Lisa Coleman sat down at her laptop that was propped at her desk. Her red puffy eyes stung looking at the blank word document. She picked up her hands and placed them on the little black keys. Slowly her fingers began to type.

LISA COLEMAN
STAFF WRITER

Ruskin FL
    The world halted today for a brief moment as famed pop music group 'N SYNC announced the disappearance of their youngest member, Justin Timberlake, 20, from his Ruskin home.

    Although known rivals of 'N SYNC, the Backstreet Boys announced that they had nothing to do with the disappearance.

    "We extend our deepest sympathies to 'N SYNC and Justin's family," Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson said in a press conference earlier today. "We are praying for the safe return of Justin as soon as possible. We promise to do anything in our power to help 'N SYNC through this very difficult time."

    The police have no leads as to Timberlake's whereabouts or the details of the disappearance.

    "I can't believe this," concerned friend Drew Lachey of 98* said. "'N SYNC is nothing without Justin. This is terrible."

    "God I love you Justin."

    "I don't believe them."

    Everyone in the room turned to look at quiet, shy Lance.

    "Why do you say that Lance?" JC asked looking up from the ground.

    "The Backstreet Boy's are our biggest rivals. Drew's right, we're nothing without Justin and those Backstreet bastards know that. They have the motive and they have the prior record." Lance stared at his remaining group mates.

    "It was only graffiti on the cars and a little vandalism of the studio Lance. Exactly what we did to them. Nothing like kidnapping." Chris tried to reason with Lance.

    "They're the only ones with motive," Lance argued. "I mean we've been competing with them for eight years. Maybe they just got tired of the competition."

    "I think Lance is right," Joey said. "Maybe they got tired of playing softball. They've screwed us in the tabloids."

    "We've screwed them," Chris reminded the rest of the guys.

    "Plus," Joey continued. "Remember their stage hand stabbed our stage hand?"

    "And they fired him about two seconds later," Chris stated.

    "Of course they fired him," Lance said. "They still could have told him to do it."

    "Kidnapping and stabbing aren't children's games. Their stage hand said the BSB had nothing to do with that," Chris reminded him.

    "Of course he did!" Lance started.

    "Lance, cool it!" JC stood up from the chair he'd been sitting in.

    Everybody in the room stared at JC. They'd never heard his voice be that harsh before.

    "They denied it. As much as some of us may not want to believe that," JC continued staring at Lance and Joey. "We have to believe them. Right now we have to concentrate on getting Justin back."

    "JC is right," Chris said. "Our first priority is getting Justin back. The police aren't being very much help."

    "And they aren't going to be," Lance interrupted. "Too many have been bribed by those Backstreet bastards."

    "Lance," JC said warningly.

    "As I was going to say," Chris broke in. "We need some outside help here."

    Chris and JC looked at each other.

    "Kendra," they said simultaneously.

    Nick Carter looked at the folded newspaper with Justin's picture front and center and laughed. He picked up the phone and dialed a number. It rang and was picked up immediately.

    "Hello?" a breathless voice answered.

    "Drew? It's Nick Carter."

    "Nick! Thank god it's you. I've been trying to reach you all day."

    "We've been in press conferences all day preaching our, well, my alleged uninvolvement. Great job today for the newspaper. I think they'd actually believe you were distraught. So tell me? Was Justin surprised? Where'd you guys take him? When are you coming for me?"

    "Nick!" Drew had been trying to break into Nick's stream of words and finally Nick paused for a breath. "It wasn't us."

    "What!" Nick stopped his happy rambling. Suddenly he started laughing. "That's a funny joke Drew." He didn't hear his window rise.

    "I'm not joking Nick. We were going to do it next week. Justin wanted to tell his fiancée about it first."

    "His fiancée? Well if you didn't do it than who—"

    Drew heard a loud thump come through the telephone line.

    "Nick!" he yelled. "That's not funny Nick. Get back on the phone now!"

    Drew's voice sounded tiny coming through the phone in Nick Carter's empty bedroom. Only the curtain blew serenely at the open window.

    "Nick!" Even over the phone Drew sounded desperate. "Nick, please come back."
 

LEGENDS OF THE FALL- DAY 1
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