The Bands Break Up

Part 2

Welcome to the Belly of the Beast

By Nick Maro

Fumbling with the key to the strange house David shifted Roxy's weight on his shoulder. He glanced at her when she mumbled drunkenly that he had the wrong key. He finally found the right key and unlocked the door to Roxy's family home. Sliding the keys into his pocket, he lifted Roxy up and followed her instructions to her bedroom. David opened the door and used the light of the street lamp to get into her bed.

David laid Roxy down on the bed gently and wiped the matted hair from her sweaty brow. She smiled up at him and giggled. "You're the perfect man," she started to slur, "You—you can hold yer booze. You can drive stick. I don' think you grindeded the gears. And you carried me inta the house. What more could I want?" Roxy rubbed her cheek against the back of his hand. "I love you so much. I-I mean that. It's not the booze talkin'."

"I love you too, Roxy." David leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. Roxy wrapped her arms around him and pulled David down next to her. She rested her head on his shoulder. "Are you sure its okay if I stay in your room?" Roxy's only answer was a light snore. He smirked and carefully kicked his shoes off. Closing his eyes, David fell into a very light slumber.

A clearing of a throat brought David's eyes open. He looked and saw Roxy's father, Alexander, standing in the doorway. David slowly and carefully sat up not to disturb his girlfriend. "She sleeps like the dead, that girl does. Especially after going out and partying as hard as I think she did tonight." He waved for David to follow him. "Come. I just made some tea. We can talk down there."

David followed Alexander down the stairs and into the kitchen. He sat opposite of the older man and thanked him for the tea. "I hope you didn't mind me laying there. I mean she's your daughter and all."

"Don't worry about it. The only thing I'd object to is if you were both naked. And then you'd know if I objected." He chuckled and sipped his tea. "So, the Little One tells Cat and I that you grew up in Japan? Where abouts?"

"I grew up in the Osaka area. My adopted parents were very close friends of my mother. She made them my wards in her will when she passed away. I lived there for most of my life. In fact, I've only been in the States less than four months." David sipped his tea and looked around the kitchen. "Hiroshi, my adopted father, taught me the family style of martial arts and kendo there. In fact I've brought my ceremonial kimono in my family's colors."

"Well, I'm honored that you think so highly of my family to do that. I know a bit about Japanese culture from the time I wrestled there. It's a beautiful people and country." Alexander picked a picture off of a wall and laid it in front of David. "That's me versus Giant Boba in the Tokyo Dome, one of my all time favorite matches."

David finished his tea and leaned back in his chair. "I just want to thank you for letting me stay here. I could've easily gotten a hotel room."

Alexander snorted an amused objection. "Nonsense, you and your sister have taken Roxanne into your home. You feed her give her shelter and a job. This is the least we could do." He sat across from David again. "I want you to know that I'm not entierly disappointed that Roxy has given up on wrestling. It's sad and disheartening, yes. But as long as she's happy, I support her." Alexander got up and dumped out the tea pot.

"That's actually a relief to hear." David stood, leaned back and cracked his spine. "I was worried about her plans of giving up wrestling and how that would affect your feelings of her choices. I should've realized that if her parents were anything like her, they would understand." He covered his mouth as he yawned. "Um, where exactly am I sleeping?" David tried to hide the smirk.

Letting out a subdued laugh Alexander led David back up the stairs to a room next to Roxy's. They said their good nights and David opened his suitcase to change for bed. He looked around the bedroom and wondered who it belonged to. It looked lived in but not for awhile. David shrugged as he slipped under the covers and lay in bed staring at the ceiling thinking about the days ahead. He slowly drifted to sleep.

Her steps echoed as she walked through the mist. Stormer looked around the corridor. The paintings and statues that lined the walls were familiar, yet not. The chandelier overhead flickered on and off, casting eerie shadows on the mist. Stormer kept walking at her slow, even pace towards the dark red door ahead of her. Her heart pounded against her chest as she approached it.

