Hey, I'm still alive! ...oook...well, I finally decided to look at this story and give it an ending. Also because I liked it, and we're near the final chapters...

xx

Butterball brought Perdition's posse in the office.
Pinhead was there, staring into nothing. The time was almost over, and they couldn't find a single dollar to pay their debts.
"Boss?" the fat Cenobite called.
Pinhead didn't even move. He had enough of all that stuff. But he refused to escape, he was going to remain there until the end...he was going to let those hyenas finish him.
"Boss, there are some people who want to see you." Butterball adjusted his glasses.
"Tell them that I don't want to see anyone." he sighed.
"Since when we're anyone?" Hangman asked, shocked that their old friend became like that. A cold statue, nothing more.
Pinhead turned his head, don't recognizing the voice.
When he saw Perdition's Posse, his jaw dropped.
"What are YOU guys doing here?" he tried to sound calm, even if his hands started trembling.
Butterball looked at them, then back at Pinhead, then he decided to go away and leave them alone.

Outside the office, Female was nervously talking with Chatterer. When they saw Butterball coming out, she ran towards him to get some explanations.
"Chatterer is telling me that inside your office there's Perdition's Posse. What in the world is going on?" she asked, shaking her head in disbelief.
"They're here. But Scarred Hide isn't with them. And they refused to answer when I asked why." he shrugged. That story was suspicious, but there was nothing else to do. They were the only chance to save the Labyrinth, IF they really wanted to do it.
Female blinked, trying to elaborate what she just heard. If Perdition's Posse was there...but why the singer didn't come? And...how could they be sure that the manager wasn't going to ask for money? No, damn, too many questions.
"So Chatterer wasn't kidding...but wait, he told me you didn't recognize them. You always loved Fan Dancer, that's not possible."
"I didn't recognize her." he admitted. Embarrassing, for someone like him, who gave women the same priority as food. And that was saying something.
"You didn't WHAT?"
"She...she looked different from what I remembered and what I saw on TV. She looked sad." he slightly shook his head.
"Since when you notice other people's feelings?" that day was getting weirder and weirder.
Before he could reply, the door of the office slammed open, and the band came out.
"There's nothing we can do without my brother." Pinhead said in a barely audible voice.
Female tried to stop them. They couldn't give up without even trying...it wasn't fair! For all those people who believed in the Labyrinth, for all those people who believed in rock!
"What's going on?" she only managed to grab Dixie's wheelchair, but it was more than enough to stop the others, too.
Hangman shrugged "Your boss told us that it's all useless. So we're going away."
"Don't listen to him." she stared at the drummer "What happened?"
The band remained still for a second, then they looked at each other and Fan Dancer started telling the whole story. About how they decided to escape because Trevor only cared about money, and he kept Scarred Hide drugged and happy, so they could go on. They knew how much they owed to the Labyrinth, because without Pinhead's help they would've been one of the many unknown bands in Los Angeles.
Fan Dancer looked away. If not even Pinhead wanted to fight anymore...then it was over. It was really over. When they escaped they only took a few money, and Trevor controlled their bank accounts. That meant they were almost broke, too.
"I think we're all on the same boat." the bassist shrugged and stopped talking.
"We ARE all on the same boat. If we work together, we'll save the situation." Female nodded once.
In the meanwhile, Pinhead reached them. He shook his head "People want my brother. They don't care about the rest of us."
"Then we'll force them to see that we're good enough without him." Female stared at him with determination in her eyes. She was silent, she was calm, but when she had a goal she had the force to destroy mountains.
"And you think it could work?" Fan Dancer looked at her, a small smile appearing on her face.
"It WILL work. Rock N Roll is the dream where everything comes true. Rock N Roll is our life, and it lives with us. We can't let it go and betray those who trust us!"

