Chapter
One
"Where
are we going?"
Jackson
"Jax" Belamy struggled to keep up with Kylie Thomas as she pulled him
through the crowded fairgrounds. It was Sunday night and the last night of the
Tri-County Fair, and Kylie was just hitting her stride. She worked the swing
shift at the Chew Brew & Pit Crew Truck Stop, and for her it wasn't even
lunchtime. Jax had been up with the sun, however, and was dragging ass by 9pm.
"You'll
see!" Kylie said with a laugh, throwing the words and her gorgeous smile
over her shoulder at him.
It was
enough to spur Jax on, bringing himself even with her as she drew them up to
the Karaoke tent. Jax smiled. He loved to hear Kylie sing, and she hadn't had
much occasion to sing lately.
"I
called in a favor," she shouted as she wove through the people crowding
the entrance to the tent, heading toward the stage. Jax was glad she kept hold
of his hand, or he was pretty sure she would have lost him. "Alice already
put my name on the list."
Sure
enough, the MC was at the microphone. "Last call for Kylie Thomas. Kylie
Thomas, get your ass up to the stage to sing!"
The
locals in the crowd whooped and hollered as Kylie threw up her free hand.
"I'm here!" she shouted.
That was
enough to cause the crowd to part and let her through, and Jax followed in her
wake. Laughing, she only released his hand after he helped her hop up onto the
front of the stage. He stood, looking up at her as she walked with purpose and
confidence to the microphone.
The MC
stepped back and fiddled with the equipment until the first keyboard notes and
cymbals of Katy Perry's "Firework" rang out, lulling the voices in
the crowd as people got ready to listen.
The other
ranch hands out at the Lazy J gave Jax grief for listening to Katy Perry while
he worked in the barn, but this right here was the reason for it--it had
nothing to do with some glittering star in a studio and everything to do with
this country girl who had been the center of his world for as long as he could
remember.
Kylie had
star quality, Jax was sure of it. She worked the microphone with an easy level
of comfort, and worked the crowd just as well as any video queen. He lost
himself in her performance as she sang about letting inner light shine like
fireworks.
Kylie was
her own light show, a display of confidence and inner beauty that had everyone
in the crowd calling out "Ah, ah, ah," in time with the song.
Jax knew
he was bouncing up and down like an idiot, staring up at her with bright
admiration, but he didn't care. He lived for moments like these.
When the
song ended the crowd roared with as much appreciation as Jax had heard coming
from the main stage where some tired old band from the 80s was yukking it up,
and people started calling for more.
"Give
it up for Kylie Thomas!" the MC said, lifting Kylie's arm above her head
as if she had just won a prizefight. "I think she gets the popularity
award for tonight. What do you say, folks? Do you want to hear one last song
from Kylie before we take a break?"
Jax
shouted as loudly as the people behind him. "One more, Kylie!"
Kylie
smiled, her teeth flashing in the bright stage lights, and leaned in close to
the MC to say something. Then she bent down and held her hand out to Jax.
Without hesitation, Jax took her hand and hopped nimbly to the stage, knowing
exactly what was coming next and happy to join in.
"Hey
y'all," Kylie said, vamping up her country girl twang. "My friend Jax
and I are going to sing our favorite duet for ya. Feel free to join in if you
know the words!"
That was
part of why the local crowd loved Kylie. She didn't just mug the microphone and
shine in the stage lights, she invited everyone to take part in the joy that
was Kylie singing. She had a great voice. She had an even better stage
presence.
As the
simple notes of Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" sounded in the
tent, the crowd laughed and Jax happily slipped his arm around Kylie's
waist--the only time she let him make such an intimate gesture.
Jax
glanced nervously out at the crowd--it was bigger than he'd ever been in front
of before--but as Kylie started to sing, she put her finger under his chin and
brought his gaze back to her green, green eyes. Her knowing smile calmed his
bout of nerves enough so he could sing his part, then join in with her for the
tag line: "I got you, babe."
They
weren't really singing alone. Several people in the crowd joined in, and it
became a drunken chorus, ending with shouts of laughter and plastic solo cups
raised in salute. Kylie took a bow, forcing Jax to do the same, then laughing,
they headed for the steps that led down to the side of the tent away from the
bar.
