Chapter 14: Dealings with Devils

"Paula." Russel's posture went rigid. "What are you doing here?"

The woman looked down at the three of us crouched on the pavement. She was frozen in place, apparently startled by our appearance. "I'd… heard you were back in town…" Her gaze turned to 2D, who was still trembling from his latest panic attack and staring up at her with wide eyes while heavy, strained breaths rasped from his lungs. As Paula focused on her ex, my hand instinctively tightened over 2D's shoulder – for some reason, Paula's attention was making me feel protective. A slight frown tugging her mouth, Paula asked, "What's wrong with Stuart?"

Russel's weight shifted, as if to block 2D from view – he must be feeling unsettled by Paula's attention as well. I recalled a story I'd been told about how angry Russel had been when Paula cheated on 2D – he had broken Murdoc's nose over it. Now, Russel's gaze was dark. "This doesn't concern you," He grumbled. "You should leave."

Noticing Russel's aggression, Paula scowled, straightening up and glaring down at him, all traces of surprise replaced by stubbornness. "No. I'd like to know what's going on."

An angry retort seemed to be on the tip of Russel's tongue, but 2D's weak voice cut through the air.

"Wait… Paula…" 2D looked at her intently. Despite his trembling, his black eyes were sharp. "You're not just here to catch up," he stated, his eyebrows dipping. "There's something important on your mind. Something about me… You're nervous..."

An eyebrow shot up on Paula's face. "You're awfully coherent today, Stuart."

2D tilted his head, his face growing serious. "What do you know about my condition?"

The hairs on the back of my neck rose as it occurred to me… Paula was around before 2D met Murdoc. She was around when he first began taking his pills. If anyone knows something about how Murdoc got those sketchy meds…

Paula's shrewd glare broke for a moment as she glanced nervously over the street. "If you're thinking straight… Does this mean you're off those pills? Or have you just gotten used to them?"

"You knew." 2D's eyes widened. "You knew they weren't regular pills."

"Are you off the pills?" She asked again, a note of urgency in her voice.

"Paula, stay out of our business!" Russel snarled.

2D grabbed Russel's shoulder. Russel turned a confused glance to the singer, but the blue-haired man's eyes remained fixed on Paula. "Why does seeing me like this make you so nervous?" 2D's voice misted. "You've got almost as much fear as curiosity in your eyes."

Once more, Paula glanced nervously at the street. I could tell she was deeply agitated by something. Her eyes skimmed the block's dark corners as if she feared she were being watched...

It was the same way I'd nervously checked the streets in Manchester.

"You know about the Pill Thieves, don't you?" I accused.

Paula shifted on her feet, tugging at her collar as if heated uncomfortably by our stares. "The Pill Thieves?"

I couldn't tell if she was feigning confusion or she truly didn't recognize what I was talking about – we had, after all, made up the title "The Pill Thieves" with Dr. Khalan. "I'm talking about the group of people who are interested in 2D and his pills. They've been stalking us ever since he went through withdrawal." I hoped my bandmates wouldn't mind me disclosing our situation to Paula – as uncomfortable as she was making me feel, we needed to convince her to tell us what she knew, and she would probably be more willing to share if we gave her the same courtesy.

Paula squinted, biting her lip. There was definitely recognition on her face now, and conflict. Finally, she responded, "You call them the Pill Thieves?"

I nodded.

Russel growled at her. "What would you call them?"

The last dregs of her reluctance breaking down, Paula sighed, shook her head, and muttered, "If we're thinking of the same people, these are the Pill Suppliers."

. . .

It was a lovely, sunny day, and I, Paula Cracker, was furious.

Why was I furious?

My lover, the intelligent and sexy Stuart Pot, has disappeared.

My heels clacked angrily against the pavement as I recollected the circumstance of my man's departure.

No call, no note, not a single "goodbye" or "see-you-later." One day, he's lying comatose in the hospital, unresponsive but as sexy as ever, right where he should be for evening visitation. The next, I learn that his daytime caregiver hadn't returned him to the hospital because Stuart had woken up feeling great and rushed off to join a band.

Hell. No.

After all the effort I poured into this relationship, I wasn't about to let my lover go gallivanting off into some dead-end musical experiment. His parents may be willing to let Stuart do as he pleases, but we had made plans for our life together, and a major part of our plans was that I WAS THERE.

Besides…

I had suspicions about that daytime caregiver.

I hadn't seen him, but I'd heard that this man, the same man who had plunged wheels-first into the piano shop and knocked Stu into oblivion in the first place, looked awfully similar Mr. Rotting Corpse who'd caused trouble for us at the Tipsy Terrier. That man was up to no good. I didn't put kidnapping past him. In fact, I wasn't convinced by the report which referred to the car crash as an "accident." I may not be as smart as Stu, but I'm clever enough to know that if this guy is who I think he is, he had motivation to hurt Stu on purpose. Furthermore, Stuart had mentioned having a bad feeling about that green man after we'd met him. After months of hanging around Stu, I knew better than to bet against his stellar judgement.

