Fury

by Tammy Coons

  “I can tell by Nathan’s eye.” Guilt gripped Cheyenne for causing them to brawl. She knew she needed to take responsibility for the role she’d played in their little triangle.

  Steph came out of the restroom and looked at the two of them. She went to the other side of the aisle, fastened her seat belt and wrapped a blanket around herself. Her face appeared blotchy, like she’d been crying.

  “Should I go talk to Stephanie?” Scot leaned down to stroke Cheyenne’s cheek.

  For the first time since she’d turned him away, she allowed herself to really look at Scot. Flash backs of their time together consumed her and she felt all of the walls she’d built drop like a house of cards. Her inability to open up to Scot filled her with regret. As she realized she was out of moves, panic set in.

  “No. I’ll go.” Cheyenne sat up, but saw Phillip swiftly take the seat next to Steph. Cheyenne relaxed back in her seat and watched Steph apprehensively. Scot settled into the seat next to her and put his arm around her.

  “You’re shivering. Would you care for a blanket?”

  She relaxed into him and felt warmth spread over her entire body.

  “I’m fine. Scot…I didn’t sleep with Nathan.”

  “I know. He told me. I’m glad.”

  Cheyenne felt his arms cuddle her protectively. Tears stung her eyes. Knowing that this could be the last time he held her, she tried to savor the moment.

  Steph was still shaking with fear and rage when Phillip took the seat next to her.

  “If Duncan so much as looks your direction again, say the word and I’ll end him.” Phillip eyes were hard as stone.

  Steph’s voice was quiet as she shook her head. “She didn’t deserve to be treated like that.”

  “I didn’t know her and I didn’t know you.”

  Steph rubbed her temples.

  “How could you kiss Kevin Wiley, honestly?’ He looked away.

  “He kissed me. We’ve been over for a long time. He just doesn’t seem to get it.”

  “Oh.” Phillip’s hand was on her cheek and when she looked at him he seemed weighted down with regret.

  “Steph, I was a fool. I apologized to Cheyenne because I wanted to start fresh. I thought she already knew.” He looked positively sick as he spoke. Steph considered his response.

  They both sat in silence. Steph stared out the window pondering their situation. Trying to reconcile his behavior was not an easy task. Cheyenne had become the sister she’d never had and Steph’s loyalty to her was fierce. Phillip’s callous behavior wasn’t something she was willing to brush aside. Blown away by his duality, Steph swallowed nervously as the lump in her throat grew. Was he bipolar or what? She wasn’t sure which side of Phillip was real; was he her protector and the man his grandparents worshiped, or was he the pompous chauvinist who broke her camera and disrespected her friend? She pulled the blanket more tightly around her.

  Cheyenne and Scot joined them, sitting in the leather seats across from them.

  “I cannot tell you how sorry I am, Cheyenne. If you want to slap me too, go for it.”

  Phillip leaned forward and Cheyenne shook her head. Steph couldn’t believe that Cheyenne had regained her composure so quickly.

  “So tell me, what was Nathan’s conquest of Cheyenne worth?” Steph turned suddenly to Phillip.

  He sat back and looked at the floor. Cheyenne looked uncomfortable and Scot blinked, looking surprised.

  No one said a word.

  “I can’t believe Nathan is such an unbelievable bastard …”

  Stephanie felt wounded at Nathan’s betrayal. She had started to consider him a friend and knew she was lashing out. She looked up at the others. “Sorry, I know I’m not helping.”

  “He’s just an overgrown child.” Phillip took her trembling hand and brought it to his lips. The regretful look on his face momentarily pacified her.

  Aware Scot and Cheyenne were eyeing them, she pulled her hand away. Her desire to be alone to reflect on the past two days was overwhelming.

  “Ian is going to have a heart attack when he realizes the two of you are...together,” Scot commented, looking from Steph to Phillip, his expression approving and amused. Cheyenne smiled slyly, seeming to enjoy the idea.

  Not responding, Steph looked out the window. She wasn’t sure Ian had much to worry about, but said nothing. There had been enough fighting on the jet for one day.