Once at the door Stormer carefully inspected the door and the frame. She knew deep down that the door was not locked. The handle was ornate in design. Along the frame was gothic looking gargoyles and demons looking down at her. Stormer took a deep breath and swallowed slowly as she put her hand on the cool metal of the handle. She turned the handle gently and swung the door open.

The room inside looked like an expansive bedroom. Stormer walked inside full of caution. Along the walls were rows and rows of CDs and albums. There were several guitars hanging on the wall as well. The bed was unmade. The bedspread and sheets looked slept in. The pillows were bunched up against the headboard. Stormer looked around for a light source but couldn't find one.

Across from the bed was another door. This one was slightly ajar with a beam of light shining through the crack. Stormer began walking toward it slowly when the door flew open. The form of a hunching figure stood in the doorway engulfed by shadow. It brought an arm out and pointed at Stormer. The figure shambled into the light. Frenzy sneered hatefully at Stormer. "You! You bitch! How dare you keep me in here!"

Stormer froze in place. Her body shook in absolute terror as Frenzy shook her deshelved red and black hair in rage. An evil grin spread across Frenzy's lips. "Now, you're going to pay the consequences." Frenzy's right arm took on a rubbery form as she swung it behind herself. When she brought it forward her arm stretched from her shoulder.

Instinctively Stormer ducked the hand and arm as it flew over her head, striking a row of CDs behind her. She dodged Frenzy's left arm as it did the same. Frenzy's evil, maniacal laugh echoed behind her as she tried to run towards the door to escape. Stormer felt Frenzy's presence behind her as she got closer to her exit. She skidded to a stop as Frenzy slammed the door shut with her extended arm.

"Now my pretty, pretty little Princess there is no escape for you," Frenzy gloated behind her. "Your friends created me. Now you want to uncreate me. I don't think so. You're the one who will be destroyed!" Frenzy lunged at Stormer with her razor sharp nails aimed at Stormer's throat. All Stormer could do was scream and freeze in place.

Stormer woke up screaming in her bed. Sweat soaked her pillow and bed sheets. She frantically looked about for her monstrous dark side. Stormer found that she was alone in her room at the Gabor Estate. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and put her other hand on her heart. Her heart was beating faster than she ever felt it before. She jumped as her bedroom door opened suddenly. Kimber ran into the room with a concerned look on her face.

"Mary!" Kimber yelled as she ran to her best friend's bed, hugging Stormer once she got there. "It's okay Mary. I'm here now. What happened?"

"I-I don't know." Stormer weakly hugged her friend back. She looked around still confused but was started to think more clearly. "I had a nightmare. I think it was about Frenzy. I'm not too sure."

"It's okay. I'm here now." Kimber lay on the bed next to Stormer above the sheets. "I'm here and nothing is going to happen, it was just a bad dream." Stormer slid out from the sheets and laid her head on Kimber's shoulder. She stayed awake the rest of the night with the vision of Frenzy going for her throat.

Annoyed, Pizzazz pressed on the car horn. "C'mon! The light is green dammit!" The car in front of her finally drove forward. Kimber and Stormer glanced at each other and giggled in the backseat. Pizzazz smiled at them in the rear view mirror. "I swear they let anyone get a license nowadays. Mary, I'll drop you at your house after I've dropped Kimber off and talked to Jerrica. It shouldn't take too long." Pizzazz paused to make a turn. "Unless she decides to throw a vase at me."

"She's not that mad at you, Phyllis. Hell I don't even think that she's mad." Kimber leaned forward so her sister could hear her better. "She's more pissed at me lately. I'm almost eighteen and Jerrica can't cope with that fact. She keeps treating me like I was a Starlight Girl. So I stayed out late a few times. Big deal. You did it all the time and you're just fine." Kimber sat back when she saw Pizzazz scowl at her.