Hot sunshine burned my shoulders as I pulled a newspaper clipping out of my pocket. I squinted at the fine print on the frayed paper:

NEW BAND SEEKING MEMBERS!

Guitar & Drums Needed!

Interested parties should visit 638 Iris Ln., Surrey, and ask to speak to Murdoc Niccals, band leader extraordinaire.

NO HIPPIES.

I scanned the street, counting the numbers on crumbling brick townhouses. 632… 634… 636…

638.

This was it.

I channeled my inner fury into my thumb as I jammed it into the door buzzer. Hearing nothing from inside, I irately pounded my fist against the door.

Footsteps sounded within. Moments later, the door swung open.

"GREETINGS!" An overenthusiastic grin plastered over a sickly green tan materialized in front of me. "I take it you've come to audition for my new ba –"

POW!

"AUGH! Sh-!" The green man staggered backwards, cursing. Blood rained from his nose. "What in Satan's name are you playing at?"

Pulling back my now-bloody fist, I crossed my arms and smiled, feeling warm satisfaction at the pain the man was in. "I'm here to retrieve my boyfriend and pulverize the worm who kidnapped him." I tilted my head with a falsely sweet grin. "You wouldn't have happened to see a pasty green lowlife dragging around a recent car-accident patient, have you? I've been trying to catch up with him for some time."

"Wait a minute…" His eyes lit up with recognition. "I know you! You're mole-face, from the pub!"

POW!

"OW! WOULD YOU BLOODY QUIT THAT?"

I marched past the man swearing on the floor, both hands covering his profusely bleeding face. "Stuart! Are you in here?"

I made my way to a room with a broken TV and a shabby couch. Lying on the worn furniture, I found Stuart, limbs splayed limply over the cushions and sexy, blue hair ruffled and bedraggled. I grimaced when I noticed dark circles lining his closed eyes, and my stomach churned at the sight of the bruises on his face and bare arms.

He looked more injured than the last time I'd seen him at the hospital!

I growled, feeling protective rage burning through me at the sight of my battered lover. His caregiver was going to have hell to pay.

I crouched down and shook Stuart's shoulder, hoping that, if nothing else, what I'd heard about him waking from his coma wasn't a lie. "Wake up, Stu," I urged. Relief flooded through me as he stirred and groaned.

He blinked towards me…

Goosebumps pricked my flesh.

His once-blue eyes were pools of red and black.

"Holy hell! Stu, what happened to your eyes?"

I wondered for a moment if he'd gone blind – his stare was perfectly blank, unrecognizing, and his eyes couldn't seem to focus on me. Then, his face lit up. "Paula? Paula, you're here!" He rolled towards me, opening his arms for a hug, then yelped as he fell of the couch. He lay on the floor for a moment, a dazed look on his bruised face, before slowly forming a fresh grin. "Paula! Did you come to join Murdoc's band?"

His head lolled as he smiled blithely, eyes unfocused, movements clumsy and uncoordinated…

"Dammit, Stu, are you high?"

He tilted his head, confused. "No, I'm looow… I'm down here! Can't you see me?" We waved his arms over his head.

When we got back to my place, he would be in so. much. trouble.

Teeth grinding in frustration, I hauled the unbalanced man to his feet. "Come on, I'm getting you out of this dump. Now."

Stuart swayed before falling onto my shoulder. "But… uh… M-Murdoc says I'm not allowed to leave… Eep!"

He yelped again as I smacked his hand. "Are you gonna listen to gangrene face, or are you going to go home with your girlfriend?"

Suddenly, Stuart's joyful expression shifted, eyebrows furrowing as he fidgeted nervously. "P-Paula, I… I d-don't think you understand…"

"You're not going anywhere, lady! He's in my band, and I'm the one who's got his pain medication!"

Murdoc appeared between me and the room's exit, dried blood crusting over his ugly scowl.

"I think you've been giving him a little too much pain medication," I sneered, feeling the ungainly weight of my lover shifting against my side. "You can expect a lawsuit from us later. In the meantime, I'm taking Stu home."

The man stepped closer, stiffening his shoulders as if trying to appear broad and menacing. "Didn't you hear me? That's not going to happen!"

I straightened my spine, balling my hand that wasn't busy propping up Stuart into a fist. "Oh yeah? Why not?"

"Paula…" Stuart wore a disconcerting look of fear that I had never seen on him before. "M-Murdoc will cut me off from my p-pills if I do anything bad…"

"That's ridiculous," I sniped, distantly wondering why Stuart, arguably one of the most confident people I knew, was suddenly so hesitant. "We'll get the doctor's order forwarded to me, or to your parents. There's no reason this scumbag should be allowed to give you your meds." I scowled at Murdoc in disgust. This walking trashcan shouldn't be allowed to take care of an ant farm, let alone a person.