'That was
so fun!" Kylie said with a laugh, and he leaned in close--in part so he
could hear her better, but mostly as an excuse to be close to her. "Alice
says they're having a popularity contest, and I guess that encore means I get
to come back," she continued. "You going to hang around?"
Jax
pulled on her hand to turn her to face him. "I gotta work tomorrow."
Jax tried
to imagine her smile faltered at least a little bit, but he wasn't really sure.
Kylie was so independent--and so blind to the way he felt about her--that he
couldn't quite convince himself she was sad to see him go.
"You're
such an old man!" she said with a laugh, giving him a punch on the
shoulder.
"Says
the girl who didn't get up until noon!" he said in his defense. "I
was up at daybreak, and I will be again tomorrow. Besides, I'm only two years
older than you."
"Old,"
she teased again. But before she could go on, Jax noticed a woman in a business
suit waiting patiently for them to notice her.
"Sorry,"
he said, tugging Kylie's hand to pull her to the side of the tent. "Are we
blocking your way?"
"Not
at all," the woman said. She was obviously out from some east coast city,
judging by her accent and the power suit that was just about as out of place as
could ever be found in Syracuse, Kansas. "I was hoping for a moment of the
young lady's time."
Kylie
turned to the woman, gave her a once over, then stuck out her hand. "Kylie
Thomas," she said formally. "What can I do for you?"
The woman
shook Kylie's hand with just the tips of her fingers, as if the gesture was
somehow distasteful.
"Beverly
Andrews," she said, unruffled and cool. Jax thought she could be pretty,
if she let her hair out of the tight bun she'd pulled it into, and loosened
herself up a couple turns counter-clockwise. "I'd like to have a word with
you. You see, I'm with Country Pride, a new talent show that we're putting
together for next season, and I'm out here looking for hot new talent. Ms.
Thomas, would you like to share your talent with America?"
***
Kylie
stared at the woman in the power suit, not sure that she'd heard her right.
"I'm sorry," she said. "Did you say you were with a talent
show?"
"That's
right. Country Pride. It's a new show that will air this winter. I'm scouting
talent, and I've been looking for someone just like you...."
Excitement
thrummed in her ears, drowning out what the woman was saying. A talent scout?
It was as though someone had trotted her most secret dream out into the lights
of the midway, waved a magic wand, and granted her wish. She'd always figured
she would have to leave town to be 'discovered,' yet here a talent scout was
standing in front of her, asking her to....
"I'm
sorry, what?" she brought her attention back to the woman's words.
Ms.
Andrews smiled as though she got that reaction a lot. "I was hoping you
would join me someplace quiet, where I can explain to you about the show, give
you some of the literature, and maybe meet your parents and see about getting
their permission for you to audition."
"Oh,
I'm eighteen," she said quickly.
Jax
tugged on her elbow, trying to get her attention. She turned to him, unable to
hide her elation. "A talent show, Jax!" she all but crowed.
"I
heard," he said. He looked skeptical about something.
"Well
thanks for the vote of confidence," Kylie said, thumping him on the
shoulder. That got a smile out of him.
"You
know I think you're the tops, Kylie," he began, but his gaze was drawn
back to the woman.
"We'd
like you to audition too, young man," the woman said. "You know how
these kinds of shows go. Two good looking young folks who are obviously in
love...."
Kylie
laughed again. "Oh, we're not in love," she said.
The woman
looked between her and Jax, and just gave a knowing smile. "Very well, two
good looking young folks who have great chemistry--you will go far on the show,
I'm sure. What do you say?"
"I
don't know," Jax began, and Kylie resisted the urge to smack him.
"Let's
just hear her out. Where did you have in mind, ma'am?"
"If
we can go out to the parking lot, maybe?" she suggested. "It's quite
noisy on the fairgrounds."
Kylie had
to agree. "We can walk to my work," she suggested. "The
truckstop. It's just across the highway from the entry gate."
"Sounds
like a plan," Ms. Andrews said, gesturing for the two of them to precede
her out of the tent.
Jax hung
back, so Kylie grabbed his arm and pulled him close to whisper in his ear.
"It's just a walk, silly. This could be a big break for me. For us.
Haven't you ever wanted to get out of this town?"
He looked
like he wanted to protest, but instead he just shook his head and walked with
her. She smiled to herself. She could always count on Jax to support her every
whim. In her excitement, she grabbed his hand, squeezing whenever the
excitement became too hard to contain.