"I did it all the time but you didn't hear dad yell at me. I got in trouble when I got caught. Why do you think I said I wanted to do all that housework?" Pizzazz gave Kimber a knowing wink and pulled through the gates of the Starlight House. She pulled around the semi-circle and parked in front of the mansion. "Got your bags, Kim?" Pizzazz opened her door when Kimber held up her overnight bag.

The three young women walked up to the front door. Kimber opened the door and yelled that she was home. "Looks like Aja is playing with the girls by the pool in the back, Mary. I'll join you in a few minutes." Stormer nodded at Kimber and slowly jogged through the mansion to the backyard. Kimber and Pizzazz both smiled when they heard the Starlight Girls cheer as Stormer ran up to them.

Pizzazz turned her head as she heard Jerrica come down the stairs. She didn't hide her humble smile. "Hiya, Jer. I've brought the little fugitive home." Kimber giggled as she ran up the stairs past her older sister. She waved to Rio as he followed Jerrica down the steps. "Listen, I wanted to talk. I just need my sister's shoulder."

"Come on in my office. We can talk there." Jerrica led Pizzazz and Rio into her private office. "I've been meaning to call you but things have been hectic here. I've been playing phone tag with Haven House. But it's nothing you should concern yourself about you have your own problems from what I can tell."

"Don't remind me. Mary went in to that new psychiatrist yesterday. He tried his new therapy on her and she freaked out or something." Pizzazz poured herself a cup of coffee. "He said that it was normal for the patient to see what their subconscious is telling them. As far as I know he's talking out of his ass and just taking my money." She gave a casual shrug and sipped her coffee.

Jerrica poured herself her own cup. "It's too bad that can't bring back the house we grew up in."

Pizzazz turned and looked at her sister. "Ouch! That was a bit below the belt."

"Yeah well, maybe I'm seeing things for how they really are. I don't really like Mary hanging out with Kimber while she's in therapy. I think its affecting how Kimber acts lately. She's acting like—"

"Me at her age?" Pizzazz interrupted. "I'm sorry if it seems that way, but it might be that you were too busy getting things handed to you." She turned away from Jerrica and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I'm just under a lot of stress I didn't mean that."

"Of course you didn't." Jerrica sat behind her desk. "I was talking this over with Rio and I think it might be best if Kimber didn't stay the night at your place. That is until everything settles down. She's almost done with summer school and then she has her graduation in January. I don't want anything to screw it up."

Pizzazz spun around feeling her anger rise. "Now what the hell does that mean? In case you haven't noticed I worked my ass off in high school. All you have really done is ride my coat tails. You were popular because I was respected. I mean hell, it seems like everything you have now is because of me. I paid for this mansion after our home burned down. You're the lead singer of the Holograms after I stepped down from that role. Synergy was started by dad but finished by my company. Even Rio is a hand-me-down."

Jerrica stood and held Rio back with a hand to his chest. She then slapped Pizzazz as hard as she could across the face. "Get the hell out of my house and take your little psycho with you. I don't want to see you around here again." Tears started streaming down both women's faces. Pizzazz opened her mouth but Jerrica cut her off. "Just…just get out."

Looking at her sister then at Rio for a final time Pizzazz turned around and told Stormer they were leaving. She hugged each of the Starlight Girls tightly and told Aja she'd call her. The two members of the Misfits left the Starlight House without another word. Both Pizzazz and Stormer choked back their tears.

Pulling out her drumsticks Jetta spun them around and between her fingers. She smirked playfully at the young teenage boy who was watching her across the aisle. The boy sat there fascinated at how she manipulated the sticks as if they were nothing. She gave them a light toss and caught them in her left hand. She held them out to the teenager. "Here you go. So tell me, you seem interested in the sticks. You like playin' the drums?"

The teenage boy shyly took the sticks and smiled. "I wanna learn but my mum won't let me. She says they're too noisy."

"That's rubbish." Jetta smiled again. "If I always listened to my mum and dad I wouldn't be who I am today, the drummer for the Misfits. If your gut says what you believe is right and good for your dreams, listen to it. Never let someone tell you that your dreams are foolish or silly because they're not, okay?" She tousled the boy's hair playfully.