Murdoc's mouth curled into a devilish smirk – I felt cold stirring in my chest. Somehow, I got the sense that he had a trick up his sleeve. Frustration sparked within me as I felt Stuart trembling at my side – He should be helping me figure out corpse-man, but no, he just had to get high today!

"The idiot's right," Murdoc sneered. "You can only get those pills he's on through me. Doctor's don't know the first thing about them."

My fist tightened. "Are you saying his pills aren't even a real prescription?"

"They're not a traditional prescription," he admitted with a shrug, his eyes gleaming. "But that doesn't mean he doesn't need them."

CRUNCH!

This time, Murdoc barely managed to flinch out of the way before my fist flew past him. My knuckles throbbed as I pulled my hand out of a fresh hole in the drywall. I thought I heard a rat's terrified squee as I bared my teeth at the skulking man. "What kind of sketchy, illegal drugs have you been giving Stuart?"

"Hey, hey, don't get all fussy!" Murdoc huffed. "The pills he's on are perfectly safe; he just needs a bit of extra strength because he's extra messed up!"

"What kind of idiot do you think I am?" I grabbed Stuart's shoulder firmly. "Stuart is leaving now, with me."

"Paula…" Stuart's voice warbled.

"He doesn't need your illegal drugs-"

"Paula…"

"And if you know what's good for you, you'll cooperate with me, or I'll send your carcass to prison!"

"Paula, please…"

I turned on my boyfriend, frustration crackling in my head like static. "Stuart, quit acting so pathetic and back me up!"

Stu looked scared. He took a step backwards, then yelped as his legs hit the couch, felling harshly onto the thin cushions, sniffling up at me with wet eyes…

Wait a minute…

Was my tough, confident, sexy boyfriend crying?

"Paula," He sobbed, dropping his gaze to my knees, "I n-n-need the pills. You… Y-you don't understand. I c-can't leave, I h-have to stay here…"

This was wrong.

I'd never seen Stuart cry under pressure. It just wasn't who he was. When he got into a tough situation, he thought through it, and he never failed to find a solution. Faced with an opponent, he would look into their eyes and smile because he could read their weaknesses as easily as if they'd been written in bold.

He didn't tremble.

He didn't fall apart.

I shook my head, as if I could force the voices telling me something is very wrong with him into silence. Scowling as if I felt angry instead of sick to my stomach, I growled, "Stuart, if you don't start making sense and follow me out that door right now – "

"Y'know," Murdoc interjected casually, "if the man wants to stay, then you taking him would be kidnapping."

I turned on the green man. "It's not kidnapping. He's mine. He wants to come with me, he just doesn't realize it yet."

Murdoc gave a sinister smile. "Hey, 2D. You want to stay here with me, right?"

2D? I looked at Stuart in confusion. Stuart looked at his toes. "Yes, Murdoc."

What?

"And if this lady takes you away, you'll scream, and tell everyone she's trying to kidnap you?"

"Yes, Murdoc."

"Stuart!?"

"And if we went to court, or had to talk to police, you'd tell them that you like staying with your old pal Mudsy, and that this angry, jealous woman is your ex who wants to make you suffer?"

The trembling man's voice fell from his mouth in a broken whimper. "Yes, Murdoc."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Stuart, what the hell?"

"He doesn't answer to Stuart anymore. His name is 2D. Isn't that right buddy?"

"Yes, Murdoc." Stuart refused to meet my eyes. Tears fell on the carpet by his feet.

Murdoc tutted, leering at me. "Well, I'm afraid your little mission might not have the law's approval. I'd suggest you leave before I call the police and tell them that 2D's ex has been giving him trouble."

"w-w-WAIT!"

My breath hitched with pain when Stuart's fingers dug frantically into my arm. He still wasn't looking at me, but his desperate gaze searched the green man imploringly. "P-please don't send her away! Sh-sh-she can help us! She plays guitar! D-Didn't you w-w-want someone who c-could play guitar? P-Please?"

Stuart sounded pathetic.

Murdoc quirked an eyebrow, gaze flickering to me with interest. "You play?"

"Yeah," I growled. "What's it to you?"

"Any good?" He pressed, a smirk curling at the corner of his lips.

My eyes narrowed haughtily, cool pride swirling in my gut. "Plenty good."

Murdoc grinned evilly. "Then how 'bout sticking around for an audition?"

I felt anger course through me. It wasn't enough that this lowlife had kidnapped my boyfriend; now he thought he could get me under his thumb too?

But then I heard Stuart mumbling into my shoulder. "Please don't leave me… D-don't leave me alone with him… I n-n-need you... Please."