  Once the plane landed in Rome, Cheyenne and Scot climbed into a limo with Bret and David. Both men were sympathetic and expressed their apologies to Cheyenne about their fellow band member’s conduct. She was more preoccupied and concerned for Steph and Phillip than worried about herself, and she wondered how their ride would fair with Ian, Nathan, and the roadies. She distracted herself by making arrangements to meet with Bret in his suite the following morning.

  “Look.” David’s serious expression as he spoke to Scot caught Cheyenne off guard. He looked exasperated. “Bret and I have called a meeting tonight in the Petronius Suite. We have to clear the air and a discussion needs to happen before we can move forward with things.”

  “Brilliant.” Scot replied.

  “Just Fury and management,” Bret added, his gaze shifting to her. “No offense, Cheyenne.”

  “None taken.” Regret overpowered Cheyenne and yet she was relieved. It was no surprise that there had been no dance party during the limo ride.

  Arriving at the hotel seemed to take only minutes as Cheyenne gazed out at the sights of Rome. It was dinner time, but there was plenty of summer daylight to admire the dazzling architecture of the ancient city. Their hotel, Rome Cavalieri, astounded Cheyenne. Enclosed on its own huge expanses of parklands, the art collection alone had her reeling as Scot checked them in. She was relieved to see Phillip and Stephanie, who appeared to be in one piece, arrive at the front desk.

  “How was your ride?”

  “I rode in front with the driver. I called Goddess and thankfully she is mailing all of her pictures to The Sound Wave.” Steph yawned. “I’m so tired. Psychotic anger takes a lot out of me.”

  “I’m sick of flying,” Cheyenne complained. In her heightened state of alertness, she noticed Phillip was watching Steph’s every move.

  Me too. It seems Goddess had the foresight to cancel her room. Here’s your key. We’re on the same floor, but that’s as close as they could get us. I have some film to develop and then I’m going to bed. When do you interview Bret?”

  “Tomorrow morning.”

  “You are going to the concert with me tomorrow night. I want more stage shots and I want a witness if Duncan murders me. You and I are taking a week off before we head back.”

  “Do you think that’s a good idea? Your Dad is already on a rampage.”

  “We had three more cities on our original itinerary and we’ve already got a shitload done. We need some downtime.”

  As Cheyenne prepared for bed that night, she worried for Fury’s future. Over the course of the tour, she’d become fond of all of the members of the band. The thought of them having serious issues due to her actions petrified her. She worried for her career; however, she genuinely loved their music and wanted good things for them. Bret’s departure would have a ripple effect that they may not overcome, but Cheyenne wanted to be sure that she didn’t leave her own scar.

  She had an epiphany and decided that she would bow out gracefully. After Bret’s interview they were checking out.

  Cheyenne texted Steph, who immediately agreed, then called the front desk and to make arrangements to check out the following day.

  After tossing and turning for an hour, she climbed out of bed and lit a cigarette. She surveyed the view of Rome and couldn’t get Scot out of her mind. Knowing that she would cave if she was alone with him again, she resigned herself to keep her distance until The Sound Wave and Fury parted ways.

  Scot tapped his hands on the table anxiously as Fury and Ian sat in silence. A banquet sat before them but only Bret partook.

 
After five minutes of listening to Bret chew, Scot cleared his throat and began to speak.

  “I’m sorry that I have caused such turmoil for everyone, but I fail to see why everyone was so invested in who I choose to spend my free time with. I missed the memo that only David and Bret get to have a private life.”

  “First of all, that’s not fair. And that’s not what this is about,” David replied. His expression declared he was not to be trifled with. Nathan lit a cigarette and Bret dropped his food onto his plate, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

  “This is about getting back on track. We need to focus. This is more than a business; we’re a family and we need to clear the air.”

  “Family? That’s big talk from someone who’s bailing in a few weeks.” Phillip crossed his arms.

  “Touché.” Bret shrugged and picked up his plate.

  “Can you stop eating for a moment? I can’t hear myself think.” Nathan scowled, his bruised and battered face contorted in disgust.