The boy held out his hand. "My name is Darren. I think I saw you on the telly. You interrupted that band the Stings or somethin'." Jetta felt herself blush when he mentioned it. It was the first time she was ever recognized as a celebrity outside of a local nature. "I can't wait to get your album. Are you goin' to tour the U.K. at all?"

Jetta gave a slight shrug. "I have no bloody clue. It's all up to Pizzazz and the rest of the band. As of right now we're just a local band in Los Angeles. If we get big enough I suppose we would." She pulled out a thin tipped marker and signed both of the drumsticks. A flight attendant passed between Jetta and Darren. "Excuse me. Could you take a picture of my young friend and me together?"

"Of course." Darren quickly pulled a camera out of his backpack and handed it to the attendant. Jetta moved to the empty seat next to Darren and the attendant took the photo. Jetta thanked the woman and went back to her seat. Darren and Jetta both turned when they heard a man call Darren's name.

"Looks like my dad wants me to go back to our seat. Thanks for drumsticks and the picture." He shook Jetta's hand. "It was very nice meetin' you. I'll be the first in my school to buy your album."

"Thanks. Just remember what I said and good luck." She gave him a wink as he went back to his seat. She learned forward and whispered excitedly to the man and woman in front of her. "Can you believe it, mum? I think that was a real fan! I mean, I'd met wrestlin' fans. But never fans of my music! I can't wait till I tell the girls." Jetta sat back with a slight giggle and a wide grin on her face. Five minutes later the pilot announced that they were beginning their decent into Philadelphia.

Turning as he heard Roxy's yell, David saw a massive form come running at him. The form jumped and knocked David to the ground. He opened his eyes and was face to face with the biggest Irish Wolfhound he had ever seen. Again he heard Roxy yell, "Cerebus! No! Bad dog!" The dog looked down at David and opened his mouth. He gave him a big wet lick up his face. David shut his eyes and mouth tight as the dog licked his face over and over.

Roxy stood over David as the dog continued to lick his face. She then grabbed the animal by the collar and scalded it. "I'm sorry David. He's a very gentle dog just way too excitable and friendly. Looks like you're his new best friend too."

"Oh yay!" David stood up, dusted himself off and looked at Cerebus. "If he's so gentle why did you name him after the guardian of Hades?" He scratched the dog behind the ears and under his chin.

"It was my dad's idea. Figured if the size didn't scare intruders, yelling 'Cerebus sic balls' would." She let go of his collar and crouched next to the dog petting and stroking its sides. "My dad has a very odd sense of humor. Although I'm glad they kept him in the garage last night. I was just way too drunk to have dealt with this beast." Roxy stood back up and slipped her around David's waist. "So, have fun last night?"

David put his arm around her waist in return. "Yeah, it was fun meeting your childhood friends. The Red Aces seem to be a great wrestling group too. Why didn't you stay with them?"

"Something bigger came along. Better pay, better shows. It happens all the time."

"Makes sense." The young lovers began walking around the backyard together to a wooden bench. Cerebus followed them closely. David looked around the backyard slowly and smiled. "This is a very lovely home, Rox. I love learning about your childhood and everything. I can't wait to show you Japan. I know you'll love it." He pulled her closer to him. "Um Rox, whose room was I staying in last night? You never mentioned any siblings or anything."

David felt Roxy slightly tense up then relax. "I don't. My parents would take in young wrestlers who were learning at the local wrestling school. That's all." She looked up at him with a mischievous grin. "Come on. Let's go inside and I'll show you my room. I haven't had a chance to do that yet." She let out a childish giggle and pulled David to his feet. Together they ran to Roxy's childhood home and disappeared inside.

Aja examined the circuit board under the magnifying glass and light. She sighed in frustration and rubbed her eyes. She looked over her shoulder at Shana. "Are you sure I can look at this? I mean, it is evidence in an on going investigation. I'm not contaminating the evidence am I?"