The angry light blazing behind my eyes seemed to grow dim...

People might tell you that I only care about myself, but I had always had a soft spot for Stu.

. . .

I stayed.

We found a studio and a drummer. We wrote songs. We practiced.

I didn't have much contact with my old friends; Murdoc didn't approve of us taking time off. My only company now was Murdoc, the drummer, and my boyfriend. Not that my boyfriend even acted like Stuart anymore…

"Alright, dullard. Time to take your pills."

I sighed. As I heard the green man's rough voice scratching in the next room over, I could imagine Stuart – or, should I say, 2D – quivering on the couch, barely lifting his head as Murdoc's gritty fingernails pried his mouth open and dropped the dry pills inside.

"Good boy, open up…"

"Doesn't that bother you?" The drummer, Russel, asked.

We were sitting in the kitchen, picking at bowls of dry, tasteless cereal that was probably expired. I shot him a weary glance. "Doesn't what bother me?"

"Muds treading 'D like a dog and callin' your man names all the time. Y'know, 'dullard,' 'faceache,' 'dents.'" His gaze was curious and a bit disapproving. "It makes me sad for his sake. Being his girlfriend and all, I'm surprised by how little you do about it."

I grimaced. "It's hard to be mad when Murdoc's right. 2D's an idiot."

"He's your idiot though, isn't he?"

I huffed. "Pretty sure Murdoc would dispute that claim. We're all his property, remember?"

Russel shook his head. "Well, at least you stuck around to look after the poor guy," He grumbled, glowering at his bowl. Abruptly rising from his chair, he announced, "I'm gonna go get some groceries. I'm tired of this dry cereal."

After Russel left, I wandered into the living room. Murdoc had disappeared, leaving 2D alone. My lover was sprawled on the couch, gazing listlessly at nothing, stoned out of his mind. As much as it disgusted me to see him so vacant, this was worlds better than the night before…

Despite his medicine, he had somehow gotten a headache. As he had twisted and turned on the bed we shared, I had grit my teeth and buried my head in a pillow, trying to block out his keening moans. I had half a mind to sleep in another room when arms weaved tightly around me, fingers clinging desperately to my ribs as if I were the liferaft that would float him out of his personal sea of agony. His chin found its way to my shoulder and his whimpers flew directly through my ear. As I drifted into restless sleep, his bleats of pain warped my dreams into red-tinted nightmares...

"Paula?"

Shaking my head to banish the memory of the night before, I met the dark eyes sliding my way and forced a smirk. "So, you're well enough to talk to me today? Feeling alright?"

He smiled vacantly. "I feel… floooaty…" He shifted on the couch, his limbs dragging like lead as he painstakingly made room. "Sit with me. I like it when you sit with me."

I sat. The man shifted again, lurching to pull his body against mine, leaning heavily into my side. I held back a wince when his ungainly head swung towards me with faltering coordination. His lips met my cheek, warm spit trailing after a sloppy kiss before gravity toppled the man down, his head resting in my lap. I wiped a sleeve over my face.

"I'm glad you're here, Paula."

His hand was tangled pathetically in the hem of my shirt, just as it had been on the day he had begged me to stay. Today, his gaze held none of that day's panic. His unfocused eyes seemed to be growing glassier by the second.

"I'm so glad… You've stayed with me…"

Trusting eyes closed as he turned his face into the warmth of my thigh. A deep sigh flew from his mouth as his body relaxed and he sunk into a drug-induced stupor.

With his eyes closed, I could almost imagine that the past few months had never happened.

Slowly, I rested a hand in his hair… Blue, spiky hair that I had always found devastatingly attractive. I loved his hair. I also loved his sharp eyes and intelligent smile. I loved that focused look he would get when he read people, and I trembled at the memory of how he made me feel when those shrewd eyes turned my way…

When his smile held me in place while he dove into my mind…

When he breathed poetic words into my ear while coordinated hands crept over my body…

When his confident movements promised so much excitement, pushed me to my limits…

I could feel his warm drool seeping through my pantleg.

I looked down at him. Prone. Stoned. Weak and completely helpless. My fingers crept through his hair.

"You used to really be something, Stu."

The man slept on while I fondled a soft blue lock.

"You were everything I wanted." Successful, exciting, attractive… I used to imagine how he'd take my hand and sprint with me into the incredible future we'd planned, where we never lacked fortune and adventure, and constantly pushed each other to new levels of success and passion…

"You knew that I expected a lot from you, and you embraced it." It was true. I'd made it no secret that I expected him to provide for me, both financially and otherwise. Every time I reminded him of how disappointed I would be if he fell short of my expectations, his eyes lit up in excitement. He would smirk and tell me how he loved the way I pushed him, how he craved the challenge… How he craved me…

He would touch me as he swore he would please me, whispering promises into my lips as long fingers slid down my neck and to my chest, warmth spreading everywhere…

Now, all he craved were those stupid pills.