Female:
I used to listen to the radio
Playin' songs I wanted to hear
Up in my room and played it loud
'Til the music hurt my ear
My parents said to turn it down
But this is what I'd say

Rock & Roll made me what I am today
Rock & Roll made me what I am today

Fan Dancer:
I had a dream that I was sweet 16
And could play in a rock & roll band
I saw some guys that played guitar
They said, "Come on if you think you can."
And the next thing that I know
I find myself right here on the stage

Rock & Roll made me what I am today
Rock & Roll made me what I am today
Rock & Roll made me what I am...

Both girls:
You know people are always tellin' me
To get out before its too late
Say, "It's a passing fad."
And that the money's bad
I'm gonna wind up in a grave
All together:
But if I could do it all again, you know I would not change a thing
Rock & Roll made me what I am today
Rock & Roll made me what I am today
Rock & Roll made me what I am today
Rock & Roll made me what I am today

Pinhead looked around. He didn't want to spoil the guys' enthusiasm, but he was sure that people were going to ask for their money back when they discovered that their favourite band didn't have a singer.
"Wait a second..." Snake Oil gently tapped Female's shoulder "I think people will pay more if there's another band...maybe an unknown one...that plays before us. Also because that'll give us more time, and miracles can always happen..."
Female remained thoughtful. A band...a band nobody knew, but full of energy...and then suddenly her eyes brightened. She had the right band. And maybe...maybe it was going to have some nice collateral effects.
"I know what to do."

Can a club organize a huge gig in less than 24 hours? Yes, if that's the time they have before the police comes and closes the place.
The day after, half Los Angeles was covered in hand-made posters that invited everyone to the gig of the year. How they got the paper and the paint to do that, it's better left unknown.
But everything seemed to work. People already called to know if it was true, and to reserve places. Nobody could believe how fast the new spread, and that was both a good and a bad thing. Good, because they were going to earn a lot of money. Bad, because if all those people were going to ask for their money back, they were dead.
Trying not to think about that, they were working to prepare the stage.
Pinhead walked towards Female, who was placing an amp to the side of the stage.
"Why that band you called isn't here yet? I don't like people who don't respect plans."
"I think they're almost here. Have a few faith in other people." she gave a final kick to the amp, deciding that it finally reached the right position.
"I don't." he said.
Pinhead went away to check if the beer arrived. The guys from Perdition's Posse guaranteed for them, and luckily those who had to deliver all that stuff didn't know the band got fired. That was another problem they had to solve, but right now they couldn't care less.
"YOU? What are you doing here?" he suddenly heard Butterball's voice. He seriously hoped that "you", whoever he was, wasn't going to cause them more trouble.
"Listen, Fatty, I'm here to play. And now call Female, I need to talk with her."
Pinhead was ready to swear that he knew that voice. Something in his stomach told him that the woman talking with Butterball was...
And then he stopped. He saw her.
Merkova, dressed in ripped jeans and an old leather jacket, was there, with four other people he didn't know.
She was there, and she didn't notice him.
Pinhead felt his throat closing, and his stomach twisting. He had to go away and pretend he didn't see her. But he remained still. She looked beautiful, and he couldn't believe she didn't even listen to his explanations, when she went away...
She turned, and she saw him. For a second she froze, then she turned again towards Butterball.
Pinhead was still there, calling himself idiot for that. He didn't call her, but he neither went away...he just remained there.
When she went away, the spell disappeared, and he managed to move again.
Female was going to pay for that. The last thing he needed was seeing again the Cenobite he thought he managed to forget, just to discover that he still had a crush on her. Like a kid.
But not now. He had no time for that. They only had a few hours before the show, and people were already waiting to enter. For the first time in ages...

