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Day 3 - Part 14

She has given up and we’re sitting in the hotel bar. I’m glad she started to feel sorry for me before my toes went completely numb. Mint chocolate I’m drinking makes me feel a bit warmer.
-It’s not as organized in Europe as here, she explains. -Of course London is different, Paris, Barcelona, Stockholm, Berlin... Big cities. But when you go to the periphery there’s not such network as we have here.
-But Boys came back to London.
-They did. And under the circumstances I didn’t get anywhere near them. No one did. People just vanished. As I told most of the reward hunters went after other famous names of London rock city. And since there was no more Ophelia, Peach or Pie I was completely alone. I didn’t have enough connections, enough courage, enough insolence to get where I wanted.
She looks somewhere far away recalling the past.
-I didn’t have money. I couldn’t eat. I was thrown out of the trains in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere. I got my first periods and was unable to get a shower for four days. When I got to the same city as Boys, they were already packing up and leaving. I was always two-three steps behind.
-You didn’t get on their buses?
-No, she shakes her head. -Not anywhere near of them. I tried desperately contact Greg, thinking that I’ve must have meant something for him, that he would help me.
-He didn’t?
-Well, eventually. By the time we were in Vienna.
-Vienna, sounds romantic.
-I wish I could go back, she whispers.
-Why? What happened?
-Oh no, days in Vienna... First it was pain and after. It got better. But the view I got from those cities is so horrible. If you can imagine being sixteen years old and traveling with false passport, trying to talk with people who don’t speak a word of English. I’ve been to so many places and few I really remember.
-Vienna is one of those?
-Vienna is definitely one of those.

Mark came from the window.
-She’s been standing there two days already.
-So? AJ asked. -Lot of our fans do that.
Mark raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything more.
-Maybe you should concentrate on drumming, Brian suggested. Mark took his sticks and drummed little bit of their soon become first single. Nick went to the window and peeked out.
-I know that girl.
-Somehow that’s not surprising, Howie commented.
-No. Not that way. I think she’s same girl I got hooked up at the New Year’s party.
Silence fell.
-Not that way! Nick said. -We just talked. She’s young, 18 or something. Used to hang out with those three girls. You know, one that got... And the other...
Kevin stood up and marched out of the room.
-Now look what you did, Brian sighed.
-I’m sorry. I didn’t know we’re not supposed to mention those at all!
Greg came to stand next to Nick.
-She must be only one knowing we’re here.
-I told you body doubles were a great idea, Howie said. -Rest of the fans think we’re in the middle of Germany.
-Ain’t we? Nick asked.
-Nick!
Greg looked out too.
-I know her as well.
-You do? Nick sounded surprised.
-Yeah. She plays piano. Didn’t you ever hear her playing while on tour? She wasn’t there for long, just from December or something. I gave her some notes when we were in New York.
Greg tried to remember more details.
-I remember her asking I’d take her with us. I said I couldn’t.
-You’re old enough to be her father, Nick said.
-You think I’d like to use her? No. Never. I love my wife. Unlike some.
Brian coughed and for a moment Greg was happy that Kevin had already fled the room.
-But here she is, Greg continued. -Poor girl, she must be freezing. Are you sure we can’t invite her in?
He turned to see Be-Bob with a begging face but big man just shook his head.
-You can’t be this cruel. Look at her. She’s shivering out there... It’s least you can do. I’ll talk with her, ask if she’s OK, let her warm up and then send her away.
Brian looked at his guys. AJ was typing a message and didn’t react, Howie nodded slightly. Nick kept looking out from the window.
-OK? Brian asked from Be-Bob.
-I can take her downstairs.
-Just don’t let her into the studio.
Be-Bob was leaving.
-I’m coming with you, Greg said quickly and followed him.

Cara sit in a chair wearing some oversized pants and sweater. She’d been soaking wet when Be-Bob came to invite her in. She hadn’t said a word until that. It was third day without any food. Nights she’d spent in one old abandoned house with no heat or running water. Greg sat opposite to her.
-It’s OK, he said to Be-Bob. -You go up and yell when I’m needed.
Be-Bob hesitated for a while but since Cara was just sitting there, doing nothing, he thought that the situation didn’t need him. Actually he felt bad seeing Cara like that. She looked starved, tired, older, more experienced than last time he’d seen her. So quietly he left the room.
Greg explored Cara for a long time with his eyes.
-How are you? he finally asked with a silent voice. She shrugged, didn’t even look at him.
-Is it better now? You’re getting warmer?
She nodded.
-Where are your friends? I heard there used to be four of you.
Then her eyes met his. And pain Greg saw in those was overwhelming.
-It’s OK. You’re safe now. You don’t have to tell.
-Ophelia, she’s in LA. Or somewhere there. Peach and Pie, or Pretty, what ever you want to call her, are in New York. That’s where I last saw them.
-How did you find us? How did you know we’re here?
-You can’t fool me.
-Obviously we can’t. So you just came here, right?
She shook her head, looking away again.
-What? You’ve been following us for some time? How long?
-I came to London six weeks ago.
-Six weeks?
-And I’ve been after you since.
-Oh my god.
Suddenly she started to cry, warmness of dry clothes and Greg’s concern being too much for her. Greg repeated his words and just hugged that little girl.