"Look at you now."

Yeah, he still liked me. But he didn't burn anymore. There was no excitement, no drive. Just this pitiful, whimpering man who squirmed under the devil's heel and licked his boots for drugs.

I loved him.

I had loved him…

I was disgusted by him.

"I never wanted to be with a pathetic man like this."

"Then it's a good thing you've got better options, love."

I jumped.

Leering around the corner of a doorframe, Murdoc appeared, face green and grinning shiftily.

My hand furled into a fist in Stuart's hair. "Get lost, scumbag. I don't care for your company."

He chuckled, strolling into the room. "You know, something clicked just now. I think I've got you figured out."

"What's there to figure out?" I shot back. "Nothings changed lately. I'm still a chick stuck to a stoned boyfriend with no other friends to turn to."

"I know why you're still here."

I grimaced. "Yeah, like I said, no friends to turn to. And you've got something that's mine," I said, gesturing to the singer in my lap.

"None of that's keeping you here," The green man insisted, stepping closer. "You could leave in a heartbeat. Ditch bluey, go to some bar, sleep with a bloke, stay at his house and never come back. And yet, you stay."

I squinted as he stepped in front of me. "What're you getting at?"

He smiled sweetly. "You believe in my band."

I huffed. "You think I'm sticking around because I like our stupid songs? You think I'm that in love with the power of music?" I pouted sarcastically. "Yeah, the beauty of what we're creating just makes me want to swoon into your smelly arms –"

SLAM!

Hands hit the couch, slamming at either side of my face with enough force to shove the furniture backwards. Musty breath spewed hotly into my face. "Not our sodding music. You believe in success. You know I have what it takes. You know my band can get you all the excitement and fame you could ever dream of." I tried not to let my shock show as he leaned closer to my face, his eyes boring into mine. "That's why you were with the Dullard, right? The first time I met him, he looked like a guy who was going somewhere. Now, he's a pathetic pawn, and you can't stand him. But your ticket to everything you want – everything you know you deserve – is still. Right. Here."

His face was close, too close, to mine. I didn't react. I held my ground. "Are you trying to make a pass at me?"

Murdoc smirked. "A pass of sorts. Actually, I'd like to let you in on a secret of mine. Maybe make you an offer, if you're game."

He stepped back. I became suddenly aware of how fast my heart was beating…

I glanced down at 2D, still in my lap. Still asleep.

Murdoc was ambling towards the entrance of the studio. "I'm off to collect a package. Come with?"

My hand felt frozen in 2D's hair. What the hell was going on?

What was this jerk playing at?

I felt angry. And I felt…

Fire.

I'd been out of the loop for too long, and I'd be damned if I didn't take every opportunity to claw into a position where I had more control over my life.

If Murdoc wanted to let me in on a secret of his, I'd let him.

I rose from the couch, dropping 2D's head limply onto the cushions as I followed our leader out of the room.

. . .

He led me out the front doors of Kong Studio.

A man was waiting there, leaning idly against the side of the building while his shifty eyes surveyed the ragged hillside. A large cardboard box was tucked under his arm.

Murdoc grinned. "Ah, you're here!"

Without turning his head, the mysterious man's eyes regarded me coldly. "Who's the bird?"

"A member of my band!" Murdoc said cheerfully, dropping a sickly green hand onto my shoulder. "This is Paula, my guitarist."

The man's eyes narrowed. "These exchanges are supposed to be private."

Murdoc rolled his eyes. "Oh, lighten up! We all want the same thing. Trust me, you don't need to worry about her."

The mysterious man's composure didn't soften. As his glare cut into me, I felt chills creeping over my spine. I had a bad feeling about this dude.

Eventually, the man's eyes left me and lit on Murdoc. "Is the target still taking his pills regularly?"

Murdoc nodded. "Yup, he can't get enough of them!"

"Has his behavior changed at all?"

"He's as dull as ever, never puts up a fight."

The man nodded. He passed his cardboard package to Murdoc. "Good. This supply should last you for the next three months; you know who to talk to if you need more. Stick to the regimen and let us know immediately if his behavior changes."

"Right!" Murdoc snatched the box greedily. "Back in, Paula," He commanded, leading the way back to the Studio. Glancing back, I saw the mystery man approach a black car at the bottom of the hill before the front door closed and shut him from view.

"Well!" Murdoc cackled, smiling wickedly in my direction. "Have you got any idea who he was? Any idea what's in this box?" The bassist shook his package, rousing a chorus of tiny clacking noises.

I stared at the box, frowning. "You were talking about Stuart, weren't you? All that chat about a 'target' and pills?"

Murdoc rolled his eyes. "2D. You've got to call him by his band name. Trust me, he'll be better off once he forgets his old life. But, yes, he is the 'target' we were talking about. And these," he shook the box again, "are his pills. The man you just met was one of the suppliers."