Walking
beside them the short distance to the gate, Ms. Andrews picked her way through
the crowds and the detritus of several days of fair excesses.
Jax
leaned forward so he could address her across Kylie. "How come you stopped
way out here, ma'am?" His tone wasn't exactly rude, but it did sound more
like an interrogation than mere curiosity.
"We
scouts work in teams," she said, stepping gingerly over a largish puddle
leftover from the rain they'd had that morning. "This show is different
from the older scenarios where they held huge auditions and people come from
all over to try to get on the show. With Country Pride, we each get to pick
where we want to look for talent. It's as much a competition for the scouts as
it is for the performers. I've always had the best vibes about small
out-of-the-way towns. Carrie Underwood was from Checotah, Oklahoma. Nobody even
knew where that was before she showed up on American Idol.
"Country
Pride will do a little back story for you two. My assistant filmed you and
several other performers with her cell phone. It's all very organic. If you
agree to do the show, we'll go back with a small crew to film a little more before
the karaoke tent closes for the night, then we'll film some interviews in the
morning. Your folks and such. By the end of the week, we'll head out for
Nashville and you two will be on your way to becoming big stars."
They were
approaching the gates now, and Kylie turned to Jax, unable to keep a little
skip out of her step. "Can you believe it, Jax?"
Jax
smiled, but his words sounded doubtful. "Seems she's moving awful
fast."
"Just
the words, Jax. It's not like she's going to whisk us away tonight or anything,
right, ma'am?"
She
turned to address Ms. Andrews, but the woman wasn't there. Frowning, she
searched the crowds streaming out the gate. They were urged along and out into
the parking lot with many fairgoers who had called it a day.
"Where'd
she go?" Kylie asked, turning back to Jax.
They were
already several yards away from the gate before the woman approached them from
behind. "Sorry," she said with a laugh. "I got caught behind the
stampede. Listen, I'd like to show you how serious I am, how serious the show
is. My assistant went back to the office in our RV to download the footage she
shot, and she's been working on it already. Won't you come see?"
She
gestured to a very large RV parked just a few spaces away. It was dark-colored,
with no designs, but Kylie could see a light on behind the window shades.
"How
come it doesn't say who you are?" Jax asked suspiciously.
Ms.
Andrews laughed pleasantly. "I told you, we are different. We don't want
to be plagued by people with no talent banging on the doors, trying to get
auditions. But if you're nervous, we don't have to go now."
"Jax!"
Kylie hissed, trying to contain her frustration with him. "What's wrong with you? This is a big deal."
Jax
shrugged in the face of her fierce gaze. "I'll come with you if you want
to go."
Kylie
turned her smile on Ms. Andrews. "Yes, let's go look, please."
Ms.
Andrews smiled. "Right this way."
They
approached the RV, and the woman opened the door and again gestured for them to
precede her. Kylie let go of Jax's hand and stepped up the stairs, turning the
corner to see a very plush interior lit with soft lights reflected in several
mirrors. The mirrors confused her so she couldn't immediately tell what she was
looking at. She took another three steps forward and heard Jax climbing up
behind her.
By the
time it registered what she was seeing, she was several steps into the RV.
There,
seated on a side bench behind a table, two girls looked at her with terror in
their eyes. They wore only underwear, and duct tape covered their mouths and
bound their wrists and ankles together.
Kylie
turned quickly, intent on getting both her and Jax off that RV. There was only
the woman to get past before they could get outside. She could send the sheriff
after them once they were clear.
But it
was too late. There was a sickening crackle, and Jax slumped to the floor, Ms.
Andrews behind him holding a taser that she had just discharged into Jax's
neck.
The woman
flipped a lever to close the door, then stepped toward her over Jax's twitching
body. Kylie couldn't take her eyes off her friend.
"What?"
Ms. Andrews said in a sultry purr. "Did you think that only girls got
taken for the sex trade?"
Kylie
rushed at Ms. Andrews, reaching for the hand that held the taser. She got her
hands on the woman, who just laughed as Kylie fought with her.
Before
she could wonder why the woman didn't seem at all concerned, Kylie heard the
crackle of another taser, and seconds later felt the stinging bite of of a
million volts of electrical current blasting through her body.
She tried
to hold on, but blackness took over.
###
So tell me, what do you think?