  “Ok, Quasimodo. We need to get you a Phantom Of The Opera mask for the concert so we don’t scare the fans.”

  “Up yours.” Nathan flipped him off.

  Bret stopped chomping on his food and stuck his covered tongue out at Nathan.

  “You’re so immature.” Nathan looked daggers at Bret.

  “Really?” Scot fixed Nathan with an incredulous stare.

  “Ladies, please. You called this meeting,” Ian interjected. Scot watched as Ian made a valiant attempt to reclaim control. “I think we can all agree that Fury can’t afford any more situations like that plane ride.”

  “I don’t think Nathan can handle anymore facial disfigurement,” David remarked.

  “Nathan needs to learn there are consequences for his actions,” Ian conceded. “We all know how we got here. What we need to decide is how to move forward.”

  Everyone seemed to contemplate Ian’s remark. Finally, Scot spoke.

  “For a long time now I have been struggling to understand your strategy for us. We agreed it was time to step into the limelight. This is just a taste of what’s to come. If you can’t handle the complications involved with our newfound freedom perhaps you should move on and find some new blokes to hide away from the world.”

  “When I went to The Sound Wave, I was honoring your wishes.” Ian turned to Nathan earnestly. “To be frank, from the very first encounter with Ms. Brier and Ms. Carson, I had reservations.”

  “That might have been the time to address your concerns.” Nathan’s face was somber.

  “I have to agree with Nathan on this one. If there were red flags, you should have made an executive decision then and there,” Scot chimed in.

  “You think it’s easy to do my job and please five other people simultaneously?”

  “Somehow I managed to do it before you came along.” Scot’s tone was bitter.

  “Let’s be fair. Ian’s played a huge role in making us who we are today. We were still playing in dives and changing in the loo when you were managing us.” Phillip sighed. Scot shot him an unhappy look and Phillip shrugged apologetically..

  “And yet somehow we managed to get a record contract without him.” Scot pushed away from the table and crossed to the bar. With every passing minute he was becoming more agitated. He scanned the booze and selected a bottle.

  “We are the reason we are successful. All this fucking drama needs to ends now.” David was on his feet.

  “Here here,” Bret chimed in.

  “You’re so fired up about us keeping out of your private life. It’s only fair to ask you to keep your private life out of band business. No one in this band is to ever lay hands on anyone else again. And Nathan, I’ve had enough of your Machiavellian schemes. Get a new hobby.”

  Scot was astonished at David’s demeanor. No one argued with any of his points.

  Cheyenne watched the sun rise over the eternal city. She’d fitfully slept for a couple of hours and finally gave up. She took a long bath and did her best to prepare for her final interview. Knowing that Fury was sharing a suite, she hoped to avoid an encounter with Scot. Thankfully, Bret was alone when he let her in. He noticed Cheyenne scan the room and waved a dismissive hand.

  “It’s just us. They went to breakfast. Are you ready?” Bret’s casual vibe put Cheyenne at ease. Cheyenne decided early on that Bret was the least pretentious member of Fury and a real straight shooter.

  “Yes, let’s get this done.” Cheyenne sighed. “Nothing personal.”

  “Alright then.” Bret laughed. As Cheyenne arranged her computer, Bret fidgeted.

  “Nervous?” Cheyenne asked.

  “A little. I’m quite afraid of making an ass out of myself.” Bret laughed.

  “Don’t be. If you say something you don’t want printed just let me know and I’ll omit it.”

  Bret nodded and looked relieved. Cheyenne pressed record and began.

  “By now I’ve heard everyone else’s take on Fury’s beginning. What do you think I should know?’

  “I was playing in a blues band and a lot of our gigs were in University towns. I met Sarah, who is now my lovely wife, at a club in Cambridge. She was waitressing. We double dated with her roommate and Phillip. He and I started talking shop and we just meshed. He was forming a band and I wanted in.”

  “Did you find it a hard genre transition going from blues to…Fury.”

  “It was a welcome change. We played a lot of blues standards and I was looking to write my own tunes.”

  They continued for some time, discussing the bands dynamic and the early years.

  “I notice you don’t travel with Sarah.”