I crossed my arms. "Are you finally going to tell me why you don't get Stuarts – 2D's – pills from a proper doctor?"

Murdoc set the box down. Stepping closer to me, his smile seemed to grow more sinister. "What I'm about to tell you is deadly serious, you know. And I don't plan on letting Russ or Faceache know, so this'll just be between the two of us."

I held his gaze, unwavering. "Spill it, then."

He chuckled. "I like your spirit. We could get along very well you know." He had taken another small step closer, another plunge into my personal space that sent my skin crawling. "We have a lot alike. We both want to succeed. We want power. We want excitement." I could swear his eyes were glittering. "Fortunately for us, I've made a special arrangement that will get us what we want. A deal with the devil, so to speak. Except, in this case, the devil is a bunch of shifty drug dealers."

I quirked an eyebrow, trying to come across as mildly curious while I ignored a sensation like fire ants under my skin. "You're saying that drug dealers are somehow going to be the key to this band's success?"

He laughed. "It's a bit more complicated than that. Let me explain…

"A couple months back, I was looking after Dents. You know what happened: I rammed into the piano store, knocked one of his eyes black, and left him in a coma. The court insisted that I be the one to take care of his sodding carcass as some sort of bloody community service sentence. That didn't stop me, though. I was working on building up a smashing band, and I'd gotten this idea that once the dullard woke up, maybe whatever pain medicine the doctors stuffed him with would make him loopy enough to write some tunes for me.

"Word got out that I was trying to form a band, and that I might have some genuine talent on my hands. One day, I was approached by a sly chick who told me she had an idea to help my band take off. Said she knew some people who could make a deal to provide me with some sort of sponsorship if I did them a favor. Ever the opportunist, I followed her, and ended up in a sketchy building full of scary people who all looked like they could hurt me. They treated me real nice, though. Buttered me up. Shared a meal. Then we talked…

"They said they were a group that made and sold a new wonder-drug, some sort of funky concoction that made people more… malleable. Their product wasn't necessarily legal, and they weren't too bothered with making it legal since they knew their main clientele would be people who wanted to crush their enemies or something. Anyway, they had this marketing plan. They wanted to get someone famous using their drugs so that when they sold to people, they'd have an example of just how thoroughly their product wrecked people's brains. They'd heard about my situation – apparently I'd complained to an agent of theirs one night at a bar about how much I needed to be able to control dent-head if I was going to make my band a success. The druggies wanted to sponsor me! They wanted to make 2D their big example of how well their drug worked! They agreed that, if I made dents take their silly drugs, I'd have a docile little slave on my hands. He'd need the pills, and he'd do whatever I asked to get them! And then they said they'd throw in a stipend for some good equipment and ads to recruit more band members!"

Murdoc's smile was scarily radiant, hot energy seeming to spark out of his excited gestures. "I've got a whole gang of drug dealers paying to make this band great, and all I have to do is keep giving 2D those pretty little pills!" He gazed at me expectantly, eyes bright. "You see what this means for me? For us? We're going to take the world by storm! Gorillaz is unstoppable!"

I stared at him. My stomach twisted. "Why are you sharing this with me?"

He leaned close and I held my breath. A warm palm slid against my arm, and the crawling in my skin seemed to get faster, more urgent. Long fingers wrapped around my elbow, beckoning me forward, closer, near enough to feel his silky breath misting in the air around my face. "I'm bored of being the only one in on the secret… I like the idea of having someone on top with me. Someone who understands what I want, the power I'm craving, the fame…" A hypnotic red eye gleamed, burning into my mind. "We want the same things, Paula. 2D can't give you what you want anymore. I can. We can share this – the excitement, the success! We can push each other to new heights of stardom. We understand each other. We could be great together." I didn't move as his warm hands crept over my shoulders, slid tenderly up my neck… "Be my confidant. Be my lover. I can give you the world, Paula; you just need to give yourself to me."

His face was close, so close, his crumpled nose touched mine –

"No."

His brows scrunched over his eyes. "What?"

I took a step back. His nails chafed roughly against my neck as I pulled out of his grasp. I gripped my elbows to prevent my hands from shaking. "Being involved with this band was bad enough before I knew we were being managed by a drug ring."

Murdoc shook his head fervently. "The druggies aren't managing us, they're helping us! Listen, I didn't let you in on this secret so you'd get all worried about this band's management – I wanted to prove to you that this band is going to be a success!" His grin was manic. "I've got everything figured out! Nothing can stop me! Nothing can stop us!" He gripped my shoulders roughly "I know you want this! Success, power, fame –"

"I WANT TO BE IN CONTROL OF MY OWN LIFE!" I screamed.

Murdoc gaped at me. "Paula –!"

