They resumed the rehearsal but there was feeling of tension in the air. Riot was obviously in a foul mood. Minx was pissed with Rapture for being the cause. And Rapture was sulking cause Minx always took Riot's side. They soon decided to call it a night.

"I guess I'll see you two tomorrow. I'm going back upstairs to finish up those documents"

The three said farewell and parted ways.

Riot rode the elevator to the 10Th floor of Stinger Sound and started toward his office. By this time the whole floor was dark and he had to turn on all the lights before he entered the suite. The contrasting brightness hurt his eyes, he squinted and squeezed them shut momentarily.

He made his way over to the desk and found the pile of papers resting neatly just as he had left them.

He sat down and smiled to himself as the lyrics to Jem's song " Getting down to business" ran through his head. Ahhhh Jem. His dearest darling Jem. Ever since he had met the singer he could not take his mind mind off her. He was obsessed. Never had anyone so stubbornly resisted his advances. He found it refreshing. He could have any women he chose but where was the fun in that? No Jem was different. She was the prize that was worth winning. It was only a matter of time. He would see her soon at the benefit concert for her foundation Starlight house. It was just days away and he couldn't wait.

He began to shift through the stack of files. Slowly but surely he manged to sort , review and sign all the required documentation for a few of the new bands the company had just signed on.

It was time to go home and thank god for that. He was more then just tired. He felt completely drained. And although his headache had eased it's invariable presence had not.

Riot turned out the lights got in his car and went home.

Despite the countless starlets he had made in that very location he had never seen his bed look so inviting. He collided with it in a flourish and was out like a light.

Riot slept fitfully that night. Awakening intermittently to vexing darkness.

And that's when the nightmares began.

He was choking again. He couldn't breathe. Gasping for breath he struggled for any intake of air. CoUgHiNg cOuGhInG CoUgHiNg. It hurt to draw breath. It Hurt TOO MUCH.

TOo muCh too MucH it's jUSt ToO MuCh

He heard Minx's voice "Hold on Riot were almost there"

He was in a bed now. A bed?abed? But/there/were/NOBEDS/when/your/on/theStrEEts.

And why was he so WARM when it was the dead of winter.

another VOICE ...

this time...Rapture's??

"you'll be fine"

And another (voice)!!

"Luck KEY...Justin Thyme ...NewmoanYAh"

Riot awoke drenched in sweat and panting. It was the same dream again: Winter in Germany 1985. After busking and living on the streets a simple cough can turn to something much worse. In this case, pneumonia. He almost died. If it hadn't been for Rapture and Minx he would have. They got him to a hospital. It was almost too late.

Yeah, it's a hard, hard life.

He closed his eyes and succumbed to his restless slumber ,more erratic now then ever.

The sunlight seeped through the blinds of Riot's penthouse condo. Awaking wildly he expected to find himself immersed in blackness yet again, only to be consoled by the horrid reality of morning.

Riot looked at the clock and groaned. He hadn't slept well and he was still in a sleep fog. Which is probably why he didn't notice right away that Rapture's Prediction the previous night had come true.

He got up and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He moved sluggishly and began to realize that his headache had not left. Nor had his stiff joints. In fact it appeared they had worsened altogether. He swallowed: Odd. His throat felt dry and cracked. If he didn't know better it actually seemed ...sore? And why was his nose so blocked?

'No'. Riot thought.

' No!' His mind repeated with urgency.

'This. Is. Not. Happening.'

'I am not'...and as if with the realization itself his body seemed to relinquish control.

"Hehchooo!!"

'No'

"Hhharrish!! HarrAshhHHeeww!!

'NO!'

"HehhhheHITCHSHooo!! AHHkighxt!!ETTCHEW!! Ugh. sniieefff"

Riot sighed. There was no denying it.. He was ill. Why now? There was too much to do!!

Blast it! Of all the inconvenient times to get sick.

He looked in the mirror his eyes were rimmed with shades of pink they looked tired and he rubbed at them

koff khoff Koff Great he was coughing now too!! He cleared his throat which was beginning to feel raw.

All in all he felt like crap. The meeting was in 1 hour. He would just have to grin and bear it.