  “It was impossible once Max came along. We both agreed that the road is no place for a kid. He needs a stable home and a routine.”

  “And I understand there’s another Williams on the way.”

  “Yep. We just found out last month. She’s hoping for a girl, of course.” He smiled and it touched Cheyenne at how Bret’s face lit up as he discussed his family. As she bid him farewell and climbed on the elevator her eyes were misty. She was happy to be wrapping up, but knew she would miss them all.

  She felt a huge weight lift from her as she entered the lobby with her luggage.

  “Is it over?” Steph looked up from her phone. Her luggage surrounding her like a fort, she looked as if she’d been in the lobby for some time.

  “Yes.” Cheyenne’s relief was monumental.

  Steph stood and waved to a nearby porter. As Cheyenne approached the exit with Stephanie trailing behind, a man accompanied by a tall, blonde woman approached her. They both wore sunglasses and business suits. The odd couple immediately caught Cheyenne’s attention but she was unprepared when they stopped her in her path. The woman pulled off her sunglasses and Cheyenne gaped at her, realizing it was Goddess. She was transformed into a surprisingly beautiful woman without the crazy hair, make-up and dumpy clothes.

  “Where’s Steph?” Goddess questioned.

  “I’m right here.” Steph replied looking up from her phone. “Goddess?”

  “We need you to come outside now,” the man said flashing a badge which Cheyenne could not read before it disappeared back into his jacket pocket.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Outside. Now,” Goddess ordered. Without further hesitation, Cheyenne and Steph did as she asked. The scene unfolding outside reminded Cheyenne of an action film. Dark sedans blocked traffic as far as the eye could see.

  Moments later, dozens of men rushed through the entrance with guns drawn.

  “What the hell is going on?” Awestruck, Cheyenne shifted her gaze to Goddess.

  “Margaret Goddard, FBI.” She flashed her badge. “We’ve been watching Ian and his business associates for a long time. We’ve finally collected enough evidence to bring them in. I need you to go with my partner now. I’ll be joining you soon.”

  “Where the hell are you taking us? What are you arresting them for?” Stephanie demanded.

  “Using F
ury’s tour as a front to traffic drugs. I was sent in to verify that the band members knew nothing about their illegal activities.”

  “A drug ring!” Steph exclaimed as they were ushered to an unmarked car.

  As the driver pulled away from the curb, Cheyenne was dazed as she contemplated what the future held for Fury. Could they survive Bret leaving and the scandal that was erupting around them?

  Cheyenne sat alone in the interrogation room waiting to be released. Feeling exhausted, she pondered what little details “Agent Goddard’ had provided. She’d been informed during the “debriefing” that Adam Brier had been in on their investigation since the beginning and had known all along that Margaret was an agent. Refusing to tell her much more, Margaret informed her she’d see them in the states soon. Feeling sorry for Fury who, she presumed, would have to cancel their European shows, she lit a cigarette. Leaning back in her chair, she looked at her reflection in the two way mirror and wondered if Scot was in the same building. Margaret, a.k.a Goddess, opened the door. Steph stood in the hall behind her, talking on her cell phone.

  “Hey. We’ve got everything we need. You two are free to go.” She smiled.

  “Goddess…I mean Margaret, sorry. I just want to say I feel bad that we treated you the way we did.”

  Margaret shrugged.

  “It was my job to make you not want to be around me. I was a pain in the ass. Hell, I would have ditched me.” She gave Cheyenne a wry smile. Cheyenne uttered a surprised laugh as Margaret walked away gracefully.

  “Does she have legs or what?” Steph asked as she ended her call.

  “I was just thinking the exact same thing.”

  “Ready to get out of here?”

  “Hell yes.”

  Margaret had seen to it that they had an escort to their new hotel which was charming and refreshingly simple. Over room service, Cheyenne confessed what she’d known about Goddess and Adam’s subterfuge. Steph confided her suspicions that either Duncan or Richard had pushed Sam. They continued to puzzle over the details of the drug ring, the murder, and Goddess’s actions over the course of the tour. Exhausted and overwhelmed, they slept late into the following morning.