This chapter's only long because of the UBER long lyrics used here. ^^ Do enjoy imagining this in your mind. Jeremy singing rather closely with the mic, Simon doin his thing on the drums... Oh yes. XD Love it~! Lots of close touches here too!
A shrill whistle carried out over the crowd of bands and everyone was silenced. Upon the stage was a tall man with salt and pepper gray hair, baby blue eyes, and a casual black suit. He surveyed the crowd with a small smile and motioned for everyone to sit down.
"Good to see a nice crowd here. Glad everyone could make it. I'm Jonathon Richmond, the host and creator of this competition as well as one of the judges. I…" Sheri stopped paying attention to him after that, only watching and pretending to be interested.
Ethan would scold her for it later, but as usual she'd just brush it off. He didn't really care about her. She knew he didn't. He always preferred her to be out of the way and out of trouble. As if she were a pathetic china doll he could just toss away and use to make him seem like the good big brother.
Yeah. Right.
She gave a little snort and Brandt looked over with a curious and questioning look. Sheri shook her head, letting him know it was nothing major. Still, he placed an arm around her shoulders and gave her a partial hug. A rosy red blush dusted her cheeks, but she turned away so he wouldn't notice. Love was definitely not in the books for this mission and most especially not for her.
However… She didn't really mind the reassuring arm around her shoulders. Smiling in spite of it all, Sheri was glad that she had someone who made her feel safe, calm, loved.
Wanted.
-l-
Brandt knew Sheri was far from alright. He had always disliked the way she shrugged off her problems, trying to seem strong and unbreakable in the worst of times.
She wasn't Ethan though. She wasn't made of steel and she wasn't invincible. Like any other human, she was fragile inside and trying to deny that was only going to backfire on her before she even knew it.
The analyst could practically feel the hard stare from Ethan now, for he felt as if someone were walking on his grave. He didn't bother turning around for fear of dying from direct eye contact with the point agent, so he just stayed as he was; with his arm around Sheri and his eyes on the host of the contest.
Meanwhile, Ethan was staring down Brandt's back in an attempt to get him to turn around and remove his arm from his sister but it was to no avail.
"Really? Really Ethan?" Jane covered her mic discreetly, giving said man a deadpan look.
"What?" He spoke curtly.
"Staring down Brandt isn't going to get him to do anything."
"You don't know that."
"Actually, I do." Carter sighed. "You know, she thinks you don't care."
"I know."
"Then why do you still act the same? And not tell her the truth?"
"Because maybe she's right." Ethan spoke in a lower tone this time.
Jane was shocked. His admittance was not only extremely blunt, but the way he said it almost made him sound… Ashamed. A form of emotion she had never even seen hints of in him before.
This was something that HAD to be rectified.
-l-
Benji watched the suspicious guitarist carefully from the corner of his eye. After the assassin got the drop on him in Dubai, he'd learned his lesson about getting distracted on the job. He wasn't gonna let it happen again. Nope, no more distractions for Benji. He was gonna show the team just what he could do.
And maybe impress Adelaide a little bit on the way.
But again, that was a distraction and according to just about all the rules of being an IMF agent, distractions were bad.
"Benji!" Addie addressed in a stage whisper, beckoning for him to follow her as the other two headed out of the aisle. "We're introducing ourselves first!"
"What? Oh!" He jumped to his feet and followed her. "Us first? Whose bright idea was that?"
"Brandt's." Addie grumbled, rolling her eyes. "Mr. Jump-At-the-Opportunity-to-Make-a-Fool-of-Ourselves."
"Yes well he's the one at stage center, so let's see how he reacts to that!" He told her, trying to make the situation less forced.
"…Yeah, I suppose that's true too." She chuckled lowly as they strode on stage.
"Hey everybody." Brandt took the microphone and grinned at everyone. Benji could've sworn he heard some women giggle quietly. Lucky asshole. What a womanizer.
"So as you've heard, we're The Impossibles. I'm Jeffery Thompson. This here's Amber Scott." He gestured to Sheri who gave a spunky salute. "This is Kristy Hammond." Addie gave a polite wave and smile to match. "And this is Willy 'Tech' Jones!"
Benji twitched slightly at the name given to him by the analyst but just grinned and gave a slight nod as he shoved his hands in his pockets. Some more women tittered and he had a feeling it wasn't for the same reason as with Brandt.
"So here's a little song to introduce us. Hope you enjoy… It's kind of old. Older than us thankfully." He joked and chuckled rippled through the crowd as they walked to their spots to get ready to play.
Sheri plucked a few guitar strings for tuning with her "lucky" pick while Benji made sure the drums were set up just the way he liked. Addie set the keyboard up according to her preferences and then all gave Brandt the "ready" nod.
"Here we go then." Brandt winked at them before turning to the microphone as Sheri and Addie began to play.
He got up close and personal with the microphone and began to sing:
A long long time ago
I can still remember how
That music used to make me smile
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And maybe they'd be happy for a while
But February made me shiver
With every paper I'd deliver
Bad news on the doorstep
I couldn't take one more step
I can't remember if I cried
When I read about his widowed bride
But something touched me deep inside
**The day the music died**
So
[Chorus]
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey in Rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
Did you write the book of love
And do you have faith in God above
If the Bible tells you so?
Now do you believe in rock and roll?
Can music save your mortal soul?
And can you teach me how to dance real slow?
Well, I know that you're in love with him
Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym
You both kicked off your shoes
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues
I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
But I knew I was out of luck
The day the music died
I started singin'
[Chorus]
Now, for ten years we've been on our own
And moss grows fat on a rolling stone
But, that's not how it used to be
When the jester sang for the king and queen
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
And a voice that came from you and me
Oh and while the king was looking down
The jester stole his thorny crown
The courtroom was adjourned
No verdict was returned
And while Lenin read a book on Marx
The quartet practiced in the park
And we sang dirges in the dark
The day the music died
We were singin'
[Chorus]
Helter skelter in a summer swelter
The birds flew off with a fallout shelter
Eight miles high and falling fast
It landed foul on the grass
The players tried for a forward pass
With the jester on the sidelines in a cast
Now the half-time air was sweet perfume
While sergeants played a marching tune
We all got up to dance
Oh, but we never got the chance
Cause the players tried to take the field
The marching band refused to yield
Do you recall what was revealed
The day the music died?
We started singin'
[Chorus]
Oh, and there we were all in one place
A generation lost in space
With no time left to start again
So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Jack Flash sat on a candlestick
Cause fire is the devil's only friend
And as I watched him on the stage
My hands were clenched in fists of rage
No angel born in Hell
Could break that Satan's spell
And as the flames climbed high into the night
To light the sacrificial rite
I saw Satan laughing with delight
The day the music died
He was singin'
[Chorus]
I met a girl who sang the blues
And I asked her for some happy news
But she just smiled and turned away
I went down to the sacred store
Where I'd heard the music years before
But the man there said the music wouldn't play
And in the streets the children screamed
The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed
But not a word was spoken
The church bells all were broken
And the three men I admire most-
the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost-
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died
And they were singing
[Chorus:Repeat x2
Sheri finished up the song with a few more strokes of her guitar chords and bowed with the others as they got a round of enthusiastic applause.
"Can't go wrong with a classic." Brandt put the mic back with a flirtatious wink at the females in the audience.
Sheri rolled her eyes with an amused smile, though couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy for all those women he winked at. The jealousy was soon swept away when he wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they walked off stage. And the pleased sensation in her heart only increased when she watched Benji secretly take Addie's hand and give it a gentle squeeze as they followed behind.
Maybe this whole mission would have a better outcome than she thought.
Please Review!
Love to you all! xoxo