"Just as long as you keep the latex gloves on you're fine. The lab techs have gone over those remote devices a hundred times. All they really found was that the remote radio frequency was different on each one." Shana gave a slight shrug. "It's a start but not much of one. Besides, since when have we let others help us out, huh?" She gave Aja's shoulders a slight rub.

"Yeah, remember the time you, me and Phyllis put shrink wrap all around Mister Binder's car and let it sit in the sun?"

Shana let out a soft laugh. "Well, he deserved it. But we had no idea it would take the paint off when he removed it. That taught him not to suspend an original Starlight Girl for nothing." She peeked out of the police lab door to see if anyone was coming. Her partner Carmen gave her thumbs up that all was clear. "Hurry up. Last thing I need is to get caught bending a few rules before I graduate."

Aja carefully put the parts back in the bags and gave them to Shana. Together, the two sisters made their way out of the lab and back down to the evidence room. Aja waited outside of the room with Carmen. They both froze when an officer walked by. The officer gave the two young ladies a polite wave and didn't stop to talk. They both let out a sigh of relief.

Poking her head out the door, Shana looked both ways and joined them. She saw that they were still nervous. "Okay. What happened? Did anyone stop?"

"No. But Officer Brown just walked by. He waved and continued on his way," Carmen told her calmly. "I swear he was gonna stop and try to hit on me again."

Shana nodded. "Well, let's take that as a sign to get the hell outta here." The other two women agreed and followed Shana through the station. Once at the front desk, Aja handed the desk sergeant her visitor pass and signed out. The sergeant wished the three women a pleasant night and went back to his paperwork. They each let out a held breath once they were outside and next to Aja's car.

Aja felt a twinge of disappointment that she couldn't find anything on person or persons who had been harassing her for the past few weeks.

Pacing the length of the room Stormer tried to forget the dream she had the previous night. Pizzazz sat at Stormer's desk and looked over a few reports she had gotten from Misfits Music. She agreed to stay with Stormer that night. They both agreed that they could use each other's company. Plus Vanessa had offered her shoulder to both women after they told her what had happened with Jerrica.

"Mary, your dream didn't mean anything." Pizzazz kept studying the report without looking up. "It's probably just a side effect of the therapy. We'll ask Richard tomorrow when you go in for your next session. It's his machine maybe he'll know."

Stormer flopped backwards on her bed. "Maybe, it was just so frightening and real. Like something out of a horror movie. It's probably just a result of too many horror movies and too much stress lately." Stormer flipped over on her stomach and hugged her pillow under her. "Is the band breaking up already?"

Pizzazz looked up slightly stunned at Stormer. "No, of course not, we're just taking time off so we can get our heads together and dedicate ourselves to our music. Why? Did you want to leave the band? If you do, I'll understand completely." She sat next to Stormer and put her arm around her young friend's shoulders.

"Gods no! I love playing. I was just wondering because Roxy and Jetta aren't here. It just seems like we're all doing our own thing." Stormer rested her head on Pizzazz's shoulder. "Y'know, you're like a big sister to me. Thanks for always being there for me." She hugged Pizzazz lightly. They both turned when the doorbell rang. "Who the hell is coming over at thi—. Maybe its Kimber!"

Stormer leapt off of her bed and ran to the front door not finding the face she was expecting. In fact, she didn't know who the man standing before her was at all. He was about six feet tall with shaggy blue hair and clean shaven. He looked to be in his early twenties. She gave him a quizzical look then turned to Pizzazz as she came up behind her.

The man smiled. "Is this the Phillips household?" Stormer nodded. The man gave a slight smile. "This is going to sound strange, but my name is Craig Phillips. I think I'm your brother." Stormer stepped backwards in shock into Pizzazz and then fell to the ground unconscious.

TO BE CONTINUED IN "HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT"

PART 3 OF THE BANDS BREAK UP