"Pinhead, tell the Lucky Five they have to start." Female ran towards the bar to take her place. The club was almost full, and people kept coming in. It was even better than they thought, and the fact that Scarred Hide wasn't there was going to be a huge problem...
"Why me." it was a question, but it sounded more like the last words of an innocent who just received a death sentence.
"Pinhead..." she looked at him.
"I won't complain. I heard them, they're a good band. But you still shouldn't have done that." he turned to reach the backstage.
The guys from Lucky Five were ready, already holding their instruments.
When Pinhead saw the crappy guitar Merkova was going to play, his heart cried a little. She had the chance to play a Fender, if only they were still together...
"Is everything ok?" Haloblades smiled.
"Yes. It's time." he nodded.
"Good. Guys, let's go kick some ass." they walked on the stage.
Pinhead stared at them for a second, then he decided that it couldn't end like that.
He ran. He ran like there was no tomorrow, because he needed to do that.
In his office, he grabbed his guitar, kicking away the case.
Merkova had to play that. That guitar looked beautiful in her hands.
"WELCOME TO THE LABYRINTH!" Haloblades was screaming. Pinhead almost tripped, but he managed to reach the backstage without losing both his lungs.
"WE'RE HERE TO KICK OUT ALL THOSE FUCKERS WHO AREN'T READY TO ROCK!"
The Cenobite reached the stage. They were about to start.
He grabbed Merkova's arm, and she turned. Her face when she saw him became a statue. What the hell was he doing there? He wanted to ruin their first gig?
Pinhead knew everyone was staring at him. He hoped he still had a few dignity after that, but in that exact moment it didn't really matter.
"What do you want, idiot?" she whispered between her teeth, trying to hide her nervousness.
Yes, he definitely lost all his dignity "I just wanted to give you this guitar. You became even better than I remembered, and maybe tonight someone will notice your band." it wasn't his fault, every time he stared at those deep black eyes, his heart started melting.
"Thanks..." she replied. He noticed, with a bit of satisfaction, that she was slightly embarrassed.
She took his guitar and tried the chords, then she turned towards the crowd.
Haloblades shrugged "Sorry, we had a problem with the equipment because we're all broke here." everyone laughed "But I think now we can start...ARE YOU READY TO ROCK?"
The crowd yelled, and the band started playing...

No life till leather,
We're gonna kick some ass tonight!
We got the metal madness,
When our fans start screaming it's right...well alright, yeah!
When we start to rock we never...want to stop again!

Hit the lights!
Hit the lights!
Hit the lights!

You know our fans are insane,
We're gonna blow this place away!
With volume higher,
Than anything today...the only way, yeah!
When we start to rock we never...want to stop again!

Hit the lights!
Hit the lights!
Hit the lights!

With all our screaming,
We're gonna rip right through your brain!
We got the lethal power,
It's causing you sweet pain...oh sweet pain, yeah!
When we start to rock we never...want to stop again!

Hit the lights!
Hit the lights!
Hit the lights!
Hit them lights!

Merkova started a solo that made Pinhead's ears cry in satisfaction. He never thought she was going to be THAT good one day.
Unluckily, they didn't even have time to end the song, because people started running out. They remained on the stage, shocked. There was a fire, or their music was just THAT bad?
And then someone yelled "SCARRED HIDE, SCARRED HIDE!"
"WHAT?" Female blinked. Now THAT was impossible...
Even the band started running out, leaving the club completely empty.

Outside, there was a demonstration of the anti-rock group. Miss Cotton was the in first line, yelling at the top of her lungs.
And then the motorcycle appeared out of nowhere. The biker had leather clothes and arrowheads in his head.
Pinhead pushed away the crowd to come closer.
That Cenobite was his brother. His brother. His brother was there.
Scarred Hide was there.
On the other side, Kirsty started screaming even louder "HE'S THE DEVIL! WE NEED TO GET RID OF HIM!"
All those yells caught Scarred's attention. He looked at the women and smiled, then he went closer.
"DON'T YOU DARE COME CLOSER AND TRY TO INFECT US WITH YOUR..." Kirsty didn't have time to finish the sentence. The rockstar grabbed her face and stared at her.
"Baby, I think I know you." he kept smiling, without caring at all that around him there was suddenly silence.

xx

Lita Ford - Rock N Roll Made Me What I Am Today
Metallica - Hit The Lights