15. Scott #2
My eyes wander, not for the first time, across the aisle to where Naz is sitting, his face and body turned to the small window. The shade is down, so he’s just been staring at plastic this entire time, a blank-faced mask settled over his gorgeous features.
I’d almost rather him look at me with anger or disappointment. At least it would be something.
The captain’s voice crackles as he makes an announcement over the speakers, welcoming us to LaGuardia and relaying the local time and weather.
It’s raining, and a heavier downpour is expected the next hour.
It suits my mood, to be sure. More importantly, though, it works to our advantage for the plan.
The plane comes to a stop at the private terminal, our flight attendant emerging from the back of the plane to open the door and secure the stairs. She offers us a friendly smile and reminds us to watch our step as the stairs are wet.
There’s another employee waiting with an oversized navy-blue umbrella, which I take from him.
“I’ve got him,” I say. But I don’t. Not anymore.
Still, I keep the umbrella over his head as we make our way down the stairs, scanning what I can see of our surroundings.
There’s another small plane idling in the terminal, which I’m expecting would be the other members of our party that arrived before us.
A large, black stretch SUV with tinted windows waits in the middle of the terminal, a recognizable figure in dark jeans and heavy boots standing nearby under a black umbrella.
He meets us halfway between the stairs and the SUV, gesturing for Naz to join him under his umbrella as we walk to the vehicle.
I can’t hear what they’re saying or if they’re even speaking, all I can do is watch as Cory deposits Naz into a rear passenger door, shutting it behind him before rounding the back to the driver’s side.
Before getting behind the wheel, Cory gives me a calculating look. I nod once, and he gestures for me to get in on the passenger side. That’s all the conversation I get from the man I’ve come to know as more than just a boss, but a friend.
Scott: We arrived in New York, heading to the office now.
Unknown: Don’t you think I already know that? I told you, what I need from you is a show of faith. You made me work for your attention, so now you have to work for mine.
Scott: And if I don’t?
Unknown: Then there will be consequences. And this time I won’t pull punches.
Scott: How do I know you won't hurt them anyway?
Unknown: That’s why it’s called a show of faith. Show me I can trust you, and you’ll see that I always keep my word.
Scott: What do I have to do?
As soon as we’re buckled in and pulling out of the airport, Cory tells everyone it’s safe to talk.
I turn to look at the group Cory assembled, nodding in greeting as they all catch up.
Not everyone understands the details of why they’re here, and more than one of them will be backtracking to get on another flight back to wherever they came from, but it’s heartwarming to see there are still this many people that we can trust.
Three of Luc Martín’s teammates, AJ Leon, Monty Nash, and Dez Carter, are sitting along one side of the wraparound seating arrangement, their large bodies taking up enough space for five regular-sized people.
Across from them are Naz and one of Ari’s good friends and Hollywood A-lister, Alonso Carter, plus two of our security team who regularly accompany the band.
Charles and Lawrence were hand-picked as some of Cory’s most trustworthy employees outside of the two he sent to the compound.
Their jobs are simple— accompany Naz, Cory, and me into the label headquarters.
With the rain as cover, they don’t even need disguises to pull off being stand-ins for the rest of the band and security detail, pulling up the collars of their jackets and pulling ball caps and hoodies down low to cover their faces.
Once we’re inside, all the stand-ins will hang out in a conference room while the three of us slip out to talk privately with Blake. At some point, everyone will make their way to the condo to hang out until it’s late enough for them to disappear out the back under the cover of darkness.
It’s not the most calculated or intricate of plans, but it should be enough to at least throw off whoever might be watching and divert attention away from the guys making their way to Naz’s compound in North Carolina.
“Yo, I feel like we’re about to do a heist or something,” AJ Leon says, smiling widely at his teammates.
He’s almost bouncing in his seat from his excitement to go undercover as his best friend, wearing a Shreveport Cyclones hoodie and track pants.
He’s a little shorter than Luc, but if he keeps his head down low, it’s close enough to work from a distance.
If anyone looked close enough, none of these guys would pass for who they’re pretending to be.
Alonso is too tall and broad to be Ari, but he’s dressed similarly to how Ari would, and wearing what I’m assuming is a wig under the hood of his rain jacket.
Charles isn’t nearly thin enough to pass for Jesse, but he’s tall enough to pull it off in a baggy sweatsuit with the hoodie pulled low over his hair and face.
Dez’s lean, athletic build is close enough to Will’s lanky muscle, but he’s shorter by a few inches.
Lawrence and Monty were easier, wearing the same uniform Cory and I wear almost daily—jeans and black security jackets.
Since Lawrence is technically part of the security detail, we didn’t have to hide him, hoping anyone watching would assume he’s standing in for Eric.
But since Monty has a pretty recognizable face, he’s wearing a ball cap pulled low, his usual short beard shaved for the occasion.
From far away, especially with the rain coming down so hard, it’s unlikely that anyone is going to look twice at the group from the outside. It’s once we get inside that I question whether this is going to work.
“Alright, listen up,” Cory says as he navigates through city traffic.
“We’ll be entering through the basement to avoid as many people as possible, but if there is anyone around, just act natural.
Only the people who work directly with the band are going to know they’re scheduled to meet today, so you won’t look out of place unless you act out of place.
There are cameras everywhere, most notably in the top corners of the elevator.
Just keep your heads low until we’re inside the conference room.
Once we’re in there, you don’t have to worry about cameras, but we can’t rule out anyone listening, so don’t speak above a whisper. ”
He pauses and looks over his shoulder quickly. “Lawrence, you have that recording I gave you?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. That should help drown out any noise.”
“I know we’re here to cover for the guys, and I’m cool with all of this of course, I’ll do whatever to help my boy. But this seems like a bit more than throwing off some paps,” AJ remarks. “Are they, like… Is everything okay?”
There’s a tense silence while everyone waits for an answer. I wonder what Cory is going to tell them, or if he’s waiting for Naz to take the lead on this one, but it’s Alonso that speaks up.
“I don’t know much, but I know the guys have been dealing with some pretty serious threats. So whatever we’re doing here, it has to do with keeping them safe.”
“Like more bomb threats?” Dez asks, sounding a little choked.
“Our locations were leaked,” Naz answers vaguely, keeping the part about his land remaining off the radar to himself. “We don’t know if someone inside is responsible.”
“It don’t matter to me what’s going on. If Luc’s stubborn ass asked us for help, I figure it’s gotta be serious,” Monty drawls. “Whatever y’all need, we’ve got your backs.”
“Thanks,” Naz says. “That means a lot.”
“Thanks isn’t necessary,” Dez says.
“Luc is our family, and y’all are Luc’s family. So that makes us family too,” AJ adds.
There’s some rustling around as the guys in the back slap hands or asses or whatever else bros do, but our bonding moment comes to an end as we pull around the back of the label’s building.
Everyone is completely silent when Cory pulls into the underground parking garage, which is eerily empty.
The sounds of our feet and the doors of the SUV closing echoes off the concrete.
Emmy waits just outside the elevator as we approach, beaming his usual bright smile. Naz bends to give him a short hug, and I hear his murmured thanks. Possibly to keep up appearances, our pretend Will, Ari, and Jesse all line up to hug him as well.
Emmy giggles. “Oh, hello to you too,” he murmurs, patting them each on the back. I can’t help but smile at his amused expression.
“Alright, well, if you’ll all just follow me, Mr. Holland is waiting for you upstairs.”
Emmy opens the elevator doors and gestures for us all to get in. It’s a very large elevator car, but it still feels overfull with so many big bodies in here. Have I ever ridden the elevator with the entire group before?