC's had success with his type before."

"Fine. But if he causes more operatives to be killed, I'll kill him myself."

As we walk out of the room I hear him mutter, "Damn celebrities. Why the hell did I take this damn job working with them."

Lance looks at me, "Boy are you lucky Sugar Ray is somewhat popular. If not you'd be swimming with the fishes my this time tomorrow. I suggest you don't piss that man off again. He's not someone you want to mess with Mark."

"What are you talking about? He can't just kill me. People would come looking."

"Trust me. They wouldn't look too long when it hits the papers that you killed yourself or you were shot in a drive by. You are from LA. How many different ways are there to be 'accidently' killed there? It's not like you come from Mississippi or Tennessee. No one would even question your death. Sure they'd mourn you but the wouldn't question it. Keep that in mind next time you decide to get smart with him."

"Who the hell is he anyway?"

"He's Operations." Lance looks at me like I'd just grown another head.

"And...." I state.

"And...Well, let me put it this way. He's the only one in the place that JC is afraid of. Just take my word for it. Don't piss the man off or you'll find yourself dead. He's not someone you want to challenge."

"He didn't look all that scarry."

"Mark. Please... Just..." Lance looks up to see JC getting carried away on a stretcher. "What the hell?"

Lance begins to follow the men carrying JC. "Where the hell are we going now? Thought you were...What's the matter with him? He looked fine a few minutes ago?"

"You've seen him since we've been back?" AJ asks.

"Yeah, he came into the room right before Operations did. Why?"

"Well then what's going on?"

We follow the medics to the infirmery where Lance finally corners one of them, "What's going on with Chasez?"

"He blacked out a few minutes ago while talking to Operations."

"Really? That's interesting." Lance mumbles.

"Yeah? Why's that?"

"Because...JC has never blacked out in all the years I've known him. Something isn't right"

We watch from our hiding places as the medics inject something into JC's lower stomach and then crack open another salt capsule to wake him up.

"What the fuck are they up to?" AJ states.