Previously: Michael Baxter met up with Santana Lopez, one of the most hardest people to get a long with, and one who doesn't hold back what she thinks. Michael went toe to toe with her, and almost came out on top when Santana pulled a last minute shocker, and came out with the fact that she knew Michael had, had sex with Quinn Fabray that day. Michael couldn't get out of the book shop, where Santana had been working, fast enough.
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And now the continuation:
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PART 11: A FEW MORE DIRECTIONS
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Michael got out of the book shop really fast, and part of the reason was, he was embarrassed, and the other part was because Santana had one upped him. Just when he thought getting her signature was him one upping her, and having control. But it was obvious Santana was holding onto the cards, to get control, for when she needed it the most.
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Michael decided to head home back to Dallas, as it was not too far from New Mexico. He just wanted to relax for 24 hours before going back New Direction Alumni hunting. He was preparing to meet with Blaine Anderson, Kitty Wilde, and Jake Puckerman. After recovering from meeting two of the New Directions super bitches, Michael spent the last days of his 3rd week focusing on trying to get those three Alumni.
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BURBANK, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
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Blaine Anderson had been found in Chicago working in most of its pubs as pianist as support for up and coming singers. He was able to make an okay living from it, and because he did that mostly in the evenings, it seemed like he wanted to be away from being sighted in the day time. He did not want to be noticed.
Michael walked into the bar that Blaine was playing at that night. It was 3 p.m. in the afternoon, and Blaine was just warming up his hands, so he could be all set to go that night. He would often come in early to where ever he was suppose to be playing, so that he could be all professional for the evening. He just wanted to be by himself, twinkling away on the Piano.
Michael sat down at the nearest seat, and listened to Blaine, twinkling away on the piano. To Michael, Blaine looked sad. His abilities, his voice, was being wasted away doing this. He could sing the pants off all of the newcomers, and no one knew about him. Because that's how private Blaine was.
Michael stood up and walked towards Blaine. He got to the stage, that the piano was on.
"Mr Anderson, may I have a word?"
Blaine stopped playing. He kept his eyes on the keys. No one in this neck of the woods, knew him as Blaine Anderson. Everyone knew him as just Blaine. He looked up at the stranger, and looked around to see if anyone else was around. No one was.
"No one here know's me as Blaine Anderson, so please keep your mouth shut."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend."
"Who are you? And what do you want?"
"I'm here to offer you a chance to leave this place that for some reason you've created for yourself."
"Maybe I like what I have created for myself."
"You may like what you have done," started Michael "But the big questions is, are you happy?"
Blaine sat back. The stranger acted as if he knew him, but he hadn't seen him before.
"You still haven't told me who you are?"
Michael was about to open his mouth when his phone beeped. He took it out from his pocket, and looked at the text:
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'Jones and Hummel located
REPEAT
Jones and Hummel LOCATED
Sending through details
PLUS
Parker's found Berry's trail
he believes another 24 hours.'
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Michael hadn't realized he was smiling. He looked at Blaine.
"Important text was it?" asked Blaine staring back at him
"You have no idea," replied Michael "Sorry for that. Now back to where we were. My name is Michael Baxter, I am from the Baxter family who is running the World Championship of Show Choirs."
Blaine got up "No thanks, I'm not interested.
Another New Direction Alumni who wanted to run for the hills the moment they hear of the words Show Choirs.
"Wait up Mr Anderson," said Michael standing up watching Blaine walking away "I mean Blaine...,. You haven't heard what I'm here to offer you!"
Blaine turned back to Michael "I'll say it again slowly so you can understand me... I... AM... NOT... INTERESTED."
"Why not?"
"Because Show Choirs were to blame for my early life failures. I've only just recovered. It cost me EVERYTHING."
It was the first time since Will Schuester, that Michael had felt this much pain in a New Direction Alumni. Blaine walked away with tears in his eyes.
"You were such a legend for the Warblers, and the New Directions," said Michael out loud.
Blaine stopped dead in his tracks and then bowed his head.
"It was because of the New Directions that ruined my chances of ever going back to the Warblers. So excuse me if I don't share your sentiments, Mr. Baxter."
"What if I can offer you a chance to redeem yourself?"
"Redeem myself? Why would I want to REDEEM myself? I've got nothing or no one to redeem."
"I'm sure you'd feel differently once you heard my offer."
"Once again Mr. Baxter, I don't share your sentiments, but if it helps to get you out of her a whole lot faster, hurry up and say what you have to say, and then leave me in peace."
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Blaine sat down on a chair near a table. He started moving things about on the table. This was the only chance Michael was going to get. He knew he was being ruthless, but in order to get the New Directions Alumni back together, it had to be by any means possible, and if being ruthless was one of the ways, then he had to do it.