"Save it!" I turned away, breaking his grasp, my heartbeat skittering frantically. "I can't do this anymore. I'm packing my things and leaving."

"Wait! You can't leave!"

"WATCH ME!"

SLAM.

I gasped as I was shoved into the wall, sharp pain springing in my back as rigid hands forced my shoulder blades to grate against the hard surface. Murdoc's eyes were wild, his sharp teeth were bared. "You. Can't. Leave."

I was frozen under a gaze full of hellfire.

"Are you really going to abandon your shot at success just 'cause you're scared of a little drug deal?" He growled, nails burrowing into my shoulders. "Don't you understand? This is how life WORKS! You have to take every chance you get, even if it means selling your soul, to get what you want! To reach your dream! If you can't play the devil's game, you'll never amount to anything! Is that what you want?"

His grip was painful. He reeked of anger and madness… and desperation.

I took a deep breath. "Get off me."

He snarled. "If you leave… You won't be able to come crawling back when you realize what a huge mistake you've made. I'll find a better guitarist, one who'll put you to shame. And I'll make everyone hate you. I'll… I'll tell them you cheated on 2D. With me. Everyone who worships this band will curse your name."

I grit my teeth. "Get. Off."

For a moment, he just stared at me.

Then he shoved himself away. His face disappeared as he turned his back. "Fine then. Get lost. I don't need cowards like you holding me back."

I edged away, slowly at first, then faster as I neared the end of the hall –

"Oh, and by the way… Don't be surprised if one of my suppliers tracks you down later. They won't be happy about this."

. . .

Stuart was still sleeping on the couch when I passed by the sitting room with a backpack and my guitar slung over my back. The singer had an arm wrapped around a musty-looking gray pillow. The dirty object was pressed into his chest, held tight just like Stuart held me on the nights we would share, when I would drift to sleep covered in his warmth with the smell of his sweat in the air and the sound of his voice whispering lines from dreams about me…

"Paula…"

He murmured, still asleep, his brow creasing as a nightmare played out in his head. "Don't let him hurt me… I n-need you… Paula…"

"I can't help you," I whispered. Stuarts – 2D's – whimpers faded as I left the room.

. . .

I jolted awake. There was a hand pressed over my mouth.

I struggled and tried to scream, but it felt like there were multiple people holding me down. In the dark motel room, all I could make out were silhouettes, several people surrounding me, watching me, hands pressing my limbs and torso into the mattress.

Cold, paralyzing fear flowed like ice in my bloodstream. My struggling ceased. Aside from waves of uncontrollable trembling, I couldn't move.

"This is your only warning," an unfamiliar voice echoed through the air.

Cold metal pressed against my forehead.

"If you tell anyone about the pills, it will be the last thing you ever do."

I held my breath as I felt the weight of the gun pressed to my face… It felt so heavy… So heavy it might just weigh me down to hell…

The weight disappeared.

SLAM.

. . .

When I woke up hours later, the only evidence of the encounter was a throbbing bruise on my hairline and a headache.

. . .

"This is the first time I've ever talked about what happened."

Paula had crouched in front of 2D, Russel, and I while she told her story. Loud chatter from the Tipsy Terrier guaranteed that no one would overhear us, but even so, her eyes frequently flickered over the surrounding street, unease in her gaze.

I had been rubbing 2D's back, hoping to chase away the last jitters from his panic attack, but at some point my hand had fisted into my friend's shirt. Paula's tale surprised me – I had never thought to question her apparent reason for leaving the band. It made me wonder just how many lies Murdoc had woven into our history.

Russel's eyes narrowed distrustfully. "You're saying that Murdoc kept this secret from us for twenty years, but he told you about it just 'cause he wanted you to stick around and have sex with him?"

Paula huffed. "I'm taking a big risk telling you what I know. You don't have to like what I'm saying. You don't even have to believe me. But I've been looking over my shoulder for twenty years, scared that I'll find one of those suppliers stalking me. I have a right to know more about what's going on now between you and them."

Russel wasn't convinced. "How do we know we can trust you?"

Paula turned to 2D. "You know I'm telling the truth."

2D's dark eyes were trained on Paula's. I saw them shimmer as they flickered from one eye to the other. "She's right…" 2D's voice sounded strangely hollow. "Everything she's told us is true. And she deserves to know what's going on."

I searched 2D's face. The lack of emotion he had displayed throughout Paula's story was disconcerting. Wasn't he upset at how she had abandoned him? Angry? Sad? If anything, 2D just looked… resigned.

Discomfort stirred in my gut like a coiling snake. I would have to talk through this with 2D later. I wouldn't let him slip back into his I-don't-want-to-feel-anything mindset. But for now, I conceded that he and Paula had a point – she was involved, and she ought to know what was going on.