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"Okay, like I said I'm part of the Baxter family who is running the World Championship of Show Choirs. Not only that, but I am wanting to run a team myself. So I'm building my own team. I'm offering you $1 Million to be a part of my team."
Blaine looked up, clearly interested.
Michael kept going "You will receive $100,000 the moment you sign a contract, and the rest, the $900,000, you will receive when you turn up for the first team meeting which will be in two weeks at my home in Dallas, Text."
"You want me? Why?"
"Because I am a fan of the Show Choirs that were around the Ohio region a decade ago," lied Michael "In particular the Warblers, Throat Explosion, Vocal Adrenaline, and the New Directions. And because you were a member of both the Warblers and the New Directions, I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone."
Blaine looked at Michael unsure if that was really the truth. But all he could focus on was the $1 Million, as it would help him out so much.
"So all I have to do is turn up and participate?" asked Blaine
"Yes," replied Michael opening his briefcase "I'm building a team to go all the way to the Worlds. That'll take a year out of your life."
"At least it'll be better than what's happening to me at the moment! Where's this contract?"
Michael grabbed the contract from his briefcase and handed it to Blaine. Blaine took one look of it and signed it. He handed it back to Michael.
"Is there anything else?"
Michael was stunned. This was too easy, and too quick.
"Mr Baxter... Is there anything else I need to know?"
Michael blinked and placed the contract in the briefcase, and gave Blaine the card. He then sent a text on his phone.
"Those details that are on the card is when you meet at my place in Dallas in two weeks. Just give me a call to let me know your flight details and I'll get one of my assistants to pick you up."
"Sweet. Is there anything else?"
"You now have $100,000 in your account?"
"Sweet. Is there anything else?"
"No I don't think so."
"Then we're done. See you in a fortnight."
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Blaine walked away. Michael couldn't help but feel flat. Blaine was clearly in pain, but how much pain would clearly have to wait until the meeting, to see how he would react.
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ROSEVILLE, MINNESOTTA
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Michael found Kitty Wilde in Roseville, Minnesotta, where she was working serving patrons in a diner. Ever since the New Directions imploded, Kitty had been going from diner to diner all over the United States, over the course of the 10 years. She had been devastated by the break up of the group.
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Michael waited until Kitty was on a break before approaching her. She was outside the diner, sitting down enjoying the fresh air.
"Miss Wilde, may have I word please?"
Kitty looked up at the stranger as he approached.
"You didn't think I noticed did you sir. You've been sitting inside for the past hour, and all you've ordered was lemonade and a couple of sandwiches. Have you been waiting all this time for me to take a break? I'll let you know now, I'm not interested."
"I just wanted to talk to you about an offer that could change your life."
"I'm not interested in that kind of service, sir. Now if you don't leave me alone, I've got a high voice... I can yell and a lot of people will come running."
"It's not that kind of offer," replied Michael "My name is Michael Baxter, and I am part of the Baxter Family who are running the World Championship of Show Choirs."
"That's great for you and your family," replied Kitty "I don't know what it has to do with me though."
"I am building a team of my own Miss Wilde, and I was a fan of show choirs growing up. One of my favorite groups were the New Directions."
Kitty got up "I'm not interested thank you."
"You haven't heard my offer yet," said a frustrated Michael with yet another New Direction Alumni running at the sound of the name
"And I'm not wanting to, I told you I'm not interested."
Kitty went to talk away.
"Not even if $1 Million was on the line."
Kitty stopped. Michael took his chance.
"You will receive $100,000 in your bank account the moment you sign the contract, the rest you will receive in two weeks for the first team meeting get together at my place in Dallas, Texas."
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Kitty still stood where she was standing, with her back to Michael. She had, had enough of the life that she had created for herself. Going from town to town, working in diners. She knew she was still running, even after 10 years.
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"Why choose me?" asked Kitty
"Because of your dancing abilities and your unique tone."
"I haven't danced or sung in over 10 years."
"It won't take long to get that back. Practice, practice, practice."
Michael saw Kitty sigh.
"Why would I want to be a part of a team again when twice in the part the teams I have been in, which both times have been the New Directions, have let me down, they said they had my back, but they didn't. It was worse the second time around."
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Michael walked up to Kitty. He could feel her pain. He couldn't believe he was about to lie again, but it was for his benefit and he hoped that once that they all got their shit together, they'd be tight again.
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"I will guarantee you that, the team that I am building, WILL, have your back. You won't be left a third time."
Kitty looked at Michael with tears in her eyes.
"You have to stop running," said Michael quietly
"This is the last time. You want a World Champion team. It takes a year. I'll give you a year, and then I'm gone. Deal?"
"Deal."
"Where's the contract?"
Michael opened his briefcase, and took out the contract, and gave it to Kitty. Kitty walked over to a wall, and signed the contract. Michael was already on the phone, texting a number. Kitty handed the contract back.
"You now have $100,000 in your account," said Michael
"Cool. Is there anything else?"
Michael grabbed a card from his briefcase, and gave it to Kitty.
"These are the details for the meeting in two weeks at my place in Dallas, just let me know your flight details, and I'll have one of my assistants pick you up at the airport."
"Cool. Are we done?"
"Yes."
"See you in two weeks then."
Kitty walked away, and went back into the diner. Some of these New Directions Alumni were so hard that they put up walls, and kept them up.
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SOME FARM IN TWIN FALLS AREA, IDAHO
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Jake Puckerman had been moving around over the course of ten years doing odd jobs. His relationship with his half brother 'Puck' was non existent.
Michael found Jake on a farm in the Twin Falls Area, in Idaho. He was working as a farm hand, and been doing that job for over a year. It was no wonder no one could find him. Next to Mike Chang, Brittany S Pierce, and even Kitty Wilde, Jake was the next best dancer Michael needed all the dancers that he could get, because some great dancing he believed could sway some judges.
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Jake was chopping wood when Michael walked up to him, after gaining permission to talk to him from the farmer.
"Mr Jake Puckerman?"
Jake chopped a piece of wood in half, and looked up. He saw a stranger who was dressed in an immaculate suit, and this stranger shouldn't even been on a farm.
"That's me," said Jake
"I'd like to offer you a great opportunity that could turn your life around," said Michael
"I'm all ears."
Jake chopped another piece of wood in half. There was a pile of cut wood in one corner and a big pile of uncut wood in the other.
"My name is Michael Baxter, and I'm part of the Baxter family who are running the World Championship of Show Choirs. Maybe you have heard about it?"
"Nope, sorry Mr. Baxter. This is the middle of no where. Nothing like that gets out here."
"Surely you would have gone into town?"
"Did you not hear me Mr Baxter?" The town is a country hick town in the middle of nowhere, it doesn't get that much type of news."
"Well then," said Michael carrying on "I'm building a team of my own to take on the World Champions."
"Dude, seriously, what does this have to do with me?"
"I'm here to offer you a place on that team."
"Why?"
"Because I know you were a great dance a good singer. I need all the great dancers that I can get."
"I was a dancer. WAS being the key word. I don't do that any more."
"Its an ability Mr Puckerman. Abilities can come back to you quite easily. It's like learning to ride a bike again.
"Mr Baxter. How did you know my name and that I use to be a dancer?"
Michael knew where this was going to go, so he was prepared for it.
"I was a fan of Glee clubs growing up, and in particular the Warblers, Vocal Adrenaline and the New Directions."
"Not interested," replied Jake "That was my past, and I'm not going back."
Jake picked up a piece of wood and placed it on the chopping block, and swung the ax. the wood chopped in half.
"You still here?" said Jake looking back at Michael "I said I WASN'T interested."
"Not even if I said I'm prepared to offer you $1 Million?"
Jake turned around.
"Are you serious Dude?"
"Very," replied Michael "If you sign the contract today you will receive $100,000 straight away in your account."
"Why do you want to win the worlds so bad?"
"Because the team that I am assembling are the best of the best. I want them to be World Champions."
Jake looked down at the ax in his hand, then over at the pile of uncut wood, and then around at the farm.
"This will change your life in so many ways," said Michael seizing his opportunity
"I need a change of scenery," replied Jake "I've been out here for far too long. I miss Ohio."
Michael knelt down, he opened his briefcase and took out the contract, and passed it to Jake.
"I just need to sign my name? asked Jake
"Yes. You can use my back to write on if you want."
Jake smiled and placed the contract on Michael's back and signed it. Michael took the contract and placed it in his briefcase, and then gave a card to Jake before closing it, and standing up.
"Those details are for when you come to my home in Dallas, Texas in two weeks for the first initial team meeting. Just let me know your flight details and I'll have one of my assistants pick you up at the airport."
"Okay," said Jake
Michael got on to his phone, and texted a number.
"You now have $100,000 in your account, Mr Puckerman. Don't spend it all at once."
"Oh I won't," replied Jake
"it's a pleasure doing business with you," smiled Michael holding out his hand
Jake shook Michael's hand. "Likewise. See you in two weeks then."
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As Michael headed away from Jake, he received a text. He looked at his phone:
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'PARKER'S FOUND BERRY
WE HAVE BERRY
WAHOO.'
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"Yes," said Michael to himself "At last the final New Direction found..."
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So there we have it. We are now down to 3 New Directions Alumni to go. Kurt Hummel, Mercedes Jones, and Rachel Berry. Just three more chapters to go and then the big get together for the first time in years. How will that go down?
Stay tuned.