"We already mentioned that 2D went through withdrawal about two weeks ago," I began, garnering my companions' attention. "Murdoc's in prison, so he didn't have a say in it. When 2D's doctor recognized the pills he'd been taking, she warned us that she'd met someone who'd been murdered after withdrawing from them."

Paula's face went pale. "So they really have killed people…" She touched a hand lightly to her hairline. "Damn. I was really hoping they just gave empty threats."

"I'm afraid not," I grimaced. "The first time 2D and I went out in public after his withdrawal, we ended up getting chased through Manchester by sketchy people. We escaped with the help of some friends, but after that, the pill thieves – the suppliers – were searching for us relentlessly. They even figured out where we'd been living before we went into hiding. We left Manchester a couple of days ago, hoping to put some distance between us and them so that we could relax for a while. I haven't seen them since."

Paula looked agitated. Her gaze swept the street nervously. "If the suppliers are still as active as you say, then I'm not safe, and neither are you." She rose to her feet. "I came here hoping you'd tell me that the drug chain had fallen apart, and I wouldn't have to worry about them anymore… But I shouldn't have come."

Russel also stood up, 2D and I following. "It's been a long time since you were involved with us," Russel stated. "Don't you think you're off their radar by now? They wouldn't follow you for this long."

Paula shivered. I felt a chill of my own when I saw the anxious circles drawn under her eyes. "Every now and then, I get this feeling that someone's watching me… Then I'll turn around and see someone standing on a corner, or in an alley, and they'll just stare at me for a minute before walking away." She cast us a serious look. "You're not safe just because you've left Manchester. They'll follow you wherever you go, so you'd better rethink whatever plans you've been making for the future. I'd better be on my way." With that said, she turned to walk off into the night –

"Paula."

2D's voice sung gently in the air. Paula paused, taking a step back toward us. Her expression was unreadable, but I felt a strange twinge in my chest as she faced her former lover. "What?"

2D held her gaze. I could see soft emotions painted in his expression… Somber, wistful, and a bit sad. "Thank you for telling us what happened. I really appreciate the risk you're taking."

Paula's returning frown held none of 2D's gentle warmth.

In fact, she looked frustrated… angry, even.

The woman's gaze slipped away from 2D's, flicking between me and Russel. Her eyes were cold. "Don't kid yourself that I came here to help anyone but myself. Remember that the only reason I'm not on the run with you guys right now is because I had the brains to put myself first and get out of a bad situation. Self-preservation isn't a crime; it's what people need to do to survive." 2D flinched when her cold gaze returned to him. "I don't regret leaving you behind all those years ago. No one should be asked to put theirself in harm's way for the sake of someone else." She took a step forward. "Don't forget that your life is just one life. It isn't more important than anyone else's." Gesturing towards Russel and me, she spat, "If protecting you puts people's lives in danger, then you ought to quit being selfish and stop letting people protect you."

WHAM!

Paula reeled backwards. Her eyes met mine in shock. Red fluid trailed from her broken nose.

My fist was extended in front of me, hot with blood and anger. My ears were ringing.

I must have taken a step forward, because the next thing I knew, my face was inches from hers, dyed in the red haze that had crept into the edges of my vision. "As motivational as your speech is –" I was grimly pleased by the cold calm in my voice. "– I think you need to shut up and leave."

She took a step backwards, warily sizing up my small figure. "You know, for all these years, I almost felt guilty sometimes. Not for Stuart… For you." Her eyes narrowed. "If I'd never left Gorillaz, then a ten-year-old kid would've never got sucked into this mess." She turned until I could only see her profile. "But you're an adult now. I've given you my warning, and you can make your own decisions from here. If you want to throw your life away on a lost cause, then be my guest. But the suppliers will catch up to you, and if you don't give them what they want, you'll probably end up dead. They need Stuart alive for their marketing scheme. They might even need Murdoc. But you... They don't need you alive. To them, you're replaceable."

Replaceable.

An image flashed in my mind's eye…

My own face, smiling cruelly, stained with motor oil and shooting sparks against a backdrop of blue sky and pink beach…

I wanted to punch Paula again.

Dimly, I was aware of hands fastened around my arms, holding me back.

Paula shot me one last parting glare – I thought I saw pity in the tilt of her eyebrows – and walked away.

. . .

I was originally planning to have a peaceful, conciliatory reunion with Paula. Then I thought, "Wouldn't it be great if Noodle punched her in the face?"

Hey, I'm a peaceful person in real life. I've earned the right to use literature as a violent outlet.

I really wanted to present Paula as more of a gray-area character than she's usually shown – yeah, she's still the jerk who ditched 2D, but she was driven by fear for her own well-being and future rather than lust for the Great Big Pickle.

Coming Up Next: How will the band react to this new information about the Pill Thieves – or, should I say, the Suppliers? How will 2D be affected by the encounter with